TheHolo.Net Forums FAQ

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TheHolo.Net Policies and Frequently Asked Questions



FAQ / Policy Contents
  1. Forward


  2. Basic Roleplaying Information
    1. What is the 'Roleplaying' section of the TheHolo.Net Forums?
    2. Common acronyms used within the 'Roleplaying' section
    3. TheHolo.Net Roleplaying Method
    4. How do I join?
    5. What are all these groups (Jedi, Sith, etc.) that everyone seems to be a part of? How do I join one? Do I have to join a group?
    6. What is the difference between the General Roleplaying forums and the individual group forums?

  3. Roleplayer Conduct
    1. What guidelines are there on how to roleplay? What is allowed? What isn't allowed? What is the best way to learn how to roleplay?
      1. Developing Your Character
      2. Rank and/or Status
      3. Playing Multiple Characters
      4. Weapons
      5. The Force
      6. Races
      7. Participation
      8. Roleplaying Time
      9. Plagiarism
      10. God Moding
      11. Maiming and Killing
      12. Infiltration
    2. Can I play multiple characters?
    3. Can I join multiple groups with only one character?
    4. What exactly is Infiltration?
    5. What is the full definition of 'In Character' (IC) and 'Out Of Character' (OOC)?
    6. Anything else?

  4. Forum Subject Matter and Topics
    1. Post Icons Required in Some Forums
      1. Some Post Icons and Their Definitions
      2. Using Post Icons
    2. Hijacking and Flooding Threads
    3. Spamming and Advertising
    4. Forum Specific Rules

  5. General Posting How-To and Rules
    1. How do I post?
    2. How do I log into (and out of) my account?
    3. What are some of the commonly used acronyms?
    4. What is a 'locked/closed' topic?
      1. Thread warnings.
    5. Can I change my username?
    6. What is a 'sock puppet' and why are they not permitted?
    7. Previewing Posts vs. Testing Posts
    8. Post Counts
      1. Post Count Manipulation
      2. Post Count Status
    9. Spoilers
    10. Swearing and the Swear Filter
    11. One-to-one Conversations
    12. Thread Content / Posting in the Appropriate Forum
      1. Political and Theological Discussions
      2. Departure / Goodbye Threads
      3. Flaming, Insulting, or Harassing

  6. Dealing With Issues and the TheHolo.Net Staff
    1. What happens if someone violates TheHolo.Net policy?
    2. How will the Staff contact me, if I have done something wrong?
    3. How do I complain about the actions of another? How do I contact the Staff about any issue?

  7. Member Groups and Financial Contribution
    1. Contributing to TheHolo
      1. How can I send money?
      2. How much can I send TheHolo?
      3. When are contributions due?
      4. How long does my contribution last?
    2. Financial Contributor Rights
    3. What happens if I have given TheHolo.Net a monetary contribution, and I leave the community?
    4. What is a TheHolo.Net Forums “Supporter" account?

  8. Signatures, Avatars, and Image Use
    1. Avatars
    2. Signatures
    3. Image Use
    4. Using Smilies

  9. The Final Word



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I. Forward

Welcome to TheHolo.Net Forums (est. 1999). You have become a member of a large and diverse fan-based community inspired by Star Wars © literature, movies, games, and other expanded universe (EU). We are first and foremost, fans of Star Wars ©. The following are the Frequently Asked Questions (or FAQ) and Policies, regarding use of these forums. This FAQ shall serve as the general policy. If you have any additions or corrections for this FAQ please let the administration of TheHolo.Net know by posting in the Communications forum. Please be as specific as possible. Thank you.

Note:
TheHolo.Net is largely a Roleplaying community. While general Star Wars © discussion and subject matter take up a significant number of forums, the majority of the members to this community are roleplayers, and a majority of the forums are for the purpose of roleplaying. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you read this FAQ and Policies before posting and / or roleplaying.

Definition of TheHolo.Net Roleplaying:
Roleplaying, as it is conducted in these forums, is the playing and participating of a character’s role through a written/typed telling of an original storyline based on, but not copied from, Star Wars ©. Storylines and characters may expand upon known Star Wars © tales, as owned by George Lucas (and all of his affiliates). Storylines may also contain events that, although not ever recorded within the commercialized Star Wars © literature, may fit within the parameters of the Lucas Star Wars © fictional universe. Characters are created by the membership, and are also based on, but not copied from Star Wars ©.

Disclaimer:
SWFans.Net does not endorse or promote the stealing of intellectual property, as it pertains to George Lucas and Star Wars ©. No Roleplaying scenario will be made or sold for the purpose of profit. No Roleplaying scenario which copies George Lucas’ (or any other person’s) copyrighted material will be tolerated. Those who cannot respect the originality and the copyrighted material of Star Wars © and the intellectual property of George Lucas will be banned from this community.

We are first and foremost, fans.

