Site Hosting Disclaimer
This site does not necessarily represent the views of the administrators, nor will the administrators be held responsible for anything posted herein. Please refer to our Terms of Service for full legal information.
Also note, using this forum is a privilege - it is NOT a right! This forum is provided to YOU (the user) at no cost, and negativity toward how it's run, or looks, won't be tolerated. If you don't like how the forum is run, or looks, then leave. If you choose not to leave, and would rather partake in bantering about it, then a staff member will help you leave. We do not want our users unhappy here, so if we do remove your access because you don't like it here then it's for your own good.
Notice to Parents
Some posts may contain pornographic and disturbing material, and other material of an adult nature. We require a viewing audience of 17 years of age or older, which is the same age that one must be to get into an 'R' rated movie or buy a 'M' rated video game.
Freedom Of Speech Rights Do Not Apply Here
Although the Constitution of the U.S. guarantees that “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech,” The Catacombs, and any of its associates and staff members, are not the Congress. Freedom of speech rights do not extend to this (or any other) privately-owned website.
This is not a democracy. You do not have the right to say or do whatever you want. If an administrator or moderator feels your post or attitude is unacceptable, then he has the right to edit or delete your posts, or ban you entirely.
The Guidelines of this website govern the behaviors and activities of the members. If you choose not to follow the guidelines agreed to during registration, the result will be an account restriction or ban.
All content posted on The Catacombs becomes the property of the owners of The Catacombs (unless otherwise stated, such as already copyrighted material), based on copyright law and may not be duplicated elsewhere without the written permission of The Catacombs Administration and its owners.
Respect The Administrators and Moderators
Their job is to maintain and instill order in the forums, and how you act toward them could determine how pleasant your time is here. If you wish to contact an administrator then private message them, or send them an e-mail message. You will have to plead your case with the administrator that disciplined you if you wish to have your account restored to normal. Since they are not getting paid to do this, expect nasty results if you choose to argue with them or give them grief.
Signature Limitations
Text signatures may not exceed a font size of more than 12 pixels or points. Text signatures may not exceed more than 4 lines of text with or without an image. Text may not "wrap" around more than one line. Use your "ENTER" key to create a line break.
Image signatures must not exceed 100 KB, may only be in .jpg, .png, or .gif format only, and must not exceed 250 pixels high by 500 pixels wide (admins and mods are exempt from dimensional limitations).
Image signatures may not contain any pornography. You are not allowed to use multiple images in your signature. Signatures may not contain cheat site links or material, links to warez sites or files, or links to anything pornographic.
Also:
a) If you post the same lines / images over and over, in your posts, in an attempt to circumvent the signature rules, such posting will automatically be considered part of your signature, and you will be dealt with accordingly.
b) With regards to text, your lines of text may not exceed a total of 4 lines, when it is viewed using Internet Explorer, using standard size fonts, at a resolution of 1280x1024. Blank lines between lines of text DO count towards this 4 lines limit.
c) With regards to images - when someone clicks on your signature image, and selects "Properties," using Internet Explorer 6.01 and above, the image MUST report a size. If your image was replaced with a message telling you this, then you should change signature hosts.
d) Animated .GIF files are certainly permitted, as long as the image conforms to all of the above limitations as well. Thus, your size is limited to 100 kilobytes for both signatures and avatars, in addition to the boundary restrictions, etc. Please be sure not to mistake the size of a single frame for the total size.
e) Pictures of fecal matter, sexually transmitted fluids, etc. are not permitted.
f) You may only use .jpg, .gif, or .png files as signature images. Any other format used is a violation of the rules.
g) Signatures may not contain flames against other posters. If you must have a flammable signature, you will be confined solely to a flammable forum, and will not be able to post in other forums.
h) Images containing racism may not be used.
The Cesspool Forum
This forum is for the naughty and immature. It is not advisable to read this forum while at work or at school. Expect to be flamed, heckled, and worse in this forum. If you complain about this forum in any way, your access to it will be blocked. If you don't like certain posters, then put them on ignore.
You must have a minimum of 25 posts before you will be able to view the Cesspool. This is to ensure people aren't simply registering to view the images in the forum and/or link them elsewhere.
Users who choose to take their Cesspool behavior into other forums will be totally confined to the Cesspool for an indeterminate amount of time.
Racist Comments
Limited amounts of racism are acceptable in the Cesspool forum only. This includes any kind of racist images, as well.
