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The Ultimate Guid
Chatterbox: Chirp at Cricket
The Ultimate Guid
The Ultimate Guide to the CB
Okay, okay, I know that there have been a few of these in the past, but I think that there are a few things that aren't in the older ones that new CBers need to know about, and I'd rather not comment on an old thread. Anyway, feel free to add on terms, shorthand, and rules. Admins, you too, if you have anything.
Glossary
CB (noun, abbreviation): Chatterbox!
CBer (noun): Anyone who goes on CB. Ex; Somebody, Joan B. of Arc, St. Owl, Esthelle.
Admin (noun): The amazebubble people that run CB, post all are comments, and make this all possible! Three cheers to Admins!
AE (noun, abbreviation): Alter ego. An alternate name or personality that some CBers have and post as for a little fun or a different way of expressing themselves. Ex; Shifting Sands, Devil Owl, Puck. Note: AEs should be used in moderation and only on threads where it is appropriate.
RP (noun, abbreviation): Roleplay. A story in which multiple CBers participate. Each participant has a character which they create based on the topic and then everyone works together and writes a comunal story from the prespective of their respective character. Usually written in first person, but it's not a requirement. Ex; "Magic RP" by Hermione Granger (also the longest thread in the Inkwell!).
Charrie (noun, shorthand): Character, often used in a RP. Ex; "Anyway, here are my charries."
Charrie Sheet (noun, term): A sheet in a RP that one uses to introduce/create one's charrie.
RR (noun, abbreviation): Round Robin. Like a RP, multiple people work together on a story. However, more like a standard book, everyone takes turns writing "chapters", not nessecarily from different POVs. For example, CBer A might write: Jane fell into the pit. Then, CBer B might continue: In the pit was a giant snake. Usually, the posts are longer than this, they are of no specified length. Ex; "Anything RR" by Echo.
CBer Story (noun, term): A story in which one person writes a story in which CBers are characters. Usually the writer will ask for applications to be in the story. Ex; "CB Camp" by the Camp Manager (AKA Abigail S).
Ski Lodge (noun, term): A type of CB story in which there is a secret murderer and all other participants die. Participants guess the murderer as the story goes on. Commonly written under an alias for added spookiness. The originals took place in ski lodges, but they do not have to. Ex; "Hotel L'Faye" by the Teller of Tales (AKA Shadow Dragon).
CAPTCHA (noun): The little spam box at the bottom of a page when you submit a post or a comment. Some people name theirs and post what they see. Ex; Sir Galahad, Meox, Fruity.
Character RP (noun): I don't really think there's a name for this, but this is when one participates in a roleplay in which you comment as your character as if you were them. Bad definition, sorry. I don't really know how to explain it. Most of the old Warriors threads are like this. Ex; "Welcome to LakeClan!" by Secretleaf.
SI (noun, abbreviation): Secret Identity. A game in which every player takes on a name usually based on a theme (for example, in a Food SI one might be Fried Chicken) and then tries to guess who others are and avoid being guessed. Ex; Disney and Pixar SI by Mulan. In fact, let's have a mini one now. Try to guess who I am!
OP (noun, abbreviation): Over Powered or Over Powering. When a character in a RP is super-powerful and it's not fun for other people to RP with them because they sort of can do anything and take of the RP. One example of an OP character could be in an Element RP. The OP charrie could have water, ice, frost, and be able to read minds. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away and not realize your charrie is a bit OP. The others in the RP can gently remind you.
Basic Roleplay Ettiquite
1. Use proper grammar and spelling at all times. (This goes for everywhere on CB too.)
2. If you join a RP, make sure to post frequently. If you absolutely are too busy, say you are dropping out and don't just drift away and assume nobody will care.
3. Obey the rules of the RP maker. Ex; If they say, "No magical powers" do not make a charrie that has magical powers.
4. Avoid god-modding. This is when one "uses" another person's charrie. Obviously a little bit is nessecary so that there can be dialouge and plot, but do not make huge desicions or events on behalf of another's charrie.
