Some of you may not be quite familiar with the layout of the Guild yet, or may be confused about the various fora (plural for forum) that are on this Board. Here's some brief description for them:
Guild Common Room - An overall all round miscellany forum. This forum is where you post just about everything, that doesn't go into the other fora. Food fights, random displays of zany intellect, humorous materials and other odd topics go here. This forum gets a lot of traffic, so please be careful and try not to step on any tails, paws or claws on your way around.
Newbie Nook - First Time Posters or just recently arrived folks who are looking to introduce themselves, This is the forum to post in. Think of it as the gates that you first go through. Watch out for pie-throwing guilders.
Gryph Sitings - When you're out and about in RL, and happen to spot a gryph somewhere, say a logo, or the title of a book, or a statue on a building... and you want to point out? Here's the forum to post about it. Not to say that you should go around posting 'Hey! Type Gryph in the eBay search engine and see what comes out!' We're talking about, 'Oh, I was out walking today, and passed by a new building... which has a gryphon statue out in front! *insert small desc of statue here or photo*' That sort. A good way to add more to your post would be some description of possibly the building, book, game or area you saw the gryphon in.
Discussion Junction - Here is a place to talk about more debatable issues. The topics here are more serious, ranging anywhere from subjects you'd normally learn about in school like quantum physics to something completely abstract that you'd like to have a straightfaced discussion on. This is a place for meaningful discussion regarding all manner of subjects that don't go into the other forums. Recently the merge with the religion & spirituality forum has lent this forum some more topics of the philosophical and spiritual nature. At the Guild, we welcome all ideologies save for those that particularly feel hurting someone is something to be worshipped. This isn't the silly side of things... so posts like 'why pocket lint could kill you' doesn't merit being here. Do keep in mind that some debates can get rather hot when opinions clash, but every person is entitled to their opinion and respect is due to both sides of a debate. If a thread gets too hot, it will be closed and any further threads on the subject will be closely monitored for errant behavior. I will not have folks bashing each other over differences in personal beliefs, period.
Animals and Pets - Talking about your RL housepets, or regular animals in general. By way of regular animals in general, one might think this sort of goes in the Common Room for miscellaneous... but this is more specifically related towards animals that live on this big blue planet. Your replies on your topic will be related to the fauna of the earth, rather than sparking, say, a discussion about anthropomorphic animals. In which case, your discussion should aim back up to Common Room or even Discussion Junction.
Art Gallery - Similar to Elfwood (which is an online sci-fi/fantasy/fan art and fiction collection, http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/) here is where the artists can post their works and get comments upon them. All types of works are welcome though most of the pieces are fantasy and sci-fi, with occassional fan art as well. Pieces of other natures such as landscapes, still life, and abstract are also welcome.
Literary Library - This is where you post poems and stories come from your writing muses. You could give people a taste of a story you'd like comments on, or even a book you are writing. Put on those beatnik caps too, and let the Guild's poets recite a few lines of verse for you to enjoy.
Request Fest - Posting here is generally making your request out to the artistic public. Also, artists who are taking requests or commissions can post here to let folks know if they are available for picture drawing. Keep in mind this isn't a place like Furbid or eBay where you post your drawings/prints to auction off or sell. If you want to sell your stuff, plug it in the Plugs & Announcements section. This is solely for the 'I'm available to draw' sort of post. Whether it's for free, for art trade, or for commission.
Tips and Techniques - Though this is a very general term, this particular forum applies to Art as in drawing. Here's where to post if you'd like some help with your artistic pieces, or if you have help to offer by way of tutorial, or reference pictures, or general method talk of how your scrawl becomes a wonder to the eye.
OOC Center - Getting into the RP forums, here is where to post about your ideas and general chat regarding the threads in the IC center. This isn't a general chat area about anything... just the Roleplaying forums.
IC Center - In character, as it states, where your roleplaying character concepts come to life. Rules regarding roleplaying etiquette I'm sure, you all know and if not, Lux will inform you.
Facets and Facades - A place to post about the various quirks regarding characters that are IC in the RPing forums. NOT a place to post your description to the general Guild.. mind you.. That sort of stuff would come into your Newbie nook post. Or changes to your look in the Guild could go in Plugs & Announcements. Such changes, make sure to change to your bio on the BioPage too!
RP Archives - As it states.. this one's for finished threads from IC center, or closed threads that folks want to keep. Contact the moderator to have your IC thread moved to the RP archives.
Plugs and Announcements - Here's where you tell everyone if you have a change of email, or website update, changing SNs on AIM, new login name for EZBoard, whatnot.
Lurker Hall - Ok, this forum may have had some confuzzlement before. From now... this is the place you post if you're going away from the Guild. Say you are on vacation, or having a loss of Net access, or just need to take a break. This is the place to announce it. Similarly, if you've come back, here's the place to put your return post too. Folks just thought this place needed some clarifying, so the descrip has been changed.
