User blog:Sonasaurus/Because I'm sick and tired of feeling like we're burning out

Did that title get your attention? Good. Now before you read further into this, I'll warn you that I've been wanting to let this out for a long time, and it's only built up over the months. I usually try to be a reasonable and patient person, but at this point, I want to let it out.

Where to start? Oh, I know. What the hell happened to us? Yes, I know wiki activity has taken a downturn, but this has got to be an all-time low. Even though I can safely say that Halo Fanon has become a more open and welcoming place than it did when it was first created five years ago, where the heck did everybody go? The best two years we've had were 2009 and 2010, when the active community was considerably larger and frequently interacting with each other, as should any healthy wiki. But starting last year, people have been leaving and not coming back. It is understandable, given that some people simply lose interest and/or grow out of this thing. But why is it that for the first time, that the number of new users aren't even close to the number of people that are leaving?

As for the few that are here (and I'm guessing that there's at most a dozen of you), what the hell happened to you? Why do I feel as if no one is taking the time to read anything written by anyone else? We're a fanon site, centered around writing, and that should also be included with reading and discussion. Even most of you guys aren't writing as much, but more of rather touching up your articles, leaving talk page messages occasionally, and most often, just lurking around, looking for something that doesn't involve reading an article. Talk pages are for more than feedback, you know. Look at any old lengthy, well-known article. Feedback is plentiful there, yes, but people also just talked. I realize that an online community isn't the best way to socialize with others, but come on, this place is turning into a ghost town.

And now I'll narrow it down to a group of people that I'll address a lot more personally. To everyone who signed up for AAO (Signed up, mind you, not invited. Signed up of your own free will, to be absolutely clear.), where did you all go? I'm well aware that AAO's level of activity depends on that of the entire wiki's, and that our activity is still normal in comparison to Halo Fanon's current state, but what are you all doing? I wouldn't rail at you for signing up and later losing interest, except for the fact that you contributed next to nothing to the project before doing so. And the fact that there were a large number of you that did this, right after you wrote out an entire section about how you were eager to be a part of this project too. As for the ones that are on the active list, and there are fifteen of you (myself included) currently on that list, I could cut it down to probably two or three of us, if I assumed (and this is probably an accurate assumption) that you will remain in your state of inactivity until the 1-month period expires and I'll be forced to move you to the inactive list.

Again, I'm not resentful of the people who have come to Halo Fanon, did a decent number of work, and are taking a leave of whatever length, because I have no illusions that any of us will remain here forever. What I can't understand is why so many people have left in such a short period of time, and the ones that remain are so unwilling to write a talk page message anymore unless it's to criticize something in the article. And there are more than a few of you that said you would leave until you sorted something out, and be back a few months later at the longest. Well, you're almost a year overdue on that promise, because 2011 had to be one of the worst years Halo Fanon has ever seen, and we're making little effort to improve that this year. We're already halfway through, and I really don't like what I see. And I don't mean to be pushy, but come on; at least try to get back into the routine, and you'll find your motivation once you start writing again, give or take a week or so. And don't be like the users that say they're back and then disappear three days later. You can do a lot better than that.

Now, I want to know exactly who's here, what they're doing, and how active they think they are. I have knowledge of a few that are actually intent on pulling their weight on the wiki, so kudos to you. But we need more people if we want to prevent Halo Fanon from being overrun with low-quality writing. And with Halo 4 on fast approach, you probably know we'll be flooded with low-intellect gamers who don't know the first thing about respectable canon, so we don't have a lot of time. If you all could let me know your "status" on the wiki, even if you're only lurking, post in the comments section below. Even if you have something else to say, I can probably guess your level of activity anyway.

P.S. Sorry if this offends anyone, but I wanted to get this off my chest for a long time. I feel like it's an elephant in the room to everyone too, so I hope you agree with me and don't feel like I'm attacking you or something.