Where the fuck is everyone?

[Nightfall]

Althought ive rarely ever posted, i still visit here from time to time. Just to check up to see if theres any news or new stuff found in shenmue, although this forum doesnt seem as lonely as some of the other gaming forums ive seen about.

[John Petrucci]

Yeah, like how many of the mods actually post regularly? Yeah, sometimes they come back when this comment arrises, probably in fear that their mod powers will be ripped away from them, but it is true that back in the old days all of the mods were regular posters. You became moderators in the first place for the contribution you made to the forums, and now most of you don't deserve the privilege. You might as well hand it over to people that do deserve it, like Henry Spencer, Kensuke NOL, dbzruler88, or even that ugly cocksucker Twist05. They all would make more of a contribution to the Dojo then the staff we have in place now.

We don't fear for our jobs, Joe. Half of the current staff has asked out at one time or another. We don't need any more than two or three global mods for this whole place. Nothing ever really happens in the gaming/entertainment forums. The fact of the matter is that most of the staff does make an effort to post, but other members need to contribute. We have like, 7 or 8 daily posters that post anything of value. Double that number and things start to change.

So, if you have a problem with the way shit is going, invite your friends to post here. Grab people from other forums. They don't need to be Shenmue fans, even. Just good posters that enjoy some games and will contribute regularly. That's what will fix this place, not a change of staff. That's just shuffling paper on your desk, might make you feel better... Not going to change a damn thing though. I don't give a damn about the mod post, I'd happily step down from my mod position if we added more ten or twenty members like Henry Spencer, Orange Lightning or yourself Joe. I might not agree with you guys, but at least you're fun posters.

[Joe Pesci]

Well, you don't fear for your job, but you can vouch for others? My point was to say that an active staff will encourage active regular community members. The staff we have in place, is posting far less than some of the regular posters such as Henry, Orange, Clint, Spaz, etc.

I want to clear this up now, so that it doesn't arrise in the future. I'm not trying to get a moderator position. If I was offered, I wouldn't take it. I have no desire to be a moderator here.

[Henry Spencer]

Good points from all (and thanks for your concern John, I'm glad there are people who care like yourself about the community here), but may I ask one thing; whatever happened to Rhayno G? He just disappeared off the face of the planet, and was always great at posting, I miss that guy.

[Nick Tyndall]

So how do you bcome a 'Mod'?
If I was one, I promise imrpoved facilities, greaters topics and a personal campaign to get newer members here.

[JC 2K3]

I like this place as it is. I don't want new members. I've gotten used to those who are here now and tbh it's better than it has been for a while. Old members coming back would be cool but it ain't gonna happen.

[Henry Spencer]

I know a few guys whom I could encourage to come in here; they've all played Shenmue and liked it. They are the members of Junker HQ (Kojima masturbation forum) some of them, like a certain member called 'Snake Plissken' is as nuts as a flying monkey on drugs, whilst the rest, like Marc and Art (both admins of the site) are very laid back, intelligent as it gets folk. Plus the members I like there are really good guys as well, I'll try to get them onto here, they'd like it here.

[John Petrucci]

Well, you don't fear for your job, but you can vouch for others? My point was to say that an active staff will encourage active regular community members. The staff we have in place, is posting far less than some of the regular posters such as Henry, Orange, Clint, Spaz, etc.

I want to clear this up now, so that it doesn't arrise in the future. I'm not trying to get a moderator position. If I was offered, I wouldn't take it. I have no desire to be a moderator here.

I'm not implying that you do want a job, Joe. I think you'd do a fine job as a mod, but whatever. Shit, I think anyone could do it. We just clear garbage up. As for vouching for other mods, I know Frozen and others would gladly give up the gig if it meant making this place active again. I can easily say that. It's a shame it doesn't work like that, because I'd be first in line to give it up.

Really, everyone thinks they could do a better job than the folks in charge. Fans think they could do a better job than the manager/coach of their favorite team and or whatever the fuck... But, do you really think it makes that much of a difference? In the end, you need talent. We desperately need posting talent and we don't have very much. You could kick myself, Frozen and others off the staff and put whomever you wanted in charge, but new posters wouldn't magically appear.

I mean, no one here respects me and I've been a mod for years. Becoming a mod has not led anyone to give me more respect or respond to my threads. Seriously, becoming a mod does not change much. You can delete/edit/lock posts and ban people. Nothing happens in the forums I mod. Ever. Sonikku could take care of this place alone, really, he's a beast. He's the best mod we've ever had. So, really, more/new mods aren't going to change things or make it better. We need more posters. If anyone here brings in five new good members, fuck, I'll start a movement to put them on staff. If that's what you need...

