General Guide to ResetEra

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General Guide to ResetEra

Last updated on May 3, 2021.

Mission Statement

Since its founding in late 2017, ResetEra has been an inviting bonfire at the crossroads of the gaming industry. Our goal is to provide a modern platform where enthusiasts and industry professionals alike will want to talk about all kinds of video games -- and everything else under the sun. Safeguarded by technology, a vigilant staff, and some of the toughest registration screening of any public forum, ResetEra has been able to cultivate a highly active and passionate community while keeping most trolls and bad actors off of the site.

Today ResetEra is the most popular independent gaming forum on the internet as measured by traffic. It is also an inclusive space that proudly welcomes members of every gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Respect and decency towards each other, regardless of background, is nonnegotiable. Posters are expected to enter discussions in good faith.

In order to maintain the community that we all cherish, moderators are tasked with upholding this mission statement. The following document aims to provide guidance that can help members be successful posters over the long term. Please note that attempting to use the following text as a shield while violating its spirit (or the mission statement) will not protect you. We include as much detail here as possible, but it is impossible to cover every subject that might require moderation or every exception that might be made.

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 ResetEra.

Registration

Free or disposable email providers are not accepted for registration -- this measure is our best tool to prevent trolls or banned members from creating multiple accounts. All new accounts also undergo manual screening before activation. Most accounts registered with an ISP, school, or professional email are approved within a few days.

Accounts registered via proxies or VPN are likely to be rejected. Accounts registered with email domains that have no functional site attached may stay in queue for much longer pending further vetting. The waiting period may be extended for everyone during periods of high activity.

Registration also requires acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy. If you have any questions concerning the status of your account, please reach out to us via the contact form found at the bottom of the site.

If your account is rejected a reason will generally be provided. Most rejections occur because the email provider was judged to be invalid or otherwise suspicious. You are welcome to register again with a different email. The username of the rejected account may still be considered taken and unavailable -- if you need help reclaiming it feel free to contact us. Rejected accounts are deleted periodically to vacate their usernames.

Junior Phase

Once your account is activated, you can immediately begin posting replies. In order to discourage elitism, no publicly visible distinction is made between new members and longtime veterans. However, accounts that have less than 500 posts and/or joined less than 90 days ago may be subject to stricter moderation, as we have to be on the lookout for troll accounts and bad faith posters. This 'junior phase' is your chance to settle in, get a feel for the forum, and demonstrate your capacity for civil discourse. Please do not try to push any limits until you are sure where the lines are. Do not try to inflate your post count with spam or low quality posts.

Thread Creation Privileges

New members are not able to create threads from the outset -- this is a privilege that must be earned. In order to post new threads your account will need to be at least 30 days old and have at least 100 posts. Once these two conditions are met, your account will be automatically granted its new permissions. If you have a great idea for a thread but do not yet have privileges, another member may be willing to post it on your behalf if you ask for help.

One Account Only

Each user is allowed only one account. If you are found to have created multiple accounts out of benign misunderstanding, you will generally be asked to pick one and the others will be closed. If you are found to have created multiple accounts in bad faith, such as for ban evasion or trolling, all of your accounts will be subject to an immediate permanent ban. Account sharing is similarly prohibited and will be dealt with in the same way.

Recommended Security Precautions

ResetEra is a large site that attracts a lot of attention, including from bad actors and opportunists. We highly recommend that you do not post any personally identifying information or details about your personal life that might compromise your real identity. To ensure that your account remains secure, we also recommend that you activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) under your password and security settings, and that you use a strong password unique to this site.

Verified Members Program

For professionals (including but not limited to the press or entertainment industries) with insights that may be of interest to our community, we offer a Verified Members program. A verified account is easily identifiable by a spiffy "Verified" tag that appears on your profile and on every post that you make. This is, of course, completely optional, but many members in the program find it helpful to not have to explain who they are and why their professional experience is relevant to a given discussion. Please check the link for more information, including on how to get verified yourself.

 

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How Moderation Works

An explanation of the roles and responsibilities of our staff, as well as our approach to moderation in general.

The Team

Our international staff is made up of dedicated individuals spread across five continents, with wildly diverse backgrounds and interests. Women, people of color, LGBTQ, and religious minorities are all well represented on our team. That team consists entirely of volunteers drawn from the community they seek to serve. A comprehensive Active Staff Roster is available to the public and updated regularly.

