What do you do when you first join a message board?

[Fayt Fyre]

I typically first go and change all my settings and my profile, uploading an avatar and signature and such. How 'bout you?

[Shades Of Gray]

I do the exact same! I make my profile and everything pretty and up to date, hit the avitar, then run on over to the rules

[Kathryn Lacey]

I typically read through a few of the threads and the rules before I decide whether or not to join. Once I create an account, I update the settings, and upload an avatar and signature. Then I begin sifting through all of the threads for something that interests me.

[Spectre]

I start talking

My introduction post is always first. Then i move on to profile stuff. I assume people won't see my post until after i'm done with my profile anyhow

though really i'm doing my profile stuff at the same time i'd imagine. FireFox's tabs never ever fail to keep me multitasking.

[Fayt Fyre]

Tabs for the win! Being a Mac user, I also use tabs too, and you're right - they definitely help with multitasking.


On some message boards that I join, the rules are always very difficult to find. I'm always really curious to see them now, especially having had my own message boards for awhile now, just to get an idea of what they use as rules, but some of them simply have just a couple really basic rules, or others don't seem to have their rules in plain sight (which probably isn't a good thing). xD

I think this is typically how I operate: Mess with my profile --> Create and introduction --> Read the rules. I usually have already looked through a couple of threads before joining, just to decide if it's right for me or not (but not always).

[Mezrin]

I tab some interesting looking threads, but before I read those I read all the rules. Then I update my profile, because some message boards have particular rules when it comes to everything, so it's best not to break six hundred rules right off the bat!

[Hope]

Yeah I'm the same as Spectre. I go "Hi!!! I'm here!" and then I tend to go and change my avi and so on. But even right after that, I go and look at a bunch of other threads and such and post all over the place more than likely. XD

[Guest]

I typically first go and change all my settings and my profile, uploading an avatar and signature and such. How 'bout you?

I almost always do the same.

[Kaito]

Hm. Around here, the first thing I did was to say hello and introduce myself. Having that done I tabbed open some interesting threads and the profile page (aswell as a hundred msn windows ~.~)
And basically read through some stuff while updating the profile while talking to others.
It was quite stressing



Damn you women.

[Fayt Fyre]

[Loki]

Update profile, typically because I have already browsed through some of the threads before I register.

[Fluff]

The first thing I do is spend several hours trying to decide on an avatar. There are so many I like...

[Dio the Awesome]

There wasn't an option for, "Hides in the corner until they feel comfortable and the community isn't full of noobs."

After I have decided this is a place I want to stay at, I read the rules.
Then I go through and edit my profile, but leaving the important stuff out.
Then I lurk around in threads that interest me.

And that's where I usually stop. However on FoG I've added a few more steps.

Fully fill out my profile.
Lurk threads that may not interest me.
contribute to the community.

I already love this place to death. I'd rather be on here than play video games. And that my friend, is a stunning accomplishment. : D

[Kathryn Lacey]

Whoo! I feel the same way! Except... I don't play video games... but damn this place eats up my reading time. XD

[LunarScorpio]

Usually before I even sign up with a site, I read the rules and regulations. So, when I sign up, I go straght to working on my profile and what not.

[Hello Danger]

I take it by storm!

[Kathryn Lacey]

Huh... I guess you're losing your touch, Danger. ^o_~^

[Hello Danger]

While my post count may appear to be 100.

It really says, post lvl over 9000.

Just saying.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Actually, Fate and I are the ones who are OVER 9,000!!!

We both have five, fully white ghosties. You just can't tell because she has admin ghosties, and I have MotM ghosties.

[vitamin_kitten]

I typically read the rules first, because I want to be sure I know where everything is and what I can and can't do. I figure no one can see my profile and all that until I post anyway, so there's no point. Once I understand the rules, I alternate between checking the interesting threads and updating my profile. I kind of get ideas from other people's profiles and stuff, like, are people being serious or funny in the "about me" section or whatever. Stuff like that.

Once that's all done, I start actually posting and getting myself acquainted with everyone and everything. It's been so easy to settle in here- I just signed up yesterday, and already I feel so at home here. This is probably one of the best forums I've come across since I started Gaia five years ago. 8D

[Fayt Fyre]

I think you go by joining a new board in the perfect way, vitamin_kitten.

I'm so glad that you already feel at home here and that you like it so much. ^_^ We're very happy to have you here!

[Zelda]

I usually read topics first to see if there's anything I'll want to reply to.

[Ragter the junior greeter]

Eh, well usually...I'll make an intro post, go hit up the rules real quick, then go to town on my avatar and signature. Oh, don't forget the odd title and status.

[Kalon Ordona II]

I check the homepage and the topics to see if I'm interested BEFORE joining. ^^ With this place, the homepage just sucked me in, but I still had to make sure the forum was as good as the advertisement. I went straight to the Advanced Role-Play section, and within a couple minutes I was more than convinced. xD Then I checked the rules.

So the profile was the first thing I did when I joined.
Then the introduction thread, and then straight back to the Advanced Role-Play.

[Resurrection Vic]

I read the rules and a handful of public threads (especially ones with OOC interaction, need to know the humor of the place) before I join. I reread the rules once I've joined as well as check any new thread available to me (I'm on another board where you can't read anything the members want critiqued unless you're a member, they think that helps keep a tab on people in case of plagerism). I know It's weird, but I generally don't introduce myself unless I know I'll stay for a bit; I avoid being one of those people who makes and intro and then disappears.

Speaking of which...I've no clue why I haven't made an intro thread here yet...can't find the right words...already feel informally introduced, I guess.

Oh, and I take forever with the profile because I like to see what others have done. It's more fun for me that way That, and I like to see what people lie about

[Guest]

I check the rules, because if there's too many of them, you know that you're in for red tape when you RP. The most disappointing thing in the world is to start going and have someone stop you in your tracks for some petty technicality or have your characters go under some lengthy review process while you're just eager to get started on the RP.

There's a lot of red flags that I look for in the rules, but also in the interaction between staff and members. If staff are pretty hands off, I'm cool with that. I want to know that the rules being enforced are the written rules, not some made up trash that justifies pushing someone around.

Above all, I just want to be able to RP without having to kiss someone's ass for permission.

[Bird of Hermes]

I tend to be the lurker. "Lurk before you leap."

Heck. Sometimes I forget to leap.

[Kathryn Lacey]

I lurked around FoG for a day or so before I decided to join, so I don't blame you for lurking before joining.

[Guest]

I don't blame anyone that wants to lurk. I mean, who wants to commit to a place only to find out it's full of douches? After you get stung a few times, you get more cautious.

[IWroteASongForYou]

Update my profile and settings, like avatar and info.