Lack of new people is killing the backroom and the entire forum

[Lysimachus]

I'm disappointed now that I didn't register earlier if things were that active back then. But I suppose i'm here now and I can help the activity by being one of the new people.

[Togakure]

Things should pick up a bit once TW: Shogun 2 is released--for a while anyway. From the standpoint of marketing, this would be a good time to consider any changes to forum structure (the interface), and to the process for new members, which might encourage people to join and participate.

The rules shouldn't be changed. They were the same when this place was rife with life, so I don't think they have anything to do with the lull in substantial activity here. The style of enforcement might have something to do with it, as staff has changed a lot since the old days. But I doubt it. I haven't noticed this to be true to any great degree.

I detest the Backroom, but the suggestion about making the link to the Back Room more visible from the main page makes sense if folks think it might inspire more people to inquire and eventually join in. Out of sight, out of mind, etc..

All-in-all, the game is the initial draw. People will hang out and join in in the ancillary forums if the game forums meet their needs and they find that they like the people who participate here (that's how it was for me, and I would guess, many of you). I say just be helpful, and encourage new gamers that do show up to check out the other forums once they've gotten their feet wet.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Just a video game forum.

[Motep]

Just a video game forum.

Not just a video game forum, no. This is the video game forum. The only one that has ever been able to keep my interest. TWC? Left after a week.

This is the good gem, and it should shine brighter than all the rest! But my babble will aid us not in this battle, no, for we must all babble! Maybe some newer folks are intimidated by resounding silence, no?

[Prussian to the Iron]

tribesmen got banned? for what may i ask?

[a completely inoffensive name]

tribesmen got banned? for what may i ask?

He didn't. He left.

[Prussian to the Iron]

why?

[Hooahguy]

Obama taking office and the ensuing media lovefest. The liberal media took it easy on him (at least for a while), while for the most part the conservative media went on a continuous, ugly rant about socialism, with veiled racism on the side, instead of just blasting his policies with decent arguments and good reporting. USA-related Backroom threads at this point changed, with liberals (US version) on the defense while the conservatives went into attack mode, this generally doesn't make for good conversation. And to the last...

Ok I resent the label of us Conservatives being labeled as closet racists. While there are Conservatives out there who are racist, there are a very small minority, and for the most part, Conservatives like me (well Im more independent than anything else but whatever) hate Obama's policies, not his race. If you stopped only looking at Fox News for Conservative talk, you would see there are many very good, valid, Conservative talking points out there. Just saying.

Also dont forget how before there was no Israel/Palestine thread moratorium. I remember during/after the Gaza war the thread went on for about 300+ pages before it was locked. Then something like four more, also spanning 100+ pages each sprung up over the next three months. Then the moratorium was issued by BQ, then there wasnt for a long time. Then I left because I was spending too much time on these forums and not enough time doing school work. Plus the stress was taking a toll on me.

why?

He just had enough of us and left.

[Prussian to the Iron]

He just had enough of us and left.

:(


also to other posts above....


come on guys, name calling? I know we are all emotionally devestated at the loss of Tribesman and his many contributions, but we should not have to be mean to one another. I suggest instead a community mourning, a funeral of sorts. There we can all express our feelings and connect through our love of Tribesman; it's what he would've wanted.

[pevergreen]

come on guys, name calling? I know we are all emotionally devestated at the loss of Tribesman and his many contributions

Tribesy has been gone for a while. Its hardly new news.

[drone]

Ok I resent the label of us Conservatives being labeled as closet racists. While there are Conservatives out there who are racist, there are a very small minority, and for the most part, Conservatives like me (well Im more independent than anything else but whatever) hate Obama's policies, not his race. If you stopped only looking at Fox News for Conservative talk, you would see there are many very good, valid, Conservative talking points out there. Just saying.

Thanks for making my point. I didn't label conservatives as racists, I said that some of the coverage by mainstream conservative media had a racist tone. Constant posting of articles written by authors declaring Obama a socialist Muslim with a white-hating Christian preacher does not advance the quality of the discussion. Combined with a liberal MSM too scared to give him any bad press and what are we left with? 43 was the gift that kept on giving, at least from a Backroom perspective.

If you have a line on well-thought out, critical analysis from the conservative side, please, by all means, post it. This is what is missing. The Backroom needs controversy to survive, but it needs to be well-defended controversy to keep it from turning into cable news.

[Hooahguy]

Fair enough, I see your point.

[phonicsmonkey]

I just wanted to share a couple of things I'm doing to try to revive interest in my specific part of the org (the Throne Room) and in the community more generally

The first is I'm captaining an Orgah team in a hotseat match against the guys from the parallel community at the TWC. It's called When Worlds Collide and is basically a 4 vs 4 deathmatch. We have a good team and are proud to represent the Org, and win or lose (but most likely win!) we'll hopefully raise our profile over there by taking part and maybe draw in some new members.

I'd encourage you all to follow the match (it's re-starting soon) and cheer on the Orgahs!

Also, as I'll be more visible over at the TWC during this period, I'll be using (and encouraging my teammates to use) the following as my signature over there:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- Hotseats
- RPGs
- STW, MTW, RTW, M2TW, NTW Multiplayer
- STW, MTW, RTW, M2TW, ETW, NTW, TWS2 discussion
- Europa Barbarorum and EBII
- Mafia

totalwar.org - Come for the War, stay for the Total.

It's not great (I'm not that graphically minded) so if anyone here wants to redesign it for me I'll proudly use an upgraded version instead. Likewise anyone here can feel free to use it if they spend time over at the TWC and want to join in the recruiting drive.

Lastly, I have set up a recruitment thread over at the TWC hotseat forum and I'll advertise new Org hotseat games there as and when they start - this should bring in some new blood which we are starting to badly need in the Throne Room...

[InsaneApache]

Brilliant.