The team processes hundreds of reports daily, and every one of those reports is handled by multiple moderators. We also receive dozens of emails and private messages, and manually approve dozens of new registrations each day. This work is endless, stressful, and often thankless. Many staff members put in countless hours each week towards maintaining the forum; this is a responsibility they take on because they care deeply about the community and want it to be the best that it can be.

It is important to note that we take a team approach to moderation, and no single moderator will ever be solely responsible for a given decision. All moderator actions are automatically logged and visible to the rest of the team; it is therefore impossible for an individual member of staff to go rogue. Every action is discussed as a team and signed off on by multiple staff before it is carried out. The diversity of our team is a strength -- we always seek insight on any given issue from the staff members who know the most about it.

Like all members, individual staff have strong opinions on any number of topics and are free to express those opinions as posters. Those opinions and posts are their own and do not represent official policy. Moderator actions are always driven by consensus from multiple staff and by our written guidelines and policies. Official staff communications will be marked as such.

Moderators

These are the volunteers charged with enforcing our mission statement and our policies. They are on the front lines when it comes to keeping the peace on the forums. Moderators process the bulk of the reports, provide guidance through written warnings, and try to make contributions as posters along the way. Many were pillars in the community even before they became staff. Without their efforts, there would not be a community to inhabit the site.

Administrators

The administration is responsible for keeping the site healthy and operational in all areas. This means coordinating with tech staff on maintenance and new features, verifying industry members, screening new registrations, and responding to emails. Administrators also lead internal policy discussions and are often called upon to provide guidance to the moderation team.

Certain administrators (designated as "Mod Captains" on the roster) are specifically in charge of managing the moderation team. These Mod Captains are required to approve any ban over 2 weeks in duration. They also process appeals and are available to answer any questions you might have about moderation.

Moderation Approach

We aim to articulate our policies and expectations as clearly as possible, in this document and in all our official communications. Whenever a user is warned or banned for a post, the reason is provided in a public banner attached to that post. In addition to ensuring transparency and accountability, these banners are helpful for other members to understand where the lines are and what our rationale is. Every staff member is expected to follow the same rules as the rest of the forum.

Due to our heavy workload, a large moderation team is required to ensure timely coverage around the clock. The size of the team can make it very challenging to ensure consistent moderation. To address this, we have Mod Captains and internal moderation guidelines based on precedent and publicly available policy. Some flexibility is required to account for new or unexpected circumstances.

Our team moderates to the spirit of the rules and our mission statement. Multiple factors are taken into account before coming to a decision. We weigh past infractions, post history, and the severity of the post(s) when determining penalties. We also consider whether a member doubled down on their behavior.

Staff members are required to avoid any involvement in moderating disputes that they have personally taken part in. This means that a moderator will never moderate a user for an argument between the two. Instead, any relevant reports are handled independently by other moderators on the team. We do our utmost to ensure that moderation is impartial, objective, and not driven by emotion. On the other hand, when it comes to community threads that might each have a unique culture, we always seek to consult staff members who are familiar with that community in order to avoid potential misunderstandings.

Please bear in mind that due to the highly active and fast paced nature of discussion on ResetEra, it is impossible for our staff to be everywhere. Even if you notice staff presence within a thread, there is no guarantee that they have read every single post before or after their own. Do not assume that moderators are ignoring rule violations. If you see an issue, report it.

The Report System

The fastest way to bring something to the attention of the staff is to report it. All reports go into a single queue visible to the entire moderation team. You can report posts, profiles, and private messages. If you report a private conversation, moderators will be able to join that conversation in order to get the full context. Please remember that we process hundreds of reports daily and that it may take some time to get to yours.

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.

You can report a message by clicking the button on the bottom left of the message. All reports are read and investigated, but there are some steps that you can take to make things easier for the staff.

How to Make a Good Report

To ensure your report is processed as quickly as possible, please focus on describing exactly what is wrong with the post and why it requires staff attention. Be clear about what rule has been broken, if any. Do not be flippant or sarcastic, and do not assume that staff will understand your argument unless it is spelled out. The moderators available at any given time might not always be familiar with a particular subject, the history of the posters involved, or the dynamics in a specific community. Make sure you include any and all relevant context in your report.

