What is Discord?

Discord is a communication tool. It can be used to communicate using text, voice, and video over the internet.

What do I need to use Discord?

Discord can be used with most modern web browsers. Chrome (or Chromium) is the only browser that allows communication with video, voice, and text, but you can communicate using text and voice with other browsers. Also there is software for Linux, MS Windows, and MacOS which allows you to communicate with video, voice, and text, and iOS and Android that allows you to communicate with voice and text.

How do I get the software?

Go to http://discord.com/download/ to find the correct software for your use.

What are servers and channels in Discord?

Servers and channels are the ways that Discord organizes communications. You can think of servers in Discord as topics and channels as conversations.

How do I use the MnStf Discord server?

Use the invitation link (https://discord.gg/g9hSkc3) in a browser to accept an invitation to the MnStf Discord server.

You'll be asked to choose a username. It doesn't have to be your actual name but it should be something you are comfortable being called. Think of it as similar to a badge name at a science fiction convention.

You will then be asked to give your birthday. This is mostly so Discord can comply with its legal obligations.

Then you will be asked for information to create an account. This isn't required but I would recommend doing it if you think there is any chance that you will be using Discord more than once.

Enter an email address that you can receive a confirmation email at and a password that you can remember that is also hard to guess and then click the "Claim Account" button. If you don't want to create an account click on the window somewhere outside of the Claim Account box and it should go to the MnStf Discord server.

After clicking "Claim Account" it should tell you that a confirmation link has been sent to the email address that you gave. You can then either click the button to download the desktop application or click the X if you don't want to do that.

After a few minutes you should receive the email with the confirmation link. Click the link to confirm your email address.

Discord should come up and ask you to verify that you aren't a bot. A captcha might be involved.

Once that's done you'll get a message that your email address has been verified and you will be able to click a button to go on to Discord.

You now are a member of the MnStf Discord server.

The Discord screen is divided into sections. The far left column has an icon for private conversations and the icons for the servers that you are a member of.

The next section contains the channel list for the current server. Click on a channel name to make it your current channel. You can have one text and one voice channel active at a time.

At the bottom of the channel list section is your user information. The gear icon is for settings related to your account.

The large center section contains messages in the current active text channel. At the bottom is an entry area for messages.

The section at the right has the list of members of the server.

If you click one of the voice channels and you have a microphone on your computer you will be asked once or twice if you want to allow Discord to access your microphone.

Sound Troubleshooting

If there is a noise issue and you can check your audio by going into User Settings by clicking the gear icon,

scrolling down to the APP SETTINGS section and clicking on Voice & Video. Then use the MIC TEST by clicking on the Let's Check button.

Things that might help sound issues that are on that screen are; switching to Push to Talk,

turning on Echo Cancellation, turning on Noise Reduction, and turning on Automatic Gain Control.

Any questions? Email discord@mnstf.org

This page created by: Kevin G. Austin kaustin@sffan.net