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II. Basic Roleplaying Information
  1. What are the Roleplay settings that you have here?
    Star Wars is the first and foremost roleplay setting that we have, so a majority of the resources that you'll find here will more than likely be Star Wars. Other settings include Mutants, Unite!, a setting that is based loosely on the Marvel universe. Gotham, which is DC-based. We also have a World of Darkness setting, Skyrim, Myth (a user-created Fantasy setting), and Justice (a user-created Western setting). Our settings go in and out of activity quite often, so don't be afraid to ask questions about them. Who knows, you might spark the next surge of activity!



  2. TheHolo.Net Roleplaying Method:
    At the TheHolo.Net Forums, roleplaying usually takes place when one person comes up with an idea for a story and posts a new topic describing it. Sometimes, other members are free to join in on storylines. Many times, roleplays are a collaborative story between two or more members, writing a story together, bouncing posts and plots off of one-another. There are many avenues to explore here at TheHolo.Net.

  3. How do I join?
    Simply post a new message in the Out Of Character forum announcing yourself and then start posting and roleplaying as your character.

  4. What are all these groups (Jedi, Sith, etc.) that everyone seems to be a part of? How do I join one? Do I have to join a group?
    TheHolo.Net has been around for many years. Its membership has remained much the same people who founded these forums, and yet TheHolo.Net sees new members daily. Over time, the roleplaying membership has divided into groups for several reasons; one being to make the roleplaying experience more entertaining and involving.

    Generally, most people who join in the roleplaying community here like to participate in a group. Joining one of the major groups generally surrounds you by other people who have roleplaying experience. These people can not only help teach you how to play the game, but they will often teach your character valuable things about the Force, combat, and various other skills you may find useful. Joining a group is significant in helping your character development.

    Be aware that you do not have to join a group in order to roleplay.

    Some of the available groups can be found in the Roleplaying Groups category of these forums. Please inquire within their respective forums for guidelines and rules in regards to membership and conduct.

  5. What is the difference between the General Roleplaying forums and the individual group forums?
    Generally, we're all one big happy family. Most groups will roleplay within the confines of their forums, in other group forums, and in the general roleplaying forums. Each group has different forums to represent different locations. Sometimes, your roleplay may be best suited for a bar-type atmosphere. If you're a Jedi, you may find the Ossus forums suitable. If you're a Sith, the same location would not be suitable. If a forum is open, you may post in it. However, depending on your character's disposition, you may want to only post in certain places (for otherwise your character's presence in a certain place would just not be acceptable).

    If you have questions for any particular group, it is recommended that you contact that group's faction leaders.



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III. Roleplayer Conduct
  1. What guidelines are there on how to roleplay? What is allowed? What isn't allowed?
    One of the best ways to learn what is acceptable playing behavior here at TheHolo.Net is by watching others. We have many resources that are available for you to use that will help to familiarize you with how things work around here. This will give you a good general idea of how things operate.

    Other roleplaying guidelines are as follows:

    1. Developing Your Character:
      Think about who or what you want your character to be. The best characters are the ones which the roleplayer has made the most realistic. Realism is a plus in a roleplaying thread. How would your character act? What are his/her weaknesses? His/Her strengths? Define your character as best you can. This may take time to do this, but once your character is established, it makes roleplaying more interesting for everyone.

      Learn about your powers. Are you a Sith?Are you a Jedi? Bounty Hunter?Imperial? No matter the character that you decide you wish to play, find what motivates them and makes them want to continue on in life. What do they hope for? What do they strive toward? Are they looking for the next big payout, or the next promotion? Or maybe they simply want to gain deeper knowledge of the Force... or perhaps they want to twist the Force and bend it to their will? .

      Character names must be original. For instance, if your register as “Princess Leia” you would be not be original. Roleplayers who register copyrighted names, or anything which is unoriginal will be warned and assisted in changing their account name.

    2. Rank and/or Status:
      New members who presume their prowess over other roleplayers without yet establishing themselves here are not very popular and may often times be ignored. Please remember, there are many people who have been here for a very long time, and they have worked hard to establish good story lines and high ranks. Newcomers will always have to establish themselves and earn credibility in due time. Apprentices will not have the abilities equivalent to a Master. Everyone must work their way up, here.

      The most interesting characters are those that are developed over time and that grow with the experiences that you, as the writer, put them through.

    3. Playing Multiple Characters:
      It is perfectly acceptable to play multiple characters here at TheHolo.Net! There's absolutely no reason to limit yourself to one character when there's multiple settings to explore; not to mention the varying aspects of each setting to dabble in. So definitely! Use your imagination and by all means, don't limit yourself to a single character!

    4. Weapons:
      Any weapons seen in the Star Wars movies (lightsabers, blasters etc.) are welcome.

    5. The Force:
      Just as in Star Wars, Force powers rule here. Other powers may be used as well, but Force powers override all. Do not forget, this is Star Wars roleplaying. Again, if you are an apprentice, you will not be more Force powerful than a Master. Build up your your force powers through training and life experiences in the threads you write.

    6. Races:
      Any race is welcome (though races from the Star Wars Universe are preferred). If you wish to create your own race, or more fully develop a lesser known Star Wars race, you are perfectly able to do just that. Please see the Resources forum for the appropriate specification form.