Threats
Do not threaten to physically harm other users. This is a video game forum, not a gangsta's playground. Do not attempt to blackmail others on this forum. It doesn't matter if your e-reputation was harmed by someone else; this is not the place for such matters. Your account will be deleted, or most likely, banned. Such threats can, and probably will, be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
If you wish to attempt making a threat as a joke, it is your responsibility to make sure that everyone knows that it is a joke. Failure to make such notifications will result in our treating it as a real threat.
If you choose to make legal threats against the Catacombs, in any way, shape, or form, then all further communications will be ignored. When you make legal threats, you should only communicate through each party's legal counsel. Thus, you will be banned for your own protection, so that you will at least have a fair chance in court. If you don't like this, then don't make legal threats. The Catacombs does have its own legal entity, and that information will be issued pending any legal matters only.
Defaced Player Images
Not allowed in any forum. Immediate removal of posts and account, and your IP will be blocked from both the forums and the main site. This is unless you have been given permission from the image owner. Defacements of banned or previously banned users are usually allowed with administrator permission. Ask an admin first.
Posting Personal Information
It is recommended that you do not post any information such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and/or postal addresses. This includes your own information as well. You may not offer to transfer such material using any of this forum's resources.
Posts containing other people's personal information will be promptly removed along with your account, and your IP's can be banned. This also goes for people who aren't users of this forum. You may not even do this as a joke.
The only exceptions allowed when it comes to posting personal information, are when warning others about registered sex offenders, felons, and other items specifically authorized, and published, by law enforcement. If you want to dive into this, you MUST be able to post a valid link to the exact law enforcement site if asked. False accusations will result in banning.
If you want to leave a contact method in one of your posts, simply ask for people to send you a private message, or leave an IRC channel location. Do not post your own personal information, even if it's just an e-mail address. This includes the Buy / Sell / Trade forum, too. Use private messaging for sending personal information.
Cheats, Warez, CD Keys, Pornography and Copyrighted Material
Posting cheat sites and material is strictly prohibited. Warez posts are strictly prohibited excluding discussions concerning abandonware roms & emulation, non-copyrighted mp3s, and public domain movie trading. CD Key requests / trading is prohibited as well.
Posts involving abandonware / shareware / freeware programs for computers are permitted. Posts asking for keys on overriding the expiration on shareware programs are prohibited, just as any warez discussions would be.
Pornographic images are strictly prohibited, but you may post links to pornographic material only as long as you post a disclaimer warning of the link's destination, and only post pornographic links in the Cesspool forum.
Do not attempt to post any kind of link to underage porn, rape images, or gay porn. You will be banned, your account destroyed, and all of your posts wiped out. If you attempt to post unlawful material (underage porn, etc.), all of your information will be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency. If you believe that this policy unfairly discriminates against gays or pedophiles, then please take your case to the ACLU, since they've been known to help people the likes of you.
Posting images of animal sex and other such unwholesome items is forbidden.
Copyrighted material may not be posted without consent from the original owner. You are, however, allowed to post copyrighted material that is covered under the Federal law regarding fair use, 17 USCS 107. The individual posting the copyrighted material is solely responsible for the legality issues, and the Catacombs, and the staff, are not responsible for the unlawful actions of others. We will, however, do our best to make sure all things are in compliance with Federal law.
If you wish to post copyrighted material, you may only post a paragraph, and a link to the rest of the article. Copyrighted images may be linked by a clickable URL or by plain text, but no hotlinking of such images is allowed.
Hostile Links
Links that redirect to sites that contain malicious code, anything annoying, or potentially hazardous to your browser, are strictly prohibited. This includes sites that flood a browser with popup windows.
Multiple Accounts
Strictly prohibited. All of your accounts as well as all of your posts will be deleted with no warning, and your IP addresses can be banned. If you have forgotten your user name or password, use the "Contact Us" tab at the bottom of the forum for help, or use the system's password retrieval system.
Advertising
You may advertise game-related material, or items that are available at excellent deals from reputable merchants, only. Pyramid schemes involving the recruitment of anyone are forbidden. Referral schemes are also forbidden. The thread will be removed. Those who attempt to violate this rule repeatedly will have their accounts deleted or will be banned from this site.
Server companies can certainly advertise, but such advertisements must be kept in the gaming forum(s). Please do not engage in mudslinging with regards to other companies; you will be banned, and you will not be allowed to post such advertisements in the future even if you are unbanned. If your servers have their own merits, whether it be excellent ping times, lots of features, or sheer economical advantages, then people will come. There is no need to bash other companies.
If you have any other kind of business, and want to place advertisements here on the Catacombs, please speak with the site owner (rasp). Do not place any advertisements here related to your business, unless you have specifically been given permission from rasp to do so.
