ALL MEMBERS PLEASE READ: SciFiFur Survey

[SliceOfDog]

This is an important one folks.

If you would like to give just a little bit back for the work we've put in so far, or even if you'd like to tell us what we're doing wrong, please please read and get back to me about this.

I have noticed that while we certainly have a decent core of returning members, new members are few and far between, and rarely stick around. This is common for new forums, but we've been going for a year and a half now, and we should be keeping significantly more of our registered members interested and active. Unfortunately this isn't happening. I would very much like to know why. So please take 10 minutes to fill out this survey and send it to me, Daryn, Dusty or Nelle by PM, off-site or, if you're ok with your replies being public, in response to this post. And be as honest as possible. If you don't like something, tell us. If you don't like a particular staff member, tell a different staff member. We seek constant self-improvement, so this is very important.

Thanks in advance.

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What was your first impression of the site and why?

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

Why did you remain active?
If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

What could be done to keep new members active?

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

Are you interested in Role Playing?
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?
General discussion?

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

Any other comments?

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Please PM me, Daryn, Dusty or Nelle with the filled in survey, or post it here. Answer as fully and honestly as you can, and don't worry about offending us!

If you know anyone who used to be on SciFiFur but isn't active any more, please ask them if they could fill it in as well. Their opinion would be VERY useful.

Thanks again.

Slice, Forum Admin

[SliceOfDog]

I'll kick things off by filling it in myself, and also on the off-chance that anyone is unsure how to answer anything you can see how I've done it:

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What was your first impression of the site and why?

Being the nerd that I am, I was excited to find a furry sci-fi forum. It was still in its early stages, so I didn't make many judgements, because I knew it would be changing for a while. I've always quite liked small forums anyway, I feel they're a lot tighter communities than large forums.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

Better, and not just because I'm the forum admin now! Daryn has put in a lot of hard work and I think it really shows. We have several very committed staff members and a core of dedicated members with a (fairly) wide variety of interests. We also have a good collection of talents, what with the various writers we have, XAP contributers, artists and more.

Why did you remain active?

Because I have always enjoyed it here. Simple as that. For as long as I can remember I have wanted SciFiFur to succeed. I tend to get quite personally involved in forums I like, which is perhaps why I am at the position I currently am!

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

We have a good (but still flawed) RolePlay section. I am under no illusion that, in our worse moments, it is one of the only things that kept the site active. I'm also, of course, partial to XAP.
Least favourite is tough, because I actually have the power to remove things I don't like, so...
I suppose if I can pick something more... abstract, then my least favourite aspect of this site is our lack of community feel. Individually, most of our members are willing to contribute when able, and we appreciate that, but things like XAP, the now probably dropped SciFiFur comic, and various other projects can only flourish if all our members come together and take part. I want members to be proud to be a part of SciFiFur!

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

At the moment it is undeniably an RP forum. I don't want to detract from that (in fact I'd like to see it grow) but I'd rather have an equally active conversation forum (SciFi and RL Science based primarily, with the odd general conversation) and more user-content, like stories and so on.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

I wonder, and it's no offence to him, if Nelle's RP Universe is considered too overwhelming to new members. As most of you will know, those are our most active RPs, so new members might get the impression that that's all there is, and it's a lot to take in if you've only just joined.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

I hope not. The Wiki maybe, but I still think that has future potential.

What could be done to keep new members active?

I can't really answer this one. It's the main reason for the survey!

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

As above, if I could do this, I would. I've been trying with XAP for quite a while

Are you interested in Role Playing? Yes
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)? Yes
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)? Yes
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)? Yes
General discussion? Yes (can you tell why I like the forum?)

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

Yes, because I make the darn thing! But seriously, I like to think that it's entertaining and informative for members, and, in the near future, hopefully a hub for members to gravitate towards and get involved. I would love for members to record little clips advertising their new sci-fi stories or roleplays, or give general messages or make comedy skits or... well, anything really!

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

Yes, and I do whenever I feel it's appropriate.

Any other comments?

That SliceOfDog is one handsome fellow, isn't he?

[Nelle Kozera]

What was your first impression of the site and why?

