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[[File:Faqs.png|center]]
 
[[File:Faqs.png|center]]
This guide is intended to provide pretty much all the basic information you need to understand this forum, and answer all the questions that get repeatedly posted.
 
  
==Guide to vBulletin==
+
<big>'''This guide is intended to provide the basic information you need to understand the [[Total War Center]] forums, and answer questions that get repeatedly posted.'''
Here you can find an FAQ for vBulletin, who provide our forum software. Questions on how to use the forum itself, can be found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/faq.php here]
 
  
==TWC's BB Code==
+
'''For the formal rules of the forum please see the [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]]'''</big>
Ever wondered how to make your text go bold or italic or all the many many other things you can do with text?<br>
+
 
[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode Here's the complete list of all the BB tags we use here].
+
=About Total War Center=
 +
[[Total War Center]] is one of the largest Total War fan sites on the internet.  It comprises the following sections:
 +
==Front Page==
 +
The [http://www.twcenter.net/ Front Page] shows the most recent news announcements about major site events, [[Total War Series]] releases and updates, new modification releases and previews and more.  Users can not post on the front page but may [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/announcement.php?f=11&a=452 request an announcement].  The front page also shows latest forum posts and provides links to other areas of the site.
 +
 
 +
==Forums==
 +
The TWC  cover a wide variety of topics, view the main index [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/ here].
 +
 
 +
===Total War Sections===
 +
There are forum sections for each of the [[Total War Series]] games, with sub-sections for general discussion, hosted modifications, and mod workshops which include areas for questions and answers and also tutorials and resources.
  
==TWC Terms of Service and Forum Rules==
+
===The Common Community===
Every member when they sign up is expected to keep to these rules. They're enforced by the moderators, and failure to comply will result in warnings, suspensions & ultimately a permanent ban. We recommend you read and familiarise yourself with them! [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]]
+
The [[Total_War_Center#Common_Community|Common Community]] Section of TWC is almost as big as the Total War areas. Here people debate topics such as Politics, Current Affairs, Morals, Religion, Science, Sports, History, Technology, and Non-Total War Games.
  
==Rules for Editing on the TWC Wiki==
+
===The Curia and the Constitution===
When editing TWC wiki, members are expected to obey both the general [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]] and the [[TWC Wiki Policy & Guidelines]] and must not submit copyrighted work without permission. Failure to comply can result in a warning, suspension or ban from TWC Wiki for a certain period of time. Anyone interested in helping with the Wiki is invited to contact the [[Wiki Director]] for advice and/or [[Join the TWC Wiki Team!]]"
+
The '''[[Constitution]]''' and '''[[Curia]]''' are important parts of [[History of Total War Center|TWC History]]. The Curia is a [[Citizen]]s only forum on TWC.  The Constitution governs the running of the Curia, the election and appointment of [[Curial Officer]]s, the awarding of Citizenship, the conduct of Citizens, and various [[Medals_and_Awards|Curial Awards]].
  
==The Administrative Forums==
+
Useful Links:
[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5 These forums] are located at the bottom of the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/index.php main page] and provide a place for members to come and sort out any problems or issues. Members must be logged in to be able to view the Administrative section.
+
*The '''Constitution''' may be viewed on TWC [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?86574-The-Constitution here]
 +
*Although only Citizens may post, the '''Curia''' may be viewed by everyone [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?12-CVRIA here]
 +
*Non-citizens may discuss the Curia in the '''Curial Commentary Thread''', [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?782279 here]
 +
*The '''[[Symposium]]''' is a Citizens only discussion forum within the Curia, [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?16-SYMPOSIVM here]
 +
*'''TWC's Living History Forum''' is within the Symposium, [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?313-TWC-s-Living-History-Forum, here]
  
===Infraction Appeals and Discussion===
+
===The Administrative Forums===
 +
[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5 These forums] are located at the bottom of the main page and provide a place for members to come and sort out any problems or issues.  Members must be logged in to be able to view the Administrative section.
  
 +
====Infraction Appeals and Discussion====
 
*'''Appeal by PM to the moderator concerned or to an administrator''': Members should feel free to discuss any moderator action or decision either with the moderator concerned or with one of the moderation overseers. This is usually the best way to start if you disagree with an infraction you have received, but you should also start here if have an issue with other actions such as thread warnings, thread closures, notes, and so on. You can find a list of moderators and administrators [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php here].  
 
*'''Appeal by PM to the moderator concerned or to an administrator''': Members should feel free to discuss any moderator action or decision either with the moderator concerned or with one of the moderation overseers. This is usually the best way to start if you disagree with an infraction you have received, but you should also start here if have an issue with other actions such as thread warnings, thread closures, notes, and so on. You can find a list of moderators and administrators [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php here].  
  
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Appeals against infractions follow much the same process in both the Praetorium and the Tribunal. To open an appeal against an infraction, simply create a thread requesting an appeal. Try to provide relevant information about the infraction such as the approximate time the infraction was given, the name of the moderator who issued the infraction, and the relevant thread or forum. After you have created the thread, a moderator will post the infraction and deliberations will begin. You may explain your position in the appeal thread. After you have given your side of the story, a thread will be created in a hidden forum and deliberations will be initiated. Once a decision has been reached you will be informed of the verdict.
 
Appeals against infractions follow much the same process in both the Praetorium and the Tribunal. To open an appeal against an infraction, simply create a thread requesting an appeal. Try to provide relevant information about the infraction such as the approximate time the infraction was given, the name of the moderator who issued the infraction, and the relevant thread or forum. After you have created the thread, a moderator will post the infraction and deliberations will begin. You may explain your position in the appeal thread. After you have given your side of the story, a thread will be created in a hidden forum and deliberations will be initiated. Once a decision has been reached you will be informed of the verdict.
  
===Questions and Suggestions===
+
====Questions and Suggestions====
If you have a question that has not been answered by this handy little guide, or you have any suggestion or comment you'd like to make that you think might make TWC that little bit better, then here is the place to post. All thoughts and comments welcome! All technical questions should also be directed here, unless it is a suggestion which can be debated on with solid information. [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9 Questions and Suggestions forum.]
+
If you have a question that has not been answered by this handy little guide, or you have any suggestion or comment you'd like to make that you think might make TWC that little bit better, then here is the place to post. All thoughts and comments welcome! All technical questions, e.g. "Why doesn't this feature work?" or "I found something wrong", should also be directed here. [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9 Questions and Suggestions forum.]
 +
====Site News====
 +
If there is a known issue with the site, or planned downtime for maintenance, staff will normally post notifications in the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?2083-Site-News Site News] sub-forum of the Q & S.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== TWC Wiki==
 +
The FAQ you are currently reading is hosted on the [[TWC Wiki]].  The Wiki covers both the [[Total War Series]] games and modifications and the Total War Center it's history and people.
 +
===Wiki Accounts===
 +
To make an account on the Wiki you must first register an account on TWC, then log in to the Wiki with the same username and password.
 +
===Rules for Editing on the TWC Wiki===
 +
When editing TWC wiki, members are expected to obey both the general [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]] and the [[TWC Wiki Policy & Guidelines]] and must not submit copyrighted work without permission. Failure to comply can result in a warning, suspension or ban from TWC Wiki for a certain period of time. Anyone interested in helping with the Wiki is invited to contact the [[Wiki Director]] for advice and/or [[Join the TWC Wiki Team!]]"
 +
 
