The Guide to Halo3Forum

By Shmads

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First off, I know a lot of members come here for a quick question. I suggest reading this whole guide through. I can guarantee that the answer is in here. If not, feel free to post or message me, I will be happy to answer.

This is a thread that was made by myself (with help from the Exclusives) explaining Halo3Forum, and getting you started with it. A lot of things are made to be learned by yourself, but a jump start sure does help. Halo 3 Forum is not your everyday website, like Bungie.net. It has top of the line moderators, topics of discussion, and culture. I wrote this to help all of those who are new to H3F, so that all of our “noobs” will be familiar with the ways of H2F. I strongly suggest reading this whole thing, it will help tremendously.

Table of Contents

1) Meet the Mods (The H3F Staff)
2) The Forum (its layout)
3) Starting Out (Making an account)
4) Communication (Threads, posts, PMs)
5) The Rules (Important!)
6) Signatures
7) Videos
8) Formatting Text (vB Code)
9) Random Useful Stuff
10) FAQs
11) The Art of Flaming

The H3F Staff

Like every other group of people, we have rulers that govern the community. They tell us what we cannot do, to keep the peace. So, lets go over our mods, or moderators. A moderator (mod) is basically a police man of the forums. He enforces all the rules that the dictator (The admin,Z) chooses. An admin is the person who owns the website. The owner of Halo3forum (H3F) is Z.

Z- Z is your daddy. He is the maker of H2F. He chooses the mods, he conducts the montage contests, he funds the site, he makes the rules. Z posts rarely, only to announce a montage and to solve a problem that people are arguing about. Z’s gamertag is “Halo2Forum Com”. Only contact him if it is something important. Ex: Hosting a montage, a glitch in the forum, etc. Ask the mods and myself (any member really) if its a question about the forum. Z is just to busy.

Moderators: Like I said before, a mod is a police man of the forum. Most of the mods have the power to ban you from the site, suspend you, close threads, move threads, etc, things that you will understand later. Also, their names are in red, so you can tell who they are. Don’t mess with these guys!
Now you may wonder “How can I become a mod”. Well, the truth is, you can’t. Z isn’t taking any more mods, and only the oldest and most experienced members become mods. He has plenty, all of which are fair, open minded, and have good people skills. Most of the mods got to be mods by Z asking them to be one, they didn’t ask him. So one way to sure as hell make sure you don’t become a mod is by asking Z. When Z posts a request for applications for the spot (which he may occasionally) just reply with a resume. If you want to report something a member did to break the rules, you can contact them via AIM, email, or PM (I'll explain "PM" in a bit).

Here is the contact Info for all the mods. Click the words.

For more detailed information about moderators, click here: LINK

The Forum (and its sections)

Here, I will explain the forum itself, the sections of the forum, etc.

Forum (n.)- an assembly, meeting place, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.

Thats all it is, a place for us to meet and talk about things. You can talk about different things, depending about what forum topic/section you are in. Here they are:

Support Section : This is the section for you to ask questions about the site. Simple. You can also post H3F related news here. Look at all of the stickies, they are very useful.

Halo 2 General: This is for general discussion about the actual game. Yes, the actual game. So don't post here about politics, that goes is a different topic. Duh.

Halo 2 Videos: Probably the biggest section (because of all the traffic thanks to the montages). This section is for discussion about Halo 2 Videos, or for posting you video. This is probably the most active section on H3F. Here, you can discuss montages, watch other players montages, and host your own montages. It has sub sections for Montage Help (such as help editing or using a capture card), and the Montage Contests, which I will explain later.

Modding: This section is for topics related to modding. Only active members with a certain number of posts can go here. Caution: A sure way to get yourself banned is to ask to get modded up in level or complaining about modders. This section is for modding in CUSTOMS! Not Matchmaking. Modding topics include Halo 2 mods, Xbox mods, comp mods, etc.

Ownage Games: Show off your Ownage games here. Be careful what you post, however. People can be very critical.

Halo 2 Multiplayer: This is about Halo 2 Multiplayer (go figure) Mainly topics on Matchmaking (MM), customs, and other things related to multiplayer. It has one subforum, the Statsreloaded help forum. This is the forum for the website www.statsreloaded.com . Leave the stats discussion here.

MLGPro and Hardcore Discussion: MLG is Major League Gaming, which is a flavor of play 90% of H3F members love to play. MLGpro.com is their website, go there for more detailed info. Hardcore is a similar flavor of MM gametypes. All discussion for MLG and HC (Hardcore) goes here. The subforums are the Player Recruitment section, which is for recruiting players for your team and/or clan and finding a team/clan. Also, the sub forum "Scrim Topic" is here. Post here if you are looking for a scrim for your team, or want to post a series of scrims you team has.

Halo 3 Campaign: Talk about the Campaign part for Halo 3

Halo 3 Multiplayer: The section to discuss things about Halo 3 Multiplayer.

