Originally Posted by
Gazprom
The biggest issue the fed has is that numbers aren't being replenished. Lots of long termers have all left relatively recently, and we are getting very few people in to replace them. Guys like Milenko, Ty and Kermit coming back is what is saving it, but if you look at the people currently involved in the fed, there are probably fewer than 5 that weren't or hadn't been involved 5 years ago. Naturally, we're not getting any younger as a group which means that people have more responsibility and less spare time. This effects creative first as they have to find more time, and everyone just gets more and more jaded. I don't know what the solution is, or even if there is one. Moving to Steel Cage was a last throw of the dice and I hope that it will be fruitful, but the lack of passing trade happened way before the whole exodus - the Discord made the fed look inactive, and being on an otherwise inactive forum was the end. By the time I joined the Discord, there was only me and Dagger I think who hadn't signed up to it. It gives the community strength, but it completely prevents outside people stumbling upon the fed. Unfortunately, with the low traffic here at the best of times, and WZ being even more dead, I don't think the tide could ever turn. So its about advertising elsewhere, on other efeds but I wouldn't even know where to start.
None of this was forseeable or anybody's fault, but it is the perfect storm that has put us in this position.
I'd say the only way the long term of the fed can be protected is to implement some of the above ideas. Secondary characters is a decent idea, but you have to shorten Meltdown and Ascension. They take too long to make, which removes the fluidity of the shows. The time between RP and the show is just too long and it removes the buzz. Again, not pointing fingers, we're just all busy people - I said I'd write this on Saturday afternoon, and it's now Sunday evening.
As for the actual creative side, I've never applied because I don't fancy the idea of writing matches, to be honest. I will potentially reconsider this given the current climate but I need to think about it. As a result, I try not to pass any judgement on those that do put in the effort. My literal only disappointment, having lived in the Middle East and seen the kind of thing that goes on first hand, was that I found the whole Blood Money Lethal Lottery thing a bit tasteless. I know it's parody and it's not a big deal, but there we go. As a suggestion, I think it would be good for people ahead of the 'new year' to expect everyone have a sort of manifesto or big picture aim instead of an RP in the first round for where they want their character to go and what their aim is. The show that follows would try to set those up. Obviously, you can't satisfy everyone but not everyone will want to send PMs detailing plans, and people get jaded if their plans don't align with creative.
I don't know. I hope that helps.