Ahem. Anyways. It's been made clear that a discussion and possible revision of the forum rules is desired. This is the thread to do it in! When talking about things that you feel do and don't work, here are some suggestions to guide the discussion:
The current draft of the new rules:
- Your administrators are Ceilick, tulip, and Flaose
- Avatar size shouldn't exceed 160x160px, and signature pictures shouldn't exceed 100px high. Don't distort the forum with huge location entries, large pictures, or by using too many lines in a signature.
- Use only a single account. Don't create dummy accounts to use as "sock-puppets", to impersonate others, or just as a joke.
- Don't post sexual, racist, or otherwise obscene comments or images. This is a board meant to be used by minors as well as adults. Don't intentionally bypass the word censor. While using swear-words is against the rules, words that are pejorative towards a person's gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other personal traits, will be dealt with much more severely.
- Keep discussion civil. Don't deliberately annoy, offend, antagonize, or bully other members. Conflicts will arise but if it is something serious keep it to private discussion. If you feel that you are being bullied, let an administrator know via private message. Don't allow yourself to be dragged into a fight, or try and take the law into your own hands, or you may also be punished.
- Don't create intentionally irrelevant posts. If you're about to upload a one- or two-word post, first ask yourself, "Does my post add to the discussion?" If the answer is no, reconsider posting it.
- The PCKF is still a mostly text-based forum. As such, posting only images on a regular basis is not okay.
- Don't double-post on a regular basis. Instead, consider editing your last post in order to add the new information. Likewise, avoid posting in topics that are more than 3 months old.
Remember: You are a guest, act like one.
Punishments for breaking the rules include (in order of severity): warnings (either on the forum or via private message), post deletions, temporary bans, and permanent bans. Unless the violation is intentionally and severely flagrant (e.g. posting child pornography), you will receive a one-strike private message warning for bannable behavior. A second violation of the warned behavior will result in a ban.
- Avatar size shouldn't exceed 160x160px and if you have to have a signature picture keep it's height below 100px. This includes other things distorting the forum like huge location entries, and too many lines in a signature.
- Don't spam post: saying things like "yay 900th post", "what", and other irrelevant things is not okay. Post only if you have something to say. Posting one or two word messages on a regular basis, or posting with only images on a regular basis, is not okay. Do not double post on a regular basis. Admins will delete posts of these natures at their deliberation. If you see someone breaking this rule, let the Admins do their job or privately bring it to an admin's attention. Posting "that post was pointless" or anything similar violates this rule.
- Don't deliberately annoy, offend, antagonize, or bully other members. Conflicts will arise but if it is something serious you can always use private messages to address specific members and/or contact the admins to help resolve the issue. Don't take your personal problems with a member into the public by, such as creating a topic about a member or spreading your conflict throughout the forum or an individual topic.
- Don't be offensive. No sexual, racist, or other obscene comments or images. This is a board meant to be used by minors as well as adults, in the ideal sense of the word.
- Don't impersonate others. It doesn't matter if it's in order to confuse others or just for fun. That includes: Stealing avatars, and creating accounts with almost the same name as another user.
- Don't take the law into your own hands. If you think someone is breaking the rules then take it up with an admin in private or ignore it and let the admins do their job.
These are the specific rules. Other misconduct or disruption on the forum will be addressed as it comes up and more rules will follow if necessary. Don't look for loopholes in the rules, the admins will just kick your ass anyway.
Punishments for breaking the rules include (in order of severity): warnings (either on the forum or via private message), post deletions, temporary bans, and permanent bans.
- Some things you may not do:
- Insult or otherwise offend other users. You're allowed to disagree with somebody, but that's no reason to call that person an idiot.
- Start or participate in a flame war.
- Troll, that is, post a message with the sole intent of provoking a fierce reaction.
- Pretend to be anyone other than yourself (i.e. a moderator or an administrator).
- Spam, advertise for commercial products, pornographic websites, or make money fast schemes.
- Offer or request pirated copies of any commercial software (this includes Keens 2, 3, 5, the registered versions of 6 and Dreams, and the ROM of Commander Keen for the Game Boy Color!)
- Lobby for someone's banishment to be lifted. If you think someone has been banned on incorrect premises, contact an administrator.
- Post messages in ALL CAPS, which indicates you're shouting and is considered rather rude.
- Use a message signature containing multiple images or excessive HTML effects.
- Flood the board with unwelcome posts.
- Use vulgar language, or post anything inappropriate for children. There are kids here too, remember?
- Threaten to break these rules or try to make someone break them.
- This is a moderated forum, so don't try anything stupid
- Do not SPAM the board, this not only makes it worse for you, but it annoys other people
- Please speak/type only in ENGLISH
- Try not to start arguments, if you must, do it in a civil manner
- Do not use obcene language, there are kids here too, remember
- Do not use excessive HTML in your message
- You must register in order to use this board.