Halo 3 Videos:This is the forum topic to post and discuss Halo 3 videos, such as montages, gameplays, machinima, comedies, etc.

The Halo 1 Sections: Same as Halo 2, just for Halo 1.

Xbox Connect and Xlink: The topic for discussion for XLINK and XBC-replacements for XBL. They are categorized with Halo 1, because they are used for people to play Halo 1 together.

H2F Regulars: Only members with a certain number of posts are allowed here (about 1000 posts). Its a great section, and a good reason to keep posting. It has one subforum, H3F Exclusives.

H3F Exclusives: H3F Exclusive is a section for the most respected members on H3F. People are handpicked but Z himself, with input from the exclusives (EX). Only regulars can get into H3F Exclusive (H3FX). Just be a helpful member, post nicely, and you'll be in eventually. People are added every now and then. Yes, being an exclusive has its advantages. The EX section is a very chill section and fun to post in. Also, the members of the section get a Sky Blue name, such as my name.

Complete Off Topic: Things off-topic to Halo 1, 2 and 3 posted here (but it doesn't mean you can spam). It has two subforums, "Music" and Sports"

Music: A place to discuss and discover music with your fellow Halo 3 Forum Members. The Music Section is the largest Sub-Forum in the Complete Off-Topic Section where you will find threads on almost every genre of music imaginable. Feel free to drop by and request some Music recommendations(in the stickied thread) or discuss some of your favorite music.

Sports: Another sub-forum of the Complete Off-Topic Section, where you can talk about all things sports related. Talk about your favorite teams or even discuss new trades/roster.

Simple, eh?

The GFX Sections: This is a very unique section. It is for discussion about graphics (GFX). The lowdown for GFX is HERE .

Debate: This section is for debates on politics, current events, etc. It has one sub-forum, Religion Debate. This section isn't for the feint of heart or for the politically un-aware.

Starting Out

Making a name

All you need to do now is make a name to post (if you haven't already). I suggest keeping it without the clan/team tags, just your name. This way, you don't need to change it. To change your name, contact a mod or Z. Eventually, they will change it. Give them time, they are very busy. To join H3F, click the "Register" tab on the top of the page. Enter in all the information you would like. Remember to give a valid email address, an email will be sent to it to complete the registration. Without a working email address that you can check, there is no way to register.

To edit information that you gave in, change your password, and manage your account, click on the "Control Panel" tab at the top of the page. Use the links on the left to change categories you want to edit.

Communication

As you know, the main purpose of a forum is for people to discuss things. Here are the forms of discussion and communication.

Threads: This is a topic of discussion made by a user. The discussion is only for the topic, and the topic alone. So, if I made the thread (don’t make this, too common) “What are your Controls?” in the General section, you should reply with your controls, not about the rice pudding you ate last night. Only members with x amount of posts can make threads! I'm pretty sure "x" is somewhere from 25-100 or more, it changes from member to member. So, nobody truly knows how many you need. Topics may (or may not) be informational, for discussion, a statement, or just posting a funny video you saw. Threads are posted in the forum topic they belong in. Also, threads can be closed (which means nobody else can post in them) or moved (moved to the appropriate forum topic). Threads can be announced (the threads at the top of the H3F homepage). They are usually links to videos and important notices.

Posts: Everyone can make these. They are the replies to some one's thread that they make. These are meant to be on topic with the thread and in response to something somebody has said in the thread. This is what people see of you, so think carefully before posting. All of your actions have consequences. People will judge you based on the maturity of your posts (what else are they going to use?). Also, remember that posting on a forum isn't AIM. Make your posts very easy to understand. I (and most members) suggest using proper grammar and English, and minimizing the number of typos you have. Just make posts very easy to follow. I mean, come on. How hard is it to use capital letters and paragraphs?

Stop. Think. Post.

In a way, you can look at threads to be a rain cloud, and posts to be rain that the cloud makes (analogy of the year). Also, be sure to use the vast library of smileys at H3F. You use a smiley, type in this:

:smileynamehere:

Private Messages (PM):: Private messages are a way to contact somebody via the forum without it being public. To send somebody a message, there is a link above a post the make, in the drop down menu of their name, and under the "Contact Info" in their member profile. The set up is similar to an email. Note: There is a limit of the number of PMs you can store. It is important to clear all of your messages occasionally. This is the way you were contacted by Z when you made your account.

Notes about Communication
1)Make well thought out posts, it’s the best advice I could give you. Don’t post with one or two words, actually give a detailed opinion or help the member in need. If the member is breaking a rule, tell him/her that. Your posts are how people are going to judge you, so think carefully before posting.

2)FOLLOW THE RULES AS ALL TIMES!

3)Use the search button if you have a question first, don’t immediately make the thread. Or, ask a couple a people on AIM. If the question is new, then make a thread.

