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forum:4, topic:8551530
Post: 8551530_1 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:03 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:03 am
Last updated: 6/29/08

Hello and welcome to Gaming Discussion. biggrin The following is a guideline in order for you the reader to get to know the forum better, and hopefully to answer any questions you might have about the way things operate here.

To further enhance the clarity of the guideline, it has been divided into multiple sections. Please read all sections before posting any topic within Gaming Discussion!

Only with your help and consideration can we make this a great forum. 3nodding Cheers!

Any and all links will appear in this color. Click on a topic below to read it!

1) Rules of the forum

2) Sticky posts: what and where

3) Sub-forums and their stickies

4) Need help with a forum-related problem?

5) Helpful links
 
     

Post: 8551530_2 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 am
 
General posting guideline
To get a grasp of what's allowed here on Gaia Online, please read the Terms of Service and the Rules and Guidelines. Here are some guidelines more specific to this forum that should be stressed:

  • No general game topics, please. "Do you like games? I do!" We know you do. That is why you are here. 3nodding General topics are basically just redundant to the purpose of the main forum, and another Gaming Discussion is not needed within Gaming Discussion. Anything to the extent of the following examples will be sent to the Chatterbox:
    "Talk about any game here!"
    "Game talk, no n00bs here!"
    "Girl/boy/etc gamers, post here!"
  • Read a few pages of the forum before posting your topic. Especially if you plan on creating a topic about a very popular game! (See "Sub-forums and their stickies" below about Final Fantasy topics.)
  • Please don't flame those who post topics within the wrong section. A neutral/friendly redirect is fine, but flaming is never okay. Please report the topic to have the topic moved to the correct section.
  • The only confirmation that a thread in the forum is official if it is an announcement or sticky. Users are encouraged to look for an existing topic before posting, but in no way does adding "official" to your topic title give you the rights to hold the only thread on the subject.
  • "Guru" topics are unnecessary here. Topics to the extent of "Need help with _____? Ask here!" will be moved to the Chatterbox. If a user needs help, he or she can find help within an existing topic or create a topic to address the specific issue in question.
  • While game related, threads created for the purpose of posting reviews are not conducive to discussion. Any threads created for this purpose will be moved to the Chatterbox.
  • As much as user contribution is appreciated in the forum, this forum is called Gaming Discussion for a reason. If you want to post a rant, you are welcome to utilise the Chatterbox for this purpose. Rants are not discussion, but a single user blowing off steam, so they are unsuited to this forum. Similarly, forum "guides" are also not appropriate. Posting etiquette is thouroughly covered in the Terms of Service, as well as included in this announcement itself.
  • Advertising is considered spam, and is treated as such.
  • Any topics posted for the purpose of "I'm posting on my (insert console here)" will be moved to the Chatterbox, as they are spam.
  • Do not post referral links (Outwar, free iPod/console/etc, and the like) here, or anywhere on Gaia Online.

    "GAIA Online Terms of Service"
    While using the GAIA Online Experience, the User may not:

    6. Upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," or any other form of solicitation.

  • Versus topics are allowed.
  • Emulator discussion is allowed. Asking for ROMs/ISOs/bios or emulators or posting links to download ROMs/ISOs/bios or emulators is not.

    "GAIA Online Terms of Service"
    While using the GAIA Online Experience, the User may not:
    5. Upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that you do not have the rights to.

    "GAIA Online Rules and Guidelines"
    Endorsing illicit activities or encouraging crime is not permitted.

    MP3 requests are also discouraged, on the same grounds as above.
  • Requesting/trading CD keys for games is not allowed.
  • Topics used for the sole purpose of posting or seeking friend codes regardless of purpose do not belong in Gaming Discussion as there is no discussion involved. Please look for an existing topic about the game in question to post/acquire such codes.
  • Topics used exclusively for trading within a game (items, characters, etc) do not belong in Gaming Discussion as there is no discussion involved. Users are encouraged to look for an existing topic about the game in question for any such trades. Sales are still a bannable offence, as you may read below.
  • Attempting to buy/sell game items/currency for Gaia items/currency is absolutely not allowed anywhere on Gaia Online. All accounts found doing so on both sides of the transaction will be warned and possibly banned.
  • If it's necessary to "set up" a topic before actually posting it, please use the Test Forum for this purpose.
  • No picture posting topics, please! If you'd like to have a picture topic, please make it in the Chatterbox.
  • Forum-based petitions are not allowed here. Please start them in Petitions instead.
  • Roleplays are not allowed in this forum, even if they are about games. Please create them in Series-related/Miscellaneous Role Play instead.
  • Guilds are also not allowed in this forum, even if they are about games. Please create them in Guilds instead.
  • Quizzes/trivia for prizes do not belong in this forum. Please create them in Lotto/Money Games instead.
  • Hangouts/bars are not allowed in this forum. Please create them in GAIA Commerce or the Chatterbox.
  • Stories/fanfiction are not allowed in this forum. Please create them in Fanfiction.
  • Word games are not allowed in this forum. Please create them in Word Games and others.
  • Avatar-related topics are best suited for Avatar Talk. Please start your avatar topics there instead!
     

Post: 8551530_3 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 am
Sticky posts
Sticky posts are the posts that will always be at the top of the forum. There is no need to "bump" them, as they're not going anywhere. Specific topics about these games/consoles are allowed, but please keep general talk within these:



The purpose of sticky posts is to keep the forum a little cleaner than it would be otherwise. They will be added and removed in regards to there being a specific need for them or the fact that the need for them has waned. Suggestions for sticky posts are welcome, but please be aware that reasons like "Why not?" or "This game deserves a sticky!" are not sufficient in implying actual need.

Additionally, it would be appreciated if the sticky posts within Gaming Discussion could stay on topic as much as possible, only departing from their noted subjects so far as the topic of games or gaming-related issues. The description "discuss all types of gaming here" is implicit in describing exactly what conversation is to go on within the forum, and the sticky posts are no exception.
 
     

Post: 8551530_4 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 am
 
Sub-forums and their stickies
Sub-forums are created as needed. Rather than have particular games take over the main forum, they are given their own sub-forums to keep things tidy. 3nodding If you're considering posting a topic that falls into one of the following categories, please go to the correct sub-forum and read through a few pages before posting your topic. Here is a list of the sub-forums, along with their guidelines and most popular topics:

     

Post: 8551530_5 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 am
Need help with a forum-related problem?
Though the moderators of Videogames Discussion strive to make the forums as tidy as possible, they will always need help from you the user. 3nodding Problems with abuse are to be PMed to moderators of this forum or reported using the abuse report, located at the bottom of the forum index. The moderators for the forums of Gaming Discussion are as follows:

 
     

Post: 8551530_6 created on Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 amPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:04 am
 
Links
Here is a few links that are helpful when it comes to gaming. I don't expect that this list will ever be truly complete, so if you see some that are missing, please feel free to PM me. Please note that this is not for personal websites, but rather for sites that very helpful to many.