@tangent
The word "dying" is probably not the word I should have used, but what I meant to describe was "dying interest" in that kind of game.
The Super Games I've been on have largely been consent-based and/or trait-based. I have tried -- I could have tried harder -- to break into the community. But to be fair? I don't know much about modern comics save for what I can peel off the internet. I feel as if this puts me behind the 8-ball on these games.
That aside, it seems clear to me anecdotally that having the same people is a bad thing. No matter how many good players a game has, the bad ones will drive off newer or established players unless staff steps in. And staff, in my limited third-party experience, seems awfully reluctant to do that, perhaps because it's the same community over and over.
So, suppose for a moment that Mr. Johnson, or anyone, is looking to build a new community of players. If you want to do that, I would suggest creating a new model or paradigm. Maybe try out some other games out there that have lasted a while and see what works on them. See whether that could work for your comic game.
I have rarely regretted stepping out of my usual World of Darkness box. The limited time I have played on super MUSHes tell me that there are a lot of good players on them who may be willing to slip into a new model or paradigm for the opportunity to play a superhero.
