Access

[ Home ] | [ Access ] | [ Logs ] | [ News and Updates ] | [ Rules: ( Quick ) ( Full ) ] | [ Script Tests ] | [ Sound Files ] | [ Statistics ] | [ Works Cited ]

This may sound complicated, but it shouldn't be. Please read the instructions in full before following them. The reason is to help choose a method that's easiest. Furthermore, register the desired nickname for use on DALnet to prevent other people from using it. Hopefully, the chosen nickname is available. Go to DALnet's web site for more details on nickname registration. This page shows four methods to get on IRC, arranged from easiest to hardest from the host's point of view.

Methods 1: A link and DALnet's website.

I'm not sure how this method works for users of Chromebooks, Android, and even Apple products.

  1. DALnet's website in new window.
  2. Look on the right side of the page that says "Chat Now" and choose a nickname. One won't know about using a registered nickname until connected to the server.
  3. Change the channel text to #lds_trivia. The pound sign (#) and underscore (_) are necessary.
  4. Click Go!

This method offers the advantage of it being easier to register nicknames. The link directly below requires registration through messages to NickServ.

  1. Click here to connect directly to the network.
  2. Enter username and click connect. It's not necessary to change the channel name.

An IRC-style interface displays in the browser, and it will attempt to connect to their network. This is where it is necessary to read the text that comes up, because it will say if the nickname is a registered nickname. If the user doesn't change the nickname in time, their server will change the nickname to Guest with numbers. To manually change the nickname, just type "/nick <nickname>" in any window's text box without the quotes and replacing <nickname> with a new nickname.

Click to access DALnet through IRC.

Method 2: iPad, iPhone with an app called Igloo (IRC)

In-app purchases available, but there’s no indication of how to buy and what features are available in the app itself. (When testing the app, the iPad owner disabled purchases, so I couldn't see the feature list.)

Thanks goes to in-laws for allowing the installation of the app to test it.

Furthermore, there is other apps available, but this app looked simple with a good-looking interface. The iPad used couldn't go to iOS 11 that Mutter--IRC Client requires, so this app looked like the next best thing that didn't cost money to download.

When the app is open, the screen has two sides. The left side says Networks at the top, and the right side is the chat window. Follow these steps to configure the app:

  1. Touch the plus sign next to networks.
  2. Touch the right side of the screen on the same line as Name.
  3. Enter "DALnet" without the quotes.
  4. Touch the Host line like Name above OR touch Next.
  5. Enter "punch.dal.net" without the quotes.
  6. Leave Port and SSL alone.
  7. Touch the Password field.
  8. Enter a password for nickname registration. This allows users to identify to NickServ after connecting to the IRC server. For more information on registering nicknames, see DALnet's website. How the apps store passwords is unknown. It may be in plain text.
  9. Touch the Nick field.
  10. Enter desired nickname.
  11. Touch Ident OR touch Next.
  12. The Ident’s value does not really matter. A default value appears if entering nothing. It can match what’s in the Nick field, or it can be something else. It’s not quite a second nickname.
  13. Touch Name OR touch Next.
  14. The Name field is for real names. The first name is enough. If not, it’s got a default value.
  15. Finally, touch channels field but where the text below shows.
  16. Enter "#lds_trivia" without the quotes and with the underscore. Enter multiple channels with commas and # separating each channel such as “#lds,#lds_trivia” without the quotes and no spaces.
  17. Touch Save, and it will connect to the network.

The default shows connection status. Once connected, a lot of text appears on the right side of the screen, which the user should read. Scrolling is necessary. The app automatically joins channels. The left side of the screen shows each network connection and the corresponding channels. Touch the line of the channel to show on the right side of the screen. The channel’s name is on the top with its topic. Once connected, a message shows when the next game occurs. The bottom has a line for text, and a settings icon on the right. Touching the settings icon does nothing that I noticed. The left side has a camera icon, which allows sending of pictures. (Out of curiosity, touch the icon, and a new screen pops up, asking for permission to access the camera.) Do not worry about pictures when chatting. The upper portion of the right side has two icons. The left side’s chat icon does nothing, but the right side shows who’s in the channel and their status. Touching the channel name brings up its settings. Changing those settings depends on how the channel is configured. (Those settings are beyond the scope of this page.)

Method 3: Android App: AndroIRC

These instructions talk about setup using AndroIRC. If users download a different app, these instructions may not work verbatim.

