Site Rules & Guidelines

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Accounts and Usernames
Posting Guidelines
Private Message (PM) Rules and Guidelines
Signatures
Avatars
Picture Guidelines
Creator Guidelines

[HugeLunatic]

accounts
1. One account per person: You may have one and only one account. If you are found to have more than one account, you may be subject to an instant ban of all accounts as well as an IP ban.

2. No shared accounts: Please register your own account, and do not share your account with friends/siblings/etc. - you are responsible for everything posted under your account, and "My brother did it!" will not allow you to get away with anything. Accounts are free and easy to create.

3. Keep it clean: No vulgar or adult oriented nicks are allowed.

4. Site staff reserve the right to edit usernames which maybe misleading

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[HugeLunatic]

postingguidelines
Primary Guidelines

These are the really important ones, which, if broken, can result in instant and permanent bans (depending on the severity of the action). If you ever see any of these primary guidelines being broken, please report it to us immediately.

1. Obey staff at all times: If a moderator or administrator tells you something, then do it, whatever it may be. We do not try to be mean or heavy-handed here (just the opposite) but staff does have complete discretion to enforce the rules as written, and things that may come up beyond the rules.

2. No jackassery: This should go without saying but... You may not use this forum to post threats, insults, personal information, libel, slander, or drama-generating idiocy about anyone - other members or staff.

3. No warez! At all, EVER! This means NO discussion of:

No-CD Cracks - Even if you own the original game, no-cd cracks are notorious for viruses and causing game problems. Because that, and their association with piracy, we do not support any discussion of using no-cd cracks here. Don't ask for them, don't provide help if someone asks, don't talk about them. Calling your crack an "Ultimate Fix" does not exempt you from this rule, we weren't born yesterday.
Warez/Software Piracy - Anything relating to the downloading of cracks, serial numbers, full programs, etc., that is not in accordance with the EULA/policies/licensing of the original creator/company will not be allowed here.
Illegal Music/Movies Downloads - MP3s you got because you bought through a legitimate service that does a pay-per-download/per-album basis are fine. Talking about that great torrent or whatever you found of something that it's darn obvious you didn't pay for and got illegally is not. If you think there's a grey area in what you say you better make darn sure to state it clearly so it's obvious you aren't doing anything wrong.
Condoning Theft of Intellectual Property - Theft of IP is a broader term and includes, but is not limited to, the use of someone else's work, in part or in whole, and presenting it as your own. If you do use small part of someone's work product in a post ensure that it is properly referenced (link if available) and credit given.
Obtaining Preorder Bonus Gifts (by any other method than preordering them) - We're very sorry if you weren't able to preorder to get these items, but trading them is not allowed by EA/Maxis so it is not allowed here. Do not post links to sites with these items, info on how to obtain them if someone did not preorder, or anything like that.
Pirated Sims 2/Sims 3 Store Content - EA is legally allowed to sell its own content through the Store, and it is a violation of international copyright and intellectual property laws to redistribute it in any way. We do not discuss or condone pirating Store content here.

Consider it fair warning not to test the boundaries or intent of these rules... even in jest. Please note that we do -not- have rules against linking to the Booty or similar; the grey area of redistributing pay user-created content is not really our business, though we do encourage users to use only completely free content.

4. Allow staff to handle issues: Use the "report post" feature if you see something you don't think should be on the site, whether that be content you believe is stolen, an argument that has progressed to namecalling and flaming, etc.... Do not post about it (if you post nasty stuff, you may find yourself in trouble!) - just report it, and we will handle it. But please don't abuse the reporting feature, either - it should only be used for things that need to come to immediate staff attention.

5. This is an Adult Forum! Pictures that show sexual nudity (that is, female nipples, or genitals of either gender) are allowed. Do not post pornographic pictures or videos. This might be an 18+ site, but it is not classless.

6. No spam. No advertising your site/myspace page/whatever anywhere on the site except in your own signature, profile, or journal. Don't post the same comment over and over to different threads. Spambots (cheap shoes/electronics/etc.) are instantly and permanently banned.


General Guidelines

These guidelines, while still important, generally do not warrant immediate staff attention: we will deal with it as we see it, but unless it is disruptive and ongoing, likely does not require a report.


7. Stay on topic: Don't drag threads off topic with things that don't relate to the original subject at hand. If you're looking for a particular item you see mentioned or pictured, use the Where Can I Find forum. If you have a question about someone's avatar or want to know where the quote in their signature is from, PM them. If a related but different topic is brought up in a thread but continuing it is not on the topic of the original thread, start a new one.

8. Type Intelligently: Please don't post in ALL CAPS LOCK or Like A Headline, l33tsp34k, lik u tink ur on ur cel fones txt msging, lIkE yOu tHinK tHiS lOokS cOoL, wildly abusing smileys, or with excessive punctuation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9. Post in English: While we understand that many users are not native English speakers and may not have perfect English skills, we do require that you at least try to post in English (we will be patient with you if you're a little hard to understand, don't worry!). If you post something in a different language then a translation alongside it is required.

