EF, now and the future

[Lancet Jades]

While EF is doing alright at the moment, with a small but devoted member base, we really need to continue trying to attract newer members to prevent the inevitable decay that comes from having no population growth.

The biggest obstacle is that we're just a forum, like millions others out there. So I want this thread to be a general suggestion thread, for people to voice ideas of what we can do to attract new members. Both things to add/bring back (like LotGD and definitely a proper front page), and how to expand further (whatever else could be added on to the site to help draw people in). A lot might get shot down as being too difficult (or even impossible) for me to do, since while competent at keeping EF up and running, I can't guarantee the same for everything else.

Another advantage for EF is our member base now is mostly 18+. Not necessarily meaning to allow more..."mature" discussion, I mean this as in we aren't chock full of poor spelling/grammar kids that are like 12. Most if not everyone here conducts themselves with full sentences and thoughts in a mature(ish) way. And on top of that, we're pretty lax with the rules, and quarrels between members and staff are non-existent.

[Rainbow Dash]

things to add/bring back (like LotGD and definitely a proper front page)
You mean those thing I gave up bugging you about like half a year ago?

[Applejack]

\
Another advantage for EF is our member base now is mostly 18+. Not necessarily meaning to allow more..."mature" discussion,\



Well there goes my idea.

A homepage could really help, it couldn't hurt.


I'll think of stuff, though, I'm good at thinking.

[TGLucario]

The homepage is a must really

maybe Affiilating with other sites, like Anime, Gaming, Manga sites

I can think of other things, but They ain't coming into my head at the moment

[Mina]

New layouts, freshen it up.
I was surprised how well my threads about getting to know each other did, so maybe more of that.
Also, it seems that its possible we have to direct more discussion away from games since most members dont do it as much or cant afford to as much. So they dont have as much to say as they used to about games. You know? I could be wrong there, just putting it out. Maybe instead of a gaming focus, more of a general nerdy/geeky kinda thing.
I'm not an anime fan BUT, maybe you could set up weekly/monthly polls to rate and review anime and games?
Maybe contests? Like, "Best video game collection" and the members take a picture, something along those lines.

I agree with the age group being a good thing. :]
Im sure many just dont have time for the forum as they used to.

I can see if I can get any people to join.

[Rainbow Dash]

I was surprised how well my threads about getting to know each other did, so maybe more of that.
Also, it seems that its possible we have to direct more discussion away from games since most members dont do it as much or cant afford to as much. So they dont have as much to say as they used to about games. You know? I could be wrong there, just putting it out. Maybe instead of a gaming focus, more of a general nerdy/geeky kinda thing.
While specific gaming threads are awesome, I tend to be kinda iffy about the general discussion gaming threads. Most of them seem forced, and they're usually done in a way that encourages people to only read the top post, post their opinion, and leave the thread without seeing anyone else's posts. Not very thought provoking, or conversation provoking.

[Mina]

Oh, well I read everyones posts at least.

[horrible]

Well, looks like this is once again time for me to throw this at lades, again.

A proper game affiliated with a forums makes all the difference. I don't mean massive server heavy games...a plain browser MMO will work just as well. Integrate a toolbar for managing your troops, buying stuff, attacking/defending/exploring into the forums and you have something most forums don't have.

Another idea would be to actually act like a game forums. Put up reviews for just about every game out there, have cheats/hints/mods/walkthroughs, keep track of the release of new games, post trailers or clips of the games. Add a problem/solution thread for games. Maybe expand to movies/tv/anime; post reviews, trailers, clips.

One thing that seems to be becoming popular is scripts, bots, drones. Overall things that make life online easier. Post tutorials on how to make them (first find someone that knows though >_>). Beyond that, have a thread for overall tutorials, everything from how to piece together a computer to cooking (not necessarily all at once).

But yea, the forum face needs an update too...the skins, particularly the default, could use a makeover.

edit:

Ok, after reading some of the other posts:

Goddess; this was originally a gaming forums (I think). Even though the overall focus of the threads and members here is mostly general discussions...even movie discussions fair better. So you technically are right...but when you look EF up at google it stills says "Evermore Forums is a discussion board for any and all videogame material." (and on an unrelated note, seems EF is worth $1927.2 o.o)

[Nickelback]

Implement a way of slaughtering demons and vile evildoers as we post! That should attract people!

Seriously though, I'm out of ideas. Not much really sets us apart from everyone else making their forum, other than the fact that we know each other! Maybe transforming Evermore into a general discussion forum of some kind. I don't know!

