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  • Joined: 30 Jun 2016
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Discord
Post Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:19 am
I hope this topic isn't rude! But it's a bit of an unusual query.

As I'm sure a fair few here know, there is an #smspower IRC channel, on EFNet.

Somewhat unfortunately - and in fact, to my own dismay in working among other communities - it seems that many people coming new to the scene are somewhat IRC-phobic. Or even completely unaware of what it is.

Whilst I know full well that the 'ideal' solution to the problem of newer people not being use to how IRC works is to educate them, I feel that it's a barrier of inconvenience is simply too high for people.


This is not a path I enjoy suggesting, but would consideration be given to opening up an official SMSPower! Discord server?

It's a service that many newer people to the scene are probably familiar with, and if so, has a rather low barrier of entry.
But I can very well understand why the service may not gel with older people inside the community.

But I am unsure how else to encourage a lively chatroom.

A bridge with the IRC channel is able to be set up - indeed, multiple rooms that I am in have extremely stable bridges, and a community I have helped manage also relies on one.

I'm curious as to people's thoughts. I'd personally love to speak in an active SMSPower! community chatroom.
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Post Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:50 am
I'm not against it but I think the bigger issue is that in a small community, the subset who can hang around in a chatroom all day is even smaller, making it hard to get conversation going. I don't know how it works, presumably it's as simple as just creating it, but what makes it official?
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:59 am
I was going under the assumption that it would be official, as in officially endorsed by the SMSPower! community leaders.
Whilst there is a programme that allows having particular servers marked as 'verified', it seems more skewed towards actual Publishers/Developers and other producing artist organizations, than it is for Communities.

The interesting thing that I've found with chatrooms skewed towards particular websites and/or communites, particularly Discord and IRC ones, is that there tends to be a surprising lack of overlap between the Forums of that community, and the actual live chatroom.
If I had to mangle a theory, it'd be that some people prefer a more passive discussion environment, whereas others prefer a more active discussion environment.


This all being said - I'm actually unaware if there's any active chatrooms/servers currently out there that spec towards people with interest towards SEGA's 8-bit machines, but if there are, that does wind up rendering much of this discussion moot.
Even if it weren't an SMSPower! endorsed room.


EDIT - As a quick addendum, a lot of people are unaware of the concept of lurking within IRC rooms.
For people unused to IRC, and having to require an active connection, it can be difficult for them to notice activity when they're not around. In addition, setting up a network bouncer is a bit beyond the casual user's understanding.

Given the nature of how Discord works out, this sort of thing is a non-issue with that service.


I wish to say, I dislike the concept of vendor lock-in, particularly with chatrooms.
But it's hitting the rather, frankly, painful point where it's becoming somewhat of a necessity for this sort of gaming oriented room.
There is active Discord communities out there that are enthusiastic about, and discuss older machines. It's not beyond my belief that SMSPower! could help make itself a center for discussing SEGA's 8-bit line over the service.
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:05 am
Well, I made a thing here:

https://discord.gg/ZEn8QPy

But I can't chat much.
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 7:22 pm
Seems the invite link expired. When you create one, there should be an option to keep the link from expiring.
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Post Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:37 am
There's a limitless link here.

It'll be disable-able if it gets abused.

Setting up an IRC bridge should be quite easy. But I suppose it's a matter of getting the resources for getting around to it.
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Post Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:55 am
Funny, I thought I chose the non expiring version.
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