This is an interesting little thing. But it has a large site impact :O

It's a well-known fact that a lot of you guys have your own comfort zones, and rarely set foot outside of them, but during the event I inadvertently discovered something else. Another habit that many have, that also has a negative impact on activity

This is you guys who only ever check your subscribed threads, and don't navigate the site itself to see what's new. You guys who do that miss out on a lot :( Not only interesting threads, but important stuff like messages

Jeannesha: showed me this during the event (sorry to use you as an example, Jean :O) There was me, thinking I'd found a way to let people know things, and no-one could possibly miss it, only to be proved wrong pretty much immediately (._.)

This isn't me being all,"OMG, stop hiding in your subscribed threads!! " Well, maybe it is . But the fact remains that activity shoots up during events because people are stepping outside of their normal haunts, then the majority go straight back to their comfy hiding places afterwards and things slump again T_T

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I'm interested in discussing this phenomenon and all its aspects :O

Please note, I've put up a notice to get you to look in this thread, because a lot of you would never have seen it otherwise ;)

I don't actually subscribe to threads because I never use the subscriptions part. I found it confusing when I first joined so I got into the habit of navigating the site and never broke that habit. I love it because it makes me see announcements as well as new threads!

Interesting.. you are right I do stay inside my comfort zone, but i sometimes I don't feel very interested in other threads.

I... don't ONLY check my subscribed threads. I check the avatar above you subforum too...
Oh wow, this is bad, isn't it?

I've really noticed how people stick to their 'haunts'. I'm usually one to do it too, but I thought I'd try to go into all the other less popular areas of the site and realized how dead they were. People have like...totally forgotten there are places besides quests, rps, and hangouts on this site.

I know that people stick to what is comfortable. I try to get into other places but the reason for me not really branching out is because i don't really feel welcome in other places other than the places I hang out in normally. That's my reason for not going elsewhere in forums.

But I do go into other forums, to check out what's going on. But I don't want to butt into something that may not be appropriate to get into. Because then I just feel super uncomfortable.

Guilty for the most part, I'll admit

Though I do often check SF Info Desk and Community discussion as well.

I usually just subscribe to my roleplays. I'm totally guilty of that. I do occasionally peruse the forum, though. Just not too often.

I only go to my subscribed threads because they know me there. I do still explore the site though.

I like subscribed threads... I don't miss it when I say something and people respond to that... but it would be a good idea to get out of them. Hmmm... I think I will try it today.

I do admit to subscribing to threads, but I do visit all stickied threads during an event. I specifically subscribe to a thread if there is an interesting discussion occurring or if it is frequently visited by fellow active Menewshans. There is a difference in activity levels during an event and immediately after an event so I am more inclined to visit my subscribed threads after an event.

I usually see when people reply to me, at least in my own threads, because my gold increase .1 everytime someone replies in my threads *notices stuff like taht*

I'm actually subscribed to a very large amount of threads though. That's why I didn't try to branch out much until recently. As some of those places became less active, I became more concerned with branching out.

Originally Posted by Maria-Minamino

I usually see when people reply to me, at least in my own threads, because my gold increase .1 everytime someone replies in my threads *notices stuff like taht*

How do you even notice that? One post you generally make more then .1 gold so if you're posting how do you notice if it has gone up from the post you just made or from a reply to a thread of yours?

Originally Posted by dessertdesiert

How do you even notice that? One post you generally make more then .1 gold so if you're posting how do you notice if it has gone up from the post you just made or from a reply to a thread of yours?

I have a constant eye on my gold - it became a habit ages ago so I don't even think about it XD

But it's so comfortable staying in my comfort zone~

You know Jelly the only time i looked at other threads was when i was playing your game in the event forum.

i find that during an event people are more active and willing to post. my avatar contest for example outside of the even will have one maybe two posts a day in it. during an event though, there will be whole conversations going on while im sleeping. i dont tend to explore outside of my usual avatar chats to be honest. and during events i try to expand my posts to a wider range of topics, but i will go back to just the avatar chat afterwards because i like the pace and topic.

i also dont have much more time for mene in my life. im working 40+ hours a week and my sister just gave birth, all my friends are pregnant and/or getting married, all my elder relatives are dying, im trying to learn to drive and save for a house and hang out with everyone... plus all the crafting and painting i do... and then there is cleaning... during an event i will bring my laptop into the bath with me and post while im washing my hair. outside of events i think its a little much to do.

i have subscribed to a bunch of threads.... but i dont even chat in them a whole heck of a lot. sometimes i will when i am feeling particularly pissed at the world for trying to make to do too much. but other then that i just dont have time to participate more then i do.