Please do not abuse the report system by submitting frivolous or rude reports. Your reports should always be polite and constructive. 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 threatening to report other members -- either report them or don't.

Staff Posts

When the staff needs to directly provide guidance in a thread, a staff post will be made. These posts will be marked as 'OFFICIAL STAFF COMMUNICATION' and have been designed to be highly visible. Please see the example below.

This is an example of a staff post.

Staff posts are often threadmarked if they contain guidance that is relevant to the thread as a whole. In such cases, the title will also be adjusted to indicate that a staff post has been made. Ignoring this guidance can lead to a warning or a ban. We recommend that you always check for the 'Staff Posts' button at the top of any thread you enter; this button will only appear if a staff post has been threadmarked.

It is technically possible for ordinary members to use the staff post template -- this was necessary to allow staff posts to be quotable. However, you should not take advantage of this. Altering a staff post or creating a fake one, even as a joke, will result in a ban.

Infractions and Penalties

The majority of our members will never break a rule or face moderation action. However, when such action is required, there are a range of punitive measures that might be used.

Warnings are applied when a user needs guidance and/or has committed a minor infraction -- these are situations where a ban is deemed unnecessary. All infractions, including warnings, are logged for future reference by the moderation team. For transparency, a public banner will be added to the offending post explaining the warning. Some warnings will contain a more detailed message for the offending member, to ensure that they understand why they are being warned and how they can avoid problems in the future. You must manually acknowledge a warning before you are able to post again.

Bans are used for more serious infractions, when a warning is ignored, or for a recurring pattern of misbehavior. 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 infraction as well as the member's record. The more infractions a member has, the longer their next ban is likely to be. Serious infractions, such as those related to bigotry, are monitored and tracked separately from other bans. In cases where we determine that a member is either unable or unwilling to correct their behavior, a permanent ban will be issued. When a long ban is requested, or when the team is initially unsure how long a ban should be, it will be marked as 'Duration Pending' on the public banner. These bans are reviewed by the Mod Captains, who determine the final length.

Thread creation privileges may be revoked or suspended if a member creates low quality threads. Low quality threads include threads that are poorly sourced, have obvious clickbait titles, are created to troll members or staff, or otherwise fail to provide an OP that encourages good discussion. Thread creation privileges are either revoked permanently or for a 6 month period, after which you can request them back by contacting the staff. This is sometimes informally referred to as a 'junioring'.

Appealing a Ban

You can appeal a ban by clicking the Contact Us link at the bottom of the site (accessible while banned). We recommend that you use the form while logged in so that we can verify that it is you. If you'd prefer to be contacted at a different email than the one you registered with, please mention that in your message. Include all relevant context and information, and be polite and constructive while making your case. Taking an aggressive tone or sending insults to staff will not be rewarded, and in fact may lead to a more severe penalty up to and including a permanent ban. We receive a large number of emails each day and do not guarantee a response to all of them. Ban appeals are reviewed independently by the Mod Captains, though some moderation staff may be consulted.

Backseat Moderation

Backseat moderation is when members take it upon themselves to act as if they are in charge of moderation, such as by trying to enforce rules themselves, or by publicly insisting on what kind of moderation needs to happen. Please do not do this. This behavior often leads to thread derailment and user arguments; it is also discourteous to the staff.

The report system is always available if you want to bring your concerns to the attention of the team. If you have questions about moderation, feel free to use the contact form or reach out to the Mod Captains directly. What you should never do is tag individual staff members in a thread while asking them to carry out some form of moderation, particularly punitive action against other members. This is obnoxious and unnecessary and will result in penalties for you.

Modwhining

There may be times when you disagree with a moderator action or lack thereof. Your feedback and criticism is welcome and encouraged, so long as it is constructive, politely presented, and offered through appropriate channels like the contact form or private messages. If you post complaints about moderation in a public thread, you will be responsible for any ensuing derailment. If your words cross the line into hostility or outright attacks on staff, you will be banned for modwhining.

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

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 (such calling them a shill, astroturfer, etc). 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 (especially on a sensitive or controversial topic), 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.

[spoiler][/spoiler]
[cross][/cross]

Spoiler: Example

This is an example of the spoiler tag.

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.