 +
==TWC Blogs==
 +
TWC's blogs are written by members of TWC.  They can all be found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/blog.php here].
 +
===How to get a blog===
 +
Anyone can request permission to have a blog.  Requests should be made by going to your profile and clicking on [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/profile.php?do=editusergroups Join Groups] in the Permission Groups section, and then clicking to join the 'Bloggers' group.  The site administrators will decide whether or not people should have permission to post a blog on a case by case basis.
 +
 
 +
Only people with permission to post blogs will be able to post comments on blogs.  If you do not want to post a blog of your own, but you do want to be able to post comments on blogs, then you should follow the steps above and request permission to have a blog.
 +
 
 +
===Rules for Blogs and Blog Comments===
 +
Some content is not appropriate for blogs and blog comments.  If you have a blog, or if you post comments on any blogs, you must follow these rules, which will be applied strictly:
 +
* no religion
 +
* no politics
 +
* no content which breaks TWC's [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]] (please note that this means all content must be family friendly).
 +
 
 +
Anyone who breaks the rules above will lose the ability to post blogs and also the ability to post comments on blogs, and their blog will be deleted.  Appeals to the Tribunal will have no effect on this decision - this is a purely administrative matter and the decision will be made by the site administrators.
 +
 
 +
==Major TWC Publications and Content==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! '''Category''' !! '''Description'''
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Eagle_Standard.png|link=Eagle Standard|The Eagle Standard]] || The [[Eagle Standard]] is a TWC publication that focuses primarily on the Total War aspect of the forum. You can read the current Eagle Standard and see the current team [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?126-eagle-standard_1 here].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Critics_Quill.png|link=Critic's Quill|The Critics Quill]] || The [[Critic's Quill]] publishes articles, reviews and interviews relating to creative writing and After Action Reports (AARs). You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?1505 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?127-critic-s-quill here].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Gamersgazette.png|link=Gamer's Gazette|The Gamer's Gazette]] || The [[Gamer's Gazette]] is a TWC publication dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest non-Total War game reviews, news, and videos! You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?1920 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?128-gamer-s-gazette here].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:The_Helios.png|link=Helios|The Helios]] || The [[Helios]] is a publication of the Total War Center forums reporting on the various non-TW related activities of the forums. You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?122 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?124 here].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:TWC News.png|link=http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?11-Front-Page-Announcements|TWC News]] || The [[News Team]] publish announcements regarding TW games, modification releases and previews, and site events on the TWC [http://www.twcenter.net/ Front Page]. Read previous announcements [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?11-Front-Page-Announcements here].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:The_Scriptorium.png|link=Scriptorium|The Scriptorium]] || The [[Scriptorium]] is the repository of TWC's most popular and well written articles. Its Acting Chief Librarian is [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?170163 Settra] and you can view the Library [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=157 here].
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Meet the Staff==
 +
[[Staff|TWC Staff]] are in charge of running various parts of the site. They currently fall into five categories: Hex, Moderation, Content, Gaming and Technical.
  
===Technical Bazaar===
+
The top level of staff is the [[Hexagon Council]], current membership can be viewed [[Staff#Hexagon_Council_(Administration)|here]].
The Technical Bazaar, whilst not really the place for questions, is another place to go to seek answers about things that are going wrong with the forums. You should also frequently visit here as there may be important information in regards to the maintainability of the site, and information on disruptions to the service. [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=321 The Technical Bazaar]
 
  
==Signatures, Avatars, and Profile Pictures==
+
You can view the full list of The Staff of Total War Center with descriptions of their roles [[Staff|here]]
To discourage joining/posting simply to spam signature links all signatures are currently disabled for new users. Once you have 25 posts and have been a member for a week you will be able to create a signature.
+
 
 +
Additionally, a list of all those people with admin, moderator or director status can be found on the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php Forum Leaders] page.
  
Signatures are bound to a 550&times;175 pixel box automatically, with anything outside of that being cut off.  The maximum file size of all signature images may not exceed 250 KB according to the current [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|TOS]].
+
=Posting on the Forums=
 +
==TWC Terms of Service and Forum Rules==
 +
Every member when they sign up is expected to keep to these rules. They're enforced by the moderators, and failure to comply will result in warnings, suspensions & ultimately a permanent ban. We recommend you read and familiarise yourself with them! [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|Terms of Service]]
  
Custom avatars, signatures and user pictures must be uploaded to TWC from [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/usercp.php your User Control Panel].  You will be told the maximum size of each when you try to upload them.  At the time of this writing, the maximum sizes are 100&times;100 pixels or 80 KB (whichever is smaller) for avatars, and 640&times;480 pixels or 250 KB (whichever is smaller) for profile pictures.
+
==TWC's BB Code==
 +
The TWC forum uses vBulletin software, with BB code for posting, [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode this is the complete list of all the BB tags used on TWC], which will explain how to make bold or italic text and many other more advanced formatting options for posts.
  
 
==Some Frequently Asked Questions==
 
==Some Frequently Asked Questions==
 
Here are the answers to some miscellaneous questions we've been regularly asked not covered elsewhere in this guide.
 
Here are the answers to some miscellaneous questions we've been regularly asked not covered elsewhere in this guide.
 
+
====Polls====
 
;How do I make polls?
 
;How do I make polls?
 
:To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. You can only make a poll if you are starting a new topic. What you need to click to add a poll to your post is the 'Yes, post a poll...' box near the bottom of the screen. If you need to add a poll later then you need to PM an Administrator.
 
:To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. You can only make a poll if you are starting a new topic. What you need to click to add a poll to your post is the 'Yes, post a poll...' box near the bottom of the screen. If you need to add a poll later then you need to PM an Administrator.
  
;What's the "Report" button? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/images/y2skin/buttons/report-40b.png
+
;Can I vote in polls?
:This button at the bottom right of each post will generate an automatic email to all the moderators of that forum telling that that post has been reported. You can use it to tell the moderators every time you see a post that breaks the Terms of Service. While it is not our aim to create a generation of informants, experience has proven time and again that reporting a post that you consider offensive or disruptive is far better then attempting to deal with it "on your own", by either attacking the poster or threatening with some form of action in the thread. Furthermore, a report is the fastest way to alert the moderators about serious breaches of ToS as posting of porn and also to get yourself rid of ad-bots. Reporting posts is encouraged!
+
:To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site awards with them.
 +
 
 +
;Can I edit a poll that I created in my thread?
 +
:No you can't unfortunately, however you can report your opening post in your thread and ask a site moderator to edit the poll for you to whatever you want. Alternatively you can also create a new thread and report the old thread for deletion, whichever you prefer.
 +
====Editing Posts====
 +
;Why can't I edit my posts?
 +
:Sorry for the inconvenience, members have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week in order to edit their posts. This was introduced to prevent spam advertising accounts from editing their posts.
 +
 
 +
;Can I delete\close my own thread?
 +
:No you can't unfortunately, you can report it though and request a site moderator in it to close\delete it for you, he\she may or may not close it at his\her discretion.
  
 +
====Conduct Advice====
 
;I've just taken a glance at the Political Mudpit and the Ethos, Mores, et Monastica sections of the Common Community, and I want to post there! But I do not want to get completely butchered by the experienced members who already post in those sections. How can I, a complete newb, post in those sections without getting hacked into little pieces?
 
;I've just taken a glance at the Political Mudpit and the Ethos, Mores, et Monastica sections of the Common Community, and I want to post there! But I do not want to get completely butchered by the experienced members who already post in those sections. How can I, a complete newb, post in those sections without getting hacked into little pieces?
 
