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Guidance and expectations in Forum Games
This guidance applies to all games in the Forum Games forum. Other rules or expectations might apply in games elsewhere on the site.
Good manners
Users are expected to be polite to one another at all times, even if they disagree.
Forum Games is not generally intended for users to have discussions. If you want to discuss a topic, you can make a thread in the main Chat forum or elsewhere on the site.
Other than the exceptions mentioned in this guidance, players should only post in game threads to play the game. Other posts may be removed as being off topic, and may lead to moderation sanctions (cards).
Rules of a game
Game creators are expected to set clear rules in the OP (first post) of their game, setting out how the game should be played. In the first instance, the rules of each individual game are up to the creator, and while they may want to copy rules of similar games that exist already, the rules might also be different to other games of a similar type that currently exist or have existed in the past.
Similarly, creators should not assume that players already know the rules of any other game, for example by just writing ‘same rules as other hurt/heal games’; these rules must be explained in each game thread.
Players are expected to follow the rules set out in the OP. If you do not like the rules, you should choose not to play the game.
If you think the rules of a game are unclear or want any particular point of the rules explained further, you should politely ask the creator to clarify the rule(s) in the game thread. If the creator does not do so, you should tag a Chat volunteer (of either VSL or VT level), who will decide to either clarify the rules, set new rules or close the game.
Mistakes and cheating
All players are expected to carefully follow the rules of a game, and not cheat. However, innocent mistakes do happen. If you notice that you have made a mistake, you should correct this as soon as you can.
Users must not accuse one another of cheating in game threads: if you see another user has made a mistake, you should either quietly continue the game correcting for the mistake, or politely ask the user to correct the post, using your judgement depending on what is more appropriate for that particular game. If it is not possible to continue the game by ignoring the mistake, and the user does not correct the error, then please report the post with the error and give a clear explanation of why it is causing a genuinely unavoidable issue in the game.
If you did not create the game yourself, do not ask users to stop play or fix several posts. Moderators and volunteers have additional buttons to edit or remove posts. They can also see where posts may have been deleted by users or whether posts have been removed by moderators, and can take appropriate action to get the game running smoothly again. Do not therefore try to salvage gameplay yourself should something go wrong.
If people are found to be cheating in a game, they may be banned from that game or TSR overall by the Community Staff. Users are not allowed to accuse one another of cheating either publicly or in PMs, and should use the report function or contact a Chat volunteer privately if they have suspicions. The decision of the volunteer or moderator is final.
Coordination between different users playing a game (some users call this ‘brigading’) is usually legitimate, but can make gameplay incredibly boring where it is obvious how a game will end. However, no person is ever allowed to use more than one TSR account to play a forum game.
Timings
Some games rely on timings, for example if players can only post once per day. Where there is a time aspect to a game, this always refers to current UK time. TSR sometimes does not show accurate UK time on timestamps, particularly in the way it treats daylight saving, so all users are responsible for keeping track of accurate UK time to play these games.
Inactive or deleted accounts
Sometimes a game creator becomes inactive on TSR or deletes their account. If this happens, other users can usually continue to play the game, and take steps to reset a game if needed, such as making a new thread after 10,000 posts are reached or restarting a hurt/heal game when there is a winner. If you do this, you should not make changes to the rules of the game, or be offended if Chat volunteers make reasonable changes like editing the content of a post or reassigning the ownership of the new OP.
If there are any issues, you can contact a Chat volunteer. They might choose to take minor actions to restart the game, take over the running of the game or close the game.
Hurt/heal games
Specific rules apply to hurt/heal games from the date this guidance is published. A maximum of five open hurt/heal games are now permitted in Forum Games at any one time. This number does not include a small number of designated legacy games in other sections.
If you would like to suggest a new hurt/heal game, or reopening an old game, please make this request to the Chat volunteers in the Hurt/heal game requests thread, where you will also find a list of the current five games. Launching a new hurt/heal game is only possible when a currently open game reaches the end of a round and can be closed. Final decisions on which games are opened and closed will be made by Chat volunteers or the Community Staff.
Where lots of users coordinate to pile into a hurt/heal game and boost one option to win easily, this makes the game dull and more likely to be closed at the end of the current round.
Creation of unauthorised hurt/heal games or duplicate threads is forbidden, and will be treated as a breach of the TSR Community Guidelines, which is likely to lead to a moderation sanction.
Deleted posts
Deleted posts can be problematic and affect how a game works. Several games have a strict no-deleting policy in place, and this will be stated in the game rules. You should edit posts instead of deleting them, which allows the game to continue smoothly while removing the content you wanted to remove.
Moderators will aim to edit rather than delete rule-breaking posts in Forum Games, however there may be special cases where there is no option but to delete posts, such as GDPR requests. Users are asked to show patience where this is unavoidable.
Good manners
Users are expected to be polite to one another at all times, even if they disagree.
Forum Games is not generally intended for users to have discussions. If you want to discuss a topic, you can make a thread in the main Chat forum or elsewhere on the site.
Other than the exceptions mentioned in this guidance, players should only post in game threads to play the game. Other posts may be removed as being off topic, and may lead to moderation sanctions (cards).
Rules of a game
Game creators are expected to set clear rules in the OP (first post) of their game, setting out how the game should be played. In the first instance, the rules of each individual game are up to the creator, and while they may want to copy rules of similar games that exist already, the rules might also be different to other games of a similar type that currently exist or have existed in the past.