Remember to Take Breaks

From time to time it may be prudent to step away from the keyboard for a few minutes or hours. If a discussion is getting heated to the point where you feel you are at risk of losing your composure or breaking the rules, you should disengage immediately. Always make sure that you are taking care of your health.

 

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Thread Creation Guidelines

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

Show Some Effort

Being the Original Poster (OP) of a thread means that it's up to you to provide the foundation for good discussion. When you create a thread, you should include more than just one or two short sentences; make sure that there is enough substance to sustain an interesting conversation. Write as clearly and articulately as possible. Consider whether you're presenting the subject in a way that will generate good discussion. Make sure you are posting the thread in the correct section of the forum, and use the preview feature to double check your work before posting. After creating your thread, consider adding a Cover Image to spruce up its presentation. Do not make provocative threads only to bail on them after the first post. All of the rules outlined in other parts of this document also apply to thread creation.

Check Your Sources

If you are citing any sources (including articles or videos) while creating a thread, please scrutinize them to make sure that they are reliable ones. Try not to create threads based on random tweets, conspiracy theories, tabloids, or other questionable sources. If you are unfamiliar with a source, take the time to do research and determine whether it is reliable before posting it. If the source you were looking at proves unsuitable, search for an alternative that might be more acceptable. If no reliable source can be found, the premise of the thread itself may need to be reconsidered. If a source is reliable but not well known, make sure that you explain why it should be taken seriously. We reserve the right to lock threads about controversial public figures whose views we may not want to signal boost or provide a platform for.

Pick a Good Title

The first part of your thread that anyone will see is the title. Your top priority should be to clearly convey the point and the 'hook' of your thread. Grammar and punctuation are appreciated. Do not use all caps or emojis in titles. Do not post clickbait -- these are titles designed to draw attention by deliberately withholding or misrepresenting relevant information. If you are citing a source, you may want to mention the source in the title. 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

It can often be difficult to navigate and keep up with a thread, especially if it is lengthy or moving quickly. Threadmarks empower thread creators with the ability to curate their own threads by selecting posts to add to an index that appears at the top of the thread. Only the thread creator or a staff member can add or remove threadmarks. A responsible thread creator should threadmark important updates and any other posts (funny, insightful, informative, etc) that should not be missed. The option to threadmark a post will appear at the bottom left of the post. A special type of threadmark called 'Staff Posts' can only be used by staff and is reserved for official communications.

Handling External Content

Please do not create threads that include magazine scans or illegal links to copyrighted material. If you create a thread based on an article, please do not copy and paste the entire article -- use excerpts instead and link to the full text. If you create a thread based on a video that is heavy on content (not merely a trailer or the like) please include a written summary of the video and/or an explanation of why people should watch it. Make sure that external content is credited and not misrepresented.

Official Threads

Official Threads (OTs) are some of the most important threads on the site, as they serve as the main hub for discussion about a given subject. Many of them spawn entire communities and find a permanent home in the Hangouts. Anyone can make an OT, but you should first check the OT Index to make sure that it has not already been claimed, and sign up to claim it yourself if it is more than three days in advance. Please wait until 72 hours in advance before posting an OT for a new release or event.

Members have created incredible and elaborate OTs over the years but everyone started somewhere, and you should not feel pressured to do anything except try your best. You have full artistic freedom over your OT, but we recommend that you include some basic information about the subject (see below) and that any images you use be 800px in width, as those dimensions work well across desktop and mobile. The format for an OT thread title is usually <subject name> |OT| <clever subtitle>.

You should not post an OT for a game more than 72 hours before launch. A strong gaming OT should contain at least the following:

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

New OTs may generally be posted to and remain in their respective Gaming or EtcetEra Forum sections for one month before being moved to the Hangouts.

Announcement Threads

Whenever there is a new and exciting announcement there tends to be a rush to be the first to make the thread. Keep in mind that when evaluating which thread should prevail, moderators will usually select the one with the most accurate and complete information. It is better to be correct than to be first. Make sure that you include as much and as precise information as possible. If nothing is immediately available you can create the thread and add information later, but by doing this you are making a commitment to keep the thread updated. Duplicate threads will be locked or merged.

