The Guide (to rules, features, and more)

What is this?
This is a comprehensive guide to Pokeisland. Everything from Official Rules to BBCode information to information on various site features can be found here. If you need help with something on the site, chances are you'll find the answer here.
Using the Guide
This guide was designed to be easily browsed. Each section is it's own post, and each subsection is labeled so you can easily find it. If you want to quickly travel to a certain section or subsection, simply copy the name of the desired section and paste it into your "Find" feature in your browser (usually ctrl-f). It will take you right to the section you are looking for.

Table of Contents
CHAPTER I: Rules and Staff
1.1: Official Rules
1.2: Infraction System
1.3: Automatic Punishments
1.4: Guide to the Staff

CHAPTER II: Getting Comfortable
2.1: The User CP
2.2: Avatar/Signature Rules
2.3: Adding an Avatar
2.4: Adding a Signature
2.5: Adding an Image to Your Signature

CHAPTER III: Getting Acquainted
3.1: Forum Etiquette
3.2: Ranks/Titles
3.3: Custom Titles
3.4: The Search Button

CHAPTER IV: Getting Involved
4.1: Guide to Posting
4.2: Editing and Deleting Posts
4.3: Thanking Posts
4.4: Double Posting
4.5: Reporting Posts
4.6: Private Messaging (PMs)
4.7: Adding Polls
4.7: Subscribing to a Thread

CHAPTER V: Getting Formatted
5.1: Guide to BBCode
5.2: Quoting

CHAPTER VI: Getting Creative
6.1: Posting Ideas
6.2: Posting Levels and Objects
6.3: Asking for Help
6.4: Critiquing & Helping Others

CHAPTER VII: Climbing the Ranks
7.1: Reputation
7.3: Pokéshop
7.4: Creating a Successful Blog
7.5: Distinguished Users
7.6: Becoming a Forum Staff Member

CHAPTER VIII: Having Some Fun
8.1: Forum Games
8.2: Arcade

CHAPTER IX: Final Notes
9.1: Helping Improve the Guide

CHAPTER I: Rules and Staff

1.1: Official Rules

If you find yourself in trouble for breaking the rules, please take a step back and figure out what you did wrong before you decide to argue.
No inappropriate content. This includes sexual references (both text-based and imagery) and vulgar content (such as blood).
Post only if you have something to contribute to the conversation. Try not to go off on a tangent; keep on topic.
On a related note, please avoid double posting. You may double post only if you have new, substantial information to add and you feel that it is necessary for others to see said new information. Laziness is not an excuse.
Abuse of rep is not allowed. Head to the Reputation section of this guide for a summary of what is considered "abuse".
No advertising any fan-created websites or forums related to Pokémon. However, you are allowed to post links to fan-created Pokémon sites if you are pointing out some piece of media or an article related to the game. Make sure to post it in the relevant forum, though.
One account per user. Please do not make multiple accounts for the same person, however righteous your intentions.
You can use mild language, but do not bypass the language filter. Asterisks (*) will replace any bad language automatically. As long as you don't bypass the filter on purpose and you aren't too vulgar, some language is allowed.
Heavily opinionated content(such as religion and politics) will be watched over a bit more. Calm, reasoned debate is completely allowed. As long as you are respectful of others opinions, you are free to express your own.
Piracy is not allowed in any form on the forums. This includes gamesharing.
If you notice that someone has broken the rules, report the post in question. Don't reprimand the user who broke the rules, that's what the staff is here for.
1.2: Infraction System

Any time you break a rule, you will get a PM (called an "infraction") detailing why the infraction was given, which post the infraction was given for, how many points the infraction is worth, and when it expires.
Each infraction has an associated point value and lifetime. The more severe the offense, the higher the value and the longer it takes to expire.
You can view the infractions you've received (if they have not yet expired) by heading to your User CP. It will be in the center of the page, under the heading "Latest Infractions Received".
Each infraction is based one of the Official Rules. If we add new rules, we'll add new infractions, but we'll keep you guys updated in both scenarios.
These point values will accumulate depending on how frequently (if ever) you break the rules.
Once you reach a predefined number of points, the system (read: not a human being) will automatically ban you for a predefined number of days.
These points do expire, so don't think an infraction will stick with you forever. Too many infractions in a given time period, however, and you'll be automatically punished.
Overall, this system will be much more standard and automated, so you can keep track of how close you are to a ban.
We still reserve the right to ban without first serving an infraction if the offense is considered severe enough.
1.3: Automatic Punishments

As previously mentioned, depending on the number of infraction points you accumulate, you could face an automatic punishment. At first you will be "Silenced"(more on that below), after which you could end up being banned for a number of days (in severe cases, permanently). More points will mean a harsher punishment.

