Glitchfinder
Let's all get along, please?
- 477
- Posts
- 18
- Years
- Age 35
- The Twilight Zone
- Seen May 4, 2014
For all of you that post here, I thought I would finally share my thoughts on what the true unwritten rules of this section are, as well as what they should be. You should take these ideas to heart, but you also should leave room for new ideas and such to appear. Also, if anyone feels like they know of one I did not mention, then please, feel free to post it, so long as it is appropriate. WARNING: I may include your rules if I like them.
1. If you are starting a project, you've got to do something. Anything. I'm not talking about designing scenes, or "managing". I'm talking about doing something major for your projects, like mapping, spriting, scripting, or something along those lines. Story building is one of those things that is on the borderline. You might get people if your skill at that is obviously good, but you have to be REALLY good at it.
2. Before starting a project, hang around. Post in other projects' threads with constructive criticism. Help people with their own problems. Make suggestions. Create a new thread on a subject that hasn't come up in a while, but might prove useful. If people know you, they are more likely to help you.
3. Before starting a project, or joining someone else's, get the hang of the program you will use. That means that you buy/download it, and then start using it. In my experience, the fastest way to learn how to use a program, or even to learn how to script, is to simply mess around. Do whatever comes to mind, so long as it isn't too complex for you. I learned how to use RMXP simply by making something, then coming up with a new idea in the "I wonder if I could..." format, then actually doing that.
4. You don't have to "prove yourself". Just be a nice person. be helpful and kind. You'll make a lot more friends, and you won't be banned. You don't have to act "cool", or be the best at everything. That means that you're willing to admit to mistakes and fix the problem, and they you are willing to acknowledge that someone might be better than you at something.
5. You don't have to be completely original. The truth is, original ideas a few and far between. Just put your own spin on things, and, in most cases, you'll be fine. On the other hand, don't be completely unoriginal either. That's just boring, and you do not want to be boring.
6. Don't make pointless posts. Quoting someone and saying you agree with them is repetitive and annoying. Saying things like "This game rocks!" or variants of that is also pointless. Say something more, or at least prove that you read the posts before yours. On the other hand, don't make a huge post that says absolutely nothing, as most people will stop pretty early on. (On a side note, some may argue that this post falls under that last statement. I would then disagree, sayinfg that if you at least read the bolded textr, you would have an idea of what I was saying.)
7. Don't flame, troll, or cause other poinless pain. Most people will not appreciate the twisted wit, if any, that exists withing these posts, and prefer to ignore these posts, or to flame back. This just causes a long, arduous, and annoying thread that usually gets locked or deleted, and one or more users banned.
8. When you use someone else's work as a base for your own, give credit. It's that simple. If you don't many people may become angry, and you will lose your standing in the community. Not only that, but there are many things out there that the creators would prefer not to be used in somebody else's project without their permission.
9. Do not argue with the Mods/Admins. In this forum, they control everything. If you post against them in the public view, then you are not likely to earn their respect. Instead, if you disagree with one of them, PM them with a non-inflammatory message telling them about your problem and asking that they think on it. That way, you don't cause them public pain, and you're talking to them on a one-to-one basis. That way, you're much more likely to earn their respect.
10. Do not create threads referencing other threads/users/decisions. When a thread is locked/deleted, or a user is banned, there is usually a very good reason. When the Mods/Admins change one of the rules, or add a new one, they are usually working with the intent to help the board move forward, and become a better, more user-friendly place. As with the rule above, opposing their decisions can often leat to a swift and long-lasting ban. Also, if you want to talk to a user, the best method is to email/pm them, as creating a thread often results with them wither not noticing, being drawn out of their comfort zone, or even actions from the Mods/Admins.
