Ace Gaming Posting Rules and Moderator Procedures

These Boards are provided and maintained to encourage the exchange of information, mainly concerning gaming. The Boards are intended for all ages, so please keep that in mind as you craft your posts. Keep it at a PG rating.

The following rules and Moderator procedures will be enforced. All members should become familiar with, and follow these rules whilst using the forum. Breaking a rule because you are not aware of it IS NOT a valid excuse! Failure to comply with these rules will result in action being taken, up to and including loss of Posting Rights or a Ban.

Rules for Posting Topics and Replies
Message Boards exist to exchange information. All members are strongly encouraged to participate in that exchange by being active in either creating new topics or posting replies. However, we request that users follow these guidelines:

>> Make your topic titles clear and informative. Do not post using general titles like “I need help now!”, or “Did you know?” etc.

>> Please do not start duplicate topics. If the same information is already being discussed in an existing topic, on the first page of the Forum, use that topic. Read through the topic titles before you post a new topic. Topics started after the original may be locked to keep all the discussion in one place. Don't bring up old news unless you have something new to add.

>> Post in the appropriate Forum. Forums are set up to separate topics so that members can easily find their areas of interest. Each Forum Title has a short explanation below it that tells what kind of topics should go in that Forum.

>> Make sure your posts contain information relevant to the topic. A few off topic comments are acceptable, but do not hijack the topic by taking it off in a completely different direction.

>> Try to add more information with your replies to a topic. Do not make replies that only restate or confirm what has already been posted, such as “That answer is right on target”, or “I agree totally”. This may be considered as SPAM.

>> Do not post advertisements. You may have a link to your personal web site in your signature, but do not put it in a post.

>>You are NOT allowed to sell any products or services on this forum. This includes contacting a member through a topic, private message or email through any part of this forum. Anyone caught doing so will recieve an instant ban for an indefinate period.

>> Polls are not allowed. If you can answer the question in one or two words, the chances are it will be considered a poll. Try to ask the same question in a way that will encourage people to support their ideas or debate the topic.

>> Do not post topics that attack a specific person or persons. We want you to have a good time here, and you can poke a little fun at your friends. However, take your arguments off the Boards to e-mail.

>> Keep personal information private. It is in your best interests to keep your computer's IP address private. Do not post it. The same goes for your age, phone number and your address. We also ask that you do not post other people's e-mail address. In fact, we encourage you to keep your own e-mail address out of your posts and use the Private Message feature to communicate with other members.

Inappropriate Material in Posts

There is a filter set to edit out inappropriate language. There are many ways around that, but we ask you to keep it clean so all ages can enjoy these Boards. Masking words using tricks like substituting an @ for the letter a, or abbreviating an inappropriate phrase, or intentionally misspelling to get around the auto-censor is considered to be just as bad as using the actual word. Derogatory comments aimed at an individual or individuals are considered FLAMING and are not allowed. Having fun with your posts is important, but all things can be carried to extremes. Filling your posts with inside jokes or gibberish is considered SPAM, and of course, SPAM will get you in trouble.

Moderator Enforcement Actions

>> Education -
Point out resource materials to help members learn the rules. Add a short post explaining what is wrong, and how to correct the problem.

>> Editing -
Changing a member’s post to correct a problem or remove something offensive. In most cases the Moderator will leave an explanation of why they edited the post.

>> Moving -
If a post ends up in the wrong Forum, a Moderator has the power to move it to the proper one. A copy of the post will stay where it was originally posted, but it will be locked. Moderators will usually post a short reply to the post telling where it is being moved. If a member repeatedly posts to the wrong forum, the posts may just be locked, not moved.

>> Locking -
If a post gets moved, a copy stays behind as a locked post. In addition, if a post violates the posting rules listed above, and a Moderator deems the infraction severe enough, the post may be locked.

>> Deletion -
In some instances a topic or post may be deleted. In these cases the topic or post disappears from the Forum altogether. Normally used only in cases of abusive language or other inappropriate material, this is a strong enforcement action. Moderators are encouraged to keep a copy of deleted posts in the event that a question arises, or other action needs to be taken. One other case where deletion is used is flagrant SPAM. If the member has a past history of spamming, or the post is totally without substance, a Moderator does have the discretion to delete it outright. As a first step, education should generally be used though.

>> Banning or Suspending Posting Rights -
For severe infractions, a members right to post messages will be turned off. This can sometimes be reversed if the member communicates with a Moderator, by e-mail, and resolves the situation. This is the highest level of enforcement as it effectively removes the member from the community.

Locked Posts
Once a post is locked, no further replies can be made to it. It will move down the page as new posts rise to the top above it. Once the locked topic has moved off the front page or is at least two days old, whichever is longer, it may be deleted. This makes scanning of older posts more efficient. Members have the right to appeal the locking of their post. This should be done by an e-mail to a Moderator (preferably the one that actually locked the post).

Multiple Log Ins
We realize that there may be valid reasons for a member to have more than one log in or screen name. However, you will be held accountable for all of those screen names as if they were one. If you receive a warning under one screen name, and then violate a rule under a different screen name, Moderators will still consider that warning in deciding what action is necessary. Signing up for an additional screen name to avoid consequences of your actions, such as a ban, is an unacceptable use of multiple screen names.

Proper Communication
These forums were created to encourage communication. There are certain types of communication that are best done by other means however. Most situations where a member needs to communicate with a Moderator should be done by e-mail or Private Messaging. Moderators e-mail addresses can be found by clicking on their name. You can use Private Messaging to communicate with any forum member, unless they have that feature turned off. Direct communication between members should also be done using Private Messaging, e-mail or something like AIM. Person to person posts are inappropriate.