4 points: Silenced
You will lose the ability to post anywhere on the forums until your infraction value drops below 4 points. This usually means waiting until your points expire. Keep in mind: If you manage to accumulate 6 or more points very quickly, you will be silenced and banned for the specified number of days. Your silencing will lift independently of the ban, so you may come back from a ban and discover you are still silenced. It all depends on the circumstances.

6 points: 5 day ban
You will be banned for 5 days, after which you will be reallowed access.

8 points: 10 day ban
You will be banned for 10 days, after which you will be reallowed access.

9 points: 2 week ban
You will be banned for 2 weeks, after which you will be reallowed access.

10 points: 3 week ban
You will be banned for 3 weeks, after which you will be reallowed access.

11 points and up: Permanent ban
You will be banned permanently, and will not be reallowed access. Any attempt to evade a ban (such as making another account) will result in an IP ban.
1.4: Guide to the Staff

Administrators:
Snoogy - Founder

Site-Wide Moderators:
None

CHAPTER II: Getting Comfortable

2.1: The User CP
The User CP is a hub for everything you. Your signature, your avatar, everything that sets you apart from the pack on LBPCentral can be edited through it. To access the User CP, click User CP in the navbar (on the left, next to the Home link). From there, you can explore the many options available to you and edit them at your leisure.
2.2: Avatar/Signature Rules
No inappropriate content.
No advertising fan-created Pokémon websites. This means no logos/site names/URLs.
For registered users with no Feature Bundle, the maximum size of a custom avatar is 100 by 100 pixels or 19.5 KB (whichever is smaller).
For registered users with no Feature Bundle, the maximum size of a custom signature image is 500 by 100 pixels or 9.75 KB (whichever is smaller).
Other than that, feel free to express yourself however you would like!
2.3: Adding/Editing an Avatar
To add/edit an Avatar, follow these steps:
UserCP > Edit Avatar
Use the menus on that page to add/edit your avatar to your liking.
2.4: Adding/Editing a Signature
To add/edit a Signature, follow these steps:
UserCP > Edit Signature
Use the menus on that page to add/edit your signature to your liking.
2.5: Adding an Image to Your Signature
Adding an image to your signature is easy. Just use [img] tags wrapped around an image url as you would in a normal post. You can do this manually, or by using the button. In the end, it should look something like this.

CHAPTER III: Getting Acquainted

3.1: Forum Etiquette

Play nice, follow the rules, and use proper grammar. That's pretty much all you need to be a good member here.
3.2: Ranks/Titles

As you post, your title will slowly ascend in the ranks. You can also purchase a Profile Upgrade in the Shop which will allow you to edit your title on your own, among other cool features.
3.3: Custom Titles

With a custom title, you can change your title to whatever you want it to be from the UserCP > Edit Your Details. There are two ways to gain a custom title:

1) Buying a premuim bundle from the PokémonShop.

or

2) Winning the Official PI Lottery.

The hard part is figuring out what you want your title to be.
3.4: The Search Button

Use the search button, it’s there for a reason. If you want to create a thread about something, be sure to check if there isn't a thread about it already. The search button is there to help you. If a staff member sees two threads with the same topic, they will most likely close the most recent one or merge it with the other.

The search button is located on the right side of the bar at the top of the forum. To use it, you merely need to put in the preferences for what you want to search for, and click search.

