Scratch

Welcome to Scratch! I'm sure you'll enjoy the many great features the Scratch software comes with, as well as the easy-to-learn interface. However, this guide [and welcome] is about starting out in the Scratch community. If you are new or need some help getting out there, feel free to read along and get some tips...

1. Usernames Are Everything
Overcoming one of the hardest challenges in the Scratch community, getting "out there" (getting views) can be done, surprisingly enough, with your username. Having a simple, original and fun username allows for people to easily remember it, and tell others about it.

Here are the 3 key rules on usernames:
1. No numbers - People forget numbers and you'll eventually want to drop them.
2. Names - It's nice to include a name or some sort of meaning in your username.
3. Short but Not too short - Something like "programmingexpert" isn't as cool as "programmerpro".

2. Icons and Themes
Your icon conveys your account theme and identifies your comments, so pick [or make] wisely! Generally, you want to pick an icon that is related to your username, but maybe not directly. For example, an icon of a line of code might go well with the username "futuredeveloper" but not with the username "bikerman5".

3. Be Open to Feedback and Constructive Criticism!
When you start uploading projects, your programming probably won't be perfect. Part of making better projects and advancing in the scripting is being open to new things and accepting feedback. If you're looking for some feedback on how to improve a project, be sure to include something in your project's description that asks for feedback.

4. Ask Questions
Eventually, [probably sooner rather than later] you'll be stuck on a scripting problem or bug. When this happens, don't be afraid to ask questions, but know where and how to ask them. I suggest asking questions in the "Help with scripts" forum section and including a link to your project that needs help, if you have uploaded one.

5. Get Involved
Once you know the basics of Scratch, don't be afraid to join (or create!) a collab, make projects for Scratch Design Studio and/or make topics in the forums. However, be careful and always think before posting/uploading.

6. Look It Up
If you have a specific question about blocks, the forums or the Scratch website, I highly suggest heading over to the Scratch Wiki and searching for a keyword related to what you're looking for. After a while, you're free to request an account and start helping others by adding informative articles.

...And that's about it for now! I'll occasionally edit this and answer any questions that you ask in a reply here.

Last edited by stevetheipad (2012-05-22 18:05:01)