Non-Escapist message board rules

[Eleuthera]

This is NOT a thread to complain about how things are done here at the Escapist. If you have problems with the rule-set take it up with those responsible. If this thread turns into a discussion about the Escapist I will lock it. Be warned.

OT: Some friends and I are in the process of setting up a message board/community site for an upcoming game. And I'm about to start the first draft of our Code of Conduct/forum rules.

My question to you, what kind of rule-set do you like?

I'm currently borrowing quite a bit from the Escapists CoC, because I like the simplicity and conciseness of "Don't be a Jerk".

So, input? Ideas? Don'ts?

 

[Albino Boo]

I'm pretty ok with the Escapists CoC. There are a few things I would change. The low content post rules are a little over zealous, I do get fed up with having to add some spiel in a post where I am just pointing someone in the direction of post I have already made. Most people, myself included, don't read all the posts in thread, so when I get the same point made multiple times and I have answered it once, making up text just avoid an infraction feels like nonsense.

I would also like a little more policing of the off topic forum and that there are quite a few threads that really should be in the basement e.g all those feminism threads etc.

 

[DoPo]

My question to you, what kind of rule-set do you like?

I like the GameFAQs TOS. They were sort of my unofficial guideline over the years. Well, parts of it - the cursing thing was ridiculous, for example. Here they are.

Spoiler: Spoilered for length

1.Offensive Posting

Posts of a patently offensive nature are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:

Using vulgar, profane, or sexually explicit language
Using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, handicap,
nationality, or gender as a means of insult
Using sexual preference terms as a term of insult in any way, shape, or form
Using threatening, harassing, defamatory, hate-speech, or libelous language
Posting or requesting links to or material from pornographic, obscene, or hate-speech web sites
Posting links to web sites with potentially offensive content without a clear warning
Descriptions or details about any sexual act or sexual organs


2.Censor Bypassing
The GameFAQs message boards are programmed with a list of words that are considered vulgar under any context, and these words are not allowed to be posted. Attempting to bypass the censor by misspelling, inserting spaces or symbols, transposing letters, using look-alike symbols, or any other method is not allowed. The only acceptable method of posting one of these vulgar words is to completely obscure it, making it impossible to determine what the word is without context. Additionally, certain words are prohibited from being used in topic titles and user information pages; bypassing the censor to post those words where they are restricted is also disallowed.

For example, if "gris" is a banned word:

Not allowed: g-r-i-s, gr*s, g***, 9|-1$, girs, gryeeeas, grizznizz, **** (rhymes with "bris")
Allowed: ****, ****ed, ****ing, g'ed, g-word


3.Flaming (Insulting Other Users)
Posts clearly insulting other board members, individually or as a group, directly or indirectly, are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:
Name-calling ("You're an idiot", "You moron")
Direct insults ("Screw you")
Offensive orders ("Go kill yourself")
Insinuations ("Are you stupid or something?") or insults towards family ("Your mom...")


4.Trolling (Inciting Flames)
Posts intended solely to annoy and/or offend other posters by going against the clear nature of a board or topic are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:

-Provoking other users to respond with flames
-Provoking fans of a particular system or game, especially on boards dedicated to that system or game
-Making misleading topic titles
-Asking obviously useless questions
-Posting false information as fact


5.Illegal Activities
-Posts that violate or incite others to violate the law are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, asking for or providing, in any way, shape, or form:

-Illegal copies of copyrighted software (ROMs, Warez)
-Methods of circumventing copyright protection (Cracks, No-CD Patches, CD Keys, mod chips)
-Illegal copies of copyrighted music (MP3s), movies, videos, or any other type of media
-Reprints of material from other web sites (pay or free)
-Methods of cheating in online games


6.Spamming
Posts that clearly advertise a service or product are not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to:

-Unsolicited commercial or personal web site advertisements
-For-Sale/For-Trade/For-Auction/Wanted notices
-"Make Money Fast" scams, chain letters, and pyramid schemes
-Advertising for another message board (even other G******s boards)

Users are allowed to include a web site address in a signature, request comments on their personal site in a social setting, or providing only once an interesting or relevant link to another site.


