General Guide to JoyFreak

[Aries]

General Guide to JoyFreak

Mission Statement

Our aim is to provide a forum for gamers and industry professionals alike to chat about video games of all kinds — and everything else. JoyFreak has been able to develop a highly engaged and enthusiastic community while keeping most trolls and troublemakers off of the site.

Today JoyFreak continues to grow as an independent gaming forum on the internet. It is also an all-inclusive space where members of every gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation are enthusiastically accepted. Respect and dignity for one another is nonnegotiable irrespective of context. Posters will enter into discussions in good faith.

Moderators are tasked with upholding this statement of mission to keep the community that we all enjoy. The following document is intended to provide guidelines which will enable members to be long-term successful posters. Please note that you will not be covered by trying to use the following text as a shield when violating the mission statement. We include as much detail as possible here, but it is impossible to cover every topic that could require moderation.

Index

I. Mission Statement
II. Your Account
III. How Moderation Works
IV. Posting Guidelines
V. Thread Creation Guidelines
VI. Site Policies
VII. Miscellaneous

 

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Your Account

Everything you need to know about creating and keeping an account on JoyFreak.

Registration

Registration requires acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms and Rules. If you have any questions about your account's status, please contact us via the contact form located at the bottom of the site.

New Members

Once you create your account you can start posting immediately. However, accounts that have fewer than 100 posts and/or registered less than 30 days ago may be subject to more strict moderation, as we continue to search for troll accounts and posters in bad faith. This will be your chance to settle in, get a feel for the forum, and demonstrate your capacity for civil discourse. Please do not attempt to reach the boundaries until you're confident where the lines are. Don't try to inflate spam or low-quality posts into your post count.

New members that create their first post or thread will require moderation approval. This is to ensure the new member is not a troll, spammer or bot. Once the first post or thread has been approved, you should automatically start posting as normal without the need of approval.

One Account Per User

Every user is only permitted to have one account. When you're found to have created several accounts out of harmless misunderstanding, you're usually told to pick one, and the others are locked. If several accounts are found to have been created in bad faith, such as for ban evasion or trolling, all of your accounts will be subject to an immediate permanent ban. Sharing of accounts is also forbidden and will be dealt with in the same way.

Security Measures

JoyFreak is a platform that attracts attention across the globe. We strongly recommend that you do not share any personally identifying information or details about your personal life that might compromise your real identity. We also suggest that you enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) under your password and security settings to ensure your account remains safe, and that you use a strong password unique to this site.

Verified Members Program

We offer a Verified Members Program for professionals (including but not limited to the press or entertainment industries) with expertise which may be of interest to our community. A verified account can be easily recognised by a "Verified" banner appearing on your profile and on every post you write. It is entirely voluntary, of course, but many members in the program find it useful not to have to justify who they are, and why their professional background is relevant to a given topic. For more information please check the link, including how to get yourself verified.

 

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How Moderation Works

A summary of our staff's positions and duties, and our overall approach to moderation.

The Team

Our staff consists of dedicated individuals, with different backgrounds and interests, spread across continents. Our staff team is currently small but our aim is to expand it with a politically diverse group to represent our team. The team is entirely made up of volunteers elected by the community they are looking to represent. A detailed Active Staff Roster is open to the public and is regularly updated.

The team receive reports every day, and the moderators manage each of those reports. We also receive several emails and private messages, and authorise new posts and threads every day manually. The work is relentless, exhausting, and sometimes ungrateful. Staff members set out to maintain the forum for many hours each week; this is a responsibility they undertake because they care deeply about the community and want it to be the best it can be.

It is important to remember that we are adopting a consensus strategy to moderation and that no single moderator will ever be solely responsible for a decision. All moderator actions are recorded immediately and accessible by the rest of the team; thus, it is unlikely for an specific staff member to abuse their power. Each action is discussed as a team and agreed by multiple staff members before it is executed. Our team's diversity is a strength — we are always seeking insight from other staff members who know the most about any given issue.