The Catacombs is not a resource for spammers / chain letters / pyramid schemes. Go elsewhere if you want to do this. This applies to sigs as well. Those who attempt to post links to such schemes will have their sigs replaced with a warning message. Those who ignore such warnings will be banned.
Keep Your Posts In The Appropriate Forum
Each forum has a description of what the forum is discussing and whether it is flammable or not. Adhere to the forum's description to avoid trouble with the administrators. Do not attempt to cross-post to different forums just to gain more attention. If your post is any good, it will merit its own attention in due time.
Do not attempt to place irrelevant posts in another forum, just because you think that it will gain more attention. The thread will be destroyed, and your access to that forum will be removed, if you don't comply with the warnings. The warnings can be as subtle as removing the posts / threads in question, to an outright editing of the post.
Name Changes And Profile Editing
Make a post in the contact an administrator forum with a description of your request in the subject line. Be thorough with your post if you want to have a change made. Follow the proper protocol as outlined in the "sticky." Those who request too many name changes will have their access taken away.
Post Counts
Do not ask any forum staff to modify your post count in any form or fashion. Doing so will result in a verbal warning. Any further inquiries regarding post count change will result in a ban. Any member found posting irrelevant or short responses with the sole intention of increasing post count will have these posts removed, an infraction issued, and possibly banned (depending on its severity).
Language Requirements
Your post must be made primarily in English. Posts containing significant quantities of any other language will be removed, unless a full, and accurate translation in English is posted with it as well. If you don't want to take the time to make such a full and accurate translation, then don't post in foreign languages.
Those who attempt to post flames in foreign languages will be deleted and / or banned. The administrators have a good collective working knowledge of many languages and translation sites.
Use A Spellchecker (Please, we beg you)
Go to www.iespell.com and download IESpell. This utility installs a button on your browser that can be pressed to spell-check your messages. No matter how intelligent you try to sound, you will fail miserably if you can't spell acceptably.
Cheat Accusations And Chat Logs
You may post this material in the Cesspool forum only.
Canada vs. America Threads
Allowed only in the Cesspool.
Avatar And Custom Title Limitations
Avatars must be under 100KB in file size and no larger than 100 pixels high by 100 pixels wide. The image signature regulations apply to avatars as well. Custom titles and other similar text must be kept at a reasonable length. Those who attempt to abuse this feature will be restricted or banned.
Do Not Complain!
a) About your, or anyone else's, post(s) being deleted or editied; nor should you complain about a ban of another individual. If you would like to voice your distaste for an administrative decision, either PM an administrator, or use the "Contact Us" tab at the bottom of the forum. Be warned, however, that messaging an administrator and spouting off derogatory or demanding requests, or pouting, will not yield very good results for you.
b) Do not attempt to be the voice of reason for a banned individual. They got themselves into the mess they're in, so they can clean it up themselves. This includes posting IRC logs from such banned users in an attempt to reduce or remove their ban.
c) About certain posters being disciplined. They did something against our guildelines, and you'll simply have to accept the fact that they were punished. Discussion of your own infractions on the forum are not permitted either.
d) About your sig being replaced with a warning message. We don't care how long it took you to get things just right for your tastes. You were violating one of the rules, and it's up to you to figure out how to fix your sig.
e) About how a particular forum's rules are set up. If you do this, then we will interpret it as how much you hate the forum, and your access will be blocked to fulfill your wish. If you don't like this, then don't complain.
f) About the forum or guidelines in general. Constructive suggestions are always welcome, but flat-out whining about how you hate the forum is not permitted. Such whiners will be in the same manner as section e).
g) About how long it may take to deal with a particular situation. In order to render a fair decision, it can sometimes take days, even weeks, to resolve. Telling us to hurry things up will not help your case. Telling us to "do something or else" will be interpreted as a threat against this site, and you will be permanently banned; and the logs of the conversation will be saved in case any further legal action is necessary.
h) If your post or thread is deleted, do not post it again or you will lose your permission to post for a set amount of time. The deletion of a post or thread means it was either inappropriate, or the administration felt it could potentially fuel something devious. With that said, reposting it would be very unwise.
If you can't obey the rules, or if you feel the need to constantly complain about the forum in general, then please go to a different forum. If you continue to complain about the forum, or neglect the rules, then we will help you go to another forum by banning you permanently.
Malicious Attacks
Any organizing of attacks against another person or person's property, whether it be a gaming server, webhosting server, or personal computer, will not be tolerated. This includes public profiles, such as Myspace or Facebook.
