WyvernChat is an unfiltered, free, feature-rich online AI roleplay platform designed for both new and experienced users. The platform offers plenty of “power user” features while also managing to keep the experience simple enough to not drive away new or inexperienced users.
The platform is also continuously improved, based on Nev, the developer’s vision, and user feedback. New features that enhance roleplay experience, UI changes that improve user experience, and decisions that give users the maximum freedom and control over their experience.
Nev never stops innovating and improving the platform he is so proud to have created. During RPWithAI’s conversation with Nev (and Micalas), we discussed the challenges he faces in developing and maintaining WyvernChat. We also spoke about the platform’s growing community and efforts behind attracting new users.
WyvernChat: A Growing Platform
We’ve stated before that WyvernChat “has yet to spread its wings and soar.” The platform has been around since 2023, has continuously improved, and has been a consistent presence in the AI roleplay scene. It’s a powerful, free platform that empowers creators, offers users maximum control over their experience, and keeps innovating.
AI roleplay is a growing market, with new users trickling in every day. WyvernChat is an established, reliable platform in a scene that witnesses shady platforms come and go on a daily basis. Social media platforms like Reddit are a great source for acquiring new users, but they are infested with shady platforms engaging in astroturfing, predatory apps pushing their pricey subscriptions, and undisclosed advertising by “review” sites that recommend platforms purely based on affiliate payouts.
Platforms that try to do things the right way, like WyvernChat, often get overlooked because they aren’t using buzzwords, spamming, and engaging in unethical advertising or promising the world to lure users onto their platform.
WyvernChat’s Approach To Building Community
Micalas, WyvernChat’s community manager, chimed in on how the platform tackles the challenge of acquiring new users and building their community. AI roleplay platforms depend on user-generated content (characters, prompts, lorebooks, etc.) to thrive. A platform with a healthy creator base increases the chances of acquiring new users and retaining them.
Once someone finds a platform and is happy with its offering of user-generated content, they tend to stick with it. This, in turn, attracts more creators to that platform, as they can reach a wider audience by publishing their work there.
The biggest, in my opinion, is community inertia and lock-in. There are a couple big players that have been around forever, and while there is overlap in users between them and a number of smaller sites, a lot of people seem to have a ‘home.’
Micalas, WyvernChat’s Community Manager, in a conversation with RPWithAI.
Once users and creators get comfortable on a platform, they indeed do consider it their ‘home’ or ‘main.’ While they may try out other sites, like sampling different flavors of ice cream, they always return to their favorite, because it has an ecosystem they have come to love and enjoy.
Roleplay sites live and die on user-created content, and when you have the history and back catalog that some sites do, it can turn into a bit of a closed loop. It’s not an insurmountable challenge, like I said, a lot of people use more than one site simultaneously. It then becomes a matter of moving the needle for users and having them call you their new ‘home.’
Micalas, WyvernChat’s Community Manager, in a conversation with RPWithAI.
Several platforms create a dependency for both creators and users by preventing them from exporting their data and forcing them to interact with characters exclusively on the platforms’ site or app.
This becomes especially problematic when a platform implements sweeping policy changes or makes decisions that don’t favor creators or users. Creators can lose all their content due to sudden moderation decisions, can’t easily transfer their content elsewhere when wronged, and users are left scrambling at the last minute to save chats and characters they cherish.
Communication And Trust
WyvernChat understands the importance of communication. Micalas, as WyvernChat’s community manager, maintains constant communication with the community through onsite announcements and Discord. Nev also posts quick, brief dev notes, always providing the community with change logs and information to refer to, even for the smallest updates.
The biggest thing for community is communication that fosters trust. If your rules are well-stated, clear, and kept as non-arbitrary as possible; if missteps are owned by the people at the top; and if changes are explained and justified prior to rollout, you have a recipe for success. If you have the trust of your community as a platform, missteps are more likely to be forgiven. If you have the trust of your community, they’re more likely to talk about you in external spaces. Community is the people, but the culture of that community is deeply affected from the top down.
Micalas, WyvernChat’s Community Manager, in a conversation with RPWithAI.
WyvernChat plans to foster a community through clear communication and trust. No sudden policy changes, no updates without informing users of what changed, and ongoing involvement from the top down to ensure the cogs roll smoothly.
This approach may be slower at acquiring new users, but it’s worth it because over time, users stick around and begin considering WyvernChat their new ‘home’ or ‘main.’ The community-building approach coupled with WyvernChat’s feature-rich frontend is a recipe for success.
WyvernChat’s approach isn’t just empty words either. It’s something the team has adopted and used for years. It’s like a breath of fresh air when users switch from other platforms.
Developing A Growing Platform
Nev, as a solo developer and perfectionist, has a lot on his hands. It isn’t easy developing a growing platform. There’s often feedback to address. Users who may be unhappy with certain decisions, feature requests, and more. But everything is handled gracefully through constant communication.
The team’s communication remains consistent across WyvernChat’s social presence. Whether it’s feedback, feature requests, or even unwarranted rants, their responses are always understanding and well-thought-out.
Constantly dealing with public opinion isn’t easy, but Nev handles it gracefully and prioritizes resolving the pain points users raise through feedback. Decisions are made based on what is the most logical choice and what ultimately benefits the community.
Clear communication helps here, as users understand why certain changes are made or why the developer implemented/removed specific features. A healthy back-and-forth builds trust and helps retain users, especially those who have witnessed other platforms make changes without communication and were left to deal with them without any guidance or information.
WyvernChat: A Continuously Improving And Growing Platform
In a growing space where platforms come and go every day, and major players drive users away due to mismanagement and poor communication, WyvernChat adopts a simple approach. Communication and trust are key to growing and building a community.
While WyvernChat’s approach is slower, it builds an organic, stronger, lasting community. They don’t use underhanded tactics to acquire new users. They let their feature-rich frontend and community-building strategy speak for themselves.
Developing a growing platform is also challenging, but once again, WyvernChat’s approach helps smooth things out. Decisions are made based on what is logical and to resolve pain points brought up by users. All feedback is handled gracefully. Changes are explained, and users aren’t left in the dark when a feature is added or taken away.
