FORUM RULES
1. BE NICE!
Try to be civil to other forum members, and particularly to moderators. The moderators will be the ultimate arbiters of what constitutes inappropriate behavior around here. Repeated uncivil behavior will result in punishment, and ultimately a ban.
2. Keep your content family-friendly.
Starmen.Net prides itself on a clean forum. No swearing, vulgarity, or swear-masking. Absolutely no attempting to evade the swear-filter. No racial epithets. No sexual innuendo or dirty euphemisms whatsoever.
3. Use discretion when creating/posting in controversial topics.
Most forums on the Internet have a difficult time discussing topics like religion and politics. Starmen.Net tends to be better than most. However, please use discretion when creating/posting in topics of this nature. Be civil, try to understand and respect what the other person is saying, and don’t flame/troll. The moderators will ultimately decide what is appropriate here.
4. No asking for, distributing, or begging for pirated or otherwise unearned software.
Being a video game site on Nintendo’s radar, we can get in big trouble if people discuss where to get illegal copies of video games online, and especially so if people actively distribute them on the forums. No talk of ROMs or any other illegally acquired software. Furthermore, don’t beg for money or free games from other users. Starmen.Net is not your personal charity center.
5. Respect new users.
We were all new once. Please extend a certain amount of respect and civility to new forum users. Please don’t use derogatory terms like “n00b,” “newb,” etc. In return, new users, do not take advantage of this respect you are being extended.
6. Don’t abuse the forum functions.
Abilities such as private messages, post ratings, and attachments are privileges, not rights, and you can have yours taken away. Don’t harass other users in private messages. Don’t spam a person’s inbox with messages. Don’t send large file attachments. Don’t downvote every single post on a topic for no reason. Don’t attach a massive .bmp file and force everyone to download it.
7. No advertising.
Don’t make a post or new topic to direct traffic to your website, ebay auction, etc. The only place you are permitted to advertise is in your signature.
8. No backseat moderating.
Don’t tell other people they’re breaking the rules, doing something wrong, or that a topic will be locked. If you have a problem with someone else’s behavior, PM a mod and they will make the decision.
9. No trolling.
Trolling includes flaming, goading other users, fakeposting, and so on. Gimmick accounts will be banned on sight. Moderators have the final say as to what is trolling.
10. RESPECT THE MODERATORS/ADMINS.
If a moderator asks you to do something either in public or by private message, do it. Don’t argue with them or try to debate the rules, or you will be punished even further. If you disagree with how a moderator is doing things, send a private message to SimonBob, the current forum administrator. If you disagree with how SimonBob is doing things, don’t post here.
FORUM TABOOS
There are certain activities and posting methods that both the forum users here and the moderators don’t appreciate. Avoid doing the following:
- Contentless and stupid posts (4chan memes, anything nonsensical)
- Inappropriate grammar (“u” instead of “you”, etc – won’t be punished, but users will look down on you for it)
- Double posting (if by mistake, inform a mod so it can be deleted)
- Bumping old topics (more than three weeks old), or bumping a topic to keep it at the top of the forum index.
- Begging for ranks, badges, and name avatars
- “Namedrop” threads (making a thread directed at a specific user that could’ve been done in a private message)
- “Diary”-esque threads (content that could have been better served in a private blog. Mods have the final say here)
- Quoting the person directly above you, or quoting a very large post without selectively editing it
- Making an “I’m new/leaving/back” post. No one cares.
- Asking for medical advice, or asking us to do your homework.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How do I get pictures or text under my name?
We like to give recognition to the people who work to make the site and the forums better. For this reason, badges, avatars, and ranks have to be earned. You can earn them by participating in contests or events, by donating time/effort/money to the site, or by helping the staffers when they ask for it. There are lots of opportunities.
For more information about badges, avatars, and ranks, take a look at the following guides:
2. How do I make a good post?
It isn’t easy to make a decent post on the Internet. However, we at Starmen.Net pride ourselves on a much more intelligent level of discourse than most internet forums. Think about what you are posting before you post it. Keep in mind the following:
When creating a new thread: Ask yourself, ‘Am I making a thread that is informative, interesting on any level, and is conducive to discussion?’ If not, refrain from posting.
When replying to a thread: Ask yourself, “Does my reply contribute to the conversation in any significant fashion?” If not, refrain from replying.
3. How can I help without being a backseat mod?
There is sometimes a fine line between helping out and backseat moderating. The most helpful thing you can do is simply to follow the rules yourself. You can also be helpful by teaching someone how to do something if they’re having trouble figuring it out. If someone asks a question that could be answered by reading the rules, respond with a kind, helpful answer. Don’t just quote or post links to the rules. You can help the moderators out by reporting problem posts, rather than trying to handle them yourself.
4. What happens if I break the rules?
The Starmen.Net forum administration is very laid back. We don’t make a habit of banning people for infractions. However, if you violate any of the above rules, you will have your post removed or edited, and you will receive a warning in a private message. Repeat offenders of minor infractions will have further measures taken, from having their avatars/badges removed to being jailed.
Repeated major infractions (rules 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, or 10) will result in a strike given to you. After three strikes, a user gets a 48-hour ban from the forum; after a fourth, they’ll be permanently banned. The admins also reserve the right to ban immediately if the situation warrants it. See the 4 strike topic for more details.
5. What do I do if I get banned?
If you got banned, it’s probably because you broke the rules. Send an e-mail to SimonBob (mammon DOT bz AT gmail DOT com) and it will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. DO NOT BAN-EVADE. When (not if) we catch you ban-evading, you will receive a much longer ban – possibly a permanent one.
6. Where can I send my questions/complaints/concerns?
SimonBob is the current forum administrator. If you have any complaints about other forum users or moderators, or questions about the forum in general, send him a PM.
