Nintendo of America

PictoChat

What do you need assistance with?

Setup:
• Start and exit PictoChat
• Enter or leave a chat room
• Change the background color
• Change your nickname
• Edit your personal message

Using PictoChat:
• Scroll the message window
• Create and send text messages
• Create and send a drawing
• Erase a drawing
• Copy and use a previous message
• Display another player's personal message

Additional Information:
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Troubleshooting

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Start and exit PictoChat:

1. Remove all games from the Nintendo DS.
2. Turn the system on by pressing the POWER button.
3. Tap the screen using the stylus when the "Touch the Touch Screen to continue" message appears.
4. When the main menu appears, tap the stylus on the PictoChat Selection Panel on the left side of the Touch Screen. After this, you can enter a chat room. (If a Nintendo DS Game Card automatically starts up before you can access PictoChat, your system is most likely set to "Automatic Start-up." Click here for information on changing this setting.)

To exit PictoChat, tap the stylus on the Exit Button (The "X") in the upper-right corner. (The "X" is very small and in the corner. If you cannot touch the "X," you may need to recalibrate the Touch Screen.)

 

Enter and exit a chat room:

PictoChat supports four chat rooms with up to 16 participants in each room (64 total). Chat rooms are labeled A through D.
1. Start PictoChat.
2. Tap on the chat room you wish to enter or use the Control Pad to highlight the room and either tap "Join" or press the A Button.

To exit a chat room, tap the stylus on the Exit Button (The "X") in the upper-right corner. (The "X" is very small and in the corner. If you cannot touch the "X," you may need to recalibrate the Touch Screen.)

If you are having difficulty beginning PictoChat, entering a chat room, or chatting with other users, please link here for additional information.

 

Scroll the message window:

To view any messages that have been previously sent or received by you in the current chat room, you can scroll the message window by either tapping the Scroll Button, or pressing the L and R Buttons. You can also copy and edit previous messages.

Scroll Button

 

Create and send a text message:

1. While in PictoChat, tap the letter on the keyboard. Doing so will place the letter onto the input board.

Keyboard

2. Continue to tap letters, characters, or symbols until your desired message is complete.
3. When you wish to send the message, click the send button. (Your message will be viewable to anyone in the chat room.)

Send Button

 

Create and send drawings:

1. While in PictoChat, tap the Pen Tool to highlight it.

Pen Tool

2. Tap on the Pen Thickness setting (thin or thick).

Pen Thickness

3. Place the stylus on the screen, pressing firmly, and drag the stylus along the drawing area of the lower (touch) screen.

Drawing Area

4. When finished, lift the stylus from the screen.
5. To send the drawing, click the "Send Button." (Your drawing will be viewable to everyone in the chat room.)

Send Button

 

Erase a drawing:

1. After drawing (see above), tap the Eraser Tool to highlight it.

Eraser Tool

2. Tap on the Pen Thickness setting (thin or thick).

Pen Thickness

3. Place the stylus on the screen, pressing firmly, and drag the stylus along the screen to erase the area underneath the stylus.
4. When finished, lift the stylus from the screen.
5. To erase everything on the drawing area, click the "Clear Button."

Clear Button

 

Copy and use a previous message

Any user in a chat room can copy any previous message they sent or received, including text and drawings, that appear in the Message Display. They can then add their own text and drawings and send the message out again.

1. Tap the up and down arrows on the Scroll Button, or use the L and R Buttons, until the message you wish to copy is displayed at the bottom of the Message Display.

   Scroll Button

2. Tap the Copy Button to move the message to the Input Board.

Copy Button

3. The original message is treated like a drawing. You can add your own text or drawings, or erase parts of the image with the Drawing tools, then click the Send Button to send the edited message. (Your changes will be viewable to everyone in the chat room.)

Send Button

 

To display another user's personal message:

All DS users have the option of creating up a personal message which can be viewed by anyone in the user's chat room. For information on creating or changing your personal message, click here.

To view another player's personal message, tap the stylus on their name in the Chat Member Bar at the top of the Touch Screen. When finished, tap "Close."