Post by Gideon on Nov 10, 2014 3:26:27 GMT
Welcome! Thank you for your interest and for joining The Lost Archives. We’re so glad to be able to welcome you to our community. Whether you are brand new to RPG’s or a veteran from another site, we have put this thread together to hopefully answer any questions you may have and also inform you of our Rules and Guidelines, which will allow you to make the most of your online experience. We would ask that you respect these guidelines and each other while using The Lost Archives.
The Do’s and Don’ts
Do
Be civil, respectful and supportive of everyone on the site
Be respectful of everyones race, ethnicity, gender and sexual preference
Participate in competitions, role plays and other games and written activities online
Ask questions if you cannot find the answers in the Sticky or Announcement Threads
PM a Moderator or a Global Moderator if you are concerned or have a question
Enjoy yourself!
Don’t
Be abusive or nasty to others online
Encourage harming oneself or others
Share personal information with everyone (address, phone number, school etc.). We endeavor to ensure members are protected at all times, but we need you to be safety smart while you’re online
Use vulgar or abusive language either in thread or via PM
Post pornography or vulgar imagery
Lie to Moderators or Global Moderators about a members conduct in order to get them banned from the site. Complaints require proof
Harass members or moderators, whether you’re an active member of the site, or if you have been banned
Forum Etiquette
Read the Stickies and Announcements in Each Forum
Many of your questions have already been answered in the topics that have been "stickied" (which means that they permanently stay at the top of the page) or labeled as “Announcements”. Some stickies provide forum section specific rules, which must be adhered to. Other stickies answer questions that frequently get asked in that forum section. If you post a thread with a similar theme to that of what is contained in a sticky, you'll most likely find your thread locked by moderators.
Asking Questions
FAQ
Your first port of call should be our FAQ section (currently under construction, bear with us!) to see whether or not your question is answered there. If you PM a Moderator or Global Moderator directly, there is a good chance they will direct you there. Your question or comment may have already been discussed, answered, or resolved.
What If I Can’t Find The Answer?
If you can’t find the answer to your question, feel free to PM one of our helpful Moderators. If it is a question about a specific section, PM the Moderator of that section directly and they will be able to help you. In the even that they cannot, they will be able to direct your PM to the person who can best help.
Posting
Making A Post
Before posting your thread, make sure that you are familiar with the threads that are allowed in each section. This means you should have read the descriptions, announcements and stickies. Figure out which forum your topic best fits in. By placing your topic in the most appropriate forum you are showing your respect for the community, thus you will receive respectful responses. If you do have questions or aren’t sure where your thread should go, for example, if your thread seems to fit across several different categories, PM the Moderator of that section.
Stay on Topic
Please make sure that you are paying attention to the subject matter of your posts within the thread. Make sure you find the appropriate place for your posts and stick to the subject matter. Failure to do so will result in your posts being deleted, or your entire thread moved to the Inappropriate Post Storage section of the site. If it is an accidental posting in the wrong spot, which we know happens, please PM a Global Moderator with a link to your thread and the location you wish it to be moved to.
Inappropriate Posts
If you see an inappropriate post, please report it to the Moderator of that section via PM, and include a link to the post. This makes it easy for us to deal with.
Help Others
We are a happy community here at The Lost Archives. If you see someone who has accidentally posted in the wrong thread, tell them to PM the Moderator to have the thread moved. If someone PM’s asking a question, direct them to the FAQ section and let them know of our guidelines. If they are asking a question and polling the masses, feel free to answer and offer your assistance. We are a community and it works best when we share information and help each other.
Basic Posting Etiquette.
Use Thread Topics Correctly
Believe it or not, sometimes that thread that says, “Fantasy World, Players Wanted” is actually a thread discussing the latest and greatest Steven-Tarantino-Quentin-Speilberg movie. Please make sure you post your threads with a topic that pertains to the board it is posted in, as well as the content of your thread.
What If I Want To Discuss A Movie?
There are threads for that. You can even make your own. These live in Off Topic. Still adhere to the guidelines above though and don’t be overly vague in your posting.