5. When you post, write a sufficient amount. "I fell off the stairs and broke my leg." Is NOT an acceptable post.
6. Okay, this is really important. (New CBers, pay attention.) Do not join a RP that has already started unless the maker says it's OK. If a RP is nine pages in, on page 39 of the Inkwell, and from 2012, don't join it!
7. Have fun roleplaying, guys!
Areas of CB
This Month: An center to talk about things from this month's issue of Cricket! (If you don't get Cricket this one might not make sense.) Did you like the cover art? Want to know more about one particular author? Fangirling that you got into the Letterbox? This Month's the place for that!
Chirp at Cricket (CaC): Supposed to be used for talking to Cricket, Ladybug, and all those other bugs. But nowadays we CBers fill it with silly games, sillier announcements, and other supercalifragalisticexpialadocious things! (Like this thread!)
Blab about Books (BaB): Well, the name sort of speaks for itself, doesn't it? Do you love books? (Who doesn't!) Come on down to BaB and chat, play trivias, and fangirl over y'all's fictional crushes!
Down to Earth (DtE): A place to talk about things in the world around you, like the Presidential Election, school, Global Warming, and anything else! You can also stuff it to bursting with the like of CaC's fare! Plus, a great place for surveys, chatting about NaNo, and announcements.
Puddings Place (PP): Those of you who read Cricket will know that Pudding is a theatre-loving firefly. Thereby her area is for anything and everything theatrical! Looking for audition tips? Loved that musical you just saw? PP is the place for you! Also, feel free to add Ski Lodges, SIs, games, and CB stories here!
Inkwell: The writing center! Looking for RPs? RRs? Need advice on a story? Stuck with writer's block? This area is full to bursting with creative people! The busiest place on CB!
Kyngdom: (If you don't get Cricket, you'll be seriously confuzzled here.) Kyngdom is hard to explain... to find out about it, go to: http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/kyngdom/about
How to Post a Picture on CB
Just use the file attatchement feature! (Thanks for that, Admins!) But if you want to do it the long way (and post multiple at a time), do this:
1. Search Google for "Image Hosting Site". You should get a result called Postimage.org. Click on it.
2. Follow the directions on the site to choose a photo. Click "UPLOAD".
3. There should be a little link to your image. Click on that, too.
4. Now your picture will be on the screen by itself, big and beautiful. Copy/paste it onto CB. Voila! You're done!
So that's about it, everybuggy! I'll add stuff and you can, too!
submitted by Maker of Guides, Handbookland
(March 7, 2016 - 12:17 pm)
(March 7, 2016 - 12:17 pm)
Okay, perhaps it's coming to a close.... but anyway, one more. For now.
http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/downtoearth/node/329144
@Admins, Please link this. Thank you very much.
(July 8, 2017 - 10:55 am)
TOPTOPTOP- there's a lot of new CBers!
To add on to what Pepper Star said, basically everyone's discussing diversity topics. A lot of us want characters in our RPs and SWs to be diverse, but some people feel that the admins are limiting what we can put, and some people feel like we aren't being welcoming to all people.
Also, I have had a problem where I clicked on threads and, even though it said it had many comments, I couldn't see any comments and the Add new Comment button didn't show up. This happened on +'s thread and Hermione's thread. I'm not sure what was happening there...
Some of the threads have been shut down for further comments. We're ending Chatterbox discussion on the issue.
Admin
(July 8, 2017 - 1:35 pm)
I get it that you want conversations to close, and for the CB to go back to normal again. You said, on certain threads, that it would be closed for certain comments which is understandable. However, I ask that you return the threads. You can still close it from replies, like you did with some things in the Diversity War for example. But erasing it altogether....it gets rid of people's thoughts, and the questions they asked to specifcy policy, and the answers you gave, Admins.
For reference, these are all the three documented threads with everything gone...+'s post; Ashlee G's post on June 29, 2017, 8:01 pm beginning with @Admin; Gared's Dear Admins post. Specifically the first 2, especially the first, are the most prominent.
