FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions



SETTINGS ISSUES

How do I add an icon to my profile?
Create (or find) an image that is hosted online. Supported formats are JPG, GIF (including animated GIFs) and PNG. Dimensions should be 64X64 pixels, and no more than 8 KB file size.
Go to Settings and the "Personal Information" tab. Add the icon URL in the space provided. Also make sure you have the "View icons" setting enabled under the Game Options tab.

Where can I find icons to use?
Many sites offer pre-made icons (or avatars, as they are also called.) The important thing is to find a site that offers icons in the correct size: 64x64 pixels. You can use smaller icons without problems, but bigger icons will be scaled down and not look as good.

(Note that some sites offering icons don't want you to link directly to their files. You should download the icon from them and upload to your own server space and use that URL instead.)

There's a free service available if you can't host your image yourself, you can upload your icon image there and they will host it for you.
Check them out at imgurl.com

Whenever I try to change my icon in Settings, my computer crashes!
You can stop the crashes if you reset your icon URL by typing "/ICON" before you go to Settings. After doing this, the icon URL field will be reset and you can enter a new one.

Why do I have a dot after my username? Also, why can't I find that Boot or Warn Artist buttons people are talking about?
The dot indicates that you are a new player. Once you have played a few games, the dot will disappear. At the same time, the Boot and the Warn Artist buttons will appear, allowing you the option to use them. Sometimes, you may get that dot even though you have been playing for a long time. This happens if you recently installed a new operating system or browser, or maybe playing from another computer.

How do I get rid of my Newbie_287 username? Also, how do I register my new name and get a password?
On the logon page, simply type over anything that's already in the Username field. Whatever you type in will be saved for the next time you log on. Registration will be available in the future and only then will you need a password.


TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

The text I'm typing appears but it won't send when I press RETURN or ENTER.
You are probably using an incompatible browser (like Earthlink.) Try Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox instead.

What's this Security pop-up window?
This window is a security dialog box that appears when you try to view icons. The icons are not stored at iSketch.net so Shockwave wants your permission to download the image file from another server (for security reasons.) Select "Don't Ask Me Again (Allow Future Access by Any Movie)" and click "Allow" to avoid seeing it again.

My computer/browser crashes as soon as a game is over!
This is most likely caused by a bad video card driver, causing it to crash when the end of game celebration comes up with the rotating 3D text. You should try to update your driver (if available.) As a temporary solution you can disable the "end of game celebration" in the preferences.

I am getting this white window when I try to log on and it looks like Shockwave is not loading all the way.
First try to clear your browser cache and reload the page. This should take care of the issue. If you still can't get the game to load, try to use the Shockwave uninstaller to remove it from your system and then do a fresh install. The uninstaller is available at http://sdc.shockwave.com/shockwave/download/alternates/
Macromedia's support page, offers additional help.

When I try to get into a game, a message tells me to change my color bit-depth to 24 bits or higher. How do I do that?

Windows users:
1. Right click on your desktop to reveal a grey window.
2. Select "Properties".
3. Click on the "Settings" tab.
4. In the "Colors" field, select 32-bit or 24-bit.
5. Follow prompts.

Note: If nothing happens when you do Step 1, Press the "Start" button on the bottom left side of your screen. Select "Settings". Press "Control Panel". Select "Display". Continue with Step 3 Above.

Mac users:
In recent versions of OS X, the ability to switch to lower color bit-depths has been removed so this problem shouldn't affect you. You can still switch bit-depth with third-party tools like SwitchResX.


GAME QUESTIONS

When is it my turn to draw?
The game selects the artist in the order the players joined. This order is maintained across games; therefore, everyone is given a chance to draw. Use the /DO command to list the current draw order.

My brother logged on using my name and got banned. Now I can't play! Is there a way I can log on again?
Unfortunately, a ban is permanent and irreversible. We believe in giving anyone a second chance after violating a rule (resulting in a kick), however, we hardly allow any more chances after that. While admins recognize most regular players, there is no definite way of knowing that your name has been used without your consent.

