Summary of the Rules
Welcome to Hogwarts Live!!!
While you're here there's a few customs that we (the Staff) hope players will be aware of and abide by. These customs are in place to keep the playing experience enjoyable for most (not all, unfortunately, since we can't please everybody) of the people who come across our little realm on the Internet. Follow them and we can all have a good time.
Without further ado, here they are:
1. Newbies must read the FAQ, or die!
You absolutely must read the FAQ in its entirety!!! I guarantee you that failure to read it will most definitely result in an endless barrage of ridicule! If you owl the staff members or Petition for Help with questions answered in the FAQ they will be ignored. If you message the staff for favors or just to say "what's up?" you will most presumably be ignored. In order to advance in this game and not present yourself as a complete imbecile you must read the FAQ. It is dangerous to your mental state not to do so and will get you killed over and over by players who actually do take the time to read the FAQ.
2. No cheating.
Trying to hack into the server, trying to crack other user's passwords, or otherwise doing something detrimental to the integrity or security of HL is strictly forbidden. Do not use scripts or bots to automate game tasks as they may burden the server. You must report any bugs or exploits you discover using the Petition for Help link. Failure to do so will result in a temp ban and/or having your account locked. Those who report bug abuse or means of doing may receive a reward. A bug is a problem in the game code that permits you to gain an unfair advantage over other players, it is a form of cheating.
3. Evading the filter.
If a word shows up as !@#$ when you post it, do NOT change it and post again so others can see what it was. Some "regular" words have been filtered due to past misuse. Do not evade on these words either. Using foreign languages in open chat is also considered evading the filter, so do not do it. Do not try to filter yourself, just type what you want to say and let the filter do its job. If the filter doesn't catch a word (if you spelled it correctly) then the word is allowed.
4. No Cyber Bullying.
Do not harass other players for things they may not be able to help, i.e. spelling and grammar. Not everyone is a Grammar King/Queen or Spelling Bee Champion like you are and there is no reason to make fun of a person for it. Please mind your attitude and language at all times. Be polite and have fun. Taunting opponents is fine as long as it is roleplayed, but bullying isn't, even when it's called "roleplaying." Keep all teasing site-related. Personal attacks (bringing someones real life into it) and insulting remarks should be kept off the public channels such as the forums and the chats. It is preferable that you keep arguments off the site or ignore players that irritate you. When Ignoring players with the Ignore Chat Users function, IGNORE them. Don't continue to talk about them or reference them. To do otherwise could end up in a mute. (See Ignore Chat Users guide in Friend List FAQ)
5. Drugs, Alcohol and other Bannable Subjects.
Any reference to illegal drugs, extreme alcohol (ab)use, cutting, suicide or other forms of self-harm will not be tolerated. There is no need for any of that on this site. NO CYBERING ANYWHERE ON THE SITE. Cybering ANYWHERE will get you banned. Holding hands, hugging and some kissing are allowed, however we do not need details and descriptions. Innuendo needs to be close to nil as well. Any reference to rape is an instant ban. Also included in this rule is any controversial subject such as politics, religion, abortion, etc. If ANY subject is causing a disruption in chat, staff will stop it and mute those players that continue.
6. Appropriate content.
This site is open to children as young as 16 years old. Please make sure that your conduct and comments are suitable for that audience. Blatant sexual comments, references to adult material, and usage of vulgar phrases are not allowed (such as what can be found on Urban Dictionary). Using them can get you muted or banned, depending on the severity.
7. Spam.
We define spam as useless and repetitive posting. We generally we do not mute for this, unless you do it over and over. Players that are RPing and posting what they are doing is NOT spam UNLESS they keep repeating themselves. Posting such things as "shsdfgesrhshsryery" or "Hiiiiiiiii!!!!!! are spam. We have a GENERAL guideline of using only 3 of the same letters/numbers/characters or words in a row. Using too many letters strung together can stretch the page for some players and for those that use a screen reader, it can cause problems. Use spaces between real words. Anything that is overly long has the same effect as using more than 3 of the same letters in a row. If you continue to post this way after repeated warnings, you can be muted. All caps in one or two posts is FINE. Using it every post isn't. Do not advertise other websites in chat or in owls.