Individual staff, like all members, have strong opinions on any number of topics and are free to express those views as posters. Those opinions and posts are their own and are not official policies. Actions by moderators are always driven by consensus from multiple staff and by our written guidelines and policies. Official staff communications will be marked as such.

Moderators

They are the people who have volunteered to enforce our mission statement and our policies. If it comes to keeping the peace on the forums they are on the front lines. Moderators review all reports, provide feedback by written warning and continue to make contributions as posters. Without their efforts, the site would not have a community.

Administrators

The administration is responsible for maintaining all aspects of the site and ensuring it's in an operable condition. They manage the site and implement new features, verify members of the industry, screening content for spam and respond to emails. Administrators also lead internal policy discussions and are often called upon to give the moderation team guidance. Administrators also process appeals, and are available to answer any questions about moderation that you may have.

Moderation Approach

All official staff communications, such as this one, we seek to express our policies and objectives as clearly as possible. When a user is warned or banned for a post, a public banner attached to that post offers the explanation for this. These banners, in addition to ensuring transparency and accountability, help other members understand where the lines are and what our logic is. All members of staff are expected to follow the same rules as the rest of the members.

As JoyFreak continues to grow, the moderation team will be required to grow too, to ensure timely coverage around the clock. To ensure consistency in our moderation duties we have an internal set of moderation guidelines, based on publicly available policies.

Our team is moderating on the spirit of the rules and our statement of mission. Before reaching a decision multiple factors are taken into consideration. When determining penalties, we weigh past offences, post history, and the severity of the post(s). We are also considering whether a member doubled his behaviour.

Staff members are required to avoid any involvement in moderating disputes that they have personally participated in. That means a moderator will never moderate an argument between the two users. Instead, other moderators within the team handle all relevant reports independently. We are doing our utmost to make sure moderation is unbiased, objective and not emotionally motivated. On the other hand, we also try to contact team members who are familiar with the community in order to prevent possible misunderstandings when it comes to community threads that may each have a unique culture.

Please bear in mind that it is impossible for our staff to be everywhere on the forum so even if you notice the presence of staff within a thread, there's no guarantee they've read each single post before or after their own. Do not believe moderators are ignoring violations of the rules. If you see a problem, report it.

The Report System

The report system is an integrated system that allows for the community to flag posts for moderator attention. You can report posts, profiles, and private messages. Every user has the ability to access it by clicking the little bell at the bottom left of each post or message. There will be a little window to provide some more information about the report - this is optional, but highly recommended.

All reports are instantly delivered to the forum staff and put into a single queue visible to the entire moderation team. The report system allows for the staff to deliberate on a solution to the report, close it, reopen it, or archive it. If you report a private conversation, moderators will be able to join that conversation in order to get the full context.

The most common use of the report system is to report posts that are believed to be breaking the rules. However, you can also report your own post if you need a thread locked, a thread title changed, a double post deleted, etc.

Though the moderators and administrators try to work towards a helpful and collaborative community, there are only three staff members, and thousands of messages. The reports created by users are immensely helpful in keeping the peace of the community.

There are some steps that you can take to make things easier for the staff.

How to Make a Good Report

The key to making a good report and to ensure it gets processed quickly is to describe exactly what is wrong with the post and why it needs moderator attention. Be clear on what rule was violated, if any. Do not assume that the staff understands your argument unless it is spelled out. The moderators available at any given time will not always be familiar with a particular subject, the history of the posters involved or the dynamics within a particular community. Make sure that you provide any important background in your report.

Please do not misuse the report system by filing trivial or rude reports. Your comments should be respectful and positive in every way. You may send follow-up reports about the same post, but do not keep reporting a post just to protest a decision. Misuse of the report system can result in a warning or a ban. Do not make public posts about reporting other members — either report them, or don't.

