PonyIsland

All rules on PonyIsland are actively enforced by the administrators (ADM) and moderators (MOD). All material from users on forums, presentations, signatures, galleries and avatars should be appropriate for users of all ages.

Any persons joining this site should make themselves familiar with the rules of PI. It is the responsibility of each member to fully review and understand the rules. Not knowing or not understanding the rules is no excuse for breaking them and all rule breaking will be handled the same, whether intentional or unintentional. If you are not sure what a rule means, do not understand the rule, or not sure if something breaks a rule, please ask a parent to explain it to you. You may also ask a Moderator by opening a support ticket.

Members violating the rules of this site are subject to disciplinary actions including but not limited to: a warning sent by one of PI's staff, temporary removal of game features such as use of the forum or private messages, or total ban from the site with or without warning. Threads in which violation of the rules has occurred may be moved (in case of being in the wrong forum), locked, or deleted; similarly, individual replies which violate any rule are subject to deletion with or without warning.

To report inappropriate content or trolling on the forums please click the "Report" button. To report other rule violations on the forums or elsewhere on the site, please open a support ticket.

§1 No Profanity, Offensive, or Adult Themes

a. All content on PonyIsland must be appropriate for users of all ages. Due to the inability of many members to keep conversations on certain subjects civil, restrictions on the following topics are in affect:

* Declaration of your religious/political affiliation and sexual identity is permitted in your personal account presentation only. Religious or political proselytizing and/or propaganda are not allowed on PI through any means, including the use of images and banners for such purposes in signatures, contest banners, contest prizes, avatars, personal presentations and pony presentations. Discussion of any religious and/or political content, including declaration of your religious/political affiliations and sexual identity are banned from all public forums, signatures, contest banners, contest prizes, avatars, and pony presentations.

* Discussion of personal relationships of all kinds are allowed as long as details regarding sexuality and sexual identity are left out. Topics which result in the discussion of sexuality and sexual identity will be deleted since history has shown such discussions become uncivil, heated arguments.

* Adult themes are also not permitted. This includes any discussion of sex (consensual or non-consensual), physical or domestic abuse, self-harm and cutting, suicide, murder and other violent acts, underage drinking, smoking or driving, drugs and other controlled substances, or any other illegal acts.

* Other emotionally charged, controversial and strongly debated topics, such as the emo subculture and pitbull dogs.

The same restrictions apply to profiles and presentations, where it is encouraged that content be PI-related and inoffensive by standards reviewed and set at the discretion of the admin. Admin reserve the right to review content and remove any content that they find inappropriate for general audience.

b. Profanity in any form is not allowed. This includes implied profanity, where a swear word is hidden behind abbreviations, stars, dashes, random symbols, or words to the effect of 'expletive', 'censored' or 'bleeped'. In short, any instance where it is obvious that you are attempting to post profanity around PonyIsland's filter will be treated the same as if you had posted the word itself.

c. Graphic or adult themed pictures, text, pony names or account names are strictly prohibited.

d. Posting links to sites or personal pages that contain content not appropriate for users of all ages are not allowed anywhere on PI. This includes entire websites, such as YouTube or DeviantArt, where the image or video you are linking to may be appropriate but the user comments underneath are not, or there are other images, videos or pages linked from that page that are inappropriate.

e. Requests for medical advice are prohibited. If you or someone you know have health problems, please talk to a grown up you trust and/or see a professional health care provider. PI is not the right place to bring up these problems, and posts asking for or giving such advice will be deleted as inappropriate content. This applies also to pet health problems which should be handled by a veterinarian, and severe emotional/psychological problems which should be handled by a therapist, counselor or psychologist.

§2 Treat others with respect.

Our community is made up of users of all ages and backgrounds. All members of PonyIsland are expected to treat each other with respect. Threats, meanspirited remarks, harassment, bullying, and name-calling are not tolerated anywhere on PI for any reason. We do not expect all our members to agree with and get along with each other all the time, but we do expect disagreements to take place in a respectful, polite and civil manner.

* Meanspirited remarks are comments which are deliberately malicious and spiteful in nature. These are remarks made with the intent to cause harm, insult or belittle another player and will not be tolerated, however they may be disguised.

* Harassment where a user is subjected to continual badgering from another user is not tolerated on the forums or in PMs for any reason. If you feel you are being subjected to harassment on the forums, please use the Report button to report them. If you feel you are being harassed via PMs, please block the user. If they continue to badger you on another account or through other means, please report to a MOD by opening a support ticket.

* Personal disputes have no place on the public forums. If you have a personal dispute with another player please take it off the forums and handle it in private via PMs. All PI rules still apply to PMs, even in the case of a dispute so keep it civil. If a dispute cannot be settled in PMs, you may also refer to a MOD for assistance, advice or mediation.

§3 Multiple trial accounts is forbidden. Paid users may not have any unpaid trial accounts.

Each user is allowed to create one trial account for the purpose of trying out the game before paying for a subscription. If you do not pay for the trial account when your trial period ends, you may not create a new trial account. If you decide to pay for your trial account, you cannot under any circumstances make a new account without intending to pay for it. Users found with any number of unpaid trial accounts will be given a minimum 1 week total ban - it does not matter if you were intending to pay for the account later, you must be able to pay for it as soon as you create it.

A user is allowed to have multiple paid accounts (also known as sub accounts). These accounts must be paid for as soon as they are created to avoid suspicion. This means you must have the funds available to pay for the new account before creating it. Creating a new trial account and then asking for payment on the forums is not allowed. A paid user found with an unpaid trial account will receive a minimum 1 week total ban.