7.Off-Topic Posting
The main purpose of the G******s Message Boards is to provide discussion forums for various video and computer games and their systems. Topicality is expected and will be enforced on all gaming boards for current and recent systems, all system boards, and all special interest boards. On these boards, topics designed to get hundreds of posts with little or no content, topics that have nothing to do with the board's category, and other "social" topics are not allowed.

-On system, gaming, or other topical boards with no corresponding Social board, new topics must clearly be related to the game, system, or topic in question. Discussions may vary broadly, but must essentially be about the topic in question.
-On gaming boards with a corresponding Social board, new topics must clearly be related to the actual gameplay or story of that game. Things such as Tournaments, RPGs, pass-along stories, fan fictions, and the like should be posted on the corresponding Social board.


8.Spoilers without Warning
Posting "spoilers" (critical plot details) about games, movies, time-delayed broadcast events, or other media in the title of a topic or in a message without advance warning is prohibited.

-To discuss such information in a topic, users should leave the title of the topic as vague as possible and include a warning (i.e. "SPOILER") in the topic title.
-In a message post in a non-marked topic, users should leave several blank lines in a post after a warning before revealing any vital plot information.


9.Disruptive Posting
Posts that disrupt the message boards for other users, intentional or not, are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited, to:

-Message posts or topic titles that force browsers to scroll horizontally
-Large blank or content-free posts
-"Bumping" multiple older topics (posting in them well after the last post)
-Posting multiple identical or near-identical messages or topics, including "fad" topics
-Intentionally hard-to-read topic titles (i.e. ALL CAPS, AlTeRnAtE cApS, no spaces, no or excessive punctuation, 1337 speak, et cetera)
-Posting multiple hard-to-read or nonsensical messages in a single or multiple topics
-Posting large ASCII art (except in social topics specifically calling for it)
-Post counting (i.e. "First", "100th Post")



10.Flooding, Invading, and Board Wars

Users will be immediately banned (along with any associated accounts) for:
-Flooding a board with multiple disruptive topics or posts
-Invading another board (flooding a board as a group with multiple topics or posts)
-Instigating, participating in, or retaliating in an invasion of a GameFAQs message board or any other online service
-Announcing or inciting a "war" or any conflict with the regular members of another board


11.Impersonation
Users will be immediately banned (along with any associated accounts) for impersonating other boards users by creating and/or using a message board account with a name clearly intended to impersonate, mock, or antagonize another user, or otherwise falsely claiming to be another message board member.


12.Harassment/Stalking/Privacy
Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of an creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment on the boards, with or without use of explicit or implicit threats is strictly prohibited. Posting private information without permission is also prohibited.


13.Unauthorized Access
Accessing or attempting to access any G******s user account not belonging to the user in question without permission is prohibited. Accessing another user's account in this manner is grounds for immediate loss of all known accounts.


14.Bugs and Exploits
Using exploits or tricks in the G******s code to gain privileges, access, or abilities not clearly intended by the board design is prohibited. While you are more than welcome to try and find any exploits away from the public eye, making them public or using them for personal benefit is grounds for immediate loss of all known accounts.


15.Usernames, Profiles, and Forms
Violating any of the above rules with a username, any part of the user profile (signature, quote, e-mail, IM), or via feedback forms (such as the Mark for Moderation function) is considered a severe violation.


16.Robots and Automated Programs
Board users are not allowed to run a robot or other any other automated browsing or posting programs on any message board server at any time. Most of these robots use huge amounts of server resources for the benefit of a single person. Users caught running robots may have all of their known accounts revoked, and the abuse of resources reported to their ISP.


17.Other
Any other activity that is clearly detrimental to the flow of conversation and normal activities of the boards and its users may also be deleted.

