The GenAARal Idea (coz1)
AARland Survey Results
At last, the long awaited (I hope) results of the AARland Survey that I posted on June the 12th of this year. I had hoped that we might be able to discern a few trends or answers to issues through the results, and I think you will find some of what I have gathered to be interesting.
First, I would like to thank the following for contributing their thoughts to this effort: Hajji Giray I, Director, Machiavellian, Alexandru H., Amric, frogbeastegg, stnylan (glad to have you back), Valdemar, sliver legion, VPeric, J. Passepartout, Sultan of Swing, Anibal (we miss you), Estonianzulu, Seidita, zacharym87, Judge, Gaijin de Moscu, MAlexander06, AmbassadorBelgie, Lord G.Q. White, Morpheus506, Zeno of Cyprus, jwolf and Stroph1.
Your input has been most instructive, and each and every one of you should consider yourself the best of the best as far as membAARship may be concerned. It is people like you that make this forum what it is and continue to be what it will be for future generations of writAARs, readAARs and membAARs! I offer you my most sincere THANK YOU for your efforts!
Also, a few interesting statistics that might be of interest to you. The poll was open from June 12, 2004 to July 3, 2004. In that time, 26 people responded (myself included with the above.) Of those individuals, 8% were female and the other 92% male. The average age of responders was 25 years old. The average length of membAARship in the Paradox forums was 18 months, the oldest joining in September of 2001 and the newest joining in May of 2004 (obviously difficult to tell how long each had been a part of AARland itself.) The responders ranged from membAARs that only read other’s work to those that have written many a wonderful tale around here – in short, I think a decent sample size of AARland as a whole. I would have liked to see a few more people respond, especially a few older membAARs, but if they are no longer around to contribute, then they really do not reflect the current nature of this place, in truth.
So with that stated, I will post each question once again here and then provide the results of your answers. I will suggest my own thoughts regarding these in the midst of such and you may respond in kind in the Survey thread itself (linked at the bottom of this post – let’s try and keep any discussion devoted to the survey thread rather than the Gazette feedback thread for the moment.) I would very much like to see further discussion on any and/or all of the responses and results if the membAARs feel so inclined.
1. How often do you visit AARland and why?
First, from the responses, I tried to break this down to a percentage. Of the many answers received, I broke them out thusly:
Several times a day: 30%
Once or twice a day: 15%
Daily: 38%
A few times a week: 14%
Several times a month: 3%
As you can tell, most of our membAARs frequent this place quite a bit. 83% of those that responded visit AARland once a day or more. Now obviously those figures are slightly skewed in that those that frequent more often are more likely to participate (as in this survey). But nonetheless, we certainly do not lack in interested individuals. Even those that do not frequent the place on a consistent basis are able to see what is going on here and feel the desire to participate.
Of the responses given as to why, most stated because it was enjoyable with many different things to do, there were great stories to read, they had AARs to update and/or they liked the community. I think that about spells it out for why we all participate. Some suggested they simply liked to read and this offered them a great place to do such, others suggested it offered them a nice area to gain writing tips and one even suggested they had nothing better to do.
It certainly proves that AARland is something that offers much to the visitor. We seem to provide a wonderful place on the internet for people to get together, read and write great stories and spend time in general. But we all knew that, didn’t we?
I would add that there are few places on the WWW that allow for such educated and respectful discussion as this place. I would imagine most agree. I would also mention that these results suggest that we have many active readAARs in our midst who check back many times a day to see what has happened since the last time they visited. This would indicate that we offer something perhaps exciting or even addicting, as some suggested.
2. Where do you start when you visit AARland and why?
- a. Main Page - 56%
- b. Game Pages – 13%
- c. User CP/Subscribed list – 31%
- d. Other – 0% (not sure what that would have been – so why did I include it…?)
As you can see, most of our membAARs start at the main page of AARland. To answer a question asked in the results of the next question, the main page is the one that contains the link to the other AAR game areas. It houses the stickies for the Gazette, SolAARium, the Intro thread and other useful information. It is where you might find the Showcases if they are offered, and also includes threads that do not deal with game specific AARs or game specific issues. You most likely found this survey among those threads.