Review Threads

These should not be created until the first reviews have been published. Given how quickly narratives can form and change around review scores and their averages, review threads require diligent maintenance. The original post should be updated as more information comes in. Do not create a review thread with only the first few reviews and then disappear. If you cannot take on this responsibility, please refrain from making the thread and leave it to someone else. Review threads should include an excerpt of the review, the score (if available), and a link to the source. The Metacritic and/or Opencritic averages are welcome and should also be updated. Video reviews should be incorporated into larger review threads and not given their own threads. Videos that are not official reviews (such as analyses, general impressions, or joke reviews) can be posted in separate threads.

LTTP/RTTP Threads

LTTP stands for 'Late to the Party' and refers to threads members create when they are catching up on an entertainment product whose release window and original discussion they have completely missed. RTTP stands for 'Return to the Party' and is used when members want to revisit discussion around an old product. These threads are welcome, but please do not create them for something that came out only one or two months ago; in that case use the original OT instead.

Event Threads

Event threads should be posted on the day that the event starts. Please include schedules, stream links, and basic information about the event and why it should be of interest.

Hangout Threads

When a thread has been moved to the Hangouts it will usually have built up a community of regulars. These threads can sometimes develop a culture of their own; for this reason we allow members in those threads a little more leeway in regards to banter and similar behavior with each other. Please be aware however that the rules of the forum still apply and that every thread must be welcoming to newcomers. Do not use community threads to snipe at staff or other members.

Do Not Create: List Threads

A list thread is a thread that encourages replies that largely or completely take the form of lists. For example: Asking members to rank their favorite characters in media. These threads tend not to generate much, if any, actual discussion or member interaction. Voting threads (threads that solicit ballot-style replies) will usually fall under this category as well, unless a lot of effort is put into them. If you wish to create a voting thread, please contact an Administrator to seek approval beforehand.

Do Not Create: Hype Threads Without Substance

If you want to discuss an event or product ahead of its release, any thread about it should have some central news, substance, or premise that can anchor the discussion. Threads created without any such content, solely for members to talk about how excited they are, may be subject to a lock. If there are too many active threads about one event or product, hype threads will typically be the first to go.

Do Not Create: Personal Fundraising Threads

As heartbreaking as these stories can often be, we do not allow threads for personal fundraising campaigns. If we allowed every member with a worthy cause to ask for money here, there would be so many threads that it would become unmanageable. We would not be able to take responsibility for every case, nor could we guarantee that members would not be scammed. By being consistent, we are also being fair to those we've turned down already.

Do Not Create: Shock Threads

These are threads about news or content that is just disgusting and/or shocking, with little potential for discussion other than outrage. Nobody gains anything from these threads and you should not make them.

Do Not Create: Response or Parody Threads

A response thread is a thread created to 'respond' or react to a discussion that is already ongoing in an existing thread. This happens when a member wants to shout over posters in the other thread, or because they believe that their opinion is more important than the other replies. A parody thread is a thread created to parody another thread, either for mockery or as a joke. Please do not do any of this.

 

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Site Policies

A collection of policies that have been created to address specific issues or concerns. These policies apply to the entire site.

Hate Speech and Groups

We do not allow behavior or rhetoric that attacks or discriminates against users based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or disability. We also do not tolerate 'slut shaming' including the demeaning of sex workers. This policy extends to support of hate movements, online or offline, that are dedicated to the promotion of the above. We ask that you not use slang or terminology coined by or associated with hate movements.

Dismissive and Disruptive Behavior

Low effort, inflammatory, or insensitive drive by posting is always unacceptable. However, it is especially inappropriate in serious and sensitive discussions. Threads involving race, gender identity, sexuality, sexual assault or harassment, sexualization of minors, or any marginalized minority groups should be approached with sensitivity. Dismissive or disruptive behavior in these threads will be usually be met with a ban. The following are examples of such behavior:

• Dismissing the importance of issues that concern women or minorities and/or denying the experiences of users affected by these issues.
• Lamenting or mocking the sensitivity or "outrage" of others in reference to legitimate concerns, or claiming that members are pretending to be offended.
• Condescendingly talking down to people who are affected by sensitive issues.
• Trying to derail the discussion such that it is no longer about the group of people that are affected by the issue.
• Attempting to shut down the discussion altogether.
• Framing support or defense of abhorrent views as questions in order to make them seem acceptable, and/or as a means of shifting the burden of proof on to others.