4)Before you make a thread, see if anyone has made a similar one recently. Just search though the forum topic you are posting in. This applies mainly to Halo news, such as posting the new MLG rules, or the Bungie Weekly Update.

The Rules

Now that you know about the forum, its time to learn about the things that keep the forum going, that the mods spend so many hours enforcing, the things that keep everyone happy; the rules.


A detailed list of rules are HERE

Here is a brief summary of the rules.

No Spamming: Don’t post stupid things just to get the post count. Please.

Flaming: Don’t over insult someone. There is a solid difference between flaming and arguing your point. Once you get into directly insulting the person, you will receive a ban. This is a sensitive topic, and is usually solved at the mods' consent.

Stupidity: Acting stupid on the forums, posting porn, etc.

Advertising = Bad!: No making a thread for another website, no posting a thread, no making a link to another site in your signature. Post links if it will help the person (if he asks) otherwise leave adverts out! Myspace links are not adverts, neither are links to MLGpro, HBO, HIH, Halogrid, and Bungie.


MM Modding/Cheating: Here at H2F, we HATE cheaters. You can’t cheat, help a cheater out, or ask to be cheated up in level. Do it, get flamed, be banned, and everyone hates you.

Spamming other Sites : Z or a mod will usually ban you if you spam another site saying "H3F>whatever". It makes H3Fers look immature. Don't do this to sites such as Bungie, SS, etc.

Bypassing the Censor: As you may have figured out, there is a swear word filter on H3F, similar to the one on Bungie. So, I can't say the f-word, it comes out as "f**k". There are ways, however, to bypass the censor. Doing this results in a stupidity ban.

If you get banned and feel you haven’t broken a rule, don’t argue it unless you are 100% sure. If you want a second opinion about why you were banned, ask me. I will be glad to help. If its unfair, I'll let you know, and you can bring it up with a mod. When you dispute it, be polite. Rudeness=bigger ban. If you see someone’s thread is bad or they have broken a rule, inform a mod via AIM or PM. DON’T use the report button. If no mods are on AIM (which is rare) send them a PM with a link to the offense. Once again, the mods are the ones that enforce rules by banning (not allowing to post) a certain member, closing (stopping people from posing in a thread) a thread, etc.

Signatures

Signatures (aka “sigs”) are in the box under your name after every post. To change your sig, go the “control panel” and “edit signature”. Here, you can type whatever you want in your sig. You can also add pictures and whatnot. Remember, all rules to the forum are included for sigs:

-No Advertising
-No Porn

Maybe you want a sig? A pic with your name on it and a cool render? Then, go to the Graphics Section, then the request section, and request one. Look at the formatting section of the guide to learn how to enter pictures and YouTube videos.

Useful sites for sigs:
www.sigrequest.com
www.Halo2.junk.ws
www.gfxug.com

Videos

Halo Videos are a HUGE thing on H3F. They come in certain categories, which are:

Comedy: Funny vids for your entertainment.
Montages: A bunch of clips of great snipes, sticks, etc all in one video. (see montage contest)
Gameplays: Gameplays of pros playing other pros
Glitches: Videos of glitches people have done.
Mods: Video of CUSTOM mods modders made for entertainment

Montage Contest

The montage contest is a contest where people enter their montages to win a cash prize. This is HUGE on H2F, and is taken very seriously. It is basically what brings most of the activity to H3F.

How it works: The montage council is pretty big here. To enter it, submit your video to Z via AIM (his sn= Zee10101). Z will then send the montage to the Montage Council, who decides whether or not to post it. Some time during the year, the montage contest will be announced. Z will make a deadline for montages to be submitted. Then, the better montages will get entered in the contest. Z will make a poll with the montages for us to vote on. Only active members can vote. The most popular montages will advance, until only one montage is left. The winner will get a prize, and the other high ranked montages (the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, maybe 5th montages) will also be given a prize.

What A Good Montage Is: The way to vote on montages is deciding how they compete with each other in certain categories. The categories are:

Editing: Is the editing not to flashy? Fluid? It the gameplay synced with the music?
Quality: Can you see the picture clearly, or is it blurry?
Gameplay: Is the gameplay in the montage amazing? A lot of tough to make shots?
Pros: Are there pros or big names in the montage? Don't discredit a montage if it has no pros, only give credit to the ones that do.
MLG Or MM: Is there a lot of MLG?
Repeated Clips: Did they use the same clips twice?
Originality: Is it the same old stuff, or is it new?
Overall entertaining: Did you like watching it?

When posting a review of a montage, be polite. Give a rating based on a scale (1-10, for example). Explain the good and bad things on the montage.

