GreaterRealms • Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to register to use the boards and Flashchat?: If you wish to write on the boards, acquire a sub forum, or chat with us in the Flashchat, GR asks that you please register with us. If however, you are here simply to meander about or advertise with us, you do not need to register to do either. :); Top

Where do I start?: Reading this FAQ is a great start! When you are done clicking about here, why not read our Greater Realms Starter Kit and then check out the beginners forum? Here: Beginners Guide; Top

How do I use Greater Realms forums?: Greater Realms forums can be used as a repository for your role playing characters backgrounds, stories, live chat role play logs edited, or a play for you to role play via the message board with other characters here.; Top

Where is the Flashchat?: The Flashchat can be found via the link at the header and footer of every page on Greater Realms forums. The link titled: "JOIN FLASHCHAT" will open up GR's chat. :); Top

How do I Watch a topic for replies or new posts?: You may watch a particular topic which interested you by scrolling to the BOTTOM of said post, and looking at the LOWER LEFT hand corner. There, you are looking for the "SUBSCRIBE TO TOPIC" link. Clicking this link will allow you to be notified should any new replies be posted.; Top

How do I bookmark a favorite topic to come back to later?: To bookmark a topic either in IE, Fire Fox, or other browser you are using to come back to later, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM of preferred post, look at the BOTTOM LEFT hand corner and find, "BOOKMARK TOPIC." Click on it. :); Top

How do I moderate a single post?: Top

How do I moderate an entire forum?: Top

What can I do from the Moderator Control Panel?: Top

What does Move/Merge/Delete and so on, in the Moderator Panel, do?: Top

What is the Moderation Queue?: Top

What are User Notes?: Top

What are User Warnings?: Top

What are Reported Posts?: Top

How do I report a post that is against rules/guidelines?: Top

Free Form Role Playing

What is Free Form Role Playing?: Free Form Role play is the term used for diceless, generally stat-less role play focusing on the art of writing, character development through writing, and story line writing, be it on a message board or in a chat room. Free form also pertains to the fact there are no Dungeon Masters/Game Masters controlling the fate of characters. A characters actions, thoughts and fate are all called as well as in the hands of the player behind them.; Top

Are there dice or stats?: Generally speaking, no. Most free form role play is without the use of stats or dice--however that does not mean that FF role play rejects them completely. Some characters prefer the use of dice to help the outcome of a character fight, choice, or other such decisions. The main idea behind Free Form is that the player is absolutely free to do what they think is right for their character; most simply do not use dice.; Top

How do I learn how to role play?: The single best way to learn how to role play is to watch other role players while they play. The second best way to learn how to role play is to ask questions. Don't be intimated and don't be put off --ask any question you can to any fellow role player, make sure to be respectful and let them know you're a beginner and need help. And the third and last best way is to just try it. Get on the forums, in a post, or in the chat and give it a try.; Top

How do I handle fighting or conflict OOC in Free Form role play?

The first thing GR suggests that you do when having issues with a fellow player OOC, be it something which upsets you to something which you are unsure of--you should go to the player in question. Some players do not believe in any OOC communication, while others do. Here at GR we highly encourage player interaction and communication.

We believe that through such communication players can build a stronger rapport as well as story building relationships with fellow role players.

If, however, for whatever reason two role players cannot reconcile their differences OOC, GR then recommends GR members use every available and provided tool for them here at the site. Here are some of the means you may protect your piece of mind:

You may block other players by adding them to your FOE list. You can do so by adding said member to your FOE list via their profile or your control panel. Users on your FOE LIST cannot send you PM's, and you no longer see any forum posts they make.
When using the Flaschat/Chat you may put users on IGNORE. Putting users on ignore removes their messages from the chat on your end and prohibit them from PMing you from that chat name.

If however, members you have blocked and specifically requested that they do not contact you do not respect your wishes, you may further take steps to ensure your gaming environment is one you enjoy. You can:

Keep a chat log/PM log of your request to be left alone and also the log of when said user ignored said request as well as dates.
Send all and any information, as much as possible, to your ADMINS and STAFF so that they may assist you.

All of these steps will ensure a better, safer, more pleasurable role play environment for us all.

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Are there any rules to free form role playing?

Not rules per se, other than the standard set for this board--but there are general guidelines most free form role players tend to follow. They are as follows:

No god-mode, aka: calling a characters emotions, actions, thoughts.
No mind reading without permission.
Do not blend. A.K.A Do not forget the line between yourself and your character.
Do not share private information about a character's player without permission.
Do not stalk, harass, or otherwise be creepy.
Use common sense.
Respect your fellow role players.

