tilefishtilefishThis page of Frequently Asked Questions has been divided into the following categories:
If you cannot find the answer to your question here then use the ASK A QUESTION feature from the Help menu.
How do I get a game?
Join games by clicking dots in the Seek Graph. You can also left click on a player's name and choose MATCH to ask a player for a game. Make sure to check your menus for game options (timers and so forth). You can create a public request by using the SEEK button (or command). Use UNSEEK to cancel the request. Set game options in the window that comes up and in your OPTIONS menu.
How do I see seek requests on my main console?
Go to Options -> Set Filter and make sure the appropriate box is ticked.
What do the dots on the seek graph mean?
The dots represent games being sought. Hold your mouse over the dot to see the specific details for that game and who is seeking it. Solid dots are rated games. Hollow circles are unrated games. Squares represent the computer players looking for a match. The colour indicates the dictionary used, as follows:
For an explanation of what these dictionaries are, type help dictionaries in the Command line.
It says my seek request was sent to 45 people so why can I only see 3 dots on the seek graph?
The seek graph shows games being sought, it does not show all the people who are currently available and who saw your request.
How can I tell who is logged on?
Type WHO. You can also narrow this down by stating the dictionary and the minimum rating you are looking for. For example, typing WHO O 950 will show you all the ODS (French) players of rating 950 and above who are currently logged on.
Can we play with more than two players?
No, ISC is a two-player site.What do the coloured squares on the board mean?
They give you different point values:
When I click on the board I get an arrow. What is it for?
You can use this to type your word in (it's quicker than dragging the tiles from your rack). Please note that Apple Mac users need to place the arrow, then press TAB and then type the word; even then it does not always function on Apple Mac machines.
When I exchange tiles, can my opponent see what they were?
No.
I've lost a tile somewhere on the board, how do I get it back?
Click on either timer to reset your rack. If you choose the RANDOM rack order under your SHUFFLE options, you can also click the timers to shuffle your rack.
We are playing VOID mode and the validation is taking a long time. Why?
This is due to the server lagging, usually because it is feeling a little over-worked. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done about this, but the alternative is to switch to playing SINGLE challenge and simply check every word of which you are unsure. Since it is the constant checking performed by VOID mode which places the most strain upon the server, switching to SINGLE challenge will also help to cure the problem.
How can I tell how many tiles are left?
Type POOL to see what's left in the bag. You can also set your STATUS BAR to show the pool and score preview in your OPTIONS menu. Note that the Tiles Left: figure on the Status Bar states how many tiles remaining in the tile bag, whereas the letters shown will also include the seven that are on your opponent's rack.
My opponent is not responding. What can I do?
Use the tell command to attempt communication with your opponent. Please be aware that most people play in good faith and will not deliberately leave a game running without good reason - emergencies do happen and we have all gone surfing the web and forgotten about our game at one time or another. If you are currently winning the game and want the ratings points from it, your best option is to simply wait the game out. If you are losing then there is no reason to wait and should resign.
On the rare occasion that a malicious opponent has made it clear they are messing you about by leaving you to wait, you should use the REPORT feature found in the Help menu.
My opponent has been disconnected, now what happens?
If the game was being played with the NOESCAPE option turned on, the game will be adjudicated. This means that the player who is still connected will win the game after a set number of minutes providing he or she was ahead in score at the time of their opponent's disconnection. The program will prompt you to see if you'd rather ADJOURN the game. If you adjourn it, it will be saved to your adjourned games list and can be resumed at a later time.
How does the ratings system work?
The actual formula can be found by typing help rating. Doug Shaw has written a nice guide to the ISC ratings system which is also worth a look. In essence, the higher the number in brackets next to your name, the better your rating. You will gain points by winning games and vice versa; exactly how many points depends on your opponent's rating (since obviously it is much better to beat a higher-rated player than someone already rated below you!).
What do the AVERAGE numbers mean in my finger notes?
Your average score per game and per move over the last 10 games.
How does the ASSESS feature work?
This will give you a rough estimate of the rating change after a win/draw/loss against another player. Do not try to use the assess function on yourself since you cannot... ahem... play with yourself. Right click on someone else's name and then select assess.When do I get a real rating?
You will get an actual rating after playing 11 rated games with a particular dictionary. Until then you have a "provisional" rating which will often fluctuate wildly and may even go up after you lose a game and vice versa. After 11 games your rating will act more normally.
How do I check my messages?
If you log on to find 'You had 1 message', look immediately above that purple text to see the message itself.
How do I leave a message for someone who is not logged in?