For Newcomers
Here at The Lost Archives we have what we call The Newbie Guide to The Lost Archives and the Remember My Name Forum. These are probably the first places you should go to upon joining The Lost Archives to see how the site works and who the “important” people on the site are. We are a friendly little community and there are many members who are only too happy to help you out when you first join. When you become established, remember how it was for you as a new member of the site. Do not chastise them for not reading the forum etiquette. Gentle remind them of our rules and regulations and probably guide them to this topic. Make them feel welcome in the community. We will give them a chance if it is a simple mistake because they’re new.
Basic Online Etiquette For EVERYONE
These are some things to bear in mind in your travels across the site. Everyone is important, not just you. You’re not the King or Queen of everything. Be humble, be polite and be kind.
Do not use all capital letters, excessive question marks (??) or exclamation points (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in your subject or content. It’s really annoying. Your thread may be deleted or edited.
If you don't have anything nice, relevant or meaningful to say, don't say anything at all. If a person posts hundreds of posts just saying "LOL", "I have a luverly bunch of coconuts" or a few smilies, nobody is going to take that person seriously. Respect comes from post content, not post count.
If someone asks a question to which don't know the answer don't respond by saying, "I don't know." It's better to not respond or, better still, post the member name of someone who might be able to help.
Check your facts! If you're not certain on what you're about to post, Google it and check the facts. No one will listen to you if you keep getting things wrong.
Check your spelling! The best way to avoid being flamed is to ensure that all of your posts are well-written. Taking the time to write coherent sentences and spell out words such as "forget" rather than using lazy slang like "4GET" will earn you more respect in the community. Try typing your posts into a Word document first. If you don’t have Word, ask someone on the site if you can send it to them to edit. Alternatively, some internet browsers come with a spell-check of written content, like FireFox.
Confused by a poorly written post? Ask for clarification, don't mock the author. Post authors vary in age from 13 to 20+ years old and come from all countries in the world, thus levels of education and ability to speak/type in English differ significantly. Don't discriminate against someone younger than you or someone whose first language isn’t English. The Lost Archives is not here to make people feel good about themselves by putting others beneath them. If you are caught doing this, you will be banned.
Help! I Can’t Login to The Lost Archives!?!
Occasionally our server needs upgrading or has a small senior moment and it crashes. Don’t stress. It is usually up within a few hours. We have a Facebook page where we post updates when the site is down. Jump online and join us to be kept up to date. Also, you can get to know the people behind the personalities of The Lost Archives. Your moderators are on there too.
You Can Actively Improve Our Community
Nasty Members
If someone is being rude, inflammatory or otherwise harassing you, don’t think that no one is here to help.
First of all, tell him or her that their behavior is not accepted in the The Lost Archives community .
Report the author for misconduct by PMing the Moderator of the section the nastiness is being committed in. Please provide a link to the post, or screenshots of PM’s (upload using a pic hosting site like tinypic.com) so that we have proof. The more proof we have, the easier it will be to deal with your problem for you.
Message a Global Moderator if you haven’t heard from your Moderator in a day or two, or if the behavior gets worse.
Spam
Don't reply to it (it takes moderators longer to remove it if you reply)
Report the post to the Moderator or Global Moderator via PM. Include a link.
Banning
As a general rule, you will be banned for any breach of the policies set out in this document. However, we do often give a warning for minor breaches of behavior, especially when we can see it was an accident or an innocent error.
There a several reasons why you may be banned. These include, but are not limited to:
Harassment or abuse of members or staff, either on The Lost Archives, via PM, email or on our Facebook page
Posting inappropriate content
Spamming
Repeated member complaints against you
Plagiarism
When you are banned, you are banned permanently. If you decide to attempt to return under a new username, we can track that and we will ban you immediately without explanation.
Serious Personal Problems[/u]
This is a rarity on our website but occasionally we all hit some dark places and need someone to talk to. Please feel free to talk to someone online that you trust, but please consider seeing a counselor or similar in your area. There is no shame in this.