Staff Posts

Staff Posts are used when a moderator wants to directly provide guidance in a thread. These posts are highly visible and marked as "OFFICIAL STAFF COMMUNICATION". See example below.

This is an example of a staff post.

Impersonating a moderator by using the Staff Post BBCode is grounds for a permanent ban.

Staff posts are usually threadmarked if they provide important guidance to the entire thread. The title may also be changed in these situations to suggest that a staff post has been created. Ignoring that guidance may result in a warning or a ban. We recommend that you always check for the 'Staff Posts' button at the top of any thread that you enter; this button will only appear if there is a threadmark on a staff post.

Using the staff post BBCode is technically possible for ordinary members — this was necessary in order to allow for quotable staff posts. You shouldn't take advantage of this though. Changing a post to a staff or creating a fake one, even as a joke, will result in a ban.

Infractions and Penalties

Most of our members are never going to violate a rule or face moderation. However, there are a range of punitive measures that could be used when such action is required.

Warnings are given when a member needs guidance and/or a slight infraction has been committed — these are cases where a ban is considered unnecessary. All infractions, including warnings, are logged for future reference by the staff members. For transparency, a public banner that explains the warning will be added to the offending post explaining the warning. Some warnings will contain a more detailed message to the offending member to ensure they understand why they are being warned and how they will be able to avoid future problems. Before you can post again you need to manually acknowledge a warning.

Bans are used for more serious cases, when a warning is ignored, or a recurring pattern of misconduct. As with warnings, bans are logged and public banners are applied to the offending post. The length of the ban depends on the severity of the offence and the record of the member. The more offences a member has, the more likely longer their next ban will be. A permanent ban will be issued in cases where we determine that a member is either unable or unwilling to correct his behaviour. When a long ban is requested, or when the team is initially uncertain as to how long a ban will be, it is marked on the public banner as 'Length Pending.' The administrators review these bans which determine the final length.

Thread creation privileges can be revoked or suspended if a member creates threads that are of low quality. Low quality threads include poorly sourced threads, have obvious clickbait titles, are created to troll members or staff, or otherwise fail to provide content that encourages good discussion.

Appealing a Ban or Warning

The moderation team allows for users to appeal a ban or warning if they wish to have it removed from their records. The Moderation Appeal forum is the place for users to go in order to appeal an infraction or account penalty. All relevant information and context should be included in the appeal, and you must be polite and constructive while making a case. You will not be rewarded for taking an aggressive tone or send insults to staff, and in fact it may lead to more severe penalties up to and including a permanent ban. Please be aware that the Moderation Appeal forum is public and any user is allowed to participate in the appeal to have their say.

On moderation decisions, there is no “one-size-fits all” basis. The moderation team decides everything on a case-by-case basis to ensure fairness among the team. All appeals are deliberated by the staff members but it is the administrators who make the final decision to accept or deny the appeal. Visit How to Appeal a Ban or Warning thread for more information.

Backseat Moderation

Backseat moderation is when members take it upon themselves to act as if they are in charge of moderation such as trying to enforce rules themselves, or publicly insisting on what sort of moderation needs to happen. Do not do so please. This behaviour often leads to thread derailment and user arguments; staff also find it discourteous.

The reporting system is always available if you wish to draw the team's attention to your concerns. If you have any questions about moderation, please feel free to use the contact form or directly reach the administrators on here. What you should never do is tag individual members of staff in a thread when asking them to conduct some sort of moderation, particularly punitive action against other members. This is unacceptable and needless, which will lead to penalties for you.

Moderation Disputes

There may be times when you disagree with a moderator action (or lack thereof). Your feedback and criticism is always welcome and encouraged as long as it is constructive, politely presented and offered through suitable channels such as the contact form or private messages. If you post moderation complaints in a public thread you will be responsible for any subsequent derailment. Private dissent between the user and moderator is OK as long as it is constructive - however, it is not OK to publicly express disapproval in a thread where it is visible, especially if your words cross the line into outright attacks on staff which may result in a ban.

