MagiStream Activity

[Ktanaqui]

I recently came back from a very long hiatus. I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that MagiStream isn't nearly as active as it used to be, and that many of the people who are active are definitely from back when I was originally active. (Heyo friends!)

This isn't a bad thing but... it's definitely worrying. I love knowing everybody in the community, but the lack of new blood can (and will) very well be the death of a site that we know and love. (And, quite honestly, many of us have put a lot of time, effort, and money into.)

I know that many of us are probably no longer active on other discussion boards and forums, and this definitely is contributing. The Adoptables business is centered around advertisement. The pets advertise themselves; they're beautiful, addicting, and fun. Maybe MagiStream needs paid ads to compensate.

Thoughts?
Either way, this is to open up the discussion of how we can help MagiStream thrive again, get more people interested. Wake it up from this slumber it has sort of slipped into.

[CinnaminDraconna]

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but the lack of ads is a big reason I'm still here. I've tried those games that live off ad revenue.. like Howrse.. and I find them disgusting. Turning the focus towards making money is obnoxious and insulting.

I like my MagiStream the way it is.. even when I can't afford to buy the Donation creatures. I buy them when I can and I try to contribute to the community. Some folk like me.. some don't.. but I am happy with myself and think MagiStream is the BEST pet game ever.

[Desade]

I do very much enjoy the lack of ads here on Magistream. I'd hate to have to start seeing them.

But... if if ever it were to come to a point where they were necessary for the site's survival, I'd be ok with it.

[Ktanaqui]

Let me clarify: I'm not suggesting putting ads on MagiStream. (I think the Donis handle that well enough.) I'm suggesting having ads for MagiStream created and submitted to services like Google Adsense. (To attract fresh blood.)

[Sochitelya]

Let me clarify: I'm not suggesting putting ads on MagiStream. (I think the Donis handle that well enough.) I'm suggesting having ads for MagiStream created and submitted to services like Google Adsense. (To attract fresh blood.)

With what money?

[Ktanaqui]

Soch,
I was speaking theoretically. Logistics aren't anywhere near being ready to discuss (plus we don't know what we're working with). This is simply to get people thinking about something we can do. However, since you ask:

December Donations -
284 x 3 = $852
247 x 5 = $1,235
448 x 2 = $896
== $2,983

Half that for a half decent guess at other months means $1,500/month. We know MagiStream either pays for itself or Madd really likes it because it's still up. We can lean towards the former because Madd doesn't play, so the only enjoyment would be seeing it run. (Something, then, that we would want to keep running for further enjoyment.)

It's a double-edged sword, of course. Spend money to make it; more people means more donating. Fewer people equates to fewer donating. An example of this is the Waynal. Plenty of people willing to buy shards, but far fewer people wanting to use them. This translates to fewer donations overall because the demand for the creatures simply isn't there.

That being said, I only mentioned the idea of an ad campaign for the purposes of starting a conversation. Trying the idea doesn't hurt.

[ShaiNeko]

I think you need to take a bit of time and look around the site, see what has been going on while you were on hiatus. We didn't stop doing things just because you were away.

Also Madd, not Tristan.

[pegasi1978]

Also, there are likely donations that you can't see because the shards haven't been spent yet. I don't get to donate as often as I used too, but when I do I don't always spend all my shards at once. The last time I donated was Halloween, and I still have a few shards I haven't spent so just because there may be a smaller number of the donation creature, it doesn't mean donations were that low.

[Ktanaqui]

I didn't notice the name change; my apologies.

--
My concern isn't money. It's activity. Explicitly activity.

[sunsprite]

Yes, Magistream had kind of died down a tiny bit in the past few or so months (but, I was on a hiatus in the summer of last year so I can't say too much).
Ads for the site might work to attract others in, but how much would it work? I don't know how ads work, but manipulating it to get onto popular sites (such as Youtube), it could work pretty well.
But, the lack of things to do on the site might be to blame. Sure, almost everyone's goal is to get donis and all that, but there's not much else. The adoptables forum is pretty much dead, not many others post stories and such on here, and, the roleplay forums (or probably just the Roleplay stage and Backstage), has not many roleplays to get excited about.
But, let me not talk about MS's flaws for much longer. How about adding creature NPC's? Maybe they could give out daily quests for you to do. Or, have them hold a limited seasonal shop (although, I think that'd be too similar to the black shop).

But at least, my hope is for this site to get very popular and get mentioned a lot by others