Planet Arkadia Forum Rules

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1. ACCOUNTS

a) – Age Requirement
To qualify for membership at Planet Arkadia Forum, you must be at least 18 years old. If you are not 18 years old but you are at least 13 years old, you may still apply for membership, but only with approval of your parent or guardian.

If you are a parent or guardian of a prospective or current "minor" member and wish to discuss anything regarding your charges membership, please Contact the Forum Staff.


b) – Multiple Accounts
You may only have ONE account on Planet Arkadia Forum. Multiple accounts will be deleted, and the original account may be permanently banned.

The only exception to this rule is for "special role-playing" during officially sanctioned events (be they community or company initiated) and at the discretion of Planet Arkadia Forum Staff or Arkadia Studios representatives. For further information regarding exception to this rule, please Contact the Forum Staff.


c) – Account Conduct
You are responsible for any and all activity that originates from your account. It is therefore inadvisable to share your Planet Arkadia Forum account details.


d) – Banned Accounts
Members that have received a ban, may not create new accounts. Any such new accounts will be deleted, as will all threads or posts made with such accounts and the original account may be permanently banned as well. If you wish to discuss a ban, please Contact the Forum Staff.


e) – Account Impersonation
You may not impersonate other Planet Arkadia or Entropia Universe users, Planet Arkadia Forum Staff, Arkadia Studios company representatives, MindArk company representatives, or any other Planet Partner company representatives. People caught doing so will receive an immediate ban and depending on severity, this may be permanent.


f) – Account Names
Account names may not contain any offensive (racist, sexually explicit, profane, abusive or generally objectionable) terms or words. You may not use confusing or intentionally misleading account names, an account name that is intentionally similar to that of another existing user account, Planet Arkadia Forum Staff, Arkadia Studios company representative, MindArk company representative, or any other Planet Partner company representative.

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2. FORUM USE

a) – English Language Forum
Whilst we understand that not everyone is a native English speaker, Planet Arkadia Forum is primarily an English language forum. Please ensure that all content posted in open public areas of the forum, is written in English where possible. If you do have a specific need to post in a language other than English, please make all possible effort to provide an English translation as well (such as Google Translate).

This rule does not extend to any Private Message correspondence you may wish to have with friends.


b) – Unacceptable Behaviour
Personal attacks, insults, rudeness, racism, threats, name calling or unconstructive, inflammatory posts are not allowed. Such posts may be deleted by the Forum Staff and may result in disciplinary action being taken (i.e. Infractions).

Common courtesy, politeness and respect for fellow members, Planet Arkadia Forum Staff, Arkadia Studios company representatives, MindArk company representatives, or any other Planet Partners company representatives is essential. While we all understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, they are at the same time not entitled to force that opinion upon others nor present it in an unruly and offensive manner without fear of recourse.

Additionally, posts written to deliberately "bait" another user into making an emotional responsive post will be judged in the same manner and may receive the same disciplinary action being taken. This includes posts made with subtle, stealthy or cleverly worded language.

As a general rule of thumb, try and treat other members as you would like to be treated yourself. In other words, be excellent to one another....and PARTY ON DUDES!


c) - Revealing Real Life Information
Revealing real life information about another Planet Arkadia or Entropia Universe user, Planet Arkadia Forum Staff member, Arkadia Studios company representative, MindArk company representative, or any other Planet Partner company representative, is strictly prohibited and violation will result in an immediate ban.


d) – Real-world Controversy
Discussion of real world politics, nationalism, religion, war, or other similarly controversial topics is generally not appropriate for this forum.

Planet Arkadia Forum is a globally diverse community and as such, discussion of such topics is almost always a disruptive sensitive issue depending on the origin/beliefs of different members.

Therefore, please refrain from starting or participating in such discussions, as they may be closed and/or deleted from the forum.


e) – Personal Issues with other members
Personal issues between members or societies should not be debated in the open forums. These threads may be closed and deleted at the discretion of the Forum Staff.

The only exception to this rule is if they are of a role-playing nature, all parties are aware of such and they still fall within the forum rules.


f) - "Naming and Shaming" other players
Posts or Threads made with the intention of "Naming and Shaming" other players are not allowed in the open/public areas of the forum.

