In this thread, I will be talking about everything you should and need to know when joining OT based on my experience
Getting Started
So you decided to visit the ever so lifeless forum of osu and you choose OT, it's time for you to learn the basis.
Step 1 : READ THE ACTUAL RULES THREAD
Step 2 : Visit the forum games sub-forum (recommended)
Step 3 : Do not spam post
Step 4 : Don't be a giant dickhead
Alright those steps are kinda just for laughs but really tho, read the rule thread first before you even do anything.
I recommend checking the forum games sub-forum first you even post in the main OT forum because firstly, people on the sub-forum are scientifically proven to be nicer and more acceptable to new faces and secondly, forum games are easier to understand and more interesting than normal OT at least to the eye of a beginner.
Not spamming in threads is a easy thing to forget but it's really important. Although it's not that big of a deal, most people wouldn't want one person and only one person to constantly reply to them and this could ruin your impression.
Last step is easy to understand but most people don't understand. Before you even reply to anyone on OT, you first need to understand that OT is quite diverse. OT is made up of people from all over the globe and anything you say that offends one of them would probably offend someone else. OT is probably the smallest but most dedicated community on osu forums so offending just a few of them could mean that majority of them already hate you so here is three quick rules to not be a dickhead.
Rule 1 : Don't be racist
Rule 2 : Don't be super offensive
Rule 3 : Don't be extremely dumb
I know the last one sounds stupid but acting retarded is actually a way to make people dislike you. I know right, shocking.
Now you got the basis, let's move onto the next topic
Making Friends
If you followed the instruction from above, this part should be extremely easy. If you went to forum games first, you would have already made a few friends and this would slightly speed up the process but we first need to define what friends really mean (Not like you have any).
So friend on osu could be split into two categories.
1 : Someone you merely added and mutualed
- These are pretty easy to get and you can even get a few mutual without asking. Just have a likable personality and be active however these people you friend usually don't talk directly toward you like in DMs but rather just reply to you on forums.
2 : Someone you talk with through DMs and could truly be called a friend
- These are also quite easy to find however they just take more time and effort. For this, you need a really likable personality and most of the time, you should take the initiative and DM them. Another way is to join a discord server like for instance the the official OT discord server. (this server isn't for the faint of hearts so join at your own risk)
Also when looking for mutuals or new friends, always go for the newer members as they will be more active and acceptable.
Quick reminder - Older members tends to be ruder and they usually dislike newer member so don't mind them, so just stick around long enough and they will accept you. (You can speed up this process by joining the OT discord server)
Quality Threads
So you decided to contribute to the community and make a thread, first you need to realize what thread you should post on OT and what you shouldn't.
Stuff you should post
- Cool Projects
- OT lore
- Stuff that includes other members (That isn't rude)
- Worldwide topic (Like holidays and such)
- Funny entertainments
- Simple questions
- Trash talking or being rude toward another player
- Any dumb and braindead memes
- Pointless and empty threads
- osu related topic (Those goes in other forums)
- Repetitive life stories
You should go for at least one forum per month during your first few months on OT to contribute enough and always remember that you should never post more than one thread per day or else abraker (or who else is gmt) will lock it.
You should choose topics that most people can talk about or understand more but never write about any politic crap or else it's gonna escalate quick.
When you make another thread revolving around other OT members, I recommend making these only after you spent months on OT and know enough about the people you're talking about or else there will be complications.
Making threads is easy to do but also easy to fuck up but don't be afraid since practice makes perfect
Social Structure
Although there isn't a clear social hierarchy, there is still one nonetheless, A hierarchy could be sorted based on how long you have been on OT and how active you are.
For explanations on oldfag, midfag and newfag, generally from what I have seen, newfags are members who just joined and haven't reached the denizen status or those who is a denizen but still from the same gen, midfag is someone from the previous gen or two ago and oldfag is someone who was here two gen or longer. This could be better explained by this thread.
Changing The Meta
If you wish to change the meta for good or bad, you have to do it yourself and don't wait for someone else to do it.
Some stuff to keep in mind while trying to change the meta
- It needs to include as many people as possible
- Be new or unique
- You should be a very well known member
- Be recognizable
You need to make things as fun as possible to get people hooked as possible and even having your own little group inside OT is helpful.
When people are becoming less active on OT and some new people appears, that's when the meta is starting to change.
Necro: Necro or necroing or necroposting refers to a post made by someone which revive a thread. A thread usually have to be dead or inactive for more than 6 months or until you see this
While it is generally seen as 6 months or longer, it could even be as short as 1 month of inactivity for it to be considered a necro. A necro usually result in the lock of the thread or even a silence of the offender when done multiple times, however if the necro is actually meaningful, the punishment can be reduced or even non existent.
Denizen: Denizen is a title that someone on OT can gain. While it doesn't provide you with much benefits or privileges, this is frequently sought after. For one to gain the title, they must spend a huge amount of time on the forum interacting with others.
Overlord: OT Overlords or Lords is a term used to refer to people who moderate OT. They have the power to delete, lock and change threads, and also have the power to silence and possibly ban other members.
Derail: Derail is a term that is used when someone or a post cause the topic of the thread to shift entirely away from the originally meaning (usually negative). Derailment of a thread usually happens because of a slippery slope but it could also be done purposely done.
Exile: Exile is a punishment that is put upon rule breakers who the moderators deem unworthy of having rights to create any threads for the time being. Being exiled would result in any thread created by the offender to be wastelanded immediately and this could also include post too. This is only temporary however and you would be unexiled in a couple weeks.
Wasteland: Wasteland is a subforum that is kept away from public eye and only accessible to moderators. This subforum is usually filled with useless garbage or just pointless thread that the moderator don't want us to see. When a thread is wastelanded, it would be removed from it's original forum, and no one except the moderator would be able to access it.
Stay as active as you can and you will surely enjoy the time you spend in OT, stay dedicated and you can achieve anything in OT even if it is staging a coup against the government.
This thread contains the most important stuff on OT
This thread is just my personal experience and it's still under construction so I'm still adding more stuff
