Activity Problems

[Cormac]

We've been having months of activity problems, within both the executive and the legislature. This isn't meant to pin the blame on anyone, because honestly in the history of Osiris inactivity has been the norm rather than the exception. While there may be some debate over whether these activity problems are cultural or institutional in nature, we all seem to acknowledge that these activity problems exist. When they're brought up, no one pipes up to say, "Eh, we're doing fine." But we also don't see any proposals for fixing these problems.

Surely there must be fixes for these problems, and interest in fixing them. So I would like to take time in this thread for us to discuss possible solutions to the inactivity we've seen in the executive and the legislature. What can we do about it -- specifically, what can we legislatively change that might solve these problems, or at least help solve them?

My own proposed solutions are frequently too radical for others to support, so rather than making any suggestions at the beginning, I would just like to get the conversation started and hope others will propose some ideas.

[Jakker]

Perhaps it has to do with the opportunities for activity. We need more than just legislation to stay active. I don't think that tickles everyone's desire to stay engaged Other than RP, what else can people do to stay engaged with the region?

[Cormac]

Perhaps it has to do with the opportunities for activity. We need more than just legislation to stay active. I don't think that tickles everyone's desire to stay engaged Other than RP, what else can people do to stay engaged with the region?

Yeah, legislation isn't for everyone, and that's totally fine. We probably need some serious culture brainstorming, but cultural stuff isn't really something I've ever much been interested in, so that's something people who are actually interested in those things will need to discuss. People can participate in the Legion, but they largely don't. People can vote on WA resolutions, but they largely don't. So those are other things people can do but aren't doing.

I guess the intended goal of the discussion I've opened here though is what we can legislatively change that might enhance activity. What can we change about the executive, or the legislature, that might generate more activity? I'm looking for a discussion about our institutions and how they might need to change. Brainstorming specific activities is a great idea and needs to happen, but that should probably happen within the executive and within each ministry.

[Ridersyl]

I personally believe we need to do a better job of taking the nations that are interested in Osiris on NationStates and metamorphosing them into players that are interested in the OFO off-site. That would require more "greeters". Basically, people that go around saying, 'Hey, have you seen our forums? They're cool! Let me show you how they work."

We could also work to make the forum more user-friendly. Even though I wasn't thrilled with the way Jakker split the Deshret Chamber, it is a step in the right direction. We need to dumb down the forums. We need to simplify them more. That way, when the average Nationtopia is given the tour by one of our 'greeters', they're way more likely to be active.

This was my old plan to boost activity when I was running for Pharaoh a year ago. It was based on how the now-defunct TBR were able to always attract new members to their forum.

[Andrew]

Perhaps it has to do with the opportunities for activity. We need more than just legislation to stay active. I don't think that tickles everyone's desire to stay engaged Other than RP, what else can people do to stay engaged with the region?

Yeah, legislation isn't for everyone, and that's totally fine. We probably need some serious culture brainstorming, but cultural stuff isn't really something I've ever much been interested in, so that's something people who are actually interested in those things will need to discuss. People can participate in the Legion, but they largely don't. People can vote on WA resolutions, but they largely don't. So those are other things people can do but aren't doing.

I guess the intended goal of the discussion I've opened here though is what we can legislatively change that might enhance activity. What can we change about the executive, or the legislature, that might generate more activity? I'm looking for a discussion about our institutions and how they might need to change. Brainstorming specific activities is a great idea and needs to happen, but that should probably happen within the executive and within each ministry.

I don't think trying to find institutional reform alone will solve our activity woes and I also don't think saying that brainstorming specific activities should be left to the executive alone, especially when they don't seem to be doing so. Thats the frame of mind we've been having for some time and it isn't getting us anywhere.

Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is why, and what can we do about that. I think you just answered why we don't have a strong RP/cultural community as we would like: not many people are interested. People can join the Legion or vote on WA resolutions but don't. Is it because their not interested or is it because the activities themselves aren't interesting? And if the latter, how do we make them more interesting/involving in order to make others interested.

I personally believe we need to do a better job of taking the nations that are interested in Osiris on NationStates and metamorphosing them into players that are interested in the OFO off-site. That would require more "greeters". Basically, people that go around saying, 'Hey, have you seen our forums? They're cool! Let me show you how they work."

We could also work to make the forum more user-friendly. Even though I wasn't thrilled with the way Jakker split the Deshret Chamber, it is a step in the right direction. We need to dumb down the forums. We need to simplify them more. That way, when the average Nationtopia is given the tour by one of our 'greeters', they're way more likely to be active.

This was my old plan to boost activity when I was running for Pharaoh a year ago. It was based on how the now-defunct TBR were able to always attract new members to their forum.

I generally agree with you here. I don't think Osiris has capitalised enough on it being a Sinker. Perhaps we should start shifting some of our focus to Recruitment and appeal, I see Festavo has already thought of this, but the problems I see is that people are attracted/prompted to be active by activity, which is limited here, and there isn't much to keep individuals that do end up on these forums here and active.

[Ridersyl]

I generally agree with you here. I don't think Osiris has capitalised enough on it being a Sinker. Perhaps we should start shifting some of our focus to Recruitment and appeal, I see Festavo has already thought of this, but the problems I see is that people are attracted/prompted to be active by activity, which is limited here, and there isn't much to keep individuals that do end up on these forums here and active.

Yeah. Osiris needs to capitalize more on its Sinker status, and focus more on Recruitment/appeal to draw peeps into the OFO. I'm not surprised that Festavo went along with this type of thinking. He had spent a good amount of time around Nephmir, who for all his faults, is an expert at recruitment.

As for the problem you see, I don't necessarily agree with you right now, but for the sake of argument...

Needing activity to keep the people that will make us active, but needing people that will make us active to create activity?
Seem like a bit of a Catch 22. What possible solution is there for that?

[Jakker]

I think first we need to answer the question: what does ideal activity look like? Where would Osiris be where we felt like we were active?

[Ridersyl]

My set goal at first would be to see an average of around 20 registered users active within every hour, excluding expected dead hours. It's what I've seen from other active forums.

Right now, we normally have about 5 or 6 registered users active, and only seem to exceed that when there's something big going on in the legislature.

[Festavo]

As Pharaoh, I sent a regional telegram about the forum and all the things you can do if you join the forum. I saw limited success, but if do believe it should still be done consistently. We need recruitment from the game region to the forum and a regional TG is easy.

Personalized recruitment is better. One on one messaging is note effective. It would be great if people would start targeting and recruiting the RMB regulars and even the issue answerers who keep to themselves.

[Kraketopia]

This region needs activity centers beyond legislation and spam if it wants to attract a wide variety of active players. We should think about diversifying into a third type of activity. Don't ask me what that activity should be, I'm not that attuned to Osiris's culture yet.