Forum policies, FAQ -- EVERYONE read first before posting
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:44 pm
Policies
0. Game status: BETA. This game is in (early) beta testing. That means that things are pretty solid, but you are likely to run into missing images and descriptions, skills that don't work right, items that don't work yet. Things like that. If it doesn't seem literally "broken" it's probably just unimplemented. If, however, you're getting error messages, or something really seems to be actually broken in a way that makes something unplayable, then please report it as a bug.
1. Try to be civil. Thus far everyone's done a fantastic job, and I hope we can keep it up. Obviously tempers will flare now and then because the internet makes people naturally grumpy, but I think the important thing is to distinguish between disagreeing with someone's idea (I don't like that particular idea because ...) and personal attacks (YOU are a ______ ). The former is acceptable, the latter is not. If you can't tell the difference, ask someone or don't post. It should be obvious, but this includes: no threatening, personal attacks, racism, hateful posts, retaliation of any kind against a user, or group of users. This also means no graphic material of either a macabre or pornographic nature. In general you should assume the game and the forums are visited by kids, parents, grandparents, government watchdog groups, and alien civilizations trying to determine whether to conquer our planet or allow us to live, so please post accordingly.
2. Spoilers. No spoilers on new content for 48 hours in Gameplay (or any other forum and all chat channels). And I mean this from the largest zone update all the way down to the smallest crafting recipe. You're free to talk about it in a non-spoilery fashion, but otherwise wait 48 hours to go into details. Even then, I still prefer being a little vague, and no cutting and pasting complete paragraphs of game content. Outside of Gameplay--especially in Help--no spoilers at all, ever. 48 hours begins with the moment of discovery--just because it's been hiding in the game for a long time doesn't mean you can spoil it immediately.
When you do post a spoiler, use the spoiler tag, as demonstrated here:
3. S-m-u-r-f. Please don't use "S-m-u-r-f" or any other code word just inserted into an otherwise sensible sentence in an attempt to make it non-spoilery. It tends to be obnoxiously confusing rather than helpful. I'd much prefer you use coherent, but vague, English. Bad: "You need to ***** a ***** to beat the *****." Good: "You need to assemble a special item to beat the boss in that section." If you can't say what you want without using the bad technique, then don't say it.
4. Forum avatars/sigs. Forum avatars need to be 100x100 pixels and hosted somewhere off-site. Graphical sigs should be no bigger than 500 pixels wide by 100 pixels tall. Text sigs should attempt to fit within similar dimensions--height being more critical than width. (This means generally no more than 7 lines at average font size.) Sigs cannot contain advertisements/links to commercial sites. Since these are hosted off-site, file size isn't a huge issue, but for the sake of other viewers it's probably a good idea to keep things under 100k.
5. Reporting Bugs. While the game is in Beta, the following rules apply. If the bug is game-breakingly exploitable (infinite chips, turns, item duplication), send an in-game message to Ryme (#1) with details or use the contact form http://www.twilightheroes.com/contact.php, and DO NOT share it on the forums or tell anyone else. If the bug is game-breaking but not exploitable (you can't log in, one of the pages is giving a PHP error and doesn't work), Ryme will still fix it faster if you send an email, but you can also post it on the forums so other people know what's going on. Lesser bugs, if they're not badly exploitable, can be posted on the forums or reported normally. Failure to report serious bugs is frowned upon.
6. Forum etiquette. When possible, try to keep discussion about a single topic in just one thread, and try to stay on topic within that thread. If you're creating a thread, please, PLEASE, take a second to come up with a useful subject line that will let others know what the thread is about. Always check the first page (at least) before starting a new topic, to make sure someone else hasn't done it already. Search first when you can to see if the information you're looking for is already out there. It's fine to dig up ("necro") and old thread if you have pertinent comments/additions, but please don't bump threads needlessly just to keep them at the top or on the front page. Posts that consist entirely of "yeah" or "what they said" aren't useful and should be avoided. Should you be disciplined with a restriction or ban, you are not allowed to open a new account to obtain freedom to post. Restrictions and bans are given for a reason, and usurping that ability by re-registering is not tolerated.
6b. Posting etiquette. Color and bolding is acceptable for emphasis, clarity, organization (like a bunch of headers and subheaders) or an occasional joke. It should be limited to a few words here or there. It's also to be used by moderators to distinguish their editorial comments from regular conversation--this is particularly important if they post inside someone else's posts.
Color, bold, italic, etc., should NOT be used on huge blocks of text or for entire messages. It's not necessary, it's hard to read, and it tends to give the impression you're modulating your voice in funny ways (shouting, looking at me funny while talking, etc.). Other than the exceptions mentioned above, messing with that stuff can only make it more difficult to read what you're saying, and things on the internet tend to be hard enough to translate without visual issues being added to the mix.