[Mina]

Do I get points since I got my friend Dan to join? :D

[Miles]

Maybe transforming Evermore into a general discussion forum of some kind. I don't know!

You and me...Need to revive that creative writing thread and we need to post in it.

I don't really have any friends...
Um...The few friends I do have are inside of work (excluding you guys, of course) and I don't really want anyone like that joining here.
So I don't really have anyone to invite...

[Applejack]

Revive/Reinstate a full-blown RP section and watch it snowball with proper advertising and word of mouth.

[Lancet Jades]

First of all, EF is, always has been, and forever shall be a gaming forum. That doesn't mean we can't have non-game discussion (obviously we have plenty of it), but the focus will always be on games.

Revive/Reinstate a full-blown RP section and watch it snowball with proper advertising and word of mouth.
Now that there's the Holy Grail. Many EFers have sought to obtain it, and fallen on the way. It's as unobtainable as it is desired. In any case, I'm not really an RPer, so it'd be up to others, not me. I'd be willing to (as an admin) work with anyone trying to revive that section though.

Another idea would be to actually act like a game forums. Put up reviews for just about every game out there, have cheats/hints/mods/walkthroughs, keep track of the release of new games, post trailers or clips of the games. Add a problem/solution thread for games. Maybe expand to movies/tv/anime; post reviews, trailers, clips.
Well, a few years back we DID try the GameFAQs angle, and it just didn't work for us. The biggest problem with EF is we don't have the coders and web designers necessary to implement a lot of different things. Just maintaining EF (and LotGD, when we have it - and I do plan to bring it back sometime soon) is enough for me.

A good example is that card game idea we had. I'd love to go through with it, but it'd require someone to not only code the game, but integrate it into vB for use with the forums (so it isn't a stand-alone game like LotGD is/was).

[Rainbow Dash]

(and LotGD, when we have it - and I do plan to bring it back sometime soon
You realize you said this about a year ago?

[Applejack]

Now that there's the Holy Grail. Many EFers have sought to obtain it, and fallen on the way. It's as unobtainable as it is desired. In any case, I'm not really an RPer, so it'd be up to others, not me. I'd be willing to (as an admin) work with anyone trying to revive that section though.





As an avid RPer, I'd gladly help/do what I can to try and revive the section.

[Elisa Maza]

I have bad memories about LotGD o.o I remember it wasn't my fault, but I also remember it looked like it was and I got yelled at. Or something. I don't actually remember it completely

That EF card game idea still sounds fun even now. It would be nice if it happened, even if it doesn't seem like it will.

Anyway, other than that, I have nothing to contribute to this topic >.> Gaming tournaments~

[Rainbow Dash]

As an avid RPer, I'd gladly help/do what I can to try and revive the section.
Ferget it! Even I tried, and failed. And what are you? Nothing! You can't do it Droog, just give up. It'll only end in heartbreak.

Though we all know that Tessa leaving is what killed it...

I have bad memories about LotGD o.o I remember it wasn't my fault, but I also remember it looked like it was and I got yelled at. Or something. I don't actually remember it completely
I remember that clearly. Someone hacked your account and started threatening Mean Lady. The two of us brandished our swords and slew the hacker where he stood, and then promptly handed his remains over to authorities for further punishment.

[Miles]

Though we all know that Tessa leaving is what killed it...

More like...No one could be bothered after that.

I was and still am up for it.

But I feel like it was pure laziness that killed it and not Tessa.

I'm a bit miffed that everyone just quit in the middle of two RP's.
They're about fun...Post as much or as little as you can...You don't need to use giant fancy words...As long as you try, that's all that matters.
I don't feel that enough people understood that and I feel they quit or just didn't join because they were scared.

So, I'll help with this and do what I can, also.
I'm not free overly much but you can bet that I'll do my part, if this is what people want.

Also. Again. I'll revive that creative writing thing.

It's all I can do.
As I said...I don't have anyone to invite.

[Rainbow Dash]

They're about fun...Post as much or as little as you can...You don't need to use giant fancy words...As long as you try, that's all that matters.
That wasn't really the attitude I was getting in Afterworld, which is why I created the causal RP area. I wrote a paragraph as opposed to two pages like everyone else and got yelled at.

And Tessa's absence from her own RP kinda killed it, and since that was the only serious RP that was going, it just shut down. If it had managed to go through to completion, then maybe people woulda seen it and thought "oh hey, maybe it CAN be done."

[Irving1992]

I can help out with Nick and Holly on a Creative Writing forum, when I get the ol' gears turning, I can grind out some mean stories.

