Forum Rules - Discussion

[Mystic]

This topic is for the discussion of the forum rules, located here: http://ssntails.sepwich.com/mb/viewtopic.php?t=10565

If you have ideas for the improvement of the rules, this is the topic to post in.

[FuriousFox]

For the record: the rules haven't actually changed. They've just been rewritten to hopefully make them easier to read. So, there's no need to panic over new rules, because there aren't any.

[Rob]

Suggested fixes and typo reports! :D

If you go at least 2 weeks without being punished, a strike will be ignored.

Should replace "ignored" with "dropped". Less confusing.

If you believe you have been banned in error, contact one of the administrators on IRC, or by private message after the ban expires.

"expired" not "expires"

1. Generally speaking, keep the board to the content that can be broadcast on network TV (Think "The Simpsons")

"keep the contents of the boards to what can be broadcasted on network TV (Think "The Simpsons")

For those of you who seem to be incapable of figuring this out, the following is forbidden:

Simply "For those of you who can't figure this out" would work better.

2. This forum uses proper English.

"The users of this forum are to use proper English"

7. Don't post a topic for something you haven't made yet, or something you want to be made. You should at least be at the point where you can show screenshots before you make any posts about it. At the same time, don't make posts asking for people to make something for you.

Needs direct rule quoting clause. Pointing out that screenshots are needed is one thing, but we don't need people quoting whole rule paragraphs.

9. Don't bump topics pointlessly. If a topic is more than three weeks old, ask yourself whether your post adds to the conversation or you have a good reason to post in the old topic. The following are _NOT_ good reasons:

"whether or not" would be more appropriate than just plain "whether".

10. Try to make your subject lines meaningful. Creating a post with a subject of "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" or "OHNOEESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" or just "help me", is more likely to give your post a speedy deletion than help with your problem. Here are some examples of GOOD subject lines:

They get speedy locks, not speedy deletions...

With this in mind, remember that all WADs posted on these forums will be criticized. If you don't want the public tearing apart your WAD and telling you what you did wrong, don't post on these forums. However, if you'd like to get feedback on your WAD, and suggestions on how to make it better, you're in the right place.

"If you don't want the public tearing apart your WAD and telling you what you did wrong, don't post on these forums." should be, rather, "If you don't want the public tearing apart your WAD and telling you what you did wrong, don't release your WAD on these forums."

[ST218]

Originally Posted by Dark Warrior

"expired" not "expires"

"keep the contents of the boards to what can be broadcasted on network TV (Think "The Simpsons")

Most of your corrections are pointless, no offense. These two are different. "expires" is correct there-the rule is an instruction for the future, not a reference to the past "cross the street after the car passes" versus "cross the street after the car passed".

"Board" is just as fine as "boards". We say "SRB2 Message Board" right at the top, no? Broadcast as it's used there is perfectly fine. Again, you're mixing up your tenses.

Sorry, but it doesn't look like Mystic made any real errors this time :p.

[Rob]

There were a few, but those were mostly ideas on how to make them more...I don't know, clear? Specific? ...Some adjective I haven't found that fits here. X_X

[Callum]

Originally Posted by Dark Warrior

Simply "For those of you who can't figure this out" would work better.

Why? Anyone who understands common English can read that.

[Mystic]

DarkWarrior is actually right, I just haven't gotten around to fixing it.

It's not just about proper grammar here. It's about being as concise as possible, and that means lowering the number of words when it's possible to do so.

[Shadow Hog]

We should probably have a rule disallowing people from quoting ENTIRE POSTS, or rather ones that are particularly lengthy and/or have large amounts of pictures, if the length of their response is not similar in length. Ie: quoting a post with lots of pictures, without trimming the quote down to the relevant text, only to say some BS like "LOL THIS LOOKS AWFUL". For example...

C'mon, I can't be the only one to be irked by this.

[Jazz]

How about just not being allowed to quote pictures?

Thats usually the main culprit for long and useless quotes anyway. Its not like you can't put a *such-and-such picture here* in its place anyway.

Either that or just set a concrete limit, like Shadow Hog mentioned.

[on Edge]

Quoting the entire message isn't entirely bad. If it's just a long-time-ago response thing, it's fine. Also, unless your pulling a mystic, quotes shouldn't be _THAT_ long on a normal bases. Images in general just need to be smaller.

[JRose]

The admins can just disable pictures. The users can just make links to pictures. So that other users are only quoting links instead of large pictures.

[Chaos Knux]

jrose05 came up the best solution IMHO. By forcing Links instead of pictures you will allow pictures while the "quoting pictures" problem is solved.

[supersonic45]

Not everyone likes clicking links for a bad screenie, Chaos Knux and Jrose.

[on Edge]

Not sure where to put this but: Put a topic where people can suggest modifications SSN can do to the board with his mad hax. It'd be kinda like the 1.1 topics we have.

[Sonict]

Originally Posted by on Edge

Not sure where to put this but: Put a topic where people can suggest modifications SSN can do to the board with his mad hax. It'd be kinda like the 1.1 topics we have.

I can already tell you that won't happen. What you currently see is what you get.

[on Edge]

How often do you staff people go moderating the forum? Sometimes it seems like everyone is on vacation.

[Sonict]

They aren't. Most people hide themselves when they are online. We check daily. I check the MB regularly.

[Jazz]

Not sure why you would hide yourselves online.

Wouldn't it make a bigger impression on the average user if they knew that 5 administrators/moderators were online every time they made a post?

[on Edge]

Sonict, despite being hidden, I can still see about how many staff members are on. And Jazz, there are rarely 5 admins on when I'm posting. >.>

[Sonict]

On Edge. Normal users can hide too. I have seen them. You are partially correct on that, but remember that normal users can hide themselves. People use that feature for a reason. I have no idea why some admins use it.