:I can offer four pieces of advice for this: read, edit, give sources, and stay calm.
 
:I can offer four pieces of advice for this: read, edit, give sources, and stay calm.
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:Hopefully you won't have to! But if someone does flame you or troll you, report their post using the Report button. DON'T respond in kind. If you flame someone who flames you, that just starts a flame war and you'll find yourself in as much trouble as the original flamer (provoker).
 
:Hopefully you won't have to! But if someone does flame you or troll you, report their post using the Report button. DON'T respond in kind. If you flame someone who flames you, that just starts a flame war and you'll find yourself in as much trouble as the original flamer (provoker).
  
;What if I want to express my opinion about certain members and I want to contact them individually?
+
;What if I want to express my opinion privately to certain members and I want to contact them individually?
 
:Try emailing them if they enabled their email address, or use the "private messaging" - PM. Be careful though, members do (and should) report harassing or annoying PMs to moderators. Just because it is a private message, it does not give you leeway to flame or troll others.
 
:Try emailing them if they enabled their email address, or use the "private messaging" - PM. Be careful though, members do (and should) report harassing or annoying PMs to moderators. Just because it is a private message, it does not give you leeway to flame or troll others.
  
;Can I vote in polls?
+
====Visitor Messages====
:To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site awards with them.
 
 
 
;Can I edit a poll that I created in my thread?
 
:No you can't unfortunately, however you can report your opening post in your thread and ask a site moderator to edit the poll for you to whatever you want. Alternatively you can also create a new thread and report the old thread for deletion, whichever you prefer.
 
 
 
 
;Why can't I post any visitor messages?
 
;Why can't I post any visitor messages?
 
:To post visitor messages, you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site with them.
 
:To post visitor messages, you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site with them.
  
;Why can't I edit my posts?
+
====Social Groups====
:Sorry for the inconvenience, members have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week in order to edit their posts. This was introduced to prevent spam advertising accounts from editing their posts.
 
 
 
;How do I change my name?
 
:Post in the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=581961 Name change requests] thread in the Questions & Suggestions forum and an administrator will rename your Username. Sometimes members use a typical username or special symbols in it and forget them hence they can't re-login again in that case use the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php contact us] option and explain your problem in it.
 
 
 
 
;How do I make a Social Group?
 
;How do I make a Social Group?
 
To join or create a group you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week.
 
To join or create a group you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week.
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:Just contact any <span style="color: navy">'''Site Moderator'''</span>, shown in dark blue [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php here], and they shall rename\delete or edit your group description if need be. Alternatively you can post your request in [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=459174 this thread] as well.
 
:Just contact any <span style="color: navy">'''Site Moderator'''</span>, shown in dark blue [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php here], and they shall rename\delete or edit your group description if need be. Alternatively you can post your request in [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=459174 this thread] as well.
  
 +
====Reporting Problems with Other Members/Posts====
 +
;I'm being harassed by a forum member, what should I do?
 +
:Report function is available in threads, visitor messages & even private messages so just use that and a site moderator will intervene and tell him\her not to do so as harassment is not allowed on TWC as per [[TWC_Official:Terms_of_Service#Harassment_or_Invasion_of_Privacy_(1,_4,_or_8_points)| its rules]].
 +
 +
;What's the "Report" button? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/images/y2skin/buttons/report-40b.png
 +
:This button at the bottom right of each post will generate an automatic email to all the moderators of that forum telling that that post has been reported. You can use it to tell the moderators every time you see a post that breaks the Terms of Service. While it is not our aim to create a generation of informants, experience has proven time and again that reporting a post that you consider offensive or disruptive is far better then attempting to deal with it "on your own", by either attacking the poster or threatening with some form of action in the thread. Furthermore, a report is the fastest way to alert the moderators about serious breaches of ToS as posting of porn and also to get yourself rid of ad-bots. Reporting posts is encouraged!
 +
 +
====Moderator Actions and Infractions====
 
;Where do I complain about moderators and their actions if I spot one or I feel I am being mistreated?
 
;Where do I complain about moderators and their actions if I spot one or I feel I am being mistreated?
:If you feel so then you should PM an administrator, you can also PM an administrator who oversees moderation on a daily basis. Current Moderation Overseers are:
+
:If you feel so then you should PM one of the administrators who oversees moderation on a daily basis. Current Moderation Overseers are:
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?65910 {{Admin Colour|text=Tango12345}}]
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?65910 {{Admin Colour|text=Tango12345}}]
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?97029-lolIsuck {{Admin Colour|text=lolIsuck}}]
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?97029-lolIsuck {{Admin Colour|text=lolIsuck}}]
 
:You can also post about any problems you're having or your thoughts in the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=272653 Moderation Commentary Thread] where administrators will try to resolve your problem or answer any of your relevant questions regarding site moderation, it is best to be calm and coherent when talking about the matter in public as it breeds positive conversations which further breeds solutions and satisfaction.
 
:You can also post about any problems you're having or your thoughts in the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=272653 Moderation Commentary Thread] where administrators will try to resolve your problem or answer any of your relevant questions regarding site moderation, it is best to be calm and coherent when talking about the matter in public as it breeds positive conversations which further breeds solutions and satisfaction.
  
::"Remember if you are being listened to then you should be receptive as well"~TWC's Old sage
+
;How do I appeal an infraction I think I've been given unfairly?
 +
:There are a variety of possible methods please see the [[TWC:FAQ#Infraction_Appeals_and_Discussion|Infraction and Appeals section above]].
  
;Can I delete\close my own thread?
+
=Your Account and Profile=
:No you can't unfortunately, you can report it though and request a site moderator in it to close\delete it for you, he\she may or may not close it at his\her discretion.
+
==Signatures, Avatars, and Profile Pictures==
 +
To discourage joining/posting simply to spam signature links all signatures are currently disabled for new users. Once you have 25 posts and have been a member for a week you will be able to create a signature.
  
;I'm being harassed by a forum member, what should I do?
+
Signatures are bound to a 550&times;175 pixel box automatically, with anything outside of that being cut off.  The maximum file size of all signature images may not exceed 250 KB according to the current [[TWC Official:Terms of Service|TOS]].
:Report function is available in threads, visitor messages & even private messages so just use that and a site moderator will intervene and tell him\her not to do so as harassment is not allowed on TWC as per [[TWC_Official:Terms_of_Service#Harassment_or_Invasion_of_Privacy_(1,_4,_or_8_points)| its rules]].
 
 
 
==The Constitution and the Curia==
 
If you've got this far, you've probably realised TWC isn't like any other major forum you've been a part of. The Constitution is a big reason why. About 4 years ago when TWC was small and cosy, the 3 administrators of the time felt that it would be good to reward their core body of active members. The reward they gave this core group was the ability to have a say on how the site is run not that a normal member is not allowed to or can't propose something constructive for the site's benefit in the Q&S forums.  The Constitution is the document that sets out how it all works.
 
 
 
Citizenship is awarded to members who make noteworthy contributions to the forum. These can include, but are not limited to:
 
 
 
* Creating After Action Reports (AARs) on battles fought in the various Total War games.
 
* Creating a mod, or working as part of a mod team for a game in TWC.
 
* Serving as a member of the TWC staff (Content Writer, Librarian, Content Artist, Wiki writer etc.)
 
* Showing your dedication to the site by making consistent intelligent posts around the forum.
 