    7. Participation:
      Anyone may participate in a roleplay, provided that he/she adheres to any specific rules determined beforehand by the roleplay’s author(s). Specific rules are usually made clear at the beginning of the first post in a roleplay or via chat/private message. However, unless otherwise stated, the current guidelines listed here always are in effect.

      Some threads may ask for participation only from a specific member. This is usually denoted either in the thread title where the person chosen to play will be listed in parentheses, or by a [CLOSED] thread icon. If there is a closed thread icon for a thread that you still would like to participate in in some way, it's perfectly acceptable to privately contact the thread author and inquire if you may participate.

      Participating in closed threads without the permission of the author will not be tolerated. All members have the right to submit a complaint with the TheHolo.Net Staff about and ignore any player who does not respect the author’s participation wishes.

    8. Roleplaying Time:
      Not everyone is online all of the time. Members to this community range in location and lifestyle. Basically, people are online at different times. Because of this, a roleplay will move at the pace in which posters involved in said roleplay can respond. So, give roleplayers a chance to respond to your thread. Also be aware that due to amount of topics posted in these forums, some roleplayers may completely miss your topic. If after a while the roleplayers involved have still failed to respond, it would be best if you contacted them.

      The Following are Prohibited:

    9. Plagiarism:
      Plagiarism is not only illegal, but forbidden in these forums. Plagiarism is the stealing of intellectual or copyrighted property and passing it off as one's own. Members may not use copyrighted characters, names, scenarios, or stories at any time. Those who register copyrighted characters or character names, will be warned and assisted in changing their name, by a staff member. Those who have undergone this process once, and register a copyrighted name again, will be given an infraction and the registered name deleted. If such behavior continues, then a banning will follow. Those who roleplay or post a work of fan fiction that is similar or even an exact copy of a copyrighted storyline, will be warned, and said post will be deleted immediately. If said/warned poster again posts copyrighted material, he/she will be banned immediately.

      For example: You may not register the name Han Solo. You may not roleplay a scene where your smuggler character is shot at by Greedo, only for your character to return fire and kill Greedo, in a bar, on Tatooine. This is too similar to copyrighted and existing storylines. All names and scenarios must be original.

    10. God Moding:
      This involves actions in-character (IC) which are impossible or that give you an unfair advantage. For instance, throwing a mountain at someone, destroying an Imperial Star Destroyer in one post, or wiping out a planet by clicking some fingers are all examples of God Moding. God Moding is not tolerated and generally ignored; it just isn’t smart or entertaining storytelling. Also, please keep in mind that doing too many actions in one post can be considered a form of God Moding, as it gives you an unfair and unrealistic advantage over your thread-mate.

    11. Maiming and Killing:
      This is related to God Moding. You are never allowed to kill or permanently maim (cut off body parts) another character without his/her permission. Many roleplayers have spent a lot of time developing their characters and do not appreciate their characters being killed or losing a limb by another roleplayer. This type is behavior is not tolerated, and will generally be ignored and the perpetrator warned by the Staff.

    12. Infiltration:
      This involves spying on another group. Many times, members will play multiple characters, and thus, have access to different groups’ playing information. You are expected to keep your characters separate as if they were not played by the same person, and respect the privacy of all group’s ideas, private forums, etc. Also, if you gain private information (by any means) that you are not supposed to have, and use it, you are guilty of infiltration. Members who hack private forums, who obtain private information, who pass along private information, and who use private information will be banned.

  2. Can I play multiple characters?
     You may play multiple characters if your intentions for playing multiple characters is benign and purely for positive entertainment purposes only.

    You may not play any character purely to infiltrate or spy on another group, for any reason. Infiltration and spying are prohibited, and will get you banned if you have done so. The reason infiltration and spying are so seriously looked down upon is because the roleplaying community is built on trust and respect, and infiltrating can destroy the trust between roleplayers and compromise other roleplayer’s original storylines. Any roleplayer caught infiltrating will be banned from the TheHolo.Net Roleplaying forums as a whole, regardless of location of offense.

  3. Can I join multiple groups with only one character?
    This depends on which group you are already a member of, and which group you intend to join. Some groups allow their members to join other groups provided they are of the same allegiance (or side). Others, however, do not. To know which groups do and do not allow this, just ask the appropriate group.

  4. What exactly is Infiltration?
     In February 2000, the leaders of the roleplaying groups decided that infiltration should no longer be permitted due to frequent OOC conflicts resulting from many discoveries of infiltration, spying, and the leaking of private information. You are infiltrating when you create an account for the purpose of spying on another group of roleplayers.

    1. Infiltration is also known as spying, and is the creating of a character with the purpose of retrieving restricted information from another group of roleplayers. Among such restricted information is any conversation (typed, written, verbal (if applicable)) that takes place in private forums, private messages (PMs), e-mail, or any private instant/chatting messaging programs like AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSIM (MSN), Trillian, Yahoo, etc.

    2. Leaking information is revealing any private information to any individual who would otherwise not have access to such information. Sometimes, such information may be given to you, in trust of your loyalty, from the group to which you are member of.

    3. Hacking passwords is obtaining any username passwords or forum passwords in order to get access to restricted areas and information.

    If you are found guilty of infiltration you will be banned from all Roleplaying forums, without warning.