New user accounts may not be created to raid the Trial Market of ponies prior to payment. Ponies in the Trial Market are meant for NEW trial users and is not to be used as a source for cheap ponies to resell on the regular Pony Market. An exception will be made for users who send a pony to the trial market by mistake. Only you may retrieve the pony, you may not ask a trial to do it for you on the forums. ONLY the pony sent to the trial market by mistake may be retrieved by you with a trial account and the account must be paid for immediately once the pony is rescued.

If you suspect that someone has multiple trial accounts, please report the user to a MOD or admin by opening a support ticket. Remember to provide evidence in the support ticket.

§4 Always Practice Basic Netiquette Rules

a. Always be polite, welcoming towards new players, tactful, and nice to other people in the game.

b. PonyIsland's official language is English. Please try to write in clear, proper English at all times. Do not use lots of capital letters (CAPS), alternating capitals (aLtErNaTiNg), or chatspeak (I l1k3 sk8boarding, do u?). Keep things like punctuation marks, symbols and non-word letters to no more than 3 in a row.

c. Do not use excessive smilies in your thread. Keep them to no more than three in a row whenever you use them. Posts which consist of nothing but rows of smilies will not be allowed. They are meant to supplement your replies, not replace them.

d. Use appropriate titles for your threads. For example, if you're posting in the Help forum, don't title your thread "Help!". We know that you need help since you are in the Help forum. Please write something more specific, like "Can't figure out how to use the gallery" or "Confused about contesting". People will respond better when they know what your thread is going to be about.

e. Do not make posts with the purpose of bringing negative attention to another user or their ponies. How other people take care of their ponies is solely their business. Telling other users how to play the game is not acceptable, that includes PMing other players telling them to feed/vet their ponies etc.

f. Feedback posts, whether negative or positive are not allowed. This includes any transaction feedback and popularity polls like "Which user do you like most?", "Which user is most helpful?", "Which user do you want to know/meet/stalk?", etc.... History has shown that such polls result in hurt feelings and unnecessary drama when someone's name isn't mentioned, forgotten, not mentioned enough, or comments are negative in nature. As a result, please keep all kinds of feedback posts off the PI forums.

g. Before posting a new thread, read through the most recent threads in a forum and any pinned threads (marked with a "P" icon) to see if your topic was already posted about. Other than in the Help forum, multiple threads about the same topic will not be allowed and are subject to deletion.

h. Mini-modding or mod-vigilantism is not allowed. We do not tolerate the bullying or harassment of users over rule breaking. If you see rule breaking, whether on the forum, in PMs or elsewhere in the game, report it by opening a support ticket and DO NOT RESPOND to it. Please refer to Rule #14 for Reporting Other Players.

i. Treat the Moderators and Admin with respect. Everything they do, they do with the intention of making the forums and PI a friendlier place. If you disagree with the decision of a moderator, you are welcome to PM them and politely discuss the issue or open a support ticket.

j. If you are leaving the game or thinking about leaving the game, do not make a dramatic "I'm leaving!" or "Should I leave?" post. This leads to unnecessary angst. The decision to leave this game should be a personal decision you make yourself. If you decide to leave the game, please do so quietly.

k. Do not post images or links of other players' ponies in the forum unless you have the owners permission. This includes adult pictures of baby ponies.

l. Do not comment on a sellers price, starting price, auction terms, etc. unless the user asks for it.

m. Sending PMs to multiple MODs for non-urgent matters is against the rules. If you've received an answer from one Mod/Admin, you may not keep asking the others the same question in hope of a better answer. Urgent matters include inappropriate content and trolling. All others are considered non-urgent and you should open a support ticket instead for fastest assistance.

§5 No Forum Flooding, Forum spamming or PM spamming

Please do not flood the forums, post spam on the forums or send spam to other players' inboxes. Use common sense to post reasonably and responsibly. Please refer to the manual and the sticked posts in the "Help" forum before asking game questions on the forums or raising a support ticket as most answers will be there. If you do need to post a question, please use the "Help" forum for all Pony Island related questions and use the search page to see if a question has already been answered before posting it. Do not send spam, advertisements or announcements to other players unless they have requested it.

a. The following are considered forum flooding and/or forum spam and will result in deletions, warnings and/or bans.
- Multiple threads for the same topic
- Multiple threads with little to no discussion content
- Threads with no topic for actual discussion or other random comments like "I am bored", "Goodnight!", "I'm hungry!", etc...
- Bumping a post before it has fallen off the first page of the forum it is in.

b. The following are considered PM spam and will result in a ban.
- Advertisements of any kind. For example, asking users to buy your ponies, breed your ponies, buy your adoptables, and or participate in contests. Exceptions are mailing lists which the user has asked to be added to.
- Announcements or any mass PMs sent to a mailing list which the receiver has NOT asked to be added to.
- Any kind of chain mail and/or chain letters
- Asking/begging for donations of PG, BP, ponies, breedings, cash, for any reason.

c. Games and/or contests which encourage users to post spam on the forums or send spam to individual users are not allowed and will result in bans for the organizer of the event as well as all users who participate in sending/posting spam. Some examples of such things are: recruiting games, invite a friend, longest thread games, bump-this-thread competitions and all variations of these types of threads where users are encouraged to post random spam and/or comments to garner post count or bring up a post, etc...

d. Certain forums have specific rules tailored to them to control spamming. Please be sure to review all stickied posts in each individual forum for these rules before posting.

§6 Post in the correct forums. Keep Forum Posts Relevant and On Topic

Before posting your thread, please review the forum descriptions to make sure you are posting in the correct forum. If you are not sure, you can always ask for help by opening a support ticket. Threads which are posted in the wrong forum will be moved and continuing to post in the wrong forums despite having several threads moved will result in a ban.

