• 1. Shops are the key - Shops are an amazing part of the requests forums. They are a collaboration of skilled artists, musicians, scripters, writers and even teachers who are bursting to do your order. Not many people browse the “Requests” forum as they do in the, say, “Help With Scripts” forum because it is easier to join a shop and wait for a request to come straight to your mailbox! This is why shops are the best way to receive requests and you should mostly get your things from there.
  
  
• 2. Different shops, different media - Not all shops are the same. Some only give out art, some only give out music, some only write, some do all three. The main thing is you need to find a shop that does whatever you want. Normally a shop will specify what they do in their name or on their front page so if whatever you want isn't included, do not shop there. Luckily these days, most shops include all types of media so you won't have to search for one for too long.
  
  
• 3. Different shops, different styles - So you've found the shop that draws your art, composes your music and writes your stories, great! Only, it is not that simple. For example if you had an art shop, there are so many different types of art such as logos, signatures, sprites etc. Even when you've found that logo shop, some Scratchers have completely different tastes in art. Make sure you look at previous orders completed by the shop and examine them until you're sure that is the style that you desire.
  
  
• 4. Forms are made for your convenience That form on the front page makes it easier for a worker to understand your request and therefore finish it. Filling in the form is extremely important to getting the perfect request. The forms are also made to assist the workers so they can understand and re-create your order better.
  
  
• 5. Be as specific as a detective If you have an idea in your head for what you want your media to be like, describe it in detail. Make sure you include everything that makes a meaningful difference to your order. Most forms have a “miscellaneous” or “extra info” part of their form which is made for you to give as much info as you want. The more info you give, the more detailed the completed order will be. Using correct grammar is also important.
  
  
• 6. Politeness is the cherry on top - Most big shops do not ask for any payment and they don't have to give effort to do your order which is why you should return the favour and be nice back. Using polite words and being courteous is a big part of getting your order fulfilled as the person serving you doesn't have to do that, they do it out of generosity so appreciation keeps them happy and willing to do your order. You should also be patient when waiting for your order after all, the longer you wait, the better your order.
  
  
• 7. Constructive criticism creates - If you don't like your order, leaving nice suggestions on how to improve it is much better than disowning it completely. If the worker notices how faithful you are in their work, they'd probably be even more motivated to complete your order to the best of their ability once more and it could benefit them in improving their skills. It's preferable to hate. If you believe that your order is not in the right hands, then commence with step 8 and attempt this process again, knowing you've helped improve somebody's request.
  
  
• 8. Remember your manners! - After everything is over and done with, a “thank you” is an amazing thing to hear after somebody has put their time, effort and motivation into something. It really helps somebody complete more and more orders and if you're happy with their services and will return again to place another order, there is a higher chance you'd be greeted to fast service and kindness. It makes it much more pleasant for you if you make it much more pleasant for them. And when that's done, you've truly made a good request.
  

• A shop is not always the place to get media - Contests and requesting things on people's profiles work too. You could even break my first step and get it in a separate forum.
  
  
• Ask around for perfect shops for your order - some scratchers are bound to know a few. Tropical Waves and Infinite Possibilities are two good shops to get an order from.
  
  
• Don't wait too long. If a shop takes too long to complete your order - you can easily go to another and get a faster response which leads me onto my next hint.
  
  
• Order from multiple shops - If you order from 3 or 4 shops at once, you'll get a whole load of content to choose from. But be careful some workers may not appreciate their work being put to waste.
  
  
• Smaller shops need love too - Ordering from a big shop with a lot of workers and orders may be a good idea but because of how much things are being posted, your order may be lost. Smaller shops with less posts may find your order quicker and do it much quicker too.
  
  
• If you want something done right, do it yourself - Sometimes, an order cannot be made exactly to your liking. If so, learning art programs (GIMP, Inkscape, Blender) and sound programs (Garageband, Speakonia and Audacity) to make your order yourself could be preferable.
  
  
• The internet is a big place - Scratch has quite a small community compared to other sites so if no scratchers can fulfill your order, maybe Google can. Beware, the internet is full of mature content and viruses so make sure you use a trusted site such as Soundbible and Newgrounds.
  
  
• Making requests feels so much better - If you like a shop, why not join it? Some shops have requirements for joining so you may be declined but there's no fault in trying.
  

Paddle2See wrote:

This is really nice! Thanks for taking the time to put this together - I'm sure Scratchers will find it helpful. I do take a bit of issue with the section on forms though - they can certainly be a good communication tool - but I'm not sure it's fair to say that shops that don't have forms are more disorganized and won't produce as good a result. But I will be the first to admit that I have very little experience ordering from shops.

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Awesome job!

makethebrainhappy wrote:

EPIC! So much detail XD

Crimson19 wrote:

If you have ANYTHING that could improve this guide, please contact me.

• Go to you favorite scratchers - If you've found a scratchers who's logo you really like, why not ask them to make you one.
  

ZLGames wrote:

Crimson19 wrote:

If you have ANYTHING that could improve this guide, please contact me.

I have an idea for helpful hints.

• Go to you favorite scratchers - If you've found a scratchers who's logo you really like, why not ask them to make you one.
  

fantale wrote:

Hi guys,
I've been on for nearly a year now, and I'm wondering why I'm still a ‘New Scratcher’.
Do you know anyone who can tell me how to get upgraded?
Thanks.
PS Nice job on the post thing.

car/rocket sim basic scripts

when green flag clicked
forever
    
if <<key [up arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [w v] pressed?> >> then
    
change [spd v] by (0.1)
end
if <<key [down arrow v] pressed?> or < <key [s v] pressed?>>> then
    
change [spd v] by (-0.1)
end
if <<key [left arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [a v] pressed?> >> then
    
turn ccw (2.5) degrees
end
if <<key [right arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [d v] pressed?> >> then
    
turn cw (2.5) degrees

fantale wrote:

Hi guys,
I've been on for nearly a year now, and I'm wondering why I'm still a ‘New Scratcher’.
Do you know anyone who can tell me how to get upgraded?
Thanks.
PS Nice job on the post thing.

Homhomhomdance wrote:

when green flag clicked
forever
    
if <<key [up arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [w v] pressed?> >> then
    
change [spd v] by (0.1)
end
if <<key [down arrow v] pressed?> or < <key [s v] pressed?>>> then
    
change [spd v] by (-0.1)
end
if <<key [left arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [a v] pressed?> >> then
    
turn ccw (2.5) degrees
end
if <<key [right arrow v] pressed?> or <<key [d v] pressed?> >> then
    
turn cw (2.5) degrees

-NeonCity- wrote:

Thank you for this, I will link this to my shop so I don't have to explain to first-timers on how to request, like what I just did a while ago. ^^'