Forums → The Tavern → Operation: Increase Forum Interest
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I probably could have come up with a more clever name had I put more effort into thinking about it, but this one seems to get the point across just fine.
The purpose of this operation, as its name suggests, is to increase forum interest throughout the entire site. Site activity is not a problem with this newer generation of users, forum interest is. Only a handful of users who joined in 2012 have over 300 forum posts; which, if you're active enough, really should not take more than a month or so to achieve. The problem here is, these users are active, but the 2012 generation of users in general is far more interested in messaging others than they are posting in the forums.
Well, that can be changed. Most of you are somehow in contact with users who are active on the rest of the site but have no interest in the forums. What I want you all to do is, when you're having a nice little conversation with them, tell those users about how great the community is and somehow make them interested in wanting to post here. Don't go to random people's pages and start preaching to them about forum greatness, but if you happen to be talking to a user who is active here but seems intimidated by the community somehow, let them know what they're missing.
Now, what I really don't want to see is a plethora of pessimistic comments like "Oh, this won't work" or "Don't waste your time", because frankly that bores the hell out of all of us and it doesn't help anybody. This idea of mine may not work, but I ask that everyone who can at least try it for the betterment of the community.
- 91 Replies
They should just quit allowing AP for posting on other people's pages
Does this really happen? This isn't the first time I saw that brought up and have been curious about it because I have yet to receive points for posting on other people's pages
So in short, I could post the video on a number of different sites (Youtube, Tumblr, Newgrounds, etc.) and then get people to watch it through word of mouth through connections of mine (hehe "connections of mine"...makes me sound professional)
That sounds like it could work if you can get all those people to promote the video. It would also be a great way to attract people from other sites rather than just typical AG flash gamers (no offense to any of you who fall under that category, of course).
I don't see any downsides to this idea. I really think it could work once production takes effect; I'm thinking that making said video would be the hardest part, after that it would all be downhill from there.
What I would like to know is, though, how could we increase forum awareness and interest within the confines of this site using said video? Putting it anywhere outside of the community would require administrative participation, and we all know how likely that is to happen.
Isn't the general idea at AG-HQ that the forum activity is so low at the moment, they don't need to appoint a CM to control it as... there's nothing to control at the moment?
I'm thinking it's the other way around. There isn't much to control because not an ample amount of people want to be part of a community without any clear leaders. Which is why I still think that appointing a community manager would be good for community involvement, but that's about as likely to happen as AG3 being released with every single feature perfected tomorrow.
They should just quit allowing AP for posting on other people's pages or allow twice the points for forum posts instead.
Awarding more points for posts would definitely encourage more forum activity, but perhaps not in a positive way. It very well could just encourage AP-hungry users to post short and/or irrelevant posts for the 2 AP. Those posts could easily be dealt with, but it's still spam that can easily be avoided by just not encouraging it.
Does this really happen?
Yes, it does. Count how many users in the top 100 actually have more than 1,000 posts. Those other points had to come from somewhere.
The top 100 would be very different if AG didn't "award" points for profile comments.
I wonder, is it considered advertising if after each legitimate game comment you make if leaving a "By the way, check out the Armor Games forums!" and a link to them?
I would say no. You're just trying to gain 'attention' and like Pang said, you're advertising for this website so I don't see what's wrong with doing that?
Awarding more points for posts would definitely encourage more forum activity, but perhaps not in a positive way. It very well could just encourage AP-hungry users to post short and/or irrelevant posts for the 2 AP. Those posts could easily be dealt with, but it's still spam that can easily be avoided by just not encouraging it.
But the forums are going downhill and we need something. And this can help us with forum activity. I get your point, you've got nothing to lose right now. Forums are going to be wiped out.
Yes, it does. Count how many users in the top 100 actually have more than 1,000 posts. Those other points had to come from somewhere.
I'm going to guess less than 40.