  5. Anything else?
     Remember to play fair. “Do unto others, as you would have them do to you.” Respect your fellow roleplayers and they will respect you in return. We’re here to have fun! Thank you for your time and we hope you enjoy yourself here.


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IV. Forum Subject Matter and Topics

  1. Post Icons Required in Some Forums
    Post Icons are a feature that must be used when creating a new thread in many forums, while optional in others. These icons denote a thread’s content and subject matter, and are to assist readers in finding topics of interest to them. Post Icons which are not appropriate for thread content are subject to modification by a staff member.

    1. Some Post Icons and Their Definitions:
        General Icons
        For use by all Members

      • - No Spam Please
      • - General Topic
      • - Moderator Attention Please
      • - SPAM POST
      • - Hijacking/Thread Hilarity Encouraged
      • - Large Images in Thread
      • - Informational Thread
      • - Quiz Inside/Questions
      • - Star Wars Thread

       

        Mixed Topic Tags
        For use by all Members

      • - Art Within
      • - Book Discussion
      • - Cartoon/Anime
      • - Computer Stuff
      • - Special Event
      • - Food Talk
      • - All Types of Games
      • - Help Please!
      • - Nonsense/Cat Related
      • - External Link
      • - Movie/Movie Related
      • - Music Related
      • - Newsworthy
      • - Photographs
      • - Photography Work/Question/Tutorial
      • - Photoshop Work/Question/Tutorial
      • - Poetry Writing/Reading Topic
      • - Political/Patriotic
      • - Poll Questions
      • - Going Off!
      • - Duplicate Thread?
      • - Product Review
      • - General Science Fiction Topic
      • - Serious, Not.
      • - Drawing
      • - Sports Topics
      • - Tech Question/Answers/Topic
      • - Television Show
      • - YouTube Video
      • - Bizarre Thread
      • - Wii Related Topic
      • - Wiki Discussion Thread
      • - PlayStation Related Topic
      • - Non-Rping Writing
      • - XBox Related Topic

       

        Roleplaying Icons
        For use in the Roleplaying Forums as well as Group boards.

      • - Open Roleplay
      • - Closed Roleplay/Invite Only
      • - Complete Roleplay

       

        Staff Icons
        These icons are used only by TheHolo.Net Staff Members.

      • - Thread is Warned, action must be taken to lift warning or thread will be closed by a Staff Member.
      • - General Staff Topic/Ogre's Icon

    2. Using Post Icons
      You can select a Post Icon when starting a new thread, or when editing the first post in a thread. The Post Icon Category list is located just below the message input section. Note: Some Categories of Post Icons may be ‘collapsed’, requiring that you expand the Post Icon Category to see all of the icons available for use.

  2. Hijacking and Flooding Threads
    Posters who hijack or flood threads tagged with 'No Spam' or 'Role Playing' icons will be warned once, and then banned from the individual forum if the warning is not heeded. Posters who post with no relevance to the post icon (and topic subject), in any way, are considered “hijackers”. Hijackers will also be warned and then banned in the same way, if a topic subject matter is not respected.

    Use of Post Icons is required for ease of navigation through several forums. Post Icons are highly recommended for topics of the 'No Spam' or 'Role Playing' type in any forum.

    TheHolo.Net staff members may assign your topic a more appropriate post icon if one applies.



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V. General Posting How-To and Rules

  1. How do I post?
     To post, you must first be registered. If you are here to advertise for your own RP board, there is no need to register, though you will only be able to post in our advertising forum as a guest. Anywhere else you will need to register. You can register by clicking the register button at the top of the forum or this link, TheHolo.Net Forums registration screen. Registering is 100% free. You'll need to come up with an original user name, and supply this name with a an e-mail address so your account can be verified. You will be sent a validation e-mail shortly after registering, so you will need to provide a valid e-mail address. Click the account validation link sent to you in the e-mail and you should be ready to start posting. If you experience any difficulties, please contact the administrator, TheHolo.Net.

  2. What is a 'locked/closed' topic?
     A thread can be 'locked' (or 'closed') by a moderator or administrator, at any time. Locking or closing a thread prevents said thread from being replied to. Moderators and administrators are able to 'unlock' topics (depending upon forum and moderator). Topics may be locked or closed if the content or subject matter is not consistent with the posting guidelines discussed in these policies, or if discussions become too heated.

    1. Thread warnings

       What does it mean when a thread has this icon in the thread listing ?
       This is for the benefit of both the members and the staff, so that they can all easily identify and try to avoid having a thread closed. That’s right, the icon is an indicator that a particular thread may be heading in an unfavorable or undesired direction, and is approaching being closed due to its content. This "warning" is meant to serve as a “lighten up so this topic can remain open” indication, and will also make it easier for staff members who may not have noticed the thread earlier to quickly know that it’s a touchy subject that bears a close eye being kept on it.

  3. Can I change my username?
     Only administrators have the power to change usernames. Should you wish to have your username changed, contact an administrator and they may change it for you. Be aware however that the name can only be changed to another name that hasn't already been registered.


