runouw.com

I came from many sites. Like mcleodgaming.com. I knew runouw.com because of the popularity of Super Mario 63. But when I came to this site, I signed up, and looked up for the content. Someone said that your forum was pretty good. It WAS good. The only thing is that something is missing. I think the forums of runouw.com lacks something PRETTY important or SLIGHTLY important that makes other sites' forums attractive and/or popular to make more people to use the site to gain popularity and of course to keep the forum alive. My coordinates says that runouw.com's greatest number of signed-in or online people in a day was about 150 people. And that was still on 2012. Which is few. Unlike other sites. No offense, but this is the truth. How about if all users can help this site grow bigger and like decorate it. Even just putting small things like creating more smileys or emoticons for more selections of emoticons, recoloring some stuff, maybe even decorating the site with a compilation of artworks, isn't that great? I'm only giving my idea. Like giving each member level experience. Each time they contribute something or stay online, they level up. And they get more access to "this" and "that". And even invite your friends to runouw.com! Making more games by encouraging other users to help us! Make the forums like more of a discussion like a debate, an argument of many senators, lawyers and secretaries of a group or clan. And like making more rules, and making more contests, there's many more to make. Like making more Super Mario 63 Level designer levels, Last Legacy Level designer levels, and way way way way way way way way way way more to make. I, can even contribute. By my sketching skills at Manga, I would like to help you as long as you ask help buddy. This is Thomas, AKA Tommy, This is Blue_Wizard_Tom, sincerely yours, my friend.

Well, I'm glad you're concerned, but those things seems really unnecessary to me. Personally, I've loved how small and close-knit this site has been. I actually know most people at a marginally personal level. We can often be sarcastic and know that we're joking around with each other. I don't think that's a very common trait for an internet user.

I'll go into more depth with my reasoning, though keep in mind that I don't mean to offend you.

• I've actually never liked smileys or emoticons all that much. While it is possible to add more, through art contests with specific style rules, it seems unnecessary. I'm not sure if more people would join because there are ten rows of smilies to choose from.
• We have an artwork subforum already, though only a few prominent artists like myself. Though I do want more of a presence of draftsmen, sketch-artists and other types of artists, so I'll consider making a general fanart thread for LL and SM63(though I don't think those have any fanart yet, to be honest). I did want more styles to view the site, but that would require someone with web design experience to share their knowledge with a digital artist.
• Restricting members seems bad to me as well. There is already an approval system for the first three levels of a user, and there actually is a secret forum where most rules do not apply. We have a secretive vote system for that purpose.
• As for debating, we do that plenty, and I feel like members of clans would disagree with each other more than agree with each other. The staff members(except for the wiki mods) already decide the official rules and contest dates(which we actually plan on revamping in the near future). We've had 22 level designer contests and the 23rd is in progress. There have 7 official art contests, mostly failed due to the lack of non-stock artists.

I post this because I know that some others will respond more directly and with less tolerance. Again, I really like that you want to improve this site somehow, but I think new members will come when they come. Usually, advertisement is what gets a gaming forum popular. I'm sure once Last Legacy is complete, Runouw will post it on several sites, and there will be a new influx of users, just like there was and still is for Super Mario 63. Since we've made the level submission system interconnected with the forums several months ago, that should be helping even more.

Pretty much what Nin said. I like that we have a smaller community and therefore I pretty much know who everyone is.

I've been working with Oreo on designing a secondary style, as well as scratching an emoticon set for use, should the staff choose to use them. Have the site saved as a .html at home and tamper with the code, clean it up, etc. It's like a side project of mine to learn, as well as help you guys in a way.

The main problem is getting the word out about the site. You can't attract members if you don't tell them.

If I told anyone I'd get bullied, end of.

Ever heard of the phrase, 'Quality over quantity'?
We are the perfect example of that.

Like Nin said, we're all great friends here. On any other forum, sure, you communicate, but you don't usually think of them as a great friend. I personally love having about 100 people coming back to this site over and over who I can actually trust, and I'd take that over having thousands of members who I barely know anything about.

Even back when I was extremely nooby and stupid, and not bothering to help the community much, people gave me a helping hand to make me into the standard, member I am now. Have you seen what we do on this site? The photo album, the LDCs, all that; have you noticed our attitude towards each other? Runouw.com has only a few returning members, but the friendship we have, added up, is probably one of the highest out of most forums you'd see.

I'd rather not have anymore users. I like our userbase. (The ones who are actually active on the chat)

Raz wrote:I'd rather not have anymore users. I like our userbase. (The ones who are actually active on the chat)

What happens when we all grow old and leave, though? Who'll continue the chain?

No one, thus ends the Runouw Era and many people stop procrastinating on their homework.

Well naturally as time moves on new people will come and old people will go.

I only joined in 2011 and people like BY joined even later. SuYo also joined just after me and same with Nwolf.

But you will probably get newer members coming in all the time and taking their place in the Runouw community.
And I'm pretty sure that they'll keep it going for a long time.
But I know what you mean Raz, I like our user base too.