New Sites

I like a darker styled layout, because I find pale ones tend to be blinding since I stay up late rather than playing during the day, and I like there to be enough members that I can have fun reaching out and creating plots, especially romance and drama, because I'm a sucker for that stuff!

New sites just need to have an active and involved admin, so that I can feel secure that the time, effort and characters I invest in it are't going to be a waste. There is nothing more heartbreaking than pouring your soul into a game, only for the admin to throw in the towel without warning.

 

I enjoy close-nit communities!
Also it doesn't have to burn my eyes with bright colours.

 

Something said above triggered another must for me. Theme (or skin) options. If a site is stuck with just one theme, with no choices for members then I'd be hesitant to join them if that one theme or skin is of the bright white design (which is so often the default of most forum providers). If I can't choose a darker theme, I'm not going to be there long. Another resource site I'm on is in this court with no options for members, consequently I'm on there as least as I possibly can because the look of it just hurts my eyes.

 

For me to consider a site for a potential rp site I tend to take a look at how busy the site looks, not in the sense of activity (Though a few options to rp with are better), but more of if the site will burn my eyes from wild colors, lots of moving can also be distracting and if I have to adjust things to be able to write or read something its a big turn off.

 

Perhaps its my age, quite possibly so. But I find on many sites that have what now seems to be mandatory 'mini profiles' with the animated gifs attached to them extremely distracting. Sites that have compulsory huge avatars are also a big turn off for me; some are as big as 200 x 400 pixels which to me is absurd. Its just another visual distraction you don't need while writing.

 

Hey Ziddy~ <3 *loves the person that started this thread*

I love shiny sites. It has to catch my eye. I KNOW you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover. But, I do. It needs to look pretty. Then it's the open characters. Plots. Rules. Restrictions. Members. Community.

 

As long as the font isn't too small, as long as people don't use post templates that require scrolling every three lines, and as long as it doesn't use fonts like comic sans, bangers, or other visually annoying fonts, I'll jump right into it.

But really, it's the the content in the site that will determine whether or nor I join or if I leave. There's certain post styles, flows, and repeating themes that will drive me away even if the visuals are where I want them. Everyone churning out flowery, 30k word posts every time they post will keep me away more than 3px font will.

 

A good rule of thumb for any website id that you should never have to click more than once or twice from the main page in order to access the most pertinent content of a site.

A good color scheme that appeals to the eyes is always handy, but ensuring that information is organized and easily accessible is really important.

Beyond that? User friendliness. If I go to a site and I have to excessively research to try to grasp an understanding of a setting, how to create a character or how to fit in, I'm not going to feel encouraged to play there.

How I am approached by staff and welcomed also plays into the factor of whether or not I am going to stay. If I am not eagerly recieved, offered assistance and guidence upon my arrival - chances are that I won't want to play there.

 

I look for nice graphics and an easy layout. A larger font (at least 12 point) is wonderful and I like darker colors but that's not a make or break thing.

 

What draws me in to begin with is how the website looks. If it looks well made and isn't saturated with many forums and is clean and neat for me to know where to go and do, I then will register.

Looks tend to be the number one thing folk seem to care about. After that is content and ease of being able to get into Rping.

 

honestly t his might sound really petty, but if a sites's skin isn't (at the very least) easy on the eyes and easy to navigate, i won't even consider joining it. it's not so much to be petty so much as it's if i'm going to be spending 3+ hours on the site every day, i have to be able to tolerate what i'm looking at and not want to gouge my eyes out

on the community aspect, however, i generally just look to see if there's a decent amount of interaction (in the cbox is the first plce i check followed by the recent topics list if available)

historically, however, i do tend to have a really hard time being a member on a site and not being part of the administration staff, because i tend to be a control freak OTL

 

1) I have SPD so I need to be able to easily read with the color scheme and it can't give me a migraine. Can't be too much 'busy' on the screen. I really don't care how fancy the skin is as long as I can read... and on my own board it's kind of basic because it's just how I like it, if people are turned away by that... so be it. Hah...

2) If there is any activity! I will look to see if there are any recent posts. I'm okay with small... but SOMEONE has to be there and actively posting or it's not really worth it to go the trouble to make a character and dig in. I've played on "dead" boards before for years with just 1 or 2 other people because it was fun. I'd join a newly opened board if there was at least someone to write with and the topic caught my attention!

 

Simple navigation,many nice threads ,great storyline I would not join if I'd be kicked out of site the other day after joining

 

I look for good writing with few spelling/grammar issues, well developed character bios, posts that are formatted well and are of a decent length, ones with a position open that I'm interested in, hopefully a dark color scheme (light schemes hurt my eyes), and I look for a place where I think my character can fit in.

 

Easy to navigate, friendly and welcoming staff/environment, easy on the eyes (also have SPD), and easy to understand lore/setting (timeline or short and sweet is a big bonus). That's really all I need really to consider one.

 

A site should be easy to navigate for me. If I have to click a bunch of stuff, if there is an extended application, etc. ..I won't even bother.