Barren, I came here when the site I was 27th person to join and at that time, the RP section was Empty. Not even a single topic their but I wasn’t too after I found out how virgin the site was. No it wasn’t much at first but I knew the site would continue to evolve and I hoped for the best.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

FAR BETTER, like light-years better. Unlike eons ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth now we have things to discuss, the site has changed dramatically.

Why did you remain active?

Far too much time invested this to just get up and leave. Plus I have a spiffy staff position. X3 But mostly because the players in the RP section and me have built a monolithic universe. I don’t want to leave this behind anytime soon.

What is your favorite aspect of the site?

The RP section that I have helped flourish, sure it has its flaws but as we keep moving forward we can work out the kinks, plus its where the vast majority of my time has been invested. Not one but two universes have been created by me. Though admittedly Age of Rebirth has more user generated content than Sins did.

Least favorite?

Errrrrrrr….Not sure really, I guess I would say the Blogs, they are just sitting there…

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

The RP section, over a third of all posts(4715 as writing this) on site rest in that section, and I would like to see it grow. I have been the father of a LOT of RPs in the past but I would like to see more user created RPs and actively encourage this. For those of you reading this, AOR is open to anyone that wishes that make an RP in it. While I would love to my section grow, I also would like the other sections to grow as well.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

Ironically, I would say the very thing I have created. The AoR Universe is large and laced with layer upon layer of complexity and issues that are not first apparent. This is a massive amount of data to take in, plus for the moment, the majority of the RP that are active take place in this universe so it might seem like new players don’t have a choice in the matter.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

Blog, and the Arcade…need more games. O.o

What could be done to keep new members active?

Not sure really…

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

Well I think that we need to make the site more interactive and user friendly to the rest of the people on site, or at least bring to them to aware that the site is more than just an RP forum and there are more things to had on site than just Roleplaying.

Are you interested in Role Playing? Hell yes
Professional Science Fiction discussion? Hell yes!
Member produced content? Hell Yes!!
Real scientific discussion? Damn right!!!
General discussion? NO!!!!! Wait…Negate that. Yes I am...

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

Yes, I think its rather interesting and cool.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

Yes, and have done so.

Any other comments?

I AM AMAZING!

[Dusty]

What was your first impression of the site and why?

When I first saw the advertisement on FA I felt as if I had stumbled apon a diamond in the rough. A science fiction and furry site? It was like a match made in heaven. My first impression were fairly good. The staff as it was at the time was generally nice and it still had the new site smell to it.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

A little of both. Daryn has done wonderful things to the site and most of the new software is very well done. I feel like we have the potential to grow here.

The other side of that is tapping that potential however. I have to admit the forums are starting to feel like a ghost town. What we need to do is work on recruitment and retention, making sure everyone has something they're interested in.

Why did you remain active?

Well being a moderator helps that. But mostly because for better or worse this is one of the few forums I've stuck around to lately. A lot either lost interest or turned into drama fests.

But also I feel like this site has the potential to cater to a very large part of the furry fandom and become a very active community. It takes time and effort though.

If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?

N/A

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?

I've left Sci-Fi-Fur once on my own terms. Basically I had been burned slightly in a disagreement over the wiki. I was also getting busy with school work.

I came back because this site still interested me. The role play was good and the people friendly. And besides I can't think of a more fitting niche website for me.

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

Honestly the people. We've got a array of friendly types who all seem to have something to contribute. Role playing is fun but not when your playing with people who insist on being the cyborg super soldier all the time.

Least favorite? Well the lack of activity would be an obvious one, but other then that I don't have a specific complaint about any part of the site. Its just some parts interest me more then others.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

Thats the question that needs to be answered now isn't it? I would say historically its been the role play. But even thats fallen off.

I think the best thing would be to find a direction that interests many people and stick with it.


Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

Maybe Nelle's Sins Roleplays but other then that its pretty straight forward.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

The wiki but there obviously hasn't been a lot of material to cultivate.

What could be done to keep new members active?

Try to involve them with different parts of the site. XAP and role play could be used for this. As well as stuff like staff members greeting new members, maybe helping to direct them to different parts of the site.

