IRC: Its like multiplayer Notepad!

[NEO|Phyte]

Welcome to the official thread for my unofficial GiantITP.com IRC channel. Those of you that are reading this and wondering what the hell I'm talking about, IRC is a text-based chatting client. It functions much like the chat feature in a standard MMO. Once you are connected to a server, you can join various channels and chat with the people in those channels.

This channel has existed for a while, and I've been working to get enough people into the channel that it actually becomes a place where you can meet your fellow forumers and discuss things in real-time. The most people we've had in the channel at any one time is 13, but there have been more unique visitors than that. The problem is that they show up, and then leave shortly thereafter because the place looks dead. If those people would stay, the channel may actually take off to the point where it isn't constantly at a point of near death.

Given certain tendencies that people on this board have, I have added a Diceroller bot to the channel, and in the event of people wanting to try playing a game through IRC, I am willing to add the bot to other channels to allow its use without spamming up the main channel. To use the bot, just say !dice [a]#[x]d[y]±[z]~[b], replacing the [x],[y], and [z]s with the appropriate numbers. The [a]# and ~[b] are optional, and allow you to make multiple seperate rolls. [a]# doing multiple identical rolls, and ~[b] doing rolls with multiple modifiers, such as a +20/+15/+10/+5 full attack.

<NEO|Phyte> !dice 4#1d20
<The_TPK> NEO|Phyte : Result of 4#1d20 : 2 5 12 15

<NEO|Phyte> !dice 1d20+20~15~10~5
<The_TPK> NEO|Phyte : Result of 1d20+20~15~10~5 : (3) 23 (16) 31 (7) 17 (2) 7

If you've used IRC before, aim your clients at #GiantITP on irc.gamesurge.net
For those of you that are interested, but don't have IRC, Mortarion has created a Web-based IRC client that you can try. Note that only 4 people can be using this client at any one time, as it uses a static hostmask, and Gamesurge doesn't allow more than 4 concurrent connections from a single hostmask

If you want to get a regular IRC client, here is a simple guide:

1. Download an IRC Client (mIRC is free inspite the apparent 30 day use.) (If you don't use Windows, there is a list of other IRC clients farther down in this post.)

2. In the mIRC Options set your nickname as your nickname, then go to the server tab and select GameSurge Random Server.

3. Connect, and type "/j #GiantITP"

Since this guide is rather vague, I have created a picture walkthrough of setting up mIRC to connect to the channel.

You just opened mIRC, and should see this screen.


Once you have set your credentials, its time to choose a server.


once thats done, you can hit connect, but that won't get you into the channel. Once you're connected to the server, you can type "/j #GiantITP" and you will be connected to the channel, but its quicker to set mIRC to automatically do so.


After thats done, you can hit Connect. Assuming nothing went wrong, you should end up with something like this:

I'm told that most clients work similarly to this.

Users of Mozilla browsers (such as Firefox) can use Chatzilla to connect to the IRC. Once you have it installed, all you need to do is open it from your Tools menu, configure as desired, then type "/server irc.gamesurge.net", and "/j #GiantITP" once it finishes connecting.

If you use Trillian, it has a built-in IRC client.
For non-windows users, there is X-Chat, which has builds for a handful of Lunix distros. (I know Redhat/Fedora comes with it normally.)
There is also Conversation for the Mac users on the boards.
If none of these work for you, I can dig up other IRC clients for you..

[Deleran]

IRC: Multiplayer notepad. Join #giantITP and take part in excellent conversations such as these ones:

[00:07] &lt;Deleran&gt; man
[00:07] &lt;Deleran&gt; this place
[00:07] &lt;Deleran&gt; is empty

[03:40] &lt;Felinoid&gt; Boy, you weren't kidding about this place being dead, were you?

[06:15] &lt;@NEO&#124;Phyte`&gt; ack, other people talking oO
[06:16] &lt;@NEO&#124;Phyte`&gt; &lt;_&lt;
[06:16] &lt;Felinoid&gt; Talking? What's that?
[06:20] &lt;@NEO&#124;Phyte`&gt; I'm not entirely sure, actually

So come on in and join the gang (which consists primarily of 3 people and a bot atm). Things will pick up, I swear. :P

[IonizedChicken]

Ooo! IRC! Shiny!

*goes to join*

[Gralamin]

*sets up mirc* hope to see ya guys soon

[Deleran]

Join now, while Neo is still generously handing out voices.