10. Profanity: While profanity is not censored and is allowed on these forums, you are expected to use it sparingly, and not in an insulting or intentionally offensive manner. If you can substitute another word that isn't profanity, do so. Excessive use of profanity may be edited - intentionally offensive use of profanity may be warned.

11. No Double Posting: Use the edit button - if someone has not replied since you and you have something to add or change in your original post after you've hit reply, use edit.

12. Do Not Bump Threads/No Threadcromancy: Do not post to an old thread just to bump it up to the top of the forum if you have nothing new to add, or to get it more visible (especially if it's your thread!) Don't resurrect old threads unless your comments are relevant and would be seen as a important addition to a thread. Continuing on a conversation dropped months ago is not a good idea - check dates.

13. Multi-Posting: Do not post the same thread in more than one forum - choose the most appropriate forum for your topic and post it once only. In addition, creating a thread in one forum for the sole purpose of advertising a thread in another forum is not permitted.

14. Duplicate Posting: Do not start a new thread in a forum if an existing active thread already exists on the topic. Post to the existing one and only start a new thread if the subject matter differs from the original thread. The exception to this is in the help forums, where it is preferrable to keep one user's issues separate from another even if they appear similar.

15. Quoting People: Please try to use the quote tag sparingly - the use of it to pick apart someone's argument line by line not only is horrible to read in a thread, but it's just not classy and is usually only used to ridicule or degrade the original poster. Use of bold or italic can be used instead, and remember you can say "where you said suchandsuch, I think..." without directly quoting. Do not use it to bully or harass people or be rude in responding to their arguments. Do not use it to simply post "I agree," or suchlike. Remember, you don't need to quote the entirety of someone's long post - only the relevant parts. And if you're quoting something posted elsewhere (i.e. not in that thread) remember to provide a link, too.

16. No Blind Links: Do not post a thread and have the only content of the first post a link to a website with no explanation text. Tell people where they're going and why they should bother clicking.

17. No Requests: Please do not post threads with requests for content to be made for you, or post in threads (downloads, tutorials, or otherwise) with requests that things be made for you unless the creator has specifically stated that they don't mind requests in the thread.


Download Forum Guidelines

When posting replies or feedback on download threads, please keep the following in mind:

18. Comments should be about the download: And only about the actual download - no debates about the show/book/character, no spoilers, etc... If the download isn't your 'style' or 'interest' just move on and find one that is. The creator doesn't need to hear you don't like goth/medieval/modern/religion/whatever. If you're offended by the content of the download, move on. Furthermore, the download forum is not 'Where Can I Find'. Do not ask about other items in the screenies - PM the creator if you must ask, or use the Where Can I Find forums.

19. Constructive criticism only: - no flaming or "that sucks" or "I've seen better" type comments. If you can make an actual suggestion that would improve things in a polite and courteous way, you may. Keep it friendly.

20. Do not post 'this should be featured': Tell them something specific you like about the download, and click 'thanks'. Features are determined by the staff using this criteria (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=204570), and you cannot vote or request something be featured.

20. Thank the creator: Use the "thanks" button by hitting the 'Thanks' button on the left hand column. If you have something specific to say that doesn't just boil down to "thanks, this is great!" then use the "post thanks" button when posting your comment. Only use the "post feedback" button for questions or problems with a download.


And most importantly...

21. Read rule one again. It's the most important rule here.


If you don't like these rules, the way they're enforced, or how this forum is run...

Too bad. This is a privately owned and operated forum. You are welcome to be a member of this forum and enjoy its discussions freely as long as you follow the rules above and any instructions given to you by site staff. We want this to be a fun and enjoyable place, and the rules above are designed to make the forum as comfortable and nice a place possible for all of our users.

If you do not wish to follow the above rules, then please go elsewhere. There are thousands of other forums online, and you can even make your own on plenty of free forum sites if you want to run things differently.

Thank you, and enjoy your stay here at MTS. :)

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[HugeLunatic]

pm
1. No insulting, harassing, threatening, or intimidating other members. If you wouldn't say it to your grandmother, don't say it in PM.

2. No warez or file sharing. Do not ask other members to send you files, free software, keygens/license keys, or anything of that nature.

3. No spamming in PMs of any kind. This includes any sort of unsolicited links to your site, asking people to join your forum, recruiting creators for your site, linking to your dragon eggs, etc.

4. No requests. Unless a creator has specifically said in their signature, profile, or posts that they would like people to PM them with requests, then don't. This site is about learning to make your own content, not asking others to make it for you.

5. When to use the forums instead: If you have a technical question to ask of a modder, ask it as a general question in the proper creation forum. MTS2 is all about collaboration between members, and having your question asked and answered in a public place helps a lot more people and helps our community grow. Likewise, if you are having an issue or have a question about something you've downloaded from a particular creator, please post it in the thread where you got the item - other people may be able to help, and having it posted may make others aware of the issue.