You are right in wanting to end it but erasing it all...we can't erase the past, but we can and should accept its history. I feel it is very wrong for all of that to be lost. (And even though it was CBers who posted on there, you edited posts and chose not to post some, and with those decisions made sure it was appropriate by your standards.) With replies blocked, it'll sink down into the depths of the CB anyways.
As Golda Meir once said, "One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present." And it's true, that things have settled down. But it's not right to just erase it all.
I'm not saying this right, maybe, but please. Please put the comments back on the threads on which it was taken away....if they're not lost forever. Please. Even if you don't have an answer this very moment, think about it. Have a meeting, something.
I did not erase any threads. They should be somewhere.
Admin
(July 9, 2017 - 8:58 pm)
@Admin, I mean the threads are there, as in the post that created the thread is the only thing there. But all the posts and replies had were ever made on that thread were gone.
See this link for an example:
http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/chirpatcricket/node/326719
Thank you for letting us know. It was not our intent to delete all the discussion. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm asking the webmaster.
Admin
(July 10, 2017 - 9:57 am)
@Lightning and other people
Lightning, if you don't mind I'd like to make a few corrections to your post.....
1) You don't have to create an introductory post. I never did, and I know plenty of older CBers who didn't, either.
2) You do not have to make an Æ. Having an Æ is not crucial to being on the CB...some people think that without Æs, they aren't noticed as much. Not true! For instance, Micearenice doesn't have any Æs, Cockleburr didn't make an Æ until she had been on the CB for a really long time. Bluebird doesn't have Æs and neither does September! I could keep listing people but I'm short on time.
(July 20, 2017 - 10:04 am)
Sorry, Leafpool. Those were just meant to be fun suggestions and basic ideas. I wasn't thinking of them as instructions. Admins, can you add "These are just suggestions, you don't have to follow them" onto my post?
OK, done.
Admin
(July 20, 2017 - 3:33 pm)
If you want to get to know other CBers: check out Pheasantwithbooks' get to know you thread.
http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/chirpatcricket/node/330133?page...
Admins, can you link that?^
No, but people can copy and paste the address.
Admin
(July 20, 2017 - 3:40 pm)
How to tell if somebody is being impersonated:
-Lack of punctuation/capitals
-Unusually short posts, possibly saying "I'm leaving."
-Other unusual/out of character things
Please note that none of these are foolproof. Sometimes people are having a bad day, and don't feel like writing a lot, or using punctuation.
(July 21, 2017 - 7:11 am)
It's more out of character thing than no capitals or punctuation. If that's how people normally write, than chances are higher that it's them.
(July 21, 2017 - 10:12 am)
Very true. For example, cinderella writes in all lowercase, so her doing so wouldn't be an indication that it might be an impersonator. But if someone like... um... say, Scylla (who isn't around much anymore) started doing the same, that would be pretty fishy.
Another thing is the age and location boxes. If someone has stuff that they usually put in there, but it's missing, that could be another clue. However, sometimes I don't do my "Nose in a Book" and "13" thing when I'm too lazy or short on time, so this in itself isn't foolproof.
(August 8, 2017 - 9:10 pm)
(August 30, 2017 - 10:37 am)
I'd like to give official credit to Joan B. of Arc for coming up with Æ crushes, and official credit to Over the Rainbow for coming up with the genius idea of CB stories.
(September 7, 2017 - 9:36 am)
I don't want to be "that person" but Joan and I kind of co-founded the AE crush thing. I give her most of the credit, though. I was writing this solo write that took place at a summer camp (and, in retrospect, was hopelessly cringy). In the story, Dev and Puck were having a prank war and I privately shipped it. Then Joan was like, "Hey so I think Puck has a crush on Dev," and I started writing it into the story. Things snowballed furiously, and well, you know what happened after.
(September 10, 2017 - 11:44 am)
(September 14, 2017 - 8:50 pm)
Oh, okay! Then I'd like to give joint credit to Joan and Abi for starting the whole Æ crush thing.
(September 26, 2017 - 10:10 am)