7. Forum moderation. Moderators provide a valuable service to the forums, and changes/comments they make should be respected. If you have a question/comment about a specific piece of moderation, it should be sent to Ryme or the mod in question as a private message. DO NOT start threads to complain/critique forum mods or moderation practices. How do you become a mod? By establishing a long and trustworthy history of good forum behavior and etiquette, until that happens to catch the attention of the admins or other mods. (In other words, don't ask us, we'll find you.)
8. Links to other sites. You can link to other sites that are free, including other games that are free. You cannot link to other commercial sites (KoL being the exception, because I really like them). Also, no misleading links, and no links to places that give you recruitment bonuses and the like (such as click here to give me points in another game, etc.). This applies both in posts and in signatures.
FAQ
Q. How do I get more turns?
A. Every night just after midnight Eastern time, the game goes into a period called "rollover." At this time the game is closed to players, while it is updated for the new day. When you log back in after rollover, you'll have more turns as well as having your tolerance for caffeine reset.
Q. What is rollover? Or, why does the game say it's in maintenance?
A. Rollover is our term for a time period when we briefly lock the game in order to perform backups, update characters for the next day, and stuff like that. It should only last a few minutes, and then you'll be able to log in again.
Q. I am new to this game and I would like to introduce myself. Where could I do this?
A. Make a post to the "Introduce Yourself" topic in the "off the wall" forum. Try to keep this post strictly for introductions.
Q. I would like to publicize my company/myself/my product to this wonderful game. What should I do?
A. Sorry, but no advertising is allowed on the forums or in the game for anything that you would make money from.
Q. I have a wonderful idea that should absolutely be introduced in the game. Where should I post about it?
A. It depends. If it's a very general request, it can go in the upcoming features and wish list thread. If it's more of a joke, or an idea for an item, or that sort of thing, it should go in the creative player ideas thread instead.
Example: you want to suggest a mall as an alternative to the auction house. That goes in the wish list.
Example: you think a "bag of marbles" would make a fun combat item, and have even written out attack messages for what different types of marbles would do. This goes in the creative player ideas thread.
Q. Who made this game?
A. The in-game name is Ryme (#1). You might also want to look at http://www.quirkz.com the website for Quirkz Media, the company that owns the game.
Q. Where is Mick? I can't figure out what to do for that quest. I can't find him.
A. The journal entry about Mick is merely a teaser about future content. It lets you know what will be coming in the future, but there's nothing to do for now. If this still isn't clear, click the word "wait" in the journal.
Q. I have tried everything with the password at the sewers but nothing worked! I think that there is a bug here ... it HAS to be broken!
A. Nope, it's not broken. It's just tricksy. There's more to it than following the simple formula.
Q. I just gained a level but I did not get a skill.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This is part of it.
Q. Some items don't have pictures or descriptions.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This is part of it.
Q. Some aspect of the game feels incomplete.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This may be part of it. If you don't think that's enough of a reason, feel free to discuss it in gameplay.
Q. I found something that I am pretty sure can be labeled as a bug. What should I do?
A. First of all, assuming it's not serious, double check. Try to ask around. If you are absolutely sure that you have stumbled on a bug, then use common sense and post in one of the following threads:
Major Bugs: If a page is broken so badly it's giving errors or doesn't work at all. For things such as infinite chips/items/stats combos and hacks, please DO NOT post them, but send a bug report/private message to Ryme instead.
Minor Bugs: For things such as one of the panels not being loaded, the chat malfunctioning, and a PM received multiple times.
Grammar Errors: For all things related to errors in the texts. Also, be aware that some things which look like errors may in fact be intentional jokes (such as those in the sewers).
Q. The game says it's free to play, but it requires a donation to get silver and gold stars. Why is that? That doesn't seem fair.
A. The game is indeed free to play. However, even though it's free, there are still hosting and development costs. Without generous donations to keep it going, the game would quickly cease to exist. Items like stars are gifts as a way of saying thanks to those people who keep the game going. They do provide a slight advantage to players who have them, but all players--with or without stars and other donation items--still see essentially the same game. Donation is not necessary to complete any quests, get into any areas, or--when such a thing exists--to "finish" the game. Quirkz Media stands firmly behind our intention to never provide "special" content that only donators get to see.
Q. I keep losing every fight! What should I do?
A. No matter what your strength, there is at least one area designed to match your abilities. Play there until you are tougher and can move to more difficult zones. Gaining levels is the most effective way to get tougher, but consider different combinations of equipment and different combat tactics, too.
Q. How come I can't post on the forums?
A. Ryme has to activate your account, and confirm that it is under the same name as your in-game account.
Q. I am poor... Where can I ask for chips?
A. Begging--asking someone to give you money--is not allowed in the forums or in the game. To get more chips, play the game. Earn chips by adventuring and defeating foes, or by selling items.
