Thursday, April 12, 2012

OTF FAQ

[:1]First, we may be Off Topic, but we're still bound by the Forum Rules, and we'll be ever so grateful if you can save a strained edit/delete/ban finger by following those rules. Questions on them may be addressed here.

And now for some handy guidelines, suggestions, rules, and general chit-chat on the subject of our Forums as your being a member here:





  • Rule #1 of the OT Forum: This forum is for "off-topic" subjects. Since the game is the topic of the site, "off-topic" is defined as those subjects not about Diablo II, Blizzard Entertainment, etc. Other games are... fair game. :-)

  • Rule #2 of the OT Forum: All Topics are fair game (don't break the other Forum rules, though).

  • Rule #3 of the OT Forum: Tread lightly on controversial topics. This means one religion or abortion thread at a time, guys.

You can get an idea of what's right and wrong around here from the questions and answers below:

  1. Q: Will this FAQ reveal the secrets to the acquisition of lots of money, tons of romance, the possession of a Lamborghini Diablo, and intergalactic domination?

A: That is covered in the TOP SECRET section of this FAQ, which can be bought for a low, low price of $1,000,000 U.S. dollars in cash only. For more details, click on the banners at the top of the page and follow instructions.

  1. Q: Why do people go to the Off-Topic forum?

A: Because there's life after Diablo II and Blizzard.

  1. Q: How do I tell if something is "Off-Topic"?

A: "Non-D2/Blizzard" If you're thinking about selling game items on EBay, have a question about what to do on Battle.net, if you want to talk about a conversation you had in-game, if you want to know where you can download a patch/hack/whatever, want to discuss a possible Diablo 3, complain about how you can't log on, or anything else about any Diablo game or the Blizzard company, you should go elsewhere (there are numerous other forums).

  1. Q: So I can talk about anything other than D2/Blizzard?

A: No. Use your better judgment. If you could discuss anything, there wouldn't need to be a moderator here. If you want to harass people, find a random person on AIM. Witty one-liners are appreciated, but dumb one-liners are not. It's up to you to figure out which is which.

  1. Q: I mean, I really want to talk about D2/Blizzard stuff. Why the hell do you guys care so much?

A: If you can't figure out why, it's probably best that you post elsewhere.

  1. Q: How about if I totally butcher and rip out of context some quotes by people so it sounds like they said you can post anything here, even if it's spam and useless drivel?

A: Still no.

  1. Q: I know what I have to say is original and couldn't possibly be the subject of another thread on just the second, third, and fourth pages. Why should I check?

A: As long as you're not the only person on Earth, you will always be wrong. Please check. You might try our handy search engine and search the OTF by key words, for one.

  1. Q: The talk's getting too slow for me at the moment. Is there anyplace else I can hang out with you cool people?

A: There are several chat rooms started by various groups and individuals here on the forum. If you wish to visit a channel directly affiliated with DiabloII.Net, click "Live Chat" above, where we are in room #diabloii.

  1. Q: How does the PM box work?

A: Private Messages (PM's) are limited. Pal receive more, but normal forum members need to keep on top of their counts so that they can receive message sent to them.

  1. Q: Why don't you give out VET tags?

A: Because we actually look at the contents of a post. If you want to know how long someone has been posting, look at his profile. Besides, vets either fought in wars and lived to tell about it or else take care of sick animals. We might have a few of those here, but unless you want to tell us how you took the hill or looked after that constipated elephant, chances are you're probably not one of them.

  1. Q: Is there a penalty for posting something that is "On-topic"

A: The derision of your would-be friends is penalty enough.

