Survival Guide - Dust Settles: IRC Chat

Table of Contents:

Purpose:

The chat system used for SGDS is a channel on SlashNet's IRC servers (IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat). We chose this route for several reasons, ranging from attempting to get a quick chat system out for players to use when we were on an old server with hefty restrictions to the ability to have a place for people to communicate that exists outside of our game and servers. You can access the Java applet we have both while logged into the game or not. You also have the option to download one of the various IRC programs available on the web and use that to connect to the channel as well. Either way, you will usually find a few other players around (even between rounds) and, when possible, at least one of the admins. Players may range from old hands who have played several rounds, players who played in rounds past and are just visiting, and new players looking to chat with others. While in the channel you are welcome to discuss whatever you may like, ranging from game-related strategies to what you had for breakfast. Remember, though, spamming, posting confidential camp information about other camps, rude/abusive comments, posting exploits, and the like will not be tolerated. There are people on the channel who have the right to kick you off the channel, and even ban you in extreme cases. Such abuses can also get you banned from the game in certain cases. Be respectful and use common courtesy when posting and you shouldn't have any issues. Do remember, though, most of the people who play the game are at least 16 years old, with the majority generally older, so chatter in the channel may not always be rated G.

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Using the In-Game System:

To access the provided IRC applet that we offer, you have two options. First, while in the game, click the "Camp Leader's Lounge" button on the lower left side of the screen under your infrastructure table. This will open the lounge and show you two options. To open the chat applet, click the checkbox beside "IRC Chat" and click "Update Lounge Display." This will open the applet below the options in the center secion of your game screen. You will need Java installed for this applet to work. The second way that you can open the applet is by clicking the link "Game IRC Channel" on the left side of the main page of the game (where you initially log in). Depending on which method you use to open the channel, you will see a chat screen similar to the one below. If you use the link inside the game then you will be logged in with SGTG_your_camp_name as your nickname. If you use the applet from the login page, you will be logged in as SGTG_Guest_numbers. One quick thing to note, this is one of the very few things in the game that was not created by Robert and Richard. Because of this, the applet may at times be unavailable or broken. Unfortunately, there is little we can do to fix this. If you ever find the in-game applet not working, you may want to consider using one of the other browser-based or downloadable applets listed below.

Once you've opened the chat, you can start joining in on the conversation. Just type in what you want to say in the white area below the main chat and hit enter to send. You can join multiple channels if you know other IRC channels that you want to talk on. Other public channels will be displayed beside the "public" arrow, and any private channels or chats that you are participating in will be displayed beside the "private" arrow. You can chat while playing the game without much difficulty, just remember to open the chat in a separate window from where you are setting up and using turns. If you click to a different page, the chat will close and you will be disconnected.

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Useful Commands:

While using the IRC there are a few commands that are useful to know. First, you can change the name you are displayed with by typing /nick Name and replacing "Name" with the new name you want to use. If the name you tried is registered to someone else, you will be prompted to enter in a password to verify you are the proper user. You will then either need to change to a new nickname or verify yourself if you registered that name before. If you like the nickname you have and want to register it so you are the only one who can use it, type /NickServ REGISTER password email, replacing the last two parts with a password of your choice and a valid e-mail address. For your password, case matters, so FIDO is a different password than fido. You will be sent a e-mail to the address you included and you will need to follow the instructions there to verify your account, but once you've completed this, you'll be all set.

Another nifty command is the /me command. This is used to show an action in text, such as "SGTG_Valhalla[Val] hands you a cookie." To use this command just type /me and then whatever text you want. Generally the text will show up as a different color from the standard chat text to signify it's difference, though each chat program may display things differently.

Depending on the IRC program that you are using, you may need to join (or re-join) the SG channel. To do this, just type /join #Survival-Guide. This will reconnect you with the appropriate channel as long as you are still connected to SlashNet's servers.

In many programs (including the in-game applet) you can open a private chat with a person by double-clicking on their name in the list on the side (for the in-game applet displayed on the right). If this option doesn't work, and there is no option by right-clicking the person's nick, then type /query Nick. This should open a separate, private chat window. Type in a message, and the person should receive a notification of the private message. Some programs may not be fully featured enough to handle this.

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Other IRC Programs:

If you don't have Java and don't want to bother installing it, or you want to use a different method of connecting to the game's IRC channel, you have several options for browser-based and downloadable alternatives. Because you may have to set up certain connections after download, our channel can be found on SlashNet.org's servers and is #Survival-Guide. The channel has no password, and generally, you will only alter Port entries if prompted. Many of your questions regarding setup are usually answered on the appropriate pages for the app you use. If none of these options are to your liking, a Google search for IRC clients can give you more options. These are just some common clients used and suggested by admins and players.

Downloadable Apps:

• mIRC (here) - Downloadable chat applet for Windows, free to try for 30 days, $20 for a single user registration after, PayPal is accepted
• Trillian (here) - Downloadable chat applet for Windows (Mac OSX app in Beta), basic version completely free to use (basic is enough to connect to IRC)
• X-Chat (here) - Downloadable chat applet for Windows and Linux, Windows version is free for 30 days and $20 to register after, Linux version is completely free
• irssi (here) - Downloadable terminal client for Linux, Windows version available, appears to be completely free to use
• Colloquy (here) - Downloadable client for Mac OSX (Leopard and Tiger), completely free to use.
• Ircle (here) - Downloadable client for Mac OSX, 30 day trial, 19 euros (~$23) to register
• For other Mac clients go here

• Chatzilla (here) - Firefox add-on chat applet, free to use
• Web-IRC (here) - Very simple in-browser IRC client, free to use and can bypass most firewalls, some functions may not work through this system
• mibbit (here) - Slightly more complicated in-browser IRC client, free to use