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Is there anything I shouldn't do when role playing?: Blending (being unable to keep yourself separate from your character) and being all powerful, all mighty, calling other characters thoughts, actions, emotions & reactions (god mode) are generally viewed as the two big thing most free form role players frown upon.; Top

Greater Realms Flashchat

How do I log into the Flash Chat?: If you are logged into your forum account/SN already, all you need to do is click: JOIN FLASCHAT/CHAT and you should be logged in under the same name immediately. If you are not logged into your forum SN, click JOIN FLASHCHAT/CHAT and the flashchat/chat will present you with a log in screen for you to input your information.; Top

How do I send a PM in the Flashchat?: To send a PM to a user in the Flaschat, left click on the users name from the right-hand side users list and choose from the drop down menu: Private Message. A window will appear with a text entry field for you to send a message to selected user.; Top

How do I change my font/font color in the Flashchat?: To begin, find the OPTIONS button generally at the lower left hand side of the screen, right above the text entry field, or the space where you type.

Once opened, you should see this:

Look for the tab which says Text. Click on it, and you should see this:

From this tab you may select both which text to change in the chat, (Interface elements, buttons, etc) as well as picking which font you would like the chat to be in and making all chat text in your color. (Typed font.); Top

How do I view someones profile in the Flashchat?: To view someone's GR profile while in chat, go to the user list on the right hand side of the menu and left click. From the drop down menu choose PROFILE. This will open up a new window to view the profile. Please be sure you have Greater Realms added to any ad blocker you might have, or else the pop-up profile will be blocked.; Top

How do I block/ignore someone in the Flashchat?: To block or ignore someone in the chat and removing their ability to PM you in the Flashchat or have their text appear on your screen in the chat, go to the user list on the right hand side. Left click on their name and choose from the drop down menu IGNORE. Alternatively, you may type: /ignore USERNAME to ignore someone, or remove someone you have preciously placed on ignore.; Top

How do I unignore/unblock someone in the Flashchat?: To remove someone from your blocked list, type: /ignore USERNAME. This should toggle the ignore off.; Top

How do I save a log of my role play from the Flashchat?: While IN the flashchat, look above your text entry field (bottom left). Find and click on: SAVE button. < br/>
SAVE button will bring up all the text that has been input within the chat room since you entered it. You may right click>Save as.; Top

How do I create a public chat room in the FlashChat?: To create a public room/setting where anyone may join the room and play with you, first look to your upper right hand in the flash chat, near the user list. You should see a button which says ADD.
Clicking the ADD button will open a prompt screen.
This screen will ask you the name of your room and if you wish to give it a password. Giving your room a password no longer makes it public. It becomes private, so if you wish for a public room there's no need for a password. Type in the name you wish for your room and hit CREATE.; Top

How do I create a private room in the Flashchat?: To create a private room in GR's flashchat, follow the same steps as you would to create a public. Find the ADD button:

Unlike creating a public room, however, to create a private room, on the prompt screen for room creation you must select private from the dropdown list. Additionally, you can password protect your room to ensure only those with the pass may enter

Leaving the password blank creates a public room anyone can join.; Top

What are the rules for using Flashchat?: The rules for using the Flashchat are the same rules for using the forums/for Free Form Role Playing here at GR: GR Rules & Guidelines; Top

What's it mean when I get "So&So is Ignoring You" in the chat?: When you get a pop up with the text: "Username is Ignoring You" in the Flashchat, it means that said Username has placed you on their ignore list. On their ignore list, they will no longer see any chat you send into the chat room and you will not be able to Private Message them via the Flashchat.; Top

Someone has ignored me in flashchat, how do I get it removed?: We're sorry, we will not remove ignores placed on members within the Flashchat. Adding or removing an ignore is left in the hands of members. We understand that this could cause some technical difficulties for a handful of our members, but we beg members to understand: ignore is there for everyone to use as they see fit--justified or no. We cannot remove ignores for one user or another, doing so delves into murky forum-running waters and we wish for everything to be upfront and clear. We completely understand that sometimes people ignore others unfairly, but there is nothing we can do. Try not to let it impede your game too much and take some time to recover. :); Top

Someone has ignored me and refuses to speak to me about why. When I contact them under different names they refuse to speak to me, what do I do?: First: Please DO NOT contact someone who has put you on ignore, requested that you do not contact them anymore--under other names to ask them why! It could be construed as harassment and administration may have to step in even if you mean well.

We're very sorry someone has felt the need to place you on ignore and request that you do not contact them anymore. We understand too, that occasionally players do so with little provocation and we wish that they did not. However, continuously contacting them does not help the situation!

