As with most message boards, we had an initial flurry of activity and we're now into a period of leveling off.  All fine and good -- no board is going to be for everyone, and it's no one's duty to post anywhere.  (Not to mention that sometimes RL happens -- like it has for me for the past two weeks.)

Nevertheless, I'd still like to see a little more activity.  The last time I went be the main page, only me and one other guy were logged in!  So what can we do to intice people to post more?

That's a good question. I like this site, and I enjoy the type of discourse to be had here - while we can be freer with our language here than at EN World (for example), the tighter focus of the site's mission makes flame wars and snarkiness a lot less prevalent. Plus, the site seems to have attracted a variety of folk, not just Nutkinlanders wandering the wasteland after the diaspora.

However, I've noticed a slow-down in traffic also. Maybe some of the people who claimed they were only here long enough to read the "Pistols at Dawn" thread really did leave once it was over. Maybe it has to do with many of the Nutkins seeming to be laying low lately - I haven't seen Ratatosk in ages (I understand real life concerns are probably keeping him away), and I haven't seen you around much lately either. I'm not pointing a finger, I'm just saying what I've been perceiving.

In addition, many of the original Nutkinlanders simply aren't here, or only briefly here (like, Cyberzombie has hardly been around at all lately :mischief: ) and the vigor of their posting is missed. They posted a lot, and had a way of keeping discussions going. I think many of them moved away from posting about games, for whatever reason, and are now at Limper Land or the Sanguine Oubliette, or even Circus Maximus.

What can you do? Beyond priming the pump and starting more discussions, I don't know. :shrug: I wish I could be of more help.

I'm priming the pump, yes ( :naughty: ) but more needs to be done.  We need more Nutkin presence -- but that's a RL issue.

One thing I think we need is more threads started on non-d20 topics.  I imagine our non-d20 user base gets turned off when the RPG forum is filled with posts about the minutae of D&D character builds.  I think we should have a d20 forum and a non-d20 forum, though Ratatosk disagreed when he revamped the site.

Any thoughts on that, anyone?  Would seperating d20 from other systems do any good, or am I on crack?

Quote from: GunhildaAny thoughts on that, anyone?  Would seperating d20 from other systems do any good, or am I on crack?

Personally, I don't think this would do much to help, but giving it a try couldn't hurt. Maybe if threads were started along the lines of Hellhound's "Game a Day" threads at EN World or even something like the "Your Experiences" threads about classic modules, also at EN World, but focused on games rather than adventures.

I'm starting to feel like the division of the boards in half between Nothingland and Nutkinland was a mistake. I dunno though yet.  I'm not sure what direction to take right now and being divided between here, Nothingland, WotC's boards and now ENWorld again I really don't have enough free time to code everywhere.

I don't know that the division was a mistake. I can browse NKL from work, but I wouldn't try that w/ NTL. Gives me more opportunity to chat with y'all. Of course, that's only one person's advantage.
 
I have to say that I have noticed the slow-down, too. I find myself spending more time at ENWorld, despite the fact that I'd rather see NKL be my primary game stop.
 
I wonder if the official change in name from "RPGsite" to "Nutkinland" hasn't made the boards come off a bit clickish or speaks too much to the past.  Edit: I don't care what the name is, either way.  But it may be a hinderance to drawing in more people.

Actually I think a lot of the fall off is related to fall off in new stuff being put up for the site.  Hell there's heardly any new news, partly my fault I know but RL and video games got in the way of my postings and I fell out of habit.

Also I think perhaps at this point with these funtions and features we have reached about as big as we're going to get without major attention from the mods/admins.  And most of us seem to be rather busy or distracted.  Pook's plate is certaining overflowing.

Nutkinland, and then Nothingland, used to cover all topics. This incarnation of Nutkinland covers material that was probably the least active on the old boards. I think that, more than anything, explains the slow traffic. People want to bitch and moan about politics and religion more than RPG's.

really Z? I thought they were more interested in bitching and moaning about avatars...

Quote from: ZalmoxisNutkinland, and then Nothingland, used to cover all topics. This incarnation of Nutkinland covers material that was probably the least active on the old boards. I think that, more than anything, explains the slow traffic. People want to bitch and moan about politics and religion more than RPG's.

Yeah, I think you're right. Especially in later times, the "games" sections of NTL/NKL were really slow.

the proliferation of D20 threads is hardly off-putting, its really all down to the fact that I dont care that much for the rules, so if there are 20 threads talking about classes and combat, I aint gonna read, let alone post.

but certainly more threads about other games would increase the traffic. Im not really big of starting threads, but then thats maybe because I dont have burning issues that can only be solved by posting to a RPG forum, rather than just applying a little common sense.

I agree that most of the sudden traffic was here a while back, pistols and darren ranting thing - each to their own.

Quote from: Aelfinnreally Z? I thought they were more interested in bitching and moaning about avatars...

There was some of that too, but I recall that person left for good.

I think this place is becoming what a lot of people said they wanted back when the RPG Site was opened... a fresh start. This board has very little in common with the Nothingland/Nutkinland's of old (and current NTL), except many crossover users. Whether that is good or bad I guess depends on your POV. If this place is to be a "rpg site", it is going to be different from the others, past and present. Much of the traffic on NTL/NKL prior to the split was driven by current events/politics... if you bring that discussion here, you will increase traffic. However, you will also blur the line between this place and Nothingland, and I'm not sure that the two would be able to coexist as equals. Debating the same topics with the same people on two different boards at the same time, doesn't make a lot of sense.

Quote from: Harry JoyI want Nutkinland to be the replacement for ENW. I can hardly stand going there anymore.
 
I ask goofy questions, but then, I am a player not a DM. ENWorld is over-populated with DMs, Ass-burgers, and folks who find Morrus witty. And postwhores.
 
I come here because I need an alternative.
 
That is all...

That sums it up for me as well, although I do think there are many fine people on ENW that I would like to see here one day.

Count me in as someone who doesn't go over the ENWorld very often. I find this place a much friendlier, more manageable version. Of course, I'm part of the problem, since I tend not to post very much in the first place.

Things will pick up once a good open-ended discussion gets going. I think there are a core of people who do check here regularly, and that should keep things chugging along.