Registering

Registering
Upon registering, you are required to read and follow our rules. We have two sets of rules: one for the entire forum in general, and one specifically for roleplaying threads. Please be a good man and read the rules with the intent to follow them; otherwise, you will be baked, and- BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT- cake. THE RULES!!! #1: Don't Be a Jerk Nobody likes jerks, so don't flame. If you flame, people won't like you. People who aren't liked tend to get banned. If you see someone being a jerk, please contact an Admin (one of those highly visible guys with the colors and fancy titles). #2: That Guy's One of Us Hey, don't bash a member's race, gender, religion, sexual preference, political views, and etc. You are entitled to your own opinion about these things, but if it will offend someone or ruin their experience on the forum, keep it to yourself. #3 Cut the Noise, Noise, Noise! 1) I Know You Didn't Just Start That Flame War Don't post a topic you know will make people angry. You wouldn't like people when they're angry. Especially when said angry people know people with ban hammers, how to contact them, and where the report button is. 2) I Know You Didn't Just Feed That Flame If the potential for a flame war arises, don't participate in it. Just click the shiny report button and watch the magic ensue. 3) I Know You Didn't Just Fan That Flame Saying: "Now now children, let's not fight..." does not improve the situation. You might feel mature and intelligent, but people in a flame war will just see you as a jerk. The smartest and most mature thing you can do is press the shiny report button and walk away quietly. Did I mention the report button is shiny? #4 Wanna Spam? There's an App For That 1) Your Billboard Does Not Belong There Don't (intentionally) post duplicate topics, and don't post them all in the wrong place. 2) All Your Double Post Are Belong to Edit Don't clutter a non-spam topic with double posts. Edit button is your savior. 3) Don't Defile the Dead You're allowed to bring up topics from the past, but be sure it's for a good cause. Only post if you have something meaningful to add to the discussion that once was. Re-posting a topic that was deleted, trashed, locked, or otherwise shut down by a Mod or Admin is another form of forum-necrophilia that we will not tolerate. If you feel an issue is truly that pressing, contact us directly instead. 4) That's What She Said If someone's said all there is to say on the matter, and you want to agree with them, either say more than "^this," or at least quote the post you agree with. For the sake of our sanity, please (what's left of it). 5) But Mommy I Want It! No, asking to be made a Mod doesn't make you a more likely candidate, sorry. Unless we get truly HUGE, and I mean XBOX HUGE, we don't need any more staff. If we did, we would need to know you well, you would need to know the community well, and you would need to know what you're doing regarding Zeta. Just begging for the position makes you suspicious. #5 Porn Not Included Keep sexually explicit stuff off the forum, and if you're going to pass it along in private messages, don't do it with minors (don't misread that please). Most of us do browse Danbooru and the like, and a lot of images from there are used for the RPs, but please don't post porn, and don't have sex in the RPs. I can't believe I actually have to say this. #6 Loopholes Make Me Dizzy 1) When We Say " ing Clones", We Didn't Mean That You should only need one account. Don't make more. If you need a name change or you forgot your password, the Admins are available to make your problems go away with a few clicks. Making clones just clutters the board and makes you suspicious. 2) Ghost? scream Breaking the rules under an anonymous name does not prevent us from matching you with your actual account. It's called an IP address. Resistance is Futile. 3) Leaning Over the Fence Anything that isn't "technically" violating the literal text of the rules, but is completely missing the point of why said rule was put into place, will still be dealt with. We don't put up with a persistent irritation just because we as the staff technically have an excuse to not get involved. When members cry for justice, we are The Law. We are Legion. We are Batman. #7 Miscellaneous Stuffage 1) I'd Sig That You're given quite a large character limit for your signatures--please use it properly. Do not post large images; do not link to anything that can be considered offensive. Please be courteous to users with slower devices by not having more than one or two images outside of spoiler tags. This annoys forum posters as well. Your visible signature should not be larger than this. Anything else you want to have should be in a spoiler tag. 2) You Suck and I Have the Right to Complain About It If you have an issue about a warning or a ban, please contact an Admin or Mod through private messages or E-Mail. Do not complain about Mod actions on the forums. Roleplay Guidelines! 1. What is a "Roleplay?" Here at Shifting Worlds, we have an "expansion" policy on what constitutes as an RP. That basically means if it requires audience participation in order to move along, and fits the classical definition of playing roles (so forum games don't count, but you should know that), then it counts. So whether it's a plot-driven story like Hellgate, or a choose-your-own adventure style story like ShadowAurventures in Gensokyo, as long as someone is playing as someone they're not, it counts. 2. Dungeon Master Powers This is a relatively new rule put in place. Essentially, the topic starter of an RP (henceforth referred to as the "Dungeon Master" or "DM") gets to set all the rules in their RP, so long as they don't violate any global rules. This means that text limits, both minimum and maximum, ideal power levels, etc., are all under the DM's jurisdiction. Keep in mind though that you don't have to join in an RP. If one is too restrictive for you, then leave it alone. And if an RP fails as a result, it is the DM's responsibility. 3. Respect A fairly obvious one, but an important one nonetheless. We at Shifting Worlds do not want to hinder creativity, so no bashing another person for their typing style or roleplay ability, or whatever. If you have a problem with how someone is doing something, talk about it privately. Don't flame. Also, do not deliberately ignore someone trying to be active in an RP without good reason. That's just plain mean and we'll treat it as a form of flaming. (On the flipside however, we're not stupid. We know sometimes it can be hard to keep track of everyone. So a claim has to be pretty justified before we take action). And, of course, no trolling. Just common sense, guys. 4. Godmodding/Overpowered Characters These are both sensitive issues. Due to their very nature, it's impossible to have just one set definition of either. What one may consider overpowered may be perfectly balanced to another, and godmodding to yet another. Many things factor in to it. Setting, characters, players...it's generally impossible to make a firm "Don't do this." Instead, if you believe a character is overpowered or a player is godmodding, talk it out with them. You have multiple ways to do this. You can use Spoiler text, you can PM them, you can use Xat or Skype, or whatever. Just talk it over with them. If it gets bad, then bring in a neutral third party. Hell, you can ask any of us. We'd be more than happy to mediate that kind of dispute. And, really, again, just use common sense. If your character is mauling down everything as easily as he/she breathes, you might want to tone it down a bit. 5. Other -In relation to the "no sexually explicit materials" general rule, do not do any sex RPs, at least out where we can see them. Save that for PMs, or an 18+ section if we end up making one. Try and keep it PG-13 otherwise.