Please note that dismissing, downplaying, or making light of sexual assault allegations will lead to a lengthy ban.

Inflammatory Generalizations

Context and intent will matter here, but take care to avoid making inflammatory generalizations that are likely to cause offense. This includes generalizations regarding gender, race, sexuality, nationality, and ethnicity. It can also apply to inflammatory accusations made against large groups or communities of people. Always try to make nuanced points rather than broad and sweeping statements.

Inflammatory Defense/Support

Defending heinous behaviors (especially those related to bigotry) or supporting individual public figures who are guilty of the same can constitute inflammatory posting, even if the tone of your post is otherwise mild. Note that members found trying to abuse this policy to bait others into bans will instead be moderated themselves. This policy is intended to guard against provocation, not encourage interrogation.

Inflammatory Comparisons

Inflammatory points of comparison and false equivalences can needlessly escalate or derail an argument. You should not, for example, equate bigotry with intolerance of bigotry. It is usually best to avoid extreme comparisons in general, such as those involving loss of human life or serious issues like human rights. If you must make such a comparison, please make sure that you're doing so for a very good reason.

Body Shaming

Health and economic concerns regarding obesity are legitimate topics of discussion. Not all comments at the expense of obesity will be moderated. However, members should not go out of their way to be cruel or dehumanize a person solely because of their physical appearance. If it is determined that such behavior had no other motivation or basis besides looks, a ban will be issued. Inflammatory generalizations on this subject are not welcome.

Personal Attacks and Vitriol

On this site our members include video game enthusiasts, industry professionals, and members of the press. All members deserve certain courtesies. Do not engage in personal attacks or insults against other users. It is perfectly fine to challenge a poster in a civil and constructive manner, but ad hominem should be avoided and can get you banned depending on the situation.

This policy extends to game developers as well. While it may be frustrating that a game did not meet your expectations, it is not constructive to attack developers in personal terms or claim that they are lazy. This kind of vitriol is not only disrespectful but has a negative effect on discussion.

When it comes to journalists covering the video game industry, critique of their work is welcome and often important. However, personal attacks and unsupported accusations or conspiracy theories do not generate good discussion. Please also avoid dismissing or vilifying entire outlets for petty reasons.

NSFW Content

Many of our members browse from work or school, in settings where the wrong image on screen can have potentially serious consequences. As a result, content that is 'Not Safe For Work' is not allowed on this site. Do not post any material that would be too explicit to be aired on network television. Material that excessively highlights or focuses on sexual or secondary sexual characteristics should also be avoided. Try to be tasteful and considerate if the option exists.

You are encouraged to make use of spoiler tags or off-site links to hide images or other material that you believe may be borderline. These spoiler tags should be clearly marked as 'NSFW' so that other users know what to expect. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the staff beforehand.

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

Child Welfare

Do not attempt to rationalize violence against children, disciplinary or otherwise. Advocating for or defending any kind of child abuse is not tolerated. Your own upbringing is not relevant to this policy. Attempting to dismiss or condone the sexualization of minors, fictional or otherwise, will lead to a lengthy ban. We do not tolerate any pedantry (such as nitpicking over definitions) on this topic.

Prohibited Games

As a general measuring stick, if a game is not appropriate for broadcast on Twitch it is unlikely to be appropriate here. Games that Valve hides on Steam by default due to "adult only sexual content" are also explicitly prohibited. Do not discuss these games or create threads about them. Other games will only be considered for this list if the staff receives a direct complaint about their contents. After review, the following games have also been prohibited:

• Azur Lane
• Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library
• Gal Gun
• Gal Gun 2
• Hatred
• Huniepop
• KanColle
• Mary Skelter 2
• Monster Monpiece
• Negligee: Love Stories
• Omega Labyrinth Z
• Saya no Uta
• Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
• Shinobi Refle: Senran Kagura
• Super Seducer: How to Talk to Girls
• Super Seducer 2
• Tits N Tanks

Advocating Violence

We do not allow advocacy of violence, explicit or otherwise. This policy can encompass posts with a wide range of severity, depending on the context and contents of the post. The penalty for breaking this rule can therefore vary greatly, all the way up to a permanent ban. Advocating murder will always result in a permanent ban.

