Hello! I used to post here about 10 years ago or so and have rejoined today. The place doesn’t look the same as it did last time I used it, so I’m trying to get my bearings.
Welcome back!
One of the big reasons it looks different now is that our old board software (vBulletin) was dying, and the boards were suffering from terrible performance issues and crashes. We switched over to this software (Discourse) a couple of years ago.
Yeah, once I got used to the quirks, I liked Dope 2.0 more. Discourse works better.
(Remember all those “Did someone forget to feed the hamsters?” posts that we used to have?)
But the biggest difference, I think, is that the mods are working hard, trying to keep the jerks in line… or suspending/banning them. That used to only happen after years of abuse.
But that also means you need to be civil. I’ve made a few posts that had subtle insults in them… and deleted them before I hit Submit.
But I think it’s also more fun these days. Just try understanding a Beckdawreck thread in MPSIMS!
Good to have you back… you should look forward to wasting hundreds of hours a month here!
Welcome back, something something about a goat ritual.
The rules are here:
Personally I navigate the website from the homepage which lists all the subforums on the left. Get to the homepage at any time by clicking the logo at the top of any page. You have a handy shortcut called notifications at the top right of the screen by your profile picture, which is currently a white “A” on a yellow background. Click that and it will show you new replies to discussions you have participated in. If you click your profile icon then the little person you can set up your user profile and email settings. Website search works pretty well now, just use the magnifying glass up top.
Scroll with either a mousewheel, arrow keys, page up/down, or by dragging the scrollbar on the right side of the screen that shows a date next to it (by default the scroll bar is blue). When you aren’t writing a post, there are keyboard shortcuts for navigation like ‘j’ to jump to the next post. See all the keyboard shortcuts by typing ‘?’. Alternatively click the hamburger icon in the top right of the screen, then “Keyboard Shortcuts”. (It’s called a hamburger icon because it consists of three horizontal lines, sort of like a patty between two buns).
To quote, either start your line with a greater-than symbol >, use the speech bubble button in the editor, or highlight text from the post you want to quote and click “quote”.
Cecil Adams is writing columns again after a hiatus, and new columns are posted on the message boards. Check out the Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports subforum.
Good luck!
~Max
To actually answer your question, No, there is not a dedicated space for people to make “Hi, I’m So-and-so and I’m new here” posts.
The best choice amongst our various forums (now called “categories”) is the one you already picked for this thread: MSPSIMS.
So either post an intro thread there, or pick up at the bottom of this thread. Either way we’ll welcome the new meat / blood you represent. Ideally not purely as food, maybe even as friends. 
Oh! I was convinced it was just me being more stupid than I realised. Glad to know it actually is different. Cheers!
Welcome back
Was Amikejo your user name when you used to post here?
You can ask a mod to merge your old account with your new one.
Welcome back!
Welcome, welcome! I regret to say that the Initiation Complex seems to have been mothballed; a pity. We had some great stories there*.
However, we can certainly provide a good post-covid welcome to you, @Amikejo:
(ahem) Welcome!
There is ice cream in the next room. Please, have a seat and relax. Cxu vi parolas Esperanton? There are a number of Esperanto-speakers on the boards.
*According to the survivors who remembered anything, that is.
Welcome back! As a minor hazing/initiation ritual, could we ask you to eat a really nice sandwich?
I dunno, I like sandwiches, no matter what your definition of one is. This seems like a good excuse to eat one.
I’d gone under 2 other usernames previously. I was pretty much invisible then so no need to merge anything. Good to know the option’s there, though!
I was quoting people in my responses but it didn’t show up. Ah well. You probably figured out who what was for. I’m sure I’ll pick it up as I go.
Cxu vi parolas Esperanton? There are a number of Esperanto-speakers on the boards.
Mi estas komencanto. Really trying to learn and practice. I clocked the duolingo course a few years ago but I’ve forgotten a lot.
That’s a good idea! I’ll look into that on pay day!
This new board has a thoroughly annoying habit of, when you quote the entire post of the last poster, making the quote disappear, and removing the arrow symbol that shows you’re replying to somebody. It thinks everyone should just know who you’re responding to by context when you respond to the post directly above your new post. Sometimes it’s obvious who is being responded to, but often it’s not.
One workaround is to not quote the entire post. Or you can add an invisible space at the end of their quote using these characters (including the semicolon)
Ah well, I guess this thread has allowed everyone to have a sniff and decide whether I’m potentially friend or food. I’m very much on the gamey side, so I suggest friendship as the best choice.
Ah OK, cheers.
It was Cecil’s columns that brought me here to begin with. Glad to hear the old codger is still going!
I yearn for civility, so that’s OK by me!
You can probably ask him, but I don’t think Cecil “codge”s. At least, not on a first date.
Well, that’s what I heard!