 
 
 
 
Additionally, there are two types of Citizen:
 
* A Civitate is a Citizen whose primary contribution has been in debates and discussions.
 
* An Artifex is a Citizen whose primary contribution has been modding work.
 
 
 
To find out how to become a citizen, read on below!
 
 
 
The Curia has a number of institutions which help to oversee the citizen class, or run the site. One of them, the Tribunal, has already been mentioned above. A panel of tribune judges are appointed by site administrators aka Hexagon council and two magistrates are all elected by the Curia by curial voting.
 
 
 
The Curator which is appointed by voting by citizens is the overseer of the entire curia and moderates the entire [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12 CVRIA] forum.  An in-depth guide to the Curia may be found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184168 here].
 
 
 
===The Curial Officers===
 
;The Curator
 
:The Curator deals with the day to day running of the Curia. He moves debates to vote, orders the archives, maintains order in the Curia, and also makes rulings on the interpretation of the constitution where necessary. The Curator also holds power of Veto over any Curial decision. The Curator can make grammatical and spelling changes to the constitution without consultation with the Citizenry. He holds his term for 3 months.
 
 
 
===The Curial Committees===
 
A Curial Committee can be convened by the Council to discuss or investigate a particular issue. In addition to this Citizens can also propose a 'project' to be undertaken by the site, and then members of the forum may join the committee in the '''Forum Magnum'''.They are designed to bring members of the staff or the members and the Curia together to work on a particular project. The are currently no only active committees.
 
 
 
==How to become a Citizen==
 
So, after reading all that, has it caught your interest? Do you want to get involved in running this site? Do you want to have your say on how we do things here? Then here's how.
 
 
 
To become a citizen of TWC you first have to meet the qualifications. These are set pretty low, but it's not a case of everyone who meets these gets the rank automatically. To qualify for Citizen, a member must have at least fifty posts, been a registered member for two months, and have no warnings within the last six months. Non-point infractions or 'notes' are not factored into this.
 
Above and beyond these basic standards, the rank is then awarded for contributions. So if you think you make a valuable contribution to the site, chances are you're citizen material.
 
 
 
To get promoted you have to be patronised by an existing citizen. There are two ways this can happen. The most common is for a citizen to notice your contributions and send you a PM asking if you'd like the rank. If however, you think you are worthy, you don't have to wait to be noticed! You can PM a citizen directly and ask if they will sponsor you. Only those citizens who have themselves held their rank for 3 months can patronise.
 
 
 
If you get asked, or a citizen agrees to patronise you, you then have to write an application explaining why you want to be a citizen and why you think you are worthy. Keep in mind that the better you present your case to the Citizens, the more likely you will be considered citizen material. Include links to your most worthy contributions, be they modifications tools or work, or well-composed debates. PM the application to your patron; they'll add their own comments and start a thread for your application in the Quaestiones Perpetuae forum in the Curia. Citizens will then take a week to discuss and vote on you. If you get 60% of the non abstaining votes, you'll receive a PM from the Curator or an Assistant Curator congratulating you, and have your rank, a shiny new badge, and all the privileges of being recognised as one of TWC's outstanding members!
 
 
 
If, for whatever reason, you should fail the vote you must wait 1 month before you can apply again.
 
 
 
More info can be found on the TWC forums, with a quick and simple [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=196022 walkthrough] written by Guy, in this thread you can ask any relevant questions regarding the curia or citizenship which will be answered by prominent members of TWC community.
 
 
 
==Meet the Staff==
 
Got a desire to know who the mighty and powerful are who work overtly and covertly to make TWC a better place? Then you found your answers right here!
 
 
 
Additionally, a list of all those people with moderator status can be found on the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php Forum Leaders] page.
 
 
 
===Officer Ranks===
 
There are 3 ranks of staff officer
 
* Council Officer
 
* Senior Staff Officer
 
* Staff Officer
 
 
 
The Council Officers are the [[administrator]]s who form the Council and run the show; the rest of the staff are divided into the 3 branches to serve the site. All staff may be recognized by their badges and oftentimes colour-coded usernames. All Officers display their officer rank in preference to their member rank, so there's no disguising them!
 
 
 
===The Hexagonal Council===
 
This is the governing body that runs the site. Its made up of the Site Owner and any number of Administrators who lead different branches of Staff and contribute their specific talents to making TWC the best it can be.
 
 
 
:Hex Officers names appear <span style="font-weight:bold; color:#ff0000">Bold and Bright Red</span> on the forum display and have the following badge below:
 
 
 
:[[File:Administrator radadir.png]]
 
 
 
The up-to-date list can be found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php#Administrator here].
 
 
 
Roles are typically:
 
;Site Owner
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?u=21866{{Admin Colour|text=GrnEyedDvl}}]
 
 
 
;Administrators
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?175218{{Admin Colour|text=Flinn}}] - Content Administrator
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?u=14940{{Admin Colour|text=Gigantus}}] - Total War Modding Representative
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?10097-Hader {{Admin Colour|text=Hader}}] - Gaming Administrator
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?97029-lolIsuck {{Admin Colour|text=lolIsuck}}] - Moderation Overseer
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?37051{{Admin Colour|text=m_1512}}] - Content Administrator
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?12850 {{Admin Colour|text=Pannonian}}] - Technical Administrator
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?u=23386{{Admin Colour|text=Squid}}] - Chief Technician
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?65910{{Admin Colour|text=Tango12345}}] - Moderation Overseer
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?32629{{Admin Colour|text=y2day}}] - Art and Technical Administrator
 
 
 
===The Moderation Branch===
 
[[Moderator]]s are the people in staff responsible for enforcing the rules and terms of service across the forum.
 
 
 
;Staff Moderators
 
:TWC's front line policemen, ready to enforce rules with edit button and ban stick!  Shown with their names in blue and bold and the moderator badge, these are the people responsible for the day to day enforcement of TWC's rules.
 
 
 
:You can find an up to date list of Moderators [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php#Moderator here] which have the following badge under their avatars:
 
 
 
:[[File:Moderator.png]]
 
  
===The Content Branch===
+
Custom avatars, and user pictures can be uploaded to TWC from [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/usercp.php your User Control Panel].  You will be told the maximum size of each when you try to upload them.  At the time of this writing, the maximum sizes are 100&times;100 pixels or 80 KB (whichever is smaller) for avatars, and 640&times;480 pixels or 250 KB (whichever is smaller) for profile pictures. Uploading images to independent hosting sites is preferred and is the only option for adding images to signatures.
Articles, Competitions, Podcasts, yes indeed this is the content branch; responsible for all the community projects that go on here and always looking to expand. With so much to see and do the content branch is by far the biggest branch of TWC staff.
 
  
The permanent members of the various content projects have their names in blue and wear one of the badges shown below. Some publications have temporary members, or free lance reporters, who aren't considered part of the content staff.
+
See [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?569659 Shankbot's Unofficial Guide for New Members] for an illustrated 'how to guide'.
 
 
;Content Administrators
 
:[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?37051 m_1512] and [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?175218 Flinn]
 
 
 
;Senior Content Staff
 
:Each Senior Content Officer, usually an Director but not always, has a specific publication or project that they manage. Editors have direct control over their publication's staff and are tasked with the smooth and effective running of their publications. They may also from time to time support Content Administrators in ongoing projects such as this very FAQ.
 