  1. Q: I just got flamed and I'm scared. Do these people hate me now?

A. No, continue posting but first take a re-read of the flamed post and the FAQ to figure out where you might have gone wrong. Maybe you didn't, and the person is just being an arse. Very little here is personal, so relax and enjoy. (c) Dutch

  1. Q:When do Admins ban and put a poster on probation?

A: A poster can be banned -- sometimes temporarily but more often permanently -- for a variety of acts that primarily focus on breaking the forum rules. The watchword is "common sense." Additionally, we will boot those finding new and clever ways to work around the Naughty Word Filter(tm), those who post avatars that are clearly across the line for the site goals of maintaining an acceptable place for a wide cross-section of visitors (who may include pre-teens), or for insulting, demeaning, or taunting the moderators or staff members. (This is in addition to the "No flaming" rule, but extends to the area of not harassing someone who is trying to do his or her job.)

  1. Q:How do I protest if a moderator is not acting fairly?

A: Consider taking a deep breath first. If you wish, you may contact the moderator and try to resolve your issues with him or her. If you continue to feel there are problems, and you've taken another deep breath and counted to 10 and have really, really tried to see the matter from both sides, and feel that the matter is significant enough to merit their time, contact a senior site staff member or write the site owner. See the Staff Pages for information.

  1. Q: What is the difference between a perma-ban and a temporary ban?

A: That is a subjective decision made for each and every instance of an offense. Our goal is to handle the same sorts of infractions in a generally-similar way. However, it is also our desire to consider the general contribution of a poster when determining whether to ban or put on probation. If someone has a history of good posts and steps a bit across the line, he will be treated more gently than someone who has a history of causing problems or who has engaged in constant attempts to get by with something. In addition, if someone chooses to contribute to a major brouhaha like an "invasion" of another forum or a mass posting spree, we may act more firmly in order to curtail the problems.

  1. Q: What can you expect to get warned for and what can you expect to get banned for? Where is the line between ok and not ok?

A: We would make a list, but the instant we posted it someone out there would find a new and exciting way to make an arse out of himself and then cry "But it's not on the list" as a defense. We recommend you actually use common sense when posting. Failing that, take the time to acquire a general feel for the forums and read the Forum Rules!

  1. Q: If I get banned, can I just set up a new account?

A: Not if you want to be known as a decent and civil human being. Accounts that are created to work around a ban will be banned as quickly as we find them. Let's not play that silly game.

  1. Q: Can I appeal a ban? Can I ever rejoin, if banned?

A: Occasionally we will allow someone back after a banning. You need to write to either Elly or Gaile and request reconsideration, and in the meantime, don't set yourself up with a new account or your appeal will be summarily rejected.

  1. Q: Why don't I get a spiffy signature?

A: Donate through PayPal (see little Become a DiabloII.Net Pal button above) and you can have one, too!

  1. Q: Where can I test my avatar?

A: In case you didn't notice, once you change your avatar (or, for Pals, your signature or avatar) it changes in all your previous posts, so there is no good reason whatsoever to make a new thread about it.

  1. Q: Is there a limit on signatures. Can I can put anything I like in there?

A: Three lines is the preferred max (and not at a tiny resolution [img]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Jim/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/img]). Signatures should follow the site guidelines for decency and appropriateness.

  1. Q: What if my thread isn't getting any replies?

A: These forums are equipped with an "auto-bump" feature. If people reply to your post (meaning it's a worthwhile and interesting topic) it'll get bumped to the top for more people to see. If not, it'll fall back into the back pages and eventually will scroll off the archives. Do not, under any circumstances, artificially bump your own thread. As we say in those Forum Rules: Bump your own threads, and we'll slap you on the hand. Do it again, and you'll pull back a bloody stump. Understood?

  1. Q: These forums were down for a long time. What's up with that?

A: Occasionally the servers have to do their own server-type things, like optimizing the tables, deleting expired threads, fooling around with FBI backdoor orifices, stuff like that. If the forums are down when you visit, just wait about an hour or so *cross fingers* and they'll be back up again shortly.

  1. Q: I am new to the OT Forum. Should I post some "Hello I am new" posts to introduce myself or just start posting pretending like a regular?

A: Definitely, post a "Hello I am new forum user" post. You shall get some decent replies from the regulars greeting you as well welcoming you to this community.