Q. I have an avatar/signature image that fits the forums rules, but I do not know how to get a link of it.
A. You must first upload it. The best known tools for this are
http://imageshack.us/
http://photobucket.com/
0. Game status: BETA. This game is in (early) beta testing. That means that things are pretty solid, but you are likely to run into missing images and descriptions, skills that don't work right, items that don't work yet. Things like that. If it doesn't seem literally "broken" it's probably just unimplemented. If, however, you're getting error messages, or something really seems to be actually broken in a way that makes something unplayable, then please report it as a bug.
1. Try to be civil. Thus far everyone's done a fantastic job, and I hope we can keep it up. Obviously tempers will flare now and then because the internet makes people naturally grumpy, but I think the important thing is to distinguish between disagreeing with someone's idea (I don't like that particular idea because ...) and personal attacks (YOU are a ______ ). The former is acceptable, the latter is not. If you can't tell the difference, ask someone or don't post. It should be obvious, but this includes: no threatening, personal attacks, racism, hateful posts, retaliation of any kind against a user, or group of users. This also means no graphic material of either a macabre or pornographic nature. In general you should assume the game and the forums are visited by kids, parents, grandparents, government watchdog groups, and alien civilizations trying to determine whether to conquer our planet or allow us to live, so please post accordingly.
2. Spoilers. No spoilers on new content for 48 hours in Gameplay (or any other forum and all chat channels). And I mean this from the largest zone update all the way down to the smallest crafting recipe. You're free to talk about it in a non-spoilery fashion, but otherwise wait 48 hours to go into details. Even then, I still prefer being a little vague, and no cutting and pasting complete paragraphs of game content. Outside of Gameplay--especially in Help--no spoilers at all, ever. 48 hours begins with the moment of discovery--just because it's been hiding in the game for a long time doesn't mean you can spoil it immediately.
When you do post a spoiler, use the spoiler tag, as demonstrated here:
Code: Select all
Write "[spoiler]put secret stuff here[/spoiler]"4. Forum avatars/sigs. Forum avatars need to be 100x100 pixels and hosted somewhere off-site. Graphical sigs should be no bigger than 500 pixels wide by 100 pixels tall. Text sigs should attempt to fit within similar dimensions--height being more critical than width. (This means generally no more than 7 lines at average font size.) Sigs cannot contain advertisements/links to commercial sites. Since these are hosted off-site, file size isn't a huge issue, but for the sake of other viewers it's probably a good idea to keep things under 100k.
5. Reporting Bugs. While the game is in Beta, the following rules apply. If the bug is game-breakingly exploitable (infinite chips, turns, item duplication), send an in-game message to Ryme (#1) with details or use the contact form http://www.twilightheroes.com/contact.php, and DO NOT share it on the forums or tell anyone else. If the bug is game-breaking but not exploitable (you can't log in, one of the pages is giving a PHP error and doesn't work), Ryme will still fix it faster if you send an email, but you can also post it on the forums so other people know what's going on. Lesser bugs, if they're not badly exploitable, can be posted on the forums or reported normally. Failure to report serious bugs is frowned upon.
6. Forum etiquette. When possible, try to keep discussion about a single topic in just one thread, and try to stay on topic within that thread. If you're creating a thread, please, PLEASE, take a second to come up with a useful subject line that will let others know what the thread is about. Always check the first page (at least) before starting a new topic, to make sure someone else hasn't done it already. Search first when you can to see if the information you're looking for is already out there. It's fine to dig up ("necro") and old thread if you have pertinent comments/additions, but please don't bump threads needlessly just to keep them at the top or on the front page. Posts that consist entirely of "yeah" or "what they said" aren't useful and should be avoided. Should you be disciplined with a restriction or ban, you are not allowed to open a new account to obtain freedom to post. Restrictions and bans are given for a reason, and usurping that ability by re-registering is not tolerated.
6b. Posting etiquette. Color and bolding is acceptable for emphasis, clarity, organization (like a bunch of headers and subheaders) or an occasional joke. It should be limited to a few words here or there. It's also to be used by moderators to distinguish their editorial comments from regular conversation--this is particularly important if they post inside someone else's posts.
Color, bold, italic, etc., should NOT be used on huge blocks of text or for entire messages. It's not necessary, it's hard to read, and it tends to give the impression you're modulating your voice in funny ways (shouting, looking at me funny while talking, etc.). Other than the exceptions mentioned above, messing with that stuff can only make it more difficult to read what you're saying, and things on the internet tend to be hard enough to translate without visual issues being added to the mix.
7. Forum moderation. Moderators provide a valuable service to the forums, and changes/comments they make should be respected. If you have a question/comment about a specific piece of moderation, it should be sent to Ryme or the mod in question as a private message. DO NOT start threads to complain/critique forum mods or moderation practices. How do you become a mod? By establishing a long and trustworthy history of good forum behavior and etiquette, until that happens to catch the attention of the admins or other mods. (In other words, don't ask us, we'll find you.)