It sucks some times not having an answer, but it sucks worse to get banned for breaking our rules and guidelines even if you didn't mean to. (Everyone has to fall under the same rules, good intentions or not.) We recommend a nice cool drink, hot tea, some relaxing music and not thinking about it too much ;); Top

Is it really fair that this person has ignored me?: We cannot judge what is or isn't fair for each and every player on this site. Role play caters to a diverse amount of very creative, some times very opinionated ;) players. To be able to understand each and every one of their personal tastes and quirks would be near impossible. It may not have been fair, and it may have completely been justified that you were ignored. The question now is: is it truly worth worrying and getting so upset over that it ruins your game? Especially if you have been ignored for what you perceive is absolutely no reason--the next question to ponder is why bother with said person if they do not wish to bother with me?. It's not always easy dealing with being ignored, we understand it, but some times it's better to let go than to dwell. Besides, why let them hold any power over your game? ;); Top

GR promotes player communicating and problem solving between players, how do I do this if someone has put me on ignore?: While you are 100% correct about GR promoting player communication, we at GR believe that when a player decides to ignore another player--be it for whichever reason, communicated before hand or not--it is an obvious indicator that said player is done with communication. Or, no longer feels it necessary from their end for whichever reason. It may not always be fair, but we are asking for you (players and members) to respect this choice.; Top

Can I have a setting I created turned into a Flashchat room?: Yes. You can. The first thing you will need to do is write up a decent description of what the setting is, what it looks like, things which players may find within it and think of a room name for your setting. (Remember not to have too long a chat room title. Naming space for chat rooms are limited.)
You may then submit your setting to the Administration, or post it within the Establishments & Business forum for staff consideration. Make sure you note within the topic that you wish the setting to be considered for permanency.; Top

Can I write a description of my chat room, even if only I or my RP friends use it?: Absolutely! Please feel free to write up a setting description for your user created room, even if you don't wish for it to become a permanent part of GR's Flashchat. You may visit the Establishments & Business forum at any time and post your setting's description there. :); Top

Is there anything I should know about before submitting my own setting to GR's Flashchat?

Yes. The following only applies if you are requesting that your setting becomes a permanent, fixed part of the GR FLashchat. If you simply want to create a room each time you log in and play in it, this does not count for you.
!IMPORTANT! Users may inquire with the administration about adding their own permanent chat-room settings to GR's Flashchat rooms. However, there is some fine print to this which must be considered before a setting is even proposed. When you offer a setting to GR, in order to protect GR from any Copyright issues or infringement in the future (should setting creator leave GR on their own accord or no longer be active) when a member offers their setting for GR's use:

If the Administration so chooses, can remove said setting (Flashchat room) after six months of inactivity, either within the room or by member.
If the Administration so chooses, can continue to use said setting (Flashchat room) with credit to original creator given.
Be aware that original settings/Flashchat rooms submitted to GR to become a permanent, public Flashchat room (which will not be deleted --with credit to original creator always in tact!) becomes property of GR respectively, and are subject to use as we see fit.

These may seem harsh and they may discourage members. Please do not let it discourage you. We ask that you attempt to understand that such measures are in place to ensure that GR never plagiarizes a setting, uses a setting, or infringes on a user's copyright by offering a setting within the Flashchat GR may not have permission to use. This saves all of us from headaches in the future.

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Contacting an Admin

Admin Contact: You may contact the site admin, elf_fu via PM at any time for issues with Greater Realms or send her an e-mail at: elf_fu@2phatgeeks.com
You may IM the admin should you have AIM here: Ashadow0fme (Simply click to send an IM); Top

Role Playing Terms & Abbreviations

AA / A.A: Assassination Attempt. To try to, or the attempt at the killing of another character.; Top

A.F.K/AFK/afk: Away from Keyboard. The player must leave the computer for an undetermined amount of time and will not be able to respond to chat-play, IM, or PM.; Top

A.F.K.F.A.S/afk fas/afkfas: Away from keyboard, fast, Away from Keyboard For A Second. The player will only be away from his or her computer for a short moment. During that time he or she will not be able to respond to play, IM, or PM; Top

Blender/Blending/Blend/To Blend

The short definition of blending is to take anything which is Out of Character and bring it In Character. Some simple examples would be:

:: Anita is enjoying her whiskey at the bar. She raised her hand suddenly to swat at an annoying IM. ::

The mentioning of an Instant Message/Private Message/Email/The Phone and so on while In Character, is a form of blending.

Player A in her profile specifies she has a scar left from her old days as a slave in the middle of her back. She also mentions that she always covers it with clothing. Player A has just met Player B, and they are conversing at the tavern. Player B does not communicate to player A that he is telepathic, nor does he mention he has x-ray vision. Abruptly, out of no where, Player B exclaims: "Does that scar in the middle of your back, hurt?" Player B is not telepathic in anyway, and was not privy to this information before hand!

There's no way, really, that Player B should have known about that scar other than reading about it in Player A's profile. Player B's character did not have X-ray vision, nor was he telepathic. Taking information from a character profile is taking Out of Character information and using it In Character, a form of Blending.

There are several other different clues and indications that some one is blending, and there can be several different levels of harmless, beginner blending, to dangerous behavior blending that a player should be on the look out for. Should any of these sound familiar:

* Player becomes jealous and/or complains when you role play with other people
* Player reflects the exact same emotions to you, Out of Character, that her character displays to your character. She loves you, because her character loves you. He's angry at you, because his character is angry at you.
* Player takes an insult aimed In Character, to his Character, as personal and against him.
* Player demands your attention immediately upon your signing on within seconds almost every single time (or every time) you sign on in a way which makes you uncomfortable.
* Player demands or expects you to role play with only people they find acceptable; or becomes angry with you for role playing with people they do not like.
* Player becomes demanding of your time continously, demanding you role play with him/her only
* Player stalks/follows your screen names from room to room constantly without permission
* Player demands to know where you role play, with whom, when and why when they are not online.