  1. Q: How long do I have to wait before I can make a "you all suck, this isn't as good as it used to be, I'm a vet and this all sucks and I'm going to a better place" goodbye post?

A: If you are the type to post this crap please make it your first and last post and save us all the trouble. 'Sides, there is no "better place."

  1. Q: What is thread hijacking?

A: To "hijack" a thread means to pull it entirely off topic even in the off-topic forum. If someone starts a thread on politics, someone posting about ice cream in the middle of the thread is likely to cause a hijack, especially if the politics were getting dull.

  1. Q: Help! I can't stay away from the OT-forum. What is wrong with me?

A: You have been infected with OT-Forum addiction. It is usually fatal to your social life and there are no known cures at this time. A 12-step program involving various narcotic drugs is in the works, but be sure and bring a bucket with you, and plenty of Kaopectate.

  1. Q: What is a Pal?

A: Pals are people who donate to our site, either on a one-time or monthly basis. They receive a special tag on their profile, access to the Pals Top Secret Forum where every day is a party with unlimited champagne and dancing bears, and... well, they do get a tag and a listing on our honour roll. We're not above begging. If you post, then please contribute to helping us operate this site, either by clicking a few banners a day or by making an actual monetary donation (any amount is appreciated!) via PayPal. As more than one poster has said, "Should your post count reach 100, consider yourself on borrowed money."

  1. Q: I don't like giving out money to complete strangers. Is there another way I can help?

A: Clicking on our banner or popup ad is a good start. Shopping through our Blizzard Store.

  1. Q: What does everybody look like?

A: You can find out what people look like at this link here.

  1. Q: Can I get on the faces page?

A: Definitely. Send Durf an email (his address is on the faces page linked above) with an image and let him know your forum name. If you send him a large image he will be angry.







Games and trolls, members and moderators, may come and go. But the OTF is forever.



So, did we miss anything of unearthly (or even moderate) significance? Please let us know!

This FAQ is dedicated to all who contributed to this version, made suggestions for changes and updates, and those who made so many valuable contributions in the past. Thanks, guys!
|||Since probations no longer exist, you may want to remove anything dealing with them. Question 13, for example.

EDIT: I am also failing to find a live chat button.|||You forgot:

The PAL donation plan Sarge has set up

Censored words and why they exist

And perhaps an explanation on exactly how clicking on the ad banners work.|||i think the first 3 rules of the OT forum should be

1. do not talk about D2/Blizzard

2. DO NOT talk about D2/Blizzard

3. follow rules #1 and 2|||how about, don't post threads asking someone to check/clear their PMs.

I also think that no one should be allowed to speak poorly of beer.|||You need a rule about changing accounts and/or names. Particularly how it should be done.|||I've seen at least one thread every week asking how to create a sig. Because of this, I decided to add a "sticky" hopefully making the adaptation into the OTF a bit less confusing for our new members.



DiabloII.Net has never and hopefully will never require payment from its members for the use of these boards. We do depend on advertising and donations though to help ease the pain of bandwidth and other expenses. In order to keep this place afloat we have created a donation system using PayPal *points at PayPal link at the top of the page* to make it easy to donate if you choose to.



With this in mind we reserved some of the "perks" for PALs (those that do choose to donate) as a way of saying thank you. Signatures are one of these perks which are accompanied by bigger PM boxes, the Pal forum and other goodies.



So, if you feel you just can't function without your morning cup of coffee and a signature, you know what to do. While the coffee is brewing pony up a donation. Then you will be able to go to work knowing that you have done your part to keep us from being homeless with noone to talk to.|||Quote:








Does this board have a "Thou shall not post photos!" rule?




Anakha seems to think so.

Anyway, if it's a pic you want to permanently have around, you could send it to Durf and he'll put it up on the Faces page.

Oh, and if I were you, I wouldn't put up any cleavage bearing pictures. Around here, that's like throwing raw meat into a lion's cage. And of course, I wouldn't get involved in that at all. :whistle:

No comments:

Post a Comment