I voted to boot a rude player and clicked on "Vote" again in this new window that appeared. Now it says I can't vote anymore! How did that happen?
The vote privilege removal is automatic; it happens when you do not select a reason from the pop-up window that asks you why you have chosen to use this powerful tool. To protect players from vote abuse, we specifically require the full understanding of the vote function; and reading the contents of that pop-up window (and selection of the proper reason) assures us of this understanding, and that it is not misused. Your vote privilege will be reinstated after completing a few games.

Your rules are too strict! I drew a couple of letters that didn't even give away the word. Why was I skipped?
Letters are strictly prohibited and admins and players are expected to skip anyone who uses letters. Using letters changes iSketch from a drawing-and-guessing game into a writing-and-repeating game. Custom rooms are not moderated by admins. Operators of such rooms maintain full control according to the rules they choose. If you would like to play by different rules than are listed on the Rules page, feel free to create your own room and play the game as you would like. In the "public" rooms, however, you are asked to play by posted rules, and admins will make sure those rules are enforced.



Who is the admin? How do I become one?
There are many admins. They can sometimes be visible by having their name underlined, although this is not always the case. Admins look after the game; helping newbies getting started, answering questions and making sure the rules are followed. To become an admin you send in an application using the "Feedback" link. To be picked as an admin you should have played for a long time and considered by others as helpful. It probably helps if you are 18 or older, although this is no requirement. Applications are kept on file until the need arises to appoint more admin volunteers. This may take anywhere from a few weeks to months.

Is there an administrator in every room at all times? I sometimes run into some rude players. How can I get immediate assistance?
At least one system administrator is usually online at any given time to assist you. The game may also be monitored without an "admin" present in a public room.

The game is designed so that players can also regulate the game without the assistance of an admin. You and 2 other players have the option to "vote out" an offensive player at your own discretion. An admin will be alerted when this "vote" feature is used, and one may offer to assist you, but you can vote a player out of a room without requiring the assistance of an admin.

The words repeat too often!
There are a finite number of suitable words in each language or category and we are close to that limit for most of the rooms. Some of the "special subject rooms" like Phrases and Movies have fewer words than the language rooms, having around 3,000 words each. This is as many as can be put in each list without individual puzzles becoming too difficult or obscure.

The Easy English rooms contain a subset of the 10,000-word English wordlist. If you play regularly in these rooms, try the English Expert room for a bigger selection of words, which will result in fewer repeats.

There are movies and phrases that I have never heard of. Where did you get them?
All lists have been carefully researched and compiled from numerous sources. To offer a big list, in certain cases it has been necessary to include obscure entries. We made sure, however, that these more uncommon words are easy to draw. Each list is updated regularly and as new entries are added, many obscure ones are deleted.

I saw a misspelled word. Can you fix it?
Sure. Despite very careful editing, we may overlook some errors. Just click on the "Feedback" button on the bottom part of the game page and let us know about any misspellings or bugs you have come across, or to send us any ideas or other feedback you would like to share.

I have a great idea for a room. Can I contribute a wordlist? How many words do you need?
Absolutely. We welcome any contribution. We start out with at least 1,500 words. Check the contributions page for this purpose.

CONNECTION PROBLEMS

If the program reports "There is no connection" or if the "Rooms" list never appears after you have entered your username and clicked 'Logon', it means there are problems connecting to the iSketch server. There are several reasons this might occur:
  • Attempting to connect from behind a firewall that does not allow outgoing connections can cause connection failures. Contact the network administrator to adjust the firewall configuration to allow TCP/IP connections on port 1626 & 1627 (1627 only needed for sending sketches.)

    If you are using Windows XP you might need to configure the built-in firewall to be able to send and receive sketches:
    1. Go to Start > My network places > View network connections
    2. Right click internet connection. Choose Properties.
    3. Click Advanced tab.
    4. Click Settings.
    5. On Services tab, click Add.
    6. Type a name for service. (E.g. "iSketch")
    7. Type in local IP address
    8. External port number : 1627
      Internal port number: 1627
    9. Click TCP on.
    10. Click OK. Then OK again.

  • Using a proxy server can interfere because it may mask the real IP address of the user trying to connect.
  • Failed connections may also occur because the server is not currently running or accepting connections. If this is the case, try loading the game again later.
  • You have been disconnected by a system administrator. This is in cases of extreme misconduct and rule violations.