Then you are, in my PERSONAL opinion, role-playing with a dangerous blender. One whom has a difficult time telling the difference between fantasy and reality and this is no longer cooperative role play. What you have here is a potentially dangerous, unfriendly, and hurtful situation. You should always be on the look-out for attitudes like such and should cut ties A.S.A.P. It is also advised that you never, ever, ever give out your personal information freely for such reasons.

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Backstory: That which has happened to your character(s) in the past. Could indicate what has happened within a story line up to present point, or it could be a term used for the entire history of a character.; Top

BRB: Be Right Back. Usually sent to a player or into a room in Out of Character brackets to indicate player needs to go away from the keyboard for a short moment.; Top

BBL: Be Back Later. The player has to go; either signing off, signing out, or leaving the computer for a long time and will be back at a later time.; Top

Brackets, Bubbles & (()): Brackets or bubbles are the commonly used terms for these (()), occasionally these [], ** or even {}. These generally are used to wrap type/text that indicate that a player is speaking OOCly in an IC environment.

::Melanie stretched and yawned.:: I guess so. ::Stuart smiled and mussed Melanies hair.:: Yeah. ((Guys, BRB.)) ::Joy laughed at Melanie and Stuart.:: ((Okay!)); Top

Cross Genre: Crossing the 'styles' of settings of characters. A good example of two genre's crossing is Steam punk, which is a mix of Victorian and technology. It can also indicate two genre's being role played together: for instance, a fairy princess role playing with a were wolf from New York.; Top

CP/Copper Pence/Copper Piece: Common monies used by Fantasy/Medieval character (s) or story lines based in medieval fantasy. Usually the lowest end of coin monies and they tend to be heavy.

"Tommy only had three copper and his drink cost him five!"; Top

Character Flaw: That which makes a character imperfect. It could be a personality trait, a disease, a tick, a quirk, a fear (phobia), a temptation (can't say no to stealing rubies) or any negative trait which some how hampers a character.

There are three general types of Character flaws, minor, major and tragic.

Minor character flaws are often used to better fix the character in the mind of a reader and often does not effect the character's story deeply. A small scar for example, or a facial tic.

A major flaw is much more noticeable and may hinder the character be is physically, morally, or mentally. They may not be seen as negative, such as religion or a rigid code of honor, but they still hinder the character.

A tragic flaw can be classified as a flaw that can bring otherwise noble or exceptional characters his or her downfall, or perhaps even his or her own death.

It should never be lost/cured/or conveniently forgotten. It can be triumphed over occasionally, worked through, but should never truly be gone. Character flaws are what make a character more three dimensional to those who role play with them and some may say, what makes a character have character.; Top

Credit/Credits/Cred chip/Creds: Common monies used by some characters based in Science Fiction. They can be represented and written as appearing in chip form, stick form, or non substantial but exchanged via computer information.

"That'll be ten cred, kid. And keep the blaster in the holster."; Top

DB/Death Blow: The final act/motion that kills a character in a fight. It is always advised that before such actions, players work out consent behind the scenes before using.

::Johnny swung his axe into the opening Dilbert gave him.::
::Dilbert felt the impact of Johnny's axe and buckled under the weight of it. It was a death blow; he knew he would not recover.::; Top

DM: This can sometimes be tricky as DM can represent one of two things; Dungeon Master, or Death Match.

A Dungeon Master is a term brought over from Dungeons and Dragons and usually is a term given to someone controlling the setting as well as the fate of a group of characters in a D&D story line or game. DM's often take control of the world, NPC's, monsters and give quests to make PC's adventures more interesting.

A Death Match is when two or more characters agree to fight each other until one of them either dies, or both, whichever comes first.; Top

Double Play: The act of requesting someone to continue interacting with your character as if you, the player, are still at the keyboard when you aren't.

There are times when a player just has to go AFK. Some will have their characters leave to use the washroom, others indicate with a BRB, and some ask their partners to Double Play.

"Marcy, I need to go feed the cats, feel free to continue with Mark until I get back." "Okay!"

::Marcy smiles as Mark rumbled pleasantly about his day, she poured him wine and nodded along happily. ::; Top

Erasure: The act of erasing a scene or something which has been played out between cooperative role-players. Perhaps a mistake was made, or perhaps the scene played became moot. Two role-players or more agree that it did not happen and adjust their character's memory and/or history accordingly.

