FAQ: Dollpoints, Avatars, and More!

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

First, I'd like to welcome any new members looking at this topic and any old members checking it over too =) The following topic is FAQ specific. If you find your question was not answered here, contact me and I will try to help or add the question/answer to the list.

FAQ 1.1-Site
Q: Dollpoints, what are they? How do I use and earn them?
A: Dollpoints are the official currency of TDP. You can use them to buy things in the dollpoints shop(which you can get to by clicking your dollpoints on the front page), buy dolls and bases, and other things. You earn them by doing various things on the site which include, but are not limited to, building dolls, signing in, writing stories, etc. Dollpoints can not be given to another member and this option never will be available, the exception being you can give dollpoints to clubs. Also, they will never be used to buy a premium account.

Q: Why aren't the premium features free? Shouldn't they be free?
A: Premium features are not free because they take up a considerable amount of space first off. Next, they are not free because it is those premium subscriptions that keep this site running from day to day. Without these subscriptions, TDP would be closed down and we don't want that happening do we? Thus, they shouldn't be free. Also, dollpoints will never be used to purchase a premium subscription so don't even bother asking about it.

Q: How do I delete my account?
A: The only way to do this is to PM support or contact support through helpdesk, which is found on the front page under "Contact Us".

Q: Can I have multiple accounts?
A: No. No one on the site is allowed to have multiple accounts or share them. If we discover that you are, we will contact support and have your other accounts banned or deleted from the regular site. Also, we ban all multiple accounts on the forums. We are tired of people making accounts just to agree with themselves, so keep in mind that we do know when you are doing this.

Q: I noticed a celebrity on here! Are they for real?
A: No. These are users who are trying to gain attention, steal your account, or even creeps trying to entice you to meet them. Under no circumstances is a celebrity going to come here and advertise that they are a celebrity. If you see accounts like this, report them to support or through the report offense option. If they are on the forums, contact myself or Miranda and we will deal with them as quickly as possible.

FAQ 1.2-Forum Features
Q: How do I add an avatar/"that picture on the side"?
A: You add an avatar by going to the user control panel, then edit avatar and linking to a picture that you uploaded to a hosting site like photobucket or imageshack or picking a doll from the selections available.

Q: How do I add images to my signature?
A: You can add images in your signature by uploading an image to the above mentioned hosting sites and using the code [img]URL of picture[/img] in the box for your signature(which can be found by clicking 'quick links' at the top of the page, then 'edit signature'). Please don't make your signature image too big; it's a pain for users to be forced to scroll accross to read posts or scroll down too much. If your signature image is too big, you will first be politely asked to remove it, then if you do not comply, it will be removed for you. If your signature has obscenity or other images or text that break forum rules, it will be removed and you will receive an infraction.

Q: What are moderators? How do I become one?
A: Moderators are people who keep the forum running day to day by cleaning the boards, locking flame topics, keeping members in line, etc etc. You can NOT become a moderator just because you want to be one. Usually, we are not in need of new moderators and, when we are, the choice is made by the administrator, so don't ask to become moderators.

Q: What do the words underneath my name mean?
A: That is your posting rank, meaning how active you are on the forums. Members should remember that spamming to increase rank is not allowed and such posts will, and are, DELETED!

Q: What is that red box in the corner of my post? When should I "report posts"?
A: The red box is the link to report a post. When you do that it sends an e-mail to the moderators/adminstrators so that they can easily locate the problem. You should only report posts when they break the forum rules or the ToS, not to tell us you want friends or to say hi. Not only is it annoying for us to receive such messages, but you are spamming our e-mails.

Q: When I look at my profile, the pictures and text are repeated! How do I stop this happening?
A: Easy; just paste the following symbol into your profile: [.:::.]Text[.:::.]

Q: How do I delete my posts/my topics?
A: You delete posts by clicking the "Edit" button in the bottom left corner, then "Go Advanced". There will be an option at the top of it to delete your post. As for topics, you can only do that if no one else has posted in it and it works the same way as deleting a post. If someone has posted in it, you need to contact the moderator(s) of the forum to do so for you.

Q: What does PM mean?
A: PM is private message. You can find your by going to quick links, then clicking "private messages" or at the forum index top where it says private messages.

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

FAQ 1.3-Forum/Site Rules
Q: [Insert member name] is harassing me/sending me obscene pictures/asking me to meet them through PM. What do I do? Who do I contact?
A: If you or another member are having problems with a fellow member, immediately contact a moderator or administrator through PM with the message you have been sent or post directed towards you. There will just about always be a moderator or adminstrator on who will be able to help you. We also ask that you do not respond because it will only complicate matters as we deal with the issue.

If someone is asking you for personal information or a meeting, immediately contact us! This person is most likely a predator and responding to them only fuels their desire, as well as marks you as an available topic. We want to keep you safe, so if anyone, be it a "friend" you've known for a month or two or that guy you just met on avatar chat, asks you for information, you have to let us know.

Q: What is Gravedigging? When is Gravedigging acceptable?
A: Gravedigging is posting in an old topic, usually a few months to a few years old. Gravedigging is only acceptable when you have something to contribute to the topic. An example of what is unacceptable is just writing "lol" or "I agree". This posts will simply be deleted or the topic locked to avoid further spamming.

Q: Someone is spamming the forums! What do I do?
A: First off, you do NOT reply to it. By replying to it, you just give us double the work. You should copy the link to the post/topic in question and send it to the moderator(s) of the forum. Your other option is to click the report option in the right hand corner of your post.

Q: A Moderator was mean to me! What should I do?
A: I included this separately because too many people have misconceptions about the moderators here. By no means are we required to be nice to you, although we try our hardest to be polite and helpful. Also, just because you think we're being "mean" doesn't mean we are. No moderator is going to blatantly attack you and anything you construe as an attack is probably a misunderstanding.