Whilst we all understand the dislike of certain aspects of allowed gameplay within the Entropia Universe (e.g. lootable PvP in Space/ aka "Piracy") they are, nonetheless, currently accepted and accounted for aspects of use of the Entropia Universe. If you have particular issues with the way something in Entropia Universe works then please direct your complaint to Entropia Universe Support.

Accusations of "scamming" that name specific avatars or forum members are not allowed in the open/public areas of the forum. Such examples will be moderated and repeated instances may result in an Infraction.

If you are witness to an act that you feel warrants a warning to the community in general, make the post/thread as generic as possible and avoid posting the person(s) name(s) (this also extends to the posting of screenshots). If you have proof of behaviour that is clearly against the EULA/ToU then you should direct your complaint to Support.


g) – Posting Private Content
Posting the content from private messages, chat logs, private forums, instant messengers, emails or the reputation system in an open/public area of the forum is not allowed, unless all parties involved, agree. Any examples of this may be deleted upon receipt of complaint. Complaints should be directed to the Forum Staff at the earliest opportunity.


h) – Swearing/Profanity
In general, swearing/profanity should be kept to a minimum. Excessive content may be moderated, and may result in an Infraction depending on severity and/or complaints received.


i) – Advertising
Advertising items or services (real or virtual) unrelated to Planet Arkadia or Entropia Universe is not allowed on Planet Arkadia Forum (this includes your signature). If you would like to advertise on Planet Arkadia Forum, please Contact the Forum Staff to inquire.


j) – Active Recruiting
Attempts at actively recruiting Planet Arkadia Forum members to leave Entropia Universe in favour of other computer games, virtual worlds or MMORPGs is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. This does not include promotion of events, shops or other such examples within the Entropia Universe.

Threads and posts made with the intention of encouraging Planet Arkadia Forum members to permanently leave Planet Arkadia in favour of another Entropia Universe planet are also discouraged and may be moderated at the discretion of the Planet Arkadia Forum Staff or Arkadia Studios representatives. Repeated violations of this rule may result in further administrative action being taken.


k) – Entropia Universe Terms of Use (ToU) and End User License Agreement (EULA) Violation
Any thread, post, signature or publicly viewable content that violates the Entropia Universe Terms of Use (ToU) or the End User License Agreement (EULA) may be deleted.

Repeated instances of this may result in a permanent ban.

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3. POSTING ON THE FORUMS

a) – Spamming/Flooding/Trolling
Spamming, Flooding and Trolling are not allowed on Planet Arkadia Forum. Definitions of each are below:

• Spamming - Posting the same thread in multiple forums, posting the same post in multiple threads, or sending spam content in private messages to members.
• Flooding - Posting many times in succession in a single thread or creating multiple threads in a forum.
• Trolling – The constant harassment of a member, or repeated off-topic and/or rude posts in a thread.

b) – Off-Topic Posts
Please take every opportunity to keep your posts relevant to the active thread topic. Off-topic posts usually take a thread wildly off course, and invite others to do the same, ruining the original premise of the thread. Such posts may be moderated.


c) – Thread Location
Please try to post new threads in the correct area of the forum. Posting threads in the correct area makes the forum easier to browse for all members and visitors. It also lessens the workload for our Forum Staff. If you are unsure where to post a new thread, take the time to read the forum descriptions. If you are still unsure, Contact the Forum Staff. Threads posted in an incorrect forum will be moved.


d) – Cross posting, Cross threading and Duplicate posts/threads
Creating redundant or duplicate threads that link to or are intended to promote an existing thread, for the purpose of gaining extra visibility, is generally forbidden. Such threads may be deleted and/or merged. This includes posting the same or similar threads in different forums. If you are unsure if your thread violates this rule, please Contact the Forum Staff.

An exception to this rule is for "special", "rare" or "interesting" items being sold in shops. There is no need to include a link in the post to your shop thread, one in the signature block is sufficient with a comment such as "See my sig block for more details".


e) – Necro Posting
A thread is considered inactive if there have been no new replies in the last six (6) months. Posting in such a thread is discouraged. If you feel an issue or topic from an inactive thread deserves renewed discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum and provide a link to the original thread.


f) – Posting for Banned Members
Current members are forbidden from posting on behalf of any member permanently or temporarily banned from Planet Arkadia Forum. Members are forbidden from allowing any banned member to use their Planet Arkadia Forum account to circumvent a ban (See Rule 1c). Such conduct may result in an additional ban not only for the originally banned member, but also for the member allowing use of their account.


