This might be extremely stupid or idiotic or immature to ask. Why do some threads get many replies but some only get one or two people's answers?

Because

1) some topics don't interest people as much as others (and if it doesn't sound interesting, fewer people will read the topic.... the fewer readers the fewer will potentially post on it)

2) some topics are just kinda hard to answer

3) some topics more people are versed in than others. Ask a simple beginners programming question and you will find plenty of talented programers on this forum that can help you. Ask an obscure question about a weird bug in an old version of a almost unused game engine, and you will struggle to find anyone who has even used that version, save come across the bug and additionally found a solution for it!

4) some topics are already anwered... like.... a billion times. Usually a friendly reminder of a moderator to read the forums FAQ is left as only answer after that most people guess the poster should be good for now (as the question most probably is answered in the first sentence of the FAQ)

5) some topics are inappropriate or trollish, these usually get closed with a single moderators notice as only answer (moderators are quick around here)

+1 ^^^ this

http://blog.codinghorror.com/dont-ask-us-questions-well-just-ignore-you/

There are only so many times I can answer the "I'm new to programming and I want to make [insert hot new game here]. What do I do?" But the fact that you're asking means you already know that some questions won't get answered.

If you have really tried to solve the problem, and shown it, you will get help (unless you've asked a really hard question and the four people on the internet that actually know the answer don't see it!)

Here's another good resource: http://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-ask

Your question just has +1 answer than before. Hope you win. :P

Moving to the lounge.

It is also a good idea to avoid generic titles on the threads, (a thread with a title like "a question" is far less likely to be read than a thread with a more descriptive title)

Most of it comes down to this XKCD comic:

The simplest way to generate a lengthy thread on these forums is to have either the OP or one of the first 2-3 replies include blatantly incorrect information, at which point the community will all dog-pile on repeating various somewhat-less-incorrect responses, which degenerates into a flame war, and then a mod comes along and closes the thread.

The simplest way to generate a lengthy thread on these forums is to have either the OP or one of the first 2-3 replies include blatantly incorrect information, at which point the community will all dog-pile on repeating various somewhat-less-incorrect responses, which degenerates into a flame war, and then a mod comes along and closes the thread.

Ah, the good old Cunningham's Law.

Ah, the good old Cunningham's Law.

I may have to do an experiment.