When posting in this forum, members are expected to understand and follow the rules and guidelines presented herein. These rules apply to both members and staff alike so a feeling of equality among the community will be shared. Please note that the management still has the final say among all matters pertaining to these rules.

Please note that these rules are subject to change at any time as we are aware that unexpected circumstances may arise. In these cases, the management and staff of House Slashers are free to act with discretion.


Behavior and Conduct:
We understand that our community includes members both young and old. We do not discriminate between staff members and the normal memberbase of House Slashers in this respect. And in an effort to create a friendlier community, we have specific rules of conduct.

1. English: Our service provider requires (like so many others... vBulletin, IBPro, SMF, etc) that English be the required language used within the forum. The use of leetspeak is tolerated to a point, and non-english text may be permitted if shown in a predominantly-English post or translation post. Please try to use proper grammar and spell as best as you can so we can understand you.
2. Translators: Again, as our service provider requires that English be used, we would like to request our non-English speaking members to use a translation service before posting content if their understanding of English isn't good enough. This is pretty much a rarity.
3. Free Speech: This rule is basically there to remind you that you are allowed to free speech, but you must stay within the limit of the rules of the rules and guidelines herein. Members cannot claim or argue that flaming, spamming or posting objectional material is free speech.
4. Language Content: Offensive, abusive, vulgar, defamatory and/or sexually explicit language will not be permitted. Moderate swearing is allowed, but please realize that we do have younger members and House Slashers is an all-age forum. For mature discussions, subforums may be made available.
5. Adult Content: Material of adult or pornographic nature will not be tolerated, whether it be audio, video, images, text and/or links. Understand that this is a forum geared towards members of all ages, and said content is in violation of both 'our terms' as well as those of our forum's service provider.
6. Spamming: Posts that are irrelevant to a topic or contain a lack of content are typically classified as spams. These spam posts may consist of one or a few words that adds nothing to the topic ("I agree", "This topic is interesting.."), force a reader to scroll through large and content free posts, or create excessivly hard-to-read posts (i.e. ALL CAPS, AlTeRnAtE cApS, no spaces, no or excessive punctuation, 1337 speak, etc.). Spamming is a barely tolerated offence. Still... this form of conduct receives warnings more often, but enough of these may still result in a ban. This conduct belongs more in the Forum Game or Looney Bin forums.
7. Flaming: While we understand that criticism is based on points of view, the unnecessary attacking of another member's post or topic is not tolerated. It is true that members may ask for opinions on their work. But be polite, and fully explain your criticisms and/or concerns.
8. Trolling: Similar in nature but clearly worse than flaming, this is a deliberate attack on a member, his/her post and/or the forum in general. The sole purpose of trolling is to create chaos or drama whether it is between members of a community or to start wars between forums and is not tolerated.
9. Personal Messages: Any of the objectionable material noted above are also banned from PMs (Personal Messages) unless that member specified he or she accepted to receive such Private Message in a post. Members who receive such undesired messages are encouraged to report/notify the staff of the action just as they would with the 'report' button.

Account Responsibilities:
We understand that people like to join forums and want free access to the material therein. However, we do stress that members should only have one account and behave politely. We have a few guidelines on terms of account ownership.

1. Accounts: Please consider language content when creating your username or online identity. While creativity in usernames and custom titles are enjoyed, the username and titles still falls under guidelines of language content. No vulgar, defamatory, or sexually explicit language is accepted. Likewise, the graphic content for your avatar must fall under the same guideline/rules for Adult content.
2. Multiple and Shared Accounts: Users are not to create anymore than one account. Any duplicate accounts will be banned and the user will be warned. Likewise, users are not to share accounts with other members. The account owner will be responsible for any actions performed whether iit be the account owner or the account sharer.
3. Impersonations: Users will be immediately banned for impersonating other community members by creating and/or using an account with a name clearly intended to impersonate, mock, or antagonize another user, or otherwise falsely claiming to be another member.
4. Harrassment: Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of an creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment on the boards, with or without use of explicit or implicit threats is strictly prohibited. Posting private information without permission is also prohibited.
5. Banned Accounts: Banned users who create new accounts will be banned. If a person has siblings or another person who wishes to create an account, then that's allowed. However, if one account does something against the terms, it'll affect all users under that IP.

General Posting:
These are the general and understandable rules regarding posting and are rules typically understood world-wide.

