🚨The (Un)Official Guide to Newbies on OTF🚨

OTF isn't exactly the most welcoming community ever, and with OTF slowly dying and old members leaving, the time for new members is now. However, most questions are met with less than accommodating answers. As an answer to that, here are some answers to commonly asked questions among newbies, without the hassle of actual member responses.

What's an OTF?

OTF stands for Off Topic Forums, and is used as an abbreviation.

What's "Inb4thelock"?

Inb4thelock is a common phrase used to forever immortalize your name on what is soon to be a locked thread. The way you say it is "In before the lock."

What's a lock?

A lock is used by mods to lock threads, stopping the thread from being commented on, comments from being edited, and causing it to sink into the lower pages of obscurity.

What's bumping?

Bumping is when you comment on a thread, causing it to shoot up to the first page. It's typically used when threads have been inactive for a long time, with a message like "bump". It should be noted because even if you didn't use the specific world of "bump", it is still a bump. Bumping really old threads has an extremely negative stigma, and is only allowed on Sundays.

What's a mute?

Muting is when you either

• Post a thread that'll get locked (sometimes you won't be muted, sometimes you will)
• Use a filtered word, and causing the wrath of the automute to fall upon you
• Use a random word, and causing the wrath of the automute to fall upon you
• A mod mutes you for some numerous reason

This means that you will be

• Unable to comment
• Unable to post new threads
• Respond to DMs
• Unable to see or interact with Live Chat
• All your comments will be temporarily deleted for the duration of your mute

What's a blue shell?

A blueshell is typically used as a response to threads perceived as "low effort" in quality.

Why are person above you threads so hated?

Person above you threads have a reputation in the community for being low-effort attempts to gain popularity and comments.

What's an RP?

For those who don't know, an RP is not a new concept, but it has made it's way to OTF. It's where you pretend to be a character in a world created by a user who serves as a sort of GM. It's a complicated thing to explain, but you can find more info here.

What is a BRDI?

BRDI stands for Block, Report, DM, and Ignore. It is the standard procedure for dealing with a troll. You block the troll, report it, then message a mod, and then do not talk about it, ignore it.

What is an Idiot-Box?

Idiot-Box (commonly shortened to IB) is a supposed group of trolls that are supposed to target low ELO players and trap them in an "Idiot-Box" for hundreds of turns(or whatever the chess name for it is). They have recently begun attacking OTF with frankly disgusting pictures. If you come across them, you are highly recommended to use the BRDI procedure.

What's a Baby?

Baby is another troll who typically uses the PFP of a baby, netting him the name. Baby is more tame than IB, and just posts political threads and messages, and might also say some questionable things about a user's relatives.

What is the difference between website and mobile?

The mobile version of Chess.com, the app version specifically is lacking in many of the features that are provided to website users. For example, they can't see pictures, long posts and can't edit their comments(probably.) The app version is inferior to the website version in almost every way.

This might be edited later due to suggestions