g) – Quoting other posts
Quoting very large posts in their entirety is generally discouraged. Please limit quotes of other posts to those portions that are directly relevant to your reply.


h) - Reporting posts
If you read a post that you feel requires reporting due to breaking any of the forum rules, then please click the "REPORT POST" button located at the bottom of each post, represented by a small black triangle. The Forum Staff will be notified and take any action deemed necessary. However, this system may not be abused or used in order to target another user. Abuse of this system may be grounds for an Infraction.


i) - Posting "Loot Sucks" threads and excessive complaining/whining
Posting “Loot Sucks” threads without any actual evidence is neither welcome nor remotely helpful, nor are threads or posts continually bashing MA in favour of a particular Planet Partner(s). Incessant and immature whining, flaming or just general trolling (including insulting the mental capacity of other members) is NOT the appropriate way to express your dislike or dissatisfaction with the way the universe or planets are being developed. Any of these types of threads/posts found, particularly in the New Players Area of the forum, may be moderated without notice.

The correct and acceptable way to communicate your feedback (be it positive or negative) is by providing constructive criticism in an appropriate manner (i.e submitting support cases, posting in the Suggestions/Wish List and Bug Reports forums etc.). Posting logs of your exploits and providing figures and factual evidence is an excellent way of showing not only other players, but the developers themselves, how the system is working for you. Posting your well thought out opinions of new content and/or system balancing as well as suggestions for new things you'd like to see, are all welcome and encouraged.


j) – Discussion of Space/Other Planets/Other Planet Partners
Discussions of space, other planets or other planet partners within Entropia Universe should take place in the “Entropia Universe” subforum. This does not include advertising for events or shops/services which have their own specific areas within the forum.


k) – Critique of Forum Rules and Administrators/Moderators
We are open to any and all constructive criticism. If you wish to give feedback, please do so in one of the following ways:

• Post a thread in the About Arkadia Forums section. Please note: Your thread must not violate Rules 2b, 2d or 2e. If they do then they will be open to moderation, as would any other thread in any other section. Keep it civil and as non-personal as possible.
• Send one of the Mods a Private Message. For details, please see here.
• For issues regarding the current Forum Rules, post in Arkadia Forum Rules Discussion.

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4. IMAGES, AVATARS AND SIGNATURES

a) – Posting Images
All posted images (in posts or blog entries) should be uploaded via the "File Attachments Manager" found in "Advanced" posting/editing functions. See the Learning Centre for further information and instructions. Images posted that disrupt the website layout will be moderated.


b) – Objectionable Images
Objectionable (Pornographic, sexually explicit, excessively violent or otherwise offensive) imagery is forbidden on Planet Arkadia Forum. Any imagery that receives a complaint, or the Forum Staff deem inappropriate will be deleted, and repeated postings may result in a ban. This rule also applies to avatar, profile and signature images. In most cases, a member will be sent a private message requesting that the image in question be replaced or removed. If the material is extremely offensive it will be immediately removed.


c) – Signature Images
Please limit graphical signatures to 1 larger or 2 smaller sized pics and refrain from using larger than standard forum text unless absolutely necessary. Please keep your signature to as few lines as possible, since large signatures clutter the forum and cause unnecessary amounts of scrolling when reading threads. If you are unsure about your signature, please Contact the Forum Staff.

The general signature image size limit is as follows: 500 pixels wide x 150 pixels high.

Variations on these sizes may be made with PRIOR approval from the Forum Staff.

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5. TRADE and SERVICE

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a) – Forum Auctions/Selling Threads
If an item is listed in the Entropia Universe auction system, you are forbidden from posting a sales thread for the same item on Planet Arkadia Forum. The Planet Arkadia Forum Trading section is not provided as a means to circumvent the Entropia Universe auction. Threads violating this rule may be moderated.

