What's the deal with everyone leaving?

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

There's school coming up so people probably have less time. Also this isn't the only forum where people leave constantly.

[BlimpAtomic 16]

I suppose a lot of people have lost touch with the forums, meaning they just don't feel quite happy with it, or, dare I say it, are starting to reject bronyism. I really hope it's not the latter.

[silvadel 1,393]

We need new episodes BADLY. If they call for any month other than September for new episodes you will see this get even more quiet. If they choose November or later I would be surprised if there is half the traffic before they start. Things fall apart in absence and that is what you are seeing here.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

Well I think it's because we haven't had an episode lately, but I've been wrong before. That, or it's because they feel unattached to the forums.

[NavelColt 22,876]

We need new episodes BADLY. If they call for any month other than September for new episodes you will see this get even more quiet. If they choose November or later I would be surprised if there is half the traffic before they start. Things fall apart in absence and that is what you are seeing here.

 

I call half-bullshit, personally. I'm part of the percentage of bronies who don't need the show to stay interested. I'm just as gung-ho about this fanbase, and the show now, as I was since I finished all the current episodes months back, and it's due to the fact that this fanbase is restless and infinite. Every single day, there's infinite amounts of new pony being added to the internet, in every medium from fanfics to

. And this fact is why Equestria Daily, one of if not the central Pony Hub of the internet, thrives day in and day out, pure and simple.

 

I've said it once fourteen times and I'll say it again, you shouldn't need new episodes to stay interested in a fanbase that produces mountains and mountains of new fan content every waking day. Very few fanbases are this widespread, this talented, and this active. Frankly I wouldn't care if Hasbro suddenly put on a Douchebag Meme hat and decided to postpone Season 3 for another few months, because there's so much fan content, all the time. The show should be the roots of your interest, what sets you on your journey of fandom. The infinite fanbase and all it produces, including what you can produce, should be the rest of the tree.

 

But sadly many people don't see things that way, and they do need new episodes to stay interested. Those people will always baffle me, in this particular fanbase, for my aforementioned reasons. But I digress, I do half-agree with you. Those people do exist.

 

However, I don't believe those people are the majority reason why people make drama topics about themselves leaving. I think it's a combination of people's lives and all the BS that accompanies them getting in the way or taking the driver's seat in their attention, plus one-on-one personal drama with a small group of people on here. I too see very little drama, and most of it is in status updates. But it's there, and it clearly get's to some people.

Edited August 23, 2012 by ~Chaotic Discord~

[brian577 120]

But sadly many people don't see things that way, and they do need new episodes to stay interested. Those people will always baffle me, in this particular fanbase, for my aforementioned reasons.

 

Well the show is kinda the whole reason the fanbase exists in the first place. New episodes mean new discussions, inspiration for art, PMVs, music and animation. The only reason the fanbase stays strong in the summer is because of summer break, people now have more time to work on their projects. You can only go so long on fan created work inspired by existing content before people get burned out and need new material to keep the fandom going.

[NavelColt 22,876]

Well the show is kinda the whole reason the fanbase exists in the first place. New episodes mean new discussions, inspiration for art, PMVs, music and animation. The only reason the fanbase stays strong in the summer is because of summer break, people now have more time to work on their projects. You can only go so long on fan created work inspired by existing content before people get burned out and need new material to keep the fandom going.

 

People have different lengths on their fuses of how long they can last on current content And those with pathetically short ones baffle me.

[brian577 120]

People have different lengths on their fuses of how long they can last on current content And those with pathetically short ones baffle me.

 

Wow, that was fast, and fair enough. I guess I really don't have much else to say regarding this matter.

Edited August 24, 2012 by brian577

[Acoustic Cloud 2,202]

actually ive seen a good number of people leave (in the short time ive been a member) that have left because of things they have to deal with IRL, not necisarily the forums themselves.

[Finesthour 7,284]

I'll make a serious post in here now, because I feel like being serious for once.

 

Sure, lots of old members are leaving. But when you have been on forums for such a long time, such as I, you will notice the same trend.

