ISketch

Infobox Website
name = iSketch
favicon =



caption =
url = [http://www.isketch.net/ www.isketch.net]
commercial = No
type = Drawing website
registration = None
owner = Robert Wahlstedt
author = Robert Wahlstedt
launch date = 15 June 1999
current status = Active
revenue =

iSketch is a browser-based drawing game for all ages, similar to Pictionary.

Players take turns in drawing a word or words (using a mouse or tablet) while the rest try to guess. Puzzles come in over 20 languages and over 200 themes] . Difficulty level ranges from easy to expert. Guessers score when they solve the puzzle within a short grace period after the first correct guess. Artists accrue points for every correct guess within the grace period. [http://www.isketch.net/instructions/howto.shtml iSketch Instructions] ]

Aside from the standard game rooms, players can create custom rooms where they tailor game settings and choose from a wider selection of word lists. Players are also presented with a private studio [ [http://www.isketch.net/instructions/studio.shtml iSketch Studio] ] where they can practice, and save or share drawings with others. Rooms categorized SocialLobby menu interface] include chat-only and lounge rooms. In general, player mentality is social: rules are mostly enforced by the players themselves, and it is not uncommon for player communities to spring up around certain rooms.

Registration is not required [http://www.isketch.net/isketch.shtml iSketch logon page] ] in order to play. However, it is advisable to read the game instructions [http://www.isketch.net/instructions/index.shtml iSketch Instructions] ] prior to joining.

Game Rooms

Rules and moderation

;Player Voting System: iSketch users have the ability to moderate the game in order to ensure fairness and adherence to the rules [ [http://www.isketch.net/instructions/rules.shtml iSketch Rules] ] . Regular players may warn [A warn button becomes available after a provisionary period is satisfied.] an artist violating a drawing rule. An artist loses his turn to draw when he receives warnings from three individual players. Subsequent offenses by the same artist require only one vote to invoke loss of turn. Users are also able to boot players from rooms using a similar voting method. Boot votes will remove someone from the room.

There are a number of so called Cyber rooms, where people simulate sex.

Adiminstrators let this occur by claiming Isketch is for over 18's but nowhere does it state this prior to entering the site, so beware.

There is no password protection, so innocent kids may fall victim to paedophiles and internet groomers.

;Game Administrators: When a vote is cast, Game Administrators are notified and will attempt to assist and intervene if necessary. Administrators may support the decision of the voting user, or suspend the user's ability to vote. Administrators can ban persistent offenders from the site.;User-created rooms: While pre-created rooms are moderated by Administrators, user-created rooms employ a system similar to IRC operators where the room creator has full control over rules. Controls include — but are not limited to — making the room private, assigning other moderators and ejecting players.

;Chat Rooms: Chat rooms are user-created and are infamous for being explicit.

;Filters: A user may enable filters Player preference settings.] for pre-determined words, room names, emotes, and profile icons.

Issues

*iSketch requires Adobe Shockwave. Because of this, it is not possible to play iSketch on operating systems without the Shockwave player software, (such as Linux), unless a Windows compatible browser and Shockwave plugin, is installed and run through Wine.

*Adobe Shockwave does not support character sets other than ISO/IEC 8859-1, therefore characters may appear as squares and/or correct guesses may not be recognized on non-conforming systems. An [http://home.comcast.net/~sketchpage/help_squares.html adjustment] to the computer's language settings is required to display text properly.

*The game allows only a limited number of players; therefore one might see this message when trying to log on: "The server is currently full. Please try again later".

*Players may pass answers between each other via instant messaging or simply write the puzzle itself instead of drawing. These, and what is generally considered offensive behavior, are forms of griefing. Griefing can pose problems if target users are unaware/incapable of effective use of the boot mechanism or any of the other moderation features. Game administrators may act on reports of griefing and offenders are often punished with temporary blocks, or bans, depending on the case.

References and notes

Further reading

[http://picks.yahoo.com/picks/20001225.html "Yahoo! Picks of the Year"] . (Dec. 2000). Retrieved Jan. 2, 2007.

Williams, Felicia (Dec. 2000). "Games Grown Ups Play / An Online Doodle Dandy". "PC World", p. 184.

[http://listserv.cc.kuleuven.ac.be/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0104c&L=aware&P=20432 2nd Place Winner] , People's Choice Awards - Interactive Entertainment. [http://www.adobe.com/macromedia/proom/pr/2001/ucon_focus.html Adobe/Macromedia UCON 2001] . Retrieved Jan. 2, 2007.

Aquino, Grace (2001). [http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/12/26/game.all.stars.idg/index.html "Review: The all-star team of online games"] . Retrieved Jan. 2, 2007.

[http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/cool/miscellaneous.html "Ten Cool Sites"] . (Jan. - Feb. 2002). "Exploratorium". Retrieved Jan. 2, 2007.

FORO ISKETCH http://foroclandestino.foroactivo.net/portal.htm

ee also

* Yahoo! Graffiti

External links

* [http://www.isketch.net/ Play iSketch] (requires Adobe Shockwave)
*iSketch Communities (English): [http://www.isketchforum.net/ iSketchforum] , [http://groups.msn.com/I-SketcherAddicts/ I-SketcherAddicts] , [http://www.simplyisketch.com/ SimplyiSketch]
*iSketch Communities (other languages): [http://www.isketch.be/ Dutch] , [http://www.ungars.com/ French] , [http://www.isketch-italian.net/ Italian] , [http://foroclandestino.foroactivo.net/forum.htm Spanish/Latin American] , [http://www.isketch.es Spanish] , [http://www.isketcheiros.official.ws/ Brazil]
* [http://www.isketchforum.net/gallery/browseimages.php?do=popimages&orderby=views Gallery] - sample iSketch puzzles and drawings