Hello, mappers, a message from Eklas.
Recently, there has been an increase in new users on the website editing the map where they’re not allowed to, citing that they couldn’t access the wiki About page, where important information about our rules is stored. While the admin team doesn’t consider that an excuse for not following the rules (because you can always stop the loading after a few seconds and then read the plain HTML version), it is becoming a problem. This is why I have put together a document which compiles all of the essential information stored on the wiki not only regarding the rules, but also other information and resources. I’ve named it the User Bluebook, in reference to, well, the usual color of guidebooks.
The OGF Bluebook, linked below, compiles all of the essential information about rules of the website, territories and mapping, and it is strongly recommended that all new or recently joined users read it.
More information is listed in the bluebook. ## Quick advice: what are the basic rules of the website? * Being realistic — no fantasy, science fiction, joke countries, etc. * Being original — no copying of real world maps or other people’s mapping, no using of real world company names and well known place names. * Being respectful — no mapping in others’ countries, no drawing new islands on the open sea, no vandalism * Only one account per user
More information is listed in the bluebook. Please be aware that violating the rules may result in suspension or termination of your account. ## The wiki is broken. What now? As explained before, the admin team is well aware of the issue, but has limited ways of dealing with it, because the one critical member who has all the necessary access is currently away. This post is a makeshift effort to at least somewhat relieve the situation, making the essential contents of the wiki available elsewhere.
Until the situation is resolved, please limit the amount of new diary posts as it is very important that new users see this. The document will be updated and reposted periodically, but I can’t promise that I won’t hide new entries that I won’t consider helpful or relevant in order to make more space for it.
From the admin account — Eklas
Comment from Halvarda on 5 October 2020 at 14:27
As always, I’m going to thank you for your time and effort, because people often don’t appreciate that!
Did some YTer make a video on OGF or something? Do you know the source of this newbie boom?
Comment from Lithium-Ion on 5 October 2020 at 17:14
I think it’s not necessarily an increase in new users per day, but rather an increase in edits by new users that are not in blue countries due to the inability to access the about page quickly. This might create a perceived increase in the number of new users, but editing in places that are not commonia, where their many edits go unnoticed.
Of course, I could be completely wrong and there could be a newbie boom (probably not from youtube though, a quick search reveals nothing that would be causing an inflow.
Comment from KTheBritMC on 5 October 2020 at 18:25
Good idea, thanks for all your time and effort you’ve put into this Eklas. And also thanks for giving us a statement from admin about the wiki - it’s greatly appreciated!
Comment from Geoc3ladus on 6 October 2020 at 18:45
Good idea, if the other admins want to make important announcements, they should use user diaries, while they figure out what to with the wiki.
Comment from eklas on 7 October 2020 at 07:32
Thank you for the comments, everyone (also, Lithium-Ion is right about the new user issue).
Comment from RabitonScratch on 12 October 2020 at 14:44
The wiki is fast again! Why is the wiki fast again, now, if Thilo has not come back?
Comment from RabitonScratch on 12 October 2020 at 14:46
Correction; not all pages, but some.
Comment from Fluffr_Nuttr on 20 October 2020 at 01:09
Has anyone recommended posting this on User Diaries regularly?
Comment from louis_walker on 3 November 2020 at 15:46
“While the admin team doesn’t consider that an excuse for not following the rules (because you can always stop the loading after a few seconds and then read the plain HTML version)”
Hi, I just had to come back from the proverbial dead to say that this is literally the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.
K, peacing back out.
Comment from eklas on 3 November 2020 at 18:13
👋 bye
Comment from Kurzov on 5 November 2020 at 16:25
Touching on LW’s comments - In the past I have run into instances where I had to wait for an unreasonably long time to even load plain HTML pages on the Wiki to show up (though the Forums worked well enough, I’ve rarely had to wait too long for those posts), typically for media-heavy pages such as the Main Page and some of the meta pages (Territory map, etc) - though this has not happened for some time now and also may have had something to do with the fact that I do almost all of my map and wiki editing on a Chromebook.