  4. Previewing Posts vs. Testing Posts

    Before posting a new thread or reply, it is recommended that your first preview your post entry. By doing this, you check spelling and grammatical errors, fix mistakes, and make sure your post is within the confines of TheHolo.Net policies.

    You may use the Preview Feature to test an avatar and/or signature (to see if it works), or any image or link etc. you're posting. Please do not make test posts (or actually posted threads) for the purpose of testing signatures or avatars. You may also view your profile to make sure a signature or avatar is working.

  5. Post Counts



    1. Post Count Status
      In member profiles, and sometimes underneath a member's avatar (in a post, and depending on the style set you're using) there is a notation regarding that member's post count. Depending on post count, members will have a certain number of stars beneath their user name, which signify post count and participation at TheHolo. The schedule for post stars is as follows:

      1. 0-49 posts - No stars
      2. 50-499 posts - 1 star
      3. 500-4999 posts - 2 stars
      4. 5000+ - 3 stars
      5. Moderator - 4 stars
      6. Administrator - 5 stars

  6. Spoliers
     A spoiler is a piece of information from a new film, book, or television show, etc. that may or may not be available to the general public yet.

    For example: Rocky 500 is coming to theaters next month. You have checked out the website for the movie and found out that Rocky will die at the conclusion of the movie. You may choose to post such an item in the BO forum. By posting this information, you may have ruined a vital part of the movie for several people. For other members, you may have given them that juicy bit-of-gossip they were dying to know.

    Some members do not wish to know ANY information beforehand about such topics. Other members relish knowing all of the little secrets in advance. To accommodate both sides we ask that you warn people in your subject line with the word 'SPOILER' if you plan on posting a spoiler (or spoil it for everyone).

    For example: If you wanted to post a topic revealing that you have discovered what the plot of Star Wars: Episode II is, the topic title should read something like 'Spoiler - Episode II plot revealed' which warns other posters that your thread contains spoilers. Based on this information, some members will flock to your thread, and others will steer clear, and YOU have given them the courtesy to chose.

    Note: A Spoiler vBCode has been provided to help avoid issues with making such information easy for those who don't wish to see it. The code is {spoiler}Text goes here{/spoiler} (replacing {} with []). The resulting effect looks like this. Be aware that this code can only be used in posts - not topic titles.

  7. One-to-One Conversations
    Threads which are addressed to one individual and are for the purpose of having a one-to-one conversation with another member, are not permitted. There is a Private Message (PM) system at TheHolo.Net that may be utilized for this purpose. Else, you may e-mail said person by using the e-mail link in his/her TheHolo.Net Profile, or send him/her an instant message (where usually an IM handle is represented in the TheHolo.Net Profile).

    One-to-one threads posted in the OOC forum will be closed.

  8. Thread Content / Posting in the Appropriate Forum
    All TheHolo.Net forums have titles and forum descriptions. Please make sure you post in the appropriate forum, or you thread will be moved by a staff member to the place where it most appropriately belongs.

  9. Departure / Goodbye Threads: There are times when a roleplayer decides to leave this community, whether it be temporarily or permanently. Usually, posters announce their departure in the Planning and Discussion forums of either the Star Wars or General RP settings. Notification of departure in public forums is acceptable under the following conditions:

    1. Posting a thread which explains your absence, and that is meant for a wide range of members, is permitted as long as the thread is meant for a series of posters (as opposed to one), and not charged with negativity. There may be times when you need to let a lot of people know you're leaving on vacation, so they don't expect a post from you in any roleplay thread you are involved in. This is acceptable, and appreciated from members counting on you to roleplay.

    2. Posting a thread which announces your departure and states reasons which include attacks or flames towards other members or member groups are not permitted. The Staff here asks you to take up personal conflicts with whomever you have that conflict with, and not "air-it-out" in the public forums. Threads such as these incite arguments and generally cause the atmosphere to become negative. The PM system may be used to alert those you want to know of your departure.

  10. Flaming, Insulting, or Harassing
    TheHolo.Net's main purpose is for entertainment and fun. Therefore, all members should make sure these ideals are upheld. Flaming, insulting, and harassing other members will make you very unpopular, and may get you banned.

    Note: While flaming, insulting, and harassing someone OOC is not permitted, doing so IC is permitted as long as all roleplayers agree to it. This type of behavior is very common in storylines, being that Star Wars © is based on the conflict between good and evil.

    1. Flaming and Insulting is the act of calling or deeming another individual or member something derogatory and confrontational. This is not permitted. Members who cannot constructively contribute to thread discussions and insist on insulting other members will be warned, and then banned if the warning is not heeded.

    2. Harassing is the act of bothering, irritating, or even hurting someone with unwanted behavior. If someone is bothering you in any way, we suggest you use the "Ignore" feature. If the unwanted behavior is excessive and not remedied by the Ignore feature, please contact a Staff member and report the problem.