Please read what the topic is and stick to that. Hijacking other peoples threads by writing about something completely different to the subject of the post is considered very rude and will result in a deletion of your reply with a warning or forum ban.

§7 No Begging or Asking for Donations

Begging or asking for donations is not allowed. You must offer a service and/or item to PI players in order to accept payment of any kind. Such services/items must be offered upfront and should not be dependent upon the occurrence of a separate event. In other words, you cannot accept payment for something on the conditions that it may or may not happen. All trades of this nature are "at your own risk", and PI Administrators can not help if you've been scammed so please handle with care.

§8 No General Fundraising

General fundraising for a specific cause, be it personal or political, charitable or non-charitable is not allowed on PI. Advertising the acceptance of donations or pledges for any cause is not allowed. Any thread found to be directly or indirectly asking for funds or donations of this nature will be immediately deleted. Only in trading a specific item or service can you obtain money from other PI players. You may mention that funds from your sale will be applied to a specific cause, but the focus of the thread must be on the items for sale and you may not advertise nor post propaganda for your cause within your thread.

An exception is granted to those asking for donations of PI currency, items, ponies or adoptables to be redistributed in a PI Sanctioned event, provided that none of these will be taken by any persons managing or helping out in the event and all donations acquired are given out during the advertised event. Asking for donations for a contest or event that will not be completely open to the public is not allowed. Associations are also exempt from this, provided they ask for donations only within their own forum.

PI staff reserves the right to remove threads that advertise fundraising, donations, pledges, or pledge-motivated trades that are deemed inappropriate.

§9 Forum Specific Rules

Many individual forums have rules that are specific just for them. All users are expected to review pinned posts at the top of each forum that contain these forum specific rules as they are enforced just like the general rules are.

§10 No Advertising or linking to offsite content unrelated to Pony Island. All offsite content must adhere to Rule #1

Advertising or providing links to websites, webpages, game sites, events and/or any other offsite website, webpage, and/or content that is not related to PonyIsland is not allowed.

We will allow 2 exceptions to this rule for the following:
-Links to informational websites or webpages (i.e. wiki pages, dictionary.com, tutorials, etc...) may be provided as a response to a user's thread requesting help or information. These websites and/or webpages linked to must contain information that is relevant to the topic being discussed and adheres to Rule #1 where all content is appropriate for users of all ages.

-Adoptable related websites provided they are made to supplement an existing PI adoptable and adhere to Rule #1 where all content is appropriate for users of all ages.

§11 Picture Abuse

Picture abuse is the use of any image which does not belong to you or for which permission to use it has not been given to you. It's illegal to use someone else's tattoo/gallery/prize/presentation/artwork/photograph/off PI graphic without their written permission. If someone is using your graphic without your permission, please report it by opening a support ticket. This includes if someone is using your graphics from someplace else on the web.

§12 Banned Accounts

If you've been banned, you may not use your other accounts or friends accounts to get around the ban.

a. You cannot post from another account of yours, or anyone elses if forum banned.
b. You cannot ask someone to post for you while banned.
c. You cannot post/PM for someone who is banned even if you're not banned, doing so will get you banned.
d. You cannot use other accounts to PM while PM banned.
e. You cannot start trial accounts and/or use other accounts while being total banned.

Failure to follow these rules will always result in a extension to your ban. Repeat failure to follow these basic rules may result in a total ban.

§13 Permanent Bans

We understand that we have a lot of rules to remember and as such, honest mistakes can happen. However, repeated rule breaking and/or breaking the same rule(s) you have already been warned and/or banned for is not tolerated. Initially, repeated rule breaking will earn extended bans. However, if rule breaking continues despite receiving multiple warnings and/or bans, then these actions will result in a permanent ban being applied to all your accounts even if you've paid for your account(s) and/or there is time left on your account(s).

§14 Reporting Other Players

Rule breaking should be reported so that it can be handled properly by PI staff. PI staff will never divulge the identity of any player reporting rule breaking except in cases of stolen artwork that is reported by the original artist since we must present proof of theft to the person being accused of stealing artwork.

If you see rules being broken on the forums, on the site or in PMs, please report it by opening a support ticket. Include a detailed description of the problem and provide links to threads or pages where the rule breaking occurred if needed.

If the rule breaking involves inappropriate content or trolling on the forums, please report it using the "Report" button located at the bottom of the thread. Please do not abuse the Report button. Using the Report button to report threads which do not break PI rules or as a means to harass another player will result in a ban.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

The PonyIsland staff will NEVER ask for your password!
NEVER give out any personal information to anyone on the net, not your full name, address, phone number or similar info. NEVER give out your password to another player, it's never called for or needed, if someone would hijack your account it's not in our power to rebuild what they have destroyed.

The forums are the heart and soul of the tight-knit community we have on PI. On the forums, you can do anything from roleplaying and exchanging art to discussing the finer points of breeding and contesting. Below is a description of each forum you can post in.

General Forums -- The general forums contain the main discussions and art of Pony Island, as well as places to post when you have questions.

News
The news forum is designated as "read and reply", which means that only the administrators of Pony Island (VeeZ and ZarqX) can create new threads in it, but everyone can reply. The news forum is where we find out about the newest features on PI, such as changes to the contesting system or new types of ponies. The news forum is also featured on the front page of Pony Island for easy access.

Discussion
The discussion forum is for topics that are about Pony Island, but don't fit into a more specific forum. Subjects in the discussion forum can have anything to do with Pony Island. Some popular threads include discussions about the popularity of certain pony breeds, the impact of projects on the economy, and the number of males versus females people have in their stables.

