Vote and Help Decide the Future of this Community

[Steve]

Hi all,

ProjectEgo.net launched in March 2004 and was later rebranded as FableHero(.com) in February 2014. All in all, we've been around for almost precisely 17 years now and both founders — Andy and I — have left our teens, married (other people) and become dads (separately) to six kids, respectively.

Lionhead Studios closed its doors in April 2016 and we saw a lot of talented people forced to take their talents elsewhere.

We've been around for a long time now and seen some great times and some not so great times. The announcement of Fable 4 in July 2020 was like a breath of life for the franchise — and also for a community devoted to a single franchise.

We're the longest-running Fable community ever — something we're really proud of. However, we're feeling like it's time to broaden our scope and offer more opportunities for our community. We want to see this place thrive again. We want to encourage more conversations and more activity. We're strongly considering, with your support, relaunching the website as a community for fans to come and talk about all role-playing games, big and small, new and old. Fable II, Morrowind, Valheim, Breath of the Wild (it cuts the mustard!), Final Fantasy VII, Mass Effect (hmm?), World of Wow of Warworldcraft, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare — just to surface the scratch. We have ideas and they're starting to take shape, but we want to know how receptive the remaining community might be to this idea of radical change.

I'll leave it at that for now. It'd be great to get a feel for what everyone is thinking about the proposed redirection of the website. All feedback and questions are welcome and encouraged!

 

[Quistrix]

My opinion would be to wait until we know more about the new Fable to really see what to do. To determine any true hype it has. Even if we could wait until it’s released but I know that could take some time. I just think it’d be a shame to miss out on the possible traffic we’d receive once the game comes out, instead of being grouped together with the large amount of RPG forums already out there.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Lots of forums have died out over the years and forums as a whole were all but killed off by the boom in social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Reddit) but lately it seems they are making a bit of a comeback. We are in a unique position where we have managed to survive where many others have not but at the same time some evolution might be needed to keep us relevant.

A lot of factors are unknown at the moment and we dont know how well Fable IV will be recieved or what its hype levels might be closer to its release of course but a franchise that had a pretty niche fanbase already with a new development studio will either go one way or another. Its been 11 years since Fable III so also hinges on how many older fans are still around waiting for Fable IV and its longevity and if it can attract enough new fans and evolve like many RPG series have over the years. It is at risk of being left behind by other RPG titles in both systems and technology depending on how long development takes with the new developers at the helm.

It could be the rebirth of the franchise and help relaunch the forums and kickstart a new age here and for the Fable franchise or it could be the final nail in the coffin for the franchise (probably not as dramatic as that). If it doesnt do as well as Microsoft hope then chances of another game will be slim after The Journey, Heroes, Fortune and Legends and really we need to be prepared for both eventualities.

At the moment we are like an exclusive game that are open to coming to other platforms to gain a wider audience.

 

[Quistrix]

I just think it would be better to wait is all, until we know more. I’m happy either way as long as this community continues to be around.

 

[Azer249]

I voted yes.

As someone who used to frequent the forum, and has made a lot of friends here, I agree the activity just isn't what it used to be. When Lionhead got the axe it seemed like everything just tailed off a little, obviously there hasn't been any Fable games in a while, and with the new one only just (Relatively speaking) being announced, it's hard to see what kind of impact the new game will have on the forums. I imagine if the games a flop, there wont be that much activity, or even worse, there could be negative comments coming through due to people wanting an outlet; or the forum could take off again.

I don't think there's any harm in trying to evolve the forum as a whole into a general RPG forum. (but I'm not sure myself if that's a saturated market) I find myself lacking things to contribute here recently just because there hasn't been a new Fable game in what seems like FOREVER, and I don't want to re-hash already finished conversations. I'd definitely be more inclined to contribute if the forum was more general, because honestly, I pretty much only play RPGs (Nioh 2 being the most recent). Like Lunda said though - if Fable 4 is a big hit, you could miss potential traffic.

I feel like it's especially hard to build a community around one specific game now too, opposed to what it was in the glory days. Sites like Reddit have taken off a bit more where there's subs where people post about a specific game, and it's in digestible format for people on their phones. Forums, sadly, just aren't as mobile friendly. (Although to be honest, this site is probably one of the better mobile friendly examples)

It's a hard situation, but either way with the release of Fable 4 I'll be back properly. Equally, if the forum changes direction, I'll still be back.

It's a hard choice to make, but obviously you (Steve, DD) probably? have the site analytics to show what activity is actually like, so if you think it's tailing off, I trust you guys to make the best decision. I don't think either is a bad outcome though!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Unless it's a COD forum. Then I'll have to shut you down.

 

[WKC]

Very much new to the forum but a lifelong fan of Fable. Great to have found this platform and I'll personally look forward to a future on it whether you expand or keep it niche, but I expect the release of Fable 4 will bring new eyes here alone.

All the best to everyone, looking forward to getting involved here.

