Rules & Guidelines:
Look Around
It's a good idea to take a look around the forum first before jumping in so you know what you're in for. It's a good way to see what sort of discussion is going on before starting a new thread.
Please Check Your Spelling
If we can't understand what you're saying, it will be very difficult to respond to you.
Check For Duplicate Threads
A previous thread may exist that will tell you what you want to know. It's a good idea to look around first and make sure your question or topic hasn't already been covered. Repeat threads will be reported and removed.
No Bumping
This is a very slow forum. There is no need to bump a post unless it is in danger of falling off the second page.
DO NOT BUMP STICKIES! Stickies hang at the top of page one and are in no danger off falling off the page. Bumping a thread that doesn't need to be bumped is considered spam. Please don't spam our forum. Bumps will be reported and removed. You may even be warned. This includes posts in which you talk to yourself because no one else is around.
No Spamming
Spamming is not allowed in this forum. If you feel an uncontrollable need to spam, please go to the Chatterbox.
No Chat Threads
This is a very slow forum. As with bumping there is no need to constantly chat in a thread to keep it at the top of the page. This is considered bumping since most of the posting is off-topic. Threads that become chat intense threads will be moved to chatterbox.
No Thread Necromancy
So you looked around and found a thread, however it's dated from last month. Do you reply to it? No. Bringing up old topics may bring up old arguments. Plus it confuses people to see a topic they think they already covered. The only exceptions are the threads mentioned in the Art Infringement Report.
Avoid Non-Discussable Topics
This is not an absolute rule. This is a guideline. The following topics usually do not generate decent discussions. If you do post one of these, please try to add some other content to it to make it more discussable. Threads that don't generate discussion (whether they're on this list or not) will be removed.
Anything that requests for help without being specific
(We cannot help you if you don't make it clear what you need help with!)
Anything that can be completely answered by the word 'Yes' or 'No'.
On a similar note, anything that is self-contained and isn't really discussable. An example of this would be the "I can't draw" topic mentioned above. Okay, you say you can't draw...*crickets chirp* Well...that's more or less a dead-end topic, unless you're seeking assistance, in which case see the subject "Posting for Help" at the top of this sticky.
"Give me information on finding _______"
We are not a google search. Most, if not ALL of the answers you seek can be found by using a search engine.
Anything in 'leet' or similarly unintelligible cyphers
(This last does not include common net/AOLspeak abbreviations, though it's better to spell out words like 'you' and 'are' if you can. How you talk does affect people's impressions, and net abbreviations don't encourage good impressions, by and large.)
The List of Tired Topics
Some of our topics have been done so many times that our regulars cry at the sight of them.
If you plan to create a new thread, please check back at least 5 pages to make sure something of similar topic doesn't already exist. If you cannot find the Tired Topic in the last 5 pages, then you may start a new thread. Otherwise, Tired Topics may be moved to the Recycle Bin.
Here is a brief (and by no means complete) list of some recycled topics:
Jhonen Vasquez
Amy Brown
Picasso/Monet/DaVinci/Michaelangelo/Dali/a good number of other time-established artists
artist A versus artist B
mangaka A versus mangaka B
'your favorite artist'
CG vs. traditional
"Help me find information on _______" (see following section on Posting Topics That Are Discussable)
"I can't draw" (see following section on What Not to Post)
