How important is OOC activity to you?

[dusk 106]

OOC Activity: Very.
OOC Forums: Not so much.

 

I like a good community, even if I'm not super activity in it myself. I feel that it helps drive the roleplay forward, because everyone is more invested inside and outside the scenes. Forums for all that chatter have definitely become more rare as discord has taken over the scene. They can still be useful for things like want ads or stuff you don't want getting lost in the discord noise (I also dislike a whole lot of discord channels).

 

I'm really bad at all these games though, so lets just skip those all together kthx.

[Somniac 207]

Depends on what I'm looking for and what else they're offering.

 

If something's still in development, a robust OOC discussion is definitely going to hold my attention more.

 

If scenarios are more likely to be intricate and drawn out than fly-by, I prefer a bustling and respectful community.

 

If a site's more of an improvisational free-for-all, and not a lot of OOC discussion is required or expected - OOC community isn't as big a deal as long as it's opt-out and still doable.

[The Zombie Queen 5]

I am accustomed to being on roleplaying boards that have a lot of OOC sections - particularly for spam/games which are always usually semi-IC/IC. I find them enjoyable. You get to interact with characters you might not have had the chance to as of yet, it allows yourself and others to have a chill-out, and I have had numerous experiences were plot ideas have cropped form these spamming shenanigans which have turned into elaborate and beautiful stories.

Also, I find OOC discussions interesting. Though with the rise of Discord, those types of forums seem to not be as needed as much as that happens within the Discord.

[theluckyone 4]

I used to have an OOC area that was for absences, moderation stuff, and then the advertising. However I rarely ever had anyone use them so now while, I still technically have them, they are just a part of the Member Services area which also features the code bank and info on the points shop. I have toyed with the idea of getting rid of the absences and moderation boards all together and just using discord but honestly, I've just forgotten about it every time I can actually go in and do it. I have never liked using them for games and have always thought of them similar to the in character chats, which I've always looked at as an inaccurate representation of activity.

[akakios 14]

I like OOC boards for moderation. While the site I'm currently on has an active Discord, I think with LOAs/site-related updates in particular, it's nice to have everything available on-site for a guest to see without joining our Discord.

Personally, I enjoy a robust OOC community. I like knowing the people I'm writing with, and I think it helps aid communication when someone is invested in the community but can't always find time to write. 

[4rt3m1s 16]

I think OOC activity is important, but it sort of depends where?

 

I'm not super keen on OOC boards, but I tend to leave them there just because every so often a member might show up who isn't keen on Discord. The most I like to have is a help forum, and then one for games in case anyone wants to start something up, but I mostly just leave things to Discord. Having an activity community on Discord or in a chatbox is much more important because it seems to give a more realistic view of activity levels and the actual nature of the community, rather than seeing how much members are posting in an 'OOC games' forum.

[snowbird 4]

Activity is the most important thing to me. I wanna see people having fun. That being said, activity requirements like 14 days sometimes sucks because it requires a lot of work if your partners are not super active.

[Lady Hyde 21]

Forum OOC - ... it's there and I wish it was used more but it's no skin off my nose if people don't.

Discord OOC - I like knowing my members, and who I'm writing with. I like have these people I've known for years all in one place and love that feeling of a family that comes from it. It's important to me. I like know how members tick, and knowing that they're doing okay in life. Besides, with a limited activity requirement, saying hello in discord is good enough to prove you're still around and active. 

 

I also think chatting OOC can eliminate any awkward encounters and let you know rather quickly if you're going to mesh well as writers - which some people... just don't. 

[Aliensrcool 4]

Forum OOC activity for me isn't that important as long as the person I'm waiting on is good for it.

 

What I mean by this is that if someone is very inactive and they hardly reply back to me, I'll start becoming a little frustrated. However, if someone is pretty inactive but always replies to our threads eventually then it really doesn't matter for me. I've waited days, weeks, months, and at one point a whole year for a post but I knew they were good for it so the wait never bothered me.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Aliensrcool

[Kiewbles 15]

OOC activity is pretty important to me because I like getting to know my writing partners. I have made some of my greatest life friends in this manner, and I think it absolutely helps strengthen a writing community. It's a great way to feel out what kind of folks you're writing with, what they're comfortable writing about, etc. Also, seeing shared photos and videos of pets in discord is the light of my life.

[FoxFace 9]

I definitely think OOC activity is important, especially in group settings (Discord, OOC chat forums). It goes a long way to get to know each other, and I think it can really help newer players to get a feel for the site and its community while they're still finding their way around. 

[Limn 1]

Personally, I find maintaining a presence in the OOC side of a board absolutely exhausting. I'm a member of a RP board because I want to create characters, plot with other people and write, not to discuss the finer points of my life. 

So, no - OOC activity is not important to me at all. I would be happy to do away with anything save for a help forum and a way to contact the staff and let people do their thing. That said, if the site culture is one where it is expected for you to participate in the OOC community as this influences how many threads and plots you are able to have, then for me, it's a necessary evil.

[dylzoe 4]

Hate to say it but OOC boards are pretty pointless. I would usually keep them around in case a prospy who would prefer to communicate there, but I have always handled that sort of business on discord or skype. Its just much easier that way IMO

[Cheshire 2]

They're fun to have around if they're active but aren't really necessary. I don't miss them if they're not there. If they are, I don't usually see them too active.

[DivineRabbit 64]

I am probably the odd one out. We have ooc in Discord, and of course before that chat boxes on the forum, and I have to admit that I don't spend over much time in them. Its not that I don't enjoy making friends and plotting but I work all week- and often am too tired to enjoy sitting in a room when I can be cleaning my place and sleeping.

 

I work a lot. I am off on weekends and that is when I write. I check in with the discord but because of that it tends to make it hard to find writing partners because I do not hang in discord. Its a double edged sword. 

 

And its true there are people that spend more time in dischord than writing.