Thread Background Coming from a long-time lurker born in 2008, I have noticed that Armor Games is facing a recent "slump" of activity. In other terms, Armor Games is becoming inactive. In my quest for answers, I've contacted several Armor Games users, ranging from new users to veterans. Thinking that I gave people something to think about for the day, Ernie15 gave me a bold idea to convert these ideas into a thread where one can give his/her ideas on the matter instead of letting this issue be small-talk. In many's minds, this is an issue that needs to be addressed to immediately. There have been threads like this, but this is the central HUB of what we view of Armor Games today.
Armor Games, I give you The User's View.
Armor Games Background AG3, a major update to the Armor Games world, has been in development for around 2 years. There are tons of beta testers for the website. Prior to and starting at the development of AG3, Armor Games was once a bustling "city," if you will, of ideas traveling by means of public forum posting to comments to one another, or "small talk." Many of these users have left for reasons we will discuss and are being replaced by users we will later discuss.
Staff Changes Late 2011, Cormyn, a very popular admin, resigned from his duties and became a regular user. He was somewhat replaced with Justin Royster, aka username jroyster22.
Part 1: Cormyn Cormyn was undoubtedly known for his ability to be publicly active within the community and was often described as strict. As strict as he was, he kept the trash out and helped shape our modern-day Armor Games. He wrote code for the community, laid down a lot of the rules, appointed moderators alongside the moderation team, and, short and sweet, held Armor Games together. In many people's opinions, he was the administrator's community face of Armor Games. Once Cormyn left, jroyster22, alongside his duties with AG3, became the one to contact if you needed help. Justin Royster had big shoes to fill, and so far, he's done a moderate job. He prefers to contact via email, taking away from that on-site communication charm. In my opinion, Justin Royster has been a little vague with his duties. I and others have complained that Armor Games needs a new head, and if Justin Royster was a little more open, we'd have that strong, great leader. I am not criticizing his work- I understand he's busy. I'm just asking that he showed a little more of his face.
Part 2: Inactivity Sadly, many of Armor Games' moderators have been caught up with daily life to successfully fulfill their duties on a daily basis. Similarly, admins are busy preparing AG3 for its release and have a lot to do. I understand they have lives as well. Many other new members have complained that it is impossible to get in touch with anyone on the staff team. Cormyn had written moderator-selection software, and many are thinking, if it is still available after Cormyn's resignation, perhaps it could be used to find another addition to the moderator team. Freakenstein has been a fantastic addition, but I feel as though we need more. I'm not going to name names because I respect what our moderators do; I feel as though we need more. Maybe it's time we eliminated the "small staff team" tradition for the time being until we recover. As for admins, we don't need a lot, but just one public face to get contact with would be fantastic.
Migration I know AG3 is going to be very different. I know forum activity has sunk. I know your friends have left. Because of multiple things, many users, newbies and veterans alike, have moved on to different websites. This is not going to help our inactivity problem. It will only make it worse. I am not only asking you all to stay, but I am asking you to help out. We can't sit around and let our users leave. Part of it is our problem; we can make things interesting again. We can make people want to spend all of their time here. We can show people Armor Games is the best darn website out there!
Generation Transition Jeol brought this to my attention and it struck me. What if the reason so many people are leaving is because they are older? Now, some people will never change, but others will grow and move on. And, who replaces them?
Part 1: Veterans It's summer. You've finished school and want to enjoy the outdoors. You've finished school and have to work. You've finished school and want to try something new. Whatever it is, whether you've gotten too old for Armor Games, or have something else taking up your time, you can't visit your favorite website in the world. You know what? That's quite OK. Just remember to drop by once in a while and talk to your old friends. Many users are finding that they are having difficulties connecting with new people if they leave right away. Sadly, this leaves many users bored and craving for a good conversation.
Part 2: New Users The size of Armor Games' user list is rising exponentially- it's skyrocketing! Most would think this would create more activity, wouldn't it? Frankly, no. Many games require an account for online saving to work, and the new generation replacing the previous one seems to be filled with people who join, stay active for a day, and quit dealing with the forums, leaving a large gap to be filled by no one.
