The support forums over at the phpBB website is also a great resource for anybody wanting a better understanding of how the forum works- from user side to admin side to things like themes and skins and MODs.
But this is a quick primer for what applies for this particular forum.
- Tags: HTML vs BB
HTML tags, < >, are not recognized if you try to use them in your posts or profile.
You must use BB tags, [ ]. Hovering over the tag buttons at the top of every posting window will show you the proper syntax for using them.
If you aren't sure you are using a tag correctly, hit the preview button instead of the submit button, and you can edit your post until it appears correctly.
- Posting- Edit and Delete
After you submit a post, you may still edit or delete your post until someone else replies to it. Even though permissions are set to allow registered users to edit and delete their posts, unfortunately, it doesn't work once a reply has been submitted.
If you wish to change the content of your post after a reply, an admin or a moderator of the forum can do it. Email user ModBot for the quickest response- the best way to avoid trouble from us if you later realize your post was an unwise one.
- Ranks and Postcount
For regular users, rank is determined only by postcount.
Admins and Mods can only affect your postcount if they delete your posts. Your postcount will also drop if you delete your own post.
- Private Messages
Private Messages are excellent to use when you want to talk with only one other user. Recommended for back and forth chat.
You have four PM boxes- Inbox, Sentbox, Outbox, and Savebox.
Inbox and Savebox are for your incoming PMs. If you want to keep PMs, move them int your Savebox.
Each box may contain 50 PMs. Older PMs will be automatically deleted to make room for new ones if you go over 50.
Outbox holds PMs you have sent, but the recipient has not yet read yet.
You and edit and delete any PM in your Outbox.
Sentbox holds PMs that you sent that the recipient has read- you can no longer change that PM. Sentbox holds only 25 PMs.
- Profile Graphics
All graphics are subject to size restrictions.
* Avatars
You may upload your own avatar image if it is located on your computer. The button will open a window in which you'll have to find where the image is located on your system.
You can also directly upload an avatar that is located on another server- enter only the URL.
You can link to an avatar located on another server- enter only the URL.
Please see the note below about hotlinking.
There is a small selection of anime avatars available for your use- they may be accessed by the Show Avatar Gallery button.
* Sigs
Sig use the bb code [img].
Most sigs are hosted on other servers, however I will host sig images for users. There's currently no auto upload, you'll have to send them to me.
* Hotlinking
Don't Do It
Hotlinking is using a URL to someone else's image on someone else's hosting service or server, without their permission. Examples, linking to a graphic on someone's webpage, or linking to an avatar in the gallery of a different forum. Its downright rude and there's no excuse for it.
Images can be hosted here, you can acquire your own server space (many ISPs give their accounts a small webspace), or use a free image hosting server like imageshack.us or pixelpolice.com.