Better "New to forum" header message

I logged into one of the new accounts to be used for the next round of the Mafia game and noticed the following message at the top of the forums index page:

Hello "insert username here",
Our records indicate that you have never posted to our site before! Why not make your first post today by saying hello to our community in our Introductions forum.

Why not start with your first post today and become an active part of Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums now!

I think it would be better if "Introductions forum" was changed to "General Chat forum" and it was a link to the Gen Chat forum or a link to a new topic in the Gen Chat forum.

This is a great idea!

*recognized member-izes you*

Perhaps something like this:
Hello "insert username here",
Our records indicate that you have never posted to our site before! Why not make your first post today by <a href="http://forums.eyesonff.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=2">saying hello to our community</a> in our <a href="http://forums.eyesonff.com/general-chat/">General Chat forum</a>.

Why not start with your first post today and become an active part of Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums now!

Perhaps even make it slightly friendlier too? The current one is rather cold and sterile. I mean "our records"?

Why not just "You've never posted here before!"?

"Oooh hi hi (username) welcome to EoFF o:

You should go to General Chat and say hi to us! You love us, right? So say hi!!


....your name is kewl! and you smell nice!"

Agree on what you want put there and I'll put it there. =]

Also sometimes it shows a variable name instead of the member's name when you want to access restricted forums, etc. I don't know how to fix that.

Welcome to EyesonFF, a place that will accept you regardless of how horrible your Hygiene is.

Since you haven't seemed to post yet, stop by [This is the link] General Chat and make your self known [End link]. We hope you become an active part of our boards.

Hello "insert username here",
We see you haven't made any posts at our forum yet! Why not make your first post today by saying hello to our community in *link to General Chat*.

Start today to become an active part of Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums.

Works for me. Sorry Cracker.

Meh, I tried.

Some people like the way they stink.

Nobody stinks. Everyone smells like roses.

Cue OutKast.

Caroline!
Caroline all the guys would say she's mighty fine
But mighty fine only got you somewhere half the time
The other half eitehr got you, cussed out or coming up short
Now dig this now

Even though, she needs a golden calculator to divide
The time it took to look inside and realize, that real guys
Go for real, down to mars girls


(I probably messed that up somewhere)

I still like mine better :(

Message has been changed to hero's suggestion. Thanks guys.