[Elisa Maza]

I remember that clearly. Someone hacked your account and started threatening Mean Lady. The two of us brandished our swords and slew the hacker where he stood, and then promptly handed his remains over to authorities for further punishment.

Ah, I remember now. It was supposedly from MY IP address, which is why I was blamed. If I remember, there's been one or two other accounts that were linked to my IP address who caused trouble in the forums once or twice.

I don't understand how that could happen (unless it was my sisters on the laptop in the other room or something, but I don't see why they'd do that. I doubt it was them)

I tried tracing it, but it didn't work. I was so upset back then. I'm not the kind of person who'd do that. Plus I know better than to make a seperate account on the same computer.

[Miles]

That wasn't really the attitude I was getting in Afterworld, which is why I created the causal RP area. I wrote a paragraph as opposed to two pages like everyone else and got yelled at.

Well, I'm not surprised.
There were complaints of people taking too long to do their parts and how they were "writing novels" and that...Which actually put me off being part of it...Because there were too many bad feelings but...Everyone else eventually quit and I believe the reason was because people were getting afraid to post.

I don't. Not ever. Want to see such horrible things again.
When we RP, we need to work together to make the story work...Otherwise we hit a brick wall and things like Afterworld happen.

I want to avoid this if we revive the RP stuffs.
I feel that people shouldn't be allowed to intimidate other RPers...It's just not fair.

Anyways. Here!
This is what I want to see revived and poor Nick got ignored, by the looks of it.

Tadaaaa (http://www.evermoreforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24434)

[Rainbow Dash]

I tried tracing it, but it didn't work.
I was wondering what happened there. I'd hoped it worked out, guess not. At least they haven't caused trouble since then.

[Applejack]

Ferget it! Even I tried, and failed. And what are you? Nothing! You can't do it Droog, just give up. It'll only end in heartbreak.






This is the part of the movie where I go through a montage, succeed, and then have the cops bust in and wreck the place.


I have faith that ideas (of which my head is full) can go a long way to reviving RP forums.

[Rainbow Dash]

Yer a fool! A damn crazy fool!

On an unrelated note, y'know how I was clamoring about trophies or some BS like that any time a thread like this came up in the past? And you all were all, "That's stupid!" and ignored it?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/

[Applejack]

Yvl, I swear to whatever god or gods you believe in that I will succeed where others have failed

[Lancet Jades]

This is the part of the movie where I go through a montage, succeed, and then have the cops bust in and wreck the place.


I have faith that ideas (of which my head is full) can go a long way to reviving RP forums.
Then get started. You don't need my permission every step of the way >.>

[Applejack]

Then get started. You don't need my permission every step of the way >.>



Eh, after I finish this game. It's a lazy day.

[Chicken Little]

For what it's worth I find myself more gravitating towards "my own people" rather than amalgamations since you can really always talk about things to those in the same situation as opposed to polar opposite geographics outside of a general comment sense or in reply to something.

I mean over the years I've usually made note of or celebrated Australian holidays and special events and relaly only those linked with Australia have had anything meaningful to say about it while everyone else just went with generic responses. No ones fault or anything but it highlights the divide that while interests may be shared, outside of that there's really not much in common outside of general fields of discussion.

So in saying that, capitalise on what may be a void in the US offerings, where instead of an individual going to 3-4 sites to find said info and discussion they could instead only go to 1.

[Dark Luther]

Hey Yvl, I'm glad you guys brandished your swords when someone used Kimiko's IP to hack into EF,
but when someone used my IP - I remember you and a couple of others wanting Lades to ban me and kick me out for supposedly hacking EF. Which is kinda funny looking back as at the time I didn't even know what an IP address was...
( later it turned out I used AOL at the time, and made it irrelavent... )


Anyway - the feelings on Afterworld was this...
Some people didn't like how everyone was writting these extremly long stories - others disliked how some wrote really short passages and weren't even trying.

The actual main problem was that it took two or three weeks between each person - because people didn't want to post something sub-par ( they felt they would be judged too much ), instead of just writting and seeing were it goes...

In the end, with the delays, Tessa eventually just left - and it ended...

Ever since then - few people have actually tried to start one...
The casual RP isn't what is right in my opinion - as an RP is a commitment...

Some have been suggested, but they have been single stories, randomly thrown in...
I threw in a couple, but only one or two people at a time wanted to do it...



If there is more support and more people wanting one, let's throw some ideas out there...
I'll take the initiative and throw a bunch of ideas and see if anyone wants to take any of them up.,

[Miles]

In the end, with the delays, Tessa eventually just left - and it ended...



Tessa didn't leave because of that.

But, at the end of the day. I don't care.

