GENERAL RULES
1. Register only ONE (inoffensive) username only. Do not log on to any other screen name but your own. Do not let someone else log onto your screen name. We can track this kind of stuff, so don't do it! Accounts are permanent, and will not be deleted under any circumstances once used.
2. Do not flame, troll, post offensively, flood, spam, etc.
Descriptions:
OFFENSIVE POSTING
Posts of a patently offensive nature are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Using vulgar, profane, or sexually explicit language
* Using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, disability, nationality, or gender as a means of insult
* Using threatening, harassing, defamatory, hate-speech, or libelous language
* Posting or requesting links to (or material from) pornographic, obscene, illegal, or hate-speech web sites
* Posting links to web sites with potentially offensive content without a clear warning
* Descriptions or details about any sexual act or sexual organs. (In other words, NO PORN!)
* Using a member's real name in any post.
FLAMING (INSULTING OTHER USERS)
Posts clearly insulting other board members, directly or indirectly, are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Name-calling ("You're an idiot", "You moron")
* Direct insults ("Screw you")
* Offensive orders ("Go kill yourself")
* Insinuations ("Are you stupid or something?") or insults toward family members ("Your mom...")
* Hit lists
In addition, do NOT flame ANYBODY. Treat them the way you\'d want to be treated.
Also, do not call anybody by their true name.
TROLLING (INCITING FLAMES)
Posts intended solely to annoy or offend other posters by going against the clear nature of a board or topic is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Provoking other users to respond with flames.
* Making misleading topic titles.
* Asking obviously useless questions.
* Posting false information as fact.
* "Spoof" Threads.
* Informing users that you have reported their post.
* Flooding with the intent of disrupting forum activities.
* Posting only for the sake of informing other users that they are on your ignore list.
* Editing quotes, even though they are technically your post.
Any member found flaming and/or trolling the forums will be subject to a week-ban. These will not incur a warning. Any member who does not desist in flaming may be subject to one or more warnings. If a user on probation is found trolling and/or flaming, he or she will be permanently-banned.
SPAMMING
Posts that clearly advertise a service or product are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Repeated web site advertisements
* Scams, chain letters, and pyramid schemes
* Posting links to games like "OUTWAR".
* Posting one or few worded posts
* Posting multiple messages in succession. There is an edit button for a reason: USE it!
* Off-topic posting
* A post that contains no real words (exclusively random symbols, emoticons, 1337-speak, etc)
* A post simply telling someone that their post is spam (it is spam itself)
* Posting to ask a question that could be answered by a simple google search
DISRUPTIVE POSTING
Posts that disrupt the message boards for other users are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Posts with large spacing
* "Bumping" older topics. (Posting in them well after the last post - 2 weeks as a general guide.)
* Posting multiple, identical, or near-identical messages or topics, including "fad" topics.
* Intentionally hard-to-read topic titles. (i.e. ALL CAPS, ToGgLeD cApS, no spaces, no or excessive punctuation, 1337 speak, etc.)
* Posting multiple, hard-to-read messages in a single (or multiple) topics.
* Posting absolutely uselessly. (Including double posts.)
* Posting in a thread or putting in your signature autoplaying flash/videos with sounds. There should be a "play" button.
INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE
Curse words or other inappropriate language are NOT allowed here. This includes images containing curse words. Using curse words results in a warning. We do warn for saying a curse word with merely one letter present: use something to completely censor the word (e.g. ####). Attempts to evade the swear filter (by intentionally misspelling swear words, for example) will result in a particularly harsh penalty.
Also, swearing in code is not allowed (e.g. spelling out words making each letter the first letter of a word).
[Drag3ndz's Edit] The Role Playing section has a smaller limit to this rule. Explicit language about sexual and racial will result in a warning. Otherwise, mild language in the Role Playing section is fine.
SOUNDS IN POSTS/SIGNATURE
We know that you can easily turn down your sound, but when oneself is trying to read multiple posts in a topic and one has music looping over and over, it is very annoying. So, to prevent this, no more music will be allowed to play involuntarily in a post or sig. If you want to play some type of noise/song then create a link or a button that you must press to play it. If you break this rule you will be warned. If you break it again, appropriate actions will be taken.
Flash or videos that autoplay with sound is also against the rules.
IMPERSONATION
Users will be immediately banned (along with any associated accounts) for impersonating other boards users by creating and/or using a message board account with a name clearly intended to impersonate, mock, or antagonize another user, or otherwise falsely claim to be another message board member. Anyone found using the avatar and/or signature of a moderator/administrator after being given a light reminder via PM will be given a warning. His/her avatar/signature will be automatically removed as well.
PUNISHMENT
Failure to abide to any of these rules will inevitably result in a warning, or, in more extreme cases, a ban. Depending on the nature of the offense, punishments will vary.
Below is the punishment ladder:
Spamming - 1st warning > 2nd warning > 3rd warning > 1-day ban > 1-week ban > 1-week add-on ban.
Flaming/Trolling - 1st warning > 1-day ban > 1-week ban > 1-month ban > 1-month ban > Permanent ban with appeal.
Inappropriate Posting - 1st warning > 2nd warning > 1-week ban > 1-month ban > 1-month ban > Permanent ban with appeal.
Multiple Accounts - Permanent ban with appeal.
And one thing: please don't make another account if you are banned. We can read your IP address.
APPEALS
If you have been permanently banned, there are two options: never return to this forum again, or, make an appeal.
To make an appeal, simply write an e-mail explaining what you did wrong and why we should allow you back into the forum. After that step is completed, send the e-mail to the following address:
legofreak513@aim.com
I will review the appeal, and, if accepted, your ban will be lifted. However, you will be let out on a 1-week probation period. If you break any rules during this period, you will be PERMANENTLY banned and appeals will be revoked.
If you make it through the probation period, you will start back out on 0th warning.
We thank you if you took the time to read this, and hope you have a great time at the forums.
