THE FORUM RULES AND GUIDELINES
Oct 2, 2008 11:25:57 GMT -5
Post by Imatron on Oct 2, 2008 11:25:57 GMT -5
Your Invitation
Everyone who signs up to our forums are officially invited to join this community. There are times that we must revoke these invitations to disruptive members who will not follow the rules that they are obliged to honor when they are on these forums. If you feel the rules are too strict for your tastes then you are always welcome to leave our community, as you are only here under your free will to participate.
We understand that there are people who will have their invitations revoked and sneak back on. If you are one of these people, please do not waste our time by being a troublemaker, as we will only remove you again. However, past troublemakers who have snuck back into this community and are found to be behaving will usually not be removed so long as rules are honored.
The Staff and Moderators
When participating in these forums, you will find certain members have been given access to forum tools to help keep the community clean, and while they are asked to adhere to certain policies when cleaning up the forums, like many of us they have their faults and their own interpretation of things. We ask that, should you find need to protest a moderator or staffer's actions, that you be respectful to them, and their interpretation and enforcement of the rules when you make such a protest. We'll do our best to listen to your suggestions and thoughts, especially when presented in a respectful tone. Outright accusing us of wrongdoing and making a big scene out of things can make your protests be ignored and deleted.
THE RULES and CONDUCT
*The most important rule: Respect your fellow members and their opinions, never call their opinions invalid, and do not EVER say ANYTHING with hateful intent to them, or to tell them that they are not welcome here. Trolling, or any sort of content intended to insult or invoke another member into posting retaliatory comments (flame-baiting) is not allowed and can have you removed from the forums.
Understanding Constructive Criticism: Criticism often refers to saying you don't like something and is generally not wanted as it is easily interpreted as a hateful comment. Constructive Criticism, on the other hand is explaining why you don't like the way something is, and how you might think something could be improved. This is what we prefer. Some people aren't good at understanding constructive criticism and immediately take it as a bad thing and begin arguing. We need people to understand the difference between good and bad criticism and to be able to accept the criticism for our artwork, stories, and creations. Criticizing a fellow member directly should only be done under that member's terms and request, and should not break any rule about saying something with hateful intent.
Working things out: Sometimes people get on each others nerves, and issues with another member should be worked out via PM since working things out by arguing in the public zones of the forums will ultimately lead to both members' removal. If you should find that yourself and another member have taken things out of hand, please, in this order, make a post informing the staff of your apology for letting things get out of hand and to notify us that your now cleaning out your "inflamed" posts. Please apologize (for your half of the trolling/flaming) and inform the co arguer that he should do the same and why (so that the staffers don't intervene). This is to let us know that you've realized you've taken things too far, and your cleaning up your mess, so that the staff don't come in and think your still arguing and proceed to remove your access to the forums. Depending on the circumstances and the time stamps on the posts, your own apology can save the other member from removal too, or he can acknowledge the apology and apologize for his own half of the trouble. Please note that apologizing to the staff is not necessary so long as your notifying them that you've stopped and your cleaning up after yourself. We insist however you apologize to the other member involved though.
Spamming, off topic posts
In the main bionicle themed sections of MoD, please limit spamming and off topic posts to a minimum so discussions are not derailed and shut down. Please have each bit of off topic subjects posted with something of validity to the topic, with "Off Topic:" designating the off topic portions of your post. Please also refrain from posting meme images in the bionicle sections, or at least post them with a significant contribution to the topic and don't post over-sized or big blocks of meme/spam images.
However, memes and off topic posting in the Everything Else section are more acceptable, but respect the topic starter's wishes as to if there may be heavy spam/off topic posting.
DISALLOWED CONTENT
*You are not allowed to post racially or religiously offensive material or to link to sites depicting it. You are allowed, to a degree, to discuss religion, politics, and cultural background, but the staff can at any time decide to lock a topic they think is inappropriate to talk about here.
*You are not allowed to post or talk about suggestive and pornographic images on these forums, or to spread them via private messages.
*You are not allowed to make topics or Polls ABOUT your fellow members without consulting them about it first, and even then you have to double check that it is alright with them.
CURSING
*You are not allowed to use full blown curse words. Some words like "hect", "dern", and other dulled down versions of words can be acceptable. However, using dulled down words to say things like "Fraaak you all you bunch of---" is not allowed, especially in excess and when it appears your blatantly yelling at people and just replacing full blown curses with offshoots.
If a word is filtered, its most likely because, despite what you may consider to be a full blown curse or an offshoot, the staff interprets it as a full blown curse. If the word is filtered, and we find you've intentionally used the forums built in code to trick the filter, we will likely remove you from the forums depending on how severe we interpret the use of the words.
