👋 Suggest using Introductions

If you're a new user (say less than a week on the site) and you haven't created a thread in the Introductions forum, perhaps suggest the Introductions forum with a link to it on the home page (in one of those blue alert boxes?).

Why wait for a week? Maybe new users should get a blue alert with a welcome to the site, a link to the Introductions (and an encouragement to post) and a link to the Games Tavern explaining what it's for?

We've been discussing how to funnel folks to the right places without a big rework of the site (V2), maybe this could act as a temporary solution.

I mean that if they've been here for more than a week then don't show the message. Some people just don't want to introduce themselves - after a week of not posting in Intros we can probably stop nagging.

Oh, I see what you mean. That sounds fair, though maybe two weeks. Some users are slow.

I am also worried about the wait.
If someone has not posted an introduction after a week, does it not come off as a bit rude to start nagging them to do so?

Maybe we can add the blue nagbar right from the start, then remove it once they post appropriately or they dismiss it.

Is it a REQUIREMENT that people post an introduction? If not, then remove the nag after they have made a post or two, anywhere.

Some players have mentioned being put off by the requirement to introduce themselves, maybe they are joining to play with their friends?.

Yes. There is no wait. We ask them to post an introduction as soon as they join - but I don't think we should phrase it so it sounds like a requirement. We stop asking after a week (or two).

We could change it to stop if they post anywhere.

On review I see that. I interpreted it as something different and therefore suggested you instead do what you actually said you wanted to do. :)

I like this idea.

Perhaps a link to Introductions and Games Tavern with their registration? There are sites with post count minimum to be able to post/apply to a game. Not an idea I'm supporting 100%... But perhaps it's a way to keep bot tf at bay.

I wondered about this before wise ol' Qralloq put me right. We have some people who sign up just to run games with their IRL mates - and that's fine. We don't want to discourage that.

I 100% oppose this.

I'm being the devil's advocate at the moment. When I visited such a site once, it had already lost me at that requirement.

Same

Runekyndg's recent data map shows how many people use the site just for their isolated silos. That's 100% part of the site's philosophy of providing tools (like a diceroller in Tools) that people could use outside of GP, too.

Only hole in the logic I see here is if someone introduces themselves in someone else's thread...

Once they start posting it is really out of our hands. We can't force them to introduce themselves.

The site could detect a post in the Introductions forum and remove the nagbar immediately, but keep it there for a week or two otherwise no matter their posts, or also take it away after a dozen posts, even with no introduction.