terraMOO NEWBIE Guide
ComMOOnicating in a MOO

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The CHAT window is a streaming history of what you have been doing, where you have been and this is where your chat appears.

This window can be used in 3 modes:

1. NORMAL
2. SAY
3. EMOTE

NORMAL mode is used to issue commands - MOO has a very powerful command-based language. You can use commands to teleport yourself around, remote message and manipulate room objects. You will learn more about this in the next section.

SAY mode is used to communicate publically with room inhabitants

EMOTE mode is used to convey your feelings or actions. As we all know, text-only communication can be very sterile. Emoting can be used to better convey your meaning and intentions.

You would be careful to ensure the language you use is polite as it is all logged and could be emailed home to your parents if deemed unacceptable.

SAYs are broadcasted to everyone in the room. When a room is busy (lots of people saying lots of things) it can get very difficult to hold a discussion.

Some rooms have FURNITURE in them - the one pictured has a number of coloured tables set up. Sittable furniture is a means of controlling busy room conversations.

By typing the normal command:
sit red
you can sit at the red table. When sitting, your says are only sent to those sitting with you.

speakup <message> can be used to broadcast to the room when sitting

To re-join full room conversation, you enter the normal command:
stand

To talk to someone who is in a different room to you, you use the normal command:
page <name> <message>

whisper "<message>" to <name>
sends the message to the player if they are in the same room (no one else can hear it though!).

Before launching into conversation with someone, it is polite to check they wish to be talked to:

@knock <name>
will request (politely) if it is ok to start talking

@busy <name>
is the polite way of declining a conversation at this time

@invite <name>
is the polite way of replying that you are free to talk now

Text-based comMOOnication requires creativity to accurately express your intention - remember that comments appear without any of the accompanying body language and oval inflection that typifies face to face communication.

Chat style can greatly enhance meaning and understanding- give it a go, get texty with someone online in a MOO soon.

MOOs are a very social place but often expressing yourself emotionally is difficult in a text-only stream. Built in to terraMOO are a number of socials that may help you better communicate with others. To see the following list, type the normal command

feelings

You can use these socials on yourself by merely typing them as is, or you can direct them to another player in your room by including their name in the command

To see who is in the MOO with you, click on the WHO button. This will give you a list of online users as well as their locations.

To teleport to a particular user, you can click on their location.

The MOO Mail Centre allows players to read and compose mail, subscribe to mailing lists and manage their messages.

MOO mail is sent between players in the MOO and cannot be seen outside the MOO.

Wizards can establish MAILING LISTS for use by groups of players in the MOO - when mail is sent to the list, only those subscribed to the list receive it - a very useful tool for communicating with lots of people quickly.

MOO mail messages are attachment free textual messages and can be a great way of contacting someone if they are not on at the time you are.

Composing MOOmail is simple, replying is too.

When replying to someone, select QUOTE ORIGINAL and then carefully prune all but the bits you are replying about.

Mail is ASYNCHRONOUS - you can use it whether or not the person is on, and there is usually a delay between comment and reply

Chat is SYNCHRONOUS - you use it only when the other party is actually online.

You will find a NOTEBOOK in your EXPRESS Options

The notebook is your personal journal and writing space, and you travel with it wherever you go in the MOO.

The notebook is particularly useful when researching as you can use it for electronic note taking. Your option to save the notebook in the MOO is one you should take before closing it else additions are lost.

There is no set format to the notes stored in your notebook - you are free to use it as you see fit.