Armor Games v3 As mentioned earlier, AG3 is being developed. By my count, there are currently 5 admins developing it. Unfortunately, users are complaining because there is little or no status updates on what's going on. Not to sound demanding, but more frequent updates could make the waiting all the easier. Also, the new achievement system may scare veterans who are used to and have gained recognition by the current AP system. AG3 will also result in a clean slate for the forums... By deleting all of the material there. Of course, much of the material is repeatable, but many veterans have good memories of posting here.
Conclusion We've lost the face of the admins, Cormyn, and would like to have another public face again. Many moderators are busy with their lives and some more help would be fantastic. A lot of people have given up on Armor Games and have outright quit. Old faces are being replaced with people who aren't as devoted the site. AG3 is coming with big changes, but has gone very quiet recently.
~Salvidian
Those who contributed to this information in some way, shape, or form -jeol -Ernie15 -daleks -Skeleton_Pilot -Cenere -GhostOfMatrix -MrDayCee -johnmerz
It wouldn't surprise me if AG3 was just a clever joke, so the admins would have an excuse to take a two year vacation. Or would that make me a cynic?
That's rather unrealistic and harsh. I hope you're joking.
I beg to differ. The WEPR is filled with such a pleothra of hypocrites and pseudo-intellectuals, who draw content merely from using their so called "experience" to shout down and violently suppress differing opionions. Its okay to argue, so long as you don't go against the self-proclaimed infallible bastion that is their ideology. Or perhaps the joke is on me for thinking that such things as 'respect' and 'tolerance' could exist on the internet.
Frankly, compared to other websites and the rest of the internet and whatnot, I've found that AG's WEPR is fairly respectable. Well, in the past anyways. There really are a few credible users who frequently post their sources and logically explain their opinion, instead of blatantly shoving it down your throat. Now, along with the generation transition in the OP, we have received lots of childish, immature users. Some of them have flowed into the WEPR and have caused quite a ruckus, but that has only been around for the past year or so. Perhaps you could visit one of AG's competitors and see how well our WEPR has held up.
I don't think anyone has an idea of the release date of AG3.
Indeed. Besides, how hard is it to quit developing for 5 minutes to write a short paragraph on recent updates?
We don't, because either they are doing their job and getting lots done and just not informing us (some of the features talked about I would imagine would be hard to implement into the beta without having to reset it later on), or they're being lazy and just not informing us. Either way, it's not very encouraging to the users, and it has led to a bit of a decay, particularly in trust. While I do hope and trust that the former is the case, assurance is a blessing and we may never know the truth for a while. I do hope that this comes to the attention of the staff and it is sought out that some action is made
As for the reassurance of the staff, I don't think we will ever see any unless something actually happens with the majority of the staff becoming somewhat active again.
AG has gotten well... boring. I see it as just the problem of too much going on in too many people's lives to be on a website for hours on a day. I don't think there's much we can do about it, I've taken some hiatuses myself from this site. It feels good for a while. I'll be interested to see what happens. I'm usually here, just watching the forums, and if something peaks my intrests, I comment on it. I also post poetry in the arts section. I am a veteran of the site, and it's cool being in the forums. I like these forums because it's so nicely organized, and you don't have to go the equivalent of 4 miles to get to the bottom of them. it's one page. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.
No offense, but previously stated comments don't really help. A solution is the last thing on the objectives list right now.
Hello Salvidian, you haven't been into the AMW it seems, because tonnes of it really is small talk sloppily disguised as art related stuff.
Aye, my weakness has once again been shown! In the past, the AMW has actually been a center of creativity. After reading your post and have traveled the harsh plains of the AMW and have left a cold, mindless, moron. The recent ravages of stupidity are heartbreaking.
Seriously though, the AMW will pick up if AG ever receives a large flow of activity again.
Yeah. Even the contests have the exact same problem that the rest of the forums have - a lack of willing participants. A lot of the personal threads are sloppy, disorganized, procrastinated [on], or simply, no effort is put into them.
Once again, I can blame this on the noobs. Not to be hypocritical and all, but I haven't put my best effort into the AMW because I've been busy. I tried with Apophysis stuff, but everything else I've left for abandonment.
Or when you are in the AMW thread you tell someone what they can do to make there work better and they ignore you or get mad at you for degrading their work. That is why I like Cen's threads. He let's me comment and actually say what I think.
Ignorance is a good tool for destruction.
I have observed in recent months, that the forums are kind of being ignored by the newer users. Most newcomers to the forums post 50 to 100 times, then become inactive. Out of these many, of course, there is always those few who stay, and remain active users in the community. This process is what keeps the community alive. When an veteran user retires so to speak, he/she is replaced by new users who stay and become active in the community. The process is perpetual. New users come, old users go, and the community grows.
Yes, but the problem is that those new users who arrive tend to leave out of the lack of devotion for the community.
You know I hope this thread does better than the last. Basically it was us all just complaining and doing nothing. This one should motivate people to go and get up off their lazy bums and make a decent well thought out forum. I don't care what your favorite fruit is. I don't care what soda you like. I DON'T CARE! Is it too hard to have a decent convirsation with someone? Back last year when I first joined I was over whelmed. It was amazing honestly, I had stumbled apon a hidden community that I had no idea was here. I enjoyed it too. The people were nice and I made friends. Lots of people were on then too. You could talk with people really. I really enjoyed it. I mean I had hour long conversations with people sometimes. Now I'm lucky to get a message on my profile. So sad. Another thing about the new people is that their are some semi new people who are scaring them away. You have seen it I'm sure. The new guy who is so happy here and makes a thread. It turns out he made it in the wrong section. Then they are attack by back seat mods. "wrong forum noob" or "this will get locked" helps no one. Be nice. Your not even posting more than 7 words. Way to set an example. Instead say, "hey, you might have put this is the wrong area." not "link" or "look here first". Sorry, that was bugging me. But c'mon just stop. Maybe that's why new comers don't stay. So instead of saying " no new peoples " I urge you to go and take a look at the new comers forums and be nice to some new people. Who knows, maybe they will be te next vets of this site.
You're post can ultimately be summed up in one easy way: lack of motivation. Lack of support. Lack of quaility.
On the Cormyn topic, i felt like he cared, since I mostly flooded his messanger with uber noob questions about AG3, and he always responded politley and calmly. I think he temp banned me, but, hey, who's fault is that?
Finally, a mature outlooking of someone who was banned by Cormyn. It's disheartening seeing how many people are easily crushed for breaking the rules.
<_< >_> {Average post seen in thread} *complains that community is boring* *doesn't do a thing about it* That is all.
Ironically, this was brought up in another way. Unmotivation, and yadayadayada. Fortunately daleks contacted joeybetz on the thread and joeybetz is doing his best to tell Dan. I've also seen MrDayCee spread these ideas around, and a few others who helped in smaller ways. Honestly, this is the most action I've seen in a year.
Aye, my weakness has once again been shown! In the past, the AMW has actually been a center of creativity. After reading your post and have traveled the harsh plains of the AMW and have left a cold, mindless, moron. The recent ravages of stupidity are heartbreaking.
It has always been much of small talk, but in the past, the small talk was at least quirky, and art-related, back when the NES or Aftermath was up. Or when the WoM was active. I think that's one area that we can't build upon fast, since that requires constant, enthusiastic, artsy folk. I'd already be happy if more people posted regularly in other sections, let alone the AMW.
I don't really know what to add concerning this matter since AG is free for me to play and participate in the forums. I think it's up to us to make it better. I personally get bored when an argument last forever like in those religion and political threads. It's like talking to a wall and people get frustrated, lose their temper (I did once), get mad,etc. I don't like to get mad because in general, I'm a happy person. Anyway, with all the distractions that the internet offers, you can't keep people in one place. Sometimes people would spent a lot of time on YouTube, sometimes they listen to internet radio, play online games, play on their Iphone, game consoles, and even play outside (can you believe it?),etc. Some threads are actives like the http://armorgames.com/community/thread/5772085/crush-the-castle-2-custom-castles/page/1 in which I participate a lot because it allows me to share my artistic creations. I'm happy that I can do all this for free so I don't really understand why there's such a fuss about the forums. That's just my humble opinion.
Frankly, compared to other websites and the rest of the internet and whatnot, I've found that AG's WEPR is fairly respectable. Well, in the past anyways. There really are a few credible users who frequently post their sources and logically explain their opinion, instead of blatantly shoving it down your throat. Now, along with the generation transition in the OP, we have received lots of childish, immature users. Some of them have flowed into the WEPR and have caused quite a ruckus, but that has only been around for the past year or so. Perhaps you could visit one of AG's competitors and see how well our WEPR has held up.
