GameBattles Forums

GB Stealth · 19 Oct 2003 until 31 Dec 2019

The warning system used in these forums is a tool used by the moderators to help enforce the posting rules, as well as educate the users to the rules listed below. When a rule is broken, an infraction/warning is issued against the users account. Depending on the specific rule broken, and the severity of the offense, points are assessed to the user's account which can accumulate to a point that can cause a temporary or permanent ban from the forums or entire website.

Each infraction has an expiration time. When the infraction expires, the associated points are removed from the user's point total and the user's infraction points are recalculated. Even though the points are recalculated, the number of infractions remain on the account and are never removed.* When the number of infractions reach 20, the account will be Banned 4 Life as we feel you've had plenty of chances to learn our posting rules.

At 13 warning points, you will receive a temporary ban for 1 week for your 1st ban. A 2nd temporary ban will result in a 2 week ban, and a 3rd temporary ban will result in a 3 week ban. If you are banned for a 4th time, it will result in a permanent ban.

Evading is defined as the act of getting around an account or IP ban and is prohibited. For example, if your account is banned, and then use a new account, or one from the same household to continue posting, that's considered evading. When this happens, the account used to evade the ban will be Banned 4 Life, and the original account that was suspended will have 13 points and 1 infraction added to it.

Appropriate/Wrong Forum
*1 point/expires 7 days

Keep all topics in their appropriate forums. If you're unsure of the proper location for your topic, post it in General or Off Topic Discussion. If you can't locate a thread you've made, use the search feature as it might have been moved to a more appropriate forum by a moderator.

Thread Title Format
*1 point/expires 7 days

Read all stickied threads in a forum before posting in it. If there is a "Thread Title Format" thread in the forum, read it. All threads not complying with the Thread Title Format sticky will be removed.

Duplicate/Redundant Topic
*1 point/expires 7 days

Before posting a thread, use the search feature to ensure there is not already a thread on the same topic. If you can't locate a thread you've made, use the search feature as it might have been moved to a more appropriate forum by a moderator. If there is already a thread, please use it as there may already be several replies with good information about your topic.

Thread/Post Recreation
*1 point/expires 7 days

If any post gets deleted or locked, do not make a thread identical or similar to the locked one, or make a thread asking why the previous was deleted or locked.

Signature Size Limits and Restrictions
*1 point/expires 30 days

The maximum width of any image(s) is 600 pixels.
The combined image(s) cannot be larger than 200 pixels in height.
The total combined file size of these images cannot be larger than 500 KB.
Text within your signature cannot be larger than size 3.

Do not use signatures/avatars that request the banning/un-banning of users, staff members to be fired, or utilize quickly flashing colors. All other forum posting rules apply to signatures. Abuse in the opinion of the Moderators can result in a forum warning/infraction, or ultimately the loss of signature privileges.

Bypassing Censors
*2 points/expires 14 days

Our forums are programmed with a list of words that are considered vulgar or inappropriate in any context, and these words are not allowed to be posted. Attempting to bypass the automatic censor by misspelling, inserting spaces or symbol, transposing letters, using look-alike symbols, or any other method is not allowed. Additionally, certain words are prohibited from being used in topic titles and user information pages; bypassing the censor to post those words where they are restricted is also not allowed.*Posting of pictures, with otherwise censored words, will result in a warning/infraction as well.*This will be extended to signatures and avatars.

Bumping
*2 points/expires 14 days

Do not post in threads for the sole purpose of "bumping" or bringing the threads back to the top when they are no longer relevant. This just brings old, out-of-date threads back to the top which creates clutter.

Trolling/Flaming
*Minor offense 2 points/expires 14 days | *Severe offense 4 points/expires 14 days

Posts intended solely to annoy and/or offend other posters by going against the clear nature of a topic are not allowed. This includes but is not limited to provoking other users to respond with flames or provoking fans of a particular system or game. Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile environment will not be tolerated. This will also include demeaning or derogatory comments directed towards MLG or GameBattles staff.

Spamming/Reputation Soliciting
*3 points/expires 14 days

Spamming is characterized by the initiation of threads or posts that contribute nothing to a forum, be it on or off topic. Examples: empty bodies, bodies with few words that have no relation to the current thread or discussion (messages such as "first post", "hello" or "hey so & so"), posts that state they are spam, multiple posts in a row, fad threads (such as who's better, rate me, or location), or low content posts (posts without meaning are unnecessary and unacceptable). Posting for the sole purpose of asking for or giving reputation is not allowed and considered spamming as well.

