FAQ
From Rumblepedia
Why was my post deleted? According to Jonah himself, content-less posts are not wanted on these boards. So don't do things like post "bump" threads or post meaningless statements. Posts that contain inappropriate content are also fair game for the moderators to delete. So please refrain from starting flamewars on the board.
Why was my poll closed? Generally, it is perferred that polls not be used for fights because they tend to lower the quality and quantity of participation on a thread, and generally turn the fight into a popularity contest instead of a proper versus debate.
Are there any topics I can't or shouldn't post? While there aren't any topics that are considered verboten here, there are some topics that have been argued to death many times over which people have become sick of. These topics should be avoided since they no longer generate much meaningful responses anymore. Examples of such topics include Batman vs. Spiderman, Superman vs. Thor, and generally most fights involving Dragonball Z. Also, any topic that can potentially turn into a flamewar, or includes content that is inflammatory or baiting another poster, is also fair game for being closed or deleted.
What's the policy on Off Topic threads? Some topics are generally unsuited for the Rumbles board in general, and may be moved to a more appropriate board on the CBR Forums. Examples of these might be discussions on the latest episode of Buffy or a review of the latest popular film. Sometimes, the moderators will allow off topic threads to remain on the board until interest on them have waned. OT threads are tolerated within reason on Rumbles, but over-abuse of OT threads on the Rumbles board may result in immediate removal or deletion.
What's the language rating for this board? In general, profanity should be kept to a minimum. However, the Rumbles board is not strict about language issues in itself. As long as profanity are not used in overly excessive amounts in lieu of content, or in the context of insulting another poster, it is generally tolerated. Excessive use of profanity may warrant a moderator notice to tone things down. Edit-the use of profanity in thread titles should also be avoided.
This is not to be confused with offensive post content, such as needless profanity with no other content, or vulgarity, which are not tolerated on this forum.
I was banned but I have changed my ways. How do I get myself unbanned? A banning is a serious step to be taken for any individual. A banned poster who tries to sneak back onto the board with a new handle has committed an automatically-bannable offense, and can be banned again once caught by the moderators. If you wish to return through official channels, you must appeal to the administrator of CBR, Jonah and Matt (Parallax). You can contact them through email and make your case to them, and they will decide if you can be allowed another chance.
What's the policy regarding other boards? Board-wars are strictly against Rumbles policy here, whether it's with another board here at CBR or another messageboard altogether. We don't want to see Rumbles posters planning or launching attacks on other boards; nor do we tolerate invasions onto Rumbles. Sometimes posters here who also post on other boards come across posts regarding Rumbles or planning something against Rumbles. If this happens, please do NOT post about it here. We do not need to see a ruckus being raised regarding another board. It is enough, and much prefered, that these be PM'ed to the mods.
Fight Related Questions
How shouldn't I debate? "Batman can beat Thor because he's cooler!" That's an example of how not to debate. We would like to see the rationale behind any claims that one character can beat the other rather than a claim based on popularity and subjective bias. Also, we insist that all claims be backed up by evidence from canon sources. If you claim that Spiderman is stronger than Superman, then you have to prove it.
What can't be taken for evidence in debate? Non-canon sources are invalid for evidence. With rare exceptions, comics not in continuity such as Elseworlds, What Ifs, or alternate universes are not used for evidence in debates of a particular mainstream character. Narrative hyperbole or speech hyperbole are also not considered valid evidence for a character's feats. As well, instances of PIS (plot induce stupidity - see below) and SvFL (Spiderman vs. Firelord - see below) are generally removed from consideration in standard versus debates.
What's a canon source? A canon source is one that is regarded as being 'in continuity'. In the example of Star Trek; instances from the series and movies can be used, but books are definitely out. Comic book crossovers are generally unusable as they ignore common sense most of the time (DC vs. Marvel is certainly unusable in our debates!).
What is narrative hyperbole? Narrative hyperbole is when the narrator of a comic book says one thing while the action drawn on the pages clearly show something else. Sometimes, in the case of speech hyperbole, it is a character who says one thing, while the pages show differently. This does not mean the narrator or the character is always wrong. It only means that in the case of such conflict, the actual scenes overrule the narrator or character text. An example of this would be the Ten-Eyed Man, who Batman and the narrator called "the most dangerous man alive", and who was actually a very lame and low-powered character.
What is PIS? Plot Induced Stupidity, or PIS, is when characters don't use their abilities or skills to the fullest extent as shown before, even within their personality ranges, for the sake of the story plotline. It makes lesser powered characters an actual challenge against higher powered characters in the comics. Examples of PIS include Flash stories lasting longer than three panels, or Toy Man as a threat to Superman. Standard CBR fights exempt the contestants from PIS unless otherwise specified.
What is CIS? Character Induced Stupidity, or CIS, refers to any natural mental limitations that characters impose upon themselves and reduce their ability to use their own skills and powers effectively. Unlike PIS, CIS does not occur because the plot requires it, but because the character is genuinely that dumb. Examples of the CIS-afflicted include characters such as Rhino or Jar Jar Binks. Standard CBR fights do not exempt the contestants from CIS.
What is the Spiderman vs. Firelord exemption? Spiderman vs. Firelord, or SvFL, is a shorthand that refers to any time when a character performs a feat that their powers and skills should be blatantly insufficient for, and is not repeated or is rarely repeated again relative to the character's overall established career, as well as the character's opponents' established showings. In statistical terms, it is an outlier, something that is radically beyond the character's established capabilities. For example, Spiderman defeating a herald of Galactus is a case of the SvFL exemption; however, Batman being able to sneak up on Superman is not because he has done so frequently under different writers. For standard CBR fights, feats considered to fall under the SvFL exemption are not valid. Likewise, examples of writing which go against firmly set canon are also ignored. For example, in Larry Hama's run of Batman and Grell's run of Iron Man, both characters were out of character and did things very much against established canon; therefore those runs are disregarded.
