RULES – PART II

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

Please be respectful when posting in threads. This includes when you post about the topic at hand and especially when you address other members. Do not make unfounded and inflammatory accusations to discredit and/or antagonize your fellow members. Do not shame users based on their post count, avatar choice, or what community they belong to. Avoid hurling insults or making disagreements personal. If someone else is causing trouble, report them rather than trying to reciprocate.

Do not send hostile or confrontational private messages to other members, especially if such contact is unsolicited. This kind of behavior, if reported, will result in a ban. If a member you have privately contacted indicates that they do not wish to continue the conversation, disengage. If you receive an unwanted and hostile message, report it so that moderators can investigate.

Respect a Diverse Audience

What might seem harmless or funny to you can be hurtful to others. Exclusionary behavior, casual or otherwise, is not tolerated. Be mindful at all times that your posts are not only being read by men; you should be considerate of women members and how your words might make them feel. We specifically discourage inappropriate or vulgar objectification of women. You should also remember that we have members from all over the world. Be considerate of all nationalities, cultures, and ethnic groups and avoid making jokes at their expense. Do not mock accents, ethnic names, or languages.

Do Not Engage in Platform/Console Wars

Many posters will have preferences and favorites when it comes to video games and the platforms they appear on. It is important to keep in mind that there’s nothing wrong with other members having different tastes. Platform holders are multi-billion dollar corporations that do not need cheerleaders or champions to defend them. Do not be bitter if a console you like sells less hardware than the alternatives, if a competing platform enjoys success, or if a title is announced for other platforms. You can have favorites without being obnoxious or disruptive about them.

Use Text Options Responsibly

We presently allow members access to a variety of text options including size, color, and font. Unicode and therefore emojis are also fully supported. Please do not abuse these options to make obnoxious or visually distracting replies. Do not make posts that consist of nothing but emojis. You are encouraged to always post as articulately and coherently as possible.

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 threadmarks or staff posts. Asking questions that have already been answered in the OP or threadmarks adds nothing to a discussion. 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

Honest dissent and debate is generally encouraged. However, we do not welcome disingenuous arguments, deliberately ignoring or refusing to acknowledge counterarguments, or arguing for no reason than to upset other members. If your contributions to a discussion are clearly unproductive or lead in circles, it is time to stop.

Do not deliberately misrepresent the opinions or concerns of other users. Posters who enter a thread and drop a hot take, only to never follow up, may be moderated for drive by posting. It is also not okay to enter a thread solely to whine about its existence or to deliberately derail it. If you have nothing of substance to contribute to a thread it may be best to avoid it.

No Trolling

Trolling, or posting with the intention of provoking a negative response from other members, is prohibited. This is especially true in 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 a perfect shield from consequences.

Please also keep in mind that the onus is always on you to make sure that your meaning and intentions are clear when you post. If you make a statement that appears to be inflammatory, moderators will judge it based on the text you have made available. Staff and other members cannot read minds. If you feel that your post or intentions have been misunderstood, you should quickly move to clarify what you really meant.

Avoid Port-Begging

Whenever there is a new and popular third-party game there will usually be ‘begging’ for ports to other platforms; this trend is repetitive, low on substance, and often an impediment to better discussion. It can often be seen in replies to existing threads, and sometimes even in the creation of new threads. It is not always easy to determine where the line is between harmless speculation and actionable port-begging, but the latter generally refers to comments that are disruptive to an existing discussion, fuel for console wars, or completely without substantive basis. Please do not make such posts or threads. If no platforms have announced for a game, speculation about potential platforms is acceptable.

Rumors and Leaks

Posting rumors and leaks from external sources is allowed, but we ask that members use common sense and perform due diligence when doing so. Sourcing is important. Do not post rumors and leaks from random blogs or social media accounts with no track record. If you believe that a rumor can’t possibly be true, then it is best not to post it at all. Make sure that all rumors and leaks are labeled accordingly and not presented as official information.

If you wish to leak information yourself here on ResetEra, you should first contact an Administrator so that it can be vetted by the staff. All evidence you submit will be kept strictly confidential. Please note that you accept sole responsibility for whatever you post, and that knowingly posting incorrect or misleading information will result in a ban.

Spoiler and Cross Tags

Many members like to experience entertainment 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 recently released game and want to discuss information that could only have been acquired by playing it, please hide that information behind tags. Do not include such spoilers in thread titles. We offer two different bbcode tags that can be used for this purpose. Examples and syntax are available below.

Code:
[spoiler][/spoiler]
[cross][/cross]

This is an example of the cross tag.

Spoiler sensitivity, however, cannot be allowed to stifle discussion of actual news. If information is publicized as part of promotional material, or otherwise announced through official channels, then it is fair game and not a spoiler.

Threads that are meant to include spoiler discussion should be labeled as such in the title. If a thread title indicates that the thread contains spoilers, then you can assume that you do not need to use spoiler tags in that thread unless the spoiler pertains to a different subject altogether. If you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t enter that thread.