Discord
Discord is a chatroom app, originally developed for voice. In fannish contexts, it is primarily used for its Slack-like text features. Its video element is rarely used.
Discord servers are free to run at any scale. (It makes money off of game subscriptions and merchandise sales.)
An event's server sits under the Discord umbrella on website or mobile so its easy to switch between events, and long term fannish forums like Anonymous Claire are hosted there.
Icons and EMOJIs can be customised, picture can be posted.
Nicknames can be changed for individual servers (/nick John Brainiac) so badge names, pronouns, roles can be used, but it can be confusing if the default online name is not a regular badge name, and could be a code of conduct issue.
Private messaging is possible, users can block each other.
The thread feature should be avoided.
Conversations are split into channels, agreement can be sought to abide to a set of rules before the a full set is revealed. (channels can be restricted to staff?). Channels with new messages are highlighted, this can be disabled channel by channel
Server structure
A typical fannish outpost on Discord will tend to have these text channels:
- A welcome channel, placed at the top of the channel list where new arrivals land, with a single message welcoming them, presenting rules specific to the server, and/or directing them to channels they might find useful.
- A channel for news or announcements only.
- A help channel.
- A channel for general chatter about the event, topic, or community the server is for.
- A channel for off-topic chatter.
- Channels for notable subsets of the community, such as fans with a particular sub-interest, or speakers of a particular language.
Typical layout
- WELCOME
- Rules
- INFORMATION
- Announcements
- Help
- Suggestions
- Chat
- General
- TV
- Books
- PROGRAMME
- Regency Room
- Ballroom
- TABLES
- Glasgow in 2024
- Tasty Books
External links
HowTo Discord written by Jessica Dickinson Goodman for Escapade.
