1. Code of Conduct

Note: When warning points are shown in brackets [X,Y,Z] they should be read as X points will be given on the first offence, Y points will be given on the second offence, and Z points will be given on any offences following the second (third, fourth, and so on).

1.1 Search Before Posting (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Use our search page before posting or creating a new thread. Whether you have a question or just something new to share, it's very likely that someone has already asked that question or shared that news.

1.2 Use The English Language. (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• We understand that with all the different nationalities, not everyone speaks English well, but please try. If you're really unable to post in English, use an online translator. You're free to include your original message in your own language, below the English translation.

1.3 Help Others If You Can

• If you see posts from others where you can help out, please do so. This place exists because people are helping each other, and even if you are relatively new to the matter, there's probably quite a few people with less experience than you, who could benefit from what you've learned. Don't be shy.

1.4 Don't Plagiarize (Steal work from others) (+50 Warning Points First Offence / Permanent Ban On Subsequent Offences)

• Simply put, don't use the work of someone else without permission and definitely don't claim it as your own. This is one of our biggest pet peeves; if you want to post work someone else did get permission. If the work is already released to the public elsewhere, post your source! You can reach out to anyone on the moderation team if your work has been posted on this site without permission, but make sure you have solid evidence proving that you created it first!
• Reposted content, derivative or maintained works based on that of former or banned members may be removed at our discretion.

1.5 Create Only ONE User Account (New Account Banned & +50 Warning Points to Original Account Per Offence)

• You are allowed ONE User Account. If you create additional accounts, we will disable them and your original account may also be disabled or infracted.

1.6 No Advertising (+[10,15,25] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Do not join our site with the sole intention of advertising your products or services. If we feel you are only here to advertise we will take disciplinary action or jump straight to a permanent ban! (I'm looking at you, spam bots!)
• Furthermore: commercial advertising, advertising referral links, pay-per-click links and other income generating methods are forbidden. Please do not use our site as a means to make money.

 

1.7 No Backseat Moderating (+[5,10,15] Warning Points Per Offence)

• If you're not a moderator then don't try to moderate the site. It is annoying for your colleagues here at AGD.
• Rules are not black and white, they are gray (literally) and a real moderator is required to inform users when they are breaking them.

 

2. Posting Guidelines

Note: When warning points are shown in brackets [X,Y,Z] they should be read as X points will be given on the first offence, Y points will be given on the second offence, and Z points will be given on any offences following the second (third, fourth, and so on).

2.1 No Spamming (+[5,10,15] Warning Points Per Offence)

• 2.1.1 No Multi/Double Posting
  • Do not repeatedly post in a topic. If you were the last one to post and if you have information to add use the modify button on your most recent post in the given topic.
  • There are a few instances where this rule does not apply:
    • You can bump a project, resource, show off, or recruitment post after 48 hours if you have more info to add or updates to your project.
    • You can post several times in a row as needed when setting up and managing guides/tutorials that span over multiple posts for organization purposes.
• 2.1.2 No Low Effort Posts
  • Do not submit low effort posts.
    • Low effort posts are posts that are out of context, do not contribute to discussion, or are lacking expecting information.
    • Examples of low effort posts:
      • "Please build my game."
      • "Building a game, apply here." -- With no extra info.
      • "XYZ is not working."
      • Only memes or smilies.
    • Allowed posts:
      • "Thanks/Thank you"
      • "Looking good"
      • "I'll look into it"
      • "Let me get back to you"
      • etc
  • If you fail to meet board-specific posting guidelines then you will also be warned about low effort posts.
  • Posts considered to be low effort varies by context and by board, therefore issuing a warning for low effort posts is left to moderator discretion.
  • Short vs long posts do not determine if they are low effort. It really depends on if the posts add anything constructive or even relevant to the thread.
• 2.1.3 No Shouting
  • ANY POSTS, SHOUTS, OR SUBJECTS IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SPAMMING. DO NOT DO THIS!
• 2.1.4 No Referrals/Pay Per Click Links
  • Advertising referral links, pay-per-click links and other income generating methods are forbidden.
  • It is also forbidden to link to sites that require registration in order to access content or downloads.
• 2.1.5 Stay On Topic! (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)
  • Going off topic is annoying for readers and topic owners. Going several posts off topic will results in warnings to the poster(s).
  • This rule also applies to hijacking unrelated threads for support.

2.2 Post In Appropriate Boards (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Make sure your topic is placed in an appropriate board or you can justify where you create your topics. (IE. Topics about RPG Maker should not be posted in the Orion/Intersect boards.)
• If you are new and still learning your way around we will often move your topics and let you know without issuing an official warning.

2.3 Create Detailed Subjects and Posts (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Make your posts informative and worthwhile. Make sure the subject of your posts accurately reflects the content of the post itself.
• Avoid subjects like "Help", "Bug", "I'm new", etc
• The more detailed your posts are, the quicker you will receive feedback and it will be easier for others to find your post in the future.

2.4 No Necroposting (+[0,10,15] Warning Points Per Offence)

• If a topic has not been posted in for more than two months then don't post and bring it back to life. Start a new thread instead!

2.5 No Posting Nudity, Pornography, NSFW/NSFL Content (+[0,5,20] Warning Points Per Offence)

• We are visited by people of all ages, including minors. It is unacceptable to post nude/pornographic imagery or other NSFW/NSFL content that is unsuitable for minors/teenagers/young adults.
  2.5.1 - No Dick Pics: No, Evan, we still don't want to see or buy pics of your schlong...

2.6 No Personal Attacks (+[5,15,25]Warning Points Per Offence)

• Don't direct profanity, sexually explicit language or other offensive content toward members or their work.
• Respect others, and remember the golden rule.

