House rules
1. Registration, Profile and Private Messaging
Users are requested to have regard to the following rules when registering an account or setting up their profile.
1.1. All users registering at the UnrealSP.Org forums must insert a valid, permanent e-mail address when doing so. Inserting a valid e-mail address will enable users to receive important e-mails from the forum administrator and automated e-mails generated by the forum software (your e-mail address will not by default be visible to any other users except for the forum administrator). Failure to insert a valid e-mail address will alert the forum administrator and could under certain circumstances result in a ban.
1.2. Users are permitted to use custom avatars and signatures linked remotely from other servers. However, custom avatars must not exceed 150x200 in size, and individual signature images must not exceed 400x100 in size (multiple-element signatures are permitted, but users including too many different elements in their signatures may be asked to remove them).
1.3. All users should get used to checking their private messages (see the options at the top of the page). Private messages could contain important information from a forum administrator or moderator, and are also the most appropriate medium for personal discussions and disputes.
1.4. Re-registering under a different username following a ban will not be tolerated and result in a permanent ban. Duplicate accounts will likely be deleted. The forum software monitors IP addresses and therefore this sort of activity is easily traced; users are asked not to risk a whole IP range being banned as a result of their behaviour.
2. General Conduct
Users are requested to have regard to the following rules when participating in general discussion.
2.1. The UnrealSP.Org forums are a "mature" forum community for a "mature" game. Users of all ages and backgrounds are welcome, but all users must be prepared to be civil and respect others' opinions. Flame wars, abusive language, name-calling and smear campaigns against members of other forum or gaming communities will not be tolerated; failure to respect these requirements will result in warnings and, in worse cases, suspensions and permanent bans. Users are also requested to express themselves without falling back on profanity to make a point.
2.2. Users are requested not to consciously "hijack" other users' threads, driving them off-topic. Threads do sometimes go off-topic of their own accord, and this normally results in the threads concerned being split by moderators, but users are asked to take some responsibility to minimise the need for thread splits.
2.3. Similarly, all new threads should be posted in the appropriate topic area. For example, threads about Unreal/UT etc. do not belong in the "Off Topic" section, and threads about multiplayer gaming belong in the "Multiplayer Matters" section.
2.4. Users are requested to use proper English in their posts, including spelling, punctuation and grammar, as this makes it easier for everyone to communicate. However, it is of course recognised that not all users of the UnrealSP.Org forums will have English as their first language.
2.5. USERS ARE ASKED NOT TO POST MESSAGES ENTIRELY IN CAPITAL LETTERS AS THIS CAN BE CONSTRUED AS "SHOUTING" AND IS TIRING TO READ.
2.6. Users are requested not to abuse the forums by posting huge numbers of new threads or polls in quick succession. "Bumping" old threads that have not been locked, however, is permitted, within reason.
2.7. The forums, and in particular Off Topic section, can by their very nature generate a certain number of "spammy threads". However, pure, meaningless spam, particularly when posted in large volumes, will not be tolerated and will result in warnings as well as, in the long term, a ban.
2.8. Users who have started threads are within their rights to request that they be locked or split by a moderator or administrator, provided that an appropriate reason is given.
2.9. Should words become censored, users are asked not to take measures to bypass the forum censor.
3. Rules for Serious Debate
Occasionally, off-topic discussions will give rise to debates on subjects about which different users feel passionately in differing ways. The UnrealSP.Org forums do not shy away from such discussions, but users are asked to heed the following:
3.1. If participating in a serious debate, users must be prepared to back up their views with calmly reasoned argument: blind prejudice and inflammatory language will not be tolerated. You as a registered user must understand at all times that other users or groups may have a fundamentally different view or belief system that cannot necessarily be reconciled with your own and, where this occurs, you should not take it upon yourself to judge the other users or groups, either directly or implicitly, on the basis of your own dogma or "received wisdom".
3.2. Serious debate will be allowed to unfold of its own accord for the most part, but there are limits as to how far such threads will be allowed to go. Should any user(s) commit serious and sustained breaches of rule 3.1, said user(s) will in the first instance be given a warning about their behaviour by the administrator or a moderator*. Any user(s) given an official warning about their behaviour will be expected to cease said behaviour and, if they fail to do so, may find themselves subject to a temporary or permanent ban. Serious debates that become out of control (or, in some cases, serious debates that have run their course and ended of their own accord) are likely to be locked.
* This does NOT refer to the administrator or moderator having a differing opinion on the subject being discussed; this refers to the administrator or moderator considering that the offending user's behaviour being unacceptable in terms of rule 3.1.