The only thing I care about, as far as RPing goes...Is that if we revive it...No one will bully another member over their posts again.
I didn't like how someone threw their weight around and acted like the boss when Tessa-Chan left.

RP's are for fun.
On a certain level, yes, commitment is needed but it's not a marriage, it's a giant story that a group of people create together.
They should be able to do that and have fun.

I say that if you have a problem with the way people are posting or how it's going...You leave. Simple as.
Harassing other people who are trying their best and then making everyone miserable isn't fair.

The thing that makes everything in life fun...Is that everyone has different things they're good at and different levels of skill.
Just because someone isn't good at creative writing, that doesn't mean they aren't allowed to RP.

Everyone in Afterworld was trying their best.
It's a shame you think otherwise, Luther, because everyone was giving their all.

[Altima]

I don't know what I can do besides trying to drag people here. I have actually wanted to do some serious pming and what not to drag people here like trying a few hundred messages sent a day or something.

A creative 1 of a kind card game sounds nice, but would probably be hard to code as would a MMO, or even a game like the RPG Inferno that we may be able to create.

Affiliating with other sites might not be such a bad idea.

New skins, and a home page sound nice too.

[Nickelback]

You and me...Need to revive that creative writing thread and we need to post in it.

*FOREHEAD SLAP*

I totally forgot about this. Yes, it must be done.

[Miles]

*FOREHEAD SLAP*

I totally forgot about this. Yes, it must be done.

You and me both o.o;;

Until this thread came up...I forgot that we made it >.> to encourage more postish activities.

GO TEAM!

Let's work hard!

[Applejack]

Some people didn't like how everyone was writting these extremly long stories - others disliked how some wrote really short passages and weren't even trying.





I feel that an RP should be quality over quantity, but of course it is up to the RP creator to decide on this. A short, but good RP post can be much easier to play off of than a long flowery post. RPs are a group effort, it shouldn't simply be who can write the longest response.


The actual main problem was that it took two or three weeks between each person - because people didn't want to post something sub-par ( they felt they would be judged too much ), instead of just writting and seeing were it goes...


This goes hand-in-hand with the previous statement. People tend to lose interest if everyone takes so long to respond. RPs don't need to be the length of a thesis; yeah it may be well written, but it's not exactly necessary. Shorter, more concise responses could be beneficial. I'm not saying we shouldn't stop writing long responses, but there needs to come a time when you have to think "Hmm, okay, do I really need all these paragraphs to set up this one line of dialogue?"

[Nickelback]

Anyway - the feelings on Afterworld was this...
Some people didn't like how everyone was writting these extremly long stories - others disliked how some wrote really short passages and weren't even trying.

I never got these feelings from anyone. You don't need to write huge entries to contribute to the RP in the fashion that I was doing. I just enjoy going in-depth with details and such.

The actual main problem was that it took two or three weeks between each person - because people didn't want to post something sub-par ( they felt they would be judged too much ), instead of just writting and seeing were it goes...

o_o Who felt this way? I really don't remember seeing anything like this being voiced before now. Either way, it's sort of moot considering it's dead. We were all doing our own thing, though, if you recall. That's kind of what RPing is, you write and see where it goes. An interactive story!

In the end, with the delays, Tessa eventually just left - and it ended...

I'd like to elaborate on this one, Tessa leaving essentially killed it because she was the pioneering force behind the RP's backstory and such in the first place, and not all of it was set in stone, so if we were to revive it, someone would have to take over her characters (The NPCs probably)

[Miles]

I never got these feelings from anyone.

That's because no one felt that way >.>

I don't know where this all came from, to be honest.

There were no bad feelings. No nothing.
It ended because Tessa-Chan left and another member had family problems and was unable to post for a few weeks.
I think I may have gone on holiday during that, too...Actually.

[Mina]

Back to stuff besides RP,
Maybe we can encourage members to talk more about their personal lives and not just opinions? I like to do that and share photos since I think it makes it more "real" and like you actually know someone more. If you can see them and know what they do and like to do, have to do, things that happen, etc, (haha im half awake sorry) its easier to bond online.

[Applejack]

I'm not so sure many people would want to discuss their personal lives. Many people like to come online to escape from that. Not saying it's a bad idea or anything, I'm just looking at it from a perspective I've been through.

[Mina]

Eh I never felt the need to escape, persay, haha. I can see what you mean, though.

I just thought since we're a small community and get used to each other and often get alone, maybe some other people would be interested in something like that.
Was just an idea.

In general I feel like I know someone more if I can see who I'm talking to, also. Fun to see what they do in pictures or in stories, too.