 

For about... 6 or so months, the forum will be almost the same as it was when it first began. But, such as life works, things change. The forum has to change for the masses of new members. Nothing can truly stay the same forever. And this does not please the original members of the forum, so they leave to find a new community that is fresh and new, until that one gets old and you repeat the cycle.

 

Happened to me about... three or so times here. Left for another forum, came back after I got bored, and repeated that cycle.

[Crispy 5,563]

Hasn't happened to me yet, thankfully. I usually don't do forums, but this place has been good to me.

 

That and I somehow have a knack for not knowing about drama until it passes. Otherwise, I just stick to what Djenty said in my sig.

[Sunny Fox 5,934]

As often happens, I find myself turning to Bill Watterson and Calvin&Hobbes for the answer to life's little conundrums.

 

 

Those who complain about the mods are represented by Calvin, the mods themselves by his Dad. You work out whom I'm covertly insulting with this.

 

Seriously, mods have to do their job, and that will always involve annoying someone. I don't agree with every action the mods take (I have highlighted my problems with the character limit before) but I'm not going to throw my toys out of the cot just for that. I don't want to judge them or the people who leave because they can't handle the occasional slap on the wrist they dole out.

 

I'm here because I like it better than not being here. And until that changes, here I shall remain. And I really don't give a flying feather what the mods or anyone else thinks about that.

[Noah 27]

When in doubt:

Go back to what you learned from My Little Pony and Friendship <3

 

Yours truly,

Shpigie <3

[Marcato 2,143]

I'm a little late but I may as well throw my opninion into this.

 

I think as many have said, the primary reason people leave/vanish is because of changes in the forums, the system, and in some cases the staff. When they added a lot of staff members a while back I know there was some serious outcries against it. One of the biggest impacts was likely the chatroom.

 

Oh dear the chatroom, many staff members don't like that topic but it's good to remember it. Many people only used the forums for the chatroom and there was a lot of rage and anger caused by it's removal. I think this was one thing that provoked a lot of people to take their leave. (I will not expand further because the chatroom is a matter that has been discussed enough really.)

 

Another large factor in everyone's leaving would probably be just simply getting into other things. This is exactly what happened to me and why I vanished without a trace. (Of course I said nothing when I did.) Many people find themselves getting really into something for a time, sometimes a long time, then eventually losing interest and slipping away quietly, or not so quietly.

Sometimes people get into something else, often a game, other community, or just get too busy. In my case I got into writing a novel, composing music and drawing. So much so that I stopped coming to the forums and interacting with the community.

 

Now this is my least favorite part that annoys me the most. Someone "leaving" because they want attention. I know it's an incredibly touchy subject, but occasionally people might do things like this. They stage a leaving thread to provoke peoples emotion and care. This is quite dispicable in my opinion. Unfortunately people make the mistake of assuming all "leaving" threads are like this. Either way I won't poke that topic around anymore.

 

Finally one I have seen often from threads I have read is people leaving due to their parents or guardians. Normally with the younger users. Their parents find out they are using an internet forum/discussion board and bring down the parental protection banhammer. Sometimes this is more related to the fact this is a pony forum, and parents/guardians consider it weird or strange, even unhealthy. I am quite disappointed by this fact but it's true that it happens.

 

Either way there are many different reasons people leave. The more recent decline in users is once again focused likely on changes to the board and system. To be honest though, changes happen. If you like the community for who is on it and for the discussion though, do not let the removal or altering of your favorite features send you away. Try to adjust to the changes first, then decide if it's worth leaving over.

[Eenohay 318]

If your original question still stands, then the reason is objetive and it has a name. It is called "lack of ponies". I dunno if anyone else has realized, but we are in season break and there hasnt been any new episode since march. This forum was made for the show, and when there's no show it just strays without a cause. I personally used to be very active and now i barely use this forum, but i'll be back as soon as the third season starts.

 

And what i really dunno, is why people like making such a fuzz when they leave? Why dont they just go and leave?