Admin Announcements - Though there is a forum for announcements, this is particularly the spot where Moderators and Admins of the Board will post notices regarding the EZBoard and such. Also if there are any complaints regarding posts or posters and suggestions, requests, that want to be made to the admins and moderators, here's the place to post it so it'll catch our eye.
Support - With all the hope and happiness that could come up with the Guilder life, there's also some days that just make you wish you didn't get out of bed. Or if something is troubling you, and you'd like advice on it, here is where to come. Something of a counsel center. Mind, this is not to be a substitute for professional help should you be in need of it. We're just Guilders helping out Guilders, as per a community such as us would do.
Ramble Rant - Not quite the same as Support, here is where you just run on about stuff bothering you. If you post here, it's more to the sense that you just want to vent it out with a long stream of thoughts. A soapbox sort of forum, or a microphone set with a recorder to listen to your thoughts. This is forum can get pretty hot with tempers flaring and emotions running high. Someone might just want to scream aloud and use the Net as a punching bag or scratching post. This is an area where there is hackle-raising, snarling, low-hissing, beak-gnashing, teeth-grinding, feather-ripping and overall pissed off Guilders. It's not pretty. It's not meant to be. It's meant as an area where you can vent if you just need to take it out and hang it to dry. Where nothing but raw emotion and stress can be thrown against the walls and beaten to a pulp. Mind, though. This is NOT a place for snarling at other Guilders. None of the forums are. If you have a problem with another member of the Guild, you are expected to handle it in a mature manner. Even if you are 12 years old or younger. I expect all Guilders to act in a calm and tolerant manner should you have a complaint or gripe about another Guilder. Handle it through email, and if you can't work it out that way, find a third party to mediate. If the problem rolls from private discussion into public, and turns into a flame war, then the moderators and admins will step in and there will be consequences.
Tech Center - Questions on computery things like HTML, Javascript, the EZBoard's functions or other general questions like what sort of processor is better for the computer you're building... if you're that sort of person who can understand it. ^ ^
Is This Thing On? - A place to test out your photos and sigs. Speaking of which... if you have questions on how to modify the photos, icons, sigs, ask in the Tech Center. Also, again I want to stress the fact that you should keep your sigs and side photos to a respective level. Not all of us have 1024x760 sized browser windows after all.
Those are our fora, and the descriptions of what is expected in each. If you have more questions, feel free to ask them in reply. They'll be answered as soon as possible.
Edited to fit the new forum merged layout.
--Stormy
Guild Common Room - An overall all round miscellany forum. This forum is where you post just about everything, that doesn't go into the other fora. Food fights, random displays of zany intellect, humorous materials and other odd topics go here. This forum gets a lot of traffic, so please be careful and try not to step on any tails, paws or claws on your way around.
Newbie Nook - First Time Posters or just recently arrived folks who are looking to introduce themselves, This is the forum to post in. Think of it as the gates that you first go through. Watch out for pie-throwing guilders.
Gryph Sitings - When you're out and about in RL, and happen to spot a gryph somewhere, say a logo, or the title of a book, or a statue on a building... and you want to point out? Here's the forum to post about it. Not to say that you should go around posting 'Hey! Type Gryph in the eBay search engine and see what comes out!' We're talking about, 'Oh, I was out walking today, and passed by a new building... which has a gryphon statue out in front! *insert small desc of statue here or photo*' That sort. A good way to add more to your post would be some description of possibly the building, book, game or area you saw the gryphon in.
Discussion Junction - Here is a place to talk about more debatable issues. The topics here are more serious, ranging anywhere from subjects you'd normally learn about in school like quantum physics to something completely abstract that you'd like to have a straightfaced discussion on. This is a place for meaningful discussion regarding all manner of subjects that don't go into the other forums. Recently the merge with the religion & spirituality forum has lent this forum some more topics of the philosophical and spiritual nature. At the Guild, we welcome all ideologies save for those that particularly feel hurting someone is something to be worshipped. This isn't the silly side of things... so posts like 'why pocket lint could kill you' doesn't merit being here. Do keep in mind that some debates can get rather hot when opinions clash, but every person is entitled to their opinion and respect is due to both sides of a debate. If a thread gets too hot, it will be closed and any further threads on the subject will be closely monitored for errant behavior. I will not have folks bashing each other over differences in personal beliefs, period.
Animals and Pets - Talking about your RL housepets, or regular animals in general. By way of regular animals in general, one might think this sort of goes in the Common Room for miscellaneous... but this is more specifically related towards animals that live on this big blue planet. Your replies on your topic will be related to the fauna of the earth, rather than sparking, say, a discussion about anthropomorphic animals. In which case, your discussion should aim back up to Common Room or even Discussion Junction.