 

[Gikoku]

The fact that we made it this far on only one franchise alone speaks some level of volume I'd imagine. The announcement of Fable IV caused a clear spike in attention to people who otherwise were no longer interested in the series and got them talking again. The problem is that like a lot of games these last 10 years, a project will get announced too early and the studio will then have nothing to speak about it for years because they're not ready for that yet. Which rolls down to the community, we barely know anything about the game so it's all speculation and rumors at this point, and we've beaten that horse to death out of boredom for a decade.

A similar situation happened with Cyberpunk 2077, it sparked a lot of attention when it was first announced 9 years ago. Communities spawning from hype, but because it was announced too early activities on said communities shriveled up and went quiet. Marketing kicked up in 2018-2019 and the avalanche started rolling and then it was on everyone's tongue at that point, traffic blew up for every Cyberpunk community. You couldn't get people to shut up about it (myself included). Post-release whether you love it or hate it, positive/negative discussions and memes about the game are still very healthy.

Nobody knows what the future will hold but it helps that Fable IV is an open-world Triple-A RPG with a lot of lore and history to work with, the same thing could happen here. Sky's the limit.

When you search "Fable Community" or "Fable forum", you're gonna land right here. When you search for something more broad and general, you're gonna have a lot of competition and get buried.

Looking at it over the years, all official/unofficial Fable communities are nearly ghost-towns (even the Reddit ones). There's just nothing to talk about other than nostalgia and aiding the odd random stranger looking to try it out or dive back in with some help. It didn't help that Lionhead failed to engage and support our modding community, so the chance of Fable gaining that Elder Scrolls/Fallout immortality through accessible mods was entirely denied.

If you're set on expanding to a more open gaming forum compared to the other already established giants out there (RPGCodex, NeoGAF, Resetera, Reddit's gaming subreddits, Discord etc.). Then you'll need to ask yourself, what do we have that separates us from them, what makes us unique or worth signing up to? Because for the longest time all we've had was our laid back environment and vibrant personalities.

I'm not entirely sure where I would want this place to go, but I know I wouldn't want it gone. It's my favorite forum. Of all the places I've been to over the years, this is one of the few that manages to spark thorough discussions that end up being very enjoyable and thought provoking. Though ironically, all my most enjoyed discussions had nothing at all to do with the game anyway, so there is that.

 

[Angel]

I voted for "I'm not sure" because, well, I'm not sure.

All three of our main forums have stood the test of time and I've fallen out with people on every single one - some of the most spectacular disagreements have been right here on this one. I don't know why that matters...I guess it's coz even when it's all gone to hell, we have always managed to salvage things between people and move on (with very few exceptions).

I don't know what it would be like to expand the place to include other franchises and titles. Plus Mass Effect was ruined by the third installment and I'm still not moving on that, even after 9 years.

Part of me wants to see it pick up around here and part of me is still holding out that all our old regulars will suddenly stop leading their responsible, grown-up lives and remember how they used to waste entire days on here or insulting each other in the chatango.

Change is always unnerving but at the same time, I don't think we would end up like other forum degenerates - for a start, our staff team is too good for that. Of course, our resident degenerates need never change...

@Gikoku poses a good point though: what would make us stand out from all the others if we broaden our scope? Can we keep our head above water amongst all the others out there? My initial thought is yes, because we have that reputation already...but how many people are still looking for Fable stuff to find us that AREN'T spambots?

All that being said, the biggest question for me is this: if we stay as we are, where do we expect to see ourselves in the next 5 years? Nostalgia isn't going to be enough to hold it all together - being exclusive is all well and good, but sometimes a community can be so tight it gets a bit culty. Not in a Jonestown sort of way, but it can appear intimidating to try and join something where there is nothing left but in-jokes and shared memories of previous members.

I mean, we've literally witnessed @Azer249 go from lickle boy to adult (*sobs wildly into floral handkerchief*); there have been people here who started out as young teens and are now in their 20s. There have been weddings, babies, breakups, make-ups and pretty much everything in-between. My own eldest child joined here when she was 7 and she's almost 20 now. I, of course, am still only 24...

It's awesome to know I've been part of this, but these past events are not enough to keep this place going forever.

Also, unrelated, but it's 3am and I've been sitting in the bathroom for the last 40 minutes because EVERYONE IN THIS HOUSE IS SNORING SO LOUD.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Change is always going to be scary especially for us now old timers... we have been through some minor changes and rebrands over the years to try and remain relevant but nothing as major as some of the changes Steve and I are actively discussing. I was around 19 when we first started these boards and im 35 now and to have been around this long is a testament to the community we have and now more than ever we have to consider the long game.

Even if a good chunk of the Fable fanbase remains and they start to return when more news of Fable IV releases or find us for the 1st time, the whole internet ecosystem has evolved these days and forums up until a recent resurgence were seen as old outdated forms of communication. We need something to make people want to stay and contribute and become a part of our community and we are discussing methods to incorperate this idea into the boards and encourage that.

