How do I access the chat with a chat client?

First, obviously, you will need a chat client. We strongly recommend you use mIRC, it is the easiest to use and is likely the best fit for your needs. Follow the link to download the latest version. There are, however, a number of other clients you can use which offer alternatives to mIRC (such as in the scripting language). A few of these clients are pIRCh and XiRCON. This tutorial, however, will only cover mIRC, and frankly you probably don't really need those others wihle you're first starting out.

So you've installed mIRC. Now what? You open up the program and this is what you see (click the link to see the picture). First fill in the four fields below: Full Name, Email Address, Nickname, and Alternative Nickname. You don't have to actually use your real name if you don't want to. You don't even have to use your real email address. If you're afraid of us weird, creepy RPGC folk, just make it up. No one will be the wiser. Your nickname is the name that will appear in the chat room and is what most people will call you by, so choose it wisely (but be aware that commonly used nicknames such as "cloud" or "squall" will most definitely already be registered, so be creative. Here is a creative example:

Invisible mode is never a bad idea. It makes it harder for creepy people like me to find you. But not impossible. *evil glare*

So now you've got all the info filled in. Time to get to the RPGClassics' chat room! I'll show you the easy way for now. There are two ways you can do it. The first is through the mIRC options. Next to the Dropdown menu there is an Add button. Press it and a dialog like

will pop up. Fill in the IRC Server box with studio64.yi.org. Fill in the description with whatever you want. Now, hit the OK button, then hit Connect to IRC server.

The other way is somewhat simpler. Once you open mIRC, cancel out of the options box, and type in /server studio64.yi.org.

Either way, you'll now see a screen like this. There's a lot of confusing text here. Don't worry about any of it. Just type the following:

Press enter and you'll be in that chat room! It will look something like this. Say hi, and be respectful to others, and in no time you'll have gained the respect and admiration of your peers. Well, maybe not, but at least people won't hate you.

How do I write an mIRC script?

You've probably just asked a much harder question than you think. mIRC scripts can do all sorts of useful things, but they can do lots of annoying things too. Before you write a script, first use common sense. Then check the scripting rules to make sure your common sense is the same as ours. Then, after you've done all that, go here. Scripting is far too long and complicated for me to explain here, but the mIRC FAQ does a pretty good job of explaining it. If you're still having troubles, you can feel free to message me (xzeppelin) in chat and I can help you if I have time, or just ask politely in the channel if anybody is welling to help you write a script.

General FAQ

What does this mean?

-NickServ- This nickname is owned by someone else. Please choose another.
-
-NickServ- If this is your nickname, please use /NickServ IDENTIFY password

This means that your nickname is owned by somebody else and you have to choose a different nickname. Otherwise you could be booted from the server. If you think you've already registered that nick though, type /ns identify whateveryourpasswordwas

How do I change my name?

Type the following in any window:

/nick ZeppelinRules

Of course, replace ZeppelinRules with whatever nickname you want (bonus points if your nick talks about how much I rule).

So how can I get a nickname of my own?

Simple. Once you've found a nickname that isn't owned by somebody else (by doing /nick thenameyouchose), type the following in the status window:

/msg nickserv register (password) (email)

Replace (password) with the password you want to protect your nickname with (make sure to remember it!), and replace (e-mail) with, well, if I have to tell you you're hopeless. Now, every time you log on to the webchat server, just type the following line:

/msg nickserv identify (password)

What are all those crazy symbols next to people's names?

There are three different symbols you might see in #rpgclassics at any given time:
@: This is a channel operator. Channel operators have the power to boot your sorry butt out if you cause trouble.
%: This is an halfop user. Halfops are the middle-ground between voice and op, depending on the access levels. Right now only the server administators has this status.
+: This is a voice. This denotes a staff member who is not a channel operators. Voices have the ability to talk in a moderated room.

How do I perform an action?

There are two options for doing this:

/me punches zeppelin in the groin area
/action falls over screaming in a very high pitched voice

Either command will perform the same thing.

How come I cannot connect to the chat server?

There are a few possible answers to this question. First, make sure you are connecting to the right server. The current list of DorksNet servers is:

eryxma.dorksnet.org Port:6667
EdTheServer.yi.org Port:6667

For a complete and up-to-date list, visit http://www.dorksnet.com

Second, it is possible that one of the above servers are down. In that case, try all of the different servers before asking for help.

Third, while it is extremely unlikely, your domain might be banned from the server due to the irresponsible actions of another individual using your same domain. If you've exhausted all other options before this, contact one of the server administrators using the above DorksNet link.

Fourth, if you are a university student, check to make sure your university has not banned access to IRC. Some universities have implemented this policy in an attempt to curb piracy across their networks.

How come I cannot join the room?

There is probably only one explanation for this. If you are getting this message:

#rpgclassics unable to join channel (address is banned)

It means that you screwed up, broke one of the rules, and you will not be allowed to enter the chatroom for a specific period of time, normally indicated to you like this:

You were kicked from #rpgclassics by EvilOperator (Banned for 24 hours)

Your only option is to wait for the ban to be up, re-join the channel, carefully read the Chat Rules Page and don't screw up again.

But (InsertOtherEvilRuleBreaker) started it!

Talk to me once you get out of elementary school. Maybe we can strike a deal.

But I KNOW that I didn't get banned!

There is a very slight possibility that another person using an account with a similar domain as yours was banned, thereby accidentally banning you also. If you honestly believe this is what happened to you, bring it up to one of the operators or in the chat room forum (link below).

What if I want to register my own room?

Choose a room of your own liking, say #nogirlsallowed, or something like that. Join the room, and make sure you're the only one in the room. Then type the following:

/msg chanserv register #nogirlsallowed (password) (description of room)

Of course, do not include the parantheses. The channel description can be multiple words. And voila, the room is now owned by you, so no one else can take it over! But don't go crazy advertising your room. Nobody will join if you do so.

How can I write in colors?

Before I tell you how, you must first understand the consequences of typing in color. Typing in color can piss a lot of people off, especially if you use bright colors such as yellow. Only use colors when absolutely necessary, and try to use only dark colors.

Now, to answers your question. If you are using an IRC program such as mIRC, hit the color hotkey button (ctrl-k in most cases). This will bring up a color menu consisting of 16 colors (numbered 0-15). Choose the number corresponding to the color you want to use. Then hit enter. Your text will appear in color. If you would like a background color also, hit (ctrl-k) again, first choose your text color, then your background color. The input will look like (ctrl-k)4,7 (text color separated from BG color by a comma). And that's it.

Update: #rpgclassics now filters colors out, so if you type something in color, everybody else will still see it in their default color (usually black and white). So don't waste your time.

Questions? Comments? Email zeppelin. Or post on our Chat Room Help Forum.