Topic: [MANUAL] Teeworlds' forum manual
Greetings comunitee,
If you are new to the forums, please read—for yours sake and ours—"The Basic" forum rules below.
The basics are rules newbies (new comers) commonly do not know, so please do not assume you already know these. If you are curious about the other rules after you have read the Basic Rules, you are welcomed to read on.
However—and this is important—before you start reading, please view these web links because they are closely related to this subject:
Offical Forum Rules (web page)
Read this first. No, really. Read it. (topic)
How to behave in an internet forum (video)
-Bee
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The Basics:
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How to read this "manual":
Understand that my main point(s) are in bold and additional details come after them.
These Basic Rules are relevant to every aspect of this forum so in no place do they not apply.
Lastly and extremely important to remember, "Breaking a rule is always a bannable offense." -Magnus Auvinen (the creator of Teeworlds)
- Your posts MUST have an English translation in it
The forum's official language is English simply because Teeworlds is an international game. Since moderators currently don't have what it takes to manage an all out international forum, English is the second best option because most speak it to some degree or know someone who can help them in that area. However, non-English posts are acceptable but only when they have an English translation with it. And please don't use Google translator because much of what you say will be lost in translation. For those who are better in German, go here for an all German based Teeworlds’ fan website: German Teeworlds
- Do not act childish; instead respect others
Please, everyone, be responsible and talk to other members nicely and logically. If you’re ill tempered and can't talk to trolls without becoming one, you can always put in a complaint by reporting the member or contact Azon on the issue (a moderator) by private email. Also when expressing anger or frustration NEVER bring CaptonCapslock and his buddy ExclamationMarkus to the rescue!!! Be polite, respect everyone, and remember "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)
As for moderators and developers, give them the utmost respect and remember the Golden Rule: "Moderators are always right, even when they are wrong." However, they do value your input but do it respectfully.
- Use real words
Now a days text lingo is on the rise but (please) restrain yourself and use correct grammar. A good number of members here are adults and don't want to put up with it. (Text lingo: "l8ter" "y?" "stfu!" "rolf!" "ttyl" "lulz!!1!" "wut?"... You get the idea.) More information on what is text lingo, SMS language/wiki.
- Search your question before asking
Before asking a question for support, search your problem because many closely related questions have already been asked multiple times. So by taking advantage of the search function, you can decrease the amount of useless questions cluttering up the forums. If searching comes up dry, go to support and look at its F.A.Q. page. If all else fails, ask your question at the FAQ topic, where your questions can be answered by community members, moderators, or maybe even the developers themselves.
- Know now that we do NOT support ANY modifications
Any gametypes that aren't CTF, TDM, or DM are modifications. And if it is a mod, we do not support it. Very simple. Don't ask questions about them because they're not our responsibility. Besides if we took the time to help everyone with a mod related problem, we wouldn't get anything else done! If you want to know specific information on a mod, go directly to their homepage (or topic) and ask your question.
More information: We Dont Support Mods!
- Do NOT advertise products or other websites
Product advertisement is on the rise and we don't deal kindly to the advertiser. To be specific, don't create topics for product adds/websites, don't have product adds/website links in your signature or avatar, and don't comment product add/website links, EVER! Teeworlds related advertisements are okay but that's it.
- Keep it P.G. 13
Meaning:
No pornographic images
No extreme foul language
Little if any sexual innuendos
Scarcely any drug or alcoholic images
Only mild blood and gore
and No illegal material
Teeworlds is about cute little buggers with guns, hence keep it mild. Although for the most part, we're a mature community so darker themes can be okay but remember this: any one is allowed here, including children, so don't go overboard.
- Be clear & concise
Be clear enough so people understand your question or point but don’t go on so long that people start to get bored and forget what your main point was. An example of not being clear enough would be like: "Billy Bob Joe" said something you don’t quite understand. Responding with, “huh??” shows that you’re confused but not what you’re confused about. Buuutt, responding like, “Huh? How does ‘X’ mean you get ‘Y’?” shows him and others exactly what you’re confused about so they can quickly and easily help you in your confusion. 
- Do not comment on old topics
Safely assume topics 6 months or older should never be commented on. Typically topics that old are no longer relevant or perhaps members got bored and don't care about them anymore. However, there is an exception; open sticky topics don't have an expiration date! 
But that's it. If you have a question related to that topic, try to search it first (people tend to ask similar questions) or look in the topic itself to see if someone has already asked that same question. If nothing comes up, then feel free to ask.
- Do not double post
If you have something you wanted to add, then edit it. The only exception to double posting is when you want to make an important announcement, which can easily happen if you have a creation topic and are announcing a newly added map or graphics (etc), but that's it.
