THE RULES OF HERETIC-GAMER Welcome to Heretic-Gamer. We hope you enjoy your time here and we also hope you aim to be a positive contributor to the community here. We’re glad you’ve decided to join us. Our goal, as a forum, is to create an environment that fosters high quality discussion in a diverse range of topics. The expectation of you, the poster, is high, because more often than not, this is not your first forum. You may already know a few things about forum etiquette, but for those who don't know or need reminding, here are some things to consider: For New Threads- * Before making a new thread, make sure one like it doesn't already exist. If there is a thread like it, check to see when the last post was. If the thread has been inactive (a.k.a. dead) for about a month, then it is okay to create the new thread, just use common sense. * When you create a new thread, be sure to put some thought into it. If you are asking for other people's opinions or their personal experiences, be sure to give your own. One sentence opening posts are not acceptable. Be prepared to see the thread locked if you only have one sentence opening post in your new thread. If you revise the opening post, it will be reopened. * There are exceptions to this rule in places like here, The New Members Board, or The Kiddy Pool, where it may only take one sentence to introduce yourself or get a forum game going. * Post new threads in the section they belong in. If it is about a video game, post it in The Gaming Forum. If it is about music or current events, post it in the Media Circus Forum. Is about a thread about discussing something serious, like Global Warming? Then The Deep End is where it belongs. Anything else that isn't serious or doesn't have a real particular place belongs in The Shallow End, where discussion is very causal. For Posting- * Keep swearing to minimum. * Practice correct grammar to the best of your ability. People will have a lot better time understanding you if you use good grammar. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it does have to be at least readable. * Try to spell words correctly. It is understandable if you can't spell a word, just try to spell it so that everyone can at least know what you are talking about. We don't expect you guys to be English Majors, just literate. * Separate paragraphs with line breaks, that way your post isn't one big block of text and it will be easier for the other members to read. * Don't double post. If you have something else to add to a thread and no one has posted since you have, click the Edit Button on your post and add your afterthought. If it has been over 24 hours since someone has posted , then it is alright to double post. This rule merely exists to keep the forum clean and easy to read. Forum Etiquette- * Personal attacks of other members will not be tolerated. * Respect others' viewpoints. You may not agree with what they have to say, but they have a right to say it. * Be Respectful Period. * Don't post unless your thought will actually contribute to the discussion, so please don't spam in forums other than The Kiddy Pool. * Try to respond to others' posts as often as you can. We're all looking for feedback. If there is no interaction between members, then we're just writing to ourselves and the forum loses its purpose. * Don't resurrect dead threads unless you actually have something worthwhile to add to the discussion. A dead thread is one that has been inactive for over a month. So more often than not, it is just easier to start a new thread. * Keep it Tasteful. No explicit pictures or links. This is a site for everyone, not just you. If you want to post a link to something that some viewers might find offensive, give ample warning in your post. EX: WARNING STRONG LANGUAGE For Signatures and Avatars- * Sig limit: 700(w) x 200(h) * Avatar limit: 120x120 Obviously, some of these rules are just common sense. So, obviously, we expect you to use some. Also, just because something is directly stated here doesn't mean it is okay or not okay to do it. Again, it's common sense, people. The Staff- The Staff are here to make the community an enjoyable experience. We enforce these rules so that everyone can have fun here. We are very tolerate and lenient here. So more often than not, if you have done anything wrong we'll just give a nudge in the right direction. We believe that punishment must fit the crime. We aren't going to ban you just because you have bad grammar. We are fair and we will treat you with respect. Likewise, we expect you to treat us the same. If you have any questions, just feel free to ask one of The Staff or even one of the community members. We are all willing to help make other people enjoy their time here at Heretic-Gamer. We plan on doing some interesting things with this community, but we can’t do that without your support as a member. Please help us succeed in making it stand head and shoulders above the rest. Remember, a message board is only as good as its community. So what are waiting for? Go out there and start posting! The Staff of Heretic-Gamer