There were arguments made for each avenue of entry. For those that used the main page, our respondents mentioned that it held topics to improve AARland, that is was the gateway, that it was the place to see what was going on in AARland as a whole, and that it was the place to find special projects and initiatives.
As for using your User CP/Subscribed list, respondents suggested that it had everything they needed there, it helped them to keep track of what had been updated for tales that they had subscribed to, and it helped them to keep track of their own AARs.
And for the game pages, people mentioned that it was the game they were interested in and that it was the page they had bookmarked as a favorite.
I must admit, that after returning from a week long hiatus recently, I found the subscribed list to be most helpful in catching up. However, my own theory suggests that it is still not the best way to enter AARland, but I will save my explanation for the the next answer.
3. How often do you visit the Main Page and why?
- a. Every visit – 69%
- b. Sometimes – 31%
- c. Never – 0%
From these results, we can conclude that all of our membAARs visit the main page at least every so often. This is a good thing as they would miss out on an integral part of AARland if they did not.
Respondents suggested that they visited because it was the gateway, because they wished to remain current with new projects and ideas, because they felt it contained something of substance beyond what the game pages offered, and because it contained threads that dealt with topics that might improve the forum.
Those that did not visit as frequently suggested that they mainly used it to gain access to the specific AAR area for the game they were interested in, because it was not as active as these game areas or that they simply rarely had reason to look at this area.
In my own opinion, the main page of AARland is the best place to start your journey and the place to find everything not found in the game areas. If you do not visit this section, you will not see special projects, you will not see the rules area for AARland, you will not see the useful threads for links and tips and you will miss out on a good deal of interaction that AARland offers.
Going back to the previous question, if one begins in the User CP area, they will not see threads that have just begun as they have not yet had a chance to subscribe to them. By not being drawn to them immediately, they may miss a pertinent discussion or topical thread. Starting in the main page offers the membAAR the full chance to be involved in what is happening in AARland as a whole. Just visiting is not always enough to gain the full flavor. Start here and you are always on top of the latest information. Then move on to whatever game interests you. But this is my own opinion, to be sure.
4. How much time do you spend per visit to AARland?
This is one of those questions that is difficult to quantify. The answers varied, ranging between 5 minutes and 3 hours. The trend was that most membAARs spend a good deal of time each visit. Some spend more time than others, but it seemed that those that had time constraints on them would come back later and spend further time later in the day or week.
Not really a question that helped us gain much information, other than the fact that once logged in, we all tend to give the forum a good look see. Some times are better than others, and it seems that most try and devote a considerable amount of their time per visit. This bodes well for the size of AARland, for the most part, and this is a topic that will return as we move forward in this survey.
5. What effect has the combining of the fora had (and explain)?
- a. Good – 86%
- b. Bad – 4%
- c. Had no effect – 10%
Here is a question I think we are all interested in. As you can see from above, the bulk of our membAARs feel that it was a positive step. The largest reason given for this was that it helped create more crossover between each game. Next on the list was a greater sense of organization or centralization. People also felt that it assisted them in following more AARs (though this was also mentioned as a drawback mentioned below) and many people expressed joy at seeing new projects come about as a result. Overall, many felt a greater sense of community than was felt before.
But this also seemed to have some downsides. Some mentioned that with the amount of new AARs to read, they had a more difficult time keeping current. Another mentioned that it perhaps led to a lessor sense of uniqueness. One even suggested that it had been bad for community ideas because membAARs were not looking at other game areas.
For those that said it had no effect, they mentioned that crossover had not been improved or that it was simply something to get used to. For the most part, however, the general feeling was that though it presented challenges, it still had a positive effect on AARland as a whole.
As for myself, I cannot disagree with almost all of the opinions, good or bad. The combining of the fora has opened the community to a much larger subset, and this naturally presents obstacles. But I see far more cross-over than before, and I cannot say that more AARs equals something bad. It justs means that one must work harder to stay current. As it is now, it seems the best way to move about is to pick and choose. This may mean that some AARs get less attention than others, but is this really so different than what has happened before when presented with a huge influx of new talent?