Friends
The friends forum is for off-topic discussion, meaning it doesn't have a strong link to Pony Island. In the friends forum, users can share what's going on in their lives, celebrate birthdays and accomplishments, relax and have a good time.

Roleplay
The roleplay forum is used for -- what else? -- roleplaying! There is a very active community of roleplayers here on Pony Island, beginners and advanced players alike. You're sure to find a roleplay on the topic you're looking for. If you don't, feel free to create one!

Artwork
Artwork is the forum you can go to when you want to show off art you have worked on, or art you have had commissioned from someone else. It is a place where artists can go to ask for advice, critiques and get help on art-related things. Artists can give away free things in this forum for users as well.
This is not a forum for selling artwork, or finding artists to commission.

Artwork Trades
Artwork Trades is a forum where artists can gather to sell their artwork. Whether you are looking to commission someone for sketches, lineart, shading, templating, etc you can certainly find someone in this forum.

Fanfiction
The fanfiction forum is where to go if you'd like to read or write stories about the ponies at Pony Island. Ponies aren't the only thing to write about in the fanfiction forum of course; there are stories about dragons, wolves, love, friendship and a variety of other subjects.

Find-a-mate
Looking for that special someone for your pony? This is the place to be! You can post a want ad looking for a mate for your pony, or advertise the ponies you have up for breed.

Quests
If you need help with a quest, be it advice on how to proceed, or a search for certain colors, look no further. The friendly people in the quest forum are sure to help you out.

Advanced breeding
In the advanced breeding forum, you'll find clubs for all of the pony breeds and discussions about color combinations and attributes. If you're looking for a very specific mate for your pony, post here.

Brag
Did you finally get the pony of your dreams, or reach the level you needed to complete your quest? Did your pony give birth to twins or triplets? Post here to celebrate!

Help
If you have a question about the game that isn't covered by the manual, or you're confused about the manual's answer, post here and you'll immediately receive replies from three to five different people. If there's one thing our players like to do, it's helping out others!

Naming Help
The naming help forum is where to post if you can't think of a name for your pony. There are some wonderful names out there, and hopefully our users can help you find the perfect one.

Testing
If you'd like to test your forum signature to make sure it works, post here. You can also use this forum to practice posting images and links.

Advertisements -- Check the advertisement forums if you want to buy, sell, or contest your ponies.

Contests
If you're running a contest or looking for one to participate in, the contests forum is a great place to check out. Find the best contests with the coolest prizes advertised here.

Buy
Are you planning to buy a pony? Post a want ad here with what you're looking for and someone will answer soon!
Note: Trial users cannot buy from other people, but they can buy from the pony market. So if you're a trial user, you can't post in the buy forum.

Sell
Advertise your ponies for sale here so people know you're having a sale! You can also scan this forum if you're in the mood to buy ponies. You'll surely find a bargain.
Note: Trial users cannot sell ponies and therefore not post in this forum.

Non-Pony Trade
This forum is for the selling and buying of anything that isn't a pony. Post here if you need to buy a resurrection scroll to revive your dead pony, or if you need your account paid for. You can also advertise your items bonus points.
Always remember to offer something in return!

Live Auctions
Going once, going twice, SOLD! Items and ponies up for real-time auction can be found in this forum. Post here if you need to sell a pony quickly or if you're looking for good prices.

Adoptables -- Adoptables are images created and sold by users for pony gold and bonus points. We're proud of this large branch of Pony Island; it's become very popular!

Adoptables General
Adoptables Generals is the forum where all active adoptables post their events or chat threads. In this forum adoptables are released and events and games are hosted. Here adoptable owners are permitted to give things away for free or they may charge for currency (site currency or other forms of currency).

Adpt Help and Ideas
Adoptable Help and Ideas is the forum users post in when they want constructive criticism regarding their upcoming adoptable, their artwork for an adoptable or just generally want feedback from other users before entering their adoptable in Introductions - you may also find a partner or long-term staff here willing to help you as well! This forum is meant for helping and aiding those who wish to start an adoptable gather ideas for one. It should not be treated like the Introductions forum - games should not be played, prizes should not be given away.

Adoptables Breeding
Adoptables Breeding is where you can find advertisements during a particular adoptable's breeding season.

Adoptables Brag
Adoptables Brag is where excited adoptable owners can post about a new adoptable they have recently won or purchased. This forum is very similar to our regular, pony Brag forum but it is limited to only adoptables.

Adoptables Trading
Post here to trade your adoptables for someone else's.

Adpt Itroduction
Adoptables Introductions is the forum where you can find all new adoptables to PonyIsland, or adoptables that have had a change in ownership. Adoptables must spend three weeks in this forum and are only permitted to host free events.

Development -- Pony Island is an ever-evolving game based on what the players want! Help us make Pony Island your game by posting your suggestions.

Ideas
Have a great idea for a new item or pony breed? Post here and maybe your idea will become reality! We admins do read the posts in there even if we don't respond to each of them so you don't have to PM us to read your post since it will be read anyway.

Bugs
This forum is for reporting glitches you discover in the game. We do our best, but sometimes Pony Island acts up, especially when a new feature is implemented.

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Posts that doesn't belong in any forum
* Posts that break any of the rules above.
* Topics that are already being discussed in an earlier post.

Artwork & Adoptable

Before you decide to start your own adoptable, please make sure you read through each section carefully so that you understand what each forum is used for and the rules that come with them.

Within this Artwork & Adoptables Manual, you will find the following information:

I. Artwork Definitions
II. Art Theft Information
III. Overview of Artwork/Adoptable Forums
IV. Artwork Rules
V. Adoptable Rules
VI. Anthro-Adoptable Rules

Artwork Definitions

The following are commonly used words/acronyms within the Adoptable and Artwork world of PI. These words are defined as they are used and accepted on PI which may differ from how they are used in the "Real World." Please use these words as they are defined within the world of PI only.

