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

[Andres]

While you're at it, may I suggest you consider your temper and attitude too?

Outbursts like the ones in this thread are what drive mature posters away. With them gone, everything else discussed in this thread becomes rather moot.

Lecturing people can also drive posters away, certainly when done in a public thread.

Besides, outbursts like that, while not always acceptable, can also be read as "I care about this place" While he could have chosen his words more carefully, the outburst doesn't mean ACIN is a bad patron.

ACIN cares, so he gets emotional. Some of us can keep their emotions better under control than others

So much fighting in one thread, where's the love?

Anyway, as much as the OT area is the .org, the forum cannot survive if the TW series continues to deteriorate. That is essentially the main pull and if the series continues to dip then so will the forum. Then again saying that, sales at least would suggest TW has gone from strength to strength. If that's the case, the staff and the patrons need to seriously look at this community and ask the question; "why are places like TWC getting a far larger share of the traffic than here?"

For my part the reason I don't post as much is simply because the OT has become of limited interest. I posted in the STW2 MP forums a few months back but that settled down a bit. I'll probably post there again when the game is nearer release however. As for the Backroom and other Tavern sub-forums, the simple reason I don't post as much is because activity is down and as a result there's a lack of interesting topics. If you look about 8 months back when there were lots of British/ world politics threads on to go, I was very active. Now the scope of threads tend to be very narrow and topic either don't interest me or lack the depth I used to expect from a Backroom thread. The Frontroom activity has also dipped significantly, although I never posted there as much.

Although I don't post as often, I still visit the .org more than once a day. It's still my most viewed web page apparently. Part of that's down to new commitments in real life which quite simply leaves me with less time, part of it is the reasons stated above. Regardless however, I will be here as long as this forum is here. I've not stopped visiting yet and I don't plan to any time in the near future.

It's a vicious circle, isn't it?

Not much activity -> I no longer post -> even less activity -> others no longer post.

If you want the BR to stay alive, you have to keep posting. If you make your posts quality posts, they will attract new contributors. If you, however, run away, then no new people will get attracted.

Other members used to play the leading role in the subforum; they left, for a variety of reasons. Maybe it's time for those left to step up and play the leading role those that left used to play.

I will try to make more threads, but I think it still goes without saying that I cannot do it all by myself.

And you shouldn't. But the least you can do, if you truly care, is trying

[Yoyoma1910]

Maybe it's time for those left to step up and play the leading role those that left used to play.

But they were so strong... and we are so... so... weak.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Lecturing people can also drive posters away, certainly when done in a public thread.

Lecturing in a public thread....like you are doing right now you mean?

[Riedquat]

But you are not ... people.... you are a mod, lecturing a mod always attract people ;)

[tibilicus]

It's a vicious circle, isn't it?

Not much activity -> I no longer post -> even less activity -> others no longer post.

If you want the BR to stay alive, you have to keep posting. If you make your posts quality posts, they will attract new contributors. If you, however, run away, then no new people will get attracted.

Other members used to play the leading role in the subforum; they left, for a variety of reasons. Maybe it's time for those left to step up and play the leading role those that left used to play.

Yes, yes it is a vicious circle, the point is though I can't force myself to be interested. If I post a British related thread in the Backroom now it will normally only reach 2 pages/ 3 pages tops. There used to be a time where it could go on for multiple pages but that time is no more. I largely stopped posting them because of that and also because they tended to follow the same formality of debate.

[Andres]

Yes, yes it is a vicious circle, the point is though I can't force myself to be interested. If I post a British related thread in the Backroom now it will normally only reach 2 pages/ 3 pages tops. There used to be a time where it could go on for multiple pages but that time is no more. I largely stopped posting them because of that and also because they tended to follow the same formality of debate.

Meh, threads longer than 5 pages are usually people repeating themselves.

I prefer a three page long thread with interesting posts of high quality over 10 pages of drivel.

[al Roumi]

On the running of the Backroom, if I may say -I don't think it should be open, but maybe more advertised. Some sensible and manageable control over what is hosted by the website is clearly needed yet the frankness of the discussions needs to be preserved. I think the Org's requirements for civility are commendable, as has been mentioned above, this is the exception rather than the norm for inter-tube based talking shops.

That said, I have felt there is a bit of an itchy trigger finger on the "close thread" button recently. It's not always clear exactly why a thread has been closed -which obviously suggests that some authoritarian mod needs more time for their evil world dominating side project than a continued discussion would allow. If it's a temporary thread closure to act as a cooling off period, fine, just say so please!

[Beskar]

The thing is, some people don't change their opinions, so discussion part comes slightly pointless, hence why it degrades in quality.

[InsaneApache]

I dunno, I changed my opinion on global warming/climate change/climate disruption.

[Furunculus]

I dunno, I changed my opinion on global warming/climate change/climate disruption.

guilty of maintaining the same opinion on that one guv'nor. :(

the backroom should remain essentially private.

[Lysimachus]

The thing is, some people don't change their opinions, so discussion part comes slightly pointless, hence why it degrades in quality.

Provided sufficient evidence is put forth, i'm sure someone's views can be changed. It's only on a topic such as religion or anything else subjective that it's hard to make someone budge because there's nothing particularly conclusive to make them change their mind, whereas if it was say a more historical topic then provided you give enough evidence and have a logical viewpoint then i'm sure it would be accepted.

[Peasant Phill]

I stumbled on the .Org, years ago, because I wanted a guide for MTW. Lo and behold the .Org had this wonderful beginners guide by Frogbeastegg (Lady Frog as most of you know her). With that and the ecellent and helpful advice of amongst others EatYourGreens in the mead hall I became hooked to the Org.
The next game in the TW-series I bought was ETW. Unfortunatly when I was looking for appropriate guides, I wound up at the center and the helpful threads in the forum quickly died out. This is the core of the problem for me. People go to game forums for help and then can stay around for the conversation.

In short instead of discussing what to do with the backroom, we better make sure we are ready for S2TW and be as helpful as we can for new members.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Provided sufficient evidence is put forth, i'm sure someone's views can be changed. It's only on a topic such as religion or anything else subjective that it's hard to make someone budge because there's nothing particularly conclusive to make them change their mind, whereas if it was say a more historical topic then provided you give enough evidence and have a logical viewpoint then i'm sure it would be accepted.

I don't think it's a lack of sufficient evidence. People often don't value knowledge more than they do believing in something that suits their self interest, fits with their self image, meshes with their friends and peer group, and coheres with the believes that result from the previous three motivations.