"I don't want the explosion to happen, you guys okay with erasure?"; Top

FFRP / F.F.R.P./ Free Form/ Free Form Role Playing: Free form role-playing is the act of role-playing within online chat rooms, message boards, by e-mail or Instant messenger without the strict guidelines and rules of other organized forums and games. Free Form Role Play is also the act of role-playing where you, the player, have all control over your own player character. You are the DM, GM, or master of your own role-playing experience.; Top

Gary Stu/ Stu: A term used for the generically perfect role-playing male. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect "rippling muscles and square jaw" perfect attitude, perfect clothing -- etc. He can do no wrong, loves everyone and everything, can save evil with His love alone (or really, really, really, HUGE...ahem...sword). Generally a touch of god mode mixed in; super special powers. Simply: A cookie-cutter perfected character with no flaws or flaws which only make them more perfect than before.; Top

G.M./ GM/ Game Master: Much like a Dungeon master, it can be used to describe someone who created a storyline or role-playing game.; Top

Genre: The 'category' or style your character might fit into or the style/category of your role-play. For instance, a maiden in long skirts might be a character from the medieval genre, a vampire might be considered horror genre.; Top

GP/ Gold Piece/ Gold Pieces: Common monies used by some Fantasy/Medieval character(s) or Story Lines denoting a single, round gold coin, and is generally the most valuable. These coins tend to be heavy.; Top

History: That which has happened to your character(s) in the past. Most often, the history of a character shapes and molds him or her into the individual he or she is today.; Top

I.C. / IC/ In Character: In Character; the state of writing for your role-playing character. Writing their actions, thoughts, or dialogue in a chat room, thus you are being IC, or In Character.; Top

IM/ I.M./ IMS /IM's /I.M.'s / Instant Messenger: Instant Messages on AOL, MSN, Trillian, ICQ and other programs that offer them, are like mini-chat rooms with single persons. Generally used for out of character chit-chat though some role-play within them.; Top

Mode/Moder/God Mode/Moding/Modding/: Generally a name given to a player who forces another role- playing character's actions, suggests what the character is thinking, feeling, or reacting to something without the other player's permission.; Top

Mary Sue: A term used for the generically perfect role playing female. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect "globes," perfect attitude, perfect clothing -- etc. She can do no wrong, loves everyone and everything, can save evil with her love alone, generally a touch of god mode mixed in; super special powers. Simply: A cookie-cutter perfected character with no flaws or flaws which only make them more perfect than before.; Top

Mundane/Mun: Another word to represent the player behind the character.; Top

Narrative: Wikipedia tells us: A 'narrative' is a story or part of a story. It may be spoken, written or imagined, and it will have one or more points of view representing some or all of the participants or observers. In stories told verbally, there is a person telling the story, a narrator whom the audience can see and hear, and who adds layers of meaning to the text nonverbally. The narrator also has the opportunity to monitor the audience's response to the story and to modify the manner of the telling to clarify content or enhance listener interest. This is distinguishable from the written form in which the author must gauge the readers likely reactions when they are decoding the text and make a final choice of words in the hope of achieving the desired response.; Top

Narrator: Wikipedia tells us: The Narrator is the entity within a story that tells the story to the reader. It is one of three entities responsible for story-telling of any kind. The others are the Author and the Reader (or Audience). The Author and the Reader both inhabit the real world. It is the Author's function to create the alternate world, people, and events within the story. It is the Reader's function to understand and interpret the story. The Narrator exists within the world of the story (and only there—although in non-fiction the narrator and the author can share the same persona, since the real world and the world of the story are the same) and presents it in a way the Reader can comprehend.; Top

Narration: Catherine Levison writes: Narration is assimilating information and retelling it. Anyone would listen closely if they knew they were going to retell what they had heard. Just like when you've seen a documentary and tell your friend all about it the next day, you will remember it better; Top

Newb/Newbie: A term for a beginner.; Top

N00b/Noob/Nubb/Nubbin: A not-as-nice term for a beginner to role-play. Generally used to mock.; Top

NPC/ Non Player Characters: Non Player Characters are often static fixtures of a storyline or place, controlled by a player, or many players, but never truly a player character. They are generally a "backdrop," to a player's main character, can be used as a bar tender for a tavern, a quest giver, a plot mechanism in a storyline or any other general use the player can think of.; Top

No A.A: No Assassination Attempts.; Top

O.O.C. /OOC /Out of Character: Out of character refers to anything that has to do with the human behind a character. Bills, phone calls, how your daughter is doing, your cat on the keyboard, your pizza has arrived, you hated your day, you'll brb you have to potty, so on and so forth. Anything that deals with you or the player behind the character is Out of Character.; Top

Login and Registration Issues

Why can’t I login?: There are several reasons why this could occur. First, ensure your username and password are correct. If they are, contact the board owner to make sure you haven’t been banned. It is also possible the website owner has a configuration error on their end, and they would need to fix it.; Top

Why do I need to register at all?: You may not have to, it is up to the administrator of the board as to whether you need to register in order to post messages. However; registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing of fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc. It only takes a few moments to register so it is recommended you do so.; Top

