Shoutbox Rules & Ban Time-Table
Shoutbox Rules
These rules apply to the Rune-Server Shoutbox, and will be enforced by all staff members. If you fail to comply with these rules then you are liable to have action taken against your account. However, if you feel the actions are unjust, you may appeal them. Please note that relaying messages to and/or from a silenced/banned member is against the rules. All Forum Rules are applicable to the shoutbox as well. These rules are specifically for the shoutbox, as well as for clarification. These rules may be changed in the future.
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Rule 1: Offensive Language/Excessive Profanities
You are not permitted to use offensive, obscene, racist, foul, stereotypical, abusive, or derogatory language in the shoutbox. If you say something that can be taken offensively by other members, or is intentionally aimed at a specific user, then you are liable to have action taken against you (with or without warning). This also classifies using offensive language towards other members as flame, which is not allowed.
You may use profanities as long as they are not directly aimed at somebody and as long as they cannot be perceived as offensive by other users. You may not however use them excessively, be smart. Remember, cussing is one thing, but racial slurs are another. Context will not be taken into account during the usage of racial slurs.
Rule 2: Flaming
You are not allowed to say things directed towards other members that are meant to offend, hurt, or aggravate them. This includes offensive language, personal remarks, hurtful insults, etcetera.
Rule 3: Trolling/Aggravation
You are not permitted to make remarks that are meant to provoke a negative and/or emotional response from other members, disrupting the peace in the shoutbox. We understand you may joke around, but please be smart and be sensitive to others in the shoutbox.
Irritating and/or aggravating others to a point where they too break the rules will result in a punishment for you, but not necessarily for them, since you were the one who instigated it.
Rule 4: Respect Staff & Members
You are to always respect staff in the shoutbox. Saying someone doesn’t deserve their rank, or that someone else deserves it, is not allowed. If you feel someone is abusing their powers, please report them in the Report Staff section.
Please treat other members with respect. Do not flame, troll, aggravate, or do any such actions that can result in a negative manner. If someone is breaking the rules, simply report them in the Report Members section.
Rule 5: Spamming
Spamming is not allowed in the shoutbox. Spamming can be classified as but is not limited to:
- Entering one or more messages with no relative meaning and/or point in the slightest.
- Posting "special" character(s) that exceed the boundaries of regular text.
- Entering multiple messages to gain the attention of a member(s) in the shoutbox, or for any other reason.
- Speaking in languages other than the English language in the shoutbox.
- Using text-altering code/BBcode (including flipped text, "stylized" text) repeatedly. Even once can be spam.
- Using BBcode such as [code], [quote], and any other lengthening/extending BBcodes.
- Relaying messages from other (silenced/banned) members.
- Singing in the shoutbox. We understand you may have a song stuck in your head, but please do not spam. One line from one user may be acceptable at times, but other than that it is not.
- Repeatedly posting links to a thread (specifically a help thread).
- Posting a blackmarket thread link and/or buying/selling in the shoutbox.
- Browser hijackers/annoying webpages (e.g. rick roll).
Rule 6: Advertising
You are not allowed to post any links that lead to a website with the intention of gaining visitors/members.
Prohibited advertisements include but are not limited to the following:
- Community forums.
- Servers.
- Direct links to Discord.
- Referral links of any kind.
- Blogs.
- Webhosting.
- Market threads or any buying/selling in the shoutbox.
Some exemptions apply to the following:
- Users with affiliate status. Affiliation options can be found on the donate page. Affiliates may link directly to their respective site or to an internal advertisement, with a limitation of once every twenty four(24) hours.
- Major websites such as Google, Youtube, Reddit, etc (indirectly linking to something prohibited, for example through a search engine, is still prohibited).
Rule 7: Excessive Caps/Caps Lock
You are not allowed to use excessive capital letters in the shoutbox. Excessive caps will be determined by how many lines contain capitalized words in one 10 minute interval.
Rule 8: Rank Discussion/Asking for Ranks
You are not allowed to ask for a rank (with the exception of requesting a previous, non-staff rank back). By doing so you only hurt your chances of receiving it. Proposing and suggesting someone for a rank (e.g. Kevy4gmod!) is not allowed either. If someone deserves a rank, they will receive it in due time.
Rule 9: Posting Appeals & Relaying Messages
Please do not post any links to a silence, ban, infraction, or forum ban appeal thread in the shoutbox. They will be handled when a staff member can appropriately handle them.
You are not allowed to relay messages from a silenced/banned/forum banned user. If they deserved to speak in the shoutbox, they would be able to.
