Chat Alpha FAQ What is Super Chat Alpha? How do I get Super Chat Alpha? My Super Chat Alpha "Failed to Install," Help! How does the browser feature work? How do I get back to Super Chat Alpha once I close the Chat Window? What is this new Gesture feature? What else is new? Why aren't the BACK and FWD browser buttons working? Why can't I enter certain Web Rooms? What happens to my transparent avs in the new browser? I want the regular Super Chat back. How do I uninstall this Alpha Chat? Chat Alpha FAQ   WHAT IS SUPER CHAT ALPHA? We've spent the last few weeks working to add web browsing capabilities to Super Chat. With the new browser, you'll be able to surf web sites, visit avatar paint galleries and view chatter created rooms while you chat! WHY IS THIS AN ALPHA VERSION? We think we have the browser securely added in to Super Chat, but just in case there are any problems, we've released this initial version to those of you who are interested in trying it out. You can turn the browser option off at any time while using Super Chat Alpha by clicking the red "Switch to non-browser mode" button at the top.   Back to top   HOW DO I GET SUPER CHAT ALPHA? Check out the Alpha Download page for the install file and instructions. MY SUPERCHAT ALPHA "FAILED TO INSTALL." HELP! If your Super Chat Alpha fails to install, try the following: Exit from Super Chat and Private Messenger Right click the Excite logo in your system tray and select "Exit" Then hit Control-Alt-Delete to access your Task Manager End any processes called: X8IMPIPE.EXE or X8PLAY.EXE Return to the download page Click the Download Now! Button and Save the file to your desktop Exit your internet browser Double click the file you've just saved to your Desktop to install Super Chat Alpha You should be all set to start using Super Chat Alpha!   Back to top   HOW DOES THE BROWSER FEATURE WORK? After you've downloaded and installed Super Chat Alpha, click on the "Excite Help Desk" room link at the bottom of the Alpha Download page and Super Chat Alpha will launch. Then, simply enter a URL into the text box and begin surfing! To find out where everyone else is chatting on the web, click the Rooms button. You'll see a list of Excite Places on the left and a tab for Web Places on the right.   Back to top   HOW DO I GET BACK TO SUPER CHAT ALPHA ONCE I CLOSE THE CHAT WINDOW? When you close the Chat window and return to use Super Chat later on... Start the Private Messenger just like you normally would. Click the Chat button and Super Chat ALpha will launch. Enter any room. Super Chat will look the same except you'll now see the red "Switch to Alpha Browser mode" button . Click the Alpha button and your Super Chat will refresh to the new look with a text box to enter URLs and begin surfing! To find out where everyone else is chatting on the web, click the Rooms button. You'll see a list of Excite Places on the left and a tab for Web Places on the right (screen shot above).   Back to top   WHAT IS THIS NEW GESTURE FEATURE? Gestures are .vpa files of animations with sound that are displayed to the room in your chat bubble. The new Super Chat Alpha installs with default gestures that are ready to play and can be seen by anyone with the newest Alpha build. Users can also create their own gestures to share with friends. To view a user created gesture, you need save the actual .vpa file to your gesture folder. If a gesture is played that you do not yet have saved, you'll see the Gesture tag line in your room text, but not the animation or the sound. Please Note: You should only accept files from people you know and trust. While most gestures are made for fun and entertainment, be aware that files accepted online can be corrupt or contain malicious programs.   Back to top   WHAT ELSE IS NEW? We've redesigned the feature buttons in the lower right to slim down the name list creating less white space and more room for avatars and gestures!   Back to top   WHY AREN'T THE BACK & FWD BROWSER BUTTONS WORKING? Currently the BACK and FORWARD browser buttons navigate to URLs you've visited, but not to regular Excite Rooms. Regular Excite Rooms will be skipped by the BACK and FWD buttons. For example, if you move from a Web Room to an Excite Room to another Excite Room, then hit BACK, you will navigate to the last Web Room. We are aware that this is not ideal and will be adding navigation to Excite Rooms with the BACK and FWD buttons very soon. Remember, you can always use the Chat Room popup to get back to the Excite Rooms.   Back to top   WHY CAN'T I ENTER CERTAIN WEB ROOMS? Currently the servers can only create rooms with URLs that are shorter than 65 characters long. If you attempt to enter a room with a longer URL, you will not see anyone in the name list and your avatar will not appear in the room. We are aware of this problem and are working to fix it.   Back to top   WHAT HAPPENS TO MY TRANSPARENT AVS IN THE NEW BROWSER? Your transparent avatars will work just fine in all the Excite Chat rooms. In browser chat rooms, however, they won't be transparent. The transparent part of the avatar will be replaced by the default room background color of the page you are visiting. We are looking for the best solution to the display of transparencies, but currently those types of avs will only work in Excite Rooms. HOW DO I UNINSTALL THE ALPHA CHAT? To go back chatting with Super Chat without the browser: Click on "Start" menu and select "Settings" and then "Control Panel" Then in the new menu window click on "Add/Remove Programs". A new window will open up with all your programs listed on the left. Locate the 'Excite Private Messenger' listing and click on it. Then click the "Change/Remove" button. The computer will now uninstall this program and a message will appear stating that the "Excite Private Messenger" was successfully uninstalled. Click the "ok" button and then shut these windows. After this, please reboot your computer to make sure that the program was indeed deleted. Download and install Super Chat without the Alpha Browser. Back to top