Anthropomorphic (Anthro) - an animal or object that has been given humanlike characteristics. On PI, the term anthro usually refers to a creature that walks upright on two feet and has an expressive face. [Example 1, Example 2, Example 3]. Humans with minor animal body parts (like ears and tail) are not normally considered anthros.

Art Theft - Taking credit for and/or selling artwork in which you were not the original creator and for which you do not have permission to claim as your own, redistribute, and/or sell.

Artwork - Both original and non-original one-of-a-kind artistic creations.

Brush - A custom drawing tool created by an artist for use in a graphics program. Brushes are often distributed for free and used to recreate patterns and shapes drawn by the original creator.

Certificate (Cert) - Usually a background image that an adoptable is placed on which gives general information about the adoptable such as ownership information, specifics about the adoptable, or artistic credits.

Cosplay - Meaning "Costume Play", this is artwork in which the characters or objects drawn are made to wear costumes to mimic a specific character.

Flatsale - A common event found mostly in the Adoptable forums. This event offers several adoptables for a flat rate beginning at a specific time. Most are speed events, and each will fall under different rules depending on the adoptable owner/runner.

Free To Use Lineart - Lineart which is offered for use free of charge by the artist who created it. This type of lineart usually comes with a strict set of rules for how and where they can be used.

Lineart - a graphic image that uses only lines to define a shape. Lineart does not contain filled-in colour or shading.

Non-Original Artwork - Artwork that is not the original creation of the person drawing it. Includes tracing, coloring, copying and drawings referenced from the works of other artists.

Original Artwork - Artwork that is solely the original creation of the person drawing it.

Shading - The addition of darker and lighter colors in order to show light falling on an object and shadows cast by it, to give the picture the dimension of depth.

Shading Template - Shading (shadows and highlights) added to lineart that may be used when the lineart is recolored, as with an adoptable; generally placed on a separate layer so it does not have to be redrawn and coloring can be done underneath it.

Tattoo - a piece of art that can be applied to your pony. These images must be in .gif format and of a specific size. [This] is an example of a tattooed pony. Some users specialize in creating unique tattoos to sell, while free premade tattoos can also be found. Tattoos are not permanent, but may be taken off and reapplied at any time. Several tutorials for making your own tattoos can be found [Here]. There is also a guide to Tattoo placement which can be found [Here].

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Art Program Definitions

The users of PI make their artwork with a variety of different programs. Some of these programs are free to download, while others must be purchased (although trials versions are available for most of them). Most programs have a balance of strengths and weaknesses, so search around to find the one that works best for you!

Animation Shop - Animation Shop, by Jasc, allows the artist to quickly and easily create animations in a frame-by-frame view. In most cases, it comes with Paint Shop Pro as a bundle pack- though options may vary from package to package. It must be purchased to use the full version, as no free trial is available. More information can be found [here]

ArtRage - ArtRage is an art program designed to emulate the look of paint (oils, watercolors, acrylics, and others). It must be purchased to use the full version. More information can be found [here].

Corel Painter - Painter is a high-quality digital art program that simulates the look of real paintbrushes, among other things. It must be purchased to use the full version, but a free trial is available. More information can be found [here].

GIMP - Stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is a free program that mimics most of the functionality of Photoshop and can open Photoshop files. This is an excellent program for those who don't want to buy Photoshop. More information can be found [here].

MS Paint - Microsoft Paint. This program comes free and pre-installed on all Windows computers, but is quite limited. It can only work in pixels and doesn't have more complex settings, like transparent backgrounds or layers.

Paint.NET - A freely available program originally intended as a more powerful version MS Paint. An excellent free tool with a variety of options. More information can be found [here].

Paint Shop Pro - Usually shortened to PSP. It's more often used as a photo editor, but can be used an art program as well. It must be purchased to use the full version, but a free trial is available. More information can be found [here].

Paint Tool SAI - Usually just called SAI. This is a program with excellent inking capabilities and is well-regarded by many users. It's free to download on a trial basis, however in order to continue use, a paid program will need to be purchased. More information can be found [here].

Photoshop - Usually referred to as PS. Photoshop is often considered the standard for art programs, but is more expensive than most others. It has a wide variety of tools and functions, so the learning curve can be a bit steep, but it's extremely powerful when used well. There are several versions available that you may here it referred to, such as Elements or CS3/CS4. It must be purchased to use the full version, but a free trial is available. More information can be found [here].

~*~*~

Art Theft

On a site that is heavily based around artwork, Art Theft is an offense that we take very seriously.

Art Theft is borrowing, tracing, heavily referencing, or otherwise copying art from a copyrighted source - this is strictly prohibited. Whenever someone photographs, draws, or otherwise creates something original, it is automatically and immediately copyrighted to that person. Photographs that can be found online are copyrighted in some form or way. If you are unsure whether or not something is copyrighted, never assume that it is free to use. Pieces, drawings and photos, are copyrighted whether or not they have the (c) copyright notice published directly on them.

Most of the time, tracing or referencing a photo you have taken yourself is fine! Many artists use their own photography as references. However, photographing someone else's art and then tracing that is still art theft. This includes things like statues. For example:

- Photographing a tiger at a zoo and using your image for reference is acceptable.
- Photographing a bronze statue of a tiger at the zoo and using that image as reference is not acceptable.

- Photographing yourself and using it as reference is acceptable.
- Photographing the Notre Dame cathedral and tracing the gargoyles and saints on the ramparts is not acceptable.