Why do I get logged off automatically?: If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you login, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university computer lab, etc. If you do not see this checkbox, it means the board administrator has disabled this feature.; Top

How do I prevent my username appearing in the online user listings?: Within your User Control Panel, under “Board preferences”, you will find the option Hide your online status. Enable this option with Yes and you will only appear to the administrators, moderators and yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user.; Top

I’ve lost my password!: Don’t panic! While your password cannot be retrieved, it can easily be reset. Visit the login page and click I’ve forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be able to log in again shortly.; Top

I registered but cannot login!: First, check your username and password. If they are correct, then one of two things may have happened. If COPPA support is enabled and you specified being under 13 years old during registration, you will have to follow the instructions you received. Some boards will also require new registrations to be activated, either by yourself or by an administrator before you can logon; this information was present during registration. If you were sent an e-mail, follow the instructions. If you did not receive an e-mail, you may have provided an incorrect e-mail address or the e-mail may have been picked up by a spam filer. If you are sure the e-mail address you provided is correct, try contacting an administrator.; Top

I registered in the past but cannot login any more?!: Attempt to locate the e-mail sent to you when you first registered, check your username and password and try again. It is possible an administrator has deactivated or deleted your account for some reason. Also, many boards periodically remove users who have not posted for a long time to reduce the size of the database. If this has happened, try registering again and being more involved in discussions.; Top

What is COPPA?: COPPA, or the Child Online Privacy and Protection Act of 1998, is a law in the United States requiring websites which can potentially collect information from minors under the age of 13 to have written parental consent or some other method of legal guardian acknowledgment, allowing the collection of personally identifiable information from a minor under the age of 13. If you are unsure if this applies to you as someone trying to register or to the website you are trying to register on, contact legal counsel for assistance. Please note that the phpBB Group cannot provide legal advice and is not a point of contact for legal concerns of any kind, except as outlined below.; Top

Why can’t I register?: It is possible the website owner has banned your IP address or disallowed the username you are attempting to register. The website owner could have also disabled registration to prevent new visitors from signing up. Contact a board administrator for assistance.; Top

What does the “Delete all board cookies” do?: “Delete all board cookies” deletes the cookies created by phpBB which keep you authenticated and logged into the board. It also provides functions such as read tracking if they have been enabled by the board owner. If you are having login or logout problems, deleting board cookies may help.; Top

User Preferences and settings

How do I change my settings?: If you are a registered user, all your settings are stored in the board database. To alter them, visit your User Control Panel; a link can usually be found at the top of board pages. This system will allow you to change all your settings and preferences.; Top

The times are not correct!: It is possible the time displayed is from a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, visit your User Control Panel and change your timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. If you are not registered, this is a good time to do so.; Top

I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!: If you are sure you have set the timezone and Summer Time/DST correctly and the time is still incorrect, then the time stored on the server clock is incorrect. Please notify an administrator to correct the problem.; Top

My language is not in the list!: Either the administrator has not installed your language or nobody has translated this board into your language. Try asking the board administrator if they can install the language pack you need. If the language pack does not exist, feel free to create a new translation. More information can be found at the phpBB website (see link at the bottom of board pages).; Top

How do I show an image below my username?: There are two images that may appear below a username when viewing posts. Depending on the used style, the first may be an image associated with your rank, generally in the form of stars, blocks or dots, indicating how many posts you have made or your status on the board. The second, usually a larger image, is known as an avatar and is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to the board administrator to enable avatars and to choose the way in which avatars can be made available. If you are unable to use avatars, contact a board administrator and ask them for their reasons.; Top

What is my rank and how do I change it?: Ranks, which appear below your username, indicate the number of posts you have made or identify certain users, e.g. moderators and administrators. In general, you cannot directly change the wording of any board ranks as they are set by the board administrator. Please do not abuse the board by posting unnecessarily just to increase your rank. Most boards will not tolerate this and the moderator or administrator will simply lower your post count.; Top

When I click the e-mail link for a user it asks me to login?: Only registered users can send e-mail to other users via the built-in e-mail form, and only if the administrator has enabled this feature. This is to prevent malicious use of the e-mail system by anonymous users.; Top

Posting Issues

How do I post a topic in a forum?: To post a new topic in a forum, click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message. A list of your permissions in each forum is available at the bottom of the forum and topic screens. Example: You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc.; Top

How do I edit or delete a post?: Unless you are a board administrator or moderator, you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post, sometimes for only a limited time after the post was made. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic which lists the number of times you edited it along with the date and time. This will only appear if someone has made a reply; it will not appear if a moderator or administrator edited the post, though they may leave a note as to why they’ve edited the post at their own digression. Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.; Top

How do I add a signature to my post?: To add a signature to a post you must first create one via your User Control Panel. Once created, you can check the Attach a signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio button in your profile. If you do so, you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box within the posting form.; Top

