# 4A. JOIN GAME NOW [ABOUT TO START]

## Playing a game now

To challenge for a game that's about to start:

1. Connect to Wireplay and wait for the NOTICEBOARD screen.

2. On the NOTICEBOARD, look at the list of game proposals until you find one showing (a 'friendly') in the first column and (player on-line) in the 'Status' column. To view more proposals, click on the Down arrow.

   (Note: if there seem to be too many games to choose from, you may want to narrow the selection - click here for further help.)

3. Check the 'Slots free' column for available places, and the 'Skill level' column for your preferred degree of difficulty.

4. If you want to find out more about a particular player, click on a name and then click on the 'Player CV' button.

5. If everything looks good, note the name of the Game Proposer and click on the game title. Then click on the 'Locker Room' button to enter the LOCKER ROOM.

6. In the LOCKER ROOM, you'll see your nickname on the right-hand list, with in the 'Status' column to indicate that you're 'in' the Room. Check to see whether the Game Proposer is also 'in' the Room, means they're not), otherwise you may have to wait a while.

7. Click on the 'Challenge' button: 'Pending' will appear next to your name in the 'Offer Status' column.

8. Watch the 'Offer Status' column to see if your challenge is accepted by the Game Proposer. Be ready for greetings or questions in the large CHAT BOX window.

(Note: while you wait, you might want to check the 'parameters' list to see what the Game Proposer has set up. If you'd like to suggest changes - e.g. that the Doom '-nomonster' option is turned on - you may be able to do so as part of your 'chat'.)

9. If you get a message, reply by clicking in the small CHAT BOX window, typing in your response and pressing 'Return' on your keyboard. You'll see your response appear alongside your nickname, below the message you're responding to.

10. If your challenge is accepted, 'Accepted' will appear in the 'Offer status' column. It will then be up to the game Proposer to start the game.

11. If your challenge is rejected, 'Rejected' will appear on the 'Offer Status' list and the game will start without you. In this case, click on the 'Noticeboard' button to return to the NOTICEBOARD, then click the 'Re-do Search' button to update the list of available game proposals, before trying again.

12. If you want to withdraw your challenge, click on the 'Withdraw' button on the left hand side of the screen.

(Note: you can challenge for different games scheduled to begin at the same time, but as soon as one of these challenges is accepted, you should withdraw all the others.)