If you know someone else on the site is having thoughts of killing (or otherwise harming) yourself or others, or when you or someone else is in danger of physical harm, unable to care for yourself or themselves or suffering from substance abuse, please seek professional help. The Lost Archives cannot, and will not, assume the role of your physician or therapist. If you are in need of help, please contact a Crisis Clinic or a qualified mental health care provider in your town. Get professional help.
The Lost Archives Policy Overview
The Lost Archives makes a strong effort to take all possible steps towards protecting people from harm, emotional or otherwise. The guidelines above act as a framework for The Lost Archives’ moderators to operate from, but our moderators retain the right to act in their best judgment, even if their actions do not fall neatly within the scope of the guidelines.
Moderator Code of Conduct
Our Moderators and Global Moderators are chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their behavior across the forum over a period of time and writing experience.
Moderators shall endeavor to create a positive community
Moderators shall not demean, harass, or threaten other members
Moderators shall take the questions and problems of members seriously
Moderators shall not exert their power over another member unless they are enforcing The Lost Archives’ guidelines
Moderators shall strive to be impartial
Content guidelines are to be applied equally to every forum
Friendships with fellow members never justify inaction when action is required
Discourage the false notion that a member can get away with what they please so long as they are well liked by a moderator
Duties of The Lost Archives Moderators
A moderator acts as a filter, firefighter, facilitator, administrator, editor, promoter, expert, helper, participant, and a marketer depending on the time, subject, and situation.
Key activities include:
Answer questions
Keep forums and content organized
Review misconduct reports
Review member generated requests
Suggest and vote to ban unruly members
Protect forums from spamming, trolls, and advertising
Support The Lost Archives’ acceptable content policies
Serve as examples by being outstanding community members
Content You Post on The Lost Archives
Remember that The Lost Archives is a free online community open to the public, and other people will have access to your content and could copy, modify or distribute it. When you post content on The Lost Archives, you are giving The Lost Archives the right to use that content. We might remove it, edit it, or use it for our advertising. What this means is that The Lost Archives is not required to remove something you posted, that reply is not your personal property, you have given it to the community and it is has become an integral part of the whole.
More details are available in The Lost Archives Terms of Use, which you agreed to when you signed up.
The Do’s and Don’ts
Do
Be civil, respectful and supportive of everyone on the site
Be respectful of everyones race, ethnicity, gender and sexual preference
Participate in competitions, role plays and other games and written activities online
Ask questions if you cannot find the answers in the Sticky or Announcement Threads
PM a Moderator or a Global Moderator if you are concerned or have a question
Enjoy yourself!
Don’t
Be abusive or nasty to others online
Encourage harming oneself or others
Share personal information with everyone (address, phone number, school etc.). We endeavor to ensure members are protected at all times, but we need you to be safety smart while you’re online
Use vulgar or abusive language either in thread or via PM
Post pornography or vulgar imagery
Lie to Moderators or Global Moderators about a members conduct in order to get them banned from the site. Complaints require proof
Harass members or moderators, whether you’re an active member of the site, or if you have been banned
Forum Etiquette
Read the Stickies and Announcements in Each Forum
Many of your questions have already been answered in the topics that have been "stickied" (which means that they permanently stay at the top of the page) or labeled as “Announcements”. Some stickies provide forum section specific rules, which must be adhered to. Other stickies answer questions that frequently get asked in that forum section. If you post a thread with a similar theme to that of what is contained in a sticky, you'll most likely find your thread locked by moderators.
Asking Questions
FAQ
Your first port of call should be our FAQ section (currently under construction, bear with us!) to see whether or not your question is answered there. If you PM a Moderator or Global Moderator directly, there is a good chance they will direct you there. Your question or comment may have already been discussed, answered, or resolved.
What If I Can’t Find The Answer?
If you can’t find the answer to your question, feel free to PM one of our helpful Moderators. If it is a question about a specific section, PM the Moderator of that section directly and they will be able to help you. In the even that they cannot, they will be able to direct your PM to the person who can best help.