:The Senior Content Staff use the following badge
 
:[[File:Content_director.png]]
 
 
 
[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php#Content_Director Here] is the list of current Content Directors for the various content branches.
 
 
 
;Content Staff
 
:[[Content Staff]]ers are the writers and other contributors to the various projects that go on here on TWC. They use this badge
 
:[[File:Content_writer_radadir2.png]]
 
 
 
;Librarians
 
:The [[Librarian]]s manage the Scriptorium, a repository for the superior written work found on TWC. Librarians are identifiable by the following badges:
 
: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/images/badges/librarian_radadir.png
 
 
 
;TWC Wiki Director
 
:He is the overseer for wiki who was previously appointed by Curial voting by now is appointed by the Content Administrators. The current [[Wiki Director]] is [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?9390-makanyane makanyane]. Feel free to contact her if you have any queries or suggestions regarding TWC Wiki.
 
 
 
 
 
====Publications====
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! '''Category''' !! '''Description'''
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Eagle_Standard.png|link=Eagle Standard|The Eagle Standard]] || The Eagle Standard is a TWC publication that focuses primarily on the Total War aspect of the forum. You can read the current Eagle Standard and see the current team [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=40 in their forum].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Critics_Quill.png|link=Critic's Quill|The Critics Quill]] || The Critic's Quill publishes articles, reviews and interviews relating to creative writing and After Action Reports (AARs). You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?1505 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?127 here].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Gamersgazette.png|link=Gamer's Gazette|The Gamer's Gazette]] || A TWC publication dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest non-Total War game reviews, news, and videos! You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?1920 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?128 here].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:The_Helios.png|link=Helios|The Helios]] || The Helios is a publication of the Total War Center forums reporting on the various non-TW related activities of the forums. You can read their older articles [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?122 here] and their newer articles are found [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/content.php?124 here].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:Silver_Shield.png|link=Silver Shield|The Silver Shield]] || Now a retired publication, the Silver Shield focused on on interviewing community members, reviewing mods, and covering other community-related events amongst other things. You can read past the Silver Shield [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1195 in this forum].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:TWC_Podcast.png|link=Podcast|The TWC Podcast]] || It's an audio broadcast, which focuses on important matters related to the Total War Center community. You can download old and new TWC Podcasts from [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?1988 their forum].
 
|-
 
|rowspan="1" | [[Image:The_Scriptorium.png|link=Scriptorium|The Scriptorium]] || Repository of TWC's most popular and well written articles. Its Acting Chief Librarian is [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?170163 Settra] and you can view the Library [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=157 here].
 
|}
 
 
 
===The Technical Branch===
 
The most mysterious and smallest of the three branches of staff, the techies are the ones who by sheer skill and dint of hard effort amazingly keep this place together and just about functional.
 
 
 
The Technicians may have their names in blue like the content staff, and can wear the Tech Staff badge shown below. Each Technician has his own specialised access answering direct to the Chief Technician.
 
 
 
[[File:Technical staff radadir.png]]
 
 
 
;Chief Technician
 
:*[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/member.php?u=23386{{Admin Colour|text=Squid}}]
 
 
 
;[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showgroups.php#Technical_Staff Technicians]
 
:* Augustus Lucifer
 
:* GrnEyedDvl
 
:* Jones King
 
:* Mimirswell
 
:* pannonian
 
:* Dragooon
 
:* The Dutch Devil
 
:* SigniferOne
 
 
 
;Vault Staff
 
:The Vault Staff is responsible for running the [[TWC Modding Vault]], where the site's mods are archived to ensure that they remain indefinitely accessible. It's considered a part of technical branch & they use the following badge:
 
: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/images/badges/vault.png
 
 
 
===The Gaming Staff Branch===
 
:Gaming Staff is a crew that manages TWC hotseat campaigns and play-by-post RPGs:
 
: [[File:Gaming staff.png]]
 
 
 
==Member Ranks==
 
While not everyone has a fancy officer's title, everyone on TWC has a rank. Officers, be they Staff or Curial, are the people who carry out various jobs, but each of them, along with everyone else will hold a rank as well. The higher your rank, the more privileges and access you have and the greater your opportunities for promotion to an officer position. There are two broad types of ranks, Honorary and Normal. The three Normal ranks carry all the benefits of a Citizen; the four Honorary ones are used as rewards for specific services rendered or for achievement.
 
 
 
===Normal Ranks===
 
The three Normal Ranks are as follows:
 
 
 
;Peregrinus
 
:This is the basic rank that everyone starts out on and many thousands of our members never achieve greater than this. Peregrinus grants posting rights in almost all of the forum and they have the opportunity to hold content and technical staff positions.
 
 
 
;Local Forum Moderator
 
:A Local Forum Moderator (or Local Moderator, Local Mod, or simply LM) is a normal member with Moderating powers inside a specific forum. They are usually devoted to this forum and its community. They are not counted as TWC staff.
 
:They may do all normal moderating procedures within that forum, though may not infract (that is ban or suspend) users. Should a certain member break the ToS within that forum they should be reported as done all rule breakers.
 
:A Local Mod is identified with a grey coloured name rather than the user black coloured name, and they may change their user-title. The Local Moderator title is inherited via Admin. Should you wish to become a Local Moderator of a certain forum you should get in contact with a moderator of that forum.
 
 
 
;Citizen
 
:[[File:Citizen radadir.png]]
 
:This special rank is given as a reward by other Citizens to those members who make a significant contribution to the Forum. It carries all the benefits of Peregrinus but additionally it grants members posting ability in Symposium and the Curia, as well as voting rights. Citizens are therefore given the opportunity to have a say in how their site is run. After 3 months in the rank, Citizens can also begin patronising new citizens. Only Citizens and above can become a member of the moderating staff. Additionally, most Curial Offices have the requirement of Citizen rank.
 
:'''Citizens''' can choose to further define as one of two types depending upon which part of the site they most associate with.
 
:The '''Civitates''' are those who earned their rank through hard intelligent posting and thoughtful debate<br>
 
:[[File:Civitate radadir.png]]
 
:An '''Artifex''' is someone who earned their rank through modding<br>
 
:[[File:Artifex radadir.png]]
 
 
 
The Awarding of Normal Ranks is the job of the CdeC who may, if they feel it necessary, strip members of them. Requirements for the ranks are governed by the Curia.
 
 
 
===Multiple Ranks===
 
It's possible for a member to hold multiple ranks or Officer Positions, and as such they will usually, but not always follow this precedent in choosing which rank to display. Administrators, Senior Content Staff and Moderators will normally always display that rank over all others for quick identification.
 
 
 
===Other Titles===
 
 
 
Ranks which are not awarded by the Curia.
 
 
 
:;A god in Colchester
 
 
 
:[[File:A God in Colchester Empire.png]]
 
 
 
The current and only holder of this title is [[imb39]].
 
The story of this and the reason why he has chosen this title is from the famous novel "I, Claudias" (I, CLAVDIVS). Claudius became emperor because he was regarded as so weak and ineffectual by competing factions and as other parts of his family killed themselves. imb39 sees that he reached the top because he was viewed as harmless. He referred to himself as Claudius at times - though he doesn't claim to have any of his abilities!
 
 
 
One of the lines in the book is "a god in Colchester" so, [[Garbarsardar]] and a few other Administators gave him this title. Though technically, it should not exist or be allowed as it has not been passed by the [[Curia]], though nobody has yet objected against him/it.
 
