Slow Role Play 'Seasons'

[Guest Anonymous]

Hey Everyone, 

So something I've been trying to figure out as far as a pattern goes is if there tends to be slower months in role-play over others. Our one site has been opened for over a year now and I didn't bother to mark anything as such last year and now I'm kicking myself as everything tends to be a bit slower right now [I'd say August-now has been the most noticeable.] I'm going to assume its the summer months as we were doing super well over late fall-late spring/early summer. Everyone on vacations, out in the sun, etc. Even advertising has been pretty dry.

But I wanted to see if anyone else has noticed anything as such and the best way you guys handle it during the 'dryer seasons' of the year. 

[tesla 4]

Given the average demographic of english-centric rp, I tend to find that the time around finals and holidays are the slowest seasons. Also, if you're playing in fandom rps, lulls in content being created can really put a damper on popularity and numbers. All that said? It can really depend on your board and who you've got playing. Having a varied player base can help carry things in the slow months.

 

As an admin, I'll try to time my site-wide events to be winding down and ramping up depending on the statistics around posting rates, and give incentives for play during the slower periods. 

[Auroxtra 7]

Tesla's got the right idea!! To add to that, there's always going to be lulls throughout the year in any hobby, let alone roleplay. It's important not to stress yourself out during these times, to know its normal and that every roleplay has them.

 

During those lulls I tend to try and post as much as possible, even if its just with myself. That way prospective members as well as current members can see that things are still going on. Having staff to help keep plots going can be really important, and as staff you really have to get out there and give others inspiration to post. Telling people to get writing is useless and possibly rude; telling people you have ideas for them, and offering to write with them, can get people interested even in the busiest of times.

 

Site-wide events can be a really good way to get things going as well, whether it be disasters across the land, a celebration, or even a new feature within the site (a new area? new magic? new creatures? new items? it really depends on the setting, but those sorts of things can also give members inspiration!)

[huntandmoon 5]

Not seasons really, but one of the sites I've been most actively on is bizarrely quiet on weekends but bustling on weekdays, and I'm still getting used to it. It's not bad, per se, just opposite very much of what I'm accustomed to being 'peak' times to spree with other folks. 

 

Otherwise, yeah, just gonna reiterate that hols are always quieter since everyone's busy visiting or having visitors. I just handle it with patience (and if I'm staff, suggestions for activities whether IC or OOC during those lulls, as nothing seems to kill a site like even the *illusion* that it's died of for people to presume it has)

[Untold Tales 2]

Yeah, I can agree with the weekdays and weekends- I think that mainly stems from folks saying they are working on stuff at work or after work whereas on the weekends folks are just chilling and relaxing with friends and families. It very much is the same for us. 

And yeah, holidays and all that will definitely make a difference as well.