It's all fun and games

until someone loses an RPG. So you have a thriving community on your RPG, yet...almost no actual roleplaying. Your members happily wile away their precious free time on "Ban the Person Above You" and "Count to a Million!" while your roleplaying boards sit empty.

What to do?

First, count yourself lucky to have a thriving forum community, even if it's a small one. You've accomplished what a lot of prospective forum owners fail to do even when they pump out money for professional software and SEO advertising. Chances are good that all you need is a little tweaking.

The reasons why people join an RPG and then don't roleplay are many, but it tends to be a vicious circle. They join, then see that hmm, there's only 17 posts in in-character area but over 12,000 in "Spam Your Ass Off." Members follow where the action is! A forum is always a community first before it is anything else, whether that something else is an RPG or a trading post. When you walk into a party, do you go sit or stand around by yourself or do you join the crowd over at the other end of the room? Same principle applies.

Here are some tips that might help you out.

First, if your board has post count turned on on all boards, switch them off for all but the roleplaying boards. Members like seeing their numbers go up. Numbers are sweet. Don't reward them for posting "lol" on the "Post Your Funny Pet Pictures Here" thread, reward them for roleplaying.

Second, cut the number of roleplaying front boards {or boards altogether} in half, or more. Crowding the roleplay areas all in closer will make it look more active, AND it will push the members in closer to each other.

Third, start up a plot discussion board and start some brainstorming threads, then mention to your members as they are discussing Lady Gaga's latest antics, that you have a swell new bunch of plot ideas you are inviting them into. Mention also that their characters could have a strong role to play if they jump in and see what it's about.

You can't force people to roleplay. But you can entice them. You must.