Upon registering, you are required to read and follow our rules. We have two sets of rules: one for the entire forum in general, and one specifically for roleplaying threads. Please be a good man and read the rules with the intent to follow them; otherwise, you will be baked, and- BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT- cake.

THE RULES!!!

#1: Don't Be a Jerk
Nobody likes jerks, so don't flame. If you flame, people won't like you. People who aren't liked tend to get banned. If you see someone being a jerk, please contact an Admin (one of those highly visible guys with the colors and fancy titles).

#2: That Guy's One of Us
Hey, don't bash a member's race, gender, religion, sexual preference, political views, and etc. You are entitled to your own opinion about these things, but if it will offend someone or ruin their experience on the forum, keep it to yourself.

#3 Cut the Noise, Noise, Noise!

1) I Know You Didn't Just Start That Flame War
Don't post a topic you know will make people angry. You wouldn't like people when they're angry. Especially when said angry people know people with ban hammers, how to contact them, and where the report button is.

2) I Know You Didn't Just Feed That Flame
If the potential for a flame war arises, don't participate in it. Just click the shiny report button and watch the magic ensue.

3) I Know You Didn't Just Fan That Flame
Saying: "Now now children, let's not fight..." does not improve the situation. You might feel mature and intelligent, but people in a flame war will just see you as a jerk. The smartest and most mature thing you can do is press the shiny report button and walk away quietly.

Did I mention the report button is shiny? Posted Image

#4 Wanna Spam? There's an App For That
1) Your Billboard Does Not Belong There
Don't (intentionally) post duplicate topics, and don't post them all in the wrong place.

2) All Your Double Post Are Belong to Edit
Don't clutter a non-spam topic with double posts. Edit button is your savior.

3) Don't Defile the Dead
You're allowed to bring up topics from the past, but be sure it's for a good cause. Only post if you have something meaningful to add to the discussion that once was.

Re-posting a topic that was deleted, trashed, locked, or otherwise shut down by a Mod or Admin is another form of forum-necrophilia that we will not tolerate. If you feel an issue is truly that pressing, contact us directly instead.

4) That's What She Said
If someone's said all there is to say on the matter, and you want to agree with them, either say more than "^this," or at least quote the post you agree with. For the sake of our sanity, please (what's left of it).