Please be aware that our volunteer staff are never required to receive abuse. This applies to forms of communication, both public and private, including private messages and reports.

 

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Posting Guidelines

This section will outline some of the general guidelines that you should follow to be an outstanding contributor to discussions.

The Importance of Being Respectful

When posting in threads please be respectful. It's important to treat every member with respect. Remember, treat everyone how you would like to be treated. Do not make baseless and offensive allegations of discrediting and/or antagonising your fellow members (such as calling them a shill, astroturfer, etc.). Do not shame users based on their post count, avatar, signature, personal opinion or belonging to a community. Avoid hurling threats or making personal attacks. If another member causes trouble, report them instead of trying to reciprocate.

Respect also extends to private messaging. Do not harass, stalk, or threaten users through the PM function, especially if such behaviour is unsolicited or unwanted by either participant - this type of behaviour will result in a ban or complete loss of all PM privileges.
If a member does not wish to continue a conversation, do not continue it. Moderators can and will investigate unwanted PM activity if they receive reports of another member's behaviour.

Respect a Diverse Audience

JoyFreak is an all-inclusive community. What may be funny or amusing to you may not be for others. We have members from all over the world with different nationalities, cultures, ethnic groups, gender and sexual identities. Regardless of the context, respect among members is mandatory. Don't make fun of accents, cultural names or languages.

Use Text Options Responsibly

Currently, we allow members to access various text options including size, colour, and font. Emojis are also fully supported. Please don't misuse these tools to make replies visually distracting. Do not make posts which are nothing but emojis. You are encouraged to post as articulately and coherently as possible at all times.

Read the Thread Before Replying

When you enter a thread, please ensure that you have read beyond the title before you respond. The absolute minimum effort you should put in is to read the original post (OP) in its entirety, along with any Staff Posts and threadmarks. If it is clear that you have not read the thread and missed important information that was appropriately highlighted, you may be subject to moderation.

Do Not Argue in Bad Faith

Generally, truthful dissent and discussion are encouraged. We do not, however, welcome disingenuous arguments, deliberately ignore or refuse to acknowledge counterarguments or argue for no reason other than to upset others. It's time to stop if your contributions to a discussion are clearly unproductive or go round in circles.

No Trolling

Trolling or posting with the intention of provoking a negative response from other members, is prohibited. It is especially true of serious and sensitive topics. Trolling is often disingenuous, but posting your honest opinion can still be trolling if you do so with the intent to inflame. Sincerity is not an outright shield of consequences.

Rumours and Leaks

It is appropriate to post rumours and leaks from external sources, but we urge members to use common sense and conduct due diligence when doing so. It's important to source the leak or rumour. Do not post rumours and leaks that are untracked from random blogs or social media accounts. If you think a rumour may not be true, then it's best not to post it anyway. Make sure all rumours and leaks are clearly labelled, and are not treated as official information.

If you wish to leak information yourself on JoyFreak then please note that you accept sole responsibility for whatever you post, and that knowingly posting misleading or incorrect information will result in a ban.

Spoiler BBCode

Many members like having fun, without knowing what to expect from it. This is something that everyone should be mindful of, within reason. For example, if you are in a thread about a newly released game and want to share details that could only have been obtained by playing it, please hide the details behind spoiler tags. Do not include those spoilers in the titles of threads. We offer two types of BBCode tags that can be used for this purpose. See below for example.

[spoiler][/spoiler]
[ispoiler][/ispoiler]

Spoiler

This is a spoiler tag.

This is an inline spoiler tag.

If it is publicized as part of promotional material, or revealed otherwise via official channels, then it is not a spoiler.

Threads intended to include a discussion about spoilers should be labelled as such in the title. If a thread title indicates that the thread contains spoilers, then you can assume that there is no need to use spoiler tags in that thread unless the spoiler is entirely related to a different subject. Don't join the thread if you don't want to get spoiled.