[The_Stoney_One]

I got it working!

woooo!

[NEO|Phyte]

I got it working!

woooo!

and you managed to join while everyone was asleep. It's still mostly empty in there, but at least I'm awake now.

[Deleran]

and you managed to join while everyone was asleep. It's still mostly empty in there, but at least I'm awake now.

Yeah man, what were you thinkin' comin in at 7:30 AM?

[NEO|Phyte]

So, for a while it was looking good, with a nice consistant amount of people who would actually talk and stuff. Then people stopped coming back D: .

TSO still hasn't managed to join when people were awake, but we did have a friendly visit from Vorpal Tribble.

Currently its just me and Deleran in the channel, and thats all it has been, aside from the occasional other person coming in, sometimes commenting on the emptiness, then leaving.

If you people don't STAY in the channel, it will never take off.

[Gralamin]

I've just had other Heroes of Might and Magic V related things to do.

[Thes Hunter]

The first time I used IRC I was stalked. Back then IT security wasn't as tight as it is now, and I remember something about me popping up on IRC with my ip displayed.

At that time, the IP (or whatever popped up) would tell you the computer lab and the computer station I was sitting at. And since there was this guy hounding me asking for a date (because he saw I came up on a the same schools network) I decided I didn't wish to stick around long enough for this guy to try to do so in person.

Since that time, though I am sure it is safer, I have always had a bad taste in my mouth for IRC. :P

[KaroLunel]

I seems...interesting...

[Samiam303]

Hey. I just joined. Not much happening...

[Vaynor]

I have a Mac and the X-Chat one doesn't work...

[NEO|Phyte]

@samiam
Until we get a larger user base, its gonna be boring in there. I'm working on it ;)

I have a Mac and the X-Chat one doesn't work...

Hang on, I know of a good Mac client, I just need to quick dig up the link. Watch for an edit.
:edit: Conversation. Adding a link to the first post as well.

Also, not sure If I remembered to set my IRC to indicate as such, but I'm at class ATM, and thus not in front of my IRC client, so don't waste too much effort trying to talk to me.

[Ego Slayer]

Can someone explain exactly how I'm supposed to make this thing work? It seems so damn confusing I dunno where to even start..

[NEO|Phyte]

Can someone explain exactly how I'm supposed to make this thing work? It seems so damn confusing I dunno where to even start..

Ok, I am gonna assume you are talking about mIRC. I haven't used it before, so I downloaded it and made a quick picture tutorial that should get you in there.

You just opened mIRC, and should see this screen.


Once you have set your credentials, its time to choose a server.


once thats done, you can hit connect, but that won't get you into the channel. once its connected to the server, you can type &quot;/j #GiantITP&quot; and you will be connected into the channel, but its quicker to set mIRC to automatically do so.

[Vaynor]

Ok, getting it set up, I chose channel, and typed in #GiantITP, and no ones here.... I'm confused...

[Gralamin]

try #giantitp
I'm not sure if capitals effect it but just try.

[Vaynor]

try #giantitp
I'm not sure if capitals effect it but just try.

Still not working.

[Vaynor]

okay are you in the gamesurge network?

I'm using Conversations...

[Gralamin]

rigth your a mac user, Let me downlaod conversstations and see if I can figure it out with that.

edit: can't work with pcs, I'll see if I can figure it out with their site.

[Vaynor]

rigth your a mac user, Let me downlaod conversstations and see if I can figure it out with that.

edit: can't work with pcs, I'll see if I can figure it out with their site.

Ok, thanks!

[Gralamin]

okay lets see if this will work:
Press the + button, and type in the following address:
irc.gamesurge.net, then from there try typing in /j #giantitp (or whatever its join command is)

[Vaynor]

Ok! Trying it now...

EDIT: It worked! Woooo!

[Ego Slayer]

I've got it! Yay!

[Vaynor]

I've got it! Yay!

If you've got it get on, it's empty here...

[Ego Slayer]

Weird.. its empty here too.. I did everything right..

[Vaynor]

Weird.. its empty here too.. I did everything right..

It's &quot;/join #giantitp&quot;, maybe you got the wrong address...

[NEO|Phyte]

With the recent surge of activity the channel has recently recieved, I figured it was as good a time as any to bring this thread back up from whataver page it had fallen to.

This also resets the threadcromancy timer, which is handy, as I don't want to have to recompile all of this stuff into a new thread.