8. Links to other sites. You can link to other sites that are free, including other games that are free. You cannot link to other commercial sites (KoL being the exception, because I really like them). Also, no misleading links, and no links to places that give you recruitment bonuses and the like (such as click here to give me points in another game, etc.). This applies both in posts and in signatures.
FAQ
Q. How do I get more turns?
A. Every night just after midnight Eastern time, the game goes into a period called "rollover." At this time the game is closed to players, while it is updated for the new day. When you log back in after rollover, you'll have more turns as well as having your tolerance for caffeine reset.
Q. What is rollover? Or, why does the game say it's in maintenance?
A. Rollover is our term for a time period when we briefly lock the game in order to perform backups, update characters for the next day, and stuff like that. It should only last a few minutes, and then you'll be able to log in again.
Q. I am new to this game and I would like to introduce myself. Where could I do this?
A. Make a post to the "Introduce Yourself" topic in the "off the wall" forum. Try to keep this post strictly for introductions.
Q. I would like to publicize my company/myself/my product to this wonderful game. What should I do?
A. Sorry, but no advertising is allowed on the forums or in the game for anything that you would make money from.
Q. I have a wonderful idea that should absolutely be introduced in the game. Where should I post about it?
A. It depends. If it's a very general request, it can go in the upcoming features and wish list thread. If it's more of a joke, or an idea for an item, or that sort of thing, it should go in the creative player ideas thread instead.
Example: you want to suggest a mall as an alternative to the auction house. That goes in the wish list.
Example: you think a "bag of marbles" would make a fun combat item, and have even written out attack messages for what different types of marbles would do. This goes in the creative player ideas thread.
Q. Who made this game?
A. The in-game name is Ryme (#1). You might also want to look at http://www.quirkz.com the website for Quirkz Media, the company that owns the game.
Q. Where is Mick? I can't figure out what to do for that quest. I can't find him.
A. The journal entry about Mick is merely a teaser about future content. It lets you know what will be coming in the future, but there's nothing to do for now. If this still isn't clear, click the word "wait" in the journal.
Q. I have tried everything with the password at the sewers but nothing worked! I think that there is a bug here ... it HAS to be broken!
A. Nope, it's not broken. It's just tricksy. There's more to it than following the simple formula.
Q. I just gained a level but I did not get a skill.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This is part of it.
Q. Some items don't have pictures or descriptions.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This is part of it.
Q. Some aspect of the game feels incomplete.
A. Because the game is still in Beta testing, there's still some missing content. This may be part of it. If you don't think that's enough of a reason, feel free to discuss it in gameplay.
Q. I found something that I am pretty sure can be labeled as a bug. What should I do?
A. First of all, assuming it's not serious, double check. Try to ask around. If you are absolutely sure that you have stumbled on a bug, then use common sense and post in one of the following threads:
Major Bugs: If a page is broken so badly it's giving errors or doesn't work at all. For things such as infinite chips/items/stats combos and hacks, please DO NOT post them, but send a bug report/private message to Ryme instead.
Minor Bugs: For things such as one of the panels not being loaded, the chat malfunctioning, and a PM received multiple times.
Grammar Errors: For all things related to errors in the texts. Also, be aware that some things which look like errors may in fact be intentional jokes (such as those in the sewers).
Q. The game says it's free to play, but it requires a donation to get silver and gold stars. Why is that? That doesn't seem fair.
A. The game is indeed free to play. However, even though it's free, there are still hosting and development costs. Without generous donations to keep it going, the game would quickly cease to exist. Items like stars are gifts as a way of saying thanks to those people who keep the game going. They do provide a slight advantage to players who have them, but all players--with or without stars and other donation items--still see essentially the same game. Donation is not necessary to complete any quests, get into any areas, or--when such a thing exists--to "finish" the game. Quirkz Media stands firmly behind our intention to never provide "special" content that only donators get to see.
Q. I keep losing every fight! What should I do?
A. No matter what your strength, there is at least one area designed to match your abilities. Play there until you are tougher and can move to more difficult zones. Gaining levels is the most effective way to get tougher, but consider different combinations of equipment and different combat tactics, too.
Q. How come I can't post on the forums?
A. Ryme has to activate your account, and confirm that it is under the same name as your in-game account.
Q. I am poor... Where can I ask for chips?
A. Begging--asking someone to give you money--is not allowed in the forums or in the game. To get more chips, play the game. Earn chips by adventuring and defeating foes, or by selling items.
Q. I have an avatar/signature image that fits the forums rules, but I do not know how to get a link of it.
A. You must first upload it. The best known tools for this are
http://imageshack.us/
http://photobucket.com/