 

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Thread Creation Guidelines

The ability to make threads comes with important responsibility. Here's how you can get a great discussion started.

Show Some Effort

To be the original poster (OP) of a thread means it is up to you to provide the basis for successful discussion. A thread should follow some criteria - it should be something that can be discussed (and potentially, debated), an open-ended question, statement, or idea, and something that will ultimately contribute to JoyFreak as a whole. You should write as clearly and accurately as you can with more than one or two sentences, ensuring there's enough substance to hold an interesting conversation. One-word posts, yes-or-no questions, spam, and purposely inflammatory posts do not contribute to JoyFreak. You should also make sure that you post the thread in the appropriate forum section, and use the preview function to double check your work before publishing.

Check Your Sources

If you are citing any sources when developing a thread (including articles or videos), please scrutinise them to make sure they are accurate. Try not to use random tweets, conspiracy theories, tabloids or other questionable sources to create threads. If you don't know a source, take the time to do research to decide if it is accurate before posting it. If the source you were searching for appears to be unacceptable, then look for an alternative that may be more suitable. If no reliable source can be found it may be necessary to reconsider the thread's premise itself. When a source is trustworthy but not well known, be sure to clarify why it should be taken seriously.

Pick a Good Title

The title is the first part of your thread which anybody will see. It should summarise the first post of the thread with good grammar and punctuation. Do not use any caps or emojis in headings. Do not post clickbait — these are titles designed to draw attention by deliberately withholding relevant information or misrepresenting it. If you need to change a title, report your own post and let the staff know what new title you would prefer and why. Moderators may independently change a title to reflect an update or otherwise improve it.

Threadmarks

Keeping up with a thread can often be difficult, particularly if it is lengthy or fast moving. Threadmarks empower the threads creators with the ability to curate their own threads by selecting posts to add to a thread index that appears at the top. Threadmarks can be added or removed only by the thread creator or a member of staff. A responsible thread creator should threadmark important updates and any other posts that should not be missed (funny, insightful, informative, etc.) A special type of 'Staff Posts' threadmark can only be used by staff and is reserved for official communications.

Handling External Content

Do not create threads which include scans of magazines or illegal links to copyrighted materials. If you are creating an article-based thread, please do not copy and paste the whole article — instead use excerpts and link to the full text. If you're making a video-based thread that's heavy on content (not just a teaser or the like), please include a detailed description of the video and/or an overview of why people should watch it. Check if the external material is credited and not misrepresented.

Duplicate Threads

Each time there's a fresh and exciting news there tends to be a rush to be the first to make the thread. Keep in mind that moderators will typically select the one with the most accurate and complete information when assessing which thread should prevail. It's better to be correct, rather than be first. Make sure you provide as much and as reliable details as possible. When nothing is available immediately, you can build the thread and add details later, but by doing so you commit to keeping the thread updated. Duplicate threads are locked or merged.

Use of Prefixes

There are currently 14 prefixes to choose from when creating a thread. Thread creators must use a minimum of one prefix and can use up to a maximum of 3 prefixes per thread. It's important to pick a prefix that matches your thread the most. Most of these prefixes are self explanatory and are as follows:

• News
• Rumour
• Deals
• Question
• Opinion
• Discussion
• |OT|
• Reviews
• LTTP
• RTTP
• Community
• Sony
• Microsoft
• Nintendo

Official Threads

Official Threads (OTs) serve as the main hub for discussion about a given subject. Anyone can make an OT but you should first check to make sure that it has not already been claimed, use the search function. You have full artistic freedom over your OT, but we recommend that you include some basic information about the subject (see below). A strong gaming OT should contain at least the following:

• Release Date
• Developer
• Publisher
• Platform(s)
• Pricing

Review Threads

Review threads require diligent maintenance, given how quickly narratives can form and change around review scores and their averages. You should update the original post as more information comes in. Do not create a review thread with only a few reviews and then disappear. If you can't take on this responsibility, please refrain from making the thread and leave it to another person. Review threads should include a summary, the score (if available) and the source link. The averages for Metacritic and/or Opencritic are welcome, and should be updated. Video reviews should be included and should not be given their own threads. You can post videos that are not official reviews (such as analyses, general impressions or joke reviews) in separate threads.