Similarly, creators should not assume that players already know the rules of any other game, for example by just writing ‘same rules as other hurt/heal games’; these rules must be explained in each game thread.
Players are expected to follow the rules set out in the OP. If you do not like the rules, you should choose not to play the game.
If you think the rules of a game are unclear or want any particular point of the rules explained further, you should politely ask the creator to clarify the rule(s) in the game thread. If the creator does not do so, you should tag a Chat volunteer (of either VSL or VT level), who will decide to either clarify the rules, set new rules or close the game.
Mistakes and cheating
All players are expected to carefully follow the rules of a game, and not cheat. However, innocent mistakes do happen. If you notice that you have made a mistake, you should correct this as soon as you can.
Users must not accuse one another of cheating in game threads: if you see another user has made a mistake, you should either quietly continue the game correcting for the mistake, or politely ask the user to correct the post, using your judgement depending on what is more appropriate for that particular game. If it is not possible to continue the game by ignoring the mistake, and the user does not correct the error, then please report the post with the error and give a clear explanation of why it is causing a genuinely unavoidable issue in the game.
If you did not create the game yourself, do not ask users to stop play or fix several posts. Moderators and volunteers have additional buttons to edit or remove posts. They can also see where posts may have been deleted by users or whether posts have been removed by moderators, and can take appropriate action to get the game running smoothly again. Do not therefore try to salvage gameplay yourself should something go wrong.
If people are found to be cheating in a game, they may be banned from that game or TSR overall by the Community Staff. Users are not allowed to accuse one another of cheating either publicly or in PMs, and should use the report function or contact a Chat volunteer privately if they have suspicions. The decision of the volunteer or moderator is final.
Coordination between different users playing a game (some users call this ‘brigading’) is usually legitimate, but can make gameplay incredibly boring where it is obvious how a game will end. However, no person is ever allowed to use more than one TSR account to play a forum game.
Timings
Some games rely on timings, for example if players can only post once per day. Where there is a time aspect to a game, this always refers to current UK time. TSR sometimes does not show accurate UK time on timestamps, particularly in the way it treats daylight saving, so all users are responsible for keeping track of accurate UK time to play these games.
Inactive or deleted accounts
Sometimes a game creator becomes inactive on TSR or deletes their account. If this happens, other users can usually continue to play the game, and take steps to reset a game if needed, such as making a new thread after 10,000 posts are reached or restarting a hurt/heal game when there is a winner. If you do this, you should not make changes to the rules of the game, or be offended if Chat volunteers make reasonable changes like editing the content of a post or reassigning the ownership of the new OP.
If there are any issues, you can contact a Chat volunteer. They might choose to take minor actions to restart the game, take over the running of the game or close the game.
Hurt/heal games
Specific rules apply to hurt/heal games from the date this guidance is published. A maximum of five open hurt/heal games are now permitted in Forum Games at any one time. This number does not include a small number of designated legacy games in other sections.
If you would like to suggest a new hurt/heal game, or reopening an old game, please make this request to the Chat volunteers in the Hurt/heal game requests thread, where you will also find a list of the current five games. Launching a new hurt/heal game is only possible when a currently open game reaches the end of a round and can be closed. Final decisions on which games are opened and closed will be made by Chat volunteers or the Community Staff.
Where lots of users coordinate to pile into a hurt/heal game and boost one option to win easily, this makes the game dull and more likely to be closed at the end of the current round.
Creation of unauthorised hurt/heal games or duplicate threads is forbidden, and will be treated as a breach of the TSR Community Guidelines, which is likely to lead to a moderation sanction.
Deleted posts
Deleted posts can be problematic and affect how a game works. Several games have a strict no-deleting policy in place, and this will be stated in the game rules. You should edit posts instead of deleting them, which allows the game to continue smoothly while removing the content you wanted to remove.
Moderators will aim to edit rather than delete rule-breaking posts in Forum Games, however there may be special cases where there is no option but to delete posts, such as GDPR requests. Users are asked to show patience where this is unavoidable.
(edited 1 month ago)
I appreciate that this quote list contained more than recent Forum Games posters (or there are people who have posted in Forum Games without realising at some point!) – but it's the best that we have for now.
I draw people's attention to the above guidance on Forum Games, which is effective immediately.
Any questions should be directed to Ask a Volunteer Section Leader (content) or Ask the Community Staff (moderation).
I draw people's attention to the above guidance on Forum Games, which is effective immediately.
Any questions should be directed to Ask a Volunteer Section Leader (content) or Ask the Community Staff (moderation).
Spoiler
Related discussions
- Hi I'm new here
- Future of Forum Games and next steps
- Official University of Bradford Clearing 2025 thread
- I need help with my Access to HE nursing assignments
- Forum Games: Hurt/heal game requests thread
- Can I apply for student loan if I have a bachelor degree from outside the UK?
- Second degree
- Does anyone have examples of what a portfolio should look like for Games Art NTU?
- Portfolio
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- Access to healthcare - how to achieve distinctions?
- portfolio
- psychology uni
- Should I stay at the same uni for my Master's?
- law: equitable estoppel
- Med online mmi - answering duration?
- ePAD
- Am I too old for this website
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- Ucat 1890 B3
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