XAP could run a shout-out service. Maybe talking about new members.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

Our current members that have stuck around seem willing to be involved. The best way to keep people involved is to make it so that they feel like they have a personal effect on the site and the conversation. XAP contributions are a good idea, articles promotions are others. This should be their site as much as ours.

Are you interested in Role Playing? Yes

Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)? Yes

Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)? Yes

Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)? Double Yes

General discussion? Kind of hard to avoid this so yes.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

I think it has the potential to reinvigorate the site so yes, I'm very interested.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

Yes and I do when I meet someone of similar tastes.

Any other comments?

Does this mane make me look fat?

[Brome Teks]

I'll be filling out the survey later, but as a possible suggestion with regards to Sins being overwhelming, might we try making more newb friendly RPs? Traders Edge was what made me stick around at first, and even though it fizzled out, it gave me enough chance to get to know the Sins universe in the meanwhile.

[DigitalEcho]

What was your first impression of the site and why?
It looked good the layout was pretty cool and the people are awesome

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?
Its a good site, certainly very SciFi oriented, a bit too SciFi oriented for me :S I kinda feel out of place because of my little SciFi knowledge

Why did you remain active?
Very rarely, mostly because I get too distracted or forget about it, I need to get back onto it.

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave?
I felt a little bit out of place :S

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?
Its got a lot of cool people and its got a nice gallery of artwork and fanfiction

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?
I don't know really, I haven't been on enough

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?
Navigating through the forums can be difficult

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?
Not really, its pretty interesting all round

What could be done to keep new members active?
Keeping them updated with new updates or events to and to the site

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?
Giving them a piece of ownership of the site? :S

Are you interested in Role Playing?
Yes, though it doesn't usually last more than a few posts

Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?
Not too much, maybe a little

Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?
No, not much

Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?
Maybe, yeah

General discussion?
Yeh, I guess

[Rys]

What was your first impression of the site and why?
I think it was basically just "Hm, this looks interesting" because it did look interesting. Oh, and though you didn't ask, I originally found this place through an advertisement on FA.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?
I'm not really sure, I'm afraid.

Why did you remain active?
If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?
Well, I didn't have any reason to leave, and I've learned of some interesting things here.

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?NA

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?
I'm not really sure.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?
Again, I'm afraid that I'm not really sure.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?
It does not seem to me like they would be.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?
Well, there are bits I'm not interested in, but nothing stands out as bad.

What could be done to keep new members active?
Find what they like and provide it, I suppose.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?
I'd like to be able to provide you with more answers, but I'm afraid I'm not sure what to say here, either.

Are you interested in Role Playing?
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?
General discussion?
Forum roleplaying doesn't really appeal to me all that much.
That depends on exactly what's being discussed, I think.
Finding the time to read them can at times be tricky, but there is some good stuff out there.
Yes, mostly.
That would depend on what it's about, I think.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?
Yes. I'm not entirely sure why I enjoy it, but I do.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?
Probably, if I knew anyone--actually, it occurs to me that I do know someone who might want to join. I'll get to work on that once I finish this post.

Any other comments?
Even though I just lurk most of the time, I do appreciate this site's existence.

[Arratra]

What was your first impression of the site and why?
I first bumped into this site while browsing around on FurAffinity, and, given its name, and the site it was linked to, I fully expected a furry sci-fi experience. I wasn’t disappointed.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?
Definitely better. Although I didn’t help out, I did enjoy watching the site grow.

Why did you remain active? Primarily for the roleplaying, but sometimes there’s interesting tech news that I like to see.
If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?
Hmm… That’s a good question. I like the site as a whole. But my favourite part is probably the roleplaying. I’ve never been into XAP, so that’s my least favourite. No offence, but I don’t think my computer can handle podcasts…

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?
Currently the site seems to be focussed on RPing. That’s fine, really.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?
I’ve been with the site for a while, so I don’t really know…

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?
Hmm… Not really sure about this… I don’t really know.