 
 
:;Stalker
 
:[[File:Garb.png]]
 
The current and only holder of this title is [[Garbarsardar]]. After Garbarsardar officially told site moderators that he's no longer the site owner and that he will be stepping down as hex as well, the entire moderation staff then decided to honour him in this way, for the services and guidance he gave them over the years. Ishan was the one that came up with the idea and later on pannonian and him worked on an oriental themed badge since he lives in Asia & some funny stories are attached to it. But later on jimkatalanos came up with this, which represents Garb's favourite director [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Tarkovsky Andrei Tarkovsky] & movie [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalker_(1979_film) Stalker]. Garb's stalking skills are renowned on TWC, he always knew about all the shenanigans and was aware of every drama and constructive activities going on TWC.
 
 
 
;For more information on Curial ranks and awards please see [[List_of_Current_TWC_Ranks|here]] or [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184168 here].
 
  
 
==Post Count Ranks==
 
==Post Count Ranks==
Line 395: Line 258:
 
|rowspan="1" | Augustus || There were two of them: one in Constantinople, usually the Senior Augustus, and one in Ravenna, usually the Junior Augustus, for each administrative half.  ||100,000
 
|rowspan="1" | Augustus || There were two of them: one in Constantinople, usually the Senior Augustus, and one in Ravenna, usually the Junior Augustus, for each administrative half.  ||100,000
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==Member Ranks==
 +
All users on TWC are regarded as having a 'rank'.  New members start out as a Full Member or Perigrinus.  Further ranks may be awarded by the [[Curia]], e.g.: [[Citizen]] & [[Patrician]] or come with election as a [[Curial Officer]].  Members may also be appointed by the [[Administrator]]s as a [[Local Moderator]] to a specific forum.  [[Staff]] positions carry a variety of different ranks and are also appointed by the Administrators.  For details of all current ranks see [[List_of_Current_TWC_Ranks|here]]
 +
 +
Members may hold several different ranks at the same time and therefore choose which [[User_Badges|badge]] to display.  Staff members are expected to display their staff rank primarily for ease of recognition by other users.
  
 
==Reputation==
 
==Reputation==
 
 
The reputation feature is a fun little thing that enables you to see your community standing with the other members. In theory, the more reputation you have, the more highly thought of you are by the other members of the community. It has no other real meaning, and many members choose to disable it.
 
The reputation feature is a fun little thing that enables you to see your community standing with the other members. In theory, the more reputation you have, the more highly thought of you are by the other members of the community. It has no other real meaning, and many members choose to disable it.
  
Line 547: Line 414:
 
|rowspan="1" | 1526+ || User doesn't feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever - ''The Third Man''
 
|rowspan="1" | 1526+ || User doesn't feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever - ''The Third Man''
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==Changing your username==
 +
To request a name change post in the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=581961 Name change requests] thread in the Questions & Suggestions forum and an administrator will rename your Username. Sometimes members use a typical username or special symbols in it and forget them hence they can't re-login again in that case use the [http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php contact us] option and explain your problem in it.
  
 
==Deleting your account/suspending yourself==
 
==Deleting your account/suspending yourself==
 
As a rule, TWC never deletes an account so it is impossible to delete your account. However it is possible to suspend yourself if you no longer have the time for TWC, or just need to take a break. To suspend your account just Private Message an admin with your request. To reinstate your account, use the '[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php contact us]' button at the bottom of the forum index requesting to be un-suspended.
 
As a rule, TWC never deletes an account so it is impossible to delete your account. However it is possible to suspend yourself if you no longer have the time for TWC, or just need to take a break. To suspend your account just Private Message an admin with your request. To reinstate your account, use the '[http://www.twcenter.net/forums/sendmessage.php contact us]' button at the bottom of the forum index requesting to be un-suspended.
  
 +
=How to become a TWC Citizen=
 +
Citizens gain various additional rights on the forum and are identified by optional badges such as:
 +
:[[File:Citizen radadir.png]]
 +
 +
Citizenship is an award given by the [[Curia]] for contributions to the site and community of TWC, learn more about how to become a Citizen [[Citizen#How_to_Become_a_TWC_Citizen|here]].
  
  
 
[[Category: Total War Center Information]]
 
[[Category: Total War Center Information]]

Revision as of 05:29, 26 July 2019

Faqs.png

This guide is intended to provide the basic information you need to understand the Total War Center forums, and answer questions that get repeatedly posted.

For the formal rules of the forum please see the Terms of Service

About Total War Center

Total War Center is one of the largest Total War fan sites on the internet. It comprises the following sections:

Front Page

The Front Page shows the most recent news announcements about major site events, Total War Series releases and updates, new modification releases and previews and more. Users can not post on the front page but may request an announcement. The front page also shows latest forum posts and provides links to other areas of the site.

Forums

The TWC cover a wide variety of topics, view the main index here.

Total War Sections

There are forum sections for each of the Total War Series games, with sub-sections for general discussion, hosted modifications, and mod workshops which include areas for questions and answers and also tutorials and resources.

The Common Community

The Common Community Section of TWC is almost as big as the Total War areas. Here people debate topics such as Politics, Current Affairs, Morals, Religion, Science, Sports, History, Technology, and Non-Total War Games.

The Curia and the Constitution

The Constitution and Curia are important parts of TWC History. The Curia is a Citizens only forum on TWC. The Constitution governs the running of the Curia, the election and appointment of Curial Officers, the awarding of Citizenship, the conduct of Citizens, and various Curial Awards.

Useful Links:

  • The Constitution may be viewed on TWC here
  • Although only Citizens may post, the Curia may be viewed by everyone here
  • Non-citizens may discuss the Curia in the Curial Commentary Thread, here
  • The Symposium is a Citizens only discussion forum within the Curia, here
  • TWC's Living History Forum is within the Symposium, here

The Administrative Forums

These forums are located at the bottom of the main page and provide a place for members to come and sort out any problems or issues. Members must be logged in to be able to view the Administrative section.

Infraction Appeals and Discussion

  • Appeal by PM to the moderator concerned or to an administrator: Members should feel free to discuss any moderator action or decision either with the moderator concerned or with one of the moderation overseers. This is usually the best way to start if you disagree with an infraction you have received, but you should also start here if have an issue with other actions such as thread warnings, thread closures, notes, and so on. You can find a list of moderators and administrators here.
  • Appeal to the Praetorium: Appeals in the Praetorium are heard by all moderation staff, and all cases are private, which means that other members will not be able to view your appeal thread. You can appeal infractions in the Praetorium and you can also ask for an official ruling on any instruction you have been given by a moderator via PM, note, or thread warning. You cannot appeal other moderator actions like post deletions, thread closures, probation, and so on. You can find the Praetorium guidelines here.
  • Appeal to the Tribunal: Appeals in the Tribunal are heard by an independent panel of Tribunes and Magistrates, and all cases are public, which means that other members will be able to view your appeal thread. You can only appeal infractions and other penalties in the Tribunal. You can find the Tribunal guidelines here.

Appeals against infractions follow much the same process in both the Praetorium and the Tribunal. To open an appeal against an infraction, simply create a thread requesting an appeal. Try to provide relevant information about the infraction such as the approximate time the infraction was given, the name of the moderator who issued the infraction, and the relevant thread or forum. After you have created the thread, a moderator will post the infraction and deliberations will begin. You may explain your position in the appeal thread. After you have given your side of the story, a thread will be created in a hidden forum and deliberations will be initiated. Once a decision has been reached you will be informed of the verdict.

