This thread will contain links to off-site pages which we feel are very useful for players as writers and as artists. Every link comes with a description pertaining to its function. If you have any links you would like to add, then please reply to this thread with the link, name and a brief description and staff will review it for adding to our collection.

AS:MM related stuff
AS:MM [dot] Community - An AS:MM Community run by our Very own Nikki : D

Roleplay
The Mary Sue - Mary Sue: Who she is and how to avoid her.
Woohoo - For all your phonetic accent needs - remember that these translations are radically exaggerated and will not be accurate to the entire area your character is from. So if you use it, edit it down accordingly. Do not rely on this source 100%.

Tools
Trillian - We have regular get togethers on chat and we use AIM/MSN to do it. If you have trouble downloading either, try this -- a prgramme that loads multiple messenger programmes at once, without a need to download MSN or AIM. You just need the sign in names.
FireFox - the web browser in which this site is best viewed. This is a solid, safe browser that protects you from key loggers, amongst many other things. It comes highly recommended over the standard Internet Explorer provided by Microsoft in the Windows package.
PhotoBucket - A free place to host your avatars and character signatures so that you don't hotlink from other places.
Open Office - a freeware programme that offers a word processor, among other things. You are able to save files in multiple formats (including Word documents) and you can open numerous file types in this programme, also.
Google Street Map - **new** This is particularly useful if you're trying to get a visual on an area in a muggle city. Use street map to find a location and zoom in as close as possible to bring up photographs taken by the google street map van. These are real and up to date photographs of the area that you can manipulate and turn to suit your vantage point.


Graphics Programmes
Photoshop - Provides you with a trial download of adobe's latest graphics software, Photoshop Creative Studios
Paint Shop Pro - Paint Shop Pro Trial.

Image Searches
DeviantArt - A huge resource for stock photos - be sure to read each users individual policy on use!
Elsewhere - A catalogue of female celebrities of all varieties!
Getty Images - A searchable archive of photographs, digital art, cartoons and more.
Google - Use the image search function to find images of all varieties.
Starpulse - Want a celebrity but can't find the pictures? Search for them here, then use the 'links' section to find pictures!

Brushes
Aethereality - a collection of high quality brushes for use in Photoshop.
Appendix Squared - A small graphics site with lots of excellent quality brushes available.
Angelina Art - A selection of high quality brushes, textures and patterns.
Brusheezy - Almost 300 brushes for free use.
DeviantArt - A huge resource for brushes for all types of graphics programmes.
A Joyful Heart - A page full of links to various websites providing you with brushes for your graphics programmes.
Hybrid Genesis - A variety of brushes for Photoshop.
Kloud Nine - A small collection of high quality brushes for Photoshop.
Rainbow Nightmares - Brushes for Photoshop 8 and CS, but with jpegs for use in other programmes.
V-Brushes - A huge resource for Photoshop brushes of all kinds.

Textures
Aethereality - a collection of high quality textures for use in all graphics programmes.
Appendix Squared - A small graphics site with lots of excellent quality textures available.
DeviantArt - A huge collection of textures available through the search function.
Kloud Nine - A small collection of high quality textures for use in all graphics programmes.

Fonts
DaFont - A huge font search engine where you can find any font you wish!
MyFonts - Another font search engine for purchasable fonts.
Luc Devroye on Snot and Fonts - A huge selection of font pages for unique looking fonts designed by individuals. Whatever you're after, you're sure to find it here! (note: not all linked pages are in English)

Misc
Red Carpet & Rebellion - a graphics resource website packed with tutorials, photos, textures and plenty more.

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There are a few Firefox add-ons that can really help both using and creating forums and RPGs. If you do not have Firefox, you can download it for free at:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

BBCodeXtra
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/491
Frankly, I don't know how people who use forums live without this. Allows you to format your post just by selecting and right clicking on an option, whether BBCode for a post or in HTML for you board wrappers. There are several other addons for using BBCode, but I think this one is by far the best. It will also format anything you have copied onto your clipboard (for example, if you are posting ads).

Text Formating Toolbar
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4763
Like BBCodeXtra, but as a toolbar. Does not have as many options as BBCodeXtra, but is handy for basic formating like bold and italics. Alignment tags do not work on IF (but do on Proboards and IPBFree).

Reload Every
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/115
Right-click on a webpage, choose "Reload Every", and you can set it to refresh the page every so many seconds. I use this ALL THE TIME!

Cooliris
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5579
Totally awesome app that lets you search photo sites in a 3D sort of style. Works with most major places you'd look for pics, and lets you zoom through them at a fast pace, and then email yourself the pics. GREAT for finding playby pics!

Colorful Tabs
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1368
Makes all your tabs a different color. No practical use...just pretty!

Dictionary Lookup
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4037
Highlight and right-click on a word, choose the dictionary, and it will look it up for you.

AdBlock +
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
ShinLi already has a better documentation about this, but I thought I'd note it. This gets rid of ads. However, do know that some sites have scripts that can detect this and won't let you look at them until you unenable it. I like it anyway.

Disable Autoplay
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1765
If you are like me and hate automatic music players, this disables them from starting automatically. You still have the ability to use the play menu on that player.

Stylish
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2108
Like a site, but hate it's skin or font? You can personally customize a site's appearance to personal specifications.