IRC, short for Internet Chat Relay, it is a massive network of text-based chat channels and users from all around the world.
If you would like to find out more, click here.
Where to get it?
www.mirc.com
Purpose of IRC in CAL
As users from around the world can connect to one big network, this program is of much help to CAL as it can connect all of it's members. On IRC you will be able to find a lot of helpful channels and also contact your opponent's to schedule matches etc. IRC is what brings the e-sports community closer.
2 How does it work?
I could write my own guide on how to use it, but the guys at www.mirc.com have already done it, so I'll simply link you to their starter guides.
How to Install IRC (with screenshots)
IRC Intro
3 GameSurge
Now that you have installed IRC and you know how it works, you need to know which network to connect to. This is where GameSurge comes into play. GameSurge is a gaming community built around an IRC network where all gamers interact.
To connect to GameSurge you will need to set up your IRC like in this screenshot. For the rest, please follow the IRC and GameSurge guides provided in the 2 and 4 steps.
To participate in CAL, your team is required to have a registered channel on the GameSurge network. To be able to create a registered channel, you will need to create a user account on http://www.GameSurge.net/.
4 Creating an account on GameSurge/New user guide
The guys at GameSurge have created a great guide for beginners, if you are new to IRC I strongly recommend reading it.
New user Guide
Masking your IP (I suggest you add this command to your perform /mode $me +x )
If you already know how things work, create your account here:
Create account
5 Creating a channel for your team
After you setup your IRC and create your GameSurge account you are now ready to register a channel for your team. I guess that by now you know a little bit how IRC works, therefore start it up and make sure you are authed ( This means you have this command "/authserv AUTH
Once there, someone will take care of you and register you a channel for your team. My suggestions when you register a channel is to keep it simple. For example if your team name is "The Evil Badgers" your clan tag would probably look something like this: "teb | name". In this case I would suggest you try and register one of those channels for your team: #teb #team-teb #clan-teb #tebteam etc. do not try and be original here by making your channel name #-=t3h.EviL.B4dGers=-. As I said, try and keep it simple.
You will also want to register a private channel for your team, so you and your gang can have private conversations. When you register your team channel ask the GameSurge staff member helping you to register you a private channel as well. Again make this simple, example: #teb-private or #teb-priv.
6 Important Channels
Now that you are all set up, the good thing to know is where you can get direct help from CAL admins or GameSurge staff or where you can get a scrim for the game you play.
GameSurge channels:
#support
#help
#registration
CAL channels:
#caleague
#cal-support
#caleague-aa
#caleague-bf2
#caleague-cs
#caleague-css
#caleague-cz
#caleague-cod
#caleague-dc
#caleague-dod
#caleague-doom3
#caleague-et
#caleague-fear
#caleague-halo2
#caleague-hl2dm
#caleague-ns
#caleague-pk
#caleague-quake4
#caleague-wc3
Scrim channels:
#aascrim
#bf2scrim
#calscrim
#calscrim-cod
#calscrim-cz
#codscrim
#cod2scrim
#dodscrim
#findscrim
#findscrimbf2
#findscrim-cod2
#findscrim-cod
#findnsscrim
#findscrimns
#sourcescrim
#scrimdod
#scrimdod:s
#scrimnet
Other usefull channels:
#findringer
#findsponsor
#findclan
#aaringer
#aa-pug
#aa-maps
#aaotracker
7 How to get the most from IRC as a gamer
Scheduling matches:
Through IRC you can easily contact your opponent's and schedule match times. When your match is scheduled on the CAL site, click your opponent's name and get to their CAL page. You will then see their IRC channel name (Circled in red on the screenshot). Join their channel and talk to their leader/scheduler to schedule your match. If neither of them are online, e-mail them. Also make sure you use the CAL PM system when scheduling. You may agree on a time in IRC but make sure you confirm it through the CAL PM system. Long story short, PM (Private Message) your IRC conversation to the other team's leader/scheduler. To PM someone, login o the CAL website, go to their team's CAL page and then click the PM icon by their name.
Finding scrims:
To find a scrim (practice game) simply join any of the before mentioned scrim channels, #findscrim for example and post your line or look for one. Post your line? Yes! Here is how it's done:
After you have joined a scrim channel, you will be either looking to find a scrim or proposing one to others or in most cases doing both. To do this, you will need to post your scrim line. There are various ways to do that but the most common is as follows:
Number of players || Who's server? || Which map? || What level of play? || Way to contact you || Extra
More precisely:
Number of players: This depends of the game you are playing, some games play 4 versus 4, some play 5 versus 5. But sometimes people offer 2 versus 2 scrims or 3 versus 3 and so on...
Whose Server?: If you have a server you may advertise, OURS, if you do not have a server you will say YOURS, if you have one but do not mind where your playing, you may advertise OURS/YOURS.
Which map?: Once again, this depends of the game you play, but for America's Army, an example would be Pipeline, or Pipe (MOUT, Insurgent Camp, SF CSAR, SF Hospital)
What level of play?: Here you will state what kind of caliber teams you wish to play. Examples: Cal-o, Cal-im, Cal-m, Cal-p, Cal-i etc.
Way to contact you?: Just say "Pm me". The person will then private message you through IRC and ask you if you want to scrim with his team.
Extra: Some teams add extra info here, like No pugs, Have 4 ready etc.
Examples of scrim lines:
4v4 / Yours / MOUT / cal-o / pm me
2v2 | Y/ours | Pipeline | cal-m/i | pm me
4v4 - Ours - SF CSAR - cal-m - pm me - NO PUGS/Be good.
When you pm someone or someone pm's you to scrim, exchange your server information (ip/password) and then pass the information to your team and join the server.
Pick Up Games:
IRC is a good place to also to play PUGs is short for pick-up game. Basically, a PUG where a number of players from different teams get together and play. It's like a scrim with teams constructed of various different players. Why is this fun? Well you team up with other players that you can trust to be somewhat coordinated with and get some good challenging games going. And if you don't think you have what it takes, fear not, playing PUGs will only make you better.
Ringers/Ringing:
A ringer is someone who will play for another team as their 4th player for example. If you need a ringer for your team, you can find one in these channels: #aaringer, #findringer
If you are looking in #findringer, make sure you specify what game you want the ringer for.
Also, you can ring yourself when your team is not playing. Ringing for other teams can make you learn some new things and improve your game, especially when you happen to ring for the good teams.
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