Poll: Is there a "Critical Mass" for a forum? If so, what would the effects be?

[Rainboq]

A "Critical Mass" is when a Mass becomes too large and it reaches a sort of tipping point, in the case of heat it would mean that an substance would stay in a liquid for indefinitely as it would begin melting its self.
Oh and I voted for more mods to be added.

 

[Captain Schpack]

I say yes. If I understand you then I say yes and all the notable posters leave the forum as it slowly turns to shit.

 

[DuplicateValue]

I dunno.... How many people are there on the Escapist, do you know?

Cos it's getting a bit crowded.

 

[Space Spoons]

It's certainly possible for a forum's servers to become overloaded, in which case it would probably just shut down. I'd think a website like The Escapist would be equipped for that, though, as much traffic as it pulls in.

 

[Good morning blues]

The Something Awful forums have something like 150 000 members and they're still perfectly decent. It's a matter of regulating that growth and ensuring that there is adequate moderation.

 

[Idlemessiah]

It's certainly possible for a forum's servers to become overloaded, in which case it would probably just shut down. I'd think a website like The Escapist would be equipped for that, though, as much traffic as it pulls in.

Pretty much this, although if the forums do become overcrowded, which will probably happen because of increasing traffic on this site, then I see a lot of the notable posters and familiar faces going to find somewhere quieter to hang out.

 

[DuplicateValue]

I dunno.... How many people are there on the Escapist, do you know?

Cos it's getting a bit crowded.

About 400,000, but I'd estimate that only 6000 or so post with any regularity.

It's quite small compared to other communities, and that's what I like about it.

I suppose that's why you're able to recognise a lot of people here - their posts aren't lost in the crowd.

Though this is the first and only forum I've been a part of, so I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

[Limasol]

I would say that eventually the number of new threads would be too great for any of then to have any real staying power. A lot of them would be pointless, making the older members and regulars to become jaded and start some light trolling, causing new people to not stay and eventually making the forum a small core of angry people.

 

[Rainboq]

I would say that eventually the number of new threads would be too great for any of then to have any real staying power. A lot of them would be pointless, making the older members and regulars to become jaded and start some light trolling, causing new people to not stay and eventually making the forum a small core of angry people.

true but that happens in a lot of forums regardless of age, I once saw a troll caling someone a noob even thought they had one post higher than them!