Suggestion and Options for Future of AnimeMB

[G.SummonerBWM]

I am actually grateful for those who have been active on here. I actually am grateful. However, this site is still dying and regardless of the struggling activity, we are still falling behind and the like. As I was talking to an old friend who is also a part of one of TradeDemon's sites, she ended up giving some ideas that I think is good but I want all of you to decide.

The member's conversation and idea/advice

" I dont know, I myself have been trying to track TD down to discuss things about the main site, some updates we have discussed and he approved but has put all into action yet. Though in all practicality, I do not think a site focused on anime and anime alone is a good idea. There's millions and millions of anime sites out there, and tons more manga as well. Plus information of anime and manga can be so vaque, unless you have a direct focus point like a specific anime or an anime producer, it can be really dificult to keep up with other anime sites."

" With it's current settings yes, it's set up as a multi anime so multiple anime should be concentrated on. I do see what you mean about staff, it is kind of dead. Two active staff members that's it. However the 51 guests viewing, that's pretty impressive, our average is about 20-30.

Well over the years watching any site, here's what I believe helps with activity.

1.) "Fresh Start" Not like a completely new site, but usually when news is released about the site getting renovated, people get excited, then when its shut down for a few days people keep waiting for it open. During that time, admins would perhaps clean out old threads, perhaps put up a new skin, do a vbullitein update and when they come back everything's shiny and new. Usually this does eventually die out.
2.) Affiliations, this is usually done through TD, so it may be a little more dificult, but have an affilitiation page on the main site where you affiliate with smaller websites maybe one or two big websites. The smaller websites are better because people visit their page see the link to your site and your site, which is a bigger website ends up the site they join.
3.) Organization. One thing when I look at other forums just to gain news on a specific thing is that there forums will be completely unorganized.. Now animemb seems pretty organized(though the way the roleplay section for you guys is set up is kind of strange and to me. Like fun and serious RP, to me I find serious RP's more enjoyable and to me fun RP sounds more like "spam" rp. Especially doesn't help the guide designed for this site wasn't updated for animemb because it still has the canon, original, and main rp section explanation on it which animemb does not have.
4.) Constant checking. To prevent bumping of threads, mods should check every forum and close out month old RP's. I usually try to go through and close them up once a month
5.) Question. This is something I've come to reailze a little later, people like to argue, so creating threads against what you believe or threads that raise a question on both sides of the table that allows for debate should be made every once in a while. So for example my Ansem Heartless thread(though I still have a long list that proves my point) that was argued for quite a long while. I'm hoping my Terra and Xehanort? Thread will take off and do the same.
6.) One thing I noticed now going through the forums is anime website- very bad, really, really bad in fact that's where you're going to get advertisers. With that you'll end up bringing in people trying to post there own websites here. I'd get rid of that forum right away.

Those are just a few things that may help out."

So... what do all of you have to say about those six options?

[Khroma]

1- i think that'z fine, but like you said, it does get boring after a while. i would suggest when you do those kinda maintenance thing'z, you should change the (for example) theme of the site, and make a new theme, and you should have a theme bar some where on the forum'z, if member'z don't like the new theme and prefer the old theme. or add more text color/profile color when we edit, i mean, we have a lot of color'z already but maybe you can put a color wheel? during one these maintenance.. it give'z something new; and each maintenance should ONLY be on one thing, that way you don't run out of idea'z fast.

2- i wouldn't recommended that.. because, yea, it give'z us some new thing'z and all, but i've seen on the top of the forum these "check out these sites!" i mean, yea, i didn't check them out, but that'z what i'm saying... i wouldn't really recommend it.. cuz i feel like, other people will be more interested in those site'z than the main forum itself. it'z not likely, but it'z possible.

3- uh.. um.. not much to say to that cuz this forum is already organized..

4- but.. then.. some people might not reply to their RP, cuz they could be busy, or stuff like that.. i mean i guess we could contact the mod'z and admin'z buut.. hrm..

5- i don't have a problem with that except for 2 thing'z..

1) even though it'z an argument (and i do keep this in mind, which is why i say, this is my opinion to remind people) people will tend to get off topic and fight causing friendship distortion.. again, not likely, but possible.. it'z sorta taking a risk. i mean, yea, in the rule'z i KNOW they say that being rude isn't tolerated or having these kinda personal arguement'z and all, buuut you know, we're human'z, and we tend to argue here and there when we don't agree with other people'z opinion.

2) don't we already have a debate section... well, i did suggest a question section earlier this year, and Etha said that i can make a thread on it, WHICH I DID... but nobody really used it, some people did post though. but now the thread is dead...

6- we're already working on that.. no? .w. well, yea, i'm pretty sure we're working on that right now..

[G.SummonerBWM]

Even if we do this, there is one thing that is obvious: We need permission from TradeDemon.

[G.SummonerBWM]

Oh yea... as for #6, there is a little section called anime sites. We used to allow members to post a thread about other anime sites but... I think that it may be one of the problem that is attracting the advertising.

[ramon]

I see... I think I can help in opening threads of different animes and mangas I'm quit updated, but the problem is support of posts from others, in other words not many users know a lot of animes and mangas,or there is a possibility that they know a lot of anime too but they don't make threads cause they think there won't be any supporters... Well I think we should just make a lot of threads so everyone can at least find a place to chat about something they know... And by reading the titles of new unfamiliar animes they still get a place to verify if the anime or manga is worth watching...