6. How likely are you to read about a game you do not own (and explain)?
- a. Very likely – 54%
- b. Somewhat likely – 31%
- c. Not likely – 15%
And here we have one of those questions that I was most interested in. It truly represents one of the biggest hurdles that probably faces AARland. It’s a positive to see that over half of those that responded have no problem reading about a game they do not own. The two biggest reasons for doing so were to check and see if it was a game they wanted to buy, or simply because they liked reading a good story.
Others mentioned that they would if they knew the author, to check on writing styles, to comment on others that cross-over more or to simply understand the game itself. Those that had no interest suggested that they had no point of reference and one even said that some game areas lacked a sense of maturity for them to read.
In the end, I think this also bodes well for cross-over and certainly for Paradox Entertainment in terms of publicity. The number one answer given for reading about a game not owned was to determine if it was one they wanted to buy. I guess this means AARland is certainly no drain on the server space.
7. How many AARs do you usually read at any one time?
Answers here varied a great deal, ranging from 2 gazillion to 3 AARs at any one time. I took the liberty of trying to find an average. For those that said it varied, I used the most common answer given for the question, which was 10. For others, I tried to use an average for their own answer. The final result suggested that most membAARs (or at least those that answered this poll, which as stated renders a slightly biased result) is 11 AARs at a time, which works out to about approxamately 2 AARs per game forum.
Several people mentioned that they were reading less now than they used to due to current time constraints, and of course this is natural from time to time. I certainly hope those people return in full force in the future, but it seems that we cover our bases fairly well. I do not know the full number of folks that regularly visit AARland, but if each of them is reading at least 10 or 11 AARs at a time, then we should never lack views. Now if we can only get those people to comment on a consistent basis.
8. How much interest do you have in special projects/initiatives (and explain)?
- a. A great deal – 46%
- b. Some – 50%
- c. None – 4%
Here we see that exactly half of the respondents were only somewhat interested in special projects. However, this result was closely followed by those that were very interested at 46%. So 96% were either somewhat or very interested in special projects and initiatives. This bodes well, I think.
The most common reason given dealt with how fun and/or interesting these projects were. They also mentioned that it helped bring us together as a community, that they enhanced the forum or that they helped improve the respondent as a writer.
For those that were less interested, they mentioned that it depended on the project, that they did not always know about them or that there were too many time constraints on them to get involved. One even mentioned that most of them were directed mostly to writAARs and thus did not cater to them.
This last one made me think. Perhaps we should try and find projects that cater to other groups. I admit that I am at a loss right now as to what those might be, but surely we can come up with something to make this place as accessable to everyone as we can. However, for those that suggested that they did not know about them, I am rather mystified as to why. They are all clearly posted on the main page. If you do not know about them, then you are clearly not looking there enough. Tough answer, but true.
Also, I must mention again that this question only represents those that are interested enough to take their time out and assist or cooperate with such projects. If that is the case, however, then we should at least have 26 people that should be involved with most of our initiatives…or at least 12. But judging from some of the responses to things like G-T-A, the AARCON thread, the SolAARium, the Gazette feedback thread (or those interested in submitting AARticles) or the bAARs, I do not find even that many people responding. Either we need to find better ways to draw folks in, or some are simply not as interested as they claim to be.
9. How effective and/or useful have special projects/initiatives been (and explain)?
- a. Useful – 83%
- b. Harmful – 2%
- c. No effect at all – 4%
- d. Not sure – 11%
First of all, I added “Not Sure” to the above as we had a few respondents that had not been here long eneough to answer this question in all honesty. But for the rest of you, most felt projects to be useful. Several projects were singled out, but I will touch more upon those in later questions. But again, many people suggested that they were helpful for community spirit, helped suggest the attitude of AARland in general and opened up discussion further, helped in sharing game experiences and assisted in getting to know other people better.
Others suggested that these projects could be better through more interaction, that they are only useful for those that participate (and thus a good portion of those that inhabit AARland miss out) and even that some effects have been harmful, though this respondent did not suggest in what way. One even mentioned that they had no effect at all, but that was due to not taking advatage of them as the respondent explained.
