Community (Wiki) Rules 2019 Edition

=Introduction= This is a version of the rules that would have everything on one document/page. Everyone can view a more condensed but still detailed version of each topic. I will list them as they appear in the original rules. The Notices and Shortened Versions do not exist in this version because the notices should be separate from the rules, and the shortened versions are basically what I’m recreating here.

Overarching Rules
These are rules that apply in all instances and may be found repeated in specific other rule areas. Expect that you should follow each of these rules no matter where you are in the community.

Sexual Content
We do not condone sexual/intimate content in our community. If you want to have a seductive character, or state that characters had intercourse, you may, but you are not allowed to show that content in-roleplay, image, or story. We do not accept sex-roleplays in any form. If it’s public, it should not be inappropriate.

We suggest not including sexualized characters, but if you must, then at least refrain from showing nipples, buttockses, crotches, or lewd gestures.

The posting of disallowed sexual content will earn you 3 STARS.

Political Content
While political content as a whole is not disallowed, please consult a staff member before posting something political. If it is an in-story piece that relates to your world’s government, it will likely be fine, but consult the staff all the same just in case. Disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Otherwise Graphic content
'''Gore in any form may or may not be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Please avoid posting anything overly graphic like organs strewn about, be it in description or artwork. If you are going to include something of that nature, please consult staff about it, and include “Graphic Content” as a tag in your title for your page.''' Disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Irrelevant Content
This is a Sonic Fan Character community. As such, we mainly accept only Sonic-related content. Please respect that standard, as if we were to allow everyone to share everything non-Sonic, the community would have no clear theme or organization. These are the following contexts/exceptions for the non-fan-character rule.

Official Sonic Content
Normally just posting official Sonic content straight from one of the continuities (archie, games, X, etc.) is not allowed. However, as long as what you post is transformative of that content, it is acceptable. For instance, if your version of Sonic has interacted with your fan characters and has had different experiences as a result from one of the main official continuities, that version of Sonic would qualify as transformative, and could be included as your fan-character version: applicable for his own pages and so on. This does not ban people from using official content to interact with fan-content. You may do so if you wish. It is when you create pages specifically for official content that you should be careful. Posting official Sonic content without changes will earn you 1 STAR.

Other-Franchise Content
Unless the content is a combined universe of two franchises (like a Sonic Devil May Cry universe), we do not allow non-Sonic content to be posted by itself in the community. If you wish to discuss the content in the Discord chat, or having the franchises crossover in a story or roleplay, you may, but you cannot make pages for fan (or official) characters that are fully from a franchise separate from Sonic the Hedgehog. Posting content separate from Sonic and from a different franchise outside of specific crossovers will earn you 1 STAR.

Independent Content
This applies to ACTUAL Original Characters. If you have your own universe/franchise that you yourself created, which is separate from the Sonic franchise, you may include that content in our community IF it has interaction with Sonic-Fan-Character content. If you are just posting your independent content without it having any interaction with the theme of the community, you will be limited to perhaps linking that content to other sites where it can be found. Overall we prefer for content be Sonic-related, but as long as it doesn’t conflict with the theme, it will be generally okay unless it is from an actual other franchise. Posting completely original content without crossover from Sonic content will earn you 1 STAR.

Roleplay Rules
This applies to all roleplays that occur within the community, be them on Discord or the Wiki.

The OP Sets Most Rules
When it comes to roleplays, for the most part, what happens in the roleplay is between the participants. The OP decides what is and isn’t allowed as long as it doesn’t conflict with MAIN community rules (personal attacks, sexual content, etc.). While we do not condone the use of godmoding (having characters act above reasonable strength without proper explanation), metagaming (having characters know things that the users know but the characters wouldn’t with the exception of this being a character trait to break the fourth wall), double-turning/turn-skipping (replying again before all participants have done so at a reasonable time), and inactive roleplays (roleplays where participants are replying slowly or not at all), these are matters that the OP decides on how to deal with. They can choose to terminate or continue with the roleplay and participants as they wish. The only point at which the staff should be involved is if the content goes against actual main rules, and leaks outside of the roleplay itself. With that said, these are the following main rules to follow. Disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Continuity
Users who participate in a roleplay are expected to respect each other’s opinions of the roleplay results. If a user wishes for the roleplay to be non-canon, the other user must respect this. Unless there was an agreement made prior, later decisions must also be respected. Dictating continuity without permission of/in spite of protests from the other participants of the roleplay will earn you 1 STAR.

Force-Roleplaying
In most roleplaying scenarios, you should not automatically say something affects another person’s content, but instead allow them to state whether or not it does. For instance, throwing a rock at someone’s face, you don’t decide if it hits them, they do based on if they dodge it or not. You do not control the other person’s content unless they give permission otherwise. This goes back to the continuity rule where you are not allowed to state what another person’s continuity is if it differs from your own. In order to do so, you must change enough of the other person’s part so that it is separate from their content if you wish to keep what happened, but you must premise that it does not represent the other person’s canon. Disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Page Posting Rules
This applies to all pages as a whole posted on the Wikia or shared to the community as part of the community.

