Tips for New Members!

[Mr.man]

Thats mean< ElectricBlll's blue colour is cool, it makes him different

[Pickles]

I'm more coming from a I find things hard to read etc etc colours like his make it worse. If it was black writing with a pink background fine, black background with blue writing but not as bright as his fine. I struggle to read the forums in general it's nice to e able to read easily but I can't with his blue writing thus annoying me.

[electricBlll]

I am sorry to hear that you have been annoyed.

[Pickles]

It's a general annoyance, sorry if you felt it was aimed personally at you. I just like to be able to read things.

[Ellie]

Don't spam the forums by posting in looots of topics in one go. It pisses me off. Kthnx.

[StevenVig]

Also dont be a n00b and post questions with obvious answers.Cheers.

[Jord]

The thing I learnt is that no-one is entitled to their own opinion and everyone gets ripped to shreds for disagreeing with popular members. I also learnt that freedom of speech within reason is heavily-monitored and the slightest mistake is the end.Also, all new members are expected to know all the rules and are not allowed to make any mistakes, and are expected to have the experience of 3-yr members. No spamming, even if you don't know what spamming isNo disagreeing, even if the other person is wrongNo pick fights, with popular members Just agree with everything, everyone says. Stay out of all arguments, even if someone picks an argument with you; you're blantantly in the wrong and don't complain that things are one-sided and people are hypocrites. P:S It's ok for long-time members to be hypocrites and to troll because they are liked. And as long as you remember these important rules, you'll be fine.

That's a bit harsh, okay some people don't like when your opinion differs. As I know fully well, but that's what makes a good community to have different opinions and to have debates on them, okay granted a lot of people will take a debate too far and will take it personally but that doesn't mean that you should tell new members to not have an opinion? Everyone is entitled to an opinion, just people with strong opinions will argue their point, new members should know that people have the right to their opinion and the right to debate their opinion, note debate, not argue. Just because people will have heated debates with you Will doesn't mean you should tell new members that they're not allowed an opinion. I'm one of the most opinionated people here, and okay granted I do have a lot of arguments with people, but at the end of the day most people on the Forum can put that aside and I am still able to talk to people as mates, as that is what I consider them. You need to stop someone's difference in opinion getting to you Will.

[Jord]

My whole post was sarcastic Jord and I wasn't telling people to not have an opinion; you've got the wrong end of the stickI don't think you understood what I was saying. I was just pointing out how messed up things have become. Everyone is allowed an opinion and should be allowed to express it without fear of being ripped to shreds.That's the whole point. There are things we should be allowed to do, without being brought down. I don't mind if someone's opinion differs to mine or someone else's but the point is, people can't express themselves (within reason) because when they do, they get ripped and this has been expressed, in the rant topic.

A sarcastic post really doesn't belong in tips for new members because they will take it literally, like I did. And people don't get ripped to shreds? I've not seen anyone, other than me, be ripped to shreds over an opinion. And the thing is my opinions tend to be rather extreme therefore granted why I get ripped to shreds, but even if someone else shared the same opinion as me and were new, they wouldn't get ripped to shreds, since I know at the end of the day no matter how much people here rip me to shreds we can all metaphorically kiss and makeup because they know I can take a healthy debate, even if it's one-sided You are perfectly allowed to express yourself on this Forum, and yes you may get debated against, but that shouldn't stop anyone from having an opinion and expressing it. If someone rips them to shreds and they see it as unfair we have this little button called report. That's what you should be telling new users, not that they should never express their opinion.

[Jord]

I didn't say they shouldnt express their opinion, but it does feel like we can't at times.

You stated that their opinion should be kept to themselves out of fear of being ridiculed. To put it in layman's terms.

[Liam T]

Please know what your talking about before you post and DO NOT USE CAPS FOR EVERY SINGLE POST YOU DO!Thanks

[themeparkmad]

Leave whilst you still can?...

[pluk]

BUMP - I recommend new members have a read of this from the start, just ignore the various bitch fights halfway through.

As my jokey post regarding regarding polls was deemed unworthy and deleted I'll post it here as a sensible suggestion from myself. If you want to discuss a ride and it's relative merits to another at Thorpe or other parks or whatever it is, why not just go to the relevant forum that nearly always already exist and discuss it there? You don't need to create a topic and poll every time you have a thought, especially not one in txt spk AND CAPS. Ta muchly.