Rule 10: False Representations
You are not to abuse, manipulate, or misuse the shoutbox for your own personal gain. You are not allowed to intentionally misinterpret rules, or “be smart”, in an attempt to avoid being banned for performing a rule-breaking action. Use common sense in the shoutbox.
You are not allowed to impersonate any staff members, or any other forum members for that matter. If you are caught doing so, you will be banned immediately.
Rule 11: Inappropriate Images & Links
Posting inappropriate images and/or links such as pornography, gore, nudity, disgusting, offensive, repulsive, or any such content is not allowed. Doing so will result in a severe shoutbox punishment, and will leave your account liable to receive forum action as well.
Saying something like "don't look up ____" to tempt people to look it up is also not allowed.
Rule 12: Ban Evasion
Shoutbox ban evasion is not allowed, just as forum ban evasion isn’t either. If you are using another account to evade a shoutbox silence/ban, and talk in the shoutbox, your main account will receive an extended silence/ban, and your evasion account will be banned. Forum action may be taken depending on the severity of the evasion (multiple evasions, etcetera).
Rule 13: Use of Shoutbox Bots/Add-ons/Modifications
Shoutbox Bots, Add-ons and Modifications to the shoutbox engine that are used to disrupt others experiences will warrant a ban.
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Clarifications & Special Violations
Sexually charged passages that educe sexual content/meaning are not prohibited. This warrants an 8 hour shoutbox ban. You will be infracted for pornographic content. Sexually charged content not permitted is "fantasy stories" told/posted, pornographic images, or and such "suggestive" images.
Intellectual debates are allowed in the shoutbox. There is a fine line between a debate, an argument, and an “offensive battle” between members. Do not cross it. Be respectful to other users’ beliefs and opinions. Please try to have facts to back up a valid, reasonable point.
Intellectual discussions are also allowed. Again, please be respectful to other users’ beliefs and opinions. All discussions are to follow the rules. Please try to have facts to back up a valid, reasonable point.
Shoutbox bots are not permitted in the shoutbox, as they cause spam and/or disruption.
The Forum Rules still apply to the shoutbox, so just because a rule wasn’t stated above doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Punishment time table for bans/silences
Punishment Times/Time table for bans/silences
3 Hours - You will receive this length for violating any of the following: Spam, Prohibited forum links (includes Market threads or buying/selling).
4 Hours - This is for advertising without paid permission from Kevin. If you have any queries about this then please do discuss this with any Admin or Moderator. They will be sure to help you and will provide you with a guide on how to acquire affiliation.
5 Hours - This is for using shoutbox modifications to annoy, cause an annoyance in the shoutbox, or disrupt the flow of normality in the shoutbox.
8 Hours - This is a punishment handed out for flaming another user, harassment/discrimination, trolling/flame-baiting another user to cause them to get upset, retaliate, flame, etc.. This punishment is also applicable for users who perform actions or state remarks that are deemed sexist and/or found offensive to certain members(time subject to change depending on severity of the offense). If you are disrespecting a moderator or a fellow user then this will be the punishment also.
24 Hours - This is a severe punishment for any offenses that you have committed. If an offense is repeatedly committed, and you continue to cause problems, then this will be the punishment.
7 days - This is the punishment for inappropriate images such as nudity and gore. If you post this in the shoutbox it is the Moderators decision to infract you on the forum also as this is a very serious offense and will not be taken lightly. If you have any queries if your picture is nudity or gore then please pm a Moderator before shouting and/or posting it. You may be infracted.
X Hours/Days/Weeks - Constant rule breaking, extreme violation of the/a rule(s), or the moderators judgment may force them to give you a timed ban not listed above. The punishment time they give you is at the moderators discretion.
Administrator Ban - Getting banned by an administrator automatically warrants a minimum 24 hour ban. If extended, you will be notified. This is done as administrators usually only act if they feel the offense is "extreme."
Infraction - This is a severe punishment for any offenses that you have committed in the shoutbox. Doing the follow will warrant(100% chance) a shoutbox ban + infraction towards your account: Releasing personal information, Malicious content, Phishing, Shoutbox ban evasion, and Pornographic Content.
You may also receive an infraction if your appeal contains any unnecessary comments.
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Miscellaneous information/F.A.Q
Q1: Help, I've been banned/silenced for days/months/hours, can you unban/unsilence me?
A1: You will be unbanned/unsilenced when your punishment time is up.
Q2: How will I know what my punishment time is?
A2: It will tell you in the notice on the shoutbox. The notice will tell you why you are banned and what time the ban expires.
Q3: I don't agree with my punishment time, the moderator abused their power. What should I do?
A3: Report the Staff Member who banned you here.