Fan Forum - Questions Thread ~ Please read the first post! Please note that Guests can post!

Fan Forum FAQ

What is Fan Forum? Who owns it?
Fan Forum is a group of message boards created by Goldenboy. Goldenboy is the owner.

Registering
Registration is required if you plan to post new topics or reply to existing topics. Joining Fan Forum consists of just 3 simple pages of steps:
Page 1- asks for your date of birth
Page 2- States Fan Forum rules and asks you to agree to them
Page 3- asks for a username, password, your e-mail, and your time zone.
Your e-mail is also kept absolutely confidential and will never be given out for soliciting purposes. To join- please go HERE

How do I add a message board?
We have a board to handle Requests HERE. You need 500 posts to request a board, and you need 50 posts to vote for a requested board. Please make sure to read the Request board guidelines HERE.

Using vB Code
You may use vB Code in your posts. vB Code is similar to HTML, but offers just a few basic functions, such as hyper linking, image display, bolding and italicizing. Complete details on vB Code are listed HERE.

Moderators / How do I become one?
Please see the details on the Moderator Application thread topped here on this board.

Changing Info In Your Profile
You may easily change any info stored in your registration profile, using the "UserCP" link located near the top of each page. You must be logged in in order to update your profile.

Cookies
This bulletin board uses cookies to store the following information: the last time you logged in, your login identification, and your preferred "topic view." These cookies are stored on your browser. Cookies are not used to track your movement or perform any function other than to enhance your use of the message board. If your browser does not support cookies, or you have not enabled cookies on your browser, many of these time saving features will not work properly and you will not be able to post new messages.

Clearing Cookies
If you ever experience login problems, you may have a problem with the cookies that have been set in your browser. If this happens, you can try clearing all cookies set on this message board by clicking on the Clear All Forum Cookies button in your member profile and logging into your account again.

Editing Your Posts
You may edit your own posts at any time. Look for the "Edit Message" feature under your post to be edited. No one else can edit your post, except for the forum Moderator(s), Managers (all forums), or the Message Board Administrator. A note is generated at the bottom of each post that is edited so that everyone knows when a post has been edited.

Editing A Thread Title
Members that start a thread may edit the title of a thread up to two weeks after it was started. After this grace period, only the Moderators of the board the thread was started on can edit a thread title. If you need a thread title changed after the two week grace period, please send one of the moderators of that board a Private Message.

Adding Signatures
You may use a signature (commonly used in email messages) on your posts. You may set your signature in your UserCP in the Edit Signature section. Once you have a signature stored, you can choose to not include it with any post you make by unchecking the "Show your signature" box when you create your post. Please note: only up to four Fan Forum smilies are allowed, and images/banners aren't allowed in a signature. Please make sure that your signature and signature length does not break the rules of this website by reading the Fan Forum Rules Announcement found HERE.

Attaching Files
For security reasons, you may not attach files to any posts. You may cut and paste text into your post, however, or use vB Code to provide hyperlinks to outside documents.

Searching For Specific Posts
The search feature is currently turned off. You can try using Google to search for threads/posts, adding site:fanforum.com to your search: site:fanforum.com - Google Search That way you only get search results from FF.

Subscribing To Threads
Inside a thread, you'll find Subscribe to this Thread listed at the bottom of the page. When you subscribe to a thread, those threads will be listed in your UserCP and will show if a new post has been made in those threads. You can also choose to be notified by email if new posts are made there. This feature is useful to keep track of where you regularly post.

Private Messages
A private message is not email. Private messages are one-to-one communications that can only be read by the recipient. You can read private messages in your profile section. You can also elect to be notified by email whenever someone sends you a private message (you can set this in your profile). You can also prevent anyone from sending you a private message (also configurable in your profile) by adding them to your ignore list. Only registered members may send private messages. To send someone a private message, click on a members profile to click on the link to send them a PM, or go to your UserCP section, click on Send New Message, and enter the username of the person you want to send a private message to. The maximum amount of characters in PM's is 8,000. Your private message box is limited to 150 messages total (inbox and outbox combined). Once it is full you will need to delete messages before you can receive any more.

Ignore Lists
Ignore lists apply to private messages only. When a member is on your ignore list, that person cannot send you a private message. You can put someone on your ignore list by viewing the member's profile and clicking on the "add to ignore list" link or typing in their username in the Buddy/Ignore list section in your UserCP page. Forum leaders will not be ignored even if they are on your list.

Buddy Lists
You can put someone on your Buddy list by viewing the member's profile and clicking on the "add to buddy list" link or typing in their username in the Buddy/Ignore list section in your UserCP page. Their username will then be marked with a '+' beside it in the Currently Active Users list at the top of the board if they're online, at that board and visible.

Censoring Posts
The message board administrators have the power to censor certain words that may be posted. This censoring is not an exact science, however, so certain words may be censored out of context. Please realize that the censoring, if any censoring is being performed, it is being done by a computer based on the words that are being screened. Words that are censored are replaced with asterisks. It is against the rules to alter a curse/censored word to deliberately avoid Fan Forum's censor filters.

Lost Login ID and/or Password
Retrieving your login ID and password is simple. All of the pages that require you to identify yourself with your username and password carry a "lost password" link that you can use to have your username and password emailed instantly to your email address of record. Please make sure that your email address listed in your profile is kept up to date, and that you can access it to recover your password. If you have further problems, please post your request on the Old Username/Password Problems thread located on this board.

MST (Moderator Support Team)
The MST consists of some of our most experienced moderators. They temporarily moderate new boards, fill in for the regular moderators of the permanent boards when the regular moderators are away, or temporarily moderate a board when a moderator has resigned and the board either doesn’t have a moderator to cover it or the remaining moderator needs help. All of their assignments are temporary and they won’t be appointed as the permanent moderators for any of these boards. A list of who is on the MST can be found HERE.

Board Graphics / Graphics Team
If you have any questions about graphics for a board, please PM one of the Graphics Team Managers found HERE.

Avatars: What are they, and how can I add a custom one?
Avatars are the images under a member's username in their posts. The size limit for an avatar is 100 X 100 and a maximum of 40,000 bytes. You need to have made 101 posts in order to add a custom made avatar. Once you have reached 101 posts, an option to upload a custom avatar from your computer will be added (it may take up to 24 hours for this to start) in your UserCP page in the edit avatar section. When you upload a new avatar, it can take up to an hour for you or others to be able to see it. It's because custom avatars are only uploaded to one server initially and it takes time for it to be copied to the other server (whenever you connect to www.fanforum.com now, you can end up on either of the two servers). If you would like help making a custom avatar you can ask on the Avatar Help/Request thread on the Webmasters Board for someone to make one for you, or you can learn how to make your own on the Fan Art Board.

What are the different ranks on the forum?
Regular members have gold stars, the graphics team members have diamonds, moderators have crowns, and the management team have lightening bolts. The stars are permanent and their color can't be changed. The ranks look like this: