What's Happened To User-Activity?

I understand that everyone has a life outside of the site. I work four jobs, and am a full time college student, I know how hectic and demanding the outside world can be. I just don't understand out of all of the members that we have, only about four to five, MAYBE five, actually get online and post.

Give me some suggestions to make the site more appealing. What do you think the site needs to improve? What would boost activity?

I've come to the realization that running a site isn't about finding as many members as you can, it's about making the members that you have happy. Help me out with that. If something isn't quite what you would like for it to be, don't be scared to talk to me and tell me about it.

Well, we have some issues going on that are beyond our control.

Shade is supposed to post the official notice, but she was told last night that Kuja has lost his laptop for an unknown period of time, so he's completely without access.

Shade has several jobs herself and is busy with two other sites as well as this one.

I've been having emotional/creative issues stemming from real life and the fact that while Kairi *can* fight, unlike some other characters I've got, it's not fun for me. As a matter of fact, it's rather stressful. And I've got other characters on other sites that sometimes nag, sometimes worry me.

As for Riku, well, he's also got characters on two other forums and he's doing his level best to get me shored up enough to post.

As for the others, I don't know. I don't know what happened to Axel. I don't know what happened to Squall. I don't know what happened to Caramore.

Maybe what we need to do is focus on the players that we do have active. It'd be fun to have more, but I don't know that we're going to get that with things as they are. I just don't know.

Grizz

Axel got a job, girlfriend, etc. Myself, I just cant bring myself to RP here for the moment *shrugs. I believe the same goes for Squall. I still check in every now and then though.

We need serious members that are not just going to "check up" on things. Me and Grizz handle checking up on everything. We need people that are going to get on and RP, try to have a good time. We have good people here that are exceptional RPers, yet they are not RPing frequently.

Grizz, I think you're right, we need to focus on getting activity up with the members that we do have at the moment.

Kuja once suggested allowing people to play more than a single character. I know that we allowed something like that for Shade as a corollary to disallowing Party Members, but with so few players we might consider allowing it in other cases.

I don't know though, because a number of us already have several characters strung out through several different sites.

Me an' Riku are already treating some of the characters from the older Final Fantasy games as background NPCs in Destiny Islands. Not the ones that ever showed up in Kingdom Hearts, but the ones like Rydia (IV) and her boyfriend Kain (also from IV), as well as Leon (from II).

We've got a solid core of players with those of us who do show up.

I know that I'm not posting as often as I might otherwise because I'm trying to write some fairly epic events in Kairi's life. That takes a certain amount of concentration that I have been sorely lacking. And Riku's very good when he's able to post, but his concentration's worse than mine is right now and he's got three sites to keep up with.

Deicimo, if I remember correctly, is having connection issues lately, or Real Life has gotten in the way or something.

We can get more activity going, but we have to be willing to work with each other. And it might mean looking outside the usual sources to come up with ideas.

But then I'm the one who started an RP thread playing *just* my character's pet. It happened on another site, but I did it. Heck, I tend to use NPCs a lot, always with a Main or a Party Member in the thread so far, but NPCs can be a great deal of fun, they just can't fight or duel against anything other than another NPC and then only Melee or mutually approved abilities.

*shrug* It's an idea at least.

Grizz

I know what happened to Squall. He is writing a book. He won't be on again for a while, I will talk to him soon, to see if he plans on ever coming back. I haven't been rping much, however, as soon as things settle down on this site, I will bring something bigger. I am truly sorry I haven't said anything for such a long time, but I've never stop watching this site. I hope you guys aren't mad at me. I haven't done much of anything on any site, at this point. Lots of school work, playing a game with my family, and hanging with my friends.

I will be back very soon. Grizz, if you are not good again, you should turn back to the light. It would mess up what I have planned
I will be back very, very soon.

Yes, Kuja is going to be gone for an unknown period of time that is way beyond his control. I talk to him on the phone when I can and I'll give updates as I get them.

Yes I have two jobs, a husband AND two teenage boys, one with autism, so he alone is the equivalent of THREE kids all rolled into one most of the time. And yeah, I'm heavily involved in another site, the other is barely breathing, but I will never give up on it. I've also been busy trying to help someone begin a new life on their own, and also trying to keep another friend out of taking their own life. You guys want to hear what stress is really like? Yet I'm in here checking for my turn to post everyday in the two threads I'm active in.

Now I know of Decimo's situation being in an entirely different country, and where school is letting out for the summer for most of you, his is just picking up again. He's trying to adapt to a whole new stressful workload and I think this is to be his final year. So it's very important that he succeeds in that right now.

Riku, I'll be honest. I'm tired of waiting. I've mentioned our thread to you multiple times. You post in Grizz's but not in ours? You poke me to post elsewhere in another site when I'm left waiting a week or more on you or her? I love you guys, but step up a little. And I'm not being harsh. It's the "mom" coming out in me >.>

Sora? Get Squall in here. Let's have some fun ^^

Grizz: I like your whole idea about playing as NPC's, such as just playing as a pet or something. That could get very interesting. Let's try something like that k?



I understand how everyone has busy lifes and life at times gets demanding and stressful. I just wish it were easier for us all to get on more often. I really like all of you, I couldn't have imagined having a better group on the site. The reason I created this site was to bring people from different places and to create a place to relax and just cut loose and have fun, and so far it's worked. We haven't had any major confrontations that I know of and I hope that it stays that way.

*blows up the room with a few spells* Well while what Kin and Grizz were correct, I was able to get my computer back before I ummm.....moved out from my family's home. So I have a computer and at the moment I am in a day's Inn place using their internet. Either way I will be random at best, but I am disappointed in how there is nothing for me to do......and I been gone for a few days. Come on little ones I can't kill you all if you never move......well I could but then where's the fun in that?

Got any ideas on some activities Kuja?

Well, if we're going to expand into the realm of NPCs there'd need to be some sort of groundwork, maybe a listing or some semblence of a template, but nowhere near what's required of a Main or a Party Member.

Rydia, for instance, is a very mature young woman who enjoys teasing the heck outta the guys, though as near as I can tell she's completely loyal to Kain, who's the only lancer on the Kendo team with Riku. Kairi's mother does *not* approve of Rydia. *chuckle*

As for playing as Pets, well that's kinda limited because really only three of us *have* pets and they're post count limited on creation. I need to introduce Baby but that's going to happen at some point after Kairi wakes up once she's been knocked back into her senses.

Is anyone else interested in the possibilities of NPC characters for pure RP?

Grizz

*thinks* Eh a few monster accounts would be a good idea. The account could be used by someone to randomly appear in open topics or if invited into private topics to control a few of the stronger rarer versions of heartless and maybe make up some rare nobodies and such. Sort of mini-bosses of sorts, also it would be good to make a myspace page for this site I suppose as it would draw more people than just making vids and such.

Now the mini-boss thing would be good to help those who like to fight get more active, now for those that don't like it ehh......the NPC thing seems to be the best course of action. Though making stand alone characters could help as well, I mean that a person could make one human/anything character, one heartless, and one nobody character giving them three *though I suppose that would nil or lower their Party member number to 1 or none*

That would allow them to play three different angles, at the moment I have the evil angle all taken care of but darn it all I need some neutrals or hero's to man or woman up and fight. Also we need to set into motion a teacher and student system so that people who have problems with some things can be helped, that would help increase activity a bit too.

MrsGrizzley wrote:

Is anyone else interested in the possibilities of NPC characters for pure RP?

I could have Shade pluck some feathers out of Kuja's pretty hair to instigate something?

*chuckle*

If other people are interested in running pure-RP NPC characters, then I'll set up something so we can keep track of who has which characters. It'll be very straightforward since there'll be no combat involvement that requires approved abilities or creation thread stuff.

I think it could be interesting to try out some different personalities in simple conversation play.

Grizz

Those are not real feathers....they are made of real hair that I have made into looking like feathers.....don't touch....

*examines Kuja's hair*

*pluck*

*pluck*

*pluck*

Oh look! A pretty fan!

*smacks Riku with it*

POST dangit! It's been four blooming days! I'll spell your name with TWO "k"'s if you don't get you widdle fingers typing!

*blast her with an ultima spell* And you need to hurry and finish your evil character, I did help you with quite a bit of it if I remember correctly.