Okay so, my curiosity has now gotten the better than me. I've noticed a severe drop in comments in the past 6 months here on this blog. I'm still getting the same amount of visits per day, but almost 0 comments per blog post.
So here are my theories:
1) I'm boring now and nobody has anything to say to me. I don't post any deep in-depth design considerations anymore and I'm not being very controversial.
2) Everyone uses RSS readers and nobody wants to click on the link and actually go to a site to comment.
3) Nobody likes me anymore because of all my non-gaming posts (Prop 8 in particular).
4) Something isn't working with my Disqus commenting system I added in December. Maybe you guys ARE commenting but they're not showing up?
So here are my questions – and if you read this I CHALLENGE you to answer them 
- If you are a blogger, have you noticed that people are commenting less?
- Why do you, personally, never comment here? Do I smell bad?
Sweet, thanks.
Tami Baribeau is the Associate Producer for Metaplace, Inc, currently working on Island Life. She is also the Lead Editor of feminist gaming blog The Border House, and the National Facebook Games Examiner for Examiner.com. She can be reached on Twitter or by email.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, at least you get comments.
Anywho, I generally only comment on articles if I feel like I have something to say (and, uh, occasionally when I don't!). I certainly have been keeping up on reading and don't think quality has dropped or anything. I've also liked a lot of the non-gaming diversions. It makes the place seem more personal and such.
I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't an effect of the time of year.
I use the reader about 75 percent and only visit the actual site maybe 25 percent or less. I will only comment when it seems fitting, sometimes, on my blog, I just spew out commentary that either something people want to discuss or just think I'm a nut for mentioning it. Mostly I blog because “I” Need an outlet, not for others to have an outlet to discuss stuff with me…besides if people need an outlet, they need to blog about it. lol
Maybe, people visit your site because it was the first blog they started reading and your current topics aren't something they have an opinion on, but still feel obligated to visit or read your blog. There are several blogs, not yours, on my reader that don't cover things I'm currently interested in anymore, like a lot of my WAR blogs, but I still watch and read them, because sometimes they discuss other things I'm interested in.
This seemed rather wordy for a simple matter…but I still read your blog. Course, I might just be posting to get traffic to come to my blog site….lol
I can't even read this comment thing.
I have to register or log in? Oh I guess I can be unclaimed.
If you want people to comment, your posts should start with the words “X_____ SUCKS!” or some equivalent. World of Warcraft, MMOs in general, the dog next door who won't stop barking, whatever. People hardly ever comment, I find, if they agree with you.
What was wrong with the old commenting system, btw?
#1
I come here via Bloginati and I'm there for the design posts. Or the entertaining carnage in the case of Jennings.
I'm normally surprised by what posts get comments & what don't on my own blog. I prefer having an increase in returning readers over cheap comments & agree with Tipa, controversy always sparks a comment spree but that doesn't mean you'll get quality outcomes from it!
I usually read your blog through RSS feed, and rarely really comment anywhere.
So count me to #2
I have been here. And as Arrakiv said, at least you get comments. Understandably I haven't been updating as much as I would like but ya.
You are still the first blog on my google RRS feed when I open my browser.
As for not commenting myself, its more to do with my agreeing with you on posts like Prop 8 and I figure you covered it and also too lazy to click the link.
#1 85% * 0 = …. WorldIV rarely gets comments, so detecting a drop is a little difficult. I chalk this up to us writing such complete and satisfying articles that the reader feels no need to comment further.
#2 There aren't a whole lot of interesting topics floating around currently to comment on. And when there are, 10,000 blogs divide the audience. It's probably tougher to get a critical mass of community together in one place. My own “daily reading” list is now stupid long … I should probably trim it so I have more time to comment rather than reading 200 people's opinions on the same issue. I think the MMOgosphere is aging too. Precious few new topics are taken up and I'm less inclined to participate in the same old discussions.
That said … more design posts. Take a radical view. MMOgdom still needs to be shaken up. Or we should all self-organize into blogging collectives to bring back the critical mass of community.
#2 I use a RSS readers and dont click on the links
and im sure you smell great
#2 for me. I rarely comment on any of the blogs I read, that's just me.
You don't have to post in-depth design or be controversial if I enjoy the tone of your blog and the content of your posts, gaming related or not. I myself have enjoyed your posts on Prop 8 and applaud your position on such a backward-facing piece of legislation.
I read in a blog reader, so I only comment if I *really* want to say something.
I know my own blog gets about 0 comments, but I'm pretty sure I have one or two readers.
Count me in as an RSS reader, reader. No less love, tho!
I have not noticed a change in the number of comments on my blog. I tend not to comment, unless there is something that I think will add to the post and using Google reader to get at blogs creates a barrier to commenting. I read lots of blogs and I have probably commented on less than 5% of them.
I read your blog via Google Reader now, so when I need to comment I actually have to omg click on the link rather than merely scroll down. So lame of me, but I do read all your posts…I'm just too lazy to click!
As to the first, I have noticed a drop in commenting, but then December was also a terrible month for readership for me.
I don't never comment. I rarely comment. Partly because I don't find gameplay reports even remotely interesting unless the game is particularly exotic. Also, though, if you look back at your recent posts, there isn't much that seems like the opening of a discussion. Some might prompt a “thanks for the cool link”, but most are the kind of thing which have only one appropriate answer, “good for you.”
A combination of #2 and meaning to leave a comment, being at work, and eventually closing firefox and forgetting about it. Sorry =(
I read your blog regularly but mostly don't comment. There are few blogs that I do comment on and then only rarely – Broken Toys is probably the only place where I comment with any frequency at all.
I find that if I have anything to say, I'd rather put my own spin on it and post it to my own blog.
I do keep up with the blog, but I don't generally comment on many of them (including yours), so I'm just one of the silent ones. It's not the smell, really.
I do disagree with you about Prop 8 and those posts were a turnoff, but it's your blog – the idea is to post about things you care about, so I certainly don't blame you there. And it didn't prevent me from posting.
I'm a big silent reader of your blog. It's not your fault, it's just how I operate.
Don't worry if something comes up where I feel I can add a few more pennies to the pot, then you'll see me again
Apparently the lesson here is if you want people to comment on your blog… ask why they don't.
RSS. I only click through from my reader if I'm going to blog about it myself, or if some burning question requires me to leave a comment.
I haven't been reading others' blogs nearly as much as I used to. It drains so much time from my day. I might even stop blogging eventually, to focus on other things.
Anyway, I might be wrong, but if your site has changed much over the past year, I'd say it's that you do more journaling of your game experiences… like Tipa is prone to do. Since I'm not playing the games you are, I can't say much about them.
My impression is that emotional posts attract the most comments. That can mean writing about personal stuff, sharing interests, attacking something, etc. A post can be thoughtful, but if it doesn't suck people in emotionally then it won't get many comments.
Controversial posts generate interest, but I don't read that stuff unless it's insightful somehow. Controversy for the sake of controversy is irritating. The Prop 8 stuff and some of your other posts are fine, because you weren't just trying to be controversial; you were just talking about touchy issues.
I'd have to agree with a few other commenters here about emotional and controversial subjects.
Personally whether I comment on something may also depend on when I am reading something, in any blog. Sometimes I just browse through some blogs quickly to see what is there, but even if there is something I would like to comment on I might not feel I have the time to write a good comment and just skip it.
I have never had any large amount of comments on my blog, so I could not say that it has decreased. I don't expect comments on a lot of what I write either, in particular if I describe my game sessions.
I read the blog through Google Reader, and I’m usually too lazy to go the website and comment
RSS killed the blogger comment star..