No Cheating Accusations
*3 points/expires 14 days

Cheating accusations in the forums will not be tolerated. If you have a concern about cheating, please submit a ticket to the appropriate ladder.

No Posting of User's Personal Information
*3 points/expires 14 days

These issues are left to the discretion of the moderators and administrators, but may include any material that is knowingly false, defamatory, misleading, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, racist, sexist, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy or that otherwise violates any law or encourages conduct constituting a criminal offense. This will also include posting of emails, IMs, PMs, or any other communications where at least one party had the impression of it being private.

Copyright Infringement (Plagiarism)
*3 points/expires 14 days

Posted material that violates copyright law, either in the form of reproducing material without the express consent of the copyright owner or in the form of not citing and crediting the creator.

Non MLG/GameBattles Event Recruiting
*3 points/expires 14 days

Do not recruit for any tournaments that are not related to MLG/GameBattles. Posting for the recruitment of tournaments outside the league is against forum rules.

Rule Violation
*Minor offense 6 points/expires 14 days | *Severe offense 13 points/expires 14 days

Threads and posts that violate the MLG/GameBattles Forum Rules will be deleted from the forums, and additional penalties may be applied at the moderator's/administrator's discretion. Posts and threads may be removed at any time and for any reason at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles and its designated moderators. User accounts may be warned, suspended, or revoked at any time and for any reason at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles and its designated moderators without notification. All determinations of what is "acceptable" and "unacceptable" content will be determined solely by MLG/GameBattles and whoever it designates as moderators. The decision of the moderators/administrators may be contested by submitting a ticket to the "MLG or GameBattles Website" arena. Intentional, repeated, or severe violations will be cause for the banning of your account, the use of the forums from your IP address, or from your entire ISP. MLG/GameBattles may contact your ISP or other relevant parties concerning your activities.

Maturity
*5 points/expires 14 days

MLG/GameBattles encourages all users to demonstrate a certain level of maturity when posting in the forums. Posts and/or threads that show a lack of maturity will be warned/infracted and possibly removed at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles designated moderators.

Advertising
*Minor offense-5 points/expires 14 days | *Severe offense-Permanent Ban

Do not use MLG/GameBattles to advertise any products or services, specifically any services that would be in direct competition or draw users from MLG or GameBattles, or any links / images to sites that benefit yourself or outside representatives. Examples: forums, ladders, tournaments, leagues, gaming websites, etc. Advertising within signatures is also prohibited. The use of any type of "bot" or "automated" account to advertise will cause an instant permanent ban from the website and loss of the account.

Illegal Activities
*5 points/expires 14 days

Posts that violate or incite others to violate the law are not allowed. This includes (but is not limited to) discussing, asking for or providing, in any way, shape, or form any of the following: Illegal copies of copyrighted software and related applications, methods of circumventing copyright protection, illegal copies of copyrighted media, methods of cheating in online games, or requesting/providing links/material from pornographic or obscene websites.

Personal Ridicule
*5 points/expires 14 days

Posts intended solely to ridicule or poke fun of the appearance/disability of any member of the MLG/GameBattles community is not allowed. This includes, but not limited to, pictures, signatures, avatars, or descriptions of the users that are ridiculed.

Prejudice Comments/Image
*Minor Offense-5 points/expires 14 days | *Severe Offense-15 points/expires 60 days

Demeaning comments or images using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, handicap, nationality, or gender as a means of insult are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Impersonating Staff/Pro Player
*13 points/expires 7 days

Impersonating MLG Staff, GameBattles Staff, or a Pro Player is a serious offense and will not be tolerated.

Sexually Explicit Content
*13 points/expires 60 days

Sexually Explicit Content is defined as sexually suggestive, nude, or nearly-nude images, links, or content that may be deemed inappropriate by Moderators or Administrators.

Buying/Selling/Trading of MLG/GB Accounts
*Account Termination

All MLG/GameBattles accounts are property of Major League Gaming Inc. Any advertising of, or attempts to buy, sell, trade, or exchange an account by any means is strictly prohibited. Violators will be banned from all MLG/GameBattles websites and all related accounts deactivated.