Proper Maintenance
Please strive to keep your pages organized, with proper spelling, grammar and so on. You won’t get in trouble for having a messy page, but pages with less than 1 paragraph of content will automatically be removed if it is 2 months or older without modifications. If you do not want your page to be removed, please specify that you will be working on it with usage of “WIP” (work in progress). Punishment will only be considered on repeat offenders and/or users responding with hostility.

Category Usage
We hope that everyone will use the proper categories for their characters, but please keep your categories as efficient as you can. Only use categories that are relevant and required. Duplicate categories (if you use dogs AND canines, one will be removed) are not allowed. Additionally, do not remove or add categories to pages that are not your own unless specifically instructed to. Punishment will only be considered on repeat offenders and/or users responding with hostility.

Joke Characters
Joke characters are not allowed in the community unless they have a genuine story purpose. You have to have plans to use them as characters and not just pretend characters for a laugh. If a character looks to be a joke character with no purpose, they will be removed. This may be determined by the user’s activity. Disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Blog Posting Rules
When posting a blog, you should do so to notify people or request something of people. These blogs are not to be used for… Posting content in the blogs that is not allowed will earn you 1 STAR.
 * Personal problems: Unless you are asking specifically for help in a dire life-crisis event, do NOT post about your personal issues here.  We suggest that any problems be talked about in PMs or elsewhere.
 * Roleplays: Roleplays are for the main article formats, not the blogs.
 * Going after specific users: If you have suggestions for the community, you can put them in a blog format, but please refrain from naming specific people, and do not attack or target anyone.
 * Short Statements: We have a Discord now.  If you want to announce something as little as “I’m back!” or “I just got this achievement on wikia!”, do it in the Discord chat.  Blogs must have a minimum of one full paragraph of 50 words.
 * Sexual content: A no-brainer, but please no porn or sex content in the blogs.

Art Rules
This involves all images (and visual content in general) posted in the community.

Un-owned Art
We promote artwork that is self-made. However, if you are posting content that you yourself did not create, you must credit the owner if possible, or at least reference where you got the art. This does not mean you are allowed to post repurposed art. We do not allow RECOLORS of ANY sort. This may include bases as well because it is far too easy for people to take actual pictures and pass them off as bases. It is still copy-art. Additionally, while you may use doll-maker art, you may not use more than one per page, and only if there is no other reference art available. If you have trouble drawing, feel free to request art from someone. Even if your art is bad, we appreciate self-made art far more than “good” copy-art. It’s the content that matters. Posting of artwork not owned by the original creator, recolor or otherwise, will earn you 3 STARS.

Inappropriate artwork
In addition to pornographic content, graphic material  like gore may be disallowed on a case-by-case basis, as will specific politically-charged content. Posting inappropriate artwork will earn you 3 STARS.

General Interaction Rules
This applies to any interactions in the community.

Critique
Everyone is free to share their opinions, and unless actually insulting another user, we try to let even the more blunt comments alone. However, everyone is expected to act with the mindset that all of us want to improve and help each other improve. If someone critiques your content, pointing out what they consider flaws, do what you can to consider the criticism regardless of the format it takes. If you do not wish to accept it or use it, then say nothing or respectfully state that you do not wish to. There is no harm in accepting that your work can be better, nor is there harm in disagreeing with advice and wanting to keep something how you designed it. If you are critiquing someone’s content, state your advice/opinions respectfully. If you see something that’s bad, the chances that the user taking your advice to heart are far less likely if they feel attacked. If they react badly and you’ve been perfectly respectful, then you’ve done nothing wrong. If they ask you to stop, please respect their wishes. Always strive to offer ideas for how to improve something you critique. Insults, attacks, or otherwise rude behavior to other users may earn you 1-2 STARS depending on the situation.

Asking for Staff Positions
Do not ask to be in the staff, at least not publicly, and if you are rejected, do not make a fuss of it. We pick people who we think are capable, and only when we need to pick new staff. Public request of a staff position will earn you 1 STAR.

General Respect
In this community, we do not go by “Respect is earned not given”. We go by “Respect is given: period”. Why? Because the better man acts maturely, even if treated poorly, and those who maintain a respectful attitude will be recognized for it. Those who do not give respect to others will be noticed as well, and will be dealt with accordingly. We do not accept revenge-seeking. We do not accept personal attacks. We do not accept mobs against users. We do not accept uncivil attitudes at all. You may complain about how someone acts, but please do not do so in a public setting. Confront the person in private, and if the matter is important enough, speak to the staff. Insults, attacks, or otherwise rude behavior to other users may earn you 1-2 STARS depending on the situation.

New User Leniency
We expect people to make honest mistakes. Thus, if you have been a user for less than 2 months, you will only receive warnings so that you can get used to our system. You may still be disciplined if your rule-breaking is serious enough.

Discord Differentiation
This is the same community as on Discord, but the STAR SYSTEM may be somewhat different there as on the wiki due to the format of the content posted. Regardless, the rules are unchanged themselves. Please strive to respect them all the same.