  1. Go to Google Store on your phone. (No link provided.)
  2. Do a search for IRC clients or type "AndroIRC" for what to search. The host recommends AndroIRC for people using Android, but there are other IRC clients to choose from.
  3. Download and install AndroIRC.
  4. Once downloaded and installed, open AndroIRC.
  5. In AndroIRC, look through the settings menu. Select the three-dot icon in the upper right corner.
  6. Go to nickname settings first. Choose the first option to enter a nickname and then press OK.
  7. Next, choose an alternative nickname. Enter a second nickname that's different than the first and then press OK. (This is used just in case the first nickname is already on the network.)
  8. Change ident if desired. It shows up when entering a channel and when someone does a whois. The option can be left alone. It doesn't matter if it matches the nickname selected.
  9. Choose Real Name if wishing to put a real name. It's not entirely known how to see these. The default is sufficient.
  10. These settings are done, so go back to the main setting window by pressing the left arrow in the upper right of the screen.
  11. This time, choose Servers, showing a list of networks to connect. DALnet will not show up, so create it using the icon in the upper right to get a menu with only one option: New Server. Choose it.
  12. Choose Name and enter "DALnet" as the name without the quotes.
  13. Next, choose Address and enter "punch.dal.net" without the quotes. The host uses this server. When connecting to the same server as the host, the lag is minimal.
  14. The next setting to look at requires a scroll. It's a preference thing, so these settings are optional. Auto-connect allows a connection to the server when the app opens. Auto-join channels automatically open specific channels when connected to the server. Add #lds_trivia to the list, if desired.
  15. The next option is Authentication. This option is for use after registering a nickname on DALnet. Go to DALnet's website for more information on registering a nickname, which enables the next three options. Enter the registered nickname in the NickServ nickname field, which should match the first nickname entered above, and then enter the password used when registering the nickname, allowing automatic confirmation of the nickname when signing to the server. It is unknown on how the app stores the password.
  16. Press the left arrow on the upper left screen twice to get back to main settings.
  17. Look at the list of servers. Choose the server just created: DALnet. The screen shows something along the lines of no channels in the list. Touch the icon on the upper right of the screen to display a menu that has one option: Add a channel.
  18. Enter "#lds_trivia" in the dialog box without quotes and press OK.
  19. Once connected to the server, another window displays showing the channel name. Go to the Status window and read the text. The main text to look for is at the end that says whether or not someone has the nickname chosen. The nickname changes automatically if not identified or changed in time.

The other settings are up to individuals. Do not change any setting if there's no knowledge of what it does.

Method 4: IRC Client for PC's, mIRC

Personally, this is the best way, but not everyone uses a PC. There are many IRC clients out there. Some are free; others are shareware. The host uses mIRC as a client, because it has a way to create scripts to add features, allowing the host to automate tasks such as score and stat tracking, and moving on to the next aspect of the game. The program has a 30-day trial and a $20 registration fee after the 30-day trial. I think it's worth the money, but that is up to the individual. If those terms aren't good, search "IRC clients" without the quotes and look to see which program to use. The following instructions are for mIRC, but it shouldn't be too different among the clients.

  1. Go to Options. The second icon from the left is Options, or it's under Tools menu.
  2. Fill in the text boxes. The real name and e-mail address does not display to others easily.
  3. Look at the options and check and de-check options, but go to Retry and then decheck the bottom option: Try next server in group.
  4. Click IRC option on the left. Look at the options and check and de-check as desired.
  5. Next, click on Logging. I recommend leaving it enabled. The reason for this is to record all conversations. (Logging of the game occurs with it displayed on this site.)
  6. Look through other options and make changes as desired. Be on the safe side regarding settings. Do not change them if there's no knowledge of what it does. One can get more information about settings through the Help file.
  7. Click Okay to close options and save changes.
  8. Type "/server punch.dal.net" in the text box below the status window without the quotes.
  9. After connecting to the server, type "/join #lds_trivia" without the quotes.

After connecting to IRC and then joining the #lds_trivia channel, ChanServ will change the topic to some kind of message about when the next game is. It's the right place. NickServ will send messages regarding using a registered nickname. If that happens, type "/nick <nickname>" to change it without the quotes. Failure to do so will result in an automatic nickname change to Guest followed by numbers.

Other ways to connect to the game will appear here when known. Any questions or problems, please e-mail me and tell me the problem. Please be specific and detailed; otherwise, it will be difficult to help.

Site © 2018-2024 by Jeremy Adderley. All graphics copyright respective owners, used by permission.

Background picture from BoxedArt.
Line and banner graphics obtained from Celine's Original GIF's.
I removed the links, because the sites do not exist anymore.

Game format and questions written by me are copyright 2017-2024 by Jeremy Adderley. Feel free to use the game's format and questions as long as no money exchanges hands. Please give credit. Questions written by others properly credited in the answers. Please send an e-mail to request permission and/or make payment(s) for their use when it involves money.

I do not talk about the questions with anyone that I feel may end up playing the game, especially my wife, whose name won't appear here for privacy reasons.

Mailing Lists

There are two mailing lists: newsletter and notify. They're separate just in case a person only wants one. The newsletter contains a summary of the game, the scores of everyone who played, corrections to scores, updates to the game, and a high score list. The notify list announces the time for the next game. Due to email sending quotas, the host will send the three random questions two days before the game session. Answering these three questions before the game officially starts will earn points.

There is a page on Facebook about the game, and I post when the next game will be and updates to the site/game.

Privacy Policy

There is no sharing of any information gathered with anyone, especially advertising networks. This site has no advertisements.

This site gathers the following information:

The host uses visitor information for statistical purposes only, email addresses only for sending emails to subscribers of the mailing list, and email statistics to track who views those emails.

If anyone objects to the gathering of this information, please stop visiting this website and possibly the entire Internet.