I like EF the way it is, I've been a part of it for years, so no complaints at all.

[Dark Luther]

Well, you know what, I really resent what you guys are saying...
I resent it because you guys are remembering things in a particular way - and forgetting a lot of how things went on.
So I guess it's easy to blame me and make me the villain.
Specially you Nick - since I find it hard to belikeve that you don't remember anyone feeling that way.

If you guys look back at afterworld discussion - Nick, you were just as vocal about the delay as I was.
It's easy now that she pointed the finger at me to take Holly's side, and act the innocent.

I also never meant Tessa left because of any of us, she left because she had several of her own things going, not relating to the game.


We were discussing how the game went, and my point in my belief is the truth - the game was ended by delays - I must point out that the first person to leave ( yvl ) left for that reason particularly, and stated the length and delay between posts as reason.

I never got angry at anyone - nor threw my weight around and acted like boss; you can look at the discussion thread and read through it. What happened ( over a time span of several months ) was various people posting, some people getting writters block,
some of us supporting them and encouraging them ( sometimes telling them not to try to make it too perfect, or get to frustrated ).
Several people were held up - and several had reasons - and we waited ( you can look and nothing bad was said ).
Including when Holly got held up for a week, everyone including myself were very supportive.
The last thing was the thing with Midge - then Walnut -
When we were ready to get it started again, he kept stating he was going to post, then a week would go, and we were left trying to encourage him to keep going...
In the end, three weeks went by and he had only written a paragraph.
Unfortunately, I posted being distressed about the delay after that, so I guess that's where I look like a bully...

But that's two years ago..., and that is also forgetting that everyone had things going.
I had talked to walnut around that time not about the RP, and understood why he had the delay...
He explained to me various stuff and how he was taking a leave of absense, and I made great effort to help him out.
It may be my view, but we were on good terms...,
frankly, even after that we were all on good terms...


I understand your position Holly, but I don't appreciate being called a bully...
Your a very kind person, and I feel bad that I may have appeared that way to you.
If I did, I'm sincerely sorry...

[Dark Marmosett]

Legend of the green dragon is probably the best idea. >.> it might even bring gravity back...who knows. and a homepage would be nice. it kinda looks...untidy without one :|

as far as new members..i really don't know who I could bring anymore. but a little advertising here or there couldn't hurt i'd reckon or start up the affiliates thing again with other sites like in the ages past.

[Pinkie Pie]

Tessa didn't leave because of that.

But, at the end of the day. I don't care.

The only thing I care about, as far as RPing goes...Is that if we revive it...No one will bully another member over their posts again.
I didn't like how someone threw their weight around and acted like the boss when Tessa-Chan left.

RP's are for fun.
On a certain level, yes, commitment is needed but it's not a marriage, it's a giant story that a group of people create together.
They should be able to do that and have fun.

I say that if you have a problem with the way people are posting or how it's going...You leave. Simple as.
Harassing other people who are trying their best and then making everyone miserable isn't fair.

The thing that makes everything in life fun...Is that everyone has different things they're good at and different levels of skill.
Just because someone isn't good at creative writing, that doesn't mean they aren't allowed to RP.

Everyone in Afterworld was trying their best.
It's a shame you think otherwise, Luther, because everyone was giving their all.

A lot of what caused Afterworld to fall apart was bad timing, at least on my part. Real life was biting me in the ass at the time, and combined with my usual level of distrated-ness, it kept me from pulling my end of things.

I think also I was trying to make it much more complicated than it needed to be, adding in the fact that I really didn't have a concrete backstory and direction set for it and was trying to come up with stuff while the RP was ongoing caused me to get frustrated, and I think possibly intimidated others involved as to the level of detail I was expecting.

That said, I've always been really disappointed that it crashed so early into things, though admittedly it was probably more my fault than anyone elses that it happened (especially with distractions piling up and finally taking me away from this site entirely shortly after the RP fell apart).

Having been out of the RP community in WoW for a while, and now having been out of WoW entirely for a few months, I am kind of RP-starved, and wouldn't mind trying to take part in or organize something again, though I have no idea what or how far off the ground another attempt would get.

[Rainbow Dash]

Having been out of the RP community in WoW for a while, and now having been out of WoW entirely for a few months, I am kind of RP-starved, and wouldn't mind trying to take part in or organize something again, though I have no idea what or how far off the ground another attempt would get.
Mean Lady's been itching to RP as well, from what I understand. It's worth a shot.

[Dark Luther]

I would even love to pick up afterworld again...
it really was an incredible idea...,
I know this other girl who wants in too...