General question...

[steeldragons]

A general question for the general discussion forum.

Why is it that the Plots and Places forum gets so little traffic? Whenever I'm on, this forum has over a hundred, usually over 200. It's a 50/50 shot that Plots and Places would have double digits.

So, just wondering...Why is that?

That's where people are placing game ideas, character ideas, campaign/plot ideas and questions regarding all of that...but noone's reading.

EDIT: (or at least not commenting.)

Just thought it's weird since, to my understanding, the crux of the D&D game involves story/plot and/or (at least) character creation. (Not counting the rules threads which are obviously...for the rules.)

Yet the forum for those things gets significantly less traffic than others.

Like I said, just a wondering thought/question. There's probably no good answer. Just an observation I find odd.
--SD

 

[Aurumvorax]

I was going to post something sarcastic but I'll be nice. Truthfully, most people are too busy writing their stories than to care about reading someone elses. The problem with stories posted on the internet is that 1 out of 10 are actually worth while. One might argue "Well if more people helped then that statistic would increase." Yes, well, human nature. Time is precious and actually devoting it to reading something that's terrible then commenting on how to improve it is best spent working on your own stories.

It sounds awful and rude but it's the truth for majority of people as evidenced by the number of topics but lack of posts. You'll find this in pretty much any comment and criticism board.

 

[Hussar]

There's a Plot and Places Forum?

Huh, you're right.

I come to general for that sort of thing.

 

[The Shaman]

There's a Plots and Places forum?

 

[steeldragons]

To Aurumvorax (great screenname, btw):

First, thank you for being nice.

Second, that very well may be true. But I would direct you to Diamond Cross' recent thread about a Druid Vampire character, a thread that it seems could easily have belonged in the Plots and Places board. (and this is NOTHING against the thread, I think it's an awesome concept. Just using it as an example.) That thread last I checked had 41 comments, some humorous, some serious, some debate on various elements of the character. BUT 41 people commented, whereas, I dare say, if it had been posted in Plots & Places, noone would have ever seen it.

So I question how much it is that people are unwilling to read through and comment...People are commenting on posts all of the time. Kinda what the site is for, I think...right? haha. In Plots & Places there are many threads that get no comments...Not nearly as true here.

I suspect its a simple ratio thing, people reading to people willing to comment is so much lower. Out of 250 in General Discussion...I dunno say 10% are interested enough or willing to comment. Take that 10% and apply it to 9 readers.

SO the question again, kinda, is why are so few people looking at that board when they will look on this one and comment on any number of topics?

Again, just seems strange to me...and there probably is no real answer closer than what you said.

To Hussar (again, great screenname, from the Shiar Imperial Guard right?) & Shaman: Cute.

But thanks for commenting anyway.
--SD

 

[jonesy]

SO the question again, kinda, is why are so few people looking at that board when they will look on this one and comment on any number of topics?

Well, there is a way to look at all of them at the same time:
EN Scryer

There's just less action at Plots and Places.

 

[IronWolf]

Yeah, you would think that that forum would get a lot more traffic. I am sure if that forum were merged with the general one you would see a lot more activity on the threads in there than they do today. Not sure if people miss it because it isn't part of their habit to check that forum or what.

I do try to make a point of dropping by that forum on occasion, but I must admit that I don't hit that one as often as I should.

 

[amerigoV]

A general question for the general discussion forum.

Why is it that the Plots and Places forum gets so little traffic? Whenever I'm on, this forum has over a hundred, usually over 200. It's a 50/50 shot that Plots and Places would have double digits.

That's where people are placing game ideas, character ideas, campaign/plot ideas and questions regarding all of that...but noone's reading.

Evidence suggests that D&D is not about ideas, campaigns, and plots. It's about the numbers, the edition, and trying to win the internet.

Hmmm, that might be an interesting campaign idea. The PCs have a race against the clock before the gods change the world <ie - if the PCs fail, the group has to change to edition they hate - that would keep the players focused!>. I would post it to that place you mentioned, but since nobody reads it....

 

[lutecius]

that very well may be true. But I would direct you to Diamond Cross' recent thread about a Druid Vampire character, a thread that it seems could easily have belonged in the Plots and Places board. […] BUT 41 people commented, whereas, I dare say, if it had been posted in Plots & Places, noone would have ever seen it.

I think these threads simply get more views and comments in General because they are less common here, and thus more noticeable (i.e. for the same reason I'm responding to this thread even though I rarely go to Meta, where it really belongs )

But I don't think this is what most enworlders are looking for when they read General and they probably wouldn't want the page to be crowded with such topics. this is typically the kind of threads many people would start but just like in Plot & Place, that wouldn't get as many responses. people are often more interested in pimping their own campaigns or characters than reading about others'

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

I've never gone there and I don't expect to go there in the future either. Here's the description of the forum:

Post your PCs and NPCs for others to reference and enjoy. This is also an alternate location for long-term campaign and plot development. These can be system neutral or relate to any game or system.

I don't generally like listening to other people talk about how awesome their character is. It's boring to me. It's like listening to someone talk about how awesome their kid or cat is. Since I don't like listening to it, I'm notoverly inclined to inflict it on others.

I don't like spending a lot of time developing NPCs. NPCs are there if the player needs/wants something, but my games star the PCs. NPCs (and monsters) only need enough stats to be able to do their job. Given that my approach to things is so different from most people's, I figure that my stuff is going to basically be worthless to others.

I don't like scripting out campaigns. I have a vague idea that this or that is going on, but since the PCs are the stars, an awful lot depends on their actions. Plus, over the years I've seen way too many games fall apart for a variety of reasons. I've little inclination to put a lotof effort into developing something, only to have it all go kaput.

A lot of stuff ties into the setting you're running. What settings am I inclined to run? Palladium Fantasy, Warlords of the Accordlands, Uresia: Grave of Heaven, Ptolus, maybe Warcraft, or just good ol' fashion homebrew. Chances are, most people aren't familiar with most of 'em and even if they happen to know it, I have little patience for canon. I'll change stuff to suit my whim or need. Again, this basically makes a lot of my stuff worthless to other people I think.

Mostly? I hate worldbuilding, as I see most folks do it. I dig running games, I dig coming up with stuff for the PCs and players to interact with/deal with. The sub-forum seems like it'd be mostly geared towards people that are the opposite of me (they love worldbuilding). The vast majority of people I've met in real life and online that are into worldbuilding? They're really not interested in what someone else has done or is doing.

No idea if my opinions are representative of other folks online, but it's how I see things and why I visit the limited number of forums and sub-forums that I do.