How do I create a poll?: When posting a new topic or editing the first post of a topic, click the “Poll creation” tab below the main posting form; if you cannot see this, you do not have appropriate permissions to create polls. Enter a title and at least two options in the appropriate fields, making sure each option is on a separate line in the textarea. You can also set the number of options users may select during voting under “Options per user”, a time limit in days for the poll (0 for infinite duration) and lastly the option to allow users to amend their votes.; Top

Why can’t I add more poll options?: The limit for poll options is set by the board administrator. If you feel you need to add more options to your poll then the allowed amount, contact the board administrator.; Top

How do I edit or delete a poll?: As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator or an administrator. To edit a poll, click to edit the first post in the topic; this always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote, users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if members have already placed votes, only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it. This prevents the poll’s options from being changed mid-way through a poll.; Top

Why can’t I access a forum?: Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post or perform another action you may need special permissions. Contact a moderator or board administrator to grant you access.; Top

Why can’t I add attachments?: Attachment permissions are granted on a per forum, per group, or per user basis. The board administrator may not have allowed attachments to be added for the specific forum you are posting in, or perhaps only certain groups can post attachments. Contact the board administrator if you are unsure about why you are unable to add attachments.; Top

Why did I receive a warning?: Each board administrator has their own set of rules for their site. If you have broken a rule, you may be issued a warning. Please note that this is the board administrator’s decision, and the phpBB Group has nothing to do with the warnings on the given site. Contact the board administrator if you are unsure about why you were issued a warning.; Top

How can I report posts to a moderator?: If the board administrator has allowed it, you should see a button for reporting posts next to the post you wish to report. Clicking this will walk you through the steps necessary to report the post.; Top

What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?: This allows you to save passages to be completed and submitted at a later date. To reload a saved passage, visit the User Control Panel.; Top

Why does my post need to be approved?: The board administrator may have decided that posts in the forum you are posting to require review before submission. It is also possible that the administrator has placed you in a group of users whose posts require review before submission. Please contact the board administrator for further details.; Top

How do I bump my topic?: By clicking the “Bump topic” link when you are viewing it, you can “bump” the topic to the top of the forum on the first page. However, if you do not see this, then topic bumping may be disabled or the time allowance between bumps has not yet been reached. It is also possible to bump the topic simply by replying to it, however, be sure to follow the board rules when doing so.; Top

Formatting and Topic Types

What is BBCode?: BBCode is a special implementation of HTML, offering great formatting control on particular objects in a post. The use of BBCode is granted by the administrator, but it can also be disabled on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, but tags are enclosed in square brackets [ and ] rather than < and >. For more information on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the posting page.; Top

Can I use HTML?: No. It is not possible to post HTML on this board and have it rendered as HTML. Most formatting which can be carried out using HTML can be applied using BBCode instead.; Top

What are Smilies?: Smilies, or Emoticons, are small images which can be used to express a feeling using a short code, e.g. :) denotes happy, while :( denotes sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen in the posting form. Try not to overuse smilies, however, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may edit them out or remove the post altogether. The board administrator may also have set a limit to the number of smilies you may use within a post.; Top

Can I post images?: Yes, images can be shown in your posts. If the administrator has allowed attachments, you may be able to upload the image to the board. Otherwise, you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.example.com/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor images stored behind authentication mechanisms, e.g. hotmail or yahoo mailboxes, password protected sites, etc. To display the image use the BBCode [img] tag.; Top

What are global announcements?: Global announcements contain important information and you should read them whenever possible. They will appear at the top of every forum and within your User Control Panel. Global announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator.; Top

What are announcements?: Announcements often contain important information for the forum you are currently reading and you should read them whenever possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. As with global announcements, announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator.; Top

What are sticky topics?: Sticky topics within the forum appear below announcements and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them whenever possible. As with announcements and global announcements, sticky topic permissions are granted by the board administrator.; Top

What are locked topics?: Locked topics are topics where users can no longer reply and any poll it contained was automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons and were set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You may also be able to lock your own topics depending on the permissions you are granted by the board administrator.; Top

What are topic icons?: Topic icons are author chosen images associated with posts to indicate their content. The ability to use topic icons depends on the permissions set by the board administrator.; Top

User Levels and Groups

What are Administrators?: Administrators are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entire board. These members can control all facets of board operation, including setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc., dependent upon the board founder and what permissions he or she has given the other administrators. They may also have full moderator capabilities in all forums, depending on the settings put forth by the board founder.; Top

What are Moderators?: Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally, moderators are present to prevent users from going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material.; Top

What are Founders?: Founders are those members who joined Greater Realms during SLWatson's administration and carried over toward the handing of the board to elf_fu. Founders are a closed group, and new members cannot become part of it.; Top

What are usergroups?: Usergroups are groups of users that divide the community into manageable sections board administrators can work with. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual permissions. This provides an easy way for administrators to change permissions for many users at once, such as changing moderator permissions or granting users access to a private forum.; Top