8. Chatspeak.
Chatspeak (or text talk) is shortening words to "save time." Generally we do NOT mute for this though you will probably get warned by a staff member, and asked to stop by multiple players. We ask that you refrain from using chatspeak out of respect for other players. Not everyone's first language is English and we have players who use screen readers. Using chatspeak can be difficult to understand.
9. Advertising.
Other websites are not to be mentioned or discussed in chat OR owls. References to other websites are also prohibited from bios and public profiles. If you need to discuss something pertaining to ABCWebsite, GO to ABCWebsite and discuss it. If you want to advertise your own site, hire an advertising company. If you are reported by several players with evidence that you are randomly owling them websites or inviting them to ask for more information about other sites, you will be banned.
10. No Libel/Slander (Defamation of Character).
Libel is defined as the written spreading of lies or untruths that are stated as fact which negatively affect a person's or collective persons' character; slander is the spoken form of defamation of character. In other words, no spreading lies about players here, especially the staff members. It is a form of harassment and is punishable by fines and even jailtime in many countries, including the United States. Players found guilty of either will be banned.
11. Alternate characters (alts).
You may have UP TO 4 accounts per IP address. If you decide to make more than that, your highest account(s) will be locked until you are back down to 4 accounts. If you choose to make more than one account, they may not interact with each other. This means no arguing between your accounts, no sending gold or pets from one account to another, no PvPing yourself, etc. Don't create an alt for drama purposes either. If you do, your main may be locked. Also, do NOT refer your own account(s). This type of cheating is just in bad taste. Again, we may decide to lock your main account if you do. If you share a computer, Internet connection, or Network with another player we will assume there is only one person at the keyboard and you will be held responsible for all activity that originates from your account or IP address.
12. Personal Information.
Your contact information is private. Posting your email adddress, phone number, address, real name, etc.in a public chat is not only against the rules of the site but puts you at risk. If you still wish to share this information with others on the site, please use Owls to do so. But be aware that this information should NOT be shared lightly. We want to keep HogwartsLive safe for all users and you cannot assume that the information shared will not be passed on or abused. Be safe with your information. Any posting of your information will be deleted from chat and you will be muted.
13. Sharing Passwords.
Although this is not against the rules, we strongly suggest that you do not share your password with anyone. You are responsible for anything that happens on your account, even if you aren't on it at the time. If you still choose to share your password and your account gets messed up (losing gold, gems, friends, pets, mounts, etc.) we will not fix it for you. If your account gets muted or banned because your "friend" broke the site rules, that account will stay muted or banned.
14. Evading bans or mutes.
When we mute or ban an account, we are punishing the player behind the account, not the character name. This means that it's not okay to log into another account or make a new one so you can chat or play the game. Any secondary account that is used to evade a mute or a ban will also be muted or banned. If a third (or more) account is used, then the original punishment will be lengthened.
15. In the end.
In the end, listen to the admins and other staff, do not argue with them. These rules are made so everyone can enjoy their time here on HL. Please abide by them so all players can have fun. Usually you'll get 2 warnings before you're muted, but in some cases staff CAN decide to instant mute you, or only give you one warning before a mute. If you feel you were wrongly muted, petition it. If you think a Staff member was having a bad day and taking it out on you in chats, you can petition it also. As staff we are supposed to respect players also. Staff are not above the rules, so if you see a Staff member breaking any of these rules, report them. When Staff members are handling a situation where a player is breaking the rules, please do not try to interfere or comment on it. Your comments are not needed. If you see a staff member in chat when a player is breaking a rule, do not try to warn them yourself, if its that bad the staff member there will warn them. If you think a player is breaking a rule, don't try to warn them yourself, you're not in a position of authority to do so if you're not staff. Staff members also should not argue in chat, that needs to be kept to owls or the Grotto. Staff CAN and WILL enforce things that are not mentioned here in the rules if they feel it is necessary.
If you have an issue with a staffer please Petition for Help. If instead you decide to lash out of them or disregard their authority you will be punished and are risking your access to Hogwarts Live.
Once again, welcome, and good luck in your quest! Be sure to like the HogwartsLive.com Facebook Page as well as follow us on Twitter (@HogwartsLive).
P.S. Remember that at Christmastime, WitchyWoman is ALWAYS the GRINCH.