What could be done to keep new members active?
Really, there’s only so much that can be done. Doing too much would make the site too big and unwieldy.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?
Frankly, I have no idea…

Are you interested in Role Playing? Yes
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)? Yes… Although there always seems to be someone who makes it degenerate into an argument
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)? There’s always something interesting that the members contribute.
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)? One of the reasons I stayed on. It’s always interesting to see new scientific discoveries.
General discussion? I keep an eye out for anything interesting.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not? I’ve never seen it, actually. I don’t think my computer can handle it.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people? Yep.

Any other comments?
There was a technical issue a while back that was resolved quite quickly. Thanks guys!

[BIos_Reaper]

What was your first impression of the site and why?

Answer: In awe. More or less I thought I'd run out of places to call my "internet abode" back in the day, my favorite website had collapsed and died, leaving kind of without a home to come back to. The site looked amazing, and looks even more amazing now.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

Answer: I don't really know. I've had huge problems with the Rp sections, mostly because, coming from a vastly different background, DnD and other kinds, I often find myself at the "mercy" of a DM who seemingly does not care for my effort or desire to rp. I have frequently found myself in scenarios unpleasant where the DM simply mods NPC's of my creation out of existence without even giving me a heads up. Sure, different styles can be chalked up to different people, I just cannot however get used to an Rp style like that and worst of all, most of those with amazing skill have a similar play style so it puts a huge indentation in my desire to rp here.

Why did you remain active?

Answer: I don't know. There's very little to hold me here anymore.

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

Answer: It used to be the Rp section, not having explored the entire place I cannot really say I have a least favorite section.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

Answer: My opinion here really is of no value. But the Rp section appears its main focus, Rp's are always good I think.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

Answer: Yes... it took me a week to learn to navigate it the first time I was here, still having a few bugs here and there, but better than my first time.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

Answer: The rp section somewhat, not a lot of new rp's and the ones active have great stories but the style of the DM clashes so badly with mine it's almost intolerable.

What could be done to keep new members active?

Answer: More diversity? Temperament of any higher-than-thou attitude, I felt that a lot where I came from, half the mods there could just up and die. But preferably, wider range of people willing to start and rp and keep it going.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

Answer: I really cannot say, what motivates some does not motivate others.

Are you interested in Role Playing?
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?
General discussion?

Answer: Yes, all of the above but I have no real scientific discussion capability and what I love is so commonplace I feel outdated and alone. Rp's are great but so few of them are active, some of which I just don't want to come anywhere near.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

Answer: This site has a podcast? I'll have to check it out sometime...

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

Answer: Yes, even if sometimes the site has been a let down to me.

Any other comments?

I am not awesome... I have my own, enormous universe. But nobody cares.

[AbyssmalMirage]

What was your first impression of the site and why?

Well I was intrigued. I'm a big Sci-fi fan, but not so much of a furry fan. Despite my personal preferences I found the site to be very impressive if not overwhelming.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

I can't really answer this question, since I have not been around long enough, however I can say Sci-fi and furries have been very well blended here. Peoples imaginations seem rampant here (In a good way) and the site seems to be going with the unflinching pace of a steamroller so I don't have to worry about the site dieing, which happens quite frequently on other Sci-Fi forums.

Why did you remain active?
If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?

Well I'm not active exactly or inactive, I have been patiently waiting for the next part in Age Of Rebirth. I joined the site at a very inconvient time and thus finding a way to get involved with unstable boundaries is nearly impossible. I currently log on once a week or when asked so I can read up on what is going on in unstable boundaries and if the next part is out yet.

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?

-EXEMPT-

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

The staff and people here are amazingly nice. My least favorite? Well... I'd have to say it is how confusing it is to get started, I'm still not sure if I've done what I need to do.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

Honestly I can't tell the focus of the site since I haven't been here long, but I do believe your starting to go in the right direction. Why do I say that? Well you have a survey that I am doing right now, it is nice to know the staff are concerned.