The post will be immediately removed and your account will be banned.
Do not attempt to organize an attack on an IRC channel, either.
Use Your OWN Account
Do not post from another person's account, unless you lack an account, and were given specific permission from one of the administrators. Do not allow others to post from your account as well. You can be deleted / banned for violating either rule.
Aiding and abetting a banee is forbidden. Allowing banned users to use your account in any way will result in you suffering the same penalty as the banned user.
Thread Hijacking
Not allowed. If you accidentally happen to post something off-topic, it will probably be left alone, but blatant thread hijacking is not permitted. Start your own thread if you want to discuss something. Failure to abide by this rule will result in being pruned, confined, deleted, or banned.
Attempting to bump old threads in such a blatant manner will be treated in a similar manner.
Impersonating Other Users
Not allowed. If you attempt to steal the identity of another user, you will be dealt with most severely.
Abuse Of vBulletin Features
Not allowed. Also, those who attempt to use the features of the forum to circumvent the rules will either have their accounts deleted, or flat-out banned.
Image Linking
Do not post large (200 kilobytes or over) images. Post links instead.
Attempts to post multiple large images linked to someone else's site are considered an attack on another person's property, you will be dealt with as stated in Guideline #24. Exceptions can be made for authorized threads dealing specifically with such things, but all-out attempts to hijack bandwidth will result in banning.
Language Filters
In general, very few words are censored out. However, if you notice that words in your post were marked out, do not attempt to evade this censor.
Your account can be deleted for such evasion attempts, and you may very well be banned for being this stupid.
IRC Channel
As you have probably already found out, we do maintain an IRC channel at #thecatacombs on Gamesurge (irc.gamesurge.net). If you would rather discuss the matter on IRC, instead of using the forum's private message or e-mail feature, then feel free to join the channel and discuss the issue.
By entering #thecatacombs IRC channel, you agree to act in a civil manner, and abide by all rules covered here, as well as those covered in Gamesurge's ToS (Terms of Service). If you are in violation of these rules, you will be banned from the channel. Such bans can also carry over into the forums at the sole discretion of the administrators.
Posting False Incapacitation Notices (aka "the CounterfeiT rule")
Not allowed. Those that are depraved enough to post false death or coma notices about other posters will be severely reprimanded.
COBRAS-like activities
Strictly forbidden. If you attempt to disrupt activities of the community, whether it's a match or a Catacombs fantasy football league, you will be permanently banned from here. If you're that much of a prick, that you take pleasure in breaking into gaming servers and trying to disrupt matches, or screw around and disrupt the game, then you aren't wanted here.
Account Registration and E-mail Addresses
Your account must have a VALID e-mail address when you register, or change e-mail addresses in your profile. If your e-mail account that was associated with your Catacombs account was lost, then you must get it changed. Failure to do so will result in account deletion.
Once you have registered for a Catacombs account, an e-mail will be sent to you, at the email account that you specified. You must click on the link in the e-mail to activate your account. If this is not done, the account will not be processed, and the registration will be deleted after 3 days.
It is suggested that you not try to sign up for an account using a fake e-mail address. The accounts will not be activated, and such actions can get your IP banned.
Multiple registration attempts from the same IP will not be processed, unless the registrant has contacted an administrator regarding the situation. Such registrations will be treated as an attempt to register multiple accounts for one's self, unless it can be proven otherwise.
Registrations using e-mail addresses originating from privately owned domains will not be accepted. Your e-mail provider must have a legitimate and reliable contact in case of abuse.
Account Registration and IP Addresses
Any account registered with a proxy (ISP HTTP proxies excluded), will not be authorized and will promptly be deleted.
NSFW Tags
NSFW (Not Safe For Work) material may only be posted in the Cesspool. NSFW material must be enclosed the NSFW bb tags. For example:
PHP Code:
[NSFW]http://www.something.com/gemini_mom_naked.jpg[/NSFW]
Academic Dishonesty
Not allowed. The Catacombs is not a place for people who are trying to get others to do their homework or exams for them. You are more than welcome to ask for help on concepts and general information, but asking for answers is flat-out forbidden. Your post will be removed, and repeated attempts will be infracted accordingly.
The Reputation System
The Reputation System is a tool that is part of vBulletin, that allows posters to give or take away points to other posters, for good or bad posts. The rules for using the Reputation System are covered in this thread. By using the Reputation System, you automatically agree to abide by all of the rules listed.
If you do not want to take part in giving or receiving Reputation Points, then you have the ability to turn it off using your account's Control Panel.
