Is the Story Hour Forum on Life Support?

[Angcuru]

Well, I've got my favorite (and my own) Story Hours listed and linked in my signature for all to see. But it is true that there are a whole lot of SH threads out there that are just waiting to be discovered. It's not often that I check a new thread, buy when I do, I'm pleasantly surprised about half of the time.

It'd be nice if there was a poll-style rating system that readers could use to give a story hour from 0-5 stars, or something like that. So the result of the polling would be displayed where the thread category would be, so instead of Sci-Fi or Fiction, one might see *****, ****, ***, **, * or _.

Part of the problem is that when people see a story hour they like, they should bumo it or at least express their enjoyment from reading it, but few do. It's a good incentive to continue writing a SH when you know people like reading it.

 

[alsih2o]

I just started a storyhour and it seems to be getting an encouraging number of views.

Interest adn viewership seems to be good in the SH forum, this seems like a decent indicator of quality. If there weren't already good reading to eb found in here the new storyhours (like mine) you see popping up wouldn't be getting the 'tries'.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

There are certainly a lot more readers than there used to be - I remember when I was doing my Story Hour, and it was in the top ten in views at around 4,000 and Piratecat was at like 44,000. Since then it just exploded. I sometimes think of doing a retro story hour thing, doing a post per day (which would keep me going for 3 or 4 months).

I think its a matter of seperating wheat from chaff. For example, check out the Story hour in my sig. It's written by one of my players, it's very well written, but only a few people have commented on it.

 

[el-remmen]

To me the Story Hour forum is the best and most vibrant forum on the boards. . . I know us Moderator's aren't supposed to play favorites - but as a Moderator Emeritus I am more like a grandpa and grandfathers are allowed to play favorites.

As for my own story hour, my updates tend to slow down in the spring/summer because there is so much to do outside or in other places not condusive to sitting at a computer writing D&D stories. . . but I try to make up for it in the doldrums of winter.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

the story hour board here at ENW has always been one of my favourites. yet, IMO, the number of very good quality threads has been lessening for some time. now it appears that we're on life support.

a lot of the Big Names* that first attracted me to this corner of ENW have either ended their story hours, or update once per presidential election. not only does this upset readers (like myself), but i think it actually harms the numberless hordes of story hour authors trying to garner a bit of attention.

i know, i know - there are exceptions (one look no further than piratecat). but i claim this is the exception, not the rule.

* by way of example, im referring to piratecat, wulf ratbane, sepulchrave, destan, contact, capellan, old drew id, and jonrog1. these may not be your big names (and they may not be mine, personally), but they are the ones that seem to have/had garnered the most press/page views/posts/reader loyalty.

so there's my chicken dinner. how do you feel? and why?

In some ways this is an interesting question for me. For about a year now I have been doing my own writing outside ENworld, and was in a regular game (till feb). I've noticed that when I get a chance to PLAY D&D I tend to read less. So when my game ended, I found that I was not far behind on most stories. (Now that You have finished "Book III" nemmerle, I plan on reading it from start to end.)

The real problem is that some very good writers think that they can start having kids. On the other hand there is always new talent waiting in the wings. (Although, I hear PhoenixAsh has a girlfriend now, so that SH may be doomed too. )

 

[the Jester]

Though I too miss some of the SH's you mentioned- Sep's in particular- I have a lot of other ones to read that are damn fine as well.

I say, open your mind and branch out. Try something new. Heck, try my story hours. Monstrous number of updates, averaging prolly 4-8/week lately split between two SH's. Of Sound Mind the Halfling Way is the tale of a band of halfling adventurers and their kobold dog, starting with their adventures in the module Of Sound Mind (by our very own Piratecat) and then traveling through other adventures often involving elements of insanity (eventually including an autistic sorcerer pc and an insane asylum). Great Conflicts is an epic story hour that follows the most powerful group of adventurers in my campaign world (who have been worked up since 1st level, and some since 2nd edition) as they... well... do a lot of epic stuff. Lots of behind the scenes looks at various other things going on in the world that our heroes have affected at one point or another.

 

[Sandain]

Here are some things I like in my favourite story hours. If anyone knows stories who meet this criteria I would definitely go and read them.

Story hour is based on a long term campain.
Has older players
Set in a world I know or can quickly understand.
Updated regularly
Well written as a story, not just a series of fights and one dimensional characters
Has an epic storyline

Optional

Has character and monster stats in Rogues Gallery
Set in Greyhawk
Allows reader participation with plot and creatures


So, these are the story hour authors that I personally follow.

Wizardru
Jester (curently my favourite although I hate halflings and havn't read his latest)
Piratecat
Lazybones
Tales of the Bray Keaven
Also anything Blackdirge writes

I miss (Contact)! I wish he'd write again.

 

[Old One]

Here are some things I like in my favourite story hours. If anyone knows stories who meet this criteria I would definitely go and read them.

Story hour is based on a long term campain.
Has older players
Set in a world I know or can quickly understand.
Updated regularly
Well written as a story, not just a series of fights and one dimensional characters
Has an epic storyline

Well...at the risk of pimpin'...this meets all of your requirements except "updated regularly", but there are nearly 4 years of posts to wade through. I have recently started packaging the older posts in an easy-to-read .pdf format for those that don't want to fight through several thousand posts...so check it out.

My travel schedule is slowing down a bit...so more frequent updates should be in the offing !

~ OO

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Here are some things I like in my favourite story hours. If anyone knows stories who meet this criteria I would definitely go and read them.

Story hour is based on a long term campain.
Has older players
Set in a world I know or can quickly understand.
Updated regularly
Well written as a story, not just a series of fights and one dimensional characters
Has an epic storyline

Mine meets all of that except for older players...as, at the time of the game, both myself and one of the other players were younger, while the two others were adults. Of course, age doesn't really matter, in the end.

Only thing is, its not D&D, its Star Wars. So no Greyhawk.

 

[alsih2o]

Here are some things I like in my favourite story hours. If anyone knows stories who meet this criteria I would definitely go and read them.

Story hour is based on a long term campain.
Has older players
Set in a world I know or can quickly understand.
Updated regularly
Well written as a story, not just a series of fights and one dimensional characters
Has an epic storyline
.

Gotcha.

See sig.