Formatting Text (vB Code)

H3F is not like Microsoft word, there is a different way to format (make text bold, underlined, etc) your text. To do this, look at this page: LINK . For further information, look HERE . Its pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I suggest memorizing some of the important ones. Also, you can just use the toolbar on the top of the text your are typing. Just highlight whatever you want to be effected. vB Code isn't just for formatting text. With it, you can add pictures, YouTube videos, alignments, and more.

Random Useful Stuff

Useful Abbreviations

H3F=Halo3forum
H2F=Halo3forum (H3F's name before Halo 3 was announced)
MLG= Major league gaming, www.mlgpro.com
MM= Matchmaking
GG= Good Game
H2F= Halo2Forum
VoD=Video On Demand, go to mlgpro.com for details.
H1/2/3= Halo 1/2/3
RHC= Rumble
HC=Hardcore
TT=Team Training
TS= Team Slayer
IMO=In My opinion
Mod=Moderator
ftw=For the win
H3FX/H3FEX/EX/X= Members of H3F Exclusive.

Useful Links (Click the Words)

FAQs

Q: When I try to post a thread, I get an error screen saying I'm not allowed to. Whats up?

A: To post a thread, you need to have a certain number of posts first. Just go ahead and post a bit. Every now and then, check to see if you can make a thread.

Q: How do I get a picture in my sig?

A: Use the formatting code above. eg. [IMG] www.link to pic.com [/IMG]

Q: H3F looks so great! Who made it?

A: The skins were made by an amazing artist named -)Sub0Zero(-

Q: What are these "credit" things?

A: Credits no longer exist

Stats

There are many, many members of H3F (over 50,000 and more everyday). To view the members online, go to the bottom of the page and a list of every member is listed. As you can see, some are in different colors than others. Here is a glossary of them (which is also listed at the bottom).

Moderators l Montage Council l Respected Members (EX) l Banned Members (with a cross through the letters)

The Art of Flaming

Eventually, you and another member (or two) will get into a heavy argument against each other. It can get pretty intense, especially when both sides are not willing to give up room. When you go into this territory, you put yourself at risk of getting a ban, sometimes a long one. If you argue the right way, however, you are protected by the rules of H3F.

The number one thing you must know is that you can NEVER directly insult the person you are arguing with. This is considered flaming, and a mod will ban you. Directly insulting a member will never help your case, it will only create hate.

Lets say that you are in an argument about which montage is better. The way to push your point is to say why what you believe is true. For this example, you can do this by explaining that the montage had better gameplay, has better editing, etc. You keep pressing the reasons why you are right, and explaining why they are wrong. You NEVER insult the person itself, only their views.

The most important thing about arguments is not directly insulting someone, its the best advice I (or anyone for that matter) could possibly give you. I urge you to remember that.

Eventually, a mod will close a thread with a heavy argument going on in it. 99% of the time, neither member will stop posting, and the argument will drone on, giving each person a better chance of a ban. The mods are told to keep the thread open for a while for the members to have their argument. Eventually (be ready for this), a mod will have some sort of resolving post and close the thread. In other words, they get the last word. After this, its a good idea to just let it be. Don't go make another thread on the topic. Leave the argument out of H3F (like on AIM).

If you think it is getting out of hand, just stop posting. The only way to end an argument (without a mod) is to be the bigger man and stop posting. Simple as that. You must let the other member get the last word in the argument.

Arguments have no winners, the best case scenario is that both members understand the other's opinion, and respect it. You are barely ever going to convince someone to change opinions.

If you feel that you were cut off of a heavy argument on H3F, continue it on AIM, or even start it on AIM, so that you won't be banned on H3F. Just remember to be respectful, even though the rules of H3F aren't protecting you.

All in all, keep arguments on H3F clean, and you will have a better time. Is a one week ban really worth a one hour argument?

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And so ends you H3F training. If you have any questions, comments, or critiques, contact me.

AIM-Shmads
Email-Shmads@gmail.com

By: Shmads

Originally made by Shmads, with help from Scott. Remade by Shmads with some input from the Exclusives of H3F. <3

Holy crap. Please tell me you didn't type all that out yourself.

For all those that don't know:

I made this thread before, but a long time ago. With all the changes to the forum, i needed to update. This one is more pimpin than before.

The old one was made on 05-17-2006...

And yes, I did type that out.

Wow, that must've taken a long time to type. lol

But nice guide, very informative.

Very nice write up Shmads...Very helpful and it has alot of info in it. it should help alot of people out...Nice job

Edit the GFX Section. You still have "Graphics Sections: I hope to soon get a moderator of the Graphics (GFX) section to write about this, they understand it more than me.
" in there.

Excellent write up, once again.

Done, and thanks Kool Aide for the thread. <3

Nice job Shmads. Very useful indeed.

Even tho i only thumbed through it thats gonna be helpful to many a noob

No problem Shmads! It took a while to write up.
I can't imagine how long it took you to write up a guide to the whole site.