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[Pardner]

The mIRC tutorial still applies but there are alternative IRC clients. The easiest of which are webchats. Simply follow the links:

http://webchat.freenode.net
Channel: #smokinguns

http://webchat.quakenet.org/
Channel: #jeuxlinux, #sg.wars



I figured I would repost my mIRC tutorial. I have updated the tutorial for the new version of mIRC (6.31); I prefer the older version (6.21), but they are very similar. I don't think there is much of a difference other than the layout. So enough said....
**Smokin' Guns Chat Channel**
Introduction
The IRC channel is a great way to chat with other Smokin' Guns fans and organize games. Thanks to Dadamungo, there is a resident bot that scans the WQ3 servers and reports any activity! This tutorial's purpose is to guilde the reader through the process of using mIRC for the first time. A user familiar with mIRC will not find this tutorial useful (and may find errors too). I am not an mIRC expert; I am just a user who decided to write a tutorial. I will show you how to setup mIRC for the first time. The way I show you may not be the correct way or the way you prefer; but it is the way that I prefer. There are many other IRC clients such as XChat, Trillian, Pidgin, etc. This tutorial is for mIRC, others may choose to post alternatives if they so choose. So with that said lets start!
Installation

1. You will first need to download mIRC. mIRC is avalible here: http://www.mirc.com/get.html
2. You will need to install it after the installer is finished downloading. Installing mIRC is pretty straight forward, and doesn't need any explanation.
3. Note: mIRC does need to connect to the internet. You may have to allow it through your firewall/network.

Start mIRC

1. Run the mIRC executable, and you will see a window that looks like this...
   
   
2. It says that there is only a 30 trial, but you do not have to pay for it. You can continue using mIRC for free, but it would be nice of you to pay the creator of the program.
3. Click "Continue"

Setup the Options

1. After you click "Continue", a new window will appear. This is where you will enter your personal information. I do not recommend entering in your actual information; instead enter fake information. The "Nickname" field is where you enter the name you wish to go by on the IRC channels (channels = chat rooms).
   
   
2. Before you click "OK"; I recommend setting other options like the following...
   
   
   
   These options will make it so mIRC automatically connects, instead of asking you if you want to connect.
   
   
   
   
   
   This will timestamp any event that happens on a channel
   
   
   
   
   This will disable annoying beeping while/after you connect to a server
3. When you are happy with the settings, click "OK"

Welcome to mIRC
Now that we have setup some options, lets take a moment to look at mIRC. What you are looking at should look like this(v6.31)...

So what does everything to?

1. Favorites: is a list of all your favorite channels (chat room).
2. Connect/Disconnect: this button will connect/disconnect you to/from the current server.
3. Script Editor: this button will bring you to the script editor window.
4. Colors: this button will bring you to a window where you can choose the color of the fonts.
5. Tab Bar: this is where you will find the tabs of your channels, status, and clones.
   
   5B. Status Tree: Much like the Tab Bar, this is where you will find a tree of your channels, status, and clones.
6. Status Window: this is where you will receive the server's "motd" and server announcements. Also, think of this as your "console" and errors or statue reports will appear here.
7. Command Line: in this picture it is the status window command line. This is where you can enter commands. If this was a channel window, this is where you would enter text to chat.

More Options?!
Yes I'm afraid so, but we are almost done.

1. Click on the "Favorites" dropdown bar, and then click "Organize Favorites" like this....
   
   
2. In the window that opened up, delete ALL the default favorites. Also un-check the box "Pop up favorites on connect" like this...
   
   
3. Click the "Add" button, and enter the name of the channel you whish to join in the "Channel" feild. Also check the "Join on connect" box so that when you connect to the server it will automatically join that channel. I'm going to enter "#smokinguns" to join the Smokin' Guns chat channel.
   
   
4. Click "OK" and then "OK"

Join a Channel
Almost done. Go to your "Status Command Line", enter "/server servername", (where servername enter the name of the server you whish to connect to). I'm going to enter "/server irc.freenode.net" because that's the server the #smokinguns chat is on. Make sure you know what server you chat room is on. Press "Enter" and....