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

Absolutely, although... I believe my confusion is due to how different the format for the site is compared to others. (Will explain later)
- Character creation
I'm used to there being a list of characters that people have made and where you can get a character skeleton then submit your character for approval. Such lists are generally very easy to find, and usually are a different thread under the rules thread for a specific Roleplay.
-Site formating
I have gotten so used to a format in a roleplay that I find the whole site a little confusing. Of course with a question here and there I have found most of what I need, but the site isn't exactly idiot proof. Like I mentioned before I am used to each RP within a site having looks something like this:

Introductions
Rules
Characters

The above would be at the top of a RPs threads and clearly labeled for idiots such as myself, especially considering each RP may have a different set of rules and thus different character skeletons.

I'm just an idiot I suppose, but I'd figure I'd explain on how not to confuse idiots such as myself

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

No, everything is very interesting. In my free time I browse through other peoples nations sometimes to see the members of the sites' creativity or scroll through ancient posts to see how situations were handled by each Roleplayer.

What could be done to keep new members active?

Dumbing down the character and nation creation areas to be easier to find would probably help somewhat. There are some people, like me, who hate wasting other peoples' time by asking questions you know they have probably answered a million times to other people and therefore give up.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

Well, I'm no vet, but I do know from past site hosting or staff jobs that most members that do leave or get less involved usually do so because of a lack of interest. The stories which they grew to love stagnated like an open soda can left on the counter or dull like an unmaintained sword after constant use. Plot twists (In moderation) and the introduction of a new crisis or common threat is a good way to cure this. I have witnessed members solving this themselves by becoming instigators of sorts, often causing the other roleplayers to unite against them over time as they become more troublesome or they try to get beforementioned character back to the 'good' side while the 'bad' guys keep drawing them further into the exhilarating life of a criminal. (Think darkside vs lightside. Stupid Starwars reference but it works doesn't it?)

Are you interested in Role Playing?

Absolutely, Roleplaying is why I am here.

Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?

Not really.

Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?

Yes! Seeing what leaps forth from the minds of members is just as good as heading to the bookstore, if not better.

Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?

That really depends, anything that is related to future military technology or the advance of medicine and food holds my interest.


General discussion?

Sometimes, but not really. I'd much rather spend my time doing one of the above.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

I am interested in XAP somewhat, but currently my interests are so focused on getting started on roleplaying that I just honestly couldn't care less about XAP. No offense to those of you who love it.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

I would if it suited their preferences, however most furries I know strongly prefer fantasy or modern settings over futuristic. I'm all for advertising though.

Any other comments?

Not that I can think of at the moment.
Hi everyone?
Ignore that.

Well it's the end of my response...I feel like I should place SOMETHING here as a closing statement....Erm... Thanks for asking?

[Adonisus]

What was your first impression of the site and why?

A: I liked it. Didn't have that 'fanboy' stench to it.

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?

A: Much better.

Why did you remain active?

A: Because I love the subject matter.

If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?

A:I don't intend on leaving anytime soon.

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?

A: I don't intend on leaving anytime soon.

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?

A:The site in general is pretty adequate.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?

A:Scifi and furrydom. Definently the right direction

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?

A: It seems pretty simple to me.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?

A:Not really.

What could be done to keep new members active?

A:Advertise!

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?

A: Can't really say.

Are you interested in Role Playing? A:No
Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)? A:Yes
Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)? A:Yes
Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)? A: Yes
General discussion? A:Yes

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?

Yeah, since I'm more or less contributing to it. XD

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?

A: But of course!

Any other comments?

A: Gimme that pot pie!!! D:<

[Samantha Arrow]

[Some I'm nhot sure how I feel on it, so I'll put N/A on them]

What was your first impression of the site and why?
N/A (It was a while back, I don't remember how I felt)

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?
There hasn't been many big changes since I joined.

Why did you remain active?
I didn't remain active lol

If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?
I was at too many places, and my total time on forums was stacking up to high, had to go

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?
<see above>

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?
All the people here have the same interests. RPs die a lot though.

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?
Science Fiction and furries (duh). Not sure, site only appeals to a fraction of a fraction of a population (furries that like sci-fi)

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?
Having the home page might confuse people who haven't been to forums with a home page before.

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?
RPs that die.

What could be done to keep new members active?
<see below>

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?
Chatbox/Shoutbox. They are becoming more popular on forums and I've noticed forums that have them have higher populations. Also, people chatting in them creates the appearance of an active site(no one wants to join a dead forum)

Are you interested in Role Playing?
Yep

Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)?
Sure

Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)?
Just artwork or 3D models.

Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)?
Yep

General discussion?
All good forums have it.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?
Not really. Don't have the time.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?
Yep

Any other comments?
Nah

[SliceOfDog]

Thanks a lot, guys, some great help so far! I'll be contacting some of you just in case I haven't quite understood one of your points, or if I would like you to expand on something a bit more or give advice (This usually means it's something I hadn't considered and would like to try and work on, so in other words it's good )

If I don't contact you, thank you very much for taking the time to respond, and I will certainly still have read your reply, it will simple mean that I understood it all and don't need further explanation. Rest assured that many of the points you have been raising will make it into the staff chat later for us all to discuss properly and see if we can improve on any of it!

[macrorufus]

(Sorry for belated response. Was away last week!)

What was your first impression of the site and why?
Let's see. I think Slate was the one to bring me here. And my first impression was happiness. I enjoy RP, I enjoy scifi, and I enjoy furry. I saw all three in one area. Therefore - Happyhappy. XD

What do you think of it now? Is it better or worse than when you first joined?
I still enjoy the website alot. I think it has improved alot, though I haven't been so quick to notice that, I often spend much time away. Wish it could be otherwise.

Why did you remain active?
I try to remain as active as I can, because I enjoy the site.

If you either didn't join or left, then why didn't you remain active?
N/A

If you have ever left or even just forgotten about SciFiFur, what made you leave? What made you come back?
I've had to for reasons outside of my control, what made me come back was the people I know on SFF. Alot of whom I happen to enjoy the company of. Figuratively speaking. (Can't enjoy a physical company that's for sure XD)

What is your favourite aspect of the site? Least favourite?
Love: RPs.
Lease favorite: Blogs (because I don't know how to use one, nor follow them)

What do you think the focus of SciFiFur is at the moment? Is this the right direction to move in?
Currently, the focus of SFF is easily RP. I like that XD, but I think the RPs dominate here, and the other sections actually suffer for it. Perhaps some form of equalising is needed?

Are any parts of the site confusing or potentially overwhelming to new members?
Nelle's RP setting can be very confusing. Although, I often get thrown by anything involving techno-babble/techno-lingo. I'm neither a good scientist, nor a good english reader, and words that don't exist in dictionnaries can throw me. (e.g. warp drive.)

Are any parts of the site disappointing or boring?
Actually, i've enjoyed browsing through most of the website. The least interesting, (won't call it boring because I've read them anyway) was the blogs, but I think that's for lack of content. I still don't get blogs either.

What could be done to keep new members active?
We need something that engages new members better. How this can be achieved? I don't know.

What could be done to make current members more willing to become involved? How would this be achieved?
I see many members involved in the roleplay sections. But I'm not sure whether more is needed from our current members. I think perhaps we need more active members. Our current members all have their own joys and seem to be willing to get involved as is.

If we're not involved enough, Slice can I suggest electro-therapy and pavlovian treatment?

Are you interested in Role Playing? Yes

Professional Science Fiction discussion (Films, novels, games etc)? Yes (but I simply don't know enough science to contribute)

Member produced content (Stories, reviews, etc)? Yes. I've found the book reviews fascinating, but I've also discovered I simply can't obtain those books here XD.

Real scientific discussion (Science-related news articles, space photos, theoretical discussion or debate etc)? As mentioned earlier I'm not quite on the cutting edge of science-knowledge.

General discussion? Yes. Although we don't seem to have many new off-topic discussions.

Are you interested in XAP, the site's podcast? Why/why not?
Yes! But I cannot access XAP easily. There's only one issue I find. No offence Slice, but your accent I find hard to understand sometimes! I think I'm alone in that though.

Would you recommend SciFiFur to other people?
Of course, and have tried to do so too.

Any other comments?
Love the site! Helps my english too. Although I do question the usefulness of learning words like 'Quantum mechanics.'

[13Swords]

I'm about to go post something in the suggestion box in the forum administration. That's the 10 box down on the forum page.