Sim City 4 Devotion Site Rules

[jeronij]

MEMBERSHIP RULES

• All Sim City 4 players are welcome at Sim City 4 Devotion, and are invited to use all the site´s available features by registering as a member. However, membership is subject to the rules set forth here- rules that the site staff is very serious about enforcing. Please read these rules carefully and follow them at all times so as to remain a member in good standing. Thank you in advance for doing so.
  
  
• Use correct and not slang language when you post to this site.  While "chat" terms are not barred outright, please stick to the more common ones, such as "btw" (by the way) and "IMHO" (in my humble opinion), and only use them occasionally.
  
  
• Be helpful while posting. Better not to give an answer at all than to provide an unhelpful or misleading one.
  
  
• Please, be critical but positive and add your suggestions to improve whatever you are criticizing. If something is not good we have to improve it.
  
  
• Use but do not abuse the site´s resources. This is a free site completely supported by jeronij and the donations of a few generous members. The site´s monetary resources are always limited and we must all work together to make the best use of them.
  
  
• You can post any dimension image and video files. However the files must be hosted off site. Direct file upload to this site is severely restricted. Also a maximum width of 1024 pixels is highly recommended ( but not mandatory) to keep a balanced monitor view in most of the members' computers.
  
  
• An exception to the previous rule concerns images in signatures ("sigs").  We require, for several reasons, that you use only one image, that this image is limited to 300 pixels wide by 50 pixels high, and the size must not be bigger that 100K ( one page with 20*100K signatures = 2 MB ¡¡¡).
  
  
  
  
  First and foremost, we host your sig image here at SC4D.  Because many members have 10s, and sometimes 100s of posts in the forums, it creates in toto a tremendous and completely unnecessary drain on SC4D's bandwidth.  Once again, which would you rather have- as much great content as possible, or a six inch tall sig?  The answer is obvious. Second, the use by many members of large sigs serves to create a "bazaar" effect in forum threads, detracting from the comments and images that are the threads purpose in the first place.  Think of a road through a scenic area lined by a multitude of billboards- you get the point.  Finally, our server has been known to do strange things to big sig images...
  
  
  
  
  Please note the use of the past tense.  Thanks for your cooperation.
  
  
• SC4D does not allow inappropriate member conduct on the forums. This includes, but is not limited to: posting spam, posting hostile comments, "flaming" of any sort, posting simply to increase post count, and so on. So, expect in advance that such content will be noticed quickly and then dealt with severely.  Any member who is found to have created a "sock puppet" (i.e.: a second or otherwise multiple user that is actually the same member under another nic) for any purpose will have membership immediately and permanently terminated, and will lose privileges on the LEX.
  
  
• One final word for those who would discuss here in the forums the goings-on at other SC4 fansites: DON'T.  Other than the fact that this, too, is a waste of time and bandwidth, it is completely contrary to the community spirit we expect SC4D members to show.

The above listed rules are mandatory. Breaking any of them may result in permanent banning without prior warning.

• Custom content uploading will only be available for the downloads section. In an effort to keep the site's content quality, once the final exchange is up and running, only outstanding creators will be invited to have their work on the exchange.

GENERAL SITE RULES

• You agree, through your use of this forum, that you will not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, adult material, or otherwise in violation of any International, European Union or Kingdom of Spain laws. You also agree not to post any copyrighted material unless you own the copyright or you have written consent from the owner of the copyrighted material. Spam, flooding, advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and solicitations are also forbidden on this forum.
  
  
• Note that it is impossible for the staff or the owners of this forum to confirm the validity of posts. Please remember that we do not actively monitor the posted messages, and as such, are not responsible for the content contained within. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented. The posted messages express the views of the author, and not necessarily the views of this forum, its staff, its subsidiaries, or this forum's owner. Anyone who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to notify an administrator or moderator of this forum immediately. The staff and the owner of this forum reserve the right to remove objectionable content, within a reasonable time frame, if they determine that removal is necessary. This is a manual process, however, please realize that they may not be able to remove or edit particular messages immediately. This policy applies to member profile information as well.
  
  
• You remain solely responsible for the content of your posted messages. Furthermore, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the owners of this forum, any related websites to this forum, its staff, and its subsidiaries. The owners of this forum also reserve the right to reveal your identity (or any other related information collected on this service) in the event of a formal complaint or legal action arising from any situation caused by your use of this forum.
  
  
• You have the ability, as you register, to choose your username. We advise that you keep the name appropriate. With this user account you are about to register, you agree to never give your password out to another person except an administrator, for your protection and for validity reasons. You also agree to NEVER use another person's account for any reason.  We also HIGHLY recommend you use a complex and unique password for your account, to prevent account theft.
  