2.7 No Racial, Political, and/or Religious Discussions (+[0,5,15] Warning Points Per Offence)

• This is a discussion forum about game development. Game development is not racial, political, religious or personally offensive and therefore, none of these types of discussions are permitted here.

2.8 No Flaming, Flame Baiting, or Trolling (+[5,10,20] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Flaming or posting with a lack of respect is unacceptable. Treat new members in the manner in which you would like to have been treated when you were a new member. When dealing with any member, provide them with guidance, advice and instructions when you can, showing them respect and courtesy. Never post in a demanding, argumentative, disrespectful or self-righteous manner.
• Furthermore, do not post to provoke, offend, or anger another member. This is considered flame baiting.
• Finally, don't troll. Trolling is the act of being a prick on the internet because you can. Trolls unleash one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent by-stander, because it's the internet. (Source: Urban Dictionary)
   

2.9 No being Aggressive, Rude, or Insulting to Others (+[5,10,20] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Being offensive to our members in any way, shape or form is prohibited. This includes being condescending, overly sarcastic, or otherwise an asshole to other members. If you cannot get along or work out problems with others you are invited to ignore/block them. These kinds of behaviors make the forum uncomfortable and unwelcoming to all.
• As always, this is at moderator discretion. Friendly and lighthearted BSing is fine, jokes are fine, but there are lines that should not be crossed.

 

2.10 No Excessive Text Decoration (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Excessive use of underline, bold, italics, font colors, font styles, and font sizes is prohibited. Use these features for formatting but never in excess in order to stand out or make eyes bleed.

 

2.11 No Selling of Fan Based Content (+[5,20,40] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Fan based games are generally fine when you're not making money off of others' copyrighted content. (This is still morally gray). Feel free to share your resources with others if you so desire but you may not sell them here. Selling of art, music, graphics, or code that derives from or copies from fan based games (like pokemon, dragonball z, naruto, etc) is prohibited.

 

3. Obey the Law

Note: When warning points are shown in brackets [X,Y,Z] they should be read as X points will be given on the first offence, Y points will be given on the second offence, and Z points will be given on any offences following the second (third, fourth, and so on).

3.1 No Piracy/Plagiarism/Warez (+[15,25,50] Warning Points Per Offence)

• If a piece of software requires you to pay to use it, then pay for it. We do not accept warez nor do we permit members to request, post, promote or describe ways in which warez, cracks, serial codes or other means of avoiding payment, can be obtained or used. This is a site of developers and designers. When you cheat a developer or designer, you cheat us as a community.

3.2 Don't Get Us Into Trouble (+100 Warning Points Per Offence)

• Don't post copyrighted materials or do other things which will obviously lead to legal trouble. If you wouldn't do it on your own homepage, you probably shouldn't do it here either. This does not mean that we agree with everything that the software piracy lobby try to impose on us. It simply means that you cannot break any laws here, since we'll end up dealing with the legal hassle caused by you. Please use common sense: respect the forum, its users and those that write great code. Everything uploaded to the site is logged, if we receive any take down requests because of your content you will lose privileges to upload and potentially be banned altogether.

 

4. Shoutbox Regulations

Note: When warning points are shown in brackets [X,Y,Z] they should be read as X points will be given on the first offence, Y points will be given on the second offence, and Z points will be given on any offences following the second (third, fourth, and so on).

4.1 Don't Ask For Support In The Shoutbox! (+[0,5,10] Warning Points Per Offence)

• Topics and posts don't get lost in time but shouts do! Keep all support topics out of the shoutbox, make a thread when you need help so the next person is facing your problem can find the solution sooner!

4.2 All Other Rules Apply!

• The shoutbox is not its own domain, all other rules on this site applies to the shoutbox as well! You are held accountable for what you say in the shoutbox.

 

5. Moderation Rules
We want the moderation team and the user base to get along; therefore, we hold our moderation team to high standards. Keep in mind, moderation is not meant to be fun, it is a job. We greatly appreciate anyone and everyone who helps us out in keeping this site going.

5.1 Joining the Team

• Moderators of Ascension Game Dev will be asked to join the team by myself or Kibbelz. Anyone who asks for the role, or otherwise tries to apply will be denied the opportunity.

5.2 Activity

• We want our moderators to be as passionate about this site as we are. Moderators who are inactive for weeks at a time will generally have their status removed unless prior notice is given about vacations, breaks, etc. (In which we will still remove your access for security reasons and work out restoring it when you return!)

5.3 Enforcing Rules

• We expect mods on this site to enforce the rules above to the best of their ability. This includes removing any content that breaks the rules and issuing proper warnings.
• When issuing warnings, moderators are required to collect and report evidence proving that a rule was broken.
  • Forum post/topic links are acceptable. We also encourage moderators to grab and upload screenshots to OUR filehost when possible. (This way links never die)
  • When issuing a warning, moderators are required to include the evidence in the message that automatically gets sent to receiving user.
  • In extreme cases or repeat offences of a rule, it is at the moderator's discretion to increase the warning points given for an offence, the increase must be conveyed to the user with justification.

5.4 Slack

• Moderators are expected to help keep the forum clean but also keep the peace. They are encouraged to take it easy on newer members while they learn the ropes and may give verbal (zero point) warnings at their own discretion.
• Also keep in mind that moderators are human too, just like you and I so if they miss something, hit the report button on posts and PMs or let them know if they have made a mistake, it's okay!

5.5 Disputes & Abuse

• If you believe a moderator is abusing their power, or if you'd like to appeal actions taken by our administration you are welcome to email admin@ascensiongamedev.com with the subject of "Abuse". Include your username, the events that led to that point, why you believe actions taken were unjustified, and any evidence in making your case. These cases will be carefully discussed with our entire admin team and we will keep you updated via email.