LTTP/RTTP Threads

LTTP stands for 'Late to Party' and refers to catching up on an entertainment product whose release window and original discussion have been missed. RTTP stands for 'Return to the Party' and is used when members want to revisit discussion around an old product. Such threads are welcome but please don't build them for anything that came out only one or two months ago; use the original OT instead in that case.

Community Threads

Members can build a community of their own; for this purpose we give members in those threads a little more leeway with each other in relation to banter and similar behaviour. However, please be aware that the forum rules still apply and that newcomers must be welcomed by every thread. Do not snipe at staff or other members using community threads.

Discussion Threads

This prefix is for anything else.

 

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Site Policies

A series of policies created to address particular problems or concerns. These policies are applicable to the entire site.

User safety

We do not allow behaviour or rhetoric that attacks or discriminates against users based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or disability.

Our users on this forum include video game enthusiasts, industry professionals and press representatives. All members deserve some kind of courtesy. Don't commit personal attacks or insults on other users. Personal attacks are not tolerated anywhere on JoyFreak. Challenging a poster in a civil and positive way is perfectly acceptable, but fallacy should be avoided and depending on the situation it may get you banned.

NSFW Content

Many of our members are browsing from work or school, in settings where the wrong image on the screen can potentially have serious implications. Consequently, content which is 'Not Safe For Work' is not allowed. Do not post any content that would be too graphic to be shown on television. Material that highlights or focuses excessively on sexual or secondary sexual characteristics should also be avoided. If the option exists, try to be tasteful and considerate.

You are encouraged to use spoiler tags or off-site links to hide images or other material you may think is borderline. These spoiler tags should be marked clearly as 'NSFW' so other users know what to expect. If you have any questions please get in contact with the staff in advance.

Do not post images, artwork, figurines, or any other material, no matter how stylised or fictional, which clearly fetishizes or sexualizes characters below 18 years of age.

Child Welfare

Don't attempt to rationalise child violence. Advocating or defending child abuse of any kind is not tolerated. An attempt to dismiss or to condone the sexualization of minors will result in a ban.

Advocating Violence

We don't allow violence to be advocated. This policy may include postings with a wide range of severity, depending on the post's context and content. Therefore the penalty for breaking this rule can vary considerably, all the way up to a permanent ban. Advocating murder will always result in a permanent ban.

Intellectual Property

JoyFreak respects intellectual property and the hard work put in by game developers, studios, and software companies. To facilitate this, there is a zero-tolerance policy on piracy itself. The sharing of pirated files and links leading to pirate or torrent sites are forbidden throughout the entire site. Posts containing links to pirate sites or files will be permanently deleted. Discussions about piracy are OK to talk about as long as no actual pirated content is shared or linked to.

This rule is not only for games - it applies to any form of media. Linking to or uploading pirated books, movies, TV shows, art, software, or any pirated media is forbidden.

Homebrew and Emulation

While software piracy is never acceptable, homebrew and emulation are legal and discussions about it are welcome.

Self-Promotion

Self-promotion is allowed and encouraged (within reason). If you wrote a review, insightful blog post, made an informative video, created or are creating a game, have a crowdfunding campaign you'd like to promote, created a short movie, composed a music track, or have some breaking news - absolutely feel free to post your stuff! Just try to be reasonable about it - don't post a thread each time you go live on Twitch, use the Promote your video game streaming channel & videos here thread for that.

Spam

Spam of any kind is not allowed. This can include malware and phishing content, referral links, and abuse of the reply or private message system. Do not send unsolicited messages promoting any product, service, or website to other members.

