EoFF Elections 2010, Debate Thread!

[Jiro]

“Much has been made about EoFF's ability or inability to attract and keep new members.”

Unquestionably, EoFF does have the ability to attract new members. This is illustrated by the fact that 16 new people posted introduction threads within the Wonder Square between March 1st and today. This is not counting those who have posted “Hey, I’m Back!” threads and others who have registered simply without making introduction threads.

Sixteen members in the space of five weeks is not very promising -- three per week? As for those who don't post a newbie thread, many of those are bots and the few legitimate members don't make any posts. EoFF is built around a franchise that is no longer as popular as it once was. There are fewer and less frequent instalments, and the market is flooded with non-Final Fantasy titles. Final Fantasy simply holds less appeal to the youth of today.

“Much has been made about EoFF's ability or inability to attract and keep new members.”

Each and every forum around the world will encounter new members who don’t stick around. This is especially the case for a forum such as EoFF, that has been around for a great period of time. The heart of such a forum is composed of the most loyal members who have served their time here with distinction. Wondering into such an environment incontestably warrants a sense of not belonging to some people. But the important thing is (especially from an administrative perspective) that you'll never make everyone happy. All you can do is try your best; and in this case, it would seem wise to favor with the oldies and try to adapt to the new.

Favouring already established members is like injecting EoFF with the genophage; sure it's for their own good, but how the hell does the forum survive? It doesn't, Wrex gets pissed and things get broken. We don't want that. However, favouring newbies drives away the members who have been an important part of the community for any period of time. Perhaps trying to strike a balance is a far more diplomatic approach, and much more likely to actually achieve anything. The best way for the established members to help retain new members is to stop being bigoted elitists. If you've nailed that, then try being welcoming.

“Some have placed blame on unfriendly, difficult transition into upper forums, and dead, lifeless lower forums. Do you find either of these to be accurate?”

Difficult transition to upper forums? Nope. There is a boundless spew of thread topics to discuss in the upper echelon that only a profound retard couldn’t find something to relate to and discuss.

Yes, let's insult people who might be actually too confronted by so many different topics that they stay away. I am proof enough of this; I spent my newbie days on EoFF in the lower forums until inactivity and real life drew me away completely. General Chat was too hectic, and that was the place where you knew everybody would see your posts. I, like many others, decided against posting in general chat. However many of these members do not stick around long enough to get the courage to post where they can be judged.

Lifeless lower forums? Yes. If a new member comes here and means business, soon to find that the main forum sections of such business are considerably quieter, then of course that person may look elsewhere for the conversations in which they seek.

The lower forums are not active because those games are no longer in the spotlight. Topics have been discussed time and time again and obtaining some of those games in current days is actually more expensive than it was when first released. There was an unopened copy of Final Fantasy VII in a store I visited recently selling for $134.95. In addition, the outdated graphics are likely to turn off new players, which results in an overall deficet of members. Eyes on Plays events (and/or similar) are the only way(s) to bring life back into the lower forums, and even then it is only shortlived.

“What do you feel, if anything, should be changed for EoFF to attract new members?”

Nothing. The numbers are there as evidence that new people are swinging by on a consistent basis. Also, this forum is a unique home to so many people already so why change the equation? The eyes that lay witness on this debate tribute to the fact that we are a healthy community in need of no serious remedy or change.

The way to attract new members to EoFF would be to completely overhaul the site and make it about RPGs in general or something less specific. However you'd obviously understand why this isn't going to happen. EoFF doesn't need to change. Eyes on Final Fantasy is like Earth; it's populated by a diverse range of people. Final Fantasy is like the Lifestream -- it gives life to new people/members, and also to the Earth/Forum itself. The biggest changes need to happen to our Lifestream, not our Earth.