Shippers' Forum Rules (amended: Jan 3, '12)

[Luna Tiger]

The rules have been reconstructed to fit more in line with the new Rule/Infraction system recent put in place forum-wide. Please read those rules and these. Much love for Evil Figment in making this version simpler, while still encompassing everything from the last version. Questions are always welcome if something is unclear.

Start by reading, and then end with following.

Law of the Land
Now and Forever


1. A member's standing:
All regular members are equals and must respect each other. Hating a ship, or being an older/younger member, or the fact that someone likes a conflicting ship, are not reasons to be rude or call them names (including "traitor").
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Flaming and Baiting

2. Non-shippers + Rival-shippers:
The Shipping Forum is for shippers. If you have no interest in shipping, or actively dislike it, do not post. Likewise, General threads for specific ships are for those shippers. Do not post in the thread just to attack the ship (you can suggest to your fellow supporters of a ship that they avoid using a specific argument).
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Flaming and Baiting

3. It's fiction:
Do not mistake shipping for sexual fetishes. Just because someone believe two characters belong together, doesn't mean they support bestiality (if one of the character is a pokémon) or underage sex (if one of the character is ten years old).
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Flaming and Baiting

4. Perversion:
Reversely, the shipping forum is not for discussion of sexual fetishes. It's for discussion of relationships between fictional characters. Your own fetishes have no places here.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Inappropriate Content

5. Invasions/Attacks:
Do not respond to invasions. If someone come into your threat to attack your favorite ship, report them and then ignore them. Otherwise, you are doing what they want.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Pointless Post

6. Moderators:
Obey moderators. When a moderator (a user with italics, bold, or bold italics in their username) orders you to stop a particular conversation, do so. Continuing said line of conversation can result in an infraction.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Pointless Post

7. Post content:
Don't post short or useless answers. While posting a one- or two-words answer to a question is tolerated in the rest of Bulbagarden, here we ask posts to try to contribute more to the discussion. You should also avoid picture macros and "Come on, we need to post more" (or the like) as the sole bulk of your post. It's in your power to contribute more than that.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Pointless Post

8. Discussion:
Do not take threads off-topic. Each thread is made for a main topic (best reference: the thread title or first post). Stay on that topic.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Pointless Post

9. Spoiler tags:
Do not post walls of texts or massive images. If you post a fanfic or a large image (wider than 575 pixels, taller than 800 pixels), put it under a spoiler tag.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Unreadable/Incoherent Post

10. Thread creation:
Do not create confusing ship threads. When creating a thread focusing on a specific named pairing, make sure to name the involved characters in your first post.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Unreadable/Incoherent Post

11. Advertising:
Do not use the Shippers Paradise to advertise your fanfiction, or to talk about how your writing is progressing. Posting links to your own fanfic can be tolerated if its directly relevant to the topic, but otherwise is not welcome, and discussion of the writing process belong in the Writer's Workshop or Block.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Pointless Post

12. Episode viewing (GLOBAL LAW):
Do not link (or ask to link) to episodes or movies of any sort in full or in "Part 1 of X." You can generally link to videos on Youtube or similar, but not these. For non-Pokémon media (other anime, TV shows, theatrical movies), the same rule applies unless said media is being distributed by its Copyright holder (relevancy to the topic, in this matter, has to be extremely relevant). Episode clips are okay.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Copyright Violation



Notes:
1) If threads degrade into thinly-veiled flames, or are going to spurn one on, they are subject to immediate closure.
2) We do allow "thread necromancy" (there is no age limit on a thread; any new threads can and likely will be merged with any existing older thread that remains open)
3) If a topic thread asks for some directions to be followed, they are to be followed if you contribute to that thread (unless they contradict any rules, local or global).
4) There is no such thing as a thread owner.
5) If a thread becomes something too similar to a game/anime/manga discussion thread, this counts as off-topic and you will be asked to find another topic to discuss.


(Recap) What Should Be Under a Spoiler?
-All ficlets/drabbles
-All song lyrics
-Any artwork bigger than 575px in width AND/OR 800px in height





IMAGE CREDITING POLICY

1. Do not hotlink to images. If you want to post an image, either upload it on photobucket/imageshare/any other image-hosting website, or in your own gallery here on Bulbagarden. Hotlinking often result in broken images.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Unreadable/Incoherent Post

2. Do not post other people's fanart without giving full credits. Full credits mean naming the artist and linking to the artist's gallery (the link must be a text link, not in the image). If the art is yours, say so. (Official art and screencaps are not fanart, unless it has been modified.)
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Copyright Violation

3. As an EXCEPTION, you may post links to image collections (so long as they contain no inappropriate content), even if they do not give proper credits. Those links must be to the collection itself, not to individual images in it. - invalidated as of Jan 2nd, 2012.

Correction (Jan 3rd, 2012):
Forum-wide rule to take effect.