If a moderator does harass you or attack you, you need to contact another moderator with copies of these attacks. We do not condone such actions and will address such an issue immediately. HOWEVER, this does not mean you are instantly right or that what you thought was an attack was an attack. We have never had a problem with moderators acting in this manner and I find it less likely we are going to start now.

Q: What're the basic rules of The Doll Palace?
A: To find out the basic rules of The Doll Palace, read the Terms of Service, which is accessible at the bottom of the front page("Terms & Conditions") or check stickied topics regarding rules, which can be found at the top of most boards here on the forums. Another helpful place to check is the Forum FAQ or even here in this topic.

Q: My thread about how I was raped/molested/pregnant/etc was deleted! Why?
A: While we understand some members suffer from things like this, they certainly aren't going to go around proclaiming it to people they don't know. All threads like this are being deleted because they are disrespectful to people who have suffered from it and we also do not encourage attention seeking. If you are seriously looking for advice, then say so in a non-emotional matter. maybe then we'll be inclined to believe you.

Q: I heard there is a limit on profile comments. What is this about?
A: We decided to begin limiting profile comments recently, mainly because of the massive amount of space they were beginning to take up. No profile is allowed to have comments exceeding 10 pages. If yours does, you will first be warned by us and given a reasonable amount of time to delete them. If you fail to do so, you will be banned temporarily. The time is dependent upon how many pages over you went and if you are a repeat offender.

Q: There are rules about signatures?! What do you mean?
A: Signatures are limited to a size of about 450 x 200 pixels(which can be seen below). This includes images AND text. Anything above this size will be deleted after a warning. Also, overly animated signatures are not allowed. This includes signatures with multiple, fast moving animations. The only time where they are acceptable is if they are slow and not atrocious colours that can cause seizures.

FAQ 1.4-Misc.
Q: How can I upload images?
A: First, the image must be saved on your computer(see below for more information). Once you have done that, you go to a site such as photobucket or ImageShack® - Hosting. Once you have found a site(some will require you to sign up for it), all you need to do next is follow the site instructions. To place it in your avatar or signature, see above or below.


-Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator,
Kitty

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

Part Two: Image Tutorials

These aren't the best tutorials and were thrown together quickly, but hopefully these images will help get the point across about the answers to these simple questions.

All tutorials and graphics inside the tutorials are copyright to myself and are not to be copied without my permission.

Saving Dolls-2.1
Step 1: First, you must right click on the image like so:

Then, click "Save Picture as...".

Step 2: Once you click "Save Picture as...", you will reach this screen or something like it:

You must picture a location(the folder), then name the file. Always remember to link the maker! When you are finished, click "Save".

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

Using Avatars-2.2
Step 1: When you are at any section of the forums, you will see the link bar at the top underneath the banner. You must click on it like so:


Step 2: Now you have reached your control panel. To your left there will be a lot of choices you can make, but for now just click on "Edit Avatar" underneath "Settings and Options". This can be seen here:


Step 3: You will now reach this screen:

There's a lot of choices about what you can do for an avatar. You can:
1. Choose not to have one
2. Choose an avatar from the site or your filemanager("Get Doll") or link to one from an image you uploaded to a service like photobucket.com or imageshack.com
3. Choose an image from your files on your computer.
Keep in mind that there is a limit on the size when choosing a picture. Once you choose, just click "Save Changes".

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

Using Signatures-2.3
Step 1: When you are at any section of the forums, you will see the link bar at the top underneath the banner. You must click on it like so:


Step 2: Now you have reached your control panel. To your left there will be a lot of choices you can make, but for now just click on "Edit Signature" underneath "Settings and Options". This can be seen here:


Step 3: You will now reach this screen:

Similar to choosing an avatar, you now have lots of choices for choosing a signature. When you wish to use a signature, there are size rules and forums rules for them. Do not use large images, bright words, or anything that could be considered insulting to a race, religion, member, etc. Your signature will be removed if this occurs.
Now, you can upload images from a site or from your computer for usage in your signature or you could link to them using the following code:

[img]urlofimage[/img]

Once you finish choosing your images or text, click "Save Changes".

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

Choosing Signatures -2.4
There are a lot of questions you should ask before deciding on using a signature. Is it animated? What are its dimensions? Do you have permission to use any images? Follow the steps below and you should be fine.

Step 1: Before we even get down into the nitty gritty, you must first decide on what sort of content you are placing in your signature. Any images or text that is considered po.rngraphic/erotic, is swearing, or contains personal information is not acceptable. Instead, choose something from your favorite show or a band you obsess about. Not only is it more child friendly, but it lets everyone know something about yourself.

Step 3: Finally, do you even have permission to use the images you choose? If it was an order in a shop for another person, the signature of another, or simply an image you googled, you should typically not use it. Googled images are usually copyrighted and it simply is plain rude to steal the work and gifts of others. Instead, order one from one of our many shops or make one yourself. Not only will you avoid conflict, but you may find yourself enjoying a new hobby or making new friends.

Step 3: Once you have decided on a signature you have to start asking yourself the specifics about the entire signature, not just the images. You shouldn't have multiple images, especially if they are animated, enless they are small nor should you have a large image that could potentially stretch out the board or takes a long time to load. In most cases, one image will suffice.

Still wondering what size is acceptable on the forums? Here's an image. It isn't just meant to represent one image, but your entire signature.


Step 4: The final thing is whether or not the images/image animated. In most cases you should always choose to not have animated images. A brightly flashing atrocity will not only hurt the eyes of other members, but could potentially upset health problems. If you must have an animated image, choose a slow animation.

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

for future usage