That is the question .
For hundreds of thousands of WGTers and potential Forum participants . The only answer would be NO .
The actual number of Forum participants is an extremely low number below 1% .
The highest explanation for that is the fear of the trolls . That started long before my arrival in 2012 . The fear that they would be instantly degraded , insulted and discredited .
That may or may not be true . In fact likely not . But the fear is/was there .
This has been stated in the Forums countless times . I have had multiplayer games where most of the players expressed exactly those sentiments . Messages on my wall encouraging me to continue standing up to them .
Anonymous consensus from my CC that none of them would ever participate in the main Forums . Some have though .
Numerous PM's . Not wanting their comments known publicly . Stating they just would never take the chance .
Of course there are other reasons . The many ownerless CC's filled with uninformed , unguided , clueless members with GR8 potential . May not even know the Forums exist .
Some regular players and veterans may not know the Forums exist .
There are some that just don't like Forums and have no need for them .
And a huge amount of foreigners with a big language barrier .
Nonetheless there are new posters . Not many . But they come .
I thought it might be a good idea to find a way to encourage more participation . I thought if I awarded their 1st post . Letting them know it was a good post . Welcoming them to the Forums . Making them a 1st poster trophy . Not only might it help them feel good about the post . They would also have a cool trophy . Probably the only one they would receive while at WGT .
By the responses I received . And no signs of trolling to those 1st posters . And repeat visits to the Forums from the recipients . I believe that my efforts have worked .
I may see a 1st poster that made their 1st post in their 6th , 8th , 10th year here . For whatever reasons . They would get a trophy too . But I may slip in a little remark like . " It only took you 10 years to respond here . But you did . " Meant to be harmless .
Overall I think my efforts have only helped . I do not look for them . If there is one on a page of a thread I am reading or responding to . They get a 1st poster trophy .
That has added up to a good many trophy's . Here they are .








All of these projects have been enjoyable to me . But I am done with lists and trophy's and pretty much everything else here .
Paul
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May the SUN always be with you
edit: let me just add that I know the trolling issue is only a side note . Most 1st posters would have no clue about that . A 1st poster does not have to be trolled to be ignored and made to feel unwelcome . My efforts were to welcome them respond to them and award their 1st effort . All to encourage future posting and participation in the Forums .