      NOTE: The staff here at TheHolo.Net would also like it known that using the reputation feature as a means to further exacerbate a personal argument is not allowed. It's entirely inappropriate to extend arguments, even constructive ones, into rep comments. That's not what they're for, and because the rep system is only a one-way street, there's no possibility of turning them into a constructive dialogue that can lead toward a solution. Worse, there's no way a user can delete unwanted reps, so their rep archives will always be marred by negativity. At best, it's passive-aggressive. At worst, it's an attempt to circumvent the conduct policies by moving abusive behavior into a different channel. For that reason, negative rep comments are not allowed on these forums. We're not concerned with whether you click "I approve" or "I disapprove" so much as we are with the content of the comment. Abusive rep comments, just like any abusive communication, can be reported to the staff of TheHolo.Net. But if you have a problem with a post, no matter how legitimate, the rep system is not the place to air it out. We're not trying to legislate away interpersonal conflicts. If there are issues you can't discuss in a public thread, you can use private messaging, or you can use email and instant messaging.

      The TheHolo.Net staff can only deal with harassment issues as they pertain to these forums. Issues which occur over AIM, ICQ, MSIM (MSN), IRC, Yahoo, etc., by e-mail, by phone, or in real life, are not under jurisdiction of this staff and will not be used to take action against someone.

      1. Private Messaging is a way for people to have one-to-one conversations with you. If you PM someone and he/she asks you to cease contacting them by means of the PM system, you must adhere to his/her request. Also, if you have been asked to cease PMing someone, and you carry on in public forums, you are guilty of harassment. You must end contact immediately and permanently (in these forums) if asked to do so by someone. What you do away from these forums, is not this Staff's jurisdiction.

        PM and/or thread spamming (or sending ads or links to outside sites or services) is never permitted and will result in an immediate banning.

      2. Thread Harassment is not permitted. Should you continually insult or make comments to someone after being asked to cease, you are harassing that person. Making comments about other member's religion, sexual preference, color, political affiliation, age, etc., is not permitted, and may get you banned.

        The preceding statement is qualified in the following manner: a difference in opinion is not considered harassment.


    Disclaimer: TheHolo.Net is not responsible for any damage that any member of this community commits against anyone. While we will do our best to respond to valid complaints, we are not a law enforcement society. If you feel that your well being is being compromised by another member of this board, you need to alert the proper authorities. Also, please remember, this is an online, and somewhat "faceless" community. If you share items of a personal nature in public, or to any member of these forums that you do not personally know, you make yourself vulnerable. This staff is not responsible for what you disclose to others.


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VI. Dealing with Issues / The TheHolo.Net Staff

 TheHolo.Net is a privately owned community / board. The goals and ideals of these forums have been set forth in the preceding and proceeding literature, and are to be upheld by all members at all times. Those who do so, will exist here happily with all members of this community for as long as they want. Those who can not comply with TheHolo.Net policy will be dealt with swiftly and professionally.

  1. What happens if someone violates TheHolo.Net policy?
     All members are responsible for reading the FAQ, terms, and policies upon registering to this community. During the registration process, you were instructed to read and know the terms to posting here (which include these policies). You submitted a virtual signature of understanding our terms for membership by submitting a registration request when you became a member. Therefore, breaking policy is inexcusable.

    However, depending upon the situation, members will usually be warned once that they have violated the FAQ and policies. This is a member's chance to right his/her wrong, re-read the policies, and discontinue his/her misconduct.

    If warnings are not heeded or respected, formal punishment will ensue. Usually, the ultimate punishment is banning. However, some actions of misconduct will result in certain privileges being taken away. These privileges include, disabling of PM use, disabling of signature display, forum access being revoked, etc. If this happens, some privileges may be returned to you in time, but this depends on your actions.

    Banning is also a method of formal reprimand. Sometimes, posters may be banned temporarily, and other unfortunate times they are banned permanently. If you are banned, all of your accounts will be banned. In other words, if you play two or more characters (or even post with two or more accounts OOC), and you become banned while posting from one account, the other accounts you have will also be banned. This is done because a member will be banned by user name(s), e-mail address, and IP address. It is not likely, that someone would be able to return to these forums, after being banned. A poster would have to post from a brand new computer and register a new e-mail address. This is possible, and somewhat easy for some people to do, but in time, the actions and remarks of said person will tip off the staff as to who they are.

    All in all, if you're banned, you will not be able to return to these forums, for as long as your banning lasts.

  2. How will the Staff contact me, if I have done something wrong?
     If you have broken TheHolo.Net policy, a staff member will warn you. The warning may take place in the thread where the violation occurs, or may be PMed or e-mailed by a Staff Member, to you.

    If you are warned you should take any warning very seriously, and cease all actions which violate our policies. While you may feel angry, or even disagree with the staff's decision to warn you, arguing, flaming, and insulting the staff is not permitted. This community is not a democracy; it is a privately owned board, and decisions from the staff are not debatable. Threads or posts that make an attempt to incite debate over action against anyone by the staff will be closed without warning.

    Please remember the staff is numerous, usually consults with one another about decisions, and always tries to be fair. If you stick to these policies, you can't go wrong.

  3. How do I complain about the actions of another? How do I contact the Staff about any issue?
     If you observe someone violating TheHolo.Net Policy in any way, or you have any kind of comment or question for us, you may PM a Staff member, or post in the Communications forum. You may also contact a staff member through any IM method (and handles are usually in our profile). You may also report a questionable post (if that is the case) and the Staff will look it over and make a decision.