[Staplerfahrer Klaus]

If someone can get TenTailedCat back here posting again for the fuck of it, the forum wont die. It's that simple. That son-of-a-bitch makes me angry, and when I'm angry, I post like a machine, getting other people angry, and the effect is exponential. I bet the majority of old debates are me and TenTails, and Martin, Doc Porkchop, Klaus, and OL hating each other in all kinds of different ways. If that peice of crap came back, it would be so awesome. I'd love it.

Haha, I don't recall having too many debates, and I haven't even been here very long. Anyway, I agree. Might I add Threeblades to the list?

[Joe Pesci]

Yeah, that sounds ideal. However, the chances of new, interesting members showing up is very slim. We get one once and a while, but bringing people in? Not going to work. First of all, this is basically the only forum I actually post at besides Shenmue UK, and my friends in real life would never even bother typing in the Url. They could give two shits and a fuck about this place. And it would also be a kind of awkward question to ask friends... Anyway, I couldn't get new interesting members even if I tried.

If your point is that moderators will become active postsers once again after better posters show up, I see where you are coming from. However, I don't see very many staff created topics, or administrator forum updates. Where the hell is Whiteshadow anyway? I'm just pointing out that some of the staff could do a better job of showing up and putting in their two cents.

I know whenever something of interest arrises, you post immediately, John. But some of the staff doesn't even show up at all. And the administrators not removing those people is inexcusable. If staff doesn't appear to give a shit about the forums, no one else will. It's easier to understand what I'm talking about from our perspective. The regular active posters know exactly what I'm talking about.

[John Petrucci]

I understand. There are people on the staff that don't really post. Rahway has a life and a lovely girlfriend, I'm not going to bother him for not posting. He's a great guy, too. I wouldn't take him off the staff. I'm sure he'd post more if this place was compelling. whiteShadow, I don't know, but the dude takes care of us. Hellraiser and LanDC are always around, too. So, the admin side is pretty well taken care of. Maybe some of the mods I don't see (Miles Prower and such) post in the Shenmue forums, but I don't go there because it makes me feel sad.

I know it's obnoxious to you guys, some of the mods habits.... But I really don't think it'd make much of a difference if we got booted or not. That's likely why none of the admins have done so. You've got guys like Frozen, Sonikku and Silas on the staff. Plus, Kiyuu does a fantastic job in the Shenmue forums, as far as I'm aware. You aren't going to find anyone on the forums that can do a better job than those people. I don't give compliments to forum people often, I don't chat with them on MSN or any shit like that. I just know them from what they do on the forums; those people are great posters and great mods.

The problem doesn't lie with them. It lies with the lack of people in the community. Henry Spencer and Klaus, for example, are fine posters. They're intelligent, they use proper grammar and they spell correctly. They'd be fine mods, too... But, I don't see why that would lead to some sudden flurry of activity, it's not as though they'd be able to post more if they were mods. I don't see a bunch of people jumping out of the woodwork to post if they were mods, either. I don't mean that to offend, just that it doesn't really compute.

Look, if we could get those fuckers that left for Hazuki Dojo (like Rhayno G and such) to return... As well as a couple of new posters... We'd be on track. I just don't see it happening. If you guys can make it happen, you'll be doing a hell of a lot more for the community than a new batch of mods would.

[Bluecast]

Rhayno G does not post at HD ...he just vanished off the face of the earth....if I was welcome back and I wanted to I would be a MOD here again but I am so lax now and feel more free here at SD since quitting and at HD only time you touch the ban is for bots..it's just more lax there since most people there are friends...here it's more diverse and MORE aabout Shenmue (though still most people don't stay for it but the Shenmue forums are actually posted in here)...sometimes at HD I have thought how I sometimes wish it was just made in a general intrest forum among the regs there but I don't pay the bills for the site

[Joe Pesci]

Wow, I didn't even know Rahway was part of the staff. I am not pointing out names anyway. But there are some people on the staff that the Dojo could do without.

It wouldn't neccessarily lead to a flurry of activity, but it would change up the scene a little bit and bring a little freshness to the dojo if some new mods were brought on to replace some of the ones that don't do shit. And I also know that Henry Spencer is one of the few people that posts here still very regularly, and giving him a change in status wouldn't really do much. However, if some of the mods that are already mods who don't post at all, or post very occasionally would come more, that would add to the community.

I know, I don't know why all the people that left, joined some other forum that is dead. But if they came back it would make this place a hell of a lot more interesting. It would give the current members here more stuff to talk about, and just in general the Dojo would be better off. It would be cool if we somehow could merge with them, and become one again. And the staff could definitely try and do something about that.

[Martin]

Can't really blame people, Clint. This is a dead forum for a long-dead game series.

[Henry Spencer]

I'll try and get new members on here from my other forums (only two others I post regularly at).