CHAPTER IV: Getting Involved

4.1: Guide to Posting
In every post, you should have something to contribute to the conversation. Posting uselessly is grounds for an infraction, so while we're very lenient when it comes to post quality, we still have the option if it's necessary. Along with that, be sure to format your post well so we can easily read and understand the point you are trying to convey.
4.2: Editing and Deleting Posts
To edit your post, click "Edit". Once you've done that, you'll be brought to a screen where you can edit your existing post. If you want to get fancy, just click "Go Advanced" and you'll have access to all the smilies and BBCode tools (although if you know the raw code, you don't have to "Go Advanced" to use it). If you want to delete your post, click "Delete". Pick "Delete Message" in the drop down box, then provide a reason if you'd like. It's that simple.

4.3: Thanking Posts
Each post that is not your own will have a "Thanks" button in the bottom right. You can use that to "thank" someone for a useful post. Each thank will be displayed under the post, and you can easily remove one of your thanks by clicking "Remove Your Thanks". It's a very easy system to use, and we encourage you to use it as much as possible.

4.4: Double Posting
Double posting (posting twice in a row) is strictly against the rules. If you want to bump a thread, either send a PM to a friend to bump it for you, or delete your post and repost. If you are caught double posting, you will receive an infraction. Remember, the edit button is there for a reason.
4.5: Reporting Posts
If you see a post that breaks the rules, click . It's located in the bottom left corner of every post. Once you click it, you'll be taken to a new page, where you can write in the reason you are reporting the post.

Warning: Do not abuse this system. If you abuse it, we will take action.

4.6: Private Messaging (PMs)
Private messaging is a way for you to privately communicate with any member on the site. You can easily send a PM by going User CP > Send New Message. Be sure to fill out the title and body as well as enter the username of the member you'd like to message.
4.7: Adding Polls
When making a new thread, you have the option to add a poll. While making the thread, just check the "Yes, post a poll with this thread" option (under "Additional Options"). Choose how many options for the poll you want (You can also do this whilst making the poll) and click "Submit new thread". At this point, you will be automatically redirected to a page where you can modify your poll. Title the poll as desired, then add the options you'd like the voter to choose from (you can have up to 10). From there, you have a couple of options to toggle on or off. "Allow multiple choice" allows voters to choose multiple options when voting, and "Make votes public" allows all members to see who voted for what.

To make a poll on a preexisting thread, go to the first post (yours). Click on "Thread Tools", then click "Add a Poll to this Thread". Then follow the steps you normally would to finish adding your poll.

Note: You cannot edit a poll once it has been created, so be sure to get it right the first time around.

4.8: Subscribing to a thread
Subscribing to a thread allows you to receive email notification (the email you used to register with the site) of new posts within that thread. There are four types of subscriptions:

Never
You will not ever receive an email notification for the subscribed thread.
Every Day
You will receive an email notification every day that a new post was made in the subscribed thread.
Weekly
You will receive an email notification at the end of each week if a new post was made in the subscribed thread.
Instant Notification
You will receive an email notification immediately following a new post.
To subscribe to a thread, navigate into the thread you want to subscribe to. Go to the first post at the very top of the first page. Above the first post should be a toolbar. Find and clock "Thread Tools". In the dropdown menu, click "Subscribe to this Thread". It will take you to a "Subscribe to Thread" page. Set the type of notification you prefer and the folder you would like it to be sorted into. The default folder is "Subscriptions", and if you have not created any new folders, it will be the only option.

To view your subscribed threads, click User CP (in the navigation bar at the top of the forum). Any new subscriptions will be listed there. To see and manage all existing subscriptions (including old ones), head into your User CP and click "List Subscriptions" on the left. Once there, you can modify the email notification setting, sort your subscriptions into different folders, and even delete existing subscriptions.

CHAPTER V: Getting Formatted

5.1: Guide to BBCode

These will allow you to bold, italicize, and underline your text.
[b]bold [i]italics [u]underline
To use these, simply highlight your text and click for bold, for italics, and for underline.

[size]
Size allows you to make your text bigger and smaller. Higher numbers make your text bigger, smaller numbers make your text smaller.
[size="#"]*text here*[/size]

This tag will strikeout any text contained in it, for example: strikeout

To use, copy this code and put your text where indicated:[strike]*text*
[url]
This will allow you to easily add a hyperlink to a post. Links in their raw form (http://www. ...) will automatically be inserted between [url] tags for easy use, but [url] also offers a feature that some may not be aware of: You can transform text into a clickable link that will take the reader anywhere you'd like. To use [url] in this way, simply insert text/url into their proper spots:
[url=*link*]*text*[/url]
[img]
You can use [img] tags to display an image within a post with ease. Simply upload the desired image to a hosting site (such as PhotoBucket) and copy the image link it provides. Then insert the image link between [img] tags, like so:


If you are unsure which link is the proper one (most sites provide many different links), be sure the url ends in an image format, such as ".jpg" or ".png". It should not contain any code, only a simple url.