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VII. Member Groups and Financial Contribution
  1. Contributing to TheHolo
    Financial contributions are always very much welcomed. We exist on the good graces of our membership.

    The Webmaster will notify board members using a Hosting Fees thread in the Communications forum. You're certainly not required to send money, but we do appreciate it.

    The following items describe how you can contribute:

    1. How can I send money?
       You may send money through PayPal to:
      If you do not have an account with PayPal, it is very easy to set up one. Please also read the appropriate threads requesting financial contributions, when they are posted, for more information.

      While the fee for TheHolo.Net is due annually, you may contribute to this link at any time.

    2. How much can I send TheHolo?
       You may send as much as you like.

      Please be aware that there are no refunds, unless approved by the Webmaster. Also, the Webmaster will charge no administration fee, nor anything beyond what TheHolo.Net is charged. There will be no profiteering on the contribution process. If in the event that contributions total more than the sum amount which is due for TheHolo, that money will be saved for the next TheHolo.Net fee due date.

    3. When are contributions due?
       The Webmaster will start asking for contributions sometimes months ahead of time. The Webmaster will post a thread, and specify when contributions are due.

    4. How long does my contribution last?
       Your contribution lasts for a period of one-year. Every year, new contributions are needed.

  2. Financial Contributor Rights
    Financial contributing is voluntary, and appreciated, but does not afford any contributor any special rights. All members to these forums are treated equally. Financial contributions do not give you the right to break TheHolo.Net policy or treat any member unfairly. Contributing financially will not excuse you from any formal punishment resulting from your breaking of TheHolo.Net policy as well.

    Furthermore, should you become banned from TheHolo.Net for breaking policy, no financial contribution will be refunded to you, unless approved by the Webmaster.

  3. What happens if I have given TheHolo.Net a monetary contribution, and I leave the community?
     There are never any refunds, unless approved by the Webmaster.

  4. What is a TheHolo.Net Forums “Supporter" account?
    A “Supporter” account is a registered user’s account that has made a financial contribution to TheHolo.Net. Supporter accounts are granted a Supporter icon that displays in their Custom Title.

    Supporter accounts also have other perks:

    - Access to several private Supporter Exclusive forums
    - Increased space for your Private Messages (from 100 to 250)
    - Who Has Read a Thread - be able to see who has been reading your roleplays/threads!
    - A custom title image that identifies you as a Supporter
    - The ability to Delete your own posts and threads
    - The ability to Open & Close your own threads (thread lock/unlock)
    - Increased post attachment storage limit(from 2MB to 10MB)
    - Increased storage for a 'Personal Picture' (from 150 x 150 Max 15KB to 500 X 500 Max 500KB)
    - Elevated access to 'user notes' (posting user notes)Gallery
    - The ability to upload a signature via user CP (similar to avatar usage)
    - Increased character count for text signatures (from 250 to 10000)
    - Increased number of pictures allowed in signature (from 4 to 8)
    - Elevated access to reputation - Can See Who Left User Ratings



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VIII. Signatures, Avatars, and Image Use
  1. Avatars
    An avatar is a picture with a maximum size of 150x150 (pixels) that, when enabled, is displayed underneath your user name, when you post. An avatar can be added in the Control Panel, which can be found by following the link button near the top of the forum page. Currently, you may only add an avatar if it's file size is equal to or less than 100kb.

  2. Signatures
    A personal signature is an option that, if enabled, allows you to have text and/or pictures appear below posts that you make. Note: Your signature will automatically display only once per thread page. Signatures can serve to inform others of who you are, what you do, etc. Currently signatures are limited in size to 200kb, or less. Members who signature is larger than 200kb will be warned and have their signature removed by a staff member until such time that the 200kb standard can be met. If a member has been warned before about his/her signature size, and he/she continues to post signatures over the 200kb limit, said member may be put on signature probation, or even be banned.

    Be aware that if your signature is too large in size, it can become distracting for other members. Generally signatures are anywhere from a text line to an image no larger than 550 x 300 (pixels), and even this is getting on the large side. It is also customary for a signature to be posted only once per thread for each participant. When replying remember not to post a signature multiple times in the same thread. When you're writing a post, you can check or un-check the option to show your signature.

  3. Image Use
    To post an image or link, you may use either HTML, vBcode, or [IMG] code. Please observe the above rules for spamming and advertising when posting images or links. Offensive images, pornographic images, or images containing profanity are not allowed to be used as avatars, signatures, included as attachments, inline images, or to even be linked to from these forums.

  4. Using Smilies
    There is a feature at TheHolo, called "smilies." Smilies are used to convey a poster's emotion or mood. To use the smileys, click on one of the smilies available on your reply screen and the selected smiley or smilies will be inserted into your post. You may also use the vCode provided for each smiley if you find that faster or easier.

    For a full list of smilies available, click here.


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IX. The Final Word

 The policies and FAQ herein are here for the purpose of providing a friendly and entertaining fan-based community. These policies are based on several years of existence as a fan and roleplaying community, and are amended as occasion calls for. Please note that these policies and the FAQ are subject to change at any time.