Doxxing

Doxxing which refers to the publication of personal information (address, place of work, private telephone, etc.) as a means of retribution or to encourage harassment will not be tolerated and is grounds for an immediate permanent ban. Posts which contain dox will be immediately deleted in order to safeguard the well-being of anyone affected. Encouraging others to do so could lead to a ban, too.

Offsite Drama

We will not take action against any events that occur offsite, which also applies to members who may have engaged in bad conduct offsite - regardless of the type of conduct. In the event that a member on JoyFreak is involved in drama that occurs offsite, we will not take action unless they are violating the forum rules.

 

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Miscellaneous

Here you'll find other various information.

Avatars and Profile Covers

Members can select both an avatar (uploaded under account details) and a cover image (uploaded directly on their profile page) for their profile. These images must comply with our policies regarding ToS and NSFW. Do not use the offensive or otherwise inappropriate images. The staff will remove inappropriate avatars and covers, and bans may be issued in extreme circumstances. Avatars should be at least 400x400 for best visual results and Cover Images should be at least 600x1000 for dimension.

Custom User Title

While browsing the forum you may notice that some users have titles below their usernames. Members with verified accounts will have a title underneath their name identifying their role in the industry. These titles may be as vague or as specific as they want. Titles are also an option for premium members who are able to change their titles as frequently as they wish. All user titles must adhere to the forum rules and sites polices. The staff also reserves the right to remove a title if the title violets a rule.

Signatures

Premium members are able to use signatures that will appear below their posts. Signatures can be used to include things like favourite quotes, link to a blog or web page, or anything else that adheres to our forum rules and polices. Signature privileges can be revoked or suspended if a member abuses the feature or violates a rule. We don't grant signatures to members on request outside of the premium membership.

Changing Your Username

To change your username, you may go to your account details and choose a new username. There is a short space to provide staff information on changing your username - you don't have to elaborate, but it is useful for staff members. Once chosen, an administrator will have to approve your username change. Generally, username changes are approved. If, however, the username chosen is a slur, obscene, or not indicative of someone willing to contribute, the username change will be rejected. You can change your username twice every seven days.

Hide BBCode

The hide BBcode allows for posters to restrict information only to participants in threads. Any text in the tags will be automatically revealed to participants who have posted at least one message in the thread. Instead, everyone else will see a note saying " You need to reply to this in order to see this content. "

[HIDE][/HIDE]

Most commonly, this feature is used to hide matchmaking information, Discord invites, or codes for giveaways. While members often find it useful to filter out guests and lurkers, the sharing of truly sensitive or personal information is always recommended with greater caution.

Reporting Bugs and Technical Issues

Your feedback is important; unless we experience a technical problem ourselves, the only way we'll know about it is if members report it. You can find the Report Bugs Thread in the Announcements forum. Our team will review this thread regularly for vulnerabilities. If you report a issue please be respectful and patient.

Suggestions and Feedback

We always welcome suggestions and feedback and take them into consideration if we feel it would benefit the community. If you have a great idea you would like to share then please post it in the Suggestions & Feedback Thread in the Announcements forum.

Requesting a Ban or an Account Deletion

We usually grant requests for bans or deletions of accounts. If you are requesting a ban and your account is in good standing, you can send us an e-mail at any time if you wish to return. If your account has infringement history, we don't guarantee you'll be allowed to change your mind. You can apply for bans of any length, all the way to permanent ones.

Deletions of accounts are always permanent and can not be reversed. We do not recommend deletions for this reason. Please let us know if you are applying because of a privacy concern; we may be able to provide further assistance.

If you wish to request a ban or account deletion, simply use the Contact Us form while logged into your account.

Research Projects and Surveys

We allow for members to promote or recruit additional members for their research projects. Research projects may include surveys on and off-site, written, audio, video interviews, and focus groups. The research project must involve video games. To promote your research or survey project then please do so in the Promote your video game research and survey's here thread.