There are three questions that can be asked in order to determine if a piece you wish to use would be considered Art Theft:
1 - Did you make the art?
2 - If no, do you have permission to use the art for profit?
3 - If yes, are you following the guidelines of the owner of the art?

When discussing referencing photos, the questions should start with the PHOTO being referenced, not the art that is a result of the photo. So again:
1 - Did you take the photo?
2 - If no, do you have permission to use the photo for profit?
3 - If yes, are you following the guidelines of the owner of the photo/model of the photo?

If you are found using any material that is not your own without permission, it is considered Art Theft.

All artists should be prepared and able to provide (at any time) sketches, lineart, references used to create the art, as well as proof of permission to use it. Artists should also be expected to provide samples of their other work which includes galleries if they have them. In the event that someone's artwork comes under scrutiny due to reports of possible art theft, having these things will be beneficial to not only the artist in question but to our staff as well.

Art Theft is a bannable offense if an artist is found guilty of it. First offense in Art Theft will result in a 3 week Forum ban.

Should someone choose to become a repeat Art Theft offender, they will receive a 4 week Forum ban and will not be permitted to sell, trade, or give away any pieces of art in the future on this site (this includes but is not limited to banners, avatars, lines, finished pieces, fan art, etc.).

As stated before, Art Theft is a very serious offense and as such the MOD team and the ADMN will always take an ample amount of time to look over every detail to make sure the accusation is either true or false. We will - in all cases where Art Theft has been committed and it affects a large number of users - provide adequate proof to the public of the site.

If you're unsure about the Art Theft rules or if you're allowed to use something for an adoptable, please open a ticket in the Support System and our team will aid you as best as we can.

If you believe you have found stolen work, please open a ticket in the Support System. When opening a ticket, please provide as much information as you can including and not limited to links both on and off PonyIsland, images and/or names. The more information the team is provided, the quicker we can look into the accusation.

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Coding Theft is taken just as seriously as Art Theft, and will be treated as such.

But first, what is coding?

The most common types of coding are HTML (hypertext markup language) and CSS (cascading style sheets). HTML is the computer language used to create documents on the Web. HTML documents are text files that consists of HTML tags and text. The HTML tags are used to place the text or images wherever you want on the website layout, and the text is placed between the tags which enable it to show up on your page once it is published.

Tags are instructions that tell your browser what to show on the web page. They break your document up into basic sections, that when placed together, make the layout up as a whole.
On PonyIsland, Users can use HTML coding to create Layouts for their Presentations, as well as clickable text links and clickable image links.

Can Someone's Code be Stolen? Yes, yes it can.

Coding Theft is borrowing, editing, selling, or otherwise copying the coding from a copyrighted source - this is strictly prohibited.
The internet offers vast opportunities to learn proper coding techniques through free-to-use tutorials. Many of which have no disclaimers and allow the generic pieces to be used freely elsewhere. However, Terms of Service vary from place to place.

There are three questions that can be asked in order to determine whether or not the coding you're wanting to use falls under Art Theft.
1 - Did you make the coding?
2 - If no, do you have permission to use the coding?
3 - If yes, are you following the guidelines of the owner of the coding?

If you are found using any material that is not your own without permission, it is considered art theft.

All Coders should be prepared and able to provide (at any time) identifying tags, references used to create the coding-if any were used, as well as proof of permission to use it-if it is not your own. Coders should also be expected to provide samples of their other work which includes websites if they have them. In the event that someone's coding comes under scrutiny due to reports of possible art theft, having these things will be beneficial to not only the artist in question but to our staff as well.

Coding Theft is a bannable offense if an artist is found guilty of it. First offense in Coding Theft will result in a 3 week Forum ban, as it falls under the same rules as Art Theft.

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An Overview of the Forums

Adoptable Help and Ideas
Adoptable Help and Ideas is the forum users post in when they want constructive criticism regarding their upcoming adoptable, their artwork for an adoptable or just generally want feedback from other users before entering their adoptable in Introductions - you may also find a partner or long-term staff here willing to help you as well! This forum is meant for helping and aiding those who wish to start an adoptable gather ideas for one. It should not be treated like the Introductions forum - games should not be played, prizes should not be given away.

Adoptables Introductions
Adoptables Introductions is the forum where you can find all new adoptables to PonyIsland, or adoptables that have had a change in ownership. Adoptables must spend three weeks in this forum and are only permitted to host free events.

Adoptables Generals
Adoptables Generals is the forum where all active adoptables post their events or chat threads. In this forum adoptables are released and events and games are hosted. Here adoptable owners are permitted to give things away for free or they may charge for currency (site currency or other forms of currency).

Adoptables Brag
Adoptables Brag is where excited adoptable owners can post about a new adoptable they have recently won or purchased. This forum is very similar to our regular, pony Brag forum but it is limited to only adoptables.

Adoptables Breeding
Adoptables Breeding is where you can find advertisements during a particular adoptable's breeding season.

Adoptables Approval
Adoptables Approval is an old forum that is no longer in use.

Artwork
Artwork is the forum you can go to when you want to show off art you have worked on, or art you have had commissioned from someone else. It is a place where artists can go to ask for advice, critiques and get help on art-related things. Artists can give away free things in this forum for users as well.

This is not a forum for selling artwork, or finding artists to commission.

Artwork Trades
Artwork Trades is a forum where artists can gather to sell their artwork. Whether you are looking to commission someone for sketches, lineart, shading, templating, etc you can certainly find someone in this forum.

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Artwork Rules

The following rules should be reviewed and understood before posting any artwork in the dedicated Artwork forums on Pony Island. Should you have questions concerning the appropriateness of your piece, please open a Support Ticket and have the artwork in question reviewed by the MOD & ADMN Team. Remember - it is always better to ask in advance, than assume a correct or incorrect answer.

