I was thinking about how some stuff on botb is the opposite
of intuitive for n00bz.
and there are definitely a handful of questions that come up in chat every month at least once.
maybe it wld avoid some of those questions if the funny message box at the top which currently only shows jokes, the taxman and guys without wares, wld show helpful hints sometimes.

something like ,,, idk "Hint: The Lyceum features a lot of knowledge and can help you if you're stuck."

or
"The human voice format has an image problem... Most people assume it is an acapella format, but you are actually allowed to use additional instruments as long as it features human voice as well."

or
"Advice: Think twice before favoriting an entry, because you will never be able to undo it"

obviously all of these could be worded better, but you get the idea hopefully.

PRO TIP: let someone else get the renderist points! never render your own entries!

oh this is a great idea!

this is a really good idea, ESPECIALLY for pointing new users to the lyceum. i didn’t figure out what it was until after i had already been battling properly for like a month, which feels a bit absurd given how much it can tell you about everything.

@adibabidan i didnt know what an ohb was for 2 months while i was already joining major battles.

The info box should have a "how to use this site" link that leads to usability. Essential reading listening for all n00bs!

missing out on the chat component of battling seems like a common noob mistake

- "The voting period for XHBs actually only lasts until the XHB host confirms in chat that everyone has voted!"

- "Not all emtries are created equal! Vote high to show appreciation for excellent tracks, vote low to encourage botbrs to step up their game next round!"

I also really think Roz's maxim should be more visible:

- "Always submit, even if it's shit!"

it'd be fun to include an NPC-style image of Roz' avatar along with that one.

we need the botb lyceum mascot

bit of solving a problem that doesn't exist yet but maybe the tips could show up every time a fresh noob logs in and then decrease in frequency (and maybe also increase in how niche they are?) as they level up or get more playa points or something

@02fd it should be the Cheetahmen from Action 52

i for one can get behind block^3's proposal!!! and i also agree with the other comments about noobs often missing out on the social dimension of battles; definitely there should be a message about joining in chats.

Hint: You need to earn a badge before you can start hosting your own battles.

it might also be useful for the messages to link to the relevant lyceum pages.

i still think this is a good idea.

i supprot this idea fully i would've loved this plenty when i first joined as well