Overall, I guess that means that those of us that utilize them or are active in them are doing something right. It certainly does not suggest that we should stop, and would even possibly suggest that more could be started, or that more people could try and utilize those that are currently offered.
10. How often do you utilize the librAARies, SolAARium, Gazette, the bAARs (and explain)?
- a. Often – 65%
- b. Sometimes – 35%
- c. Never – 0%
Here was another question that was slightly difficult to quantify only because of the different answers that were given. For the most part, 100% either used these things sometimes or often, some projects more than others.
Even though the next question deals with some of the same material, I found it interesting to look at what was specifically mentioned here. I simply chalked up which projects were mentioned in the different answers and came up with the following listing:
LibrAARies – 54%
bAARs – 35%
Gazette – 27%
SolAARium – 23%
Guess the Author – 4%
LD’s Corner – 4%
OscAARs – 4%
So it seems that people recognize what these projects are, and many utilize them often, especially the librAARies. If anything, it proves once again that we are doing something right. It certainly should make those that run said projects feel good that they take their time to do so. It is obviously appreciated.
11. What is your favorite special project/initiative and why?
This question is obviously more of the same from above, but when asked their favorite, it broke down like this:
Gazette – 27%
LibrAARies – 19%
Guess the Author – 12%
bAARs – 8%
SolAARium – 8%
Free Company – 4%
WritAAR of the Week – 4%
None – 8%
Not Sure – 10%
So once again, we can certainly feel good about our efforts if we are running such projects. They are certainly appreciated. But I am a little mystified by the 8% that said none. I suppose that is because they are not utilized, but it makes me wonder somewhat. For those that were not sure, these were folks that had not had enough time on the forum to really explore such things. But if you are not, you really should, judging by the answers given above.
For a few of the reasons why these were enjoyed, I should mention that the librAARies were singled out because of their assistance in helping people find AARs. The Gazette was mentioned because it helped build a sense of community, because it helped membAARs see what the mood of the forum was and that some were simply interested in the journalism of it (see question below for more.) The SolAARium was mentioned because it always had something new to think about and appreciate and because it provided good discussion. G-t-A was mentioned because it kept some people writing and because it assisted in interaction. And the bAARs were mentioned because they were undemanding and helped to build friendships.
Overall, I sense a wide variety of usefulness for each of these endeavors which indicates yet again that something good is coming from each and every one of them.
12. What effect has the Gazette had (and explain)?
- a. Helpful – 83%
- b. Harmful – 1%
- c. No effect at all – 4%
- d. Not sure – 12% (note that this answer was added as some newer membAARs had not read enough or felt they had not been around long enough to make an informed choice.)
Here was another question that was very important to me, as one of the founding editAARs. It seems that most of those that responded feel that the Gazette has been very helpful and a wonderful endeavor. The answers to the above questions suggest this as well.
The most common answer given as to why it was so appreciated was that it provided many useful tips, and I should mention that MacRaith’s series on screenshots was mentioned by several people. Others suggested that it has helped foster a better sense of community, that it was thought provoking and/or provoked discussion, and that people found it simply entertaining. It was mentioned that some appreciated that it dealt with more than just writing, and I myself still think it will be a wonderful repository for information down the line.
There were some that felt it could be better, and one even suggested that it expressed some horrendous views on AARland. This comment may, however, have been more directed towards the discussion thread of the Gazette, which was also mentioned indirectly in that there had been some “not so good” discussion there, particularly for one bad three day stretch.
I don’t want to theorize about the discussion aspect of the feedback thread. We all have our own views, and I have been pleased to see people sharing them, even if I do not always agree. However, the Gazette itself seems to have been embraced by AARland and this is good to know. It means that we have done some good for the forum, which was our goal from day one. I agree that it could be better in some aspects, particularly if more membAARs decided to share AARticles and such. And the game update section has been rather unexplored, and not updated regularly which I will touch on below.
13. How often do you read the weekly updates in the gazette (for EU1, EU2, HoI and Vickie; CK does not have this feature yet) (and explain)?