[EC!]

Dont be rude, racist, sexist, homophobic, facist, or swear in anyway shape or form, quite a few people have been banned in the past for doing this.

[Matt 236]

Here's my tips of being a newbie,

1/ post in the introduce yourself topic at some point

2/ Only post in topics that are relevant to you.

3/ try and get friendly with members.

4/ Chat can be a good way of making new friends

5/ don't double post and check spelling. If you've made a major mistake in your post, you can edit it to change.

6/ If you have any technical problems or queries, message a moderator.

7/ If you feel there are any members bullying you or anything related, contact a moderator

8/ Don't post anything sexist, homophobic, racist or any other form that may be offensive towards other members otherwise you will be banned.

9/ If you wish to attend any trips and meets, check the TPM meet topic.

10/ Have fun and don't cross the line.

[Pickles]

Be yourself, we like that.

[pluk]

TIPS FOR NEW ALL MEMBERS

It has been noticed by a few members and mentioned to the team that some basic standards of post quality have been slipping recently. By basics I mean the likes of spelling and grammar, along with the intrusion of little bits of text speak slipping into peoples posts.

Please note our posting guidelines:

Spelling and Grammar
We are aware people have different spelling and grammar abilities, all we ask is that you try your best when posting to make sure spelling is to the best of your ability. If you genuinely do not know a spelling simply put (sp?) next to the word so we are aware that you do not know how to spell it.

Please check through your post before submitting it and correct any mistake you have made. If at any point after you have posted, you realise you have made a spelling or grammar mistake, you can use the edit button to change your post. Text Talk or over use of short hand is not acceptable.

So txt spk lyk u for you and 2 for to or too etc are not acceptable, sentences start with a capital letter and end with some form of punctuation and spelling can be easily checked before posting. Whatever your level of ability these are not tricky things to stick to. Of course people will make mistakes (hell, there are probably some in this very post!), and that is fine, but it is clear that at the moment some people are not even trying to follow the basic rules of English.

These rules are not just there for the sake of it, they are there is to make your posts, and our forum, easy to read and understand for everyone who visits. Please help us achieve this.

Thanks!

Edited May 4, 2013 by pluk
I has made spelling error.

[Smidget]

Thanks for this Pluk! I have been meaning to bring this up with the mods but life and other such things have been, well, more important.

I'm glad other members have been bugged by this - I was worried it was just me being picky.

[Mer]

So glad it wasn't just me either! It really bugs me when people type things like "4 u" and it actually makes it harder to read, as it disrupts the flow of the sentence (for lack of better wording).

[Matt 236]

As far as I'm aware I don't think I use text speak (I hope not anyway) but I do use acronyms sometimes e.g TPM = Thorpe Park Mania and MAP = Merlin Annual pass which I hope isn't within the terminology of text speak.

[Smidget]

Most people on here use acronyms (I know I do), and I think that's fine, especially now there is a way for new users (or those who aren't so clued up on acronyms) to easily find out what they stand for.

This is more directed to people who use incorrect spelling and grammer (see Pluk's examples) when it is unnecessary, and against the forum rules. Then again, I'm not a moderater so I could be totally wrong, but this is the message I have taken from it.

[pluk]

Something that shouldn't need saying but apparently does.

On things like construction and news people take a lot of time and effort to visit parks and get photos to post on their own site or under their own name. If you are going to use one of these pictures you must credit where you got it from and if requested by the owner link back to it too, if someone asks for their work not to be shared you should link back to it only. It is not acceptable to just steal other peoples work, so don't.

[paige]

I just found this topic so I thought I'd chip in

No matter what anyone else says, as an enthusiast, you are NOT expected to know everything about theme parks and know of all theme parks, rides, manufacturers etc. so please don't listen or take it to heart when people mock you for not knowing a certain thing (although, as you have joined TPM, I would imagine that you possess a certain level of theme park knowledge anyway, but if not- we all had to start somewhere!)

Don't be afraid to pop into chat if you see someone in there- I promise it'll be the best thng to happen to you!

Many of the people here are very friendly and lovely but be weary of any arising conflict and know when to stop- I've read arguments or 'debates' in which things got a bit heated and personal, not nice.

Don't be afraid to have an opinion, conformity gets boring. Just watch your wording; misinterpretation is a fine thing.