Post by G0THAMGIRL on Jan 30, 2014 4:42:24 GMT -5
When first coming to this forum it can seem like a big place and perhaps a little hard to find what is where. Hopefully this walkthrough can help to shorten the learning curve on navigating this forum.
The primary area for forum navigation is the "Quick Links" located on the left side bar. It looks like this:
Each link is like a folder, many containing more folders (Sub-Boards) and threads. Starting from the top we'll do a brief review.
The "Quick links" bar is divided into 3 sections, the first part contains:
The second section of the Quick Link side bar is where you will find all TSTO related threads.
Below the Sub-Boards you will see related sticked threads at the top and then all past and present events which are hosted by staff members. Also located in this section is the "Springfield Rumble", an ongoing forum game that also provides an opportunity to earn a badge.
Within the Screenshot section you can find the "The What Have You Done with... INDEX" stickied at the top. This thread contains a listing of all the TSTO properties and links to the associated "What have you done..." thread for each property.
Or you can utilize the search function to locate a thread. In the below example I typed Mapple in the search box and can see the "What have you done with the Mapple Store" listed as the fifth thread down.
The 3rd section contains nonTSTO banter, games and forum help.
Note: All of the links located in this second and third section of the Quick Link side bar are also
reiterated on the Home page.
Additional links found on the side bar: Often active monthly contests and/or events will be posted on the left side bar. You can click directly on these and it will direct you to that specific event or contest thread. Currently the "January Event" is shown on the side bar.
If you should find yourself in a thread and want to know where this thread is located you can follow the file location listed at the top of the post.
For example, below I can see that this Whodunnit thread can be found in the "Official Games" folder. If I hover over the "...." it will reveal that is located in the "Contests and Event" section.
Using the Bookmark tool is a great way to link a thread to an area for your quick reference or to keep track of activity on a specific thread. To bookmark a thread simply click on "Actions" located in the top, right corner of the thread, then select "Bookmark".
Once the thread is bookmarked it will be listed under your "Bookmark" tab located on the top navigation bar. When a post is made in a thread a number will appear on this bookmark tab, similar to the numbers that show for messages and profile notifications.
A frequently asked question is: "How do I become friends with other members?" This question is referring to the Friends tab which is found in the profile section. To become friends with other members you must be following them by clicking the "Follow" button that is found on their profile and they must also "Follow" you. Once you are both following each other, it will automatically assign you both as friends. The follow button is found on the right side when viewing a member's profile.
Another frequently asked question is: "How do I find people?" Sometimes member that join already know other members from a previous time but aren't quite sure how to locate them here. One of the easiest ways to locate another member is by using the "Search" tool located on the top navigation bar. This will direct you to a search page with many options.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will find a section that looks like this:
You can then find the member by clicking on the first box and beginning to type in their user name.
Then you can click on the member's name and it will take you to their profile and from there you can send them a PM.
I believe that concludes this walkthrough on forum navigation. I hope this was helpful. +1
If you have any further questions, do feel free to ask any staff member.
The primary area for forum navigation is the "Quick Links" located on the left side bar. It looks like this:
The "Quick links" bar is divided into 3 sections, the first part contains:
- "Home" this will simply direct you to the forum Home page.
- "Welcome" is a link that will direct you to the "Welcome to tstappedout.com" thread.
- "Recent Posts" and "Recent Threads" will show you the most recent items posted. It is a helpful place to go to quickly find out what threads are currently getting the chatter.
The second section of the Quick Link side bar is where you will find all TSTO related threads.
- "Game Discussion" is for all general TSTO game talk. You can see this area currently has two Sub-Board folders, each contain threads relative to their topic. Below the Sub-Boards you find additional TSTO general discussion threads.
- "Game Guides" also know as Game Guides & Walkthroughs is where you can ask questions and/or find answers to pertaining to TSTO Events and Levels. Currently the thread for the "Quest Line Level 38" is stickied so that it remains at the top of the page as this is the most recent level released.
- "Crypto Barn" is the technical section. If you are having technical problems with the game or your device, this is where you can bring those questions and/or locate the answers.
- "Contests & Events" is where you can find past and present contests, events, and games which are hosted by staff.
