New (User Made) Quick-Start Guide

[Janine Dee]

Last night I met a newbie, and I took her under my wing to help her understand the *ahem* ins and outs of AChat. I soon realized however that I had said it all before to other newbies, and it was a lot of typing. So I realized I could start a thread here. Maybe the development team could use it for a new Quick-Start, and even if they don't when we find newbies we could direct them here.

#1. The only thing you should ever do to another person without giving them some sort of indication is “Select to Chat”.
While you aren't promised a response I've yet to hear of anyone getting angry over a hello. Many however will get angry if you try to invite them into rooms without asking, AND getting their permission first.

#2. Take a few seconds to fill out your profile, and to read theirs.
Straight guys are going to be wasting their time with homo women, and vice versa. Many times a few seconds worth of reading will let you know if you have odds of getting laid, or just getting ignored.

Profiles will also help you know what you might want to do to get them to talk to you, and what might lead them to put you on their ignore list.

#3. You aren't OWED anything.
No one is obligated to go with you to a room (except RobotBoy and RobotGirl.) No one is even obligated to talk to you. If you act like they are chances are your going to have them demonstrate how they are not by ignoring you. It is up to you to convince them to WANT to talk or room with you.

I'll add more as I think of them, and I hope everyone else does too.

[angel81]

Very good idea Janine to post this thread. Sadly not enough people read the quick start guide. Hopefully guiding them to this thread will help. BUT i see 1 small issue with it. A major part of people not understanding and/or reading such info like forums or even profiles in game is the “language barrier”  Unless these notes and profiles were readable in the 10 basic world languages there will always be some people slipping threw the gaps. But a better education to new people is needed. I have helped at times people that have had questions. Im glad i can send them to a post they can read to save me guiding them.

[Janine Dee]

The language barrier is obviously as issue, but one I have no idea how to circumvent, but that does give another idea.

#4. Keep in mind the language barrier.
If you are a native speaker of English that doesn't mean they are, and if you aren't a native English speaker you aren't obligated to be. Hopefully you can work out some means of communication, but if not that's nobodies fault.

[Lover]

Very good idea, Janine!
The only thing, this topic would be better in support – titled just “Quick-start guide”

In some weeks this topic will be on page 2,3 or 4… And no newbie will find. Maybe Tom or Rab can change this?
To the language problem – maybe we find some people for the main languages? As an example, I could write this in German. We have good French people here, English and I also think Russian. So, if the A-Team accept, everyone who wanna help us can write here?

Lover

[Janine Dee]

That's a good point Lover. Can we move it or does the development team have to?

As far as languages… I would love to see everything we come up with translated. There could be a multitude of threads. “Quick Start (English)” “Quick Started (German)” “Quick Start (French)”

This way we can take an active hand in making a better AChat.

[Lover]

Hi Janine,
I think we have 2 possibilities. The A-Team can move (we can't) or we start this topic new in the support-area. Maybe this is the better way, we can start completely new, without our answers. Similar to the roleplay-topic. One explaination and then the pure guide?

[angel81]

Thats a great idea Janine…  Maybe if there are some people that are common languages that could assist someone in translating the guide into a few basic languages and have them posted in a certain area as you speak of we can reach more people here… NOW the hard part is to get these people to use and read forums. Seems to be a small handful of the same people accessing here. Would be nice to see more people accessing forums.

[Janine Dee]

Well Angel sweetie the idea would be that we could direct them to it, have them read it, and then go from there.

For Lover, I would say that we could keep this here while we hammer out all the ideas, find translators, etc and THEN post the finished version (s).

[Lover]

To all:
Lets find a way to get help from people in other languages; maybe a question in our description?

To lead newbies to this topic: Is it possible to make a tip for the first 5 logins? A sentence like “Please fisit this forum/link first”
Hello A-Team, is this possible? Please answer

Yes, Janine, lets collect first and then write “clean”.

Lover

[Janine Dee]

At this point I'm working from the idea that when someone tells us they are new we as veteran users can simply say “Have you read the User Made Quick Start yet?” Maybe explain what it is, but basically point them here so they can know how not to make an ass of themselves.

If the development team wants to put it to greater use that would be wonderful, but my plan was to go ahead with it on our end, and let them decide what part they may wish to play later.

[Lover]

Hi Janine,

to your first point: I would say it “stronger”:
“Don't do cold invites! This means do not invite people to room before talking to them. Most user don't like this and will not react. And a lot user will put you onto their ignore list.” Then followed by your testify.

#5. You don't have any idea? Just take a look around and read other avatars. And you may ask other people; most are friendly and will help you.

[Janine Dee]

I agree with #5 entirely.

On toughening up #1's language, they probably wouldn't know the term cold invite… but we could use something like after “AND getting their permission first.”

“Otherwise it's called a “Cold Invite” and is considered VERY rude. At best they won't react, but many will put you on their ignore list.”

We'll definitely want to clean up #1 for the final draft.

#6. If at first you don't succeed reconsider trying.
While this doesn't mean give up, if a person declines an invite you should talk to them first before firing off a second (or third, or fourth) invite. Now this doesn't mean they don't want to talk to you. It could simply mean that they are either busy, or even away from the computer, and all you are doing is giving them reason to not want to talk to/room with you.

Be patient, give them time to reply, it increases your odds of actually getting a response.

[Lover]

Yes, I thought about the term “cold invite”. I hoped, my statement would explain it. Of course, we will check everything before finish it.

#6 we have to talk about. If you read “don't give up if a person declines” and “talk to… BEFORE firing off a second…” they can understand the first cold invite is ok. Sure, point 1 says “Don't do” but they read this some minutes ago… (This doesn't mean they are silly; but most simply forget)

Maybe change to “If you don't get an answer after starting to talk (or… after chatting) wait a little. Now this doesn't mean they don't want to talk to you. It could simply mean that they are either busy, or even away from the computer, and all you are doing is giving them reason to not want to talk to/room with you.
Be patient, give them time to reply, it increases your odds of actually getting a response.”

#7. Be yourself. The best way to have real fun is to be as natural as possible. Of course this might be a way to check fantasies you never would do in real the best way to find nice people is ebing natural.

[Janine Dee]

You are right Lover. This is a quick start guide and it's better to assuming nothing, repeat as much as needed (like no cold invites what so ever) then assume they would remember.

[Sandra92]

hi my friends … Its really a good idea

as an addition to no. 7 …. treat people as you want to be treated … dont harm people … you will both enjoy.

[Author]

Posts