Staffing Chat boxes!

[Guest Archaic Cyborg]

Concerning c-boxes, I don't use them often at sites, and I don't need one for me to join a game. Even so, I always have OOC c-boxes available at my forum games, but.. They never get used much. I'm not worried about it, but..

 

A question for staff that don't have a c-box: do you offer any disclaimer, an explanation as to why there is no c-box? For players, do you want to see such a thing, or is it not a deal-breaker? 

 

For my next game, a work in progress (moving a game from one host to another), on the original host: c-boxes are never used. However, for this particular game's migration, myself and my co-mod @Bonemeal just don't have the right timezones. We have 'boxes at our other games, but we only really use them for quick, random messages. The majority of guests, if not all of them, show up in the box at 2am our time. During daylight hours, we have various real life business to contend with; we're not staff who can chat for hours in the box, but whenever we do spot a guest- they're there for one minute or less and then POOF.

 

What sort of disclaimer can we put up, likely in the FAQ area or something- that would explain our reasoning behind the 'missing c-box', etc? 

 

[Elena 546]

I like having a c-box even if I am not always when people gather (due to the timezones, there are a few Europeans whom I usually catch, and Americans which I randomly, seldom catch online). It still helps to the cohesion of the group, and it allows guests who ask questions to find an answer quicker - because if there isn't any staff member, there are Americans who can answer their fellows. Those who don't communicate, don't strengthen friendships, don't plot enough together... and the community suffers.

 

Sometimes I am not the person to chat for hours either. Sometimes I am chatting with one of my European members about history aspects. Sometimes I post a link to a historical blog article of relevance to our site, or to a sea shanty in the c-box. But other members do chat and plot among themselves even when i am not around, guests ask questions and find answers... so yes, I'd say a c-box would be necessary.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Elena

[Morrigan 1,826]

Depending on the site, a cBox can be make or break for me. For the most part I like them, they give me a sense of the community at large on the site.

 

As far as a message I would have a short message that states something to the fact of the "cBox" and then create a more elaborate thread that states your reasons.

 

On my old TiMER site I had a shoutbox that I only had open to members and this was because it was a particularly small niche and we didn't want to make them feel like they were being missed, recommended that they post in the Guest contact center or join the site.

 

Really it's your site, do what makes you happy.

[Cloud 0]

It depends on the experience people expect from the site. 

 

If rapid fire posts are common a C-Box is almost required. It's also a great place for newer people to ask questions or get a feel for the community. I can't really think of any negatives about having a C-Box on your site (even if not on the main page, like just a sub-menu linking to another page with it). 

 

Anything to better and strengthen the community should be done. If a C-Box would do so, do it. If there's no benefit for your community, then don't waste the time. 

You can also ask how your regulars feel about it. After all, keeping them happy is the most important thing. 

[Huskerdust 625]

Considering people often judge a game by its cbox activity, I'd say you're not making a bad decision. If you guys don't use it, your members probably won't either and then it'll just be this empty thing sitting on the forum and making it look like a ghost town (no matter HOW active the forum is!) so I agree with it. I guess it helps that I'm not the biggest fan of cboxes. I personally think they cause more problems than anything but that's just me. Anyway, as for the actual note/disclaimer, I think inserting it into the FAQ is the ideal place for it and that's where I'd have it if I chose to get rid of our shoutbox. 

 

EDIT: And I think you could just explain it as you've explained here. It makes perfect sense to me.

[Guest Archaic Cyborg]

8 hours ago, Elena said:

I like having a c-box even if I am not always when people gather (due to the timezones, there are a few Europeans whom I usually catch, and Americans which I randomly, seldom catch online). It still helps to the cohesion of the group, and it allows guests who ask questions to find an answer quicker - because if there isn't any staff member, there are Americans who can answer their fellows. Those who don't communicate, don't strengthen friendships, don't plot enough together... and the community suffers.

