Chat Box Rules

Chat-box Rules

Now every site has their set rules when it comes to the chatterbox. Mostly because members like to antagonize one another. I would love to believe you of those that use it here are above that. But I know that some will fall beneath standards. There are rules that should be followed while inside of the chatting area. Please keep them in mind to keep this a fighting free community. If you break the rules a punishment will be placed out according to the staff's decision on the offense.

• Baiting - Baiting is when a member makes a comment which is used to upset another one. It's not liked, you don't like it when someone makes a snide comment, so don't make one about other people.
  
  
• Flaming - Hostile and insulting interaction between users in the chat.
  
  
• PG - 13 Rating - I don't care if you want to talk the nasty to each other. You can do this in an IM system such as MSN, Yahoo, AIM, or even PM's. No one wants to hear about how many times you've done something sexual. Please keep in mind this environment is meant for all ages.
  
  
• Cussing - Swearing is a little redundant after awhile. There is no need for it, you could make the same point without having to drop into foul language. If you forget and let one slip the punishment won't be as bad. But keep in mind people don't enjoy reading such language.
  
  
• Comfort - Please constrain arguments to individual communications. You may have excellent points, and your opponent may be an idiot, but no one likes to have people yelling at each other while they're trying to hold a conversation. If your "discussion" becomes detrimentally distracting, please leave.
  
  
• Flooding - Please be considerate of the other users in the chat box. You may have something especially important to say, but nothing is so important it takes a HUGE FONT to express, or ten paragraphs, or 50 single lines. If you're tempted to convey something large (a gigantic picture or a new tech, for instance), have you considered a PM? If you want to show it to multiple people, [Spoiler] tags are also useful. Remember, no one likes to have their comment buried by a wave of randomness.
  
  
• Badgering Staff - The chat box is many things, but it is NOT a place to bother the staff. Realize that the particular staff member you are badgering about getting that 17th lightning tech - you know, the one that allows you to insta kill everything within 500 miles - has just run through 10 other requests, watched a fight for godmodding, and somehow managed to deal with their own real life. And now, here they are in the chat box. ENJOY IT. They are taking time out of their lives to have a friendly chat with the rest of you. The last thing they want to do is be pulled back into the approving process. So please, do feel free to shoot them a PM, ask them privately, or bump the topic, but do not bother them when they are essentially taking time out of their day to enjoy speaking with you. So please, make jokes, enjoy talking, but trust their timing. Don't make the mistake of thinking they have nothing else to do than read your thousandth request.
  

Individualistic concerns:
Please, when you can, try to solve disputes between yourselves. The staff has enough work on its plate without having to play peacemakers, so if you can discuss your problem in a reasonable manner (see "Annoying others with your arguments," above) please do so. Bringing in a staff member to say "she hit me first, punish her!" is just as likely to get the wrong person punished as it is to get both of you or neither one punished. What it is certain to do is annoy the staff... who are the ones approving your requests. Enough said.


Epilogue:
Note that these rules, while important, may or may not be enforced based on Our Great Leaders' discretion. If you have a serious problem, please voice it, but if all you're doing is waving the flag when someone mildly breaks one of these rules your attentions are doing more harm than good. Don't take it upon yourself to enforce the rules: that's the mods' and admins' job. And if you repeatedly bother the already overworked staff with trivial concerns, you are likely to become the target of ire.

Chat-box Punishments

Note: that this three-offense system is flexible. Should a user perform a particularly heinous act, the staff reserves the right to skip warnings in favor of silencing an irritating individual.

First Offense: A warning will be issued from the staff member. Please heed their words and do not continue with said action.

Second Offense: A kick from the chat - With another issue warning.

Third Offense: A temporary ban. The ban will last as long as the staff member you have ignored decides. So if they want you banned from the chat for the day after you've ignored them, they are in the right.

If you continue to act up you will be banned from the chat for good, or until an appeal date comes up. Appeal dates are issued via PM after a perm ban placed in the chat box. Also going to another staff member to complain about anothers punishment will not be tolerated. If you do so the wait time can lengthen or you can be banned for good from the chat.