Questions and Suggestions

If you have a question that has not been answered by this handy little guide, or you have any suggestion or comment you'd like to make that you think might make TWC that little bit better, then here is the place to post. All thoughts and comments welcome! All technical questions, e.g. "Why doesn't this feature work?" or "I found something wrong", should also be directed here. Questions and Suggestions forum.

Site News

If there is a known issue with the site, or planned downtime for maintenance, staff will normally post notifications in the Site News sub-forum of the Q & S.


TWC Wiki

The FAQ you are currently reading is hosted on the TWC Wiki. The Wiki covers both the Total War Series games and modifications and the Total War Center it's history and people.

Wiki Accounts

To make an account on the Wiki you must first register an account on TWC, then log in to the Wiki with the same username and password.

Rules for Editing on the TWC Wiki

When editing TWC wiki, members are expected to obey both the general Terms of Service and the TWC Wiki Policy & Guidelines and must not submit copyrighted work without permission. Failure to comply can result in a warning, suspension or ban from TWC Wiki for a certain period of time. Anyone interested in helping with the Wiki is invited to contact the Wiki Director for advice and/or Join the TWC Wiki Team!"

TWC Blogs

TWC's blogs are written by members of TWC. They can all be found here.

How to get a blog

Anyone can request permission to have a blog. Requests should be made by going to your profile and clicking on Join Groups in the Permission Groups section, and then clicking to join the 'Bloggers' group. The site administrators will decide whether or not people should have permission to post a blog on a case by case basis.

Only people with permission to post blogs will be able to post comments on blogs. If you do not want to post a blog of your own, but you do want to be able to post comments on blogs, then you should follow the steps above and request permission to have a blog.

Rules for Blogs and Blog Comments

Some content is not appropriate for blogs and blog comments. If you have a blog, or if you post comments on any blogs, you must follow these rules, which will be applied strictly:

  • no religion
  • no politics
  • no content which breaks TWC's Terms of Service (please note that this means all content must be family friendly).

Anyone who breaks the rules above will lose the ability to post blogs and also the ability to post comments on blogs, and their blog will be deleted. Appeals to the Tribunal will have no effect on this decision - this is a purely administrative matter and the decision will be made by the site administrators.

Major TWC Publications and Content

Category Description
The Eagle Standard The Eagle Standard is a TWC publication that focuses primarily on the Total War aspect of the forum. You can read the current Eagle Standard and see the current team here.
The Critics Quill The Critic's Quill publishes articles, reviews and interviews relating to creative writing and After Action Reports (AARs). You can read their older articles here and their newer articles are found here.
The Gamer's Gazette The Gamer's Gazette is a TWC publication dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest non-Total War game reviews, news, and videos! You can read their older articles here and their newer articles are found here.
The Helios The Helios is a publication of the Total War Center forums reporting on the various non-TW related activities of the forums. You can read their older articles here and their newer articles are found here.
TWC News The News Team publish announcements regarding TW games, modification releases and previews, and site events on the TWC Front Page. Read previous announcements here.
The Scriptorium The Scriptorium is the repository of TWC's most popular and well written articles. Its Acting Chief Librarian is Settra and you can view the Library here.

Meet the Staff

TWC Staff are in charge of running various parts of the site. They currently fall into five categories: Hex, Moderation, Content, Gaming and Technical.

The top level of staff is the Hexagon Council, current membership can be viewed here.

You can view the full list of The Staff of Total War Center with descriptions of their roles here

Additionally, a list of all those people with admin, moderator or director status can be found on the Forum Leaders page.

Posting on the Forums

TWC Terms of Service and Forum Rules

Every member when they sign up is expected to keep to these rules. They're enforced by the moderators, and failure to comply will result in warnings, suspensions & ultimately a permanent ban. We recommend you read and familiarise yourself with them! Terms of Service

TWC's BB Code

The TWC forum uses vBulletin software, with BB code for posting, this is the complete list of all the BB tags used on TWC, which will explain how to make bold or italic text and many other more advanced formatting options for posts.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some miscellaneous questions we've been regularly asked not covered elsewhere in this guide.

Polls

How do I make polls?
To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. You can only make a poll if you are starting a new topic. What you need to click to add a poll to your post is the 'Yes, post a poll...' box near the bottom of the screen. If you need to add a poll later then you need to PM an Administrator.
Can I vote in polls?
To vote in polls you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site awards with them.
Can I edit a poll that I created in my thread?
No you can't unfortunately, however you can report your opening post in your thread and ask a site moderator to edit the poll for you to whatever you want. Alternatively you can also create a new thread and report the old thread for deletion, whichever you prefer.

Editing Posts

Why can't I edit my posts?
Sorry for the inconvenience, members have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week in order to edit their posts. This was introduced to prevent spam advertising accounts from editing their posts.
Can I delete\close my own thread?
No you can't unfortunately, you can report it though and request a site moderator in it to close\delete it for you, he\she may or may not close it at his\her discretion.

Conduct Advice

I've just taken a glance at the Political Mudpit and the Ethos, Mores, et Monastica sections of the Common Community, and I want to post there! But I do not want to get completely butchered by the experienced members who already post in those sections. How can I, a complete newb, post in those sections without getting hacked into little pieces?
I can offer four pieces of advice for this: read, edit, give sources, and stay calm.
  1. Read - What you first need to do is read the entire thread. This is important as it can give you sources for information (which are very important for a debate) and tells you what has already been argued about. Unless you are bringing new information regarding a past issue or point, it is redundant to dredge up an old settled argument, especially if it has been some time since it was last talked about in the thread.
  2. Edit - After you have written your response, always send it through a spellchecker after reading it over again yourself. It is imperative to ensure that there are as few as possible spelling and grammatical errors in your post.
  3. Give Sources - A credible source can go a long way in helping you win a debate. Facts without sources will be often disregarded as mere opinion.
  4. Stay Calm - Far too often, members become frustrated and angry on various threads. This happens to all at times, and the best cure is to step away from the debate. What you do after that is up to you, but do not go back to the debate until you have calmed down. If a debate looks like it is getting too heated, a moderator will often close down a thread temporarily to clean up heated posts, as well as giving both parties a chance to calm down.
How would I defend myself against flamers and trolls?
Hopefully you won't have to! But if someone does flame you or troll you, report their post using the Report button. DON'T respond in kind. If you flame someone who flames you, that just starts a flame war and you'll find yourself in as much trouble as the original flamer (provoker).
What if I want to express my opinion privately to certain members and I want to contact them individually?
Try emailing them if they enabled their email address, or use the "private messaging" - PM. Be careful though, members do (and should) report harassing or annoying PMs to moderators. Just because it is a private message, it does not give you leeway to flame or troll others.

Visitor Messages

Why can't I post any visitor messages?
To post visitor messages, you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week. This was introduced to prevent people creating duplicate accounts and spamming our site with them.

Social Groups

How do I make a Social Group?

To join or create a group you have to have 25 posts and been registered for at least one week.

  1. Firstly, click on the 'My Account' button on the top left hand side of your screen (if you can't see it then scroll to the top of the forums).
  2. Under the left header 'Networking' you should see a link called 'Social Groups'. Click on it.
  3. On the bottom of the page you should see a link saying 'Create A New Group'. Click on it.
If you are having trouble finding the links, use your browsers search function (most likely by pressing Ctrl + F). Also remember to search the already made Social Groups to see if there is already one for your topic.
How do I rename or delete my Social Group?
Just contact any Site Moderator, shown in dark blue here, and they shall rename\delete or edit your group description if need be. Alternatively you can post your request in this thread as well.