Yeah, and I've had them saved, too. Currently GameFAQs has the Terms of Use rather than "of Service" which is a reworking after they got acquired by the GameSpot. Not really an issue, as the TOU are pretty much the same when it comes to site usage, but the TOS is what I started with and it's a bit more explicit, too.

Yeah, don't be a jerk is fine, in fact, it's just that people don't always get they are being jerks.

 

[OneCatch]

This is NOT a thread to complain about how things are done here at the Escapist. If you have problems with the rule-set take it up with those responsible. If this thread turns into a discussion about the Escapist I will lock it. Be warned.

OT: Some friends and I are in the process of setting up a message board/community site for an upcoming game. And I'm about to start the first draft of our Code of Conduct/forum rules.

My question to you, what kind of rule-set do you like?

I'm currently borrowing quite a bit from the Escapists CoC, because I like the simplicity and conciseness of "Don't be a Jerk".

So, input? Ideas? Don'ts?

Just to be clear, my post isn't intended to bash the Escapist (it's one of the best CoC's I've seen), but to use it as a reference point.

That out the way:

I actually really like rules against low post content, except in threads where low content is kind of obligatory (have you ever, what of these do you have, that kind of thing).

I also like the fact that there aren't sigs. I find them really goddamn distracting on other forums - especially when people have flashing lights, rotating text and all manner of other crap in them!

I'd probably be a little more strict on various offensive stuff.
For example, if you're going to explicity ban pro-nazi references, you need to also ban pro-pol-pot, or pro-pinochet references for the sake of consistency.
Instead it's probably better to simply use a generic "don't be a dick" rule to mod anyone that feels the need to come out with that kind of stuff.

I'd also say that if it's a gaming related site, you'll need to treat carefully when it comes to sexism/feminism stuff.
Just because it's particularly topical at the moment, and it's a bloody difficult one to consistently moderate.
I probably don't need to point that out to a mod, but there we go!
Perhaps add gender as a protected characteristic along with race, religion and so on, and enforce it strictly.

I don't agree with stopping certain kinds of topics coming up repeatedly (eg feminism/Sarkeesian, as mentioned by albino boo above). But you could institute some rule to stop individual posters starting threads related to the same thing over and over in a short timeframe.

That's about all I can think of anyway.

EDIT: Also, get the word 'Vexatious' in there somewhere. Just because it's an awesome word!

 

[NBSRDan]

I would refer to this post [http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=19709] on the personal blog of Escapist Shamus Young.

TL;DR version: No established rule-set. If someone becomes problematic, ban them.

 

[fibchopkin]

Generally speaking, I really like the escapist's CoC. It's probably a good model to base your new one one, but I do have a few suggestions:
1. Consider the rating of the game when you're establishing rules. ie- If the game is rated M for language and violence, it seems a little silly to ban curse words, a la the Bioware forums.
2. Consider doing away with, or changing, the low-content rules. It's a bit frustrating when a person asks a direct question, like "Can you recommend a good book?" to have to give a plot synopsis because you're worried that just saying "Anything by Terry Pratchett is awesome, no matter what you're in to." will get you banned.
3. not really a rule, but I LOVE that the escapist forums make it really clear how to post videos, spoiler cuts, and pictures. I suggest including a similar "How to" thread with a sticky on your new site. In other places it's either a "try and see what works" scenario, find out only after bothering mods with pm's, or search endlessly through the user guide and CoC pages for intstructions.

 

[Eleuthera]

Thanks everyone for your input.

We started out with the Esc CoC as a baseline and built on that. We did drop the Low-content rule, since this is a bit sillier then the Escapist likes to be.

The game is/will be all ages, but the forums software we'll be using has a swear filter that individual users can turn on/off, so we just have to keep an eye out for "new" swearwords to add to the filter.

We're not going online/public for a while yet (the game won't be released until September), so there's time for tweaking still.

 

[MrCollins]

snip

I would like to see some kind of restriction of constantly having the same topic.
I'm not sure how to phrase it, but don't start a thread that's done to death.