- a. Weekly – 23%
- b. Sometimes – 31%
- c. Never – 46%
This question was also rather important to me. It certainly solidified my view of this gazette feature. It seems the vast majority were not even sure what I meant when I asked about it. Several people assumed I was referring to the Gazette AARticles published every two weeks. Others simply had no idea what they were, with responses such as “There are weekly updates for each individual game?”, “I must be missing something. I thought the Gazette was overall and not specific to one game.”, and “Errr…”
First, let explain what I mean when I say “weekly updates.” When the Gazette was first envisioned, we decided to have two separate features. One would be the AARticles that you read every two weeks. The other would be game specific sections that mentioned things like helpful guides, new patches, recommended AARs and other information. Perhaps it was started off badly as the one for EU1 has never had a person update more than once, and CK has not yet had a bAARtender to begin this feature. MrT added the first one, but his was really more of an AARticle than what we had envisioned. (By the way, you will find all of them on the first page of the Gazette and accessable through the index.)
To be fair, the lack of attention is partly the editAARs fault for not advertising them enough and not keeping them updated near enough. Alexandru stated that he felt that no one read them since he never bothered to update his. This may very well be the case with all of them, as I know I do not take care of mine as often as I should and Amric has not been able to either as of late. From the responses above, it is clear that there are some that have looked at them, and perhaps gain some information from them, so I propose that we editAARs take a more active hand in maintaining their look and timeliness.
14. How is the state of AARland (and explain)?
- a. Good – 62%
- b. Bad – 0%
- c. Improving – 38%
- d. Getting worse – 0%
- e. No change – 0%
As I suspected, no one felt that the state of AARland was bad or getting worse. I had to add the possible answers simply out of fairnes and completeness just in case. Most membAARs felt that our health was good. And the rest felt that we were improving, mostly from a brief lull felt just after the forums were combined.
The three most common answers suggesting why we were in such a good state right now was the amount of new talent, the amount of great AARs, and simply the amount of new people. Others mentioned that AARland was spam free, that it offered good projects, that more people seemed to be taking initiative and that integration was succeeding.
There were those that suggested that we needed to reinstitute things like the WoW, and showcases, that we should try and use the bAARs more (especially to recommend other work), that the frequency of abandoned AARs was somewhat disturbing and that we could still use more crossover as it seemed that it was only a smaller subset of the full population doing so.
However, the biggest drawback mentioned by people was the sheer size of AARland. No one suggested it was a bad thing, but that it had made getting around to all of it’s parts much more difficult. People simply did not have the time to do so in one sitting as perhaps they used to. It was also mentioned that the size had taken away some of the closeness felt before in the smaller community.
It was suggested that there would always be small bumps to overcome when changing things around but that things were smoothing out. One comment I found particularly nice was, “It’s an amazing place, with a long and proud history of creativity.” Thank you Gaijin de Moscu, I believe you said it all with that. Overall, we are doing well and the fact that many took the time out of their schedules to participate in this survey proves that, especially with what was stated.
15. Do you have any other germane thoughts not addressed by the questions above?
Boy did you guys have fun with this question. First of all, it seems several people did not know what “germane” means, or chose to ignore the definition. Check the survey thread itself when you finish reading this, as I plan on gathering a few of the more choice answers in one place. They did make me laugh.
As for other answers given here, it was mentioned again that people would like to see the Showcase return. One person thought it good to measure the state of things to better improve AARland if we could. And one man mentioned that the size of the forum meant that an AAR had better be good to gain an audience as one could not wait too long for a piece of work to grow on the forum. And finally, I will end with some thoughts from jwolf (thank you for providing them), “ I really enjoy reading AARs…And I salute all the moderators for outstanding work on no pay!”
That sums it up for me as well. I wish to thank all of you once again for contributing, and also for perhaps reading through this (by now) rather long AARticle detailing those views mentioned in the results. We are doing well, folks. There are some things we can perhaps improve upon and I trust that in time we will hit upon a way to do that. For the sum total, however, AARland remains one of the best (if not the best) place to visit on the Internet. I am proud to be a membAAR of such a creative, intelligent and accomplished group.
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AARland Survey - Go here to read the responses and to discuss the findings (once the thread has been unlocked.)