BANNING, REMOVAL, Or otherwise HAVING YOUR INVITATION REVOKED.
There are two main conditions that will result in your removal from the forums, under a temporary, or permanent basis.
Being constantly overly offensive/trolling
Constantly provoking/insulting other members and generally being hateful to everyone or constantly hateful to a particular member, as well as threatening to hack the forums or posting disallowed material is often subject to your immediate removal from these forums. We may also see fit to protect our neighbor sites and their staff if you attempt to impersonate their staff to do them harm. Usually this stuff results in a more permanent removal, but we might still let you back in depending on the severity of what was done and if you agree not to do it anymore.
Being Incompatible
Some people are just not as compatible with others and its just in their nature how they are acting. We recognize you aren't necessarily trying to be harmful, but when someone is often giving people trouble for slight things or not understanding constructive criticism to the point that they cannot have a normal discussion without turning it into a problem for everyone, then we may feel the need to remove you. Usually we will be willing to let you back in after you have had a break from the site, and if you feel that you have found a way to manage your incompatibilities.
Signature Guidelines
Your images in the signature may be a total of 125 pixels high and 625 pixels wide
You may stack images side by side to fill up that total space, so that the images fit inside my banner example when the window is in full screen:
As for text and text features, if you have an image in your signature your total text space is a little bit more than the amount of space that my banner takes up. If you do not have any images, your total text space doubles to about two of my banners stacked on top of each other. The text of course may be wider than the banner's width so long as it's not stretching the page and bypassing the auto text wrap function, but it shouldn't be very much taller than the hight of the banner (or the height of two banners if you don't have an image).
Avatars have a built in width and height, but should only be a megabyte (1MB) in size of data.
**You basically have a total of two megabytes to spend on images in your avatar or signature, you MAY sacrifice data from your sig images for data in your avatar and vice versa.
If any text or images are reported as offensive, an eyesore (bright rapidly flashing colors for example) or in violation of the rules, they will be removed, faster or slower depending on severity and when we get around to it. Eyesores will take multiple reports and my own judgment to be removed. If you violate the rules, you wont necessarily lose forum privileges, unless it was particularly offensive, or you put the removed or other over sized/offensive images and text back in your signature after the staffer has warned you. Don't worry about putting a removed image back in if you've resized it to fit, assuming size was the only issue.
If you are unsure of a rule or feel we could improve or clarify a rule, please contact the staff to make a suggestion or to request help.
Everyone who signs up to our forums are officially invited to join this community. There are times that we must revoke these invitations to disruptive members who will not follow the rules that they are obliged to honor when they are on these forums. If you feel the rules are too strict for your tastes then you are always welcome to leave our community, as you are only here under your free will to participate.
We understand that there are people who will have their invitations revoked and sneak back on. If you are one of these people, please do not waste our time by being a troublemaker, as we will only remove you again. However, past troublemakers who have snuck back into this community and are found to be behaving will usually not be removed so long as rules are honored.
The Staff and Moderators
When participating in these forums, you will find certain members have been given access to forum tools to help keep the community clean, and while they are asked to adhere to certain policies when cleaning up the forums, like many of us they have their faults and their own interpretation of things. We ask that, should you find need to protest a moderator or staffer's actions, that you be respectful to them, and their interpretation and enforcement of the rules when you make such a protest. We'll do our best to listen to your suggestions and thoughts, especially when presented in a respectful tone. Outright accusing us of wrongdoing and making a big scene out of things can make your protests be ignored and deleted.
THE RULES and CONDUCT
*The most important rule: Respect your fellow members and their opinions, never call their opinions invalid, and do not EVER say ANYTHING with hateful intent to them, or to tell them that they are not welcome here. Trolling, or any sort of content intended to insult or invoke another member into posting retaliatory comments (flame-baiting) is not allowed and can have you removed from the forums.
Understanding Constructive Criticism: Criticism often refers to saying you don't like something and is generally not wanted as it is easily interpreted as a hateful comment. Constructive Criticism, on the other hand is explaining why you don't like the way something is, and how you might think something could be improved. This is what we prefer. Some people aren't good at understanding constructive criticism and immediately take it as a bad thing and begin arguing. We need people to understand the difference between good and bad criticism and to be able to accept the criticism for our artwork, stories, and creations. Criticizing a fellow member directly should only be done under that member's terms and request, and should not break any rule about saying something with hateful intent.