 

Sometimes I am not the person to chat for hours either. Sometimes I am chatting with one of my European members about history aspects. Sometimes I post a link to a historical blog article of relevance to our site, or to a sea shanty in the c-box. But other members do chat and plot among themselves even when i am not around, guests ask questions and find answers... so yes, I'd say a c-box would be necessary.

 

At my existing sites, the majority of our c-box guests are American, so my staff and the players are never available at the right time. This had led to guests criticising my sites as 'dead', simply because of the timezone differences.. Which is strange. I'm all for group chats with potential players/interested guests, but signing on at AM hours isn't something I'm willing to do.

 

I think of c-boxes as more like a 'nice to have' accessory, because players can and should plot on the board itself. The absence of a c-box shouldn't make plotting and such impossible~.

7 hours ago, Faylen said:

It depends on the experience people expect from the site. 

 

If rapid fire posts are common a C-Box is almost required. It's also a great place for newer people to ask questions or get a feel for the community. I can't really think of any negatives about having a C-Box on your site (even if not on the main page, like just a sub-menu linking to another page with it). 

 

Anything to better and strengthen the community should be done. If a C-Box would do so, do it. If there's no benefit for your community, then don't waste the time. 

You can also ask how your regulars feel about it. After all, keeping them happy is the most important thing. 

 

My plan is to introduce the site as a 'real life comes first' experience, where the pacing is relaxed.  Ny only negative experieces with c-boxes, are trolls, and guests criticising my sites as 'dead', because.. well, my staff team and I aren't online at certain hours XD, aka AM hours. W00t, time zone differences!

 

I don't have any regulars, so that isn't an option, unfortunately. Most of my games are a very niche crowd, so there isn't much activity.

[Cloud 0]

4 hours ago, Blackjack Bart said:

 

At my existing sites, the majority of our c-box guests are American, so my staff and the players are never available at the right time. This had led to guests criticising my sites as 'dead', simply because of the timezone differences.. Which is strange. I'm all for group chats with potential players/interested guests, but signing on at AM hours isn't something I'm willing to do.

 

I think of c-boxes as more like a 'nice to have' accessory, because players can and should plot on the board itself. The absence of a c-box shouldn't make plotting and such impossible~.

 

My plan is to introduce the site as a 'real life comes first' experience, where the pacing is relaxed. Ny only negative experieces with c-boxes, are trolls, and guests criticising my sites as 'dead', because.. well, my staff team and I aren't online at certain hours XD, aka AM hours. W00t, time zone differences!

 

I don't have any regulars, so that isn't an option, unfortunately. Most of my games are a very niche crowd, so there isn't much activity.

 

Sounds like a corner case scenario then. 

 

Normalities and what is usually the good thing to do doesn't quite apply in this scenario then. xD

[Elena 546]

@Blackjack Bart: At my existing sites, the majority of our c-box guests are American, so my staff and the players are never available at the right time. This had led to guests criticising my sites as 'dead', simply because of the timezone differences.. Which is strange. I'm all for group chats with potential players/interested guests, but signing on at AM hours isn't something I'm willing to do. 

 

I am not saying that YOU sign in at AM hours. I was saying that your American members can reply to the American guests. This is what usually happens on my site.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Elena

[Guest Archaic Cyborg]

17 hours ago, Elena said:

@Blackjack Bart: At my existing sites, the majority of our c-box guests are American, so my staff and the players are never available at the right time. This had led to guests criticising my sites as 'dead', simply because of the timezone differences.. Which is strange. I'm all for group chats with potential players/interested guests, but signing on at AM hours isn't something I'm willing to do. 

 

I am not saying that YOU sign in at AM hours. I was saying that your American members can reply to the American guests. This is what usually happens on my site.

 

Yeah, I know- it's still a problem because whenever there is a guest, it's just the one, so they're on their own. It's like  at most games where there's just one person online, no one would want to wait for others to sign in~

[CovertSphinx 710]

Screw the C-box. If it's not the lifeblood of your site, then don't waste time with something you don't need