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I. All art posted on PonyIsland must stay within the rules of the site. No inappropriate content is permitted. Characters should be clothed appropriately, the theme should be child friendly. This includes fan-art, original pieces, commissioned pieces, etc.

II. Individuals wishing to sell their artistic services, or individuals looking to commission artwork should post in the Artwork Trades forum.

III. One of a Kind pieces of commissioned artwork may not be sold to more than one user.

IV. All auctions for Artwork are subjected to the rules of the Live Auctions Forum. Those rules can be found here: (Rules for Sellers & Rules for Bidders) Ignorance is not an excuse. If you plan to auction off pieces of artwork, please make sure you are familiar with the rules of the forum.

V. If you are selling tangible artwork (such as jewellery or real photos or real paintings) for PI currency, this belongs in the Non-Pony Trade forum. There are no exceptions to this.

VI. Artwork in any media which can be displayed online and is sent as a digital piece which is scanned in or drawn directly on to the computer can be sold in the Artwork Trades forum. Any medium of course is fine.

VII. Art that depicts bloody violence may not be posted on PonyIsland - instead users are asked to link these to an offsite sharing site (such as Photobucket) and to link the image with a warning attached to it. Violence that contains no threat of blood, such as depicting a fight scene or posting a few minor cuts, may be posted provided there are no bloody details. *If you are unsure whether or not your art is appropriate, please open a Support Ticket.

VIII. Art of humans is permitted on PonyIsland, however the clothing must be of appropriate nature. Please review the rules for clothing when it comes to Anthro Adoptables as that section clearly states what is appropriate versus inappropriate.

IX. Artwork may not depict scenes that come across with an over abundance of sexual nature. Pieces which display innocent kissing, hand holding, embracing, etc may be posted provided there is no removal of clothing or any thing that indicates something more is going on. An example of an appropriate, innocent piece has been provided:
Example (by Weretigress)

X. Although we take scamming and theft very seriously here, it is important to remember that all transactions have an element of risk. Buyers and sellers should both be conscientious when making a sale. We ask that you please remember to follow proper artwork etiquette at all times. Always keep your customers up to date on the status of their commissions/orders, or things you may owe them. If you feel you are going to be late in delivering something, or the waiting period will be longer, let them know. If you - as a customer - have been waiting for something for longer than 6+ months, please open a Support Ticket to alert the MOD team.

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Adoptables Rules

I. There are several situations and scenarios that will require a 3 Week Introduction*:
-- Initial lineart and artwork for an adoptable that is NEW to PonyIsland
-- New, additional lineart and/or artwork for an existing, approved adoptable that is made by a different artist than the original (adding a new artist to your team)
-- Re-draws of lineart and/or artwork for an existing adoptable that is made by a different artist than the original
(*All adoptables entering an Introduction phase must be completed. Entering Introduction for 3 Weeks with only sketches or lineart of your adoptable will not be viewed as acceptable.)

II. During an Adoptable's Introduction period, events & games must be played and prizes varying from items for the adoptable to the actual finished adoptable product should be awarded. These events & games must also be free of charge. An exchange of currency during this time is prohibited - this includes PG, BP, USD, renewals or anything else that can be deemed a currency.

III. Any adoptable that has been inactive for over one year will need to repeat the 3 week Introduction process.

IV. Free to Use Lineart received from other sites will not be accepted on PonyIsland for an adoptable base regardless of permission given by the artist who created it. The MODs and ADMN have reached this decision due to the fact that this lineart is available for anyone to use. Only lineart that has been purchased through commissioning an artist, gifted or drawn by the artist will be permitted to be used as an adoptable base.

V. Any adoptable that goes through a change in ownership must go through a 1 week Introduction event. A change in ownership means someone who was not previously the owner of the adoptable takes control of it - if you are a part of the adoptable staff and take control of the adoptable as the owner, you will need to go through this Introduction period. During this time spent in Introductions, the original owner of the adoptable must post confirming the change in ownership. We also ask that you provide a link to the transaction thread, provided there is one.

VI. Once the Introduction has finished, the adoptable is permitted to move on to Adoptables Generals. When moving to Generals adoptable owners may begin selling their adoptable through various events.

VII. It is required in Generals that the first 5 threads for your new adoptable include links to your 3 weeks in Introductions. We ask for this information to ensure that all adoptables have gone through the correct process. If you do not, or can not, provide the proper links to your Introduction event, your thread will be deleted without warning as it will be assumed that you did not spend 3 weeks in Introductions.

VIII. Adoptables wishing to allow colorists or guest colorists the permission to do permanent lineart edits may do so without going through another 3 Week Introduction provided the edit does not cause the piece to lose its original concept. Any 'edit' that causes the piece to be something completely different from the original piece must go through Introductions as it is no longer an edit, but a new piece of art.
(Example: Using lion lineart and editing it to look like a cosplay of Scar from the Lion King, would not require 3 Weeks in Introductions. However, using lion lineart and editing it to look like a giraffe would require 3 Weeks in Introductions as the original lineart is no longer valid.)

IX. Animal Adoptables are the most common type of adoptable on PonyIsland and range any where from realistic to fantasy animals. There are a few things that artists should know before creating an animal adoptable. Whereas this site does promote correct and proper anatomy, we ask that it is done tastefully and appropriately.

Animal Guidelines:

-- Modest indicators of male anatomy may be drawn.
-- There may be no folds, slits, or protrusions to detail these indicators
-- A plain, triangular shaped bump should suffice and these indicators should not look like what they are meant to cover up

If you are unsure whether your adoptable complies or not, please have a Moderator check it. The following are examples of an acceptable, modest male sheath:
Example 1 (provided by Skyreels)
Example 2 (provided by Skyreels)
Example 3 (provided by The Katai).