- Do not go, "OFF TOPIC"
Don't be the one to encourage an offtopic discussion and don't respond to a directed off topic comment. These offtopic tangents happen far too often and are quite preventable. So, if you want to start/respond to an offtopic conversation, PM the member instead. This effectively prevents the forum's comment-clutter but allows for offtopic conversations to still occur but only between the two members.
If you're still relatively new and don't know how to PM others (which is fine), follow these four steps:
Click on the member's name you wish to talk to (the name which is directly above their profile pic)
Once brought to their profile, look for the section labeled, "Contact information"
Look for the line that says: "PM: Send a private message" and click on it
Then viola; give it a title, type the message, and send that bugger to him/her.
- Correctly use the rating system
When rating posts, consider how clear the poster was, how on topic they were, whether they were breaking any rules, how “Tee-ish” it is if it was something they made, the quality and usefulness of their context etc, etc. As you visit the forums more regularly, you’ll see the way things run around here and you’ll start to get your own since of what’s “good” or “bad”. If it’s a good post, up it (+1). If it’s bad one, down it (-1) and please comment on why you dislike it and suggest how make it better or what they did wrong. If the flaw has already been pointed out, then simply +1 (up) the commenter’s solution. Both (+1) & (-1) buttons you’ll find at the top-right corner of all posts. However, as you rate, put your bias aside if you like or hate the member and rate based only on context.
- Do not bump topics
I'm fairly sure you know what bumping is. But if you don't, it's pretty much a synonym for spamming but (the difference is) by bring up a topic again. Whatever the case, It's never necessary and against the rules. Don't be impatient and if no one replies to your post, no one replies; they don't have to.
- Post topics in the correct section
To keep the forums better organized, post topics in the correct section of the forums. If it's a map, it goes in Content: Maps (OMG, like noway!). If it's a question, it goes in Support. If you're still confused, read the section's brief intro (located directly under the title) or view the topics located in the section. You should start to get a general idea as to what goes in that section by then.
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Extra Information and Tips:
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Are you still with me? Take a breather because we still have a little while to go. Being, these are just advice, it is not mandatory to know nor will you get banned for not knowing it but educating yourself now is better than educating yourself later (after you've already made a mistake). 
[GENERAL]
1) Remember Teeworlds' motto, "KISS"
"Keep It Simple, Stupid!" or (the one I like better), "Keep It Sweet & Simple” is Teeworlds greatest standard for, well, everything. The developers of Teeworlds themselves constantly keep simplicity in mind while programming, mapping, graphic-ing; everything. You, being apart of this communitee, can help by complying with "KISS" so that it creates an environment where everyone runs towards the same goal.
2) Learn from the Stickies!
What are the "stickies"? Topics that has been "applied with glue" which stay at the top of all content sections. Each section has their own stickies which holds valuable information relating to the section it is in. Please now, or soon, go view each topic briefly to get an overview of the information it holds. You might be surprised; the information you seek has been under your nose the hold time.
3) Learn from the Closed Topics
In the same way as sticky topics, you can learn a great deal of information from viewing closed topics. There are three main reasons topics become closed by a forum moderator:
1) It broke a non-major rule
2) It became the firing ground for a hot button issue, (a.k.a., a flame war erupted)
3) And or it lost it's relevancy/became outdated.
If it broke a rule, view the mistake so you can learn not to do the same thing. An interesting thing to note is the reason topics are closed instead of deleted by moderators is "so [closed topics] stay available for other people to find with the search function." and "by closing it (and by praying that people one day learn how to use search) we can at least reduce the number of repeated questions people ask." — Azon
If it was because of a flame war erupted, you can at least see what not to do when trolling occurs. 
And anything that isn't relevant to the new Teeworlds anymore, acts as a sort of history book. You can learn about Teeworld's past for simply knowledge's sake.
4) Combating Spam
It's not just enough to tell people not to spam but the forum needs helpers willing to ward off spammers. It's not as entailed as you might think. Just follow these three guidelines:
1st, Identify: Identify the common red flags spammers tend to send out. Very commonly, they are new members with numbers in their name (they didn't have the time to be creative). They make no since; again, not a lot of though is put into spam and spam-accounts. Their main goal is for anyone to click on their site. Even one click will validate their advertisement efforts so at all costs don't (I repeat) don't click on their link(s). You don't have to in order to know if it's an add-website. Instead, act as if you were about to quote them which will bring you to a place where it shows the raw data they posted. Find the url-links and copy it. Paste it into a search engine like Google, search it (without clicking on the results), and view the description of the website Google provides; that should be clear telling enough if it's an advertisement.
