Discord is the application that is not usually missing on the computer and mobile phone of any person who considers himself a gamer . Along these lines we will explain what it is, what it is for, how it is organized and why more and more users who have nothing to do with the world of video games are approaching this versatile communication platform .
What is Discord?
Although it is sold as a chat for gamers , Discord is today a much bigger phenomenon, which has left the world of video games and has established another alternative when it comes to communicating over the Internet .
Discord is a voice chat platform. Or, at least, that was his initial idea. A kind of Skype, but with an approach focused on online video games. But Discord isn’t just satisfied with calls. There are also video calls , and rooms can be set up for group text conversations , just like alternatives like Telegram.
Over time, Discord has started to reach many more users. So much so that many of the new users who register on this platform every day do not necessarily do so to play online. Discord has a series of peculiarities that make it the perfect platform to create communities, as we will see in more detail below.
How does Discord work?
Discord works with independent groups that are known as servers . Each server is totally separate from the others. This point is key, because each server has its rules, its rooms and its community.
As users, we only need to register once on Discord . Once inside, we will search the Internet for different communities and follow the steps they ask us to be accepted.
One thing that makes Discord special is that it uses a rather peculiar method when it comes to managing users. In Discord you can put yourself whatever name you want. Along with your nickname will be a hashtag with four figures, which will be your unique identifier . Also, on each server you can change your nickname , as long as the administrators allow it. You can also choose different avatars on each server with Discord Nitro membership.
Why is it so successful?
There are several reasons that justify the success of Discord. These are the most important:
Low latency calls
Cuts and robotic voices are the bread and butter of many VoIP platforms. Discord fixed this issue with low latency calls and optimization . They did this not to improve communication, but rather to avoid saturating the Internet connection during their clients’ online games.
During calls, Discord does some very good audio optimization . There is hardly any data consumption during silences.
Server customization
Discord servers can be customized in an incredible way. There are all kinds of bots and programs that are integrated into the platform so that each server offers a unique experience.
Despite the fact that many of these bots are paid, some communities choose Discord for the ease it offers to server administrators when it comes to managing content, managing users and even making payment gateways for users with different ranks.
Alternative to traditional forums
The forums of a lifetime became obsolete more than 10 years ago. Very few Internet platforms have been able to adapt to the new times, Reddit being the only example of a community that has done its homework well.
Discord allows you to create monothematic communities , and separate them into different subcategories with video, voice and text channels. In short, Discord combines the best of Skype, Telegram, and Slack so you can create a more instant community than a forum.
What is Discord Nitro?
The premium version of Discord is called Discord Nitro. It is a membership that provides a series of advantages to users. Discord Nitro is priced at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year . Its main characteristics are the following:
- Server Upgrades – Nitro users can apply two upgrades to their servers, as well as a 30% discount on upgrades purchased during the period the user has this paid membership active.
- Personal Profile – Discord Nitro recipients can customize their avatar on each server, as well as add images with animation.
- Best Emoji : Gives you the right to create your own set of custom emojis or use those previously created by other users.
- Higher limits – Files uploaded to the platform can reach a capacity of 100 MB, compared to 8 MB for the standard version and 50 MB for the Nitro Classic membership.
- HD Video – When screen sharing on live streams, Discord Nitro users can upscale to an enhanced 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second.
- Extra – A special badge that alerts other users to the amount of time you have been subscribed to this premium program.
Get started on Discord
If you don’t have a Discord account yet or are thinking about opening one, follow these steps:
Register an account
Signing up for Discord is totally free:
- Go to the website discordapp.com
- Click on the ‘ Login ‘ button.
- Now tap on the ‘ Register ‘ link.
- Fill in the data with an e-mail, a username and a password .
- Accept the terms, go to your email account and activate the account .
Download the app
Discord is a fully cross- platform service. It doesn’t matter what device you have. So far, you can use Discord on all of these systems:
- Microsoft Windows (Windows 7 or higher)
- macOS (MacOS 10.11 El Capitan or higher)
- Android (Android 5 or higher)
- iOS (iPhone) / iPadOS (iPad)
- Linux
- Browsers : Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge and Safari.
join a server
To join a Discord community, you need to receive an invite or follow a public link . You have three options to do this:
By search
- Tap on the ‘+’ button in the top left corner of your app.
- Click on the option ‘ Join a server’ (‘ Join a server ‘ if it appears in English).
- Write the name of the invitation you received.
Through Link
For us, the fastest and most intuitive way that exists. Open communities usually have a public link that we can follow in our browser. Then, our browser will tell us that the link wants to open in the Discord app if we have it installed. If not, simply log in to the web version of Discord. Then, accept the invitation and join.
Once inside, some communities require extra steps to confirm our membership in the group, such as solving a captcha , putting a contact email or any other type of test.
Via the official server list
It is the same case as the previous one, only you will simply have to search for the server that interests you within the official list of Discord servers that is published on the platform’s official website.
Create a server
Do you want to create your own server? Doing it is very simple.
- From any app or web version, tap on the ‘+’ button in the upper left corner. The button will appear much lower if you have previously joined some other server.
- Now click on ‘ Create a server ‘.
- Put a name , an image and set the region of the server .
- Then, you can generate the link so you can invite the people you want to be part of your community.
Shape your community
The last thing before finishing the basics is to create each room to organize our users.
- Create Category – Discord categories are used to group chat, voice, or video rooms together. You can create new categories by tapping on your server name or by right clicking on the empty space below the channel column.
- Create channels : you can create a different channel for each topic and set different limits or add bots to manage your user community.
How can I take advantage of Discord?
organize your community
Do you already have a Telegram group and you get lost in a soup of comments that seems to have no end? Do you have a very specific hobby and are looking to create a community of like-minded people? Do you sell some type of info product or online classes and want to give extra support in the form of a community? Discord is the ideal tool to do all that you are looking for.
Add bots and unique features to your server
Each server is unique and will require individual solutions . There is a large catalog of programs that can be used in Discord to facilitate organization and communication between users of the same server.
Some of these tools are paid, but if you are going to work with large communities, it will end up being worth it.
Research new servers
Enter Google and look for people who have public servers . There are many communities that fit your tastes. You just have to enter, introduce yourself and share information you have about your hobby, be it video games or any other interesting topic.