Working things out: Sometimes people get on each others nerves, and issues with another member should be worked out via PM since working things out by arguing in the public zones of the forums will ultimately lead to both members' removal. If you should find that yourself and another member have taken things out of hand, please, in this order, make a post informing the staff of your apology for letting things get out of hand and to notify us that your now cleaning out your "inflamed" posts. Please apologize (for your half of the trolling/flaming) and inform the co arguer that he should do the same and why (so that the staffers don't intervene). This is to let us know that you've realized you've taken things too far, and your cleaning up your mess, so that the staff don't come in and think your still arguing and proceed to remove your access to the forums. Depending on the circumstances and the time stamps on the posts, your own apology can save the other member from removal too, or he can acknowledge the apology and apologize for his own half of the trouble. Please note that apologizing to the staff is not necessary so long as your notifying them that you've stopped and your cleaning up after yourself. We insist however you apologize to the other member involved though.
Spamming, off topic posts
In the main bionicle themed sections of MoD, please limit spamming and off topic posts to a minimum so discussions are not derailed and shut down. Please have each bit of off topic subjects posted with something of validity to the topic, with "Off Topic:" designating the off topic portions of your post. Please also refrain from posting meme images in the bionicle sections, or at least post them with a significant contribution to the topic and don't post over-sized or big blocks of meme/spam images.
However, memes and off topic posting in the Everything Else section are more acceptable, but respect the topic starter's wishes as to if there may be heavy spam/off topic posting.
DISALLOWED CONTENT
*You are not allowed to post racially or religiously offensive material or to link to sites depicting it. You are allowed, to a degree, to discuss religion, politics, and cultural background, but the staff can at any time decide to lock a topic they think is inappropriate to talk about here.
*You are not allowed to post or talk about suggestive and pornographic images on these forums, or to spread them via private messages.
*You are not allowed to make topics or Polls ABOUT your fellow members without consulting them about it first, and even then you have to double check that it is alright with them.
CURSING
*You are not allowed to use full blown curse words. Some words like "hect", "dern", and other dulled down versions of words can be acceptable. However, using dulled down words to say things like "Fraaak you all you bunch of---" is not allowed, especially in excess and when it appears your blatantly yelling at people and just replacing full blown curses with offshoots.
If a word is filtered, its most likely because, despite what you may consider to be a full blown curse or an offshoot, the staff interprets it as a full blown curse. If the word is filtered, and we find you've intentionally used the forums built in code to trick the filter, we will likely remove you from the forums depending on how severe we interpret the use of the words.
BANNING, REMOVAL, Or otherwise HAVING YOUR INVITATION REVOKED.
There are two main conditions that will result in your removal from the forums, under a temporary, or permanent basis.
Being constantly overly offensive/trolling
Constantly provoking/insulting other members and generally being hateful to everyone or constantly hateful to a particular member, as well as threatening to hack the forums or posting disallowed material is often subject to your immediate removal from these forums. We may also see fit to protect our neighbor sites and their staff if you attempt to impersonate their staff to do them harm. Usually this stuff results in a more permanent removal, but we might still let you back in depending on the severity of what was done and if you agree not to do it anymore.
Being Incompatible
Some people are just not as compatible with others and its just in their nature how they are acting. We recognize you aren't necessarily trying to be harmful, but when someone is often giving people trouble for slight things or not understanding constructive criticism to the point that they cannot have a normal discussion without turning it into a problem for everyone, then we may feel the need to remove you. Usually we will be willing to let you back in after you have had a break from the site, and if you feel that you have found a way to manage your incompatibilities.
Signature Guidelines
Your images in the signature may be a total of 125 pixels high and 625 pixels wide
You may stack images side by side to fill up that total space, so that the images fit inside my banner example when the window is in full screen:
As for text and text features, if you have an image in your signature your total text space is a little bit more than the amount of space that my banner takes up. If you do not have any images, your total text space doubles to about two of my banners stacked on top of each other. The text of course may be wider than the banner's width so long as it's not stretching the page and bypassing the auto text wrap function, but it shouldn't be very much taller than the hight of the banner (or the height of two banners if you don't have an image).
Avatars have a built in width and height, but should only be a megabyte (1MB) in size of data.
**You basically have a total of two megabytes to spend on images in your avatar or signature, you MAY sacrifice data from your sig images for data in your avatar and vice versa.
If any text or images are reported as offensive, an eyesore (bright rapidly flashing colors for example) or in violation of the rules, they will be removed, faster or slower depending on severity and when we get around to it. Eyesores will take multiple reports and my own judgment to be removed. If you violate the rules, you wont necessarily lose forum privileges, unless it was particularly offensive, or you put the removed or other over sized/offensive images and text back in your signature after the staffer has warned you. Don't worry about putting a removed image back in if you've resized it to fit, assuming size was the only issue.
If you are unsure of a rule or feel we could improve or clarify a rule, please contact the staff to make a suggestion or to request help.