Well, the long time WERP people will have aged, and aren't in the main AG demographic group, the younger teens, so it would seem childish for you guys. It was still much better in the past, especially when the mods were posting more frequently. Especially Moe. Pity AG's Professor of Philosophy left.
A question that kept buggin me... Isn't it fair to wonder what happened to the other mods, besides Gantic, Freakenstein, Strop and former mod - Cenere then?
I wish they would get Asherlee, Zophia and MRWalker back, because I really miss their presence! They were -next to being a mod- also fun people to talk to!
It's not that I don't like the current ones, far from it!, but they don't seem to have the time to socialise as the others did. Probably because of the work load? IDK... =/
Isn't it fair to wonder what happened to the other mods, besides Gantic, Freakenstein, Strop and former mod - Cenere then? I wish they would get Asherlee, Zophia and MRWalker back
Voidy feels left out. He will now burn you.
My guess is that they moved on. I know that MRWalker has a family. They are all older now and have more important things to do then AG. The problem is they are still on the mod list. I think the should be taken off. And that loops to having no admins see that they have been gone forever so they know nothing about it.
I wish they would get Asherlee, Zophia and MRWalker back, because I really miss their presence! They were -next to being a mod- also fun people to talk to!
Walker got hit by life....You know, he was in the military, not sure what his job is now. And he has young kids.
I hope that AG3 at least directs people to know that there's the Forum first....could we bring that feature forward now, because AG3 doesn't seem to be coming soon? Won't really take much to let new users know that there are Forums when they sign up right?
I hope that AG3 at least directs people to know that there's the Forum first....could we bring that feature forward now, because AG3 doesn't seem to be coming soon? Won't really take much to let new users know that there are Forums when they sign up right?
Indeed. I'm tired of people saying "Wow, when I signed up I clicked on 'Community' and it brought me to a forum! Looks like there's a faulty link, amiright?"
Agreed. Otherwise people will keep reporting things to them and get no results.
That has been one of the major problems of AG for a while. It does need to be changed.
As for MrDayCee and daleks, you couldn't be more right. The forums need a more active staff team, which is something I'm really pushing! I'm going to exhaust that fact until we get it.
As others have mentioned, part of it has to do with OUR participation. Of course, a lot of us are posting frequently, and there aren't a lot of people posting, so things tend to get a little bland. This was directed to those who come on AG and lurk.
Ok I guess I'll stop lurking and start posting then
It seems to me that some of the big problems causing the community to regress are that the staff needs to be more active and show their faces more, and as xeano posted,
Most newcomers to the forums post 50 to 100 times, then become inactive
.
But really, how are we going to get the staff to become more active?
As for somewhat newcomers becoming inactive after posting a little, I think the amount of users leaving is starting to become more than the amount of users joining AG and staying in the forums.
Maybe we, or I, need to start actually posting in the newcomers forums sometimes, I don't know...
Also, I don't know if this relates or not, but IMO it seems as if the thread quality has gone down somewhat. Especially in the generic questions and favorites thread period. But it seems like when I came back about a year ago, the discussions were much more interesting than now.
But really, how are we going to get the staff to become more active?
That issue has been discussed within the thread and should be fixed within the next few weeks.
Maybe we, or I, need to start actually posting in the newcomers forums sometimes, I don't know...
If such posting is done properly, we could keep more new users, which would help somewhat.
Also, I don't know if this relates or not, but IMO it seems as if the thread quality has gone down somewhat. Especially in the generic questions and favorites thread period. But it seems like when I came back about a year ago, the discussions were much more interesting than now.
Do you mean that favorites threads should be allowed again? If so, Devoidless would disagree with you because of this quote:
As as side note, I've very sorry for you and everyone else who believes a myriad of pointless threads is the lifeblood of the entire community.
That was from the sticky that disallowed favorites threads. It was a response to MrDayCee saying that disallowing favorites threads is not a good future for Armor Games.
As for my own opinion on favorites threads, I think they should be allowed if there is the opportunity for a good discussion. In other words, only spammy favorites threads should be disallowed.