Posting
Making A Post
Before posting your thread, make sure that you are familiar with the threads that are allowed in each section. This means you should have read the descriptions, announcements and stickies. Figure out which forum your topic best fits in. By placing your topic in the most appropriate forum you are showing your respect for the community, thus you will receive respectful responses. If you do have questions or aren’t sure where your thread should go, for example, if your thread seems to fit across several different categories, PM the Moderator of that section.
Stay on Topic
Please make sure that you are paying attention to the subject matter of your posts within the thread. Make sure you find the appropriate place for your posts and stick to the subject matter. Failure to do so will result in your posts being deleted, or your entire thread moved to the Inappropriate Post Storage section of the site. If it is an accidental posting in the wrong spot, which we know happens, please PM a Global Moderator with a link to your thread and the location you wish it to be moved to.
Inappropriate Posts
If you see an inappropriate post, please report it to the Moderator of that section via PM, and include a link to the post. This makes it easy for us to deal with.
Help Others
We are a happy community here at The Lost Archives. If you see someone who has accidentally posted in the wrong thread, tell them to PM the Moderator to have the thread moved. If someone PM’s asking a question, direct them to the FAQ section and let them know of our guidelines. If they are asking a question and polling the masses, feel free to answer and offer your assistance. We are a community and it works best when we share information and help each other.
Basic Posting Etiquette.
Use Thread Topics Correctly
Believe it or not, sometimes that thread that says, “Fantasy World, Players Wanted” is actually a thread discussing the latest and greatest Steven-Tarantino-Quentin-Speilberg movie. Please make sure you post your threads with a topic that pertains to the board it is posted in, as well as the content of your thread.
What If I Want To Discuss A Movie?
There are threads for that. You can even make your own. These live in Off Topic. Still adhere to the guidelines above though and don’t be overly vague in your posting.
For Newcomers
Here at The Lost Archives we have what we call The Newbie Guide to The Lost Archives and the Remember My Name Forum. These are probably the first places you should go to upon joining The Lost Archives to see how the site works and who the “important” people on the site are. We are a friendly little community and there are many members who are only too happy to help you out when you first join. When you become established, remember how it was for you as a new member of the site. Do not chastise them for not reading the forum etiquette. Gentle remind them of our rules and regulations and probably guide them to this topic. Make them feel welcome in the community. We will give them a chance if it is a simple mistake because they’re new.
Basic Online Etiquette For EVERYONE
These are some things to bear in mind in your travels across the site. Everyone is important, not just you. You’re not the King or Queen of everything. Be humble, be polite and be kind.
Do not use all capital letters, excessive question marks (??) or exclamation points (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in your subject or content. It’s really annoying. Your thread may be deleted or edited.
If you don't have anything nice, relevant or meaningful to say, don't say anything at all. If a person posts hundreds of posts just saying "LOL", "I have a luverly bunch of coconuts" or a few smilies, nobody is going to take that person seriously. Respect comes from post content, not post count.
If someone asks a question to which don't know the answer don't respond by saying, "I don't know." It's better to not respond or, better still, post the member name of someone who might be able to help.
Check your facts! If you're not certain on what you're about to post, Google it and check the facts. No one will listen to you if you keep getting things wrong.
Check your spelling! The best way to avoid being flamed is to ensure that all of your posts are well-written. Taking the time to write coherent sentences and spell out words such as "forget" rather than using lazy slang like "4GET" will earn you more respect in the community. Try typing your posts into a Word document first. If you don’t have Word, ask someone on the site if you can send it to them to edit. Alternatively, some internet browsers come with a spell-check of written content, like FireFox.
Confused by a poorly written post? Ask for clarification, don't mock the author. Post authors vary in age from 13 to 20+ years old and come from all countries in the world, thus levels of education and ability to speak/type in English differ significantly. Don't discriminate against someone younger than you or someone whose first language isn’t English. The Lost Archives is not here to make people feel good about themselves by putting others beneath them. If you are caught doing this, you will be banned.
