Ok to start off I have decided to put this in ID because I really am tired of spam responses that I get from GC. Also it seems more fit for this section, please move it if you disagree. Also I want to throw in a disclaimer, this is not ment to be pointed directly at anyone at all. Just observations that I have noticed over the last few months.

I have been noticing a trend on TFF and that is that daily user activity is steadily dropping, older members are leaving and registrations are dropping also. I can see this being caused by a few different factors.

1: Post educate is mildly pore. (Another reason I decided to post this in ID, but a different matter at the same time.)

2: New releases to the FF universe are few and far between. I can see this problem resolving itself as XIII and all of its spin off drawing closer to its release date.

3: People bitching saying the “forum is dead” in multiple threads, this contributes to possible new members being turned away, and instills a thought into everyone’s head that it might be true. This forum is not dead by any means. Sure the post counts have dropped but this site is still active and has a good chance for full recovery and them some. Try visiting some of the other FF forums out there. I mod on 2 different ones and they have an average post count of 3-4 a month.

4: A severe lack of confrontation.

I will expand on number four seeing I think this could be one of the larger factors as to why activity has dropped.

Out side of a few members of this forum, there is very little controversy. People are more adamant to please then upset another member in fear that they might become “unliked” among the other users. They will quickly agree even if they don’t fully agree with what is being said instead of expanding on the differences in opinions.

Any other forms of confrontation are also shut down quickly and discarded making things very one sided. There have been multiple attempts to try and start some kinds of controversy and they all are dismissed in the blink of an eye.

To me this draws away from the fun that could be had at a forum and basically makes every one out to be clones. The responses I have seen lately in the forum are generic responses from fan boys that too are one sided and leave no room for discussion or debate.

Also I have noticed that when someone says something that is deemed “out of line” they are shot down and treated as an outcast by not only staff (at times) but also other forum members. I find this ridiculous. What is the point in having a discussion on a topic if a person can’t freely express their selves to the fullest degree???

With a tight rope there is little room for fun to be had, and isn’t that part of the reason that people come to this forum is to get away for a little while and have some fun? I know it is part of the reason that I come here myself, even though I find myself starting to lurk more often.

Now before this is taken the wrong way; I am not saying that people should be allowed to fight amongst the forum and if you have taken it that way you are incorrect. I am just saying that certain types of confrentation can be good, they can incite conversation, intrest, and all together raise daily posting of members.

It has been a while since I have seen a thread that actually sparked a heated debate amonst members, with the exception a very very limited few.
Most of what I have seen as of late are either lame spamming attempts, post whoring, or fan boyisims.

So I will stop my rant now because I want to see some of the others opinions before I carry on any further.

So please, discuss.