IRC channel location: #rpgmaker.net on DynastyNet.net network.

What's IRC?

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a medium through which many online communities like RPGMaker Network run chat rooms. By getting onto IRC you can meet and talk to many of the people from RMN in live chat!

How to Join

IRC is absolutely free, but you'll need to download an IRC client to begin chatting.

mIRC- The most popular option, mIRC is free to use, though you can pay to register if you like.
HydraIRC- Another popular client, though less so than mIRC. More popular with those experienced with IRC.

New users should probably use mIRC, at least at first. However, useful help files and support are available for most if not all IRC clients.

Assuming you're starting up mIRC, you'll see an intro prompt with some dude's face on it. Wait a few seconds, then hit the Continue option to reach the login dialogue.

Enter as much information about yourself as you're comfortable doing. You'll at least need a 'nickname' or nick in order to connect to IRC, similar to how you would have to register a name on the site to get an account and do things. You can fill in more details such as your real name or e-mail address, but unless you're comfortable with giving that information to a stranger, you shouldn't write more than what's required.

After writing who you are, you need to write where you'll go (in the Servers tab within the mIRC Options dialogue.) Select the DynastyNet network and connect to that. In case you can't select DynastyNet from your options, you can give the address of the network as irc.dynastynet.net. Click the Connect button and you should connect to the network in less than a minute.

The channel, or chatroom, of RPGMaker Network is called #rpgmaker.net. To join the channel, wait until you're fully connected to DynastyNet (You'll be connected when you see a Message of the Day from the network), then type the command /join #rpgmaker.net and enter it to join. You'll finally be in our chatroom after all this!

What Next?

In case you don't like your nickname, you can change it with the command /nick nickname you want. Eventually you'll want to register your nickname, so that people can identify it with you and nobody else can use it. To register a nickname, type /ns register password e-mail address.

Your e-mail address is usually unimportant, but your password is very important. Every time you log on and use your registered nickname, you'll need to give your password or your nick will be automatically changed. You can sign on with your password with the command /ns identify password.

When chatting with mIRC, you can use several commands to format your text for everybody who reads it. Type CTRL+U to underline or CTRL+B to bold, and type it again to remove the formatting. Type CTRL+K to color your text, using a comma and a second number to create a background color behind your text. Type CTRL+O to cancel all previous formatting. Bear in mind that all of this formatting needs to be on the same line as the text you want to format.

Eventually, you can use the mIRC help file (and the help of others on #rpgmaker.net) to set up special options, such as automatically identifying with your password and joining #rpgmaker.net after connecting, rather than typing the commands every time. Or, you might be prepared to use a more advanced IRC client that provides a greater number of options and customization, such as HydraIRC.

Conclusion

Once again, RPGMaker Network's IRC channel is #rpgmaker.net on irc.dynastynet.net network. There are other good channels to check out as well. For example, many of the same #rpgmaker.net regulars also go to #rm2k, a channel run separately from RMN. It's also common for #rpgmaker.net regulars to connect to other networks besides DynastyNet and go to channels there, such as the Whahay or EsperNet networks. Finally, sometimes small groups from RMN create private channels to work on projects or just hang out. #rm2k is in fact a larger version of one of these private channels, which is perhaps something to bear in mind when entering the first time.

If you have any more questions about signing onto IRC, you can ask for help on the forums or try PMing another member on the site!