But the forums are going downhill and we need something. And this can help us with forum activity. I get your point, you've got nothing to lose right now. Forums are going to be wiped out.
It's true that the forums do need a boost and that this would definitely do it, whether it be a positive or a negative boost, but realistically speaking, the admins would never go for it. For one, the AP of every single user who has ever posted would have to be recalculated, which would be a hell of a lot of work for the database and it would shift the site lag into overdrive.
Not to mention that it would require admin participation.
It is an interesting idea, though, I'll give it that.
I'm going to guess less than 40.
Amazingly, exactly 60 users have over 1,000 posts, 41 of them with over 2,500. I would have never guessed that to be the case.
However, aside from the top 20, which holds the highest of the highest post counts, the remaining members of the 1,000-post club in the top 100 (which, coincidentally, also amounts to 41) are scattered about the list in no particular order.
It's true that the forums do need a boost and that this would definitely do it, whether it be a positive or a negative boost, but realistically speaking, the admins would never go for it. For one, the AP of every single user who has ever posted would have to be recalculated, which would be a hell of a lot of work for the database and it would shift the site lag into overdrive.
Negative boost? What would be considered a negative boost? Spam? Trolling? I don't think a negative boost would be the necessarily good, but still your right. Wow, so the Armor Points system is also an issue with the forums? Wow it is just one thing after another, I am hoping that AG3 doesn't have this, but that is a different discussion.
We should compile a list of the remaining common posters. That way, we could all message each other easily to help maintain the forums.
I think it is safe to say that most of the users posting in this Thread are a list of users in itself (not including myself in a way). And this list seems small, not enough to boost the activity a lot. Spreading the message threw out the forums seems to be a effective way of increasing forum activity, but unfortunately people are not swarming in at a massive quantity to give the forums a "boost".
Spreading the message threw out the forums seems to be a effective way of increasing forum activity, but unfortunately people are not swarming in at a massive quantity to give the forums a "boost".
*sigh* Typo error, I meant to say "Spreading the message threw out the messenger seems to be a effective way of increasing forum activity, but unfortunately people are not swarming in at a massive quantity to give the forums a "boost".
I don't think a negative boost would be the necessarily good, but still your right.
No, a negative boost is generally not good. Otherwise it would be a positive boost. Even so, though, I'd think even a negative boost would be better than no boost at all at this point. Sure, you might end up with a few spammers here and there, but it would at least create a more interesting environment than the condition our forums are in now.
Wow, so the Armor Points system is also an issue with the forums?
Not really. The general consensus among forum regulars is that the AP awarded for posting is fine the way it is, but the proposed idea was to raise the awarded AP so that people would be more inclined to post here. However, this would attract the wrong people to post here, so it's sort of up for debate whether or not this idea would work for the community if it were a possibility.
It's true that the forums do need a boost and that this would definitely do it, whether it be a positive or a negative boost, but realistically speaking, the admins would never go for it. For one, the AP of every single user who has ever posted would have to be recalculated, which would be a hell of a lot of work for the database and it would shift the site lag into overdrive.
Yeah, it's true. There's also really not a point to change anything. Because they're 'supposedly' working on AG3. No clear progress. I mean just update us something. Like, "Oh we're adding an edit button so typos going bye-bye." Something like that would show at least something.
Negative boost? What would be considered a negative boost? Spam? Trolling? I don't think a negative boost would be the necessarily good, but still your right. Wow, so the Armor Points system is also an issue with the forums? Wow it is just one thing after another, I am hoping that AG3 doesn't have this, but that is a different discussion.
If they made forum posting 2 AP, people who care/want AP would direct their attention to the forums. But it would influence the forums because most of them would just spam off topic posts or make stupid threads.
Typo error, I meant to say "Spreading the message threw out the messenger seems to be a effective way of increasing forum activity, but unfortunately people are not swarming in at a massive quantity to give the forums a "boost".
Or they would post a few times and then go back to do something else.
