Code of Conduct

I. Preamble

Use of our forums/client constitutes acceptance and agreement to our Code of Conduct. If you violate the Code of Conduct, we reserve the right to terminate all accounts belonging to you without prior notice. We prefer to advise users of inappropriate behavior, however, flagrant and repeated violations of our CoC will result in an immediate ban. Our failure to enforce this policy, for whatever reason, shall not be construed as a waiver of our right to do so at any time.

II. Principle Guidelines

We created the Code of Conduct to provide a basic understanding of what's allowed and not allowed. The following are the principle guidelines for the establishment and enforcement of our CoC:
# Ensure a friendly atmosphere to our visitors and members
# Ensure the privacy of our members and that of others
# Comply with existing laws
# Encourage responsible use of our forums/client and discourage activities which disrupt our community and reduce the value of our services to our visitors
# Encourage the freedom of expression and exchange of information in a mature and responsible manner

What about free-speech?

While we are committed to the principles of free speech, certain activities may be damaging to the resources of both IGZones and our communities and cannot be permitted under the guise of free speech. The resources of IGZones are limited, and abuse of these resources by one user has a negative impact on the entire community.

As a member of our community, you must participate responsibly. If you have any questions regarding our CoC, please contact any of our forum moderators via email.

III.Violations of the Code of Conduct

It is extremely important for you to understand that this section of our Code of Conduct isn't designed to cover everything. We may take action — issue a warning, ban your account(s) and/or IP addresses, mute you on the client, etc. — if your conduct at IGZones is counterproductive to the Code of Conduct.
Unauthorized access / Security

The following actions are strictly prohibited:
# Accessing, or attempting to access, the accounts of other users
# Exploiting, or attempting to exploit, bugs, vulnerabilities, or loopholes; whether they are disclosed or undisclosed
# Penetrating, or attempting to penetrate, security measures of IGZones's software or hardware, or electronic communications system

All intrusions will subject all your accounts to immediate termination, regardless of whether or not the intrusion results in the corruption, loss, or theft of data.
Users are responsible for the security of their IGZones accounts. Users may not share their passwords or transfer. Users are responsible for all activity made by him/her or anyone the user allows to use his/her account.

IV. Usernames

Usernames must not be in violation of this Code of Conduct. We reserve the right to terminate accounts whose associated usernames are in violation of this Code of Conduct, or are otherwise deemed inappropriate and/or potentially offensive. Users may be invited to change their name, or register a new one.

V. Ad Hominem

Ad Hominem comments/personal attacks towards anyone - staff, member, or a visitor who is likely to view it on the forums - is subject to action taken against the user, regardless of how pertinent or thoughtful the rest of the message might be.

VI. Spamming

You may not spam. Spam includes, but is not limited to, the following, for forum and client:
# Excessive off-topic threads
# Posting nonsensical messages
# "Flooding" the forum with similar meaning messages
# Post-Count farming
# Inciting a war or riot
# Outwar-style links
# Blatant advertising
# Messages without content
# Fraudulent activity (Pyramid schemes, chain letters, etc.)
# Free-____ links (i.e. Free iPods, Free PSP, etc. etc.)

VII. Advertising

We want to avoid spam generated by promotion teams, public-relations campaigns or any other traffic-hungry webmasters. So please note that our forums/client aren't the place to advertise your own site or forums or sites with similar content to ours. IGZones staff don't visit your site and spam it with adverts, so we expect the same courtesy in return. You are welcome to link your site in your signature without a slogan.
If you are part of a gaming site and you want to link it as a relevant part of a discussion, you are allowed.
If you are part of a clan or design team, you will normally be able to make a thread or a room about it.
Any forumer who seems to have created their account solely to promote another site will be permanently banned.

If you wish to advertise on IGZones, contact support@igzones.com

VIII. Pirated Materials, Cracks, Multiplayer Hacks, Keys, and Key-Generators

"Piracy" is the illegal copying and/or distribution of copyrighted content including, but not limited to, games, software, music, movies, pictures, ROMs, abandon-ware, and leaked software. "Cracks" are programs that disable copy-protection technology; "Multiplayer Hacks" are any programs, patches, files, modifications or information exposure cheats that allow a player to gain an unfair advantage over other human opponents in a multiplayer game; a "Key" is a combination of numbers and letters that is required for software installation and sometimes used to validate users for online play; and "Key-Generators" are programs that generate valid Keys.
You may not encourage, post in support of, link to, or discuss activities, methods, and/or techniques involving piracy, cracks, multiplayer hacks, keys and key-generators. In addition, the following are grounds for moderator action on your post and/or account:
# Seeking help to create and/or get cracks, multiplayer hacks and key-generators
# Admitting to the use of cracks, multiplayer hacks and key-generators
# Uploading any such files to IGZones sites

IX. Forgery or impersonation

Attempting to impersonate any person, including staff, using forged headers, instant messenger names, similar usernames (i.e. "lake" into "1ake") in an effort to deceive or mislead is prohibited.

