I'd like to form a user group titled, 'The League of Ordinary Assholes, Pricks, and Other Miscellaneous Douchebags'. You think you could set that up for me? I'm just trying to embrace public opinion here.
There's one trend that never changes over the years - drama generates activity. It's the greatest mystery of the universe. Like when people slow down to look at a wreck on the highway, or crowd around the scene of a crime. Small victories. And yeah, I could have gone back to pinpoint the exact time in which that topic got out of line, but honestly, I chose not to. The majority of the discussion was remarkably good, and I didn't feel the need to shut down something that was offering such passionate discussion amongst the members, even if it was a little crass at times.
I owned my actions from Day 1, Colt. I never once denied my words, or their intent. Your users however, did deny their words and actions. Going as far as to deny that there was even a problem here. I may have been a little excessive, heavy handed even, but I didn't start what transpired in that thread. I spent two months as a respectful, pleasant, daily member of your community, not even bringing up the issue, but rather actively working towards creating activity. All of those efforts were overtly ignored... People had to go out of their way to ignore my posts, and threads. When I finally felt it a lost cause, I left respectfully, noting that there was an issue with activity. Well apparently that made me a piece of shit, because a dozen or more previously MIA users lined up to drop their two cents in the opinion hat, not knowing I'd be back... I don't play games, and though I'm not a smart man, I'm not an idiot. Your people behaved out of line, and like proper asshats. I refuse to accept responsibility for that. And the fact you'd even bring it up now, tells me you never saw my side my to begin with. That troubles me, because you seem like a very smart man.
I didn't start rubbing people any way until they lined up to kick me around after I had respectfully taken my leave. If my pointing out that TFF was failing rubbed them the wrong way, and they couldn't accept the truth of the matter, that's unfortunate for them. I'm brutally honest. I come from a world where we don't dance around shit. We don't try to hurt each other, by we have thick skin so when you do something stupid, it's made clear to you. If you might not come back from a mission, it's made clear to you. I don't mince words when it comes to things like this. Especially when people want to act like fools.
Yeah, reintroducing a chat box would give people a reason to stay logged on between posts, and ideally draw traffic. We've had it on the forums before, on an older version of vBulletin, but I don't think any of us ever considered dropping it into the index. I'll have to run it by Fuzz and see if he'll integrate one; our index still gets hundreds of unique views daily, but that just doesn't translate over into the forum. Maybe some chatter can influence that. Thank you for that suggestion. You rubbed people the wrong way last time you were here, but your ideas are good. I appreciate the message, even if the delivery isn't always the greatest. :3
Understandable, but cutting features and sections is without question, not the answer here. You need every attraction, detour, and distraction you can get. I'm a creative writer, not even a gamer anymore (and FF has sucked since IX, brutal, but true for a majority of us older fans), so RP is MY best shot at it, personally. Besides, RP gives each player a reason to login every day. It keeps a steady flow of logins, more-so perhaps than for the person who only logs in to check for updates on the new titles. Right now we can't be picky about what could bring activity. I wouldn't spend another dime on advertising for a message board. That breaks my heart to hear. Just not a sound investment. If it were paying off, perhaps. I think you should focus on the community, and do what you can to make the product more desirable. I know several FF sites that are doing amazing right now, on a steady basis. They don't see any slow periods, whether between releases or not. So that simply isn't the issue. I would honestly expand your General Gaming section by adding Subs for some other huge franchises. Like A Bethsesda Studios Sub Forum for example. Games like Elder Scrolls are the reason everything FF is seeing lowered interest levels globally. Also, add a shoutbox to the Index Page, below your Header. Get some of that chatter going HERE, daily. It can be used by members to promote threads and contests, generating activity.
I think poking around in the roleplay forum isn't the best place to try to drum up excess activity. I'd reasonably consider archiving the whole thing if not for the couple of people who still keep a couple threads going here and there. There's not much else I can do on my end to create where there is nothing to be created. I've spent hundreds on advertising, in hopes that we'd see some extra life while I myself was unable to dedicate my time in earnest over the last few months. E3 is stirring up a lot of conversation, and my hope is to wrangle some of it back in this direction. There is a TFF Skype chat that has a hundred messages a day some days, and it kills me that the activity is there instead of in here. At the end of the day, it's still a handful of people who have been here for long over a decade, and the handful of extras who have joined along the way and managed to stick around. Outside of the walls of the internet, I still run into a lot of "Final Fantasy is bullshit, that game has sucked since [insert title at least a decade old]." I'm trying to find people who are interested in discussing ANYTHING, even the old games, but there are a lot of headstrong anti-RPG folk around here. All I need is two or three people who will make a genuine effort, and then it could be as simple as "and they told two friends, and they told two friends, and they told two friends..." Don't chalk anything up as a failure on your part. You tried to do the same thing I've been throwing money, ideas, and opinions at for a couple years. Even a lot of the FF fansites that were far more active are seeing a serious decline in activity. It happens. And then SQEX will list an official release date for FFXV and the internet will blow up again. Perhaps we need a little more content variety; I've been doing a lot of talking and playing with developers these last few months. Forcing the meat and potatoes of our "product" out of repetitive announcements and occasional updated information could give us a boost too.
Shit, Colt. Every time I decide I'm done, I second guess myself. Fact is I can't let things like this go. I took on the person mission of doing everything in my power as a Final Fantasy super-fan to generate activity here. Because I liked your community. To give up doesn't sit well with me. I never give up. So work with me here. If you don't want to, send me to someone who will. I can spearhead this thing as a regular member, it's not an ominous task, you just need people who recognize there's an issue, and are willing to do something about it. I told you 6 months ago the logical thing was to call it a day, or fight for this community. We're still here, so part of you must want to fight for TFF.
I'm a man of resolve, but I can no longer continue my mission to generate activity I the site that doesn't give to ****s itself. Furthermore, Eastwood's stupidity hinders all progress toward creating a better TFF. I fear for his life, as I now know where he lives (by his own admission). I'll be going now, and chalking this up to a failure on my part.
Six months later and things are the same, if not worse than when I left. Hate to say I told you so, but then I suppose it's too late.
How goes the struggle?
Admittedly, he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he has a good heart.
Your friend didn't have his privileges revoked. He's on the "awaiting email confirmation" list.
Nah, it was my friend who had drawn my attention to your community. Seems he had been checking the site out (as another FF fanboy), and nominated me for some awards or something? (great to hear something's going on) Then the incomparable loaf made a snide remark, and he then had his posting privileges revoked. That's when he drew my attention here, and when I messaged you, because I'm done with the dramatics and pathetic attempts at a saving throw by your users. Hence I didn't have it in me to snoop around and uncover the source of my friend's complication. Needless to say, yet another devout member lost to you.
Hmm? I didn't summon anyone. That would be a neat power though.