Your "Status Window" will start to fill with text. You are now connecting to a server. If you have followed this tutorial word for word, then when you are finally connected to the server, mIRC will automatically join your favorited chat channel and you can start to chat away. If you happen to join #smokinguns, be sure to say hi and let me know what you thought of my tutorial. I'll be using the name "Pardner". If you have any troubles, you can join any server and then join "#help" by typing "/join #help". They are very helpful; they should be able to point you in the right direction. (note: these are general help channels... not mIRC specific. just mention that your using mIRC and they should be able to help)
-Pardner
IRC users: if you see a mistake please correct me. Also, feel free to add your suggestions.

[Pardner]

Register your Nickname
First off here is the link to the actual Freenode tutorial:
http://freenode.net/faq.shtml#userregistration

Now that credit is given here is the process; bring up your "Status Window" (see previous tutorial) and in the command line enter the following commands:

1. /msg nickserv register <password> <email>
   
   • This will create an account with the Freenode bot "nickserv". This may take a few tries because someonw might already be using our nickname. This command will tie a password to your current nickname.
2. /msg nickserv set hide email on
   
   • This will hide your email; always better to be safe than sorry.
3. /msg nickserv link <primary-nick> <your-password>
   
   • This will create an alternate nickname and tie it to your email address, your first nickname, and your password.
   • Handy incase of *netsplits or other internet trouble. You can register you nick again but with an added charecter: for instance "`Pardner"
   • Good if you want to have multiply clones on the Freenode server, but have two different nicknames.
4. /msg nickserv help
   
   • This will display a list of commands you can send nickserv. Very handy if you loose you nickname or your password.

Thats it, now when ever you connect just type:
/msg nickserv identify <your-password>
in your status window, and the server will recognize you.

Freenode Start-up Script
Ok, so you've join the #smokinguns IRC chat crew, and you having a great time chatting about the game; but identifying with the "nickserv" every time you connect is getting annoying. Wouldn't it be great if you could be identified automatically? You can! Just follow these simple steps:

1. Open your "Script Editor" (see previous tutorial) and click on "Remote" and you should see something like this:
   
   
2. Then enter this simple script
   

   Code: Select all

    on 1:CONNECT: /msg nickserv identify <your-password>

3. Thats it, this script will run as soon as you connect to the Freenode server. I encourage you to look around the help file and come up with other creative scripts. I use the "Remote" and "Aliases" scripts for my start-up instead of using the start-up options outlined in the first tutorial. This allows me to auto-start-up multiple clones on different servers.

As always, any comments, additions, and questions are welcome.
-Pardner

[Dadamungo]

When you get there type "player count" without the quotes.

[Turtleman]

Thanks for great guide. When I used it I found nick registration NickServ registration little different (perhaps syntax changed after switching server to freenode).

All you need to register nick at NickServ is this command:

Code: Select all

/msg nickserv register <your-password> <your-email-address>

Email address is required and is hidden by default, if you want to be sure you can use:

Code: Select all

/msg nickserv set hidemail on

[Pardner]

@Turtleman:
Very odd, I registered using the commands I first posted not two weeks ago. You are right: the syntax has changed. Thank-you for the correction, I have changed the tutorial to reflect your correction.
-Pard

[CoolHand]

Why keep encouraging people to use mIRC when there are other free irc clients out there. There is an abundance on Linux just as good or better than mIRC. I'm not sure what all ones are available, but I know chatzilla ( a firefox addon) is at least capable of getting to the channel and chatting, and you don't have to worry about registering.

[Pardner]

There are many other IRC clients such as XChat, Trillian, Pidgin, etc. This tutorial is for mIRC, others may choose to post alternatives if they so choose.

Post up some tutorials and I'll change the name of the thread. I use mIRC, I will post any mIRC info I find, thats all.

[Pardner]

Freenode blocked the mibbit chat client, but they implemented their own "webchat" browser client using "qwebirc". So if you want to join the IRC group but dont want to deal with the hassle of mIRC, just click the link below


http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=smokinguns


(btw, the images in the tutorial are not showing because they are shutting my free geocites down. I will be moving the images to the SG site soon.