Obituary Threads

We generally do not welcome celebration or cheering the death of public figures. Members that appear to be using an obituary thread solely to post about how glad they are that person is dead may be moderated. This does not preclude sober criticism of a person's legacy or mistakes in life. We simply do not want to celebrate death. Context will matter, and some individuals have done things so heinous that rare exceptions may need to be made.

Israel and Palestine

Threads about the Israel/Palestine conflict are some of the most contentious and difficult to moderate. While we have tried being more hands off in the past, these threads have tended to escalate out of control when they are not tightly moderated. As a result, we now enforce four primary rules to keep these threads as civil as possible.

• Do not conflate civilians with their leadership: This means you should not conflate all Palestinians with Hamas or attempt to paint all Palestinians as terrorists. You should also not hold all Israelis responsible for the actions of their government.
• Do not condone violence or killing: This goes for both Hamas and the IDF, especially with regard to civilians.
• Do not deny the right of either Israel or Palestine to exist as independent states.
• Due to historical considerations, the term "Nazi" is not appropriate or acceptable when used in reference to Israel, Israelis, and Jews. This includes comparisons between the Israeli government/IDF and Nazi Germany. You are welcome to criticize Israel in all other ways, but that specific analogy is off-limits, period.

Copyrighted Material and Piracy

Encouraging piracy, admitting to piracy, threatening to commit piracy, and linking to piracy websites is strictly prohibited. This policy also applies to links to torrents, direct downloads, pirated reproduction cartridges, streams of pirated content, and unauthorized releases of any kind. More information on this policy and DMCA takedowns is available in our terms of service. Do not embed copyrighted material such as magazine scans. Copying and pasting entire articles or reports for redistribution is also prohibited.

Homebrew and Emulation

While software piracy is never acceptable, emulation is legal and discussions about it are welcome. As long as a hack can be used for legitimate homebrew and/or legal emulation it can be discussed here, and those discussions should not be derailed by piracy concerns. Do not enter a thread about homebrew or emulation and conflate the subject with piracy.

Offering Advice to Members

You will be held responsible for what you post, especially when you are offering advice for another member to follow. Advice that is illegal or harmful will result in a ban. Consider all the possible consequences if your advice were to actually be put into action. Do not misrepresent your qualifications. The more serious the subject, the more strictly this will be enforced.

No Self-Promotion or Spam

Do not create threads featuring links to products or services that you have a direct involvement in. Members are instead welcome and encouraged to post in already existing threads about a product or service that they are involved in (including links that are specifically relevant to the thread) so that they may engage with the community. If you are involved in a product or service that you are linking, please disclose that fact upfront.

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

We have zero tolerance for doxxing, which refers to publishing private information about individuals (address, place of work, private phone, etc) as a means of retribution or to encourage harassment. Doing this will likely result in a permanent ban. Encouraging others to do this will also result in a ban.

Offsite Drama

We have no interest in hosting discussions that fuel drama between our community and others. This sort of metacommentary tends to be petty and unproductive. Please do not derail threads with drama about other forums and websites, do not encourage comparisons or competition with other forums, and do not create threads about them either.

Members are highly discouraged from pursuing other members off the site, and staff will generally not adjudicate disputes that happen offsite. Do not post offsite material that you suspect to be from other members, whether from social media or elsewhere, in order to attack or embarrass them. If you believe such material is of serious concern, bring it to the attention of the staff through the appropriate channels described below.

Offsite Activity

We do not monitor offsite activity and will not usually action an account for solely offsite behavior. However, there are some circumstances where a member's actions offsite can lead to consequences here. This will only happen if the accuracy of the evidence, and the member's involvement, are verified to our satisfaction.

If we are made aware of offsite material that directly sheds light on an infraction or malicious activity on this site, that context will be taken into consideration. In extremely rare cases, information is uncovered that makes a member's presence itself disruptive or potentially harmful to others -- this can result in account closure.

If you wish to provide information to staff that you believe is relevant to this policy, you must submit it directly so that its authenticity can be verified and appropriate action taken. You can do this via the Contact Us form, by reporting the member in question, or by sending a private message to an Administrator. Do not post the material on the forum.

 

[Cerium]

Miscellaneous

Various and sundry.