Where are the usergroups and how do I join one?: You can view all usergroups via the “Usergroups” link within your User Control Panel. If you would like to join one, proceed by clicking the appropriate button. Not all groups have open access, however. Some may require approval to join, some may be closed and some may even have hidden memberships. If the group is open, you can join it by clicking the appropriate button. If a group requires approval to join you may request to join by clicking the appropriate button. The user group leader will need to approve your request and may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not harass a group leader if they reject your request; they will have their reasons.; Top

How do I become a usergroup leader?: A usergroup leader is usually assigned when usergroups are initially created by a board administrator. If you are interested in creating a usergroup, your first point of contact should be an administrator; try sending a private message.; Top

Why do some usergroups appear in a different colour?: It is possible for the board administrator to assign a colour to the members of a usergroup to make it easy to identify the members of this group.; Top

What is a “Default usergroup”?: If you are a member of more than one usergroup, your default is used to determine which group colour and group rank should be shown for you by default. The board administrator may grant you permission to change your default usergroup via your User Control Panel.; Top

What is “The team” link?: This page provides you with a list of board staff, including board administrators and moderators and other details such as the forums they moderate.; Top

Private Messaging

I cannot send private messages!: There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you from sending messages. Contact a board administrator for more information.; Top

I keep getting unwanted private messages!: You can block a user from sending you private messages by using message rules within your User Control Panel. If you are receiving abusive private messages from a particular user, inform a board administrator; they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages.; Top

I have received a spamming or abusive e-mail from someone on this board!: We are sorry to hear that. The e-mail form feature of this board includes safeguards to try and track users who send such posts, so e-mail the board administrator with a full copy of the e-mail you received. It is very important that this includes the headers that contain the details of the user that sent the e-mail. The board administrator can then take action.; Top

Friends and Foes

What are my Friends and Foes lists?: You can use these lists to organise other members of the board. Members added to your friends list will be listed within your User Control Panel for quick access to see their online status and to send them private messages. Subject to template support, posts from these users may also be highlighted. If you add a user to your foes list, any posts they make will be hidden by default.; Top

How can I add / remove users to my Friends or Foes list?: You can add users to your list in two ways. Within each user’s profile, there is a link to add them to either your Friend or Foe list. Alternatively, from your User Control Panel, you can directly add users by entering their member name. You may also remove users from your list using the same page.; Top

Searching the Forums

How can I search a forum or forums?: Enter a search term in the search box located on the index, forum or topic pages. Advanced search can be accessed by clicking the “Advance Search” link which is available on all pages on the forum. How to access the search may depend on the style used.; Top

Why does my search return no results?: Your search was probably too vague and included many common terms which are not indexed by phpBB3. Be more specific and use the options available within Advanced search.; Top

Why does my search return a blank page!?: Your search returned too many results for the webserver to handle. Use “Advanced search” and be more specific in the terms used and forums that are to be searched.; Top

How do I search for members?: Visit to the “Members” page and click the “Find a member” link.; Top

How can I find my own posts and topics?: Your own posts can be retrieved either by clicking the “Search user’s posts” within the User Control Panel or via your own profile page. To search for your topics, use the Advanced search page and fill in the various options appropriately.; Top

Topic Subscriptions and Bookmarks

What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?: Bookmarking in phpBB3 is much like bookmarking in your web browser. You aren’t alerted when there’s an update, but you can come back to the topic later. Subscribing, however, will notify you when there is an update to the topic or forum on the board via your preferred method or methods.; Top

How do I subscribe to specific forums or topics?: To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link upon entering the forum. To subscribe to a topic, reply to the topic with the subscribe checkbox checked or click the “Subscribe topic” link within the topic itself.; Top

How do I remove my subscriptions?: To remove your subscriptions, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to your subscriptions.; Top

Attachments

What attachments are allowed on this board?: Each board administrator can allow or disallow certain attachment types. If you are unsure what is allowed to be uploaded, contact the board administrator for assistance.; Top

How do I find all my attachments?: To find your list of attachments that you have uploaded, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to the attachments section.; Top

phpBB 3 Issues

Who wrote this bulletin board?: This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyright phpBB Group. It is made available under the GNU General Public License and may be freely distributed. See the link for more details.; Top

Why isn’t X feature available?: This software was written by and licensed through phpBB Group. If you believe a feature needs to be added, please visit the phpbb.com website and see what phpBB Group have to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, the group uses SourceForge to handle tasking of new features. Please read through the forums and see what, if any, our position may already be for a feature and then follow the procedure given there.; Top

Who do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to this board?: Any of the administrators listed on the “The team” page should be an appropriate point of contact for your complaints. If this still gets no response then you should contact the owner of the domain (do a whois lookup) or, if this is running on a free service (e.g. Yahoo!, free.fr, f2s.com, etc.), the management or abuse department of that service. Please note that the phpBB Group has absolutely no jurisdiction and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. Do not contact the phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, liable, defamatory comment, etc.) matter not directly related to the phpBB.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do e-mail phpBB Group about any third party use of this software then you should expect a terse response or no response at all.; Top

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