Community

[Intyalle]

I have been told many a time that, for an RP forum, the best (or by some I believe they even said only) way to create a sense of community is to have a common enemy. I have said many a time that I disagree, I think all it does is limit choices and that, while it all stays in good fun and does not get too competitive, being able to RP multiple sides will not detract from the sense of community.

I still stand by this, but it got me thinking: what do I feel gives a large forum a sense of community?

Not a small forum, they automatically feel like a community because everyone knows everyone else, there isn't much choice but to do so.

Not even necessarily an RPG forum, I found once I found my answer.

I looked at the four large forums I am on actively.

-Gameware has the sense of a fractured community, many small groups knowing each other well but not so much a sense of a greater, cohesive whole.
-CTC feel a bit like a community, but not so much so.
-Online Starbase and Blackstar, however, give me a strong sense of community.

So I thought next, why? then it came to me.

Welcoming. Both of these places have a board specifically for welcoming threads, and many people will come in a make sure you feel welcomed into the forum, into the community.

But now I ask, what gives you a sense of community on a large forum?

[Somefreakoverthere]

Being able to talk about stuff going on with your life without fear of somebody making fun of you is a pretty good factor to me.

And having such and active and really happy comminuity is good too. Blackstar is my online home, I guess.

[Danikat]

It seems strange to talk about it but I think its actually the off topic comments or conversations that tend to do the most for building a community in my experience.

I'm on a lot of forums (too many) and I've been on many more and it always seems to be the random chatter that allows people to get to know each other as people rather than names on a screen. I don't mean the totally off the wall spam like you get so much of on the GW forum, but when people make jokes or comments on whats going on and share their thoughts and feelings about things outside of what the board is actually for.

Possibly because it tends to involve more discussion of personal opinions and feelings rather than straight facts.

Most the in-jokes and memorable moments on a forum seem to come from those topics, and on the forums where I skip the off-topic sections it doesn't seem to matter how much time I spend there I never feel part of the community, even when everyone else is talking about how much of a great community they have.

[Intyalle]

Haha... that in-jokes thing reminds me of CTC.

Over there, Swampy runs all the bathrooms, except for the Admiral's bathroom which was spaced a while ago. Stuff like finding nitrogen in the shower gel or ammunition where the bath salts are meant to be are common, and never stand on the red tiles - they blow up.

Off-topicism is so cool...

[addman]

A buffet table

[HisLordship]

Rites and customs. An eccentric or unusual series of habits that distinguishes the forum, that makes it unique. The Council killing Cornelius, for instance. Fun with gerbils as currency. Jokes about absurd paraphilia (I'm looking at YOU, smut-squad!). At discussion of the forums as a real place (i.e. the maps, etc). It all adds up.

[Swix]

All of the above, plus the fact that here the 'older generation' doesn't treat new people like something horrible they just tread on. They provide a welcoming, helpful environment and don't immediately have a go the second someone gets something wrong.

That's what'll keep this place going, at least that's how I see it

[3kul]

Active, involved and genuinely interested modding staff.

One of the things that ultimately turned me away from the GW forums was the total lack of control, and the fact that unless anybody was causing any serious trouble (ie: threatening people, that sort of thing), they didn't seem to care what was going on.

Here in Blackstar however, not only can I go head-to-head with the staff on relatively equal RPing grounds, but they are also ready to deal out the punishment and do a little crowd controlling if necessary.

[Danikat]

[LordPsycho]

Here at the Dojo, I make a concerted effort to not put myself above the general Dojodian populace. I can, if so I chose, to give myself the highest belts, declare myself master, and grant myself limitless cash..

I doubt anyone would take a second glance. But I don't, and I keep the admins directly under me from doing the same. Why? Because I feel that it would make me too unreachable, unapproachable. And I like being an admin people can come to. I declare my IM addresses, email, etc, so that people can come to me.

That is why I chose to give up my "Master" rank when we switched belt systems, and chose to earn the rank like everyone else.

[visagepoissons]

I wouldn't take a second glance. How do I know how much money you have behind that hidden account?

I think customs really help me feel like I'm in a community. i.e. The Skull-shaped Basket, Gerbils etc.

Other then that I don't really know. People being nice and treating everyone equally is good.