Although we're all here to enjoy ourselves, as with every site, there are rules that all members are required to follow. These range from general etiquette considerations to things specific to the chatbox or certain boards.

By posting on this site, you're bound by these rules and will be faced with the consequences should you break them. Ignorance is not an excuse and everybody will be held to the same standards.

If you break the rules, you'll receive a single warning, and if you repeat the offense, it will result in disciplinary action according to the severity of the infringement (this can range from chatbox bans, to temporary or even permanent site bans if it's a serious enough offense). Repeated offenses will result in the punishment increasing rapidly - so if you consistently break the rules, expect bans.

Be civil. No matter what the context of the conversation is, remain as civil as you possibly can (yes, even when you think somebody is being a turdmonkey and you really want to call them out on it). That isn't to say that you aren't allowed to call people out when they're doing something they shouldn't or are using language that's too colorful when addressing somebody, but don't fall into the trap of fighting fire with fire. Both you and the original perpetrator will take the fall for this behavior.

Be respectful. Though we all know the saying "Respect is not given; it is earned", that doesn't mean you should treat others like dirt until they've earned your respect. Respect goes both ways. This also includes members and staff treating each other with respect.

Watch your language! Kind of. Given the demographic and all that jazz, nobody is going to ban you for dropping some swear words every now and then. It's a different story if you're name-calling, of course, but unless every other word you type is profane, we aren't going to care all that much. HOWEVER, if you're having a conversation with somebody and it clearly makes them uncomfortable, don't be a dick about it. Thanks.

Only advertise in the designated places. If you're PMing a bunch of people, or spamming the boards, or advertising in the chatbox, you'll get a swift kick in the rear. Don't do that crap, seriously.

Avoid the usual problem subjects as much as possible. Those subjects are: politics, religion, gender, sex, etc. While you don't have to avoid these subjects altogether, keep them confined to the appropriate areas in General Discussion.

Don't make your posts so fancy that it's obnoxious. Maintain a decent font size and colors that aren't difficult to see (PLEASE stay away from yellow), and if you must use a fancy template, make sure that it's not super narrow and doesn't stretch the board.

Use proper spelling/grammar as often as possible. We have no issues with people whose grammar and spelling aren't super amazing (the world doesn’t revolve around the English language), but avoid intentional misspellings and grammar atrocities in normal posts. We don't care if you include things like that for comedic purposes (like "git gud" and other things of that nature), but if all you do is type like that, you'll find yourself unable to post at all. Also, please don't over-use emojis. Please.

Keep avatars and signatures decent sizes. The avatar maximum is 150x200, but there are no size limitations for signatures beyond "don't make them so huge that they cover half of the screen or stretch the board". That said, while it's easy to gauge the proper width, keep signature images from getting too tall. If you WANT to put a lot in your signature, use spoilers. ABUSE spoilers, even.

Plagiarism won't be tolerated. If you're found to have plagiarized, you'll be asked to remove the plagiarized content. Additionally, staff will likely be very watchful for further incidents. If the writing is your own but has been posted elsewhere, feel free to post it, but it's recommended that you let us know so that if we happen upon it, you don't fall under suspicion.

Don't flood or spam the chat. While it's fine if you type in fragments (most of us do it at least from time to time), avoid posting several lines of one or two word chunks if you're trying to convey a longer idea. And don't spam emotes just because you're bored or something. Note that the "." often used to bump oneself out of the away section is completely fine. Everybody does that. It's more or less a staple of chatbox activity.

As there is a lot regarding rules on roleplaying, these are covered separately in the Guide, "Roleplaying on Fighting Dreamers". Be sure to read that before you jump into an RP.