2nd, Report: If your suspicions are confirmed, immediately report them. (Note: the nice report button at the bottom-right corner of their post). Your report doesn't have to be long. Reports like, "advertisement" or "add" will suffice.
And 3rd, Hide: Lastly, down-vote their post. Some don't consider it but down-voting the spammer's post will notify other members not to view it by "hiding" the downed post which, if you guessed it, helps so the spammer gets no validation in their annoying efforts. And that's it. You've done all you can do. Now, you'll just have to wait for a forum moderator to see your report, view the reported topic, and decide for himself if it's spam.
[TOPICS]
1) [TAG] your topics
The tag has to correspond to your topic material. Hence if it's artwork work, tag it as [ART]. If it's titlesets, skins, emotes, and artwork, tag it as [GRAPHICS]. If it's maps, tag it as [MAPS]. Questions, tag as [QUESTION]. Bla, bla, bla. Pretty simple. Even I took my own advice. Notice the tag [MANUAL]? It's just an easy way to organize the forum.
2) Make only original topics
Please don't create topics that are closely related to other topics. If you don't know what topics have already been made then use the magic Search Function to see if it's already in existence. If you feel that you can add a substantial amount of information on topic by making another topic, try first to simply suggest the new material into the preexisting topic. If it's entailed list of suggestions, please P.M. the member so that your comment won't be views a comment-clutter.
3) In your creation topics, insert your name into the title
Whenever you plan on creating material for the communitee, insert your name into the topic's title. By doing so, you help members know, beforehand, if they've found the correct topic and, in general, helps with forum organization.
4) No multi-topics
If you plain on making a lot anything, put them all into one topic to keep the clutter down. And if for some reason you've already done that, then chose one topic as your main topic, take all the information from your other topics, and place it in the main topic. After that, delete all the extras and you're done. Clutter: terminated. 
5) Try spicing up your topic
A spiced up topic is an outstanding topic. View these links to see how you can set certain things up: BBCodes, Images, and Smilies. I knew nothing of these until a couple months ago and I've been a member for years. 
It's funny what you can find out just by clicking around.
6) Beware of "UPCOMING"
If you make a topic that say, “UPCOMING/COMING SOON” in it, please don’t post it unless you want ideas and suggestions on making it better or have a preview of your creation. Many members have made those in the intent of finishing it but failed to do so for different reasons: not enough positive public response or laziness. It's annoying to the community and the moderators because it clutters the forum and unintentionally gives the idea of laziness.
7) Do not publicly announce your departure though a topic
You may private message close forum members that you're leaving the forums but don't announce it to the whole world, God, and everyone. That's a personal matter and doesn't belong in a topic.
[GRAPHICS]
1) Gain from the Professionals
I'm no good with graphics, whatsoever, so I can't give much personal information on it but if you go to these member's art related pages: Snazzy, ZippaH, alias, nubY's (alias) posterous, Flo's posterous, The Messenger, Tebob, Tebob's posterous, and Jon you will see many great artist's techniques and tips. However, Lappi, Landil posterous, Zatline, Zatline's posterous, Crises, and Crises posterous are the professionals working to develop Teeworlds. They are usually busier but you can contact the first group for a quicker response. But high five to all of you; you guys are great.
2) Do not steal graphics from other members
Doesn't matter why you're doing; don't do it. Always get the creator's permission first. However, if they are unavailable at least give them credits. Posting underneath the image, "created by (their name)" will suffice.
3) Keep it "Tee-Ish"
Although it has been highly debated, tee-ish is generally summed up with words like, "simple, cute, 'G' rated, and colorful". For an exsinceive view of "tee-ish", go here and view the debated topic: What is tee style?
4) Make sure your art is not a giant hunk of pixels
Meaning, not pixilated, easy on the eyes, wasn't made in two minutes... Et cetera, et cetera. In here, it usually isn't a cool style that people like. Sorry. If you need help, here is a guide for making graphics: Graphics tutorial. Or get help from the professionals. (view section 1 of graphics, up above)
5) Make them the right size and place them in the correct area
If you make a gameskin, make sure the graphics are the right size and in the right area before posting them. As emphasized in the first comment here, he didn't consider its size before he made it. Resizing them can warp them into a strange shapes so keep that in mind before making your art. Here are measurements and area placements for (almost) everything: game template, skin template, emotion template, and particle template. Feel free to make your own templates if you find missing templates or if the current templates aren't up-to-date.
Currently I am organizing this topic to be sweet, simple, and to the point so sections of the non-basic information will be down for now. But never fear, I'm working on transfusing the extra information into a smaller and simpler format (condensing it) which takes some time to do well so be patient.
