So, I've been looking around at the new site design, and I gotta say it's looking pretty spiffy. We got the sexy "boxy" design for the links at the top of the page, got the reviews going down the side, fixed the cblog window so it doesn't go straight to the community page anymore when you click on see the next 20, everything looks really nice.

The contest stuff looks pretty cool too, except I dispise flash games. I'm still playing, don't get me wrong I don't know how else you'd set up a competition where it'd be relatively fair to everyone, I just feel really meh about flash games. But that's not the reason I'm writing of right now. No, I came here with a different agenda on my mind.

When the hell did this page come into existance?

That page is the only resource needed to show the little newbs and newbets what we (as a community) really do here. Well, not everyone, but more than not what we do, and what is expected of everyone. It's less harsh than the general flames of the semi-washed masses, and easier to read than VCR instructions. If you don't know what a VCR is, stop reading and get back to studying kids.

But my favorite part? Ohhhhh, my favorite part is right here:

"Getting started on the right foot


Ditch that default "newb" avatar! You should get started by customizing your profile page with an avatar and a brief bio about yourself. You also now have the ability to blog, upload photos and videos, and receive comments and private messages from other community members.
Dtoiders under 18: Please consult your parents before posting any personal or identifying information. Use your head!

After you're set up, try posting a quick "hello" post in our forums to let people you're signed up. Here's an example of how to do it right. If you have a lot to say about yourself, why not try blogging your introduction? Do you know the difference between blogs and forums? It matters quite a bit to our members, so if there's anything you take away from this document it should be the following:



Dtoid Community 101: Forums and Blogs - not the same thing


Contrary to what some people may say, community blogs are NOT like forums. It is important to know the difference. If you don't, you're likely to receive the writer's equivalent of being "booed off stage." Destructoid may be a little different from other blogs you've used before because it is a ***SHARED*** community blog -- a singular weblog updated by thousands of people. A lot of people are reading Destructoid this instant. This is a very active community!



What / when should I post in the community blogs?


Community blogging (or c-blog for short) is appropriate when you have enough to say to *publish a complete article* that can stand on its own -- your blog post should be no shorter than a paragraph and pertain to a topic of interest to other gamers. You can also blog about other stuff, just TAG YOUR POST as "Non-video game related" (NVRG) and blog away. In exchange for your work, you will receive immediate reactions readers in a sequential stream. Blogs comments are not the ideal place to have conversations because comments are typically meant for the entire community to weigh in on. Individual conversations are always best left for forums or via private messaging by clicking into a member's profile.

Before you jump into blogging you should begin by reading the Destructoid home page or Community page to get a sense of what game bloggers do, then check out our community rules. When you're ready to blog, just login to Destructoid and look for the "my blog" options at the top of the page. Whatever you write will be read, guaranteed. No pressure! (haha) You can publish anything you like, but remember that you are sharing this site with other gamers. You will have an engaged audience from day one. Since the blog is shared in a stream, its probably not a good idea to publish 10 articles at once. Get your post in, give others time to respond and post, then post some more. You can manage when your posts go live by managing your stories' privacy settings. Don't blow it -- make a good first impression! Don't fail/suck/etc! Already logged in? Try it out!



When should I start a thread in forums instead?


Forums are meant to foster active conversations. Forum readers do not expect you to organize or present an opinion, facts, or even cohesive paragraphs per se. This is a place to talk. Have a brief question? Want to make a quick comment on a gaming topic to get a group discussion going? Forums are the best place to do this, because conversations are "threaded" -- you can engage various people individually instead of addressing everyone. Try our forums out!. (Note: your login is the same in the forum, but it requires a login with your username instead of your email address. If you end up creating two accounts by accident please contact us and we can merge them.)"



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So from now on fellow Dtoiders, if there's a lost newb on the cblocks (c wut i did thur?), just point them out to here instead.

http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/signup_thanks.phtml

Also, Chibi Alien