19 Oct 2003 until 31 Dec 2019
GB Stealth General Manager Director, Online Tournaments Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 10,382	Forum Rules UPDATED 07/20/2009 The warning system used in these forums is a tool used by the moderators to help enforce the posting rules, as well as educate the users to the rules listed below. When a rule is broken, an infraction/warning is issued against the users account. Depending on the specific rule broken, and the severity of the offense, points are assessed to the user's account which can accumulate to a point that can cause a temporary or permanent ban from the forums or entire website. Each infraction has an expiration time. When the infraction expires, the associated points are removed from the user's point total and the user's infraction points are recalculated. Even though the points are recalculated, the number of infractions remain on the account and are never removed.* When the number of infractions reach 20, the account will be Banned 4 Life as we feel you've had plenty of chances to learn our posting rules. At 13 warning points, you will receive a temporary ban for 1 week for your 1st ban. A 2nd temporary ban will result in a 2 week ban, and a 3rd temporary ban will result in a 3 week ban. If you are banned for a 4th time, it will result in a permanent ban. Evading is defined as the act of getting around an account or IP ban and is prohibited. For example, if your account is banned, and then use a new account, or one from the same household to continue posting, that's considered evading. When this happens, the account used to evade the ban will be Banned 4 Life, and the original account that was suspended will have 13 points and 1 infraction added to it. Appropriate/Wrong Forum 1 point/expires 7 days Keep all topics in their appropriate forums. If you're unsure of the proper location for your topic, post it in General or Off Topic Discussion. If you can't locate a thread you've made, use the search feature as it might have been moved to a more appropriate forum by a moderator. Thread Title Format* 1 point/expires 7 days Read all stickied threads in a forum before posting in it. If there is a "Thread Title Format" thread in the forum, read it. All threads not complying with the Thread Title Format sticky will be removed. Duplicate/Redundant Topic* 1 point/expires 7 days Before posting a thread, use the search feature to ensure there is not already a thread on the same topic. If you can't locate a thread you've made, use the search feature as it might have been moved to a more appropriate forum by a moderator. If there is already a thread, please use it as there may already be several replies with good information about your topic. Thread/Post Recreation* 1 point/expires 7 days If any post gets deleted or locked, do not make a thread identical or similar to the locked one, or make a thread asking why the previous was deleted or locked. Signature Size Limits and Restrictions* 1 point/expires 30 days The maximum width of any image(s) is 600 pixels. The combined image(s) cannot be larger than 200 pixels in height. The total combined file size of these images cannot be larger than 500 KB. Text within your signature cannot be larger than size 3. Do not use signatures/avatars that request the banning/un-banning of users, staff members to be fired, or utilize quickly flashing colors. All other forum posting rules apply to signatures. Abuse in the opinion of the Moderators can result in a forum warning/infraction, or ultimately the loss of signature privileges. Bypassing Censors* 2 points/expires 14 days Our forums are programmed with a list of words that are considered vulgar or inappropriate in any context, and these words are not allowed to be posted. Attempting to bypass the automatic censor by misspelling, inserting spaces or symbol, transposing letters, using look-alike symbols, or any other method is not allowed. Additionally, certain words are prohibited from being used in topic titles and user information pages; bypassing the censor to post those words where they are restricted is also not allowed.Posting of pictures, with otherwise censored words, will result in a warning/infraction as well.This will be extended to signatures and avatars. Bumping* 2 points/expires 14 days Do not post in threads for the sole purpose of "bumping" or bringing the threads back to the top when they are no longer relevant. This just brings old, out-of-date threads back to the top which creates clutter. Trolling/Flaming* Minor offense 2 points/expires 14 days \| Severe offense 4 points/expires 14 days Posts intended solely to annoy and/or offend other posters by going against the clear nature of a topic are not allowed. This includes but is not limited to provoking other users to respond with flames or provoking fans of a particular system or game. Continual harassing behavior directed towards a certain individual or group with the intent of creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile environment will not be tolerated. This will also include demeaning or derogatory comments directed towards MLG or GameBattles staff. Spamming/Reputation Soliciting 3 points/expires 14 days Spamming is characterized by the initiation of threads or posts that contribute nothing to a forum, be it on or off topic. Examples: empty bodies, bodies with few words that have no relation to the current thread or discussion (messages such as "first post", "hello" or "hey so & so"), posts that state they are spam, multiple posts in a row, fad threads (such as who's better, rate me, or location), or low content posts (posts without meaning are unnecessary and unacceptable). Posting for the sole purpose of asking for or giving reputation is not allowed and considered spamming as well. No Cheating Accusations* 3 points/expires 14 days Cheating accusations in the forums will not be tolerated. If you have a concern about cheating, please submit a ticket to the appropriate ladder. No Posting of User's Personal Information* 3 points/expires 14 days These issues are left to the discretion of the moderators and administrators, but may include any material that is knowingly false, defamatory, misleading, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, racist, sexist, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy or that otherwise violates any law or encourages conduct constituting a criminal offense. This will also include posting of emails, IMs, PMs, or any other communications where at least one party had the impression of it being private. Copyright Infringement (Plagiarism)* 3 points/expires 14 days Posted material that violates copyright law, either in the form of reproducing material without the express consent of the copyright owner or in the form of not citing and crediting the creator. Non MLG/GameBattles Event Recruiting* 3 points/expires 14 days Do not recruit for any tournaments that are not related to MLG/GameBattles. Posting for the recruitment of tournaments outside the league is against forum rules. Rule Violation* Minor offense 6 points/expires 14 days \| Severe offense 13 points/expires 14 days Threads and posts that violate the MLG/GameBattles Forum Rules will be deleted from the forums, and additional penalties may be applied at the moderator's/administrator's discretion. Posts and threads may be removed at any time and for any reason at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles and its designated moderators. User accounts may be warned, suspended, or revoked at any time and for any reason at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles and its designated moderators without notification. All determinations of what is "acceptable" and "unacceptable" content will be determined solely by MLG/GameBattles and whoever it designates as moderators. The decision of the moderators/administrators may be contested by submitting a ticket to the "MLG or GameBattles Website" arena. Intentional, repeated, or severe violations will be cause for the banning of your account, the use of the forums from your IP address, or from your entire ISP. MLG/GameBattles may contact your ISP or other relevant parties concerning your activities. Maturity 5 points/expires 14 days MLG/GameBattles encourages all users to demonstrate a certain level of maturity when posting in the forums. Posts and/or threads that show a lack of maturity will be warned/infracted and possibly removed at the sole discretion of MLG/GameBattles designated moderators. Advertising* Minor offense-5 points/expires 14 days \| Severe offense-Permanent Ban Do not use MLG/GameBattles to advertise any products or services, specifically any services that would be in direct competition or draw users from MLG or GameBattles, or any links / images to sites that benefit yourself or outside representatives. Examples: forums, ladders, tournaments, leagues, gaming websites, etc. Advertising within signatures is also prohibited. The use of any type of "bot" or "automated" account to advertise will cause an instant permanent ban from the website and loss of the account. Illegal Activities 5 points/expires 14 days Posts that violate or incite others to violate the law are not allowed. This includes (but is not limited to) discussing, asking for or providing, in any way, shape, or form any of the following: Illegal copies of copyrighted software and related applications, methods of circumventing copyright protection, illegal copies of copyrighted media, methods of cheating in online games, or requesting/providing links/material from pornographic or obscene websites. Personal Ridicule* 5 points/expires 14 days Posts intended solely to ridicule or poke fun of the appearance/disability of any member of the MLG/GameBattles community is not allowed. This includes, but not limited to, pictures, signatures, avatars, or descriptions of the users that are ridiculed. Prejudice Comments/Image* Minor Offense-5 points/expires 14 days \| Severe Offense-15 points/expires 60 days Demeaning comments or images using race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, handicap, nationality, or gender as a means of insult are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Impersonating Staff/Pro Player 13 points/expires 7 days Impersonating MLG Staff, GameBattles Staff, or a Pro Player is a serious offense and will not be tolerated. Sexually Explicit Content* 13 points/expires 60 days Sexually Explicit Content is defined as sexually suggestive, nude, or nearly-nude images, links, or content that may be deemed inappropriate by Moderators or Administrators. Buying/Selling/Trading of MLG/GB Accounts* *Account Termination All MLG/GameBattles accounts are property of Major League Gaming Inc. Any advertising of, or attempts to buy, sell, trade, or exchange an account by any means is strictly prohibited. Violators will be banned from all MLG/GameBattles websites and all related accounts deactivated.