Failure to follow the listed guidelines can result in the removal of your ability to PM or you may be banned.

If you receive a PM that violates the above guidelines, please forward the PM to an administrator or moderator.

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[HugeLunatic]

signatures
1. Signatures are limited to 5 lines or less, including blank spaces.

2. No signature images. You can't add one even if you wanted to.

3. Limit the use of bold and italics to a reasonable level. Also please limit URL links to a few words - don't use a whole sentence for a link when 2 words will do.

4. While you may advertise your site, you may not link to sites which are basically just spam or get you something out of it (pay-per-click, win a free iPod, dragon eggs, etc.)

5. Signatures can be removed for any reason at the discretion of site staff.

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[HugeLunatic]

avatars
1. Size Limit: For most users, avatars are limited to 90x90 pixels. For special users (staff and donators) your avatar can be up to 120x120 pixels.

2. 18+ but not Classless: Adult related avatars are okay to a degree. No penetration, No huge weenies hanging out, nothing on a XXX rated level. .

3. No rapidly flashing avatars: We do allow animated avatars, but avatars with rapidly flashing images are annoying and can be removed at staff discretion.

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[HugeLunatic]

pictureguidelines
In order to make threads quicker to load and easier to browse for everyone (fast and slow connections alike) we have the following guidelines set forth for posting pictures/images.

These rules are effective immediately as of this posting. All of the following apply to ALL forums on the site except where noted.

Inline Images:

Inline images are those that display in the text of your post, using the tag. These are different from attached images, which are uploaded using Manage Attachments.

Dimension Limit: Images may not be larger than 1280 pixels wide by 1024 pixels tall Any graphics editing program can resize an image.

File Types: Images should be posted in JPEG/JPG or GIF formats only. Please do not use PNG or BMP images as these are uncompressed and usually huge in file size. Any graphics editing program can save a JPEG - JPEG format is much preferred because it is usually the best in quality vs. file size.

File Size: Images should not be larger than 250 kbs. This should be plenty even at maximum image size at a decent level of compression. Most any graphics program can save JPEGs at multiple levels of compression to fit the 250 kb file size limit. Photoshop's Save For Web feature is especially useful for this as it makes for very small file sizes with great smooth compression - but even if you don't have Photoshop, the free program GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/) will compress JPEGs at different levels and show you the file size. To see an image's file size, right-click on the image on your computer or in a browser window and choose Properties.

Picture Limit Per Post: You may not post more than four (4) inline images per post. Please do not double post to get around this limit. [i]This limit (unlike the others) applies only to the Sim Pictures, Discussion and Downloads areas of the site - you may post more images elsewhere (so there is no image limit per post for stories, contests, etc.).

Multi-Posting Pictures: Please only post specific pictures once for things like the Sim Pictures and Drawings/Art threads. Posting the exact same picture in the "Most Beautiful Sims" and "Most Beautiful Females" is not allowed. Choose the most appropriate thread for your pictures and post them once. You may post -different- pictures of the same sim in separate threads, but please keep this to a reasonable level as any one sim could probably fit into 15 different threads there. ;)

Attached Images:

Attached images are those that you upload to your post using the Manage Attachments button. Attached images are generally only allowed in specific forums and thus will not work in all forums.

Dimension Limit: You are limited to an attached image size of 1280 pixels wide by 1024 pixels tall.

File Size: File size limit is 250 kilobytes. To see an image's file size, right-click on the image on your computer or in a browser window and choose Properties.

All Images:

No Nudity/Adult Content: While we are not prudes, this site is usable by ages 13 and up, and we don't want angry parents. Any nudity (that is, female nipples as well as genitals or butt cracks of either gender) must be obscured (blurred, covered, cropped out). It should go without saying, but do not post pornographic images here (obscured or not).

If you violate the guidelines:

If you post pics beyond these limits, your post may be edited to temporarily remove the pic - you can edit your post to fix it later. Please be kind and polite if a moderator informs you that your pics are not within the guidelines. - they're just doing their job and all you need to do is change it.

If you really want to post something bigger or a different format...

You can link to it instead, either by using the [ url ] tag around an [img] link (so your picture that does fit the limits can be clicked for the larger/different format version that doesn't) or by simply posting a link to the image as text. You can also always collage separate pictures together into one picture using an image editor.

How to post pictures?

For instructions on how to actually share your pictures here, see: How to post pictures? (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=330419)

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[HugeLunatic]

CreatorGuidelines
Before uploading and sharing your creations, please be aware that MTS has specific criteria and guidelines for quality of uploads. These guidelines ensure that the general overall quality of uploads found here surpasses that of other sites, and that the details and info on uploads is helpful and looks good.

MTS2:Creator_Guidelines

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