Status Of The Forum

**bariton1** · 02-09-2013

Well i started to visit PSU back in 2005 cuz i wanted first hand info´s about the PS3. The forum seems to have these "insider" info´s that i couldn´t find anywhere else. What me impressive the most was the technical in depth stuff that some members posted. Now that PS3 released a while ago there was nothing left to visit this forum on regular day. But with the PS4 lurking around the corner things may change again.

**claud3** · 02-09-2013

yep the place actually pick up ten fold and we might hit numbers like 105 on the forum at once

**radgamer420** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by mynd

Frankly debate used to be allowed. Now days its less about debate and more about labelling whoever said something. When I first started here we used to debate and discuss things. Doesn't happen anymore least you get accused of "spin" or attacked and labelled.

Yep thats true. I even got called a Sony fanboy yesterday. lol The members that do that stuff are in the minority but they are a very vocal minority.

**ps3freak18** · 02-09-2013

It really has been down a bit. I've been very active over the last month and there will be over an hour period or so where hardly anyone post anything. this wasn't the case back in the day. But the PS4 will help revive it I'm sure.

**claud3** · 02-09-2013

well i post every minute to keep the place alive lol

The only time i do not post is when i am at work, in he toilet or asleep

**ps3freak18** · 02-09-2013

Here lately I'm on here every chance I get. Just got tapatalk so I might be on here even more. There just isn't that strong user base like it was a few years ago. Come February 20th...all will change!

**Blacksite** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by claud3

well i post every minute to keep the place alive lol

The only time i do not post is when i am at work, in he toilet or asleep

Do you think some of the nonsense that you posted on the previous page is going to get more people to sign up and participate?

**claud3** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by Blacksite

Do you think some of the nonsense that you posted on the previous page is going to get more people to sign up and participate?

Nope lol, because i am one step away from the mental hospital

And i encourage people to be aware of me when you sign up

**Cybertox** · 02-09-2013

I think fixing technical issues will bring some old members back, I know that some members left because of the issue they experienced. Adding new features which is currently occurring may also attract new members, but those features must be noticeable and attractive.

**Blacksite** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by Cybertox

I think fixing technical issues will bring some old members back, I know that some members left because of the issue they experienced. Adding new features which is currently occurring may also attract new members, but those features must be noticeable and attractive.

As you know, we can do nothing but wait. New features certainly help though.

**PeanutButterMunky** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by claud3

yep the place actually pick up ten fold and we might hit numbers like 105 on the forum at once

Hopefully more than that. We used to have constant server crashes during E3 from the ridiculous amount of people posting. Moderating was fun back then... lol.

Originally Posted by Cybertox

I think fixing technical issues will bring some old members back, I know that some members left because of the issue they experienced. Adding new features which is currently occurring may also attract new members, but those features must be noticeable and attractive.

It's unacceptable that they aren't fixed already. This should be a priority.

**Tutankhamun** · 02-09-2013

A lot of activity isn't really the answer, you need activity + insightful posts. Activity could increase beyond earlier levels but if the posts doesn't promote interesting debates it won't really help to keep members long term.

Pre PS3 launch the debating of hardware rumors were on such a high and smart level it really dragged you in and set an example of the discourse expected.

**ps3freak18** · 02-09-2013

The whole technical issues can't be handled by the mods and admins. I know a lot of people think they can but its out of their hands. They want all the issues handled as much as we do. It has been discusses at length multiple times.

**Blacksite** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by ps3freak18

The whole technical issues can't be handled by the mods and admins. I know a lot of people think they can but its out of their hands. They want all the issues handled as much as we do. It has been discusses at length multiple times.

Exactly. We're waiting on Anto, whom I understand is busy elsewhere.

**Cybertox** · 02-09-2013

Why not hire another programmer, only for psu? It could be a part time programmer or technical guy who could concentrate on psu and fix the issues. Anto isnt doing shit btw.

**claud3** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by PeanutButterMunky

Hopefully more than that. We used to have constant server crashes during E3 from the ridiculous amount of people posting. Moderating was fun back then... lol.