Copyright Violation
(4 points, 10 for severe violations) :
Members may not request or provide help to illegally view copyrighted content, and may not in any way admit to using ROMs. YouTube and similar links are allowed, except YouTube links to full pokémon episodes or movies (in part or whole). Mentioning fan translation in general is permitted, but not specific translation groups or projects. Finally, when putting someone else's fanworks in your forum or blog post, you should at least note that it is not yours and if possible credit the creator.
Posting direct links to full episodes, games or chapters, and presenting other people's fanwork as yours, is a severe violation, barring exceptional circumstances.
(SEVERAL forums have specific rules regarding YouTube link and crediting fanart, be sure to check!)

However, we'd like to clarify how the forum-wide rules, which state that proper credit must be given, or a disclaimer that the artist is unknown if proper credit is not possible.

1. While a user can say "I don't know who did this", they should be reasonable about it. Users who never make the effort to find out who the artist is are abusing this rule, and should be punished accordingly. This should be judged on a user by user basis, and preceded by a warning.

2. Crediting involve giving enough information to identify the artist. If the artist name is unique and highly recognizable, it can be enough, but if it isn't, then a link (in any form, even a link in the picture) or identifying the website where the artist has his or her gallery would be ideal.

4. Do not claim as your own the work of other artists.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Severe Copyright Violation and may also result in a ban from the Shipping forum.



MATURE CONTENT POLICY

1. Do not post mature fanfiction or fanart, or links to mature fanart, on this forum. Mature fanart means fanart which shows female nipples, genitals or butts. Mature fanfiction is fanfiction which depict sexual acts, death or other sensitive issues.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Inappropriate Content

2. You MAY link to mature fanfiction posted on other forums or other websites. When doing so, you must warn the users clearly as to the content of the link.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Inappropriate Content

3. Do NOT ask other users for links to mature fanfiction.
Related infraction for rule-breakers: Inappropriate Content



Why We Have So Many Rules?

Aunty Luna shall tell you. Shipping tends to get brutal. Shipping also encompasses almost every aspect of the Pokémon fandom, from the games, to the anime, the many manga, the fanart, the fanfiction, the fan videos, and down into the realm of both canon and conjecture. This is to make sure you use good netiquette toward your fellows, be them here or all over the globe.

Shipping is the widest-covering aspect of this fandom (denial of this fact leads to canker sores), and for each of that, it's possible to go off the chain. There is no limit to where it can take a person, but to that extent, care must be had so no one is injured or hurt, because shippers are extraordinarily passionate and possessive and protective. They damage their own reputation every time they try to damage another's, but they still strike out. For that reason, you are required to adhere to the rules laid down here, because none of you are capable of holding yourselves in check, despite how considerate you think you are. It's SHIPPING. There's no such thing as consideration. Because in the end, you still hate something.


tl;dr
Shippers are crazy and need managing. It's not up for debate. Welcome to the Ogre's Home. Live by the law and do great justice.

[farewell, friend]

Is this sub-forum only for Pokemon shipping? What about shipping from other popular animes, or even lesser known ones?
Can I make a Kuroshitsuji shipping thread?

[Luna Tiger]

Is this sub-forum only for Pokemon shipping? What about shipping from other popular animes, or even lesser known ones?
Can I make a Kuroshitsuji shipping thread?

It was made to be Pokemon only, and in the long run, it should probably stay that way. That said, you might be better off making a club for any such discussion (or making a topic in a catch-all specific fandom club already in existence, especially if it does exist in the first place).

[farewell, friend]

All right, I understand. I may have to do just that xD
Thank you for answering

[AlexTheRose]

If the policy on episode viewing is global law, then why is it posted here?

[Luna Tiger]

If the policy on episode viewing is global law, then why is it posted here?

As a reminder.

[Zaphod Scotsman]

Are we allowed to make more than one thread containing the same pairing? I'm asking because the rules didn't mention anything about multiple topics about the same pairing, but I want to make sure whether you allowed it or not.

[PokéAnon]

What about a Pokemon x Digimon Crossover pairing on a thread that's never been discussed before?

[Araragi Hakase]

Are we allowed to make more than one thread containing the same pairing? I'm asking because the rules didn't mention anything about multiple topics about the same pairing, but I want to make sure whether you allowed it or not.

No, we'd prefer to keep ships to one thread, hence the Shipping List.

Can I ask why you'd want to, though? It maybe be something we've never thought of.

What about a Pokemon x Digimon Crossover pairing on a thread that's never been discussed before?

Go for it.

[Hurricane Kishore]

Can we create thread to discuss other anime ship !
Serebiiform has another subform to discuss it and plus I think I saw some shipping thread about alternate anime in this form.

[Araragi Hakase]

Can we create thread to discuss other anime ship !
Serebiiform has another subform to discuss it and plus I think I saw some shipping thread about alternate anime in this form.

You can make a general thread to talk about 'Ships in other animes/games/whatever. But I am not sure about specific ships. @Terezi Pyrope; ?

[Terezi Pyrope]

I don't think we've ever allowed threads for specific non-Pokemon ships. General threads are fine though.