Avatars and Profile Covers

Members are able to select both an avatar (uploaded under account details) and a Cover Image for their profile (uploaded directly on their profile page). These images must be compliant with our ToS and NSFW policies. Do not use images with inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate content. Inappropriate avatars and covers will be removed by the staff, and in extreme circumstances bans may be issued. For best visual results, avatars should be at least 400x400 and Cover Images should be at least 600x1000 in dimension. If you need help getting an image customized, the folks in the Avatar Request thread may be willing to assist.

Member Tags

While browsing the forum you may notice that some users have tags below their usernames. Although uncommon, tags are awarded by staff to users for a variety of reasons. They will most often be offered to commemorate memorable moments in the site's history. In some cases, tags are awarded as prizes in contests. Tags are never applied with the intent to shame. Members are always contacted about any tag they are given, and they can request its removal at any time. The staff also reserves the right to remove a tag for any reason.

Members with verified accounts will have a tag below their name which describes their role in the industry. These tags can be as vague or as specific as they want. Outside of the verification program, we do not grant tags to members by request.

Changing Your Username

Name change requests are submitted directly through your account page. Simply navigate to account details where you will find a button marked 'change' next to your current username. Members are allowed up to two lifetime username changes. Beyond that, urgent name change requests must be made through the Contact Us form found at the bottom of the site. A more detailed guide is available here.

Hide Tags

This bbcode tag allows posters to restrict information to thread participants only. Any text within the tags will be automatically revealed to members who have posted at least one message in the thread. Everyone else will instead see a notice that says "You need to reply to this in order to see this content."

An example and syntax are available below.

[hide][/hide]

You need to reply to this thread in order to see this content.

This feature is most commonly used to conceal matchmaking information, Discord invites, or giveaway codes. While members often find it useful to filter out guests and lurkers, greater caution is always advised when sharing truly sensitive or personal information.

Please do not misuse this feature to create troll threads or to troll other users. Hide tags should contain meaningful content and not be used for a bait and switch. Misuse may be met with moderation.

Reporting Bugs and Technical Issues

Your feedback is important; unless we experience a technical issue ourselves, the only way we will know about it is if members report it. Towards that end, you should look for the latest tech update thread in the Announcements section. Our team will periodically check this thread for bugs to investigate or new features to consider for future development. Note that our tech staff and moderation team are separate and that sending bug reports to the latter will not help. Please be polite and patient when you report a problem.

Reporting Bad Advertisements

Advertisements help fund the site and pay for our expenses. Without them, we would not be able to remain online. However, it is important to us that our ads do not unduly obstruct your browsing experience. If you encounter pop-ups, redirects, or other intrusive advertising, there should be a blue 'Report Ad' link right under them which can be used to directly alert our partners.

If the problems persist or seem to be part of a bad outbreak, please let us know in the Ad Reporting thread. Any details you provide will be very helpful in tracking down the source. An ideal report will include the ad link, screenshots, which country or region you are browsing from, and whether you are on desktop or mobile. Please note that the ad agency we are partnered with regularly monitors that thread even though they do not post in it.

Requesting a Ban or an Account Deletion

We do generally grant requests for bans or account deletions. If you request a ban and your account is in good standing, you will be able to email us at any time if you wish to return. If your account has a history of infractions, we do not guarantee that you will be allowed to change your mind. You can request bans of any length, all the way up to permanent.

Account deletions are always permanent and cannot be reversed without difficulty. For this reason we do not recommend deletions. Please let us know if you are making your request due to a privacy concern; we may be able to provide additional assistance.

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

Recruiting Members as Research Participants

We do allow members to post threads recruiting other members for research projects. However, every project must be individually approved by the staff, and certain criteria must be met to receive approval. Research projects can include on and off-site surveys, written/audio/video interviews, and focus groups.

Conditions

• The research project must involve video games.
• The research project must not be associated with a for-profit company.
• The researcher must have approval or be officially exempt by their college or university's Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethics board for human subject research.
• The researcher must provide staff with copies of relevant consent forms, research protocols (surveys, interview questions, etc.), and documentation of IRB approval or exemption.
• The researcher will collect minimal personally identifiable data such as email, full name, date of birth, etc.

Members must include the following disclaimer in the first post of a research thread: This thread has been posted with the approval of site staff. Research participants should note that ResetEra is not able to verify or enforce payment of participation incentives such as gift cards, free games, or other monetary compensation.

For more information or to submit a research project for approval, please open a ticket.