Not really. The general consensus among forum regulars is that the AP awarded for posting is fine the way it is, but the proposed idea was to raise the awarded AP so that people would be more inclined to post here. However, this would attract the wrong people to post here, so it's sort of up for debate whether or not this idea would work for the community if it were a possibility.
If they made forum posting 2 AP, people who care/want AP would direct their attention to the forums. But it would influence the forums because most of them would just spam off topic posts or make stupid threads.
In every ton of thrash we get, there will be grains of gold. We need the quantity first, the disciplining can come later. If we're going to be picky initially, then it might not even work. Then again, it's not like we can convince the admins to change the AG3 points system much.
i think giving more AP for forums is a good idea for the peole who car abput AP they will get more and help the community
i think giving more AP for forums is a good idea for the peole who car abput AP they will get more and help the community
Good idea, and if the admins would do that, they should also reduce the AP value for game ratings to reduce that form of AP farming (forum posts have a 30 second delay, while ratings have no delay).
In every ton of thrash we get, there will be grains of gold. We need the quantity first, the disciplining can come later. If we're going to be picky initially, then it might not even work. Then again, it's not like we can convince the admins to change the AG3 points system much.
Allowing spam for the purposes of quantity may work to expose/remove the inactive members of the moderation team as well as suggest to the admins that more mods should be added.
Conclusion: A negative boost via an increase in the forum post point value will...
At Best: Cause the admins to add a community manager and improve the moderation team.
At Worst: Cause the admins to periodically disable the forums for cleanup and possibly reconsider the negative boost.
Now that AG3 beta is gone, that toolbar is looking pretty empty... maybe that would be the ideal place for a more noticeable link to the forums?
The hard part, of course, will be getting the admins to go for it, but if the fat lady sings and the admins miraculously take one of our ideas into consideration, I really think this would help more people find the forums!
No, a negative boost is generally not good. Otherwise it would be a positive boost. Even so, though, I'd think even a negative boost would be better than no boost at all at this point. Sure, you might end up with a few spammers here and there, but it would at least create a more interesting environment than the condition our forums are in now.
True, a negative boost is better then no boost. But we need to focus on ways to keep good threads and spam threads or just spam period. Maybe if we had a community manager... oh yea thats right, we don't have one! Brilliant.. but still I know what you mean.
Not really. The general consensus among forum regulars is that the AP awarded for posting is fine the way it is, but the proposed idea was to raise the awarded AP so that people would be more inclined to post here. However, this would attract the wrong people to post here, so it's sort of up for debate whether or not this idea would work for the community if it were a possibility.
Oh wow, it is a complicated ordeal over hear! Well, instead of higher AP from a forum post, how about Merits? Just like regular merits, make long and detailed sentences and you could get a merit. Leaves some excitement! Well, for me that is... =P
Now that AG3 beta is gone, that toolbar is looking pretty empty... maybe that would be the ideal place for a more noticeable link to the forums?
Hmmm, it would have to be a very attractive link like the old AG3 Beta site link in order to get attention but that is still a good idea! Could work in increasing forum activity, unfortunately if we are lucky it would increase about 0.7%...
But we need to focus on ways to keep good threads and spam threads or just spam period.
Oh my God, second fail! I meant "But we need to focus on ways to keep good threads and get rid of spam threads or just spam period."
[quote]Now that AG3 beta is gone, that toolbar is looking pretty empty... maybe that would be the ideal place for a more noticeable link to the forums?
Hmmm, it would have to be a very attractive link like the old AG3 Beta site link in order to get attention but that is still a good idea![/quote]
Remember that the current name of the link is poor. Simply renaming it to forums could increase forum activity, but not that much. See below quote response for my estimate of the effectiveness of an attractive link called "Forums".
Could work in increasing forum activity, unfortunately if we are lucky it would increase about 0.7%...
Remove the bolded characters and I would agree with you (7% is still low, but it's a more reasonable estimate than .7%).
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