1. No Duplicate Topics: Please do not create more than one topic in the same forum or other areas of the forum to gain attention to a subject. A warning will be given if posting duplicate topics was intentional, but accidental duplication of a topic or thread may occur, and we understand that. You may REPORT the accident to us beforehand so we can delete the duplicate thread for you, otherwise the second thread will be deleted.
2. No Double Posting: Please do not make an additional post under a post you have already created. If you have something extra to say please use the modify button located in the right hand corner of your original post. Unless you feel it is important, the only exception is to bump a topic after 72hrs. Repeat offenders may be warned.
3. No NecroPosting: Please do not post or reply into topics or threads that have not been active for long periods of time. Such posting within "dead" topics is considered necroposting. It is a mildly warnable offense.
4. No Bawing: We hope that it will never come to this, but please do not post any topics about a staff member's actions. If you have a problem please PM us regarding the action(s).
5. Bumping: Similar in nature to both Double Posting and Necroposting, Bumping is the act of posting in one's own topic with the express intent to draw attention to their post. It is useful in 'request' topics as well as to advertise new features or accomplishments in their own works. But please do not bump "dead" requests andwait at least twenty-four hours between bumps.
6. The Report Button: Do not be afraid to use the report button. We encourage its use in fact. Reports that members send may consist of information of objectional material in a thread, the desire of a member wanting his/her thread moved, renamed or closed, or other requests that the staff may be able to perform.

Resource Posting:
Other than forum games, general discussions, chatting and the like, we understand that members enjoy to submit material (graphics, audio, etc.) into forums. To ensure the nature of this material (referred to as resources), we set up a series of guidelines to follow.

1. Copywrite Law: According to U.S. Copyright law, the moment the person, persons or organization creates a work, it is protected by copyright law as their own. While it is easier to safeguard and secure the ownership through submitting the work to the proper channels of the government, it does not mean that any work not so recorded isn't legally protected. As such, no entity, forum/website or even company has the right of ownership on anyone else's work without permission granted by the creator, or without specifically stating in their terms said works become 'legally theirs'. This forum does not claim ownership of private member's material.
2. Self Distribution: It is understood that material posted within this forum is open source unless the owner/poster of the material has 'conditions' for use. If material posted (software, music, graphics) has conditions such as 'royalties', 'required credits' and the like, they should be posted with the material. And while classified as 'open source', the material posted by a member is still theirs. Claiming credit for their work is still considered plagiarism.
3. Other Ownerships: Posting material created from another person/company may be permissible under the following conditions. You must post the identity/identities of the creator(s) as it is their work. You should attempt to seek permission of the creator(s) of the material before posting.
4. Extracted Content: A variation of the 'Other Ownership' rule, it is understood that some material posted may be garnered from or has been duplicated from other resources without permission, whether this content be graphic or audio in origin. While this forum takes no responcibility for any posted 'ripped' material (as it is typically referred), it is requested that any poster of said material give credit to the original creator(s) of the resources, including the title(s) of the medium extracted from.
5. Exclusive Ownership: By posting that a resource is an exclusive to a game, feature, product and/or forum, you create a set of terms that protect your work from distribution against your will. As such, posting a work as a "House Slasher Exclusive" resource, you notify other members/guests that the work cannot be copied to other forums. However, copying and posting resources from other 'exclusive' sources into this forum is forbidden according to the terms of the work's creator. This can be negated only by the legal owner of the resource.
6. Adult Content: (Restated from Behavior and Conduct) Material of adult or pornographic nature will not be tolerated, whether it be audio, video, images, text and/or links. Understand that this is a forum geared towards members of all ages, and said content is in violation of both 'our terms' as well as those of our forum's service provider.
7. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a bannable offense. If we find that a member posts material that was created by another person and blatantly claims it as his own, this member will be banned from the forum. We feel that plagiarists should learn that people work hard on their craft, and stealing their material is just that... stealing.
8. Accusations: We do understand that people have at times posted another's work without due credit. However do not accuse others of plagiarism without sufficient evidence. Likewise, do not accuse others of any other offense without same-said evidence. Please notify a staff member instead.

Advertisements:
Of course, we understand that our members may come from other forums or have established their own forums or websites. We understand they may want to go about calling attention to their own sites as well, but we have a number of rules to consider.

1. Personal Projects: Do not create threads to call attention to your website or obsessively mention your game/website in every post you make. You may put advertisement links in your signatures, or in your own 'project' thread. Advertising in someone else's thread is in bad taste and can get one warned.
2. Product Services: Unless it is a tool or software product posted within the TOOLS forum, posts that clearly advertise a service or product are prohibited and the member warned. This does not include links to other forums unless approved by the staff or management.
3. Solicitations: For-Sale/For-Trade/For-Auction/Wanted notices, Make Money Fast" scams, chain letters, and pyramid schemes are flat-out prohibited and the member banned.
4. Other Websites: Unless a website or forum is part of a signature, or is a Software Tool thread (see product services), House Slashers reserves the right to advertise other forums as affiliates. No other forum advertising is permitted and the member warned.
5. Personal Messages: The advertisements so noted are also banned from PMs (Personal Messages) unless that member specified he or she accepted to receive such Private Message in a post. Members who receive such undesired advertisements are encouraged to report/notify the staff of the action just as they would with the 'report' button.

Board-to-Board Protocol:
With the internet being as large as it is, we understand that our members come from a myriad of other forums and may still frequent these other sites. We understand this and we welcome this level of activity. However, what one does in other forums may reflect upon us.

