Lights On Lights Off Fanclub

[ahirked]

the above seems so much easier than my PM draft that i have at the moment omg

[rottingsnakes]

I’ve just found that keeping a note document open and writing down people’s usernames & numbers (as well as their number/spot on the player list, for example number 17 changes their user a lot, I still know that I visited them) after I send out a PM helps me a lot! It’s sort of easy, too, but of course that’s totally my opinion.

[Lex.]

I order everything like this, and the same could be replicated in a google sheets easily. It's the easiest for me to keep track of, and easy to read c':
I would do something fancier or more elaborate but I just have a lot on my plate.

[bark]

-snip-

I might do the google doc this year, I normally write my list in deviantart sta.sh but the doc looks pretty easy :0

[onion]

just to chime in, i use the notes app on my iphone! it copies the links over so its super easy to just click a username and it takes you to that page in your preferred browser! and then you just erase the name when youre done :>

[jpjamz]

feels like there's way less people participating this year, which makes me sad.. :c
I completely understand why, of course, but I still wish more of us could enjoy it.

[( ͡◉ ͜ʖ ͡◉)]

feels like there's way less people participating this year, which makes me sad.. :c
I completely understand why, of course, but I still wish more of us could enjoy it.

Agreed. I got a lot more trick or treaters, which is good, but now I'm not getting any because everyone's already trick or treated at my place. ):

[onion]

feels like there's way less people participating this year, which makes me sad.. :c
I completely understand why, of course, but I still wish more of us could enjoy it.

Agreed. I got a lot more trick or treaters, which is good, but now I'm not getting any because everyone's already trick or treated at my place. ):

i agree too :'0 ive seen a lot less people with lolo in their sig by chance than i have in the previous years as compared to just checking the list- which, also, seems shorter this year! weird, youd think with corona maybe more people would have free time but hmmm

[Aurora Storm]

feels like there's way less people participating this year, which makes me sad.. :c
I completely understand why, of course, but I still wish more of us could enjoy it.

Agreed. I got a lot more trick or treaters, which is good, but now I'm not getting any because everyone's already trick or treated at my place. ):

i agree too :'0 ive seen a lot less people with lolo in their sig by chance than i have in the previous years as compared to just checking the list- which, also, seems shorter this year! weird, youd think with corona maybe more people would have free time but hmmm

I think once the Halloween event starts we'll probably see a lot more players. I didn't join LOLO last year until about halfway through October and there were still lots of people joining after me as well!
But yeah, it's slowed down quickly for me too. I had 50+ visitors the first two days and since then I've had less than 10 a day.

[Celozon]

The first few days is always super busy with PMs as well and its totally normal for it to drop off right about now (especially that the weekend is now over for most), happens every year. The currently number of users we have joined in the first few days is pretty normal compared to the past couple years. I don't believe we even hit 400 total last year. We are currently at just under 170. The first week or so is always the busiest time for forms, but people join all through the month, so I expect we'll end with the similar number to last year by the time October ends. I don't think covid is effecting us a much as it would have if it were a few months ago, a lot of people are starting to go back into work or school now (at least where I am cause what is covid).

---
Below just me expanding overmuch and not a direct reply to anyone lol

Unfortunately I think a lot of the reason we see less people join each year is just due to the fact that a lot of people are moving to more instant message platforms and whatnot (ie discord), and using a PM system and having to wait for return messages is no longer something people want to have to do. But thats also, kinda the entire structure of lolo so there is no changing that. I don't really want to blame it on a single thing, like 'instant gratification' because I really doubt its just one thing, its just not quite as appealing as it used to be I suppose. I also feel the need to point out this is the 9th year of LOLO on CS, and it was a thing years before that on other sites, it may be as simple as the newer generation of kids/cs players just aren't into it.

We've seen a decline in users joining for years now (we used to get over 1k people joining), and I always try to consider if anything needs to be changed to reflect this. But honestly at this point the rules are pretty bare-bones, and removing anything more would likely start impacting in negative ways. For example, probably the one specific rule I get most complaints on would be the story requirement. Cause some people have a hard time (understandable tbh, especially for anyone with perfectionism or anxiety) or don't want to have to write a story. Removing the 10 sentence story requirement might draw more people, but it also means people will basically just be messaging you maybe 2 sentences or even no story at all, just a picture of a pet and essentially saying 'give me free stuff' for doing nothing (and I've always held the stance that writing ten sentences for a month of free stuff is...really not too much to ask).

I feel like some might just see me as some old geezer who refuses to change their ways or something but tbh? Just seeing people come back each saying how much they like doing LOLO every year is enough for me to say I'm doing something right. Even if we end up with a smaller playerbase, I think we are definitely a lot more familiar and friendly with each other than we ever were with 1k people playing (which was a literal madhouse at times, I have the 2011-era threads to prove it). I totally get that its disheartening to see less people joining, I feel that too, but I suppose I also like to look on both sides of things. Like if in previous years you never really had time to read the stories in the PMs you got cause there are just so many, or you were always rushing through answering them. Less PMs means its ok to take your time a bit with them, really read through them and take more than a glance at the dressup. Maybe its an opportunity to have more personalized treat messages? Or for artists to get to do more art treats? Or just allowing people to come back for seconds.

If LOLO does continue to get smaller, I'll probably see if there is anything we can do to add to it, so its still entertaining even for smaller groups, like allowing people to have multiple trick or treat stories/dressups (such as if it becomes common to visit people multiple times, could then start using different stories with each visit). Or just allowing stories and costumes to get changed whenever you want, etc. (thats just me spitballing, not something I have given any serious thought or would happen anytime soon). But the point is, LOLO is my baby and I'll keep doing this and trying to improve as long as I think I'm capable. I really appreciate all of you who return every year and all the new players who found they really like it, I'm always excited to see everyone who joins and I just hope I can continue to make things interesting enough that you keep coming back! <3

aha sorry I really did mean this to be a short reply and it turned into an sappy essay c':