11 replies to this topic

[dart]

I was thinking it would be alot easier to have conversations about nerf and such in a nerf chatroom for our site. It would in theory only allow NH members. We could keep our regular name and passwords so it wouldn't be a hassle. And we could be banned from the chatroom for the regular reasons. The CoC is the same but with modified rules for the chatroom but in general is the same. Also we could have different chat settings such as group or everyone.

Please post feedback and other ideas

[badger]

It isn't going to happen. For one thing, it wil be a hassle as you will need an admin to be logged into chat more often to monitor it. They have lives and can't devote the time for something like that. Secondly, I don't think the Invision Power Board has that kind of support. To be honest, I have no clue about this one, but I have never seen it before, so I have a feeling it won't work. Finally, it has been tried before, though on NHQ, and it didn't last long.

Just send someone a PM and trade AIM screen names, or post your AIM ID in your NH profile and if someone wants to chat with you, they can get in touch with you that way.

[MithMorchaint]

I know this is a few days old, but I have something to add.

When I read this, my first thought was IRC. It's free, relatively easy to use, and you can create your own channel pretty easily.

I did a search to see if this had been done. As it turns out, it has been tried two or three times in the past, as recently as March of this year. It seems like it dies a slow death each time because of lack of interest.

However, I am willing to set up a channel when I get home and monitor it. I can create a channel on Gamesurge for free, and register it for administrative tools and whatever else (which is also free) if it turns out people start going.

So. Here is the deal. I get home at about 6PM Eastern time (US) which I believe is GMT -5. I will set up the channel at that time, and I will be in it all night from 6PM to midnight. I cannot promise to always be available to talk (I know I have to go out for about an hour), but I will be logged in there for those 6 hours. I will try to do this both tonight and tomorrow night (tomorrow night will be the same deal as tonight). If people do not show up and talk either night, I will assume it is because nobody is interested, and this topic will be answered.

So, the information.

Tonight (June 30) and tomorrow night (July 1), around 6PM - midnight, Eastern Time
Server: irc.gamesurge.net
Channel: NerfHaven

My handle is usually Mich, though it might be MithMorchaint or Rabeckar if Mich is in use when I log in.


So, let's see if people show up.



Edit: Aha! Because of Daylight Savings, Eastern Standard Time is currently GMT -4.

Edited by MithMorchaint, 30 June 2008 - 10:12 AM.

[dart]

OK lets give it a shot ill be there as soon as i figure the time difference.

i cant get on the site can you post a link?

Edited by dart, 30 June 2008 - 11:44 AM.

[MithMorchaint]

It isn't a website. I thought people would be familiar with IRC.

You need to either download an IRC client (I use Alienhead, Google it) or use the java app to connect to it.

If you download and install Alienhead, this is how to connect to the channel:

Open Alienhead.
Type /s irc.gamesurge.net
Hit enter.
Wait for the text to stop scrolling.
Type /j NerfHaven
Done.

Alienhead plays sounds when you connect to a server, so I suggest muting your speakers until you're in the channel.

The Java App should work by going to http://www.gamesurge.../chat/NerfHaven

That won't have anything in it until later on.

Edit: Here is a list of IRC clients. http://en.wikipedia...._of_IRC_clients
I've only ever used Alienhead (which isn't even on that list, somehow) so I can't support any of those, but they should all be basically the same.

Edited by MithMorchaint, 30 June 2008 - 12:07 PM.

[One Man Clan]

Listen, this has been done before. It's very often suggested by people who haven't been here very long. The reality is, it will not work for long if at all. Vets will get tired of the same questions, and most conversations can be handled on the boards or in person at wars (if you actually GO to them). Let's just drop this topic. If someone wants to host an IRC, be my guest, but good luck getting anyone in the room for more than 10 seconds.

[MithMorchaint]

Let me start by saying, I don't really expect that this will catch on either. It would be awesome if it did, but I don't think it will. However, in just about every mod-concept thread, the general response is "well, try it and see if it works". Somebody posted an idea, and we're trying it. It doesn't cost me anything to set up the server, and if nobody shows up then nobody shows up. Nothing gained, but nothing lost.

