Every time a community member writes a how-to guide on being a member of Destructoid, it always revolves around the "do nots". What not to blog about, not to comment stupid things, it always seems discouraging. So I thought that there should be a how-to guide that tells you what you should do. Now, I certainly haven't been here the longest, or am the most dedicated, or most hardcore DToider, but I am neck-deep in the site, and I figured there should be a guide for beginners to help them get involved in the site. So, I had some free time and made a rough guide to getting yourself as addicted to the site as the rest of us are. Hope you enjoy it!

1. Lurking
So you've found Destructoid somehow or another. Maybe through another gaming blog, maybe through something like Digg, or maybe just through sheer dumb luck. Regardless, you've found us and you like it, but you're not too sure about signing up. You already are signed up for more sites than you'd like, and you can't be bothered to keep up with another login/password.

2. Commenting
You just had to do it. Maybe you thought of an amazingly funny remark in response to an article, or maybe you just can't stand Jim Sterling's fanboyism any longer and you have to yell at him in the comments. In order to do this, you must sign up, and of course you use the same username you've used since the Internet began.

3. CBlogging
You went through all the trouble of signing up for an account, so you might as well get everything out of it you can, right? Now, this is a make or break step for a lot of people. If you screw up, people are going to yell at you and you'll think they're dicks. Well, they're not necessarily dicks, just touchy about their beloved cblogs. So what do you write? A "Test" blog? No. A blog that says "Hi my name is _____ and my gamertag is ______"? No, that's what the side profile is for. Some current news with your opinion on it? Sure. An editorial? Yeah. A game review? Why not. Just about whatever you want.

4. Podcasts
You enjoy reading all the articles, and you sort of wonder what these editor people sound like in real life. Well, good news! Destructoid provides several podcasts for your perusal. From a general gaming podcast, to a retro gaming podcast, to a Europe-focused podcast, to an unofficial community podcast, you will have something new to listen to every week. If you get particularly bored, you can look up all the archives on iTunes.



5. Forums
You love using the cblogs, but theres a lot of general discussion type things that people don't like you to blog about. Stuff like what movies you've been watching, what music you like, or what's on your mind in general. Though it is often neglected, there is a place for things like this called the Destructoid Forums! Now, getting on the forums requires an additional level of effort because theres a separate registration for it. But once you do, there is a whole other side of the community to discover, and you can use the PM system to communicate quickly with other members.

6. Vent/IRC/stickam
Your desire to communicate with other Destructoid members is growing. Sure the forums are there for talking about everyday things, but it's not the same thing as conversing as real time. There are three places people gather on a daily basis to talk and hang out with one another. The first, IRC, is text based, and is good for when you're at work or if you just prefer text-based chat over audio or video. Ventrillo, the audio based hang out, lets DToiders talk to each other though headsets, useful if you're in the middle of playing a game or such, or if you like audio chat but lack a webcam. If you have a webcam and want the whole kit and kaboodle, you can hop on Stickam, the video chat component, is usually active mostly at night, and good for when you have something that you want to share that can't be covered with mere words. Stickam also can be used with just a headset.

7. Purchase clothing
Destructoid has given so much to you, so you figure it would only be right if you gave something back to it. You can head on down to the DToid Store and purchase a wide variety of products. With DToid clothing, you can proclaim to the world how awesome Destructoid is, and also raise awareness.



8. Tipping
You never get tired of the front page articles, but the stories don't appear by themselves. If you've heard of something happening in the gaming industry, or you found something quirky worth sharing, send it in to the tips line at tips@destructoid.com and have a chance to have your name mentioned on the front page!

9. NARPs
You like these internet people so much that you think you would be interested in hanging out with them in real life. To most communities this would be a foreign idea, but at Destructoid we do it all the time. In fact, we have regional profiles set up for the mere intentions of getting the word out about the next NARP, which stands for No Apparent Reason Party. Even if you don't live in a major city, there is usually one close enough to make it possible for you to attend at least something.

10. PAX
PAX, or Penny Arcade Expo has been the Mecca for Destructoiders for over a year now. If you want to hang out with the largest amount of Toiders in one place, you should be Seattle bound. PAX is held from August 29-31, at Seattle, WA, and there are tons of us going, with special announcements from CTZ yet to be revealed.