  
• After you register and login to this forum, you will be able to fill out a detailed profile. It is your responsibility to present clean and accurate information. Any information the forum owner or staff determines to be inaccurate or vulgar in nature will be removed, with or without prior notice. Appropriate sanctions may be applicable.
  
  
• Please note that with each post, your IP address is recorded, in the event that you need to be banned from this forum or your ISP contacted. This will only happen in the event of a major violation of this agreement.
  
  
• Also note that the software places a cookie, a text file containing bits of information (such as your username and password), in your browser's cache. This is ONLY used to keep you logged in/out. The software does not collect or send any other form of information to your computer.
  
  
• In cyberspace generally SC4D is, by and large, a self-policing community of members.  The staff cannot enforce these rules at some other fansite, or indeed anywhere away from SC4D itself.  Please do not expect, then, to the extent you would have a complaint about another member's conduct offsite, that any action will be taken- we are a fans of a computer game and not the cyberpolice.  One exception to this, however, is if a member is found to be offsite stating untruthful or defamatory things about SC4D or its administration- if you have a complaint about or some other issue with us, please give SC4D the courtesy of bringing that to our attention here in the form of a PM to any admistrator or moderator.  If a member is found to be offsite making statements that, in our view, are not constructive as regards SC4D or otherwise reflect inappropriate discredit, our assumption will be that the member no longer values the benefits of SC4D membership and he or she will almost certainly have membership terminated or, at the very least, suspended for an extended period, to include privileges on the LEX.

ADDITIONAL P/R RULE Added 07/02/2007  -jeronij-

As we get well underway in making SC4 Devotion the premier place to be on the world wide web for the Sim City 4 enthusiast, we are learning a great many things.  While it was always well understood that the world of SC4 hobbyists was broad and diverse, we had no idea that, within the first three months of the site, we would attract over 700 members from 50 countries.  That such a diverse group can come together in one place is a real tribute to the universal appeal of this great game.

We recognize, however, that even though we are all members of this common-interest community at SC4D, we each remain a member of the RL community “back home” wherever we come from.  As such, each one of us has a unique national, ethnic and sometimes religious background and heritage.  Without exception, each and every one of us is rightfully proud of where we are from and who we are.  Most of the time, the fact that we are all different is simply one more fascinating aspect of our shared experience here.  Nobody can be blind, though, to the very real conflicts and tensions that exist in our everyday lives and in the world generally.

We have asked that, when you come and participate in SC4D as a member, you come with one purpose- to show your devotion to Sim City 4.  There has been a real effort by us not to impose too many rules that affect your participation.  By and large, we ask you to do the same things that the RL society in which you live expects of you- to be mature and honest, to respect your friends and neighbors, and to exercise a degree of common-sense as to your use of the available resources.  We need you to be clear, though, that, above all, our expectation is that you will come to SC4D to be involved in activities and endeavors related to SC4.  This is not a chat site-there are plenty of those.  It is not MySpace or YouTube- it is in fact not about you at all.  It is about our shared passion for this great game.

The inclusion of an ever-growing amount of custom content in the game means that your region can reflect a location almost anywhere in the world, from the icy steppes of Asia to the palm-fringed beaches of Micronesia.  Your region can be governed by proletarian socialists, by agrarian utopians, or, for that matter, by the Borg.  There are churches and synagogues and mosques you can choose to place in those regions as well , or not, as you would please.  But that is where we are drawing the line.  Two subjects that we would ask you not to bring to SC4D outside of what you would have incorporated into your region are your views on national politics and religion.  Your opinions and feelings as to these matters, so interesting in RL, are things that are generally very close to the heart.  That said, they are entirely irrelevant to your participation in this community and, as such, simply use bandwidth that we could use to bring you content on the LEX or in the forums.  They can also in some cases be insensitive or even hurtful to other members who might believe or feel differently.

The bottom line, to make it completely clear, is that it is not appropriate and will not be allowed for you to use forum comments or your sig to discuss or otherwise address national political or religious positions or views.  Observe this rule, if for no other reason, out of respect for the feelings and sensibilities of your fellow members.  And remember, we are not trying to discourage or suppress you from doing these things- far from it.  We are simply requiring that you would do them in another more suitable place outside of SC4D.  Your respect for this request is very much appreciated.

[freedo50]

Hey thats a useful bunch of rules there jero, and sensible too. I have a suggestion, if anyone is applying to be able to upload stuff to the downloads section in the "Candidacies" forum, i think we should make it a rule that tthe author's name and the current status of the application are in the title. The Author name should be done by the topic starter, the status could be done by a mod when the request is read for the first time.
Just a suggestion 

[dedgren]

There's been an update to the site rules, and it's requested that every member would take a minute to read the additional information jeroni has posted there.

As always, if you'd have any questions, you know where to find us...

...at SC4D, of course.