An exception to this rule is where the item is one of the following:

• "Unique"
• "Rare"
• "Named"
• "Special" - such as Arkadian "Smuggler" edition items
• "Mentor Edition"
• "Limited Edition"
• "Ancient"
• "Adjusted"
• "Improved"
• "Modified"
• "Mothership"
• "Privateer"
• "Unlimited" - such as UL version of current L vehicles (e.g Quad or VTOL)
• "Large Estate" - This does not include shops/booths/apartments
• "Other" items at the discretion of the Forum Staff

In such cases, if the item has been placed in the Entropia Universe auction then you are only allowed to post a notice as such here so as to draw peoples attention to it. No prices are to be listed nor bids given and/or accepted. If people wish to gain information on these items they can PM the member or go to the auction.


b) – Auction Etiquette
It is the responsibility of the original posting member to maintain their Trading threads. It is common courtesy to respond in a timely manner to other members who submit bids or offers. Thread starters should make a post in their thread to indicate if an item has sold or has been withdrawn from sale. Please Contact the Forum Staff (including a link) when an auction or sale is cancelled or concluded, or post "This thread can be closed" so that the Forum Staff can close the thread and keep the forums tidy.


c) – Trading Threads
Please try to make your thread rules and procedures simple. Planet Arkadia Forum wishes to give its members flexibility in creating Trading threads. If you feel another member has acted unfairly in a Trading thread, or does not honor an agreement finalized, please contact the Forum Staff explaining the situation (including a link to the related thread). If you require any assistance or advice, please Contact the Forum Staff.


d) – Trading Thread Abuse
The only types of posts permitted in Trading threads are the following:

• Bids or Offers;
• Requests to the thread starter for additional information directly related to the item(s) or service(s) or regarding the auction/bidding/offer procedures;
• Retraction of a Bid or Offer; and
• Thread starters reply to one of the above.

If you wish to discuss the market value of an item or service, please create a thread in the appropriate forum. Any member found to frequently ignore or abuse this rule risks a ban.


e) – Service Threads
Make your threads as simple and clear as possible to avoid any misunderstanding by your potential customers. If you have issue with the contents of another members Service thread please contact the Forum Staff explaining the situation (including a link to the related thread). Do not post abusive or accusatory posts in Service threads as they may be moderated (See Rule 5f).

Additionally, unlike Trading threads, Service threads do not require daily bumps, and instead must only be bumped for legitimate periodic changes, such as alterations to terms of service or prices for said services (e.g. A business changing/updating its prices at the beginning of each month). If you have any queries, as always, please contact the Forum Staff.


f) – Service Thread Abuse/Pollution
Service threads are designed so that a person can advertise a business within EU. Therefore, the only legitimate types of posts permitted in Service threads are those pertaining to the business/service being provided.

Examples of legitimate posts are:

• Periodic updates (e.g. changes to service or prices etc);
• Requests to the thread starter for additional information, directly related to the service(s);
• Constructive feedback or testimonials; and
• Thread starters reply to one of the above.

Whilst feedback is nearly always welcome, deliberate off topic and non-constructive posts that pollute the threads, are NOT allowed. If you have issue with something that has been posted as a Service by another player, please contact them via PM, instead of ruining the format of their thread.

Posts that contravene this rule may be moderated. Additionally, such posts can be deleted ON REQUEST of the thread starter. If you require assistance please contact the Forum Staff. However, as always, legitimate concerns will be investigated fully before any action is taken.

PLEASE NOTE: The Service threads mentioned in this rule INCLUDE Mentoring service threads.


g) - Cross-Forum Threads
All threads under the Trading and Business forum, must be "fully" maintained here at PAF. Threads hotlinking to other forums for the full thread must be corrected within 48 hours. A PM will be sent to you asking you to correct the thread. If no action has been taken during the 48 hours, the thread will be closed until such maintenance has been completed.

Posting across multiple forums is allowed under these conditions only:

1. You must post the complete content on the forum here, not just a link.
2. Images hosted on the other site must be uploaded here also. (No hotlinking)
3. You must maintain your thread, for example, if you sell an item in a selling thread, you must post when the item has sold, or if you have sufficient access, you may close your own thread.

h) – Currencies
All prices must be expressed in PED. Sales threads or links with prices expressed in real-world currencies are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. Contravention of this implies a transaction for cash outside of Entropia Universe and is therefore a violation of the EULA/ToU. Such posts will be deleted and recurring instances may result in an Infraction.

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After an extensive review, the Forum Rules have been Updated.

Please take the time to read them through carefully.

Also take the time to read through the new Forum Rules Enforcement Policy - Warnings and Infractions WEF 13/5/2013

If you have any feedback regarding the Forum Rules then please post in Arkadia Forum Rules Discussion