Reporting Problems with Other Members/Posts

I'm being harassed by a forum member, what should I do?
Report function is available in threads, visitor messages & even private messages so just use that and a site moderator will intervene and tell him\her not to do so as harassment is not allowed on TWC as per its rules.
What's the "Report" button? report-40b.png
This button at the bottom right of each post will generate an automatic email to all the moderators of that forum telling that that post has been reported. You can use it to tell the moderators every time you see a post that breaks the Terms of Service. While it is not our aim to create a generation of informants, experience has proven time and again that reporting a post that you consider offensive or disruptive is far better then attempting to deal with it "on your own", by either attacking the poster or threatening with some form of action in the thread. Furthermore, a report is the fastest way to alert the moderators about serious breaches of ToS as posting of porn and also to get yourself rid of ad-bots. Reporting posts is encouraged!

Moderator Actions and Infractions

Where do I complain about moderators and their actions if I spot one or I feel I am being mistreated?
If you feel so then you should PM one of the administrators who oversees moderation on a daily basis. Current Moderation Overseers are:
You can also post about any problems you're having or your thoughts in the Moderation Commentary Thread where administrators will try to resolve your problem or answer any of your relevant questions regarding site moderation, it is best to be calm and coherent when talking about the matter in public as it breeds positive conversations which further breeds solutions and satisfaction.
How do I appeal an infraction I think I've been given unfairly?
There are a variety of possible methods please see the Infraction and Appeals section above.

Your Account and Profile

Signatures, Avatars, and Profile Pictures

To discourage joining/posting simply to spam signature links all signatures are currently disabled for new users. Once you have 25 posts and have been a member for a week you will be able to create a signature.

Signatures are bound to a 550×175 pixel box automatically, with anything outside of that being cut off. The maximum file size of all signature images may not exceed 250 KB according to the current TOS.

Custom avatars, and user pictures can be uploaded to TWC from your User Control Panel. You will be told the maximum size of each when you try to upload them. At the time of this writing, the maximum sizes are 100×100 pixels or 80 KB (whichever is smaller) for avatars, and 640×480 pixels or 250 KB (whichever is smaller) for profile pictures. Uploading images to independent hosting sites is preferred and is the only option for adding images to signatures.

See Shankbot's Unofficial Guide for New Members for an illustrated 'how to guide'.

Post Count Ranks

On the left hand side of each of your posts you'll note a number of things. First, your avatar, which you can set and change from your account control panel. Second, your Reputation, explained below. Third, your online status and add rep buttons. Fourth, your post count, and finally another rank.

Unlike your Peregrinus rank, this one is entirely meaningless and conveys nothing. It's merely associated with your Post Count. The more posts you have, the higher this rank. It's actually your custom user title, and only Citizens, Local Moderators or TWC Staff have the ability to override their title with one of their own design.

Here's the list of those ranks based on the game Total War: Attila.

Member Ranks

All users on TWC are regarded as having a 'rank'. New members start out as a Full Member or Perigrinus. Further ranks may be awarded by the Curia, e.g.: Citizen & Patrician or come with election as a Curial Officer. Members may also be appointed by the Administrators as a Local Moderator to a specific forum. Staff positions carry a variety of different ranks and are also appointed by the Administrators. For details of all current ranks see here

Members may hold several different ranks at the same time and therefore choose which badge to display. Staff members are expected to display their staff rank primarily for ease of recognition by other users.

Reputation

The reputation feature is a fun little thing that enables you to see your community standing with the other members. In theory, the more reputation you have, the more highly thought of you are by the other members of the community. It has no other real meaning, and many members choose to disable it.

Reputation here will be described as if you were using the default Empire skin. The symbols are different on the Rome skin, or the Barbie skin.

If you are using the Rome skin, the add rep button is an eagle standard, a Ring is a helmet, and a crown is a legionary standard. The principle is the same however

If, (for whatever unknown reason!) you are using the Barbie skin, the add rep button is the eagle standard again, a ring becomes a type of spangly star, or maybe a flower and a crown is a diamond ring.

Moving swiftly back to the default Empire Skin then...

How do I give rep?
You can add reputation to a post by clicking this button, on the left
reputation-40b.png
You can only add 1 point of rep to each post and you can only give 7 points total a day.
Additionally, you have to rep 5 different users before you can give rep to the same user again, in order to prevent rep abuse.
Who can give rep?
Because of issues with account cloning in the past, where people created accounts just to give themselves rep, only users registered for at least one week with over 25 posts may give rep. Furthermore, it may take an hour or so after your 25th post for your rep to start working, even if you've been registered for over one week by that point.
How to know which member gave me rep?
Generally people also mention their username along with the rep comment, if they have not mentioned then it's an anonymous rep and thus can't be known. However if you have been insulted via rep feature then contact any moderator or an administrator as they have the access to view it & will remove the insult & take care of the offender as per TWC's terms of service.
Where does reputation show?
Your reputation shows up in two places. One, on the left hand side where you post, a collection of symbols shows a rough guide to how much rep you have. Two, in your control panel. There's a more comprehensive display of the last 20 rep points you received, showing which post you got it for, who gave it, and any comment they left.
Can I disable reputation?
Yes, you can disable your reputation in your control panel. If you do so, your own rep won't show up but you'll still be able to give other people rep as well as receive it yourself.
What does it look like?
Each symbol represents a certain number of rep points. It starts at five, so if you have less than 3 rep points, you'll show the scales symbol for neutral rep.
Balance.png - Neutral Rep
Some very few members who have received neg rep from the staff will have this replaced by a red square. Those users who have disabled the reputation feature will simply show a grey square.
Once you hit 3 rep points, you'll get 1 gold ring
reputation_pos.png
Each ring = 3 points, so if someone has 5 rings, they have 15 Rep points. You can only get a maximum of 5 rings, after that the rings are transferred into a fleur-de-lis.
reputation_pos2.png
Each gold fleur-de-lis is worth 15 rep points.
reputation_highpos.png
Each red fleur-de-lis is worth 150 rep points.
  • Scales: 0-2 Rep
  • 1 Ring: 2-3 Rep
  • 1 gold fleur-de-lis: 15 Rep
  • 1 red fleur-de-lis: 150 Rep
  • and so on

Reputation Descriptions

Every set of reputation points have its unique description which are actually famous movie quotes & they change gradually to something else with increase of rep points on your user account, one can see the current number of rep points on his profile by clicking My Account. Below is the list of all descriptions sorted out as per number of rep points:

Changing your username

To request a name change post in the Name change requests thread in the Questions & Suggestions forum and an administrator will rename your Username. Sometimes members use a typical username or special symbols in it and forget them hence they can't re-login again in that case use the contact us option and explain your problem in it.

Deleting your account/suspending yourself

As a rule, TWC never deletes an account so it is impossible to delete your account. However it is possible to suspend yourself if you no longer have the time for TWC, or just need to take a break. To suspend your account just Private Message an admin with your request. To reinstate your account, use the 'contact us' button at the bottom of the forum index requesting to be un-suspended.

How to become a TWC Citizen

Citizens gain various additional rights on the forum and are identified by optional badges such as:

Citizen radadir.png

Citizenship is an award given by the Curia for contributions to the site and community of TWC, learn more about how to become a Citizen here.