If you have any questions regarding these policies and the FAQ contained herein, please post in the Communications forum, and we will assist you promptly.

Enjoy your time here, and have fun!

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Basic Roleplaying Information

Link:
Basic Roleplaying Information

Using/Joining User Groups

What are User Groups?
User Groups are a feature of vBulletin that has been put to use by the staff of TheHolo.Net. Its primary purpose is to assist in the organization of roleplaying information. Finally, user groups also allow access to specialized group Post Icons.

Note: All roleplaying group forums are moderated by their respective forum’s staff. See the Forum Leaders page for more information.

How do I join a User Group?
Joining any one of the User Groups at TheHolo.Net is easy. First, open your User Control Panel. Scroll down the menu bar to the 'My Account' sub-heading and click 'Permission Groups'. The Group Membership page displays all of the User Groups that are open to join. Each User Group corresponds to a roleplaying faction or alignment, such as 'Roleplaying - The Jedi Enclave'. By clicking Join Group, an application is submitted on your behalf to that particular User Groups moderators. Many of the groups are able to be joined without needing moderator approval, but some - such as 'Admiral' and 'Master', will indeed need to be approved. If this is the case, you will be asked to provide a reason for wanting to join the group. Speak to the User Groups members and moderators, in their respective forums, before submitting your application.

What are the benefits of joining User Groups?
One of the primary uses of User Groups is to allow members of the TheHolo.Net Forums to distinguish which roleplaying faction they are part of. User Groups include Custom Title icons that provide at-a-glance information about your character.

Which User Groups should I join?
You should only join the User Groups applicable to your character. For instance, if you play Character A (a Jedi Knight) and Character B (an Imperial Pilot) you should join the Jedi User Group with Character A and the Imperial User Group with Character B. There are many User Groups for many different types of characters, so peruse the list and choose the best fit. It's perfectly acceptable to join more than one group, but we ask that you limit yourself to no more than three.

How do I leave a User Group?
You can leave any User Group that you have joined by accessing the 'Permission Groups' section of your User Control Panel. Go to the bottom of the page, and you will see a separate box containing the groups that you are a part of. Select the and you will be removed from the group.

< Back to FAQs

Roleplaying Image Claim Information

If you take a look at the Member List you will see that two profile fields: Image Claim and RP Setting. These profile fields are our way of keeping track of character image claims. You can check to see if an image has been claimed by using the Advanced Search feature.

VERY IMPORTANT!!! If you do not follow the below rules, your claim will NOT be entered into the database.

General Rules

  1. One "persona" claim per individual character. To clarify: You're still allowed to use more than one character but, for the purposes of the database, you're only allowed one claim. So if someone else comes along and wants to use a character you're using, but have not claimed, then they're entitled to. This is to prevent persona-hoarding; It's not really fair for one person to claim multiple actors/personas, especially when they often don't use their variants.
  2. Submissions must be for presently registered forum character names only.
  3. Submissions will be made in the Character Database (Image Claims) submission thread, and will include the exact spelling of the registered name for which the claim is to be made. If you use a shortened or lengthened or misspelled version of the account name, it will render your claim invalid. Please pay attention.
  4. Duplicate claims are allowed for alternate roleplay scenarios located in the General Roleplaying forum, such as World of Darkness. Specify which roleplaying scenario you are making the claim for - i.e. SW, WoD, General, X-Men, etc.
  5. Copyright Violations are Bad - You cannot register the name "Han Solo" for a character because of plagiarism, and you also cannot claim a persona who's name or character in a movie matches your character's name or is judged by the Staff to be too similar.

Taking a claim from another roleplayer
Six months of inactivity on any account will require the holder of the persona claim be contacted (this is not the staff's responsibility). If there is no response to the contact, PM, email etc... (within seven [7] days including the day the email/PM was sent), the persona claim is forfiet and the DB entry is deleted upon Staff notification. No Exceptions

After a year of inactivity, persona claims are defunct and the entries will be deleted out of the DB. No Exceptions.

If there are any questions, direct them to the Staff via PM. The thread is only for posting a change to your character claim, or adding a new one.

    IMPORTANT:
  • People still aren't clarify exaclty what they're claiming. Don't assume that the moderating team is going to know where something has come from. For example, if you are claiming Character X from Anime Y, say that it is from an anime.
  • Also, please layout your claims as simple as possible, preferably in this format: Character Name - Character Claim (Source) - Universe (e.g. SW, WoD). This is particularly helpful if you are claiming multiple images in the same post.

Rules for those who add DB entries (mods and group mods)

  1. You must verify a submission meets the above General Rules, including verifying the registered name exists and there are no persona claim conflicts, before making the new entry into the DB.
  2. Be sure your spelling is correct wherever possible, most importantly with actor/actress names and registered user accounts. Make sure once the entry is added that it properly links to the user's profile.
  3. Before editing an existing entry verify there are no persona conflicts.
  4. Document that the entry has been added, edited, or denied in the public submission thread.
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Search FAQ

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