I should add this to my post. At every site I've staffed at, there was always someone made a huge stream of assumptions (though I imagine that's a little different to your point). Sometimes, they would even leave the site because they assumed certain things rather than ask about them. For example "I'm uncomfortable because I don't know if my char can even swear since the chat is censored so I'm leaving." I've gotten that so many times. So, it's like 1.) our site says "rated teen/older teen/etc," and specify that swearing ICly is allowed in the rules. 2.) There are a handful of chars who already swear and you would know that if you just read around. XD So, yeah, this definiely ^ when people don't ask questions. Other times there will be people who refuse to ask questions and then have a heep load of errors in their apps and get angry and frustrated because they don't understand. Just ask, guys, it's good for both you and the staff members.~


I involuntarily made a "rule" like this, and basically... my rule was "register your OOC account first, it's mandatory." It was the first rule in the rules, and so many people would ignore it and jus tmake an OOC first. So, I could tell they didn't read the rules...

However, it later became clear that was not always the case. A lot of people did read the rules (I could tell after they immediately mentioned something else that was in the rules), but there was an issue with either skimming or "blind formatting," basically the eyes naturally scroll over something. So, I changed the formatting a little, and I've had less issues since. Personally, I'm so accustomed to signing-up all uppercase because that's what I always do (I don't require it at my site, I just like how uniform it is on the drop menu XD) that I accidentally did that at a site that required lowercase even though I read the rules! It was an immediate "DOH!"

So, this "trick" is not fool proof no matter what.

rip tho bc the skin on header has it yet the problem still occurs. I dont get the excuse of /skimming/ bc just whyyy?? it's a rule and a broken rule is a broken rule. If the member made a serious problem and made an excuse of 'oh i missed it sorry', it doesn't sound right.

it's just there so that i would know those who skimmed/didnt read. And I can even relate to people who've registered in all uppercase or in sentence case and then changed it immediately. But it's quite abnormal for it to persist in, like, a day to a week after registration. But i'm pretty patient with people who dont do the all lowercase/uppercase rule and instead PM them about it. But at the same time, you'll be astonished as to the amount of people who just skims/pass through rules.

tbh i have the patience of a saint for most things but nothing cuts that short like making it obvious you didn't actually read a damn thing and you just expect me to sit here and hold your hand/summarize the entire site to you in the limited characters available to me in the cbox.

I am 100% that admin that will tell you everything is in the rule board until you read it. I will copy paste that bloody message until you come back with a question not answered in the rules (or that I can't remember covering.... in which case guess what? still didn't get me. I double check my own effing rule threads before I answer you. Read the threads >:C)

Genuine questions to clarify things and not (what are the rules of this forum?) type things are one thing but the essentially want to be told everything in the rule threads one on one isn't going to happen. Those threads are there for a reason. And I get some people use these kinds of questions to "gauge" the community but frankly, do yourself a favor and ask for a clarification of an already present rule. All you do by using those kinds of questions is put yourself on my watch list because now I have to make sure you actually read AND follow those rules because I do not trust you now. I don't know who is doing that because they really didn't read the rules and don't care what they are and who's fishing for a response (not to mention i find fishing is often manipulative and that sets me off too) to judge.


also minimodding on MAJOR rules. If it's basic stuff like "can i use my hand drawn ocs here?" which isn't always covered in the rules but has been answered before, I am A-ok with members doing that but when it's major stuff like having to do with powers or plot that's not already 100% answered in the posts and threads given to you, please direct that to a staff member because you as a regular member do not know what's being hidden in the background and held onto for events and the like. You don't get to decide what kind of stuff like that flies and what doesn't.



Also if you ever come on my site and play the "Oh you want that fc? well guess what to bad i finished my char with that same oc before you!!!!" behavior i will smack your hands with a ruler and you may just get a 24hr forum ban for it. We do not play those games in my house, don't be a rude ass. (it's one thing when it's a genuine you got there first but I have seen people that literally only used FCs that people said they were going to use and when we're on the third or fourth case of that it's really suspicious and we're not going to do that here ok)




disclaimer: I am a lady of exaggerations and taking anything i say literal is bad for your health, nearly all cases where staff must deal with a member is best dealt with on a case by case basis and I whole heartedly believe in talking with a member first and foremost but when someone knowingly continues to do something I am a firm believer that some sort of consequence must be given to prevent it from continuing to occur and hurt the community at large.

I can see a rule like that being handy to know who is paying attention, although I feel like it is sort of a throwback to the days of hiding a password to the application board in the rules (albeit more subtle).

In my school of thought I try to remove rules if the forum software can get the same outcome. For example if I don't want them to post in the IC threads before they are accepted I can just make it so new accounts can't do that until they are sorted in a group.





I believe the reason some people don't ask questions is because they are afraid of being "that guy" in Murk's post. I hate asking questions because when I was a younger roleplayer an immature admin burned me for missing some obscure information in their lore that I could not find.