11. Do not ask for help with someone else's work. That means that if you are using a starter kit, you PM the creator of the kit, instead of posting for help. It also means that when you use someone else's script, you try to find a way to contact them. You chouls only ask for help if that member can no longer be reached or found. That means you tried PMming them, Emailing them, and Googling them first. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
12. Do not create various help threads. If you need help with something that is your own work, post it into the Help and Request Thread. That thread was created for people to ask for help. By ignoring that thread and creating your own thread, you are breaking an official community rule. By breaking community rules, you are setting yourself up for locked/deleted threads, as well as a possible banning. Also, if making one help thread isn't allow2ed, what makes you think that making several will be, even if they all have different titles? (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
13. There is no "because it sounds cool" rule. When you start a new project, don't include every Pokemon region and a couple hundred new Pokemon just because it sounds cool. If you do, you won't get any experienced people to help you, and your project will probably die rather quickly. Not only that, but if it doesn't die, you will probably have to drop all of those extra regions and the majority of the new Pokemon. Also, you must realize that MMOs are extremely difficult to build, even for experts. That is why there are so few, the notables able to be counted on two hands. (Count your fingers! :)(Contributed by DarkPegasus)
14. Don't say you'll do something you either can't or won't do. That means that you don't make a thread saying you'll make a game if you haven't worked on the game for a while and at least made the basic framework for your game before starting the thread. That also means that if you don't think you'll be able to do something, you don't say you'll do it. That just disappoints people, or, if you continue to do it, annoys and possibly angers them. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
15. Use Google before asking a question. Chances are, someone else has asked the same thing before, and you can find the answers, or lack of answers, somewhere on this forum or elsewhere. It's a very simple method of finding stuff you need without having to bug members with incessant questions. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
16. Learn the basics of a job before asking someone else to do it for you. That way, you have an idea of the kind of work that job takes, as well as the constraints and time necessary. Not only that, but you might find out that you can do that job yourself, or that you might need a little less help than you thought. You also might find that what you are looking to have done it way too much, or altogether impractical. (Contributed by Heatran)
17. Skill makes a better projects than friendship does. That means that if you let a friend contribute to a project, that is is actually worth something. Temporary bad feelings between friends is better than a ruined project. Too many projects have horrible images or strange, incompatible contributions from the creator's friends. These just lead to problems in the long run. (Contributed by Crazy Weavile)
18. Be mature and responsible. When someone gives you contructive criticism, you take it as they meant it, not as though it was a personal insult to your mother. (Sorry for the reference) Usually, when people offer advice, they have good intentions. It is never a good idea to "throw a tantrum" and start flaming people at random. That only leads to you getting banned, and to general bad feelings in the community. (Contributed by jonsploder)
19. Respect other members, especially if they have been around here for a while. Chances are, the other members have seen something similar to your problems, and will probably be quite willing to help if you don't bite their heads off. The older members are especially helpful, because they've been here for a while, and they know how things are likely to play out. Not only that, but they usually have very good advice to offer. (Contributed by jonsploder)
20. Do what the Moderators/Admins say. This may seem like a repeat of rule number nine, and I think it probably is. I also think that it is important enough to be two different rules. Avatar, our most active moderator, may not always seem to be the nicest guy, but everyone has their faults. In truth, Avatar is doing an especially good job keeping a moderately difficult board in check. If you don't like one of his decisions, take it up with him (in private). I assure you, Avatar acts with the best interest of the board at heart. If people start to actively oppose avatar (as has occasionally happened before on a small scale), then what is likely to happen is a locking and possible deletion of this entire board as too much trouble to maintain. A single used can ruin something for everyone. Don't let it be you.
Now, I know that this is nowhere near complete, and so I invite you to add your own rules as you see fit. Please, I hope you got something out of this, because it wasn't meant to simply die and disappear, like so many other threads.
1. If you are starting a project, you've got to do something. Anything. I'm not talking about designing scenes, or "managing". I'm talking about doing something major for your projects, like mapping, spriting, scripting, or something along those lines. Story building is one of those things that is on the borderline. You might get people if your skill at that is obviously good, but you have to be REALLY good at it.
2. Before starting a project, hang around. Post in other projects' threads with constructive criticism. Help people with their own problems. Make suggestions. Create a new thread on a subject that hasn't come up in a while, but might prove useful. If people know you, they are more likely to help you.
3. Before starting a project, or joining someone else's, get the hang of the program you will use. That means that you buy/download it, and then start using it. In my experience, the fastest way to learn how to use a program, or even to learn how to script, is to simply mess around. Do whatever comes to mind, so long as it isn't too complex for you. I learned how to use RMXP simply by making something, then coming up with a new idea in the "I wonder if I could..." format, then actually doing that.
4. You don't have to "prove yourself". Just be a nice person. be helpful and kind. You'll make a lot more friends, and you won't be banned. You don't have to act "cool", or be the best at everything. That means that you're willing to admit to mistakes and fix the problem, and they you are willing to acknowledge that someone might be better than you at something.
5. You don't have to be completely original. The truth is, original ideas a few and far between. Just put your own spin on things, and, in most cases, you'll be fine. On the other hand, don't be completely unoriginal either. That's just boring, and you do not want to be boring.
6. Don't make pointless posts. Quoting someone and saying you agree with them is repetitive and annoying. Saying things like "This game rocks!" or variants of that is also pointless. Say something more, or at least prove that you read the posts before yours. On the other hand, don't make a huge post that says absolutely nothing, as most people will stop pretty early on. (On a side note, some may argue that this post falls under that last statement. I would then disagree, sayinfg that if you at least read the bolded textr, you would have an idea of what I was saying.)
7. Don't flame, troll, or cause other poinless pain. Most people will not appreciate the twisted wit, if any, that exists withing these posts, and prefer to ignore these posts, or to flame back. This just causes a long, arduous, and annoying thread that usually gets locked or deleted, and one or more users banned.