X. Profanities

You may not bypass the software-based profanity censor. In addition to words included in the censor list, sexual remarks and slang may be considered profane when used in certain contexts.
A word about what is considered to be bypassing the software-based censor: Anything done to avoid the default *'s provided by the censor is considered to be a bypass of the censor. For example, if the word "IGZones" was in the censor (it is not), then all of the following are considered a bypass of the censor and thus in violation of the CoC:
# I******
# 1GZones, IGZ0nes
# IGZonës, IGZoñes
# I G Z o n e s
# Links to an image containing the word "IGZones" used in a demeaning context

The list of words automatically censored by our filter is available upon request.

XI. Harassment

You may not use terms or audio/visual materials referring to ethnic/national origin, ideological/religious beliefs, gender, or sexual preference in a demeaning context.
We have no tolerance for discrimination. You are in violation of this rule if the nature of your message(s) discriminates, promotes hate, promotes violence or advocates hatred or discrimination against individuals, groups, races, cultures or organizations because of their ethnic/national origin, skin color or culture.

XII. Derogatory Terms

If you use any terms in an offensive context against a person, race, culture, group or organization, as determined by our moderators, you are in violation of this rule.
Please note that words carry different meanings in different cultures, and that while a word may be acceptable use in one part of the world, it may not be in another. In addition, any one can invent their own derogatory terms, unfortunately. Because of those factors, we will evaluate the context in which the term was used to determine whether a violation has occurred.

XIII. Porn/Sexually Offensive Materials

You may not post or link to pornography or sexually offensive materials. If you are unsure whether what you wish to post may be in violation of this rule, please consult a moderator first before posting.

XIV. Offensive Images / Shock Sites

You may not post or link to shock sites, or any such excessively obscene material. If you are unsure whether what you wish to post may be in violation of this rule, please consult a moderator first before posting. Blatant violations of this rule will result in a permanent ban on your account.

XV. Illegal Use

You may not use our forums/client for illegal purposes, in support of illegal activities, or encourage conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, as determined by the laws of the United States of America and the State of Illinois. Such activities will guarantee a ban. We reserve the right to cooperate with legal authorities and/or injured third parties in the investigation of any suspected crime or civil wrongdoing.

XVI. Privacy

# You may not post any form of real life information of a user unless the user has first permitted it by express consent. Examples of real life information include name, address, IP addresses, and phone numbers.
# You may not distribute any form of real life information, email address, private/email Messages, and Instant Messenger messages ("Chatlogs") with intent to harass or in any demeaning manner as determined by a moderator, regardless of consent.
# You may not disclose a user's unpublicized email address unless the user has first permitted it, either by actual consent or previously releasing said information.

XVII. Email Addresses

# You may not harvest email addresses from our forums for any purpose
# You are required to keep your forum account's email address up-to-date.

XVIII. Moderation & Bans

# You may not evade a ban. Doing so will drastically lengthen your ban. If you believe your actions were not in violation of this Code of Conduct, you can appeal your ban by e-mailing support@IGZones.net
# You may not publicly complain about or demand a reason for another user's ban, the deletion of a message, or the deletion/closure of a thread. Any discussion about warnings, bans, message deletion, thread deletion and thread closure should be done over private email between the person concerned and the moderators
# You may not re-edit a message that has been edited by a moderator

XIX. Miscellaneous

# Do not post negative messages and/or discussions that are repeated over and over and over with no other purpose than to disrupt conversation. If you feel the need to say something, say it once and then move on. Do not disrupt multiple threads in order to get your view out.
# Do not post private MSN-AIM-Yahoo or any other chatting software conversations on the forum. It will be deleted and your posting will be disabled.
# You may not bait/troll users. Bait / Trolling is defined as posting with a clear intent to provoke anger, incendiary posts, and behavior that results in other users violating the CoC.
# You may not bait, insult, flame, or otherwise abuse a staff member. Staff members have to follow the same rules, and should you have a problem with a certain staff member, please contact a moderator or the Administration Team.
# You may not post graphically-disturbing images as inline images (such that the images are displayed when users view your post). However, you can link to the images with a warning stating that the images are graphically disturbing
# You may not register multiple accounts with intent to violate any part of this CoC.
# You may not link to the forum logout page, disguised or not.