Recently, I've noticed a surge of "question" threads, posted by predominantly new forumers. And things are becoming unnecessarily cluttered.

So. First of all, to all of the forum newcomers, on behalf of HG, welcome to AoMH....

Now, to be spared the wrath of the Angels, there are a few principles you must follow....

1. To be a good little forumer, it's imperative that you at least scan the Code of Conduct. Failing to comply with those rules can result in some unpleasant consequences, such as official warnings and bannings and the like.

2. It's important to get a handle on how to use the forums. Thus, make sure to read over the Forum FAQ. It'll explain all the important bits about the forums, like how to edit posts, use BB code, make signatures.... that sort of thing.

3. Finally, and the main purpose of this thread, the "question" threads. Ah, the "question" threads. Basically, no one likes having to answer the same queries over and over again. Nor do they like having to sift through a massive clutter of such threads every day.

   So. If you plan to start designing scenarios and modpacks and the like, first I suggest you try to figure it out on your own first. The best way to learn is through hands-on experience. But even the best of us need help from time to time. So to guide you along, there are many helpful articles in the Scenario Design Library, written by our best and brightest designers, past and present. Other helpful links can be found in this thread.

   If you still can't figure out what you're trying to do from all that, before you go nuts making threads about it, use the forum Search Function! I can't stress that enough. Just about any design question you can think of has probably been asked and responded to at least once, and more often than not, several times over. Remember, though, not to be too specific in your searches; this can fail to produce results. Instead, try to think of one or two words that generalizes your query. For example, if your question is about music, type "music"; if it's about objectives, type "objective".

   On the same note, you should also try the Downloads section search. Many people have submitted helpful articles, lists, and references there.

   Finally, if you still can't figure it out, don't make a new thread about it right away. Post your question in this thread first! If you don't get an answer, then make a thread about it. However don't just put something like "OMFG question! please respond qucik!1!"; something like "Question: How do I make bridges?" is more acceptable. Make it something notable, related to the content of the query, so that, in the future, other new designers with the same problem will be able to locate it using the Search Function. And if you must make a question thread, one is enough.

   To summarize: first, try to figure it out on your own using the tutorials in the Design Library, then, failing that, try searching the forums or downloads for an answer using the Search Function, then, finally, post your question in this thread. If all that fails, then you may make your own thread.

I think that about covers it. If I see too many more "question" threads, I will start arbitrarily closing them, answered or not.

Oh, and before you ask, K to enlarge units in the new editor, Shift+K to shrink them. That is all.

[This message has been edited by King Jared (edited 03-08-2006 @ 11:26 PM).]