Art Gallery - Similar to Elfwood (which is an online sci-fi/fantasy/fan art and fiction collection, http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/) here is where the artists can post their works and get comments upon them. All types of works are welcome though most of the pieces are fantasy and sci-fi, with occassional fan art as well. Pieces of other natures such as landscapes, still life, and abstract are also welcome.
Literary Library - This is where you post poems and stories come from your writing muses. You could give people a taste of a story you'd like comments on, or even a book you are writing. Put on those beatnik caps too, and let the Guild's poets recite a few lines of verse for you to enjoy.
Request Fest - Posting here is generally making your request out to the artistic public. Also, artists who are taking requests or commissions can post here to let folks know if they are available for picture drawing. Keep in mind this isn't a place like Furbid or eBay where you post your drawings/prints to auction off or sell. If you want to sell your stuff, plug it in the Plugs & Announcements section. This is solely for the 'I'm available to draw' sort of post. Whether it's for free, for art trade, or for commission.
Tips and Techniques - Though this is a very general term, this particular forum applies to Art as in drawing. Here's where to post if you'd like some help with your artistic pieces, or if you have help to offer by way of tutorial, or reference pictures, or general method talk of how your scrawl becomes a wonder to the eye.
OOC Center - Getting into the RP forums, here is where to post about your ideas and general chat regarding the threads in the IC center. This isn't a general chat area about anything... just the Roleplaying forums.
IC Center - In character, as it states, where your roleplaying character concepts come to life. Rules regarding roleplaying etiquette I'm sure, you all know and if not, Lux will inform you.
Facets and Facades - A place to post about the various quirks regarding characters that are IC in the RPing forums. NOT a place to post your description to the general Guild.. mind you.. That sort of stuff would come into your Newbie nook post. Or changes to your look in the Guild could go in Plugs & Announcements. Such changes, make sure to change to your bio on the BioPage too!
RP Archives - As it states.. this one's for finished threads from IC center, or closed threads that folks want to keep. Contact the moderator to have your IC thread moved to the RP archives.
Plugs and Announcements - Here's where you tell everyone if you have a change of email, or website update, changing SNs on AIM, new login name for EZBoard, whatnot.
Lurker Hall - Ok, this forum may have had some confuzzlement before. From now... this is the place you post if you're going away from the Guild. Say you are on vacation, or having a loss of Net access, or just need to take a break. This is the place to announce it. Similarly, if you've come back, here's the place to put your return post too. Folks just thought this place needed some clarifying, so the descrip has been changed.
Admin Announcements - Though there is a forum for announcements, this is particularly the spot where Moderators and Admins of the Board will post notices regarding the EZBoard and such. Also if there are any complaints regarding posts or posters and suggestions, requests, that want to be made to the admins and moderators, here's the place to post it so it'll catch our eye.
Support - With all the hope and happiness that could come up with the Guilder life, there's also some days that just make you wish you didn't get out of bed. Or if something is troubling you, and you'd like advice on it, here is where to come. Something of a counsel center. Mind, this is not to be a substitute for professional help should you be in need of it. We're just Guilders helping out Guilders, as per a community such as us would do.
Ramble Rant - Not quite the same as Support, here is where you just run on about stuff bothering you. If you post here, it's more to the sense that you just want to vent it out with a long stream of thoughts. A soapbox sort of forum, or a microphone set with a recorder to listen to your thoughts. This is forum can get pretty hot with tempers flaring and emotions running high. Someone might just want to scream aloud and use the Net as a punching bag or scratching post. This is an area where there is hackle-raising, snarling, low-hissing, beak-gnashing, teeth-grinding, feather-ripping and overall pissed off Guilders. It's not pretty. It's not meant to be. It's meant as an area where you can vent if you just need to take it out and hang it to dry. Where nothing but raw emotion and stress can be thrown against the walls and beaten to a pulp. Mind, though. This is NOT a place for snarling at other Guilders. None of the forums are. If you have a problem with another member of the Guild, you are expected to handle it in a mature manner. Even if you are 12 years old or younger. I expect all Guilders to act in a calm and tolerant manner should you have a complaint or gripe about another Guilder. Handle it through email, and if you can't work it out that way, find a third party to mediate. If the problem rolls from private discussion into public, and turns into a flame war, then the moderators and admins will step in and there will be consequences.
Tech Center - Questions on computery things like HTML, Javascript, the EZBoard's functions or other general questions like what sort of processor is better for the computer you're building... if you're that sort of person who can understand it. ^ ^
Is This Thing On? - A place to test out your photos and sigs. Speaking of which... if you have questions on how to modify the photos, icons, sigs, ask in the Tech Center. Also, again I want to stress the fact that you should keep your sigs and side photos to a respective level. Not all of us have 1024x760 sized browser windows after all.
Those are our fora, and the descriptions of what is expected in each. If you have more questions, feel free to ask them in reply. They'll be answered as soon as possible.
Edited to fit the new forum merged layout.
--Stormy