Spoiler:

If you do not want to provide a title for the spoiler, simply remove the "=*spoilertitle*" in the tag, and it will add a generic title automatically.

[code]
This allows you to place text in a box similar to the "quote" box. Use the following format:
[code]*text*[/code]
[rawcode]
This tag will allow you to display BBCode in it's raw form without it being parsed into it's actual, modified form. For example: Hello world.

To use, copy this code and put your text(and bbcode) where indicated:
[rawcode]*text/bbcode*[/rawcode]
5.2: Quoting
To quote someone, click "Quote" and their post will be wrapped in

Quote :

quote tags

. You can also do this manually by highlighting text and clicking . To multiquote, simply click the multi-quote icon on every post you'd like to quote (it will turn purple). Once you are done, just click "Reply" and you will be taken to the reply page with all of the posts you selected.

CHAPTER VI: Getting Creative

6.1: Posting Ideas
Posting your idea for a level or object is beneficial in many ways. First, it allows you to gather constructive feedback so you can improve it over time. Second, it gives you a place to put it down permanently and edit it whenever you need to. However, you should be clear and concise when posting your idea. Be sure to explain it in detail so others understand your vision and are able to let you know how you can improve. Without feedback and revision, many great levels would not be as fantastic as they are now. Use this to your advantage.
6.2: Posting Teams and Logs
Just like an idea, posting your Teams and logscan be very useful. You'll be able to gather valuable feedback about your team and improve upon it. When posting, be sure to give us adequate information so we can find your team (if necessary). When in doubt, use this template:
Creation Title: *title here*
Author's FC: *FC here*
Brief Description: *description here*
Overall, your post should be descriptive and well-formatted so we can easily understand you.
6.3: Asking for Help
During the creation process, there may be something you don't quite understand. Don't worry, that's what we're here for! Using the Help! forum, you can ask about anything Pokémon related and members will do their best to help. However, there's a couple of things you should keep in mind when asking for help so others can help you as best they can:
Keep your post clean and organized for easy reading. If someone's taking the time to help you, at least take the time to make it easy for them to do so.

Be clear in your question or issue. If you're having a problem, explain it in detail so we have all the information we need to help. This makes it easier on the generous soul who's decided to help you, and it ensures a much quicker solution to your problem.
Keep those things in mind, and you'll get an answer in no time!
6.4: Critiquing & Helping Others
If you've got something to say about someone's team, don't hesitate to say it! However, be specific in the issue you are pointing out so the Trainer can address it. Also, be sure to suggest solutions to help the Creator improve his level. This ensures the Creator can quickly improve or repair their creation based on what you suggested.

If you want to provide help, go for it! Your solution could be exactly what the Creator is looking for. Even if you think your answer is probably wrong, it still doesn't hurt to try. Your solution might even help someone else come up with a different way to tackle the problem.

CHAPTER VIII: Having Some Fun

8.1: Forum Games
Forum games are thread-based games that everyone can participate in. While they can be very fun, they can also skew the Experience system we've got in place. Because of that, the Forum Games forum is exempt from Experience overall. However, that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy yourself! Everything from Number Wars to a Spam Can can be found in that forum, and they are all fun ways to interact outside of the slightly more serious atmosphere of the rest of the forum.
8.2: Arcade
We know you guys love Pokémon and Pokeisland, but when you get bored of making teams or perusing the forums, we've got a whole Arcade for you to enjoy. There's tons of games, tournaments, and even Experience rewards in it for you, so try it out!

CHAPTER IX: Final Notes

9.1: Helping Improve the Guide
If you see something wrong with this guide or feel something should be added, PM a staff member and they'll get to you as soon as possible. We want this guide to be as useful as possible, so any help is appreciated