1. Outside of House Slashers: What you do outside House Slashers is not of our concern, but if a member begins to attack or flame another forum, especially under our name, they will be banned. This is to both protect our reputation and to prevent a board war.
2. Attacking House Slashers: Likewise, members who start flooding House Slashers with spam, begin flaming and/or trolling posts or chatrooms to disrupt activities, or attempt to incite a "war" or any conflict with another board or forum service will be banned.

Illegal Software, Content and/or Activities:
This forum will not condone the use or trafficking of illegally distributed or translated software. Support will not be given for illegal software and may result in banishment from the forum.

1. Copyright laws: If the copyright laws state that an act being performed is piracy, it is piracy plain and simple.
2. Distribution of Copyrighted works: Again, if the act being performed is piracy, it is piracy. These posts will be closed and cleaned of their links and the member supplying the resources will find him/herself banned.
3. Hacked Software: Posting or distribution of Cracks, Hacks, No-CD Patches, CD Keys and/or illegally translated software are bannable actions. Of note, the RPG Advocate translation of RPGMaker 2003 and the Postality Knights Edition of RPGMaker XP are illegal translations and are not condoned.
4. Requests: Just as the posting of illegal content isn't tolerated, so to posts that request or incite others to violate the law by submitting said content aren't allowed.

The Law of House Slashers
A Warning System has been implemented. If you have been warned three times due to conduct, you will be banned from the site. However, we reserve the right to ban any member at any time for whatever reason. So, please be sure that you keep your outrageous behavior for other Forums that permit such misconduct.

1. Reporting infractions: If you find a member breaking the forum rules or committing an infraction, please report it to the staff with whatever material you have to prove the rule(s) being broken. Depending upon the infraction and the evidence presented, the offending member may receive a warning or ban.
2. Staff Infractions: If a Staff member commits an infraction, please report it to us as you would any other member. Staff members are not above the rules and may receive punishment just as any other member.
3. False Accusations: To provide false accusation against a member or a group of members is forbidden and can result in a severe warning or ban. This is not to disuade legitimate reporting, but a warning against those who wish to cause trouble for members of the forum or the forum itself.
4. Receiving Warnings: Warnings arise when a member performs an action that breaks a rule within House Slashers. Please note that a member may receive 'two warnings' rather than one if the rule broken justified such a punishment, and if the member receives three warnings, he will be banned. A Personal Message will be sent to the member who receives either a warning or ban.
5. Automatic Bans: There exist some special circumstances in which a certain member can automatically be banned. When a rule contains one of those special circumstances, it will be specified. Example: Any alternative account created by a banned member, will likewise be banned. Again, a Personal Message will be sent to the member who receives a ban.
6. Making an Appeal: If you feel that you have been wrongly punished, you can make an appeal or challenge the decision made by the staff. Your appeal must be sent via Private Message to all members of the management. It must be clean and maturely written or else it may not be considered.
7. Making a False Appeal: If you have been justly and properly punished for an action and still wish to make a non-legitimate appeal (giving false testimony or the like), you will increase the level of the punishment given.
8. The Verdict: If you made an appeal to a punishment, you will be contacted via Private Message by a member of the forum management with the verdict once a decision has been made. A verdict issued after an appeal is a final decision, and cannot be appealed a second time.

House Slasher owns the intellectual property rights in the underlying HTML, text, images, audioclips, videoclips, software and other content (collectively, the "proprietary content") that is designed by House Slasher for the purposes of creating the fore-mentioned site. Unless noted, House Slasher prohibits the redistribution or copying any of our proprietary content on this website without express permission. However, House Slasher hereby authorizes said proprietary content to be displayed on your computer, download and print pages generated by this website.

The name and logo of House Slasher displayed on this website may not be used or displayed without permission. Your misuse of these recognizable trademarks from our site is strictly prohibited.

Any material, information or other communications transmitted or posted to this website is still guaranteed to be the property of the creator(s) and/or owners of the initial work as protected by current copyright law. However, as House Slasher is a public forum for the free display and distribution of user submitted resources, any submitted resources and/or communication transmitted will be considered public domain unless noted within the member's own post. Classifying any material as an exclusive to House Slasher is left to the member and cannot be forced upon the member by this forum as protected by law. House Slasher has no obligations with respect to your Submissions regarding the data, images, sounds, text and other resources insofar as distribution to other sources, whether online or private.

You are prohibited from posting or transmitting to or from this website any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate any applicable law. House Slasher is not responsible in any for screening, editing or monitoring such content. But if notified of allegedly infringing, defamatory, damaging, illegal, or offensive content, House Slasher may investigate the allegation and determine in its sole discretion whether to remove or request the removal of such content from the forum. House Slasher reserves the right to prohibit conduct, communication, or content that it deems in its sole discretion to be harmful to individual users, this or any forum, or to violate any applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, House Slasher cannot ensure prompt editing or removal of questionable content after online posting. Accordingly, neither House Slasher, nor its providers, shall assume any liability for any action or inaction with respect to conduct, communication, or content.

House Slasher may at any time add to, alter, edit and/or revise these Terms by updating this posting.