So it seems that the biggest draw me and my friends have had much more to do with the natural filter of having to manually switch to an alternative chat. That little thing has apparently done so much to keep the worst of the rude and offensive people away from our beloved rooms. Since this last push into using new, I've lost many friends that have decided that since this is the direction that this site is going, they no longer want to be a part of it. It really sucks, and I don't think there's anything that the owners/admins can do to fix it The culture between old and new chat is just too different. The features and stuff of new chat are fine, but it's the people that make it what it is. And the people are leaving
It's just people getting bored, getting older and finding new ways to entertain themselves, and some simply live on as their lives and relationships change. Most of them won't communicate their intent as it's nobody's business, but it'll give an impression that suits our perception of the community (which isn't always true). User base also rotates every few years, depending on generations of age and interests. In smaller rooms, you'll also have more drama and less selection to interact with, which can cause more friction as there often isn't enough dilution for the drama. New people will join, few regulars will return. The chat cycle will continue.