Most people who want quick answers these days go to a games Reddit or Discord channel (both of which have phone apps too) as @Azer249 said. There they will likely get their answer in a matter of seconds from a random account that they wont even remember afterwards and move on. Everything these days is about speed and ease of use and forums are simply seen as an archaic way of communication. However there is also a sizeable chunk of gamers who are simply more comfortable with a forums style of communication and we need to capitalise on that section of gamers.

Looking to the future we are going to need to offer something more, a community of likeminded gamers and somewhere they can feel like they belong and are important. Some members on here have known each other for the best part of 10 years+ and had some memorable gaming sessions. Lots of us have good and bad memories here (myself included) but it has played a huge part in my life and I would like nothing more than to rekindle the glory days but as @Angel said nostalgia simply isn't going to be enough. If we want to stay relevant then we too must move with the times.

 

[lee]

I’ve been here for a few years now and even though I voted “No” I do honestly believe that there does have to be a change to reach out to others. I am currently involved with helping a modder, who currently has a Fable Cut Content series on YouTube. His latest video based on Cut Quests has had a massive amount of buzz and Views already!!!. Some community members are only just starting to realise that there was a version of Fable that was leaked a few years ago that has enabled us to play Fable in a way that was never possible before. Avarice the creator of the series on YouTube even has a good following on his Discord server and this has shown that even without more news on a Fable 4 that there is still good interest in Fable. An old Text.Big file that was from an old developer build of Fable has given us information on over 40 Quests that were either cut or altered in Fable. Information such as a long line of Quests involving the Beggar and Bully at Lookout Point and even has you eventually finding out that the Beggar is actually your Uncle!!! Or a Quest to aid your Fathers Ghost out who is currently haunting Oakvale Graveyard. Fable has actually been currently having a big revival lately. I agree that something has to change as there is unlikely to ever be that old fan base returning again but there is still a lot of interest Fable and a lot of exciting things happening with the title at the moment.

 

[Zarkes]

I voted yes for radical change. I strongly support the community. I would love to see a gamer hub sharing and making memories together.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Good to hear everyones thought on this and no matter what happens we want to keep this community going and every decision we make will be in the best interest of the forums and its members. We wont be able to please everyone of course but rest assured there will be a place for everyone at the end.

 

[Steve]

Brilliant feedback so far, gang! There's a lot to chew on here. Exciting stuff! I'll try and respond in full when possible, but do please keep those thoughts coming in!

 

[Quistrix]

Brilliant feedback so far, gang! There's a lot to chew on here. Exciting stuff! I'll try and respond in full when possible, but do please keep those thoughts coming in!

There’s always the option of making this a Fable rule 34 forum... that’ll definitely bring in the numbers.

 

[Steve]

My B! Had a busy last few weeks. Really enjoyed collecting all thoughts and feedback. In total agreement that at the very least, significant updates need to be made.

 

[Solus]

There are pros and cons either way. I think that opening up the forums to more games would attract more users, but with a lot of new users you will also see some bad ones that make a less enjoyable experience for others. Keeping it focused on Fable will limit new users, but it will be a more manageable, friendly place.

I'm sure if you opened it to new games and thus more users, you would be able to handle the riff raff that comes along, though. You guys have always done a great job at keeping this place together. And the forum does need more activity. I was hoping it would be like it was 10+ years ago, but things have died down a lot.

 

[queenofdisco]

I think evolving into a general RPG forum would be both good and bad, however the activity of this forum is in dire straits. So remaining loyal is obviously a subject of worry for you Steve.

As others have said it depends what happens with the Fable reboot/sequel. But also you have to take into consideration that it's not the same world as it was ten years ago. Forums are dying and this does seem like one of the last remaining bastions of that era, so with time comes new trends and new competition. Other competitors such as Discord, Reddit, etc. Give people a way to engage in these conversations in a newer and more streamlined manner. I myself am a avid discord user now, so I would love to see an official fable hero discord where we could all chat, debate, & reminisce. But that's up to you.

I can only say in my opinion, embrace the new market and adapt. But at the same time it would sting deeply to lose this place. I would hate to see this forum shutdown or stray from its source.

I honestly don't know, I'll have to think on it. At the end of the day it's up to you admins what you do but you can take on the advice & opinions of the users. I personally would like this place to remain as is, it is an island in an ocean and it has been here a damn long time.

And that is a hell of a achievement on your part.

 

[Quistrix]

I like the idea of us having a Fablehero discord.

 

[Azer249]

I am totally down for Discord. Anything but that terrible webchat we used to use. ANYTHING.

 

[Quistrix]

So with the blessing from Steve, I made us a discord.

Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games

Discord is great for playing games and chilling with friends, or even building a worldwide community. Customize your own space to talk, play, and hang out.

discord.gg