How to grow the Forums

[Mojo]

Attached are my thoughts and the idea

Mojo

[Alex Karaczun]

I don't disagree with what you are saying. Here are my thoughts.

I think Andrew is doing some pretty good things already here. Getting OSR publishers to call OSRGaming.org their forum home is a great step. Mischief, Inc. is doing some web redesign, and OSRGaming.org will be linked through our forum links on our Main web site, our blog, our storefront and possibly a wiki. It would be great to see the other publishers here making the same changes/commitment.

I think leveraging social media is a great idea. If OSRGaming.org does not already have a Facebook and Google+ page, and Twitter account Andrew should add those as soon as he can. Posts and tweets to those accounts would link back to interesting posts here on the forums. At the very least, as soon as you make those posts/tweets, there will be dozens of spider bots crawling all over these forums which should add to search engine visibility. Make sure you hashtag #DnD and the DnD Twitter account will almost certainly re-tweet your tweet.

Good old fashioned footwork cannot be replaced anything else though. Members here should get the word out and try to get members of their gaming groups to join up here. If you game at a brick and mortar store with open tables, talk to the other groups playing. If they have an interest in old school play style, write down the address for them.

Also I think there needs to be a file repository for free content. I think that's what the Downloads link above is supposed to be for, but I'll be damned if I can figure out how to upload anything. Mischief, Inc. has a free product we would upload, and two more on the way this year.

Finally wrapping back to the publisher angle. Engage the publishers on OSRGaming.org. Don't let us just hang back and make advertisement posts when we have a Kickstarter coming up, or when we have a sale. Become patrons of our products and when you have questions about something you see in those products, ask questions. Even if you are an old grizzled Dungeon Master who is just going to make something up to fill a gap, or parse some awkward wording on your own, ask anyway. You might be helping someone else down the road who will read those posts and think, "I'm glad I came to OSRGaming.org."

Oh and talk up the atmosphere here. There are other, bigger forums with lots of game design celebrities in residence. Most of them are full of nasty, rude people. OSRGaming.org is different. We're nice and polite. Let EVERYONE know that!

[Professor thork]

At the risk of  suffering the Angry Villager Rule my suggestion would be to include/incorporate within the forum something unique; something not seen/ or found in any other.

Idea: if someone is working on a campaign-world, and needed to run play tests of locations, classes, monsters, etc., members and visitors could join, create a character, and become regularly involved in the experiment.

[Alex Karaczun]

I've also talked with Andrew about allowing PbP games in their own section. Maegnarval and others were running these on our forums before we shut them down. Seems like a good way to keep activity levels up and occasionally draw new members who are recruited for the PbP games elsewhere.

[Mojo]

I see that we are of the same mind Kalex. I know that the group of active giys and gals we have here if we work together can make this even more special than it already is.

mojo

[Serian]

I have previously offered to provide IRC based services in support of the forum community, but have never received a reply, good, bad, or indifferent.

[mutazoid]

Growing the forums...tough topic.  We are in a small niche community and Im not sure what this forum does better than others.  I joined because of the d20radio podcasts.

I think one big thing that should be done is incorporate otherwise to sign up.
Such as sign up via FB or G+ sign in.  Ease of signing up is very important.

I propose putting this question a pinned topic and we might learn something interesting.

What makes the OSRGaming Forums Unique and What do we need here.

 

[Professor thork]

Expanding on my previous point:

I've always wished that there was a forum (of like minded folk) that supported a live-chat w/audio on going campaign where DM duties included some notable community celebs (kind of like what C. Perkins does for 5E), that included published materials and coming-and-going players. A Living campaign, that was up and running 1-3-5 nights per week/month.

Don't know if such is feasible, but it would certainly be...unique (I think!)

[Mojo]

Expanding on my previous point:

I've always wished that there was a forum (of like minded folk) that supported a live-chat w/audio on going campaign where DM duties included some notable community celebs (kind of like what C. Perkins does for 5E), that included published materials and coming-and-going players. A Living campaign, that was up and running 1-3-5 nights per week/month.

Don't know if such is feasible, but it would certainly be...unique (I think!)