The reality is, it will not work for long if at all. Vets will get tired of the same questions, and most conversations can be handled on the boards or in person at wars (if you actually GO to them).

While people can certainly ask questions in the chat room, I think it is really more just a place for people to hang out and... chat. The members don't really socialize except at wars, so this would give them a place outside of the Haven to just chat. Do I think it's going to catch on? Probably not. Is it worth a try? Sure. Like I said, doesn't cost me anything.

Let's just drop this topic. If someone wants to host an IRC, be my guest, but good luck getting anyone in the room for more than 10 seconds.

Well, that's what this is testing. If anybody wants to just hang out and chat. If nobody does, then we don't do it again. As I keep saying, it doesn't cost me anything to set up the room. Since I frequent other rooms on Gamesurge.net, I'm on there anyway.


I think the big difference between this attempt and previous attempts is that this room will be accesible via a Java web app (which I'll make sure works once I get home). All of the other times the downloaded client has been necessary, but this one will hopefully be available just by clicking a link.

In any case, we will see. It's an experiment.


Edit: The Java App works. http://www.gamesurge.../chat/NerfHaven

Edited by MithMorchaint, 30 June 2008 - 04:42 PM.

[Langley]

I set up a channel bot that allowed NH and NHQ admins to log in and moderate the channel a while back. It usually doesn't work because most people just aren't all that interested in IRC. You'd be surprised how many people don't even know how to log in to an irc server and get set up with the nickserv. Maybe I'll add IRC gui client to the ProjectNerf to-do list.

edit:
Also, most of the time the channel just degenerates into off-topic conversation anyway. Nerfers just don't seem to want to chat about nerf.

Edited by Langley, 01 July 2008 - 01:37 PM.

[VACC]

I set up a channel bot that allowed NH and NHQ admins to log in and moderate the channel a while back. It usually doesn't work because most people just aren't all that interested in IRC. You'd be surprised how many people don't even know how to log in to an irc server and get set up with the nickserv. Maybe I'll add IRC gui client to the ProjectNerf to-do list.

edit:
Also, most of the time the channel just degenerates into off-topic conversation anyway. Nerfers just don't seem to want to chat about nerf.

Yeah, I recall the effort. It's been tried a bunch of times in pretty much every incarnation of the NIC. It simply doesn't generate enough interest.

Personally, anyone who I'd want to talk to extensively from these forums I'm familiar enough with to call. I suspect that I have this in common with a lot of the other members here.

I've got nothing against chatrooms, and anyone interested in hosting an IRC chat should try it out for themselves. I just don't find them particularly useful.

[MithMorchaint]

Also, most of the time the channel just degenerates into off-topic conversation anyway.

Not really a bad thing.



And yes, I think a big part of the problem is that most people my age and younger (low 20's and younger) aren't familiar with IRC. It used to get a lot more use, but AIM has kind of edged it out. Oh well. I'll be on again tonight.

I didn't get much of an idea for how many people came in last night since I was away from the computer doing other things a big chunk of the night (oops). I need to do some work on my other computer tonight, so I'll be around more.

It seems as though the predictions by Badger, OMC, and myself (and now Langley and VACC) were correct and not many people are interested. A couple people did stop in for a bit, but there wasn't a huge turnout. If that is the trend tonight as well I'm not going to bother with it any more and will continue the experiment a success insofar as it proved one way or another whether this is worth pursuing at this time.

[Langley]

So I logged into freenode the other day and found out that the nerf channel is still there. If you're familiar with IRC, log into one of the freenode.net servers and join #nerfirc. If you've got firefox set up to launch an IRC client, you can go to
irc://freenode.net/nerfirc
or if you have no idea what I'm talking about and the link above doesn't work, try clicking HERE and type in #nerfirc for chat room and your nerfhaven username as your nickname.

If anyone thinks they need operator access, drop me a pm. If anyone actually uses this I may dig up the NerfBot and get him to work.

[Crankymonky]

The channel is useful if a someone has a quick question to answer or when there is an organized, weekly meeting time, possibly with a few discussion points.