5) But Mommy I Want It!
No, asking to be made a Mod doesn't make you a more likely candidate, sorry. Unless we get truly HUGE, and I mean XBOX HUGE, we don't need any more staff. If we did, we would need to know you well, you would need to know the community well, and you would need to know what you're doing regarding Zeta. Just begging for the position makes you suspicious.

#5 Porn Not Included
Keep sexually explicit stuff off the forum, and if you're going to pass it along in private messages, don't do it with minors (don't misread that please).

Most of us do browse Danbooru and the like, and a lot of images from there are used for the RPs, but please don't post porn, and don't have sex in the RPs. I can't believe I actually have to say this.

#6 Loopholes Make Me Dizzy
1) When We Say " ing Clones", We Didn't Mean That
You should only need one account. Don't make more. If you need a name change or you forgot your password, the Admins are available to make your problems go away with a few clicks. Making clones just clutters the board and makes you suspicious.

2) Ghost? *scream*
Breaking the rules under an anonymous name does not prevent us from matching you with your actual account. It's called an IP address. Resistance is Futile.

3) Leaning Over the Fence
Anything that isn't "technically" violating the literal text of the rules, but is completely missing the point of why said rule was put into place, will still be dealt with. We don't put up with a persistent irritation just because we as the staff technically have an excuse to not get involved. When members cry for justice, we are The Law. We are Legion. We are Batman.

#7 Miscellaneous Stuffage
1) I'd Sig That
You're given quite a large character limit for your signatures--please use it properly. Do not post large images; do not link to anything that can be considered offensive. Please be courteous to users with slower devices by not having more than one or two images outside of spoiler tags. This annoys forum posters as well. Your visible signature should not be larger than this. Anything else you want to have should be in a spoiler tag.

2) You Suck and I Have the Right to Complain About It
If you have an issue about a warning or a ban, please contact an Admin or Mod through private messages or E-Mail. Do not complain about Mod actions on the forums.

Roleplay Guidelines!

1. What is a "Roleplay?"

Here at Shifting Worlds, we have an "expansion" policy on what constitutes as an RP. That basically means if it requires audience participation in order to move along, and fits the classical definition of playing roles (so forum games don't count, but you should know that), then it counts.

So whether it's a plot-driven story like Hellgate, or a choose-your-own adventure style story like ShadowAurventures in Gensokyo, as long as someone is playing as someone they're not, it counts.

2. Dungeon Master Powers

This is a relatively new rule put in place. Essentially, the topic starter of an RP (henceforth referred to as the "Dungeon Master" or "DM") gets to set all the rules in their RP, so long as they don't violate any global rules.

This means that text limits, both minimum and maximum, ideal power levels, etc., are all under the DM's jurisdiction.

Keep in mind though that you don't have to join in an RP. If one is too restrictive for you, then leave it alone. And if an RP fails as a result, it is the DM's responsibility.

3. Respect

A fairly obvious one, but an important one nonetheless. We at Shifting Worlds do not want to hinder creativity, so no bashing another person for their typing style or roleplay ability, or whatever. If you have a problem with how someone is doing something, talk about it privately. Don't flame.

Also, do not deliberately ignore someone trying to be active in an RP without good reason. That's just plain mean and we'll treat it as a form of flaming.

(On the flipside however, we're not stupid. We know sometimes it can be hard to keep track of everyone. So a claim has to be pretty justified before we take action).

And, of course, no trolling.

Just common sense, guys.

4. Godmodding/Overpowered Characters

These are both sensitive issues. Due to their very nature, it's impossible to have just one set definition of either. What one may consider overpowered may be perfectly balanced to another, and godmodding to yet another.

Many things factor in to it. Setting, characters, players...it's generally impossible to make a firm "Don't do this."

Instead, if you believe a character is overpowered or a player is godmodding, talk it out with them. You have multiple ways to do this. You can use Spoiler text, you can PM them, you can use Xat or Skype, or whatever. Just talk it over with them.

If it gets bad, then bring in a neutral third party. Hell, you can ask any of us. We'd be more than happy to mediate that kind of dispute.

And, really, again, just use common sense. If your character is mauling down everything as easily as he/she breathes, you might want to tone it down a bit.

5. Other

-In relation to the "no sexually explicit materials" general rule, do not do any sex RPs, at least out where we can see them. Save that for PMs, or an 18+ section if we end up making one. Try and keep it PG-13 otherwise.