That is a great idea. But would it have to be published adventures? Could it also be homebrewed adventures? It would take some serious planning to put together who DM's on which night and to have back up DM's just in case. But I really like that idea. Maybe have one night be ODD, one night be 1st ed another nigh be 2nd ed, another night be BFRPG so forth and so on that way no only would the original old school games get attention but even the clones and possibly some of the newer games that have the old school spirit also get some game time in too.

That would raise awareness of the hobby & the forums. But as I said it would take some serious planning.

Mojo

[Dizzy]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have been following this topic since Mojo started it, but have been caught up in my new job to be able to post much lately. Guys in my campaign have experienced this as my games have even been on a depressing hiatus essentially.

I like the ideas presented. I'm working on incorporating as many of them as I can. We have just added in the Play-by-post section today, with Kalex's awesomely suggested character sheet ability.

Serian, I apologize, I must have missed that message. We have a chat system in place, but I suppose it is more of a 1-on-1 messenger and not a chat room. I'm certainly interested in what can be done in that regard. We'll hopefully get in touch on that!

I'm also interested in the on-going campaign. Kind of like an old Flailsnail? Question is, who would be able to run something so regularly. I know I could commit to something more like that during the summers when my schedule is lighter.

We do have a facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/455528411142139/ Twitter: @OSRGamingForums I'm not honestly sure what to do for a G+. Just a community or its own page?

I've added a downloads section, and think I have the permissions figured out. However I'll need you guys to test it out. Let me know if there are issues. Mods and Admins will need to make sure everything is above board.

Thank you for all of the support guys!

[Serian]

Serian, I apologize, I must have missed that message.

No problems. This can happen on occasion.

We have a chat system in place, but I suppose it is more of a 1-on-1 messenger and not a chat room.

In my experience, forum based chat modules can be cumbersome and difficult for the users to keep track of ongoing activity. :-P

I'm certainly interested in what can be done in that regard. We'll hopefully get in touch on that!

Prod me either here or via email when you get a chance. 
We use a custom ircd that supports gaming in general, and also has D&D specific features, so this may be helpful as an additional venue for game play.

[Maegnarval]

You can set up a chat room on IRC, using Mirc !

Chat Server:
irc.chat-solutions.org

Port: 6667

Then create a chat room such as:
#osrgaming.org

You can then create a bot that keeps the room permanantly open !

[Serian]

On “Growing the Forums”


Perhaps the question to evaluate is “Does the entity “OSR Gaming” have a defined purpose for the gaming community?”

So far, it has some forums, and a plug for some podcasts (which have been given top spot in those forums), but in order to become more alive and successful, I think it really needs something more. There are numerous D&D forums out there, so in order to thrive, such a site needs to be uniquely useful in some way.

I would recommend the following concepts for evaluation, and if they fit in your vision of what “OSR Gaming” is supposed to be, incorporating them.

- What is the target goal of osrgaming.org? Is it just a forum where the same people post about the same things until they run out of things to rehash? What else can be added to the site to make it more broadly useful/interesting? What is the affiliation with WGP? Is it a house organ? An independent entity that promotes the WGP podcasts? Something else entirely?

- Consider multiple venues of interaction. Put osrgaming.org on a VPS and give it more substance. In addition to the forums ...

- A repository for game-related materials; free stuff created by the community for the community. Give that it’s own page. Sometimes people don’t like to dig through gigabytes of forum posts to find that one pdf they are looking for. Include links to other sites that have cool stuff.

- Give osrgaming its own presence on facebook and google+. Occasionally share interesting posts to those locations. Maybe create a blog page as well.

- Set up a page for roll20, google hangouts, IRC, and PbP info/links/etc. to give players options for playing online. Use IRC for continuously available real time chat. Maybe consider a page for offline meetup and conventions.

- Give podcasts their own page. If osrgaming isn’t [owned by|exclusive affiliate of] WGP, include links to other podcasts of a relevant nature.

- OSR sites that don’t have stuff that OSR Gaming has? Invite them to use your stuff!

Just some thoughts and opinions. Use them, delete them, sell them to the highest bidder, etc. as you see fit.

[Dizzy]

Thanks for sharing this with everyone Serian. I got your PM and e-mail last night. Some of these are being worked on or already done.

[Serian]

If you are interested in an IRC presence, I have set up a preliminary channel (and will transfer ownership).  Having the ability for real-time discussions might be valuable.

irc://irc.argentcitadel.net/
channel #OSRGaming