Help! I Can’t Login to The Lost Archives!?!
Occasionally our server needs upgrading or has a small senior moment and it crashes. Don’t stress. It is usually up within a few hours. We have a Facebook page where we post updates when the site is down. Jump online and join us to be kept up to date. Also, you can get to know the people behind the personalities of The Lost Archives. Your moderators are on there too.
You Can Actively Improve Our Community
Nasty Members
If someone is being rude, inflammatory or otherwise harassing you, don’t think that no one is here to help.
First of all, tell him or her that their behavior is not accepted in the The Lost Archives community .
Report the author for misconduct by PMing the Moderator of the section the nastiness is being committed in. Please provide a link to the post, or screenshots of PM’s (upload using a pic hosting site like tinypic.com) so that we have proof. The more proof we have, the easier it will be to deal with your problem for you.
Message a Global Moderator if you haven’t heard from your Moderator in a day or two, or if the behavior gets worse.
Spam
Don't reply to it (it takes moderators longer to remove it if you reply)
Report the post to the Moderator or Global Moderator via PM. Include a link.
Banning
As a general rule, you will be banned for any breach of the policies set out in this document. However, we do often give a warning for minor breaches of behavior, especially when we can see it was an accident or an innocent error.
There a several reasons why you may be banned. These include, but are not limited to:
Harassment or abuse of members or staff, either on The Lost Archives, via PM, email or on our Facebook page
Posting inappropriate content
Spamming
Repeated member complaints against you
Plagiarism
When you are banned, you are banned permanently. If you decide to attempt to return under a new username, we can track that and we will ban you immediately without explanation.
Serious Personal Problems[/u]
This is a rarity on our website but occasionally we all hit some dark places and need someone to talk to. Please feel free to talk to someone online that you trust, but please consider seeing a counselor or similar in your area. There is no shame in this.
If you know someone else on the site is having thoughts of killing (or otherwise harming) yourself or others, or when you or someone else is in danger of physical harm, unable to care for yourself or themselves or suffering from substance abuse, please seek professional help. The Lost Archives cannot, and will not, assume the role of your physician or therapist. If you are in need of help, please contact a Crisis Clinic or a qualified mental health care provider in your town. Get professional help.
The Lost Archives Policy Overview
The Lost Archives makes a strong effort to take all possible steps towards protecting people from harm, emotional or otherwise. The guidelines above act as a framework for The Lost Archives’ moderators to operate from, but our moderators retain the right to act in their best judgment, even if their actions do not fall neatly within the scope of the guidelines.
Moderator Code of Conduct
Our Moderators and Global Moderators are chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their behavior across the forum over a period of time and writing experience.
Moderators shall endeavor to create a positive community
Moderators shall not demean, harass, or threaten other members
Moderators shall take the questions and problems of members seriously
Moderators shall not exert their power over another member unless they are enforcing The Lost Archives’ guidelines
Moderators shall strive to be impartial
Content guidelines are to be applied equally to every forum
Friendships with fellow members never justify inaction when action is required
Discourage the false notion that a member can get away with what they please so long as they are well liked by a moderator
Duties of The Lost Archives Moderators
A moderator acts as a filter, firefighter, facilitator, administrator, editor, promoter, expert, helper, participant, and a marketer depending on the time, subject, and situation.
Key activities include:
Answer questions
Keep forums and content organized
Review misconduct reports
Review member generated requests
Suggest and vote to ban unruly members
Protect forums from spamming, trolls, and advertising
Support The Lost Archives’ acceptable content policies
Serve as examples by being outstanding community members
Content You Post on The Lost Archives
Remember that The Lost Archives is a free online community open to the public, and other people will have access to your content and could copy, modify or distribute it. When you post content on The Lost Archives, you are giving The Lost Archives the right to use that content. We might remove it, edit it, or use it for our advertising. What this means is that The Lost Archives is not required to remove something you posted, that reply is not your personal property, you have given it to the community and it is has become an integral part of the whole.
More details are available in The Lost Archives Terms of Use, which you agreed to when you signed up.