Type something like this into the command line: MESSAGE CAROL hello!. The person will see it the next time they log in.
How do I talk to people?
Mainly through the TELL command, for example TELL carol hello. If you are playing a game, you will see various options under chat, your opponent's name, your default chat channel, and the command option. To talk to your opponent during a game, simply make sure their name is selected while playing and type in the area provided below the chat window. Note: You can also talk to people by using the CHAT command (or menu option). Type CHAT 20 to talk to people in channel 20 (a new chat window will open when using this feature.)
It says my opponent cannot answer me. Why?
They have been censored. This is usually for abuse of the system or other players and can be either permanent or temporary.
How do I add someone to my buddy, noplay or notify list?
Right-click on their name in the main text window and select the appropriate command.
How do I turn off the public chat?
Make sure the little arrow below the chat screen is on the command option and type CHANNEL -20. This will remove the chat channel. To get it back, type CHANNEL +20 and/or SET CHAT 20. To get a list of channels, type CHANNEL on command. Type CLEAR on command to clear the text from the chat window at any time.
How can I tell if someone is observing my game?
Type ALL on command to see a list of games that are being observed. To see only those players observing a specific game, type ALL Nickname on command. For example, type ALL Tokoloshe to see those observing Tokoloshe's game. You can watch a game by left clicking on a player's name and choosing the OBSERVE option. Another way to watch a game in progress is to choose the "Observe a high-rated game" option in your GAME menu at the top of the screen.
What happens if someone is rude or abusive?
Report foul language under the Help menu. You can also email the admin; type HELP CONTACTS to get this information. Please note that reports submitted by contributory members are given much higher priority.
You also have the option to add names to your NOPLAY list. Just right click the name of the offensive player and choose +NOPLAY. This will block all communication between you and that player.
I think my opponent is cheating, what do I do?
DO NOT attempt to report other players whom you think may be cheating. The ISC Helpers and Admin do not spend time investigating whether these claims are true, since we receive several hundred such allegations every day. The NOPLAY feature exists for the purpose of allowing you to block certain players from playing you again, please use it and move on to playing someone else.
What does FINGER mean?
Left click a player's name and choose FINGER, this will show you that player's information. You can enter your own info under the OPTIONS and SET PERSONAL PROFILE in your game menu.
What does it mean when a "hush" falls over the room?
A hush will fall over the room when one of the top players logs on. To see the top players, type BEST.
Why has the clock frozen?
Check that you are still in the game by typing finger and reading the last line. If it is simply lag on the server then it will pass within a few moments; there is nothing to do but wait.
We are playing VOID mode and the validation is taking a long time. Why?
This is due to the server lagging, usually because it is feeling a little over-worked. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done about this, but the alternative is to switch to playing SINGLE challenge and simply check every word of which you are unsure. Since it is the constant checking performed by VOID mode which places the most strain upon the server, switching to SINGLE challenge will also help to cure the problem.
What exactly is 'lag'?
Lag is any kind of delay on the Internet and can be the result of any number of factors, e.g. heavy traffic in general, an overloaded server at the website or any clog in one of the routers or switches at a national, regional or local ISP. You are best to just hang in there and wait as the clocks on ISC cannot be influenced (even by Helpers or Admin). There is no way of knowing how long this will take to sort itself out.
Can I change my handle and/or my password, and can I create a new account?
You cannot change your handle or your password. If you have forgotten your password visit http://www.isc.ro/password/" to get it back. ISC members can have two accounts on the same computer, contributory members can have three. To register a new name visit the ISC website.My opponent just played a dirty word that's not in my Scrabble dictionary, how can this be?
ISC uses the word lists used by tournament players in various parts of the world. The North American publication Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary was expurgated of all potentially offensive words a few years ago but the Tournament Word List (from which TWL takes its name) has not been subjected to this political correctness. You may wish to see the complete list of words which were expurgated from OSPD. These words are still in TWL and hence can be used on ISC.
Where is the sound?
You have to download and install the sounds separately. Click here for the ISC download page. Note: You can't send sounds or images to public chat channels, only to your opponent during a game. To turn the sound on and off during a game type set sound on or set sound off
Is the SOWPODS dictionary going to be updated during 2007?
Yes (to the book shown right). There is a separate information page with all relevant questions answered.
The ISC site is great, how can I make a contribution?
Type HELP SUPPORT on command in the chat area. There are many special features available only to supporting members, type HELP BENEFITS in the command line for a complete list.
Anything else good on this site?
More free things! And cool Scrabble stuff you can buy! Click here to visit the rest of the Tilefish website!