Originally Posted by Bearzy

I... don't ONLY check my subscribed threads. I check the avatar above you subforum too...
Oh wow, this is bad, isn't it?

lol I am like this in many ways.

on occasion I go around the art posts and I check announcements around CI time XD
BUT this is largely due to my schedule. I don't have nearly as much time to post as I would like, I just have a few mins a day to check in and my sure my friends are doing well :)

Originally Posted by Bound Birdie

lol I am like this in many ways.

on occasion I go around the art posts and I check announcements around CI time XD
BUT this is largely due to my schedule. I don't have nearly as much time to post as I would like, I just have a few mins a day to check in and my sure my friends are doing well :)

I'm the same way there too - I've got more time myself right now because I'm between schools so I have some free time, but as school as I start with school again, I know that I'll not be on as much anymore. I know how that feels not to have as much time as you'd like.

Outside of events, I tend to stick to my subscribed threads (which is really my own thread, and Discovery Bay...)
but during events, I don't check my subscribed threads much, I stick to the hangout sticky thread 9 times out of 10.
I get sad because fewer people go in the hangout thread now compared to the events I remembered...

I am very set in my comfort zones, I get paranoid about entering new threads, or talking to people where I've not already established myself in the group. so like, I don't feel I could just drop into a thread where I don't know people or talk to them regularly and just start chatting away for fear of being left out or being made to feel like I'm a nuisance.

I'm an awkward turtle on the internet, paranoid over making a fool of myself, much like I do in real life...
I can't make the first move, I have to let people come to me because my paranoid brain goes into overdrive

I suppose I'm one of the guilty party >.<
I just don't know much else out there and I'm sort of nervous when it comes to new threads and new Menewshans.

Originally Posted by Star Valo

Outside of events, I tend to stick to my subscribed threads (which is really my own thread, and Discovery Bay...)
but during events, I don't check my subscribed threads much, I stick to the hangout sticky thread 9 times out of 10.
I get sad because fewer people go in the hangout thread now compared to the events I remembered...

I am very set in my comfort zones, I get paranoid about entering new threads, or talking to people where I've not already established myself in the group. so like, I don't feel I could just drop into a thread where I don't know people or talk to them regularly and just start chatting away for fear of being left out or being made to feel like I'm a nuisance.

I'm an awkward turtle on the internet, paranoid over making a fool of myself, much like I do in real life...
I can't make the first move, I have to let people come to me because my paranoid brain goes into overdrive

Star, I can totally relate! That's how I am too!

Originally Posted by Star Valo

Outside of events, I tend to stick to my subscribed threads (which is really my own thread, and Discovery Bay...)
but during events, I don't check my subscribed threads much, I stick to the hangout sticky thread 9 times out of 10.
I get sad because fewer people go in the hangout thread now compared to the events I remembered...

I am very set in my comfort zones, I get paranoid about entering new threads, or talking to people where I've not already established myself in the group. so like, I don't feel I could just drop into a thread where I don't know people or talk to them regularly and just start chatting away for fear of being left out or being made to feel like I'm a nuisance.

I'm an awkward turtle on the internet, paranoid over making a fool of myself, much like I do in real life...
I can't make the first move, I have to let people come to me because my paranoid brain goes into overdrive

i totally agree. i also really hate being ignored when i go into a thread or when i interrupt a possibly sensitive conversation

I've been attempting to step outside of my comfort zones since coming back. No guarantees that it will stay that way, mostly because I've decided to subscribe to the threads that interested me. lol.

I'm happy in my comfort zones though. There are a few new interests in my life which has prompted my lurking outside, but during an event when you're confronted with a bunch of people you don't know...you kinda feel like an odd man out, and being human you want to belong therefor people make their own event versions of their usual haunts a home away from home have you. So even though they're technically out they're still in their comfort zone. ^^;;