8. When you use someone else's work as a base for your own, give credit. It's that simple. If you don't many people may become angry, and you will lose your standing in the community. Not only that, but there are many things out there that the creators would prefer not to be used in somebody else's project without their permission.
9. Do not argue with the Mods/Admins. In this forum, they control everything. If you post against them in the public view, then you are not likely to earn their respect. Instead, if you disagree with one of them, PM them with a non-inflammatory message telling them about your problem and asking that they think on it. That way, you don't cause them public pain, and you're talking to them on a one-to-one basis. That way, you're much more likely to earn their respect.
10. Do not create threads referencing other threads/users/decisions. When a thread is locked/deleted, or a user is banned, there is usually a very good reason. When the Mods/Admins change one of the rules, or add a new one, they are usually working with the intent to help the board move forward, and become a better, more user-friendly place. As with the rule above, opposing their decisions can often leat to a swift and long-lasting ban. Also, if you want to talk to a user, the best method is to email/pm them, as creating a thread often results with them wither not noticing, being drawn out of their comfort zone, or even actions from the Mods/Admins.
11. Do not ask for help with someone else's work. That means that if you are using a starter kit, you PM the creator of the kit, instead of posting for help. It also means that when you use someone else's script, you try to find a way to contact them. You chouls only ask for help if that member can no longer be reached or found. That means you tried PMming them, Emailing them, and Googling them first. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
12. Do not create various help threads. If you need help with something that is your own work, post it into the Help and Request Thread. That thread was created for people to ask for help. By ignoring that thread and creating your own thread, you are breaking an official community rule. By breaking community rules, you are setting yourself up for locked/deleted threads, as well as a possible banning. Also, if making one help thread isn't allow2ed, what makes you think that making several will be, even if they all have different titles? (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
13. There is no "because it sounds cool" rule. When you start a new project, don't include every Pokemon region and a couple hundred new Pokemon just because it sounds cool. If you do, you won't get any experienced people to help you, and your project will probably die rather quickly. Not only that, but if it doesn't die, you will probably have to drop all of those extra regions and the majority of the new Pokemon. Also, you must realize that MMOs are extremely difficult to build, even for experts. That is why there are so few, the notables able to be counted on two hands. (Count your fingers! :)(Contributed by DarkPegasus)
14. Don't say you'll do something you either can't or won't do. That means that you don't make a thread saying you'll make a game if you haven't worked on the game for a while and at least made the basic framework for your game before starting the thread. That also means that if you don't think you'll be able to do something, you don't say you'll do it. That just disappoints people, or, if you continue to do it, annoys and possibly angers them. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
15. Use Google before asking a question. Chances are, someone else has asked the same thing before, and you can find the answers, or lack of answers, somewhere on this forum or elsewhere. It's a very simple method of finding stuff you need without having to bug members with incessant questions. (Contributed by DarkPegasus)
16. Learn the basics of a job before asking someone else to do it for you. That way, you have an idea of the kind of work that job takes, as well as the constraints and time necessary. Not only that, but you might find out that you can do that job yourself, or that you might need a little less help than you thought. You also might find that what you are looking to have done it way too much, or altogether impractical. (Contributed by Heatran)
17. Skill makes a better projects than friendship does. That means that if you let a friend contribute to a project, that is is actually worth something. Temporary bad feelings between friends is better than a ruined project. Too many projects have horrible images or strange, incompatible contributions from the creator's friends. These just lead to problems in the long run. (Contributed by Crazy Weavile)
18. Be mature and responsible. When someone gives you contructive criticism, you take it as they meant it, not as though it was a personal insult to your mother. (Sorry for the reference) Usually, when people offer advice, they have good intentions. It is never a good idea to "throw a tantrum" and start flaming people at random. That only leads to you getting banned, and to general bad feelings in the community. (Contributed by jonsploder)
19. Respect other members, especially if they have been around here for a while. Chances are, the other members have seen something similar to your problems, and will probably be quite willing to help if you don't bite their heads off. The older members are especially helpful, because they've been here for a while, and they know how things are likely to play out. Not only that, but they usually have very good advice to offer. (Contributed by jonsploder)
20. Do what the Moderators/Admins say. This may seem like a repeat of rule number nine, and I think it probably is. I also think that it is important enough to be two different rules. Avatar, our most active moderator, may not always seem to be the nicest guy, but everyone has their faults. In truth, Avatar is doing an especially good job keeping a moderately difficult board in check. If you don't like one of his decisions, take it up with him (in private). I assure you, Avatar acts with the best interest of the board at heart. If people start to actively oppose avatar (as has occasionally happened before on a small scale), then what is likely to happen is a locking and possible deletion of this entire board as too much trouble to maintain. A single used can ruin something for everyone. Don't let it be you.
Now, I know that this is nowhere near complete, and so I invite you to add your own rules as you see fit. Please, I hope you got something out of this, because it wasn't meant to simply die and disappear, like so many other threads.
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