Within the Sub-Board you can see the 5 primary contest types which we host on a rotated monthly bases. Those are Photo Challenge, Forumfield Project, Off the Map, Springfield Palace of Fine Arts, and Springfield Anthology. Each folder contains a brief description, past and present challenges, and challenge winners for the specified contest type.
The "Official Games" Sub-Board folder houses two games that are staff hosted and give the opportunity to earn a badge. Those games are "Whodunnit" and "Forum Monopoly".
Below the Sub-Boards you will see related sticked threads at the top and then all past and present events which are hosted by staff members. Also located in this section is the "Springfield Rumble", an ongoing forum game that also provides an opportunity to earn a badge.
- "Screenshots": If you want to share or see pictures of TSTO towns, this is where to go. The Screenshots section has three primary categories already put into play; Panoramas, Feedback & Critiques, and TSTO Art. These subcategories can be accessed from the side bar or from within the Screenshots section itself.
Within the Screenshot section you can find the "The What Have You Done with... INDEX" stickied at the top. This thread contains a listing of all the TSTO properties and links to the associated "What have you done..." thread for each property.
Or you can utilize the search function to locate a thread. In the below example I typed Mapple in the search box and can see the "What have you done with the Mapple Store" listed as the fifth thread down.
- "Find Friends" is the section to go to if you are looking for TSTO neighbors. There are many existing threads from members looking for neighbors here or you can feel free to make your own post to find additional neighbors.
The 3rd section contains nonTSTO banter, games and forum help.
- "The Couch" is the section to go to for all off topic talk. This section also has a few predesignated Sub-Boards; Springfield Public Library, Channel 6, and Springfield Tire Fire.
The Springfield Tire Fire is the PG-13 basement of the forum and a restricted area. To access it you will need to go to the Groups tab of your Profile and click the "Join Group" button. Once this is done you will be able to access this Sub-Board. Please note though this area is more lenient than other areas of the forum, all posts still need adhere to the ProBoard's and Forum Guidelines or disciplinary actions may be taken.
- "Noiseland Arcade" is where you will find all the forum games which are not associated with badges. Note: Posts in this section do not add toward your post count total, nor do these posts reflect in the "Recent Posts" section.
- "Forum FAQ & Info" is the section to go if you have any questions or suggestions about the forum. If you are new to the forum this is the best place to start as there are many references available to help you get familiarized with the forum.
Note: All of the links located in this second and third section of the Quick Link side bar are also
reiterated on the Home page.
- There is another section of links located on the left side bar named "Community". If you have any questions about who the staff are, what the rules of the forum and ProBoards are you can simply click on the topic related link.
Additional links found on the side bar: Often active monthly contests and/or events will be posted on the left side bar. You can click directly on these and it will direct you to that specific event or contest thread. Currently the "January Event" is shown on the side bar.
- Additional Info:
If you should find yourself in a thread and want to know where this thread is located you can follow the file location listed at the top of the post.
For example, below I can see that this Whodunnit thread can be found in the "Official Games" folder. If I hover over the "...." it will reveal that is located in the "Contests and Event" section.
Using the Bookmark tool is a great way to link a thread to an area for your quick reference or to keep track of activity on a specific thread. To bookmark a thread simply click on "Actions" located in the top, right corner of the thread, then select "Bookmark".
Once the thread is bookmarked it will be listed under your "Bookmark" tab located on the top navigation bar. When a post is made in a thread a number will appear on this bookmark tab, similar to the numbers that show for messages and profile notifications.
A frequently asked question is: "How do I become friends with other members?" This question is referring to the Friends tab which is found in the profile section. To become friends with other members you must be following them by clicking the "Follow" button that is found on their profile and they must also "Follow" you. Once you are both following each other, it will automatically assign you both as friends. The follow button is found on the right side when viewing a member's profile.
Another frequently asked question is: "How do I find people?" Sometimes member that join already know other members from a previous time but aren't quite sure how to locate them here. One of the easiest ways to locate another member is by using the "Search" tool located on the top navigation bar. This will direct you to a search page with many options.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will find a section that looks like this:
You can then find the member by clicking on the first box and beginning to type in their user name.
Then you can click on the member's name and it will take you to their profile and from there you can send them a PM.
I believe that concludes this walkthrough on forum navigation. I hope this was helpful. +1
If you have any further questions, do feel free to ask any staff member.