LOL,

Just messing mate.... But once the PS4 is revealed, we will get an onslaught off members logging in again and the place will pick up big time

Wait and see what happens when GTA V is released on 17th of sept

**Tutankhamun** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by ps3freak18

The whole technical issues can't be handled by the mods and admins. I know a lot of people think they can but its out of their hands. They want all the issues handled as much as we do. It has been discusses at length multiple times.

That's the problem with forums that are run by a company rather than an individual that is a user of the site. I'm not putting judgment on this arrangement, who knows, if the forum wasn't bought by these guys maybe it wouldn't be around today. But it does make the chain of change that much longer and slower.

I guess what I'm saying is when a forum goes from a hobby to a business it changes character.

**PeanutButterMunky** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by Tutankhamun

That's the problem with forums that are run by a company rather than an individual that is a user of the site. I'm not putting judgment on this arrangement, who knows, if the forum wasn't bought by these guys maybe it wouldn't be around today. But it does make the chain of change that much longer and slower.

I guess what I'm saying is when a forum goes from a hobby to a business it changes character.

That is exactly what happened. The soul of the site has left.

**Ixion** · 02-09-2013

Originally Posted by Cybertox

Why not hire another programmer, only for psu?

The budget won't allow for it. The current plan is to set up PSU as the definitive PS4 destination (in addition to making this place more interesting in other ways), which will drive traffic and therefore increase the budget.

So in order to pay for technical fixes, we need to drive traffic. The good news is that traffic has seen a nice bump since these PS4 rumors, so once it's officially announced and we begin being bombarded with PS4 games, news, specs, features, etc, we'll most definitely acquire a larger budget.

**T0PGUN** · 02-09-2013

is this ant?

or is this more like it?

**claud3** · 02-09-2013

Lmao, may the man in the suite pick up my dirty money please and drop it of at the bank

**hoverbike** · 03-28-2013

The last posts in this topic were from a week and a half before the PS4 was announced, the PS4 has now somewhat been unveiled and no real huge increase in traffic overall. Will it be when all the info comes out with more games and what the console looks like?

Originally Posted by claud3

yep the place actually pick up ten fold and we might hit numbers like 105 on the forum at once

Only 105, that's it? That's not impressive if its overall viewers and members but having 25,000+ at once would be to me. There are tons of guests but not that many members online at a time in comparison. I can definitely say this board has stagnated big time over the last 3.5 years.

Originally Posted by claud3

Nope lol, because i am one step away from the mental hospital

And i encourage people to be aware of me when you sign up

Yep we know, lol.

Originally Posted by Cybertox

I think fixing technical issues will bring some old members back, I know that some members left because of the issue they experienced. Adding new features which is currently occurring may also attract new members, but those features must be noticeable and attractive.

What needs to be done is to get this board back to phpbb (the one from 2005), been saying it for years now. I bet activity will explode once this is done.

Originally Posted by Tutankhamun

That's the problem with forums that are run by a company rather than an individual that is a user of the site. I'm not putting judgment on this arrangement, who knows, if the forum wasn't bought by these guys maybe it wouldn't be around today. But it does make the chain of change that much longer and slower.

I guess what I'm saying is when a forum goes from a hobby to a business it changes character.

This and the name of this site is now Playstation Universe so people looking for PS4 information may not necessarily settle here like folks did during the PS3 speculation era. Outsiders will look at this site and think its a general Playstation forum and because its connected to other media content, most won't believe its a dedicated forum and just a message board hanging off a site. This I believe is a huge issue.

**Noxia** · 03-31-2013

It feels dead to me but then I've been here a long time and barely post anymore so I guess that's normal.

**claud3** · 03-31-2013

It's easter and the BUNNY is out and making members happy and that is why it is dead

**jlippone** · 04-13-2013

Originally Posted by bariton1

Well i started to visit PSU back in 2005 cuz i wanted first hand info´s about the PS3. The forum seems to have these "insider" info´s that i couldn´t find anywhere else. What me impressive the most was the technical in depth stuff that some members posted. Now that PS3 released a while ago there was nothing left to visit this forum on regular day. But with the PS4 lurking around the corner things may change again.

This happened with a Ps2 forum I used to go as well, so yes Ps4 and fun speculations and such should make the place more lively.