A clarification

[Guru Gloin]

Hey all,

So since "OMG OVERSEXUALIZATION" has become a meme now, Contra and I decided it was long past time to sit down and draw up a reminder about what is and isn't appropriate on RPguild. In other words, it's time for yet another visit from



Heeere we go...

1) SEX!
Now that I have your attention, I'd like to talk about sex. Admittedly, this is a roleplay site, and hey, half our members are teenagers. It's fairly safe to assume that sex is going to come up on the forum, be it innuendo, image, or situation. That said, we've always had a relaxed attitude about sex. None of the mods are prudes, and we try to let you get away with venting tension online most times. It's only when blatantly pornographic content rears it's head that we usually intervene; this can include both images AND written descriptions, so don't forget, we don't allow cybering. Remember the Contra rule: If you can't see it in Calvin Klein or Victoria's Secret, it's too much. There's no touching in lingerie mags, so don't try to pass off something depicting a sex act just because the naughty bits are covered.

Also, remember to know your audience. Some of the members on the forum are fairly young, and exposing them to graphic content is ILLEGAL, and can get the site shut down for everyone. In short, if you're worried about something you're about to post, maybe put it in a PM instead. Or better yet, just forget about it. Maybe have some ice cream...

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II) "Debates"
Yeah, you and I both heard those quotation marks right. Lets face it, we're all essentially anonymous here (not to mention roleplayers with a pension for the dramatic), we occasionally say things here that we'd never say to someone else's face, and most of our "debates" just end up boiling down into flame wars. It's natural to want to bring a different point of view to the table on a complicated and temperamental issue, but popping into a thread and dismissing someone's opinion as invalid or belittling the issues they want to discuss is just failtrolling, and we've all seen the examples.

Remember: "I don't believe in/agree with ___" is appropriate. "You're a whiny unrepentant bitch with lumpy gravy for brains for believing in/agreeing with ___" is not.

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III) Rants
Be it a bad breakup story leading to a sudden bout of misogyny, a decision to leave the forum, or just plain exasperation with another member, someone always thinks their long winded enumeration of how things should work is more apropos than any before them (Yes, I realize the irony of this statement, shut up.) In the end though, threads written for the sole purpose of showing how angry you are tend to be an open invitation to every troll and flamebaiter within earshot. Yes this is an anonymous forum, and if you write 5 pages about what a bitch Jenny is for not letting you sit at the cool girl's table at 2nd lunch, she'll probably never see it, but is it really worth the flak you'll amass as a result, or the schism you create in the community? Every flame war, no matter how inane either degrades or divides us in some way. It's not permanent by any stretch of the imagination, but it causes more tension than is due over an issue you probably won't give two shits about next week.

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Alright, I think that ought to be enough to go on for now. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. If you don't get an answer back right away, don't fret, I like to let my mail build up a bit before I answer it. (Or I have tentative internet access; one or the other.)

Yours sincerely, affectionately, earnestly, etc.
- Guru