For the 'other' Newgrounds experience.

If you visit the Newgrounds forums for the first time, Your going to notice a few things. You won't understand what most people are talking about. You won't feel extremely welcome in the general forum. And your likely going to have a hard few posts when you first start. But the forums is the soul of Newgrounds. And leaving the, because of this is silly. Tough it out.

To also know the go in the forums. Obviously visit: Newgrounds Rules. There are various slight rules changes in each individual forum, But the basics almost always remain. Always follow these rules.

Don't Do's; These are simple. Just like an English essay, Your going to need to be somewhat normal and use your head in order to pass. Try to avoid these things listed, They're basically your Kryptonite. You don't want that right there!

- Don't argue. If someone says something snappy in response to your post, and you want to have an eFight with them. Newgrounds forums will never be the play for you.
- No random pictures at the end of your posts. Most people who are new do this, because the picture is slightly relevant. Your going to get banned, and hated.
- Don't advertise your shit. And try your best not to start a thread every time you have a silly question. Go to a regulars lounge and ask, They're more mature.

Do Do's. Try to put these into your posts as much as possible. They shouldn't be forced on, otherwise it could quite easily backfire. And then your back to square one. The first in the list will be an example of this tricky formula.

- You should make your posts over 20 letters, easily. And make them fairly intellectual. Although don't force this. otherwise you come off as someone who can't have fun. Have the occasional one word sly response, And joke around a bit. Don't let it consume you though.
- Use punctuation. This is literally the key point in the forums at first glance.
- When you find a forum your interested in. Try to join the regulars lounge as soon as possible. This way you blend in with the people who have respect. Don't ask to join, Just reply to something you know about in the thread. And go from there.

There's plenty more things you can do afterward to gain even more ground in the forums. But odds are after you've followed these few steps for your fist few hundred posts, You'll know the ropes. And won't be considered a troll or anything anymore! Heres a brief overview of all of the Sub Forums on the Newgrounds website.

General: This is basically the main forum where you're going to be called out. Its just for everyday conversation about Newgrounds related, and unrelated stuff. Normally the conversation here is pretty basic and doesn't involve much. But with that comes the fact that any mistakes you make, Will get noticed!

Where Is, How To: If your new to the site, Your going to get to know this forum. Its ideal, Because the superior users inside deal with Newcomers daily. They'll almost always be polite, and as helpful as possible. Sadly its hard to hang around in there if your new, Unless you ask questions daily.

Flash: Home to the Newgrounds flash artists. If your new to flash, good at it, or just love it in general, this is the place to be. Most people in here are also very helpful and overall nice. Although if your doing something out of line, You'll know.

Politics: I personally don't have a whole lot to do with the Politics forums. But obviously if you get heated quickly, Avoid it. It will be horrible for your status on the forums if your teasing and so on during a debate!

Programming: The most inactive forum on all of Newgrounds on average. Once again, home to the best programmers. That does not include action script! You'll never, ever really fit in unless you know what your talking about. So if your not good with programming, Don't even bother.

Clubs & Crews: This is a great starting ground for new members. There's bound to be something in here that grabs your interest. Motorbikes, Boxing, Gaming, anything! Just talk about whatever subject group you have joined, and your Newgrounds knowledge (And post count) will expand widely. I recommend this.

Audio: Home to the Newgrounds Audio elite. Artists, listeners, and fans. Normally a pretty friendly place. At times it can be on the slower side. Just find something related to Newgrounds music, and talk away. Do not talk about unrelated music to Newgrounds. Its not the forums purpose.

Art: I personally find the Newgrounds Art thread to be somewhere to browse, and occasionally reply with compliments or suggestions. There's room for even amateur artists in this forum. But with the unveiling of the Art thread, Expect things to be a little more serious.

Video Games: One of the more intellectual regions of the Forums. Something most users can go and talk about. There are various poll related threads, and everyone knows something about video games. A really easy place to settle in at first. Another recommendation!

This News post may seem like one of the least helpful of my 'Guide' series. Although, New users are coming in every day and leaving the forums without a second glance because they get flamed due to a bad first impression. Its not all about being the most well known person in the forums, But wheres the harm in being liked and respected. Comment me if you have anything you'd like added, Or if you'd like to debate anything within this.

Any comments and suggestions should be left on the 'Contents' News post. Not here. Thankyou.

- Jack.