[dedgren]

A new member, LordTarren, pointed out in another thread that our mandatory site rules did not actually include a "no posting about other fansites" rule.  That has now been corrected with the addition of the following:

• One word for those who would discuss here in the forums the goings-on at other SC4 fansites: DON'T.  Other than the fact that this, too, is a waste of time and bandwidth, it is completely contrary to the community spirit we expect SC4D members to show.

Thanks in advance for your compliance with this important rule, and we appreciate your understanding as to its necessity.


David

[dedgren]

We've added what we thought...

...silly us...

...was a well-understood and widely observed unwritten rule of forum etiquette.  It concerns the size of images used in sigs.  The old rule, which concerns image size generally remains in effect and appears below in black.  The addition is in blue.

• You can post any dimension image and video files. However the files must be hosted off site. Direct file upload to this site is severely restricted. Also a maximum width of 1024 pixels is highly recommended ( but not mandatory) to keep a balanced monitor view in most of the members' computers.
• An exception to the previous rule concerns images in signatures ("sigs").  We require, for several reasons, that these images are limited to 300 pixels wide by 50 pixels high, like so.
  
  
  
  
  First and foremost, we host your sig image here at SC4D.  Because many members have 10s, and sometimes 100s of posts in the forums, it creates in toto a tremendous and completely unnecessary drain on SC4D's bandwidth.  Once again, which would you rather have- as much great content as possible, or a six inch tall sig?  The answer is obvious. Second, the use by many members of large sigs serves to create a "bazaar" effect in forum threads, detracting from the comments and images that are the thread's purpose in the first place.  Think of a road through a scenic area lined by a multitude of billboards- you get the point.  Finally, our server has been known to do strange things to big sig images...
  
  
  
  
  Please note the use of the past tense.  Thanks for your cooperation.

[dedgren]

Here's a bit of commentary to the following rule, as the question seems to come up frequently.

• One final word for those who would discuss here in the forums the goings-on at other SC4 fansites: DON'T.  Other than the fact that this, too, is a waste of time and bandwidth, it is completely contrary to the community spirit we expect SC4D members to show.

We have no objection to neutral references to ST or to, for that matter, any other fansite.  Mentioning that you came here from there, know folks from there or vice versa or both, that you have a CJ or some other content there, you know- things along that line- are absolutely fine.  Folks here link to things over at ST and elsewhere in their posts and sigs all the time.  That's fine.  References voicing general approval, like "The STEX is a great place to look for..." or "There's good tutorials on ... over at ST"- that's fine, too.  Just don't bring ST or Urbs Urbis or SimCities.com's business over here, and certainly don't diss or malign anything or anyone at any of those places.  Clear?


The Staff

[dedgren]

Based on a few instances of member conduct that indicate to us that there might be some confusion over what happens when a staff member (administrator or moderator) edits an offending forum post, we are tweaking the rules a bit to make things perfectly clear.

Here's how the rule currently reads:

• SC4D does not allow inappropriate member conduct on the forums. This includes, but is not limited to: posting spam, posting hostile comments, "flaming" of any sort, posting simply to increase post count, and so on. So, expect in advance that such content will be noticed quickly and then dealt with severely.  Any member who is found to have created a "sock puppet" (i.e.: a second or otherwise multiple user that is actually the same member under another nic) for any purpose will have membership immediately and permanently terminated, and will lose privileges on the LEX.

Here's what it is from today forward, with the additions and changes in blue:

• SC4D does not allow inappropriate member conduct on the forums. This includes, but is not limited to: posting spam, posting hostile or "in-your-face" comments, "flaming" of any sort, posting simply to increase post count, and so on. So, expect in advance that such content will be noticed quickly and then dealt with severely.  If a staff member adds a written edit to a member's comment, usually in the form of an admonition or correction, the member who posted the comment in the first place may not remove or change the edit unless express permission is granted, and otherwise doing so will lead to serious consequences.  Any member who is found to have created a "sock puppet" (i.e.: a second or otherwise multiple user that is actually the same member under another nic) for any purpose will have membership immediately and permanently terminated, and will lose privileges on the LEX.

Another issue that has been raised is that of the use of uncouth language (i.e.: "cr-p," "d-mn" and the like) in comments or in sigs.  We remain among the vast number of folks who find really unfortunate the growing acceptance of the inclusion of mild cursing in otherwise polite social discourse and wince every time we see an instance of that here.  For the record, the rule is

• You agree, through your use of this forum, that you will not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, adult material, or otherwise in violation of any International, European Union or Kingdom of Spain laws.

While we may not come down each time like a ton of bricks on a given member who includes a rude word in a particular comment, please note that we do pay attention to this sort of thing.  Sooner or later (and probably sooner), we'll draw a line, and while we may do it with regret, we will deal with the offender.  Please don't put yourself in this situation.  We have better things to do than being on "politeness patrol" and, in any event, aren't you really a better person than that anyway?


The Staff