X. PonyIsland is a public site where the MODs and ADMN are easily accessible. Due to this all adoptables are asked to be as public as the site's staff is. At no times are the staff of an adoptable to be anonymous.

XI. Please remember to follow proper adoptables etiquette at all times. Always keep your fans up to date on the status of their orders, or things you owe them. If you feel you are going to be late in delivering something, or the waiting period will be longer, let them know. If you - as a customer - have been waiting for something for longer than 6+ months, please open a Support Ticket to alert the MOD team.

XII. Much like the rules of the Sell/Buy/NPT/LA Forums, we ask that you please keep no more than 3 active threads for your adoptable open at the same time. More than 3 active threads for an Adoptable (not per user posting for the Adoptable) will be considered forum spam, and your threads will be deleted.

XIII a. Adoptables are not above and beyond any rule on PonyIsland and therefore, any content used for a contest, event, or something else adoptable related must be appropriate for the whole of the site.

XIII b. As an Adoptable owner it is your responsibility to make sure the others participating in your threads are also following the standard PonyIsland Forum Rules. This includes but is not limited to no using of chatspeak, swear words, mean-spirited comments, etc. If someone in your thread is breaking the rules, please report it to a MOD or ADMN immediately.

XIV a. When an Adoptable is certed to a user, it belongs to that user only. Editing or displaying Adoptables on your presentation that do not belong to you is not permitted.

XIV b. Adoptables may only be traded or sold if done so within the rules of the adoptable or by the adoptable owner's permission - Users may not sell their adoptables for any currency unless their intentions have been confirmed with the adoptable owner (person who runs the adoptable).

XV. Off-site forums and websites dedicated to an adoptable on PonyIsland must be appropriate in order to be linked to this site. PonyIsland will not tolerate being associated with sites that have content which is inappropriate for all ages.

XVI. Adoptables that have created their own sim site may be linked to PonyIsland provided they follow a mild list of standards. You may advertise and accept payments for supplemental sites, on the condition that those sites be available to PI players to use and that PI players have access a basic, free account on the site. A link to PI must also be provided on the site in question. You may advertise that site to the PI user base. All sites are subject to review, meaning that they must be approved by an ADMN and must present content appropriate for PI users. Otherwise warnings must be used prior to viewing. If your adoptable site is to be eligible for this it must fulfil the following:

- Your adoptable is regularly available on PI, sold for PI currency from time to time and and allowed on presentations.

- Your adoptables website has a free permanent option (may have upgrades but a basic account is free - NOT a free trial).

- You do not NEED to sign up on the outside site (the adoptables site) in order to adopt on PI.

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Anthro Adoptable & Artwork Rules

Anthro Adoptables & Artwork are permitted on PonyIsland, but they must abide by the standards set by the site. If you have anthro adoptables on your site that don't follow the rules listed below, you must post a warning before the link informing that there are naked/partially clothed anthros on your site. This goes for threads and presentations as well.

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What is an Anthro Adoptable/Artwork?

Anthro Adoptables/Artwork is short for Anthropomorphic Adoptables/Artwork. An Anthro is best described as an animal or object that has been given human-like characteristics. On PI, the term Anthro usually refers to a creature that walks upright on two feet and has an expressive face. [Example 1, Example 2, Example 3]. Humans with minor animal body parts (like ears and tail) are not normally considered Anthros. Simply put, Anthro Adoptable/Artwork is an adoptable or piece of artwork that features an anthropomorphic creature or creatures.

Anthro Adoptables & Artwork Where Clothing is NOT Required
All artists have their own unique style when it comes to their artwork, and Anthro artwork (albeit for adoptables or in general) is no different. With that in mind, all pieces should be judged individually as to whether or not they will or won't require clothing. As a general rule of thumb, the more realistically an anthropomorphic character is drawn, and/or the more humanized they are in appearance, the more that character would require clothing. A cartoony or "chibi"-like character (excluding humans) may be drawn without clothes if they are clearly animals (or objects) standing upright.

As an artist who is drawing, or as a customer who is purchasing, Anthro Artwork, you should ask yourself these questions when you consider whether your piece is dressed appropriately and how much clothing it needs:

Does it have human proportions?
In essence, does it look like an animal standing up on two legs, or does it have proportions we would recognize as human? (Arms and legs that look human, for example.)

Does it have sexual characteristics or familiar human anatomy?
If it has noticeable sexual characteristics, such as breasts, it needs to have clothing! Examples of familiar human anatomy would be things like defined muscular in human proportions.

If you have answered yes to these, it likely needs to be clothed and follow the rules concerning appropriate attire (see below).

If you have answered no to these, it likely does not need to be clothed. If you are confused and concerned with a piece you have completed, bought or commissioned, please open a Support Ticket to allow the MOD Team & ADMN look over the artwork in question.

To help ease the confusion as to what we consider acceptable Anthro pieces which do not require clothing, the following examples have been provided:
Example 1 (by Mesukaru)
Example 2 (by Ktrenal)
Example 3 (by Weretigress)
Example 4 (by Mesukaru)
Example 5 (by Ktrenal)
Example 6 (by Mesukaru)

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Anthro Adoptables & Artwork Where Clothing IS Required
Keeping to the same general mind set that all artists have their own unique styles, and that all pieces should be judged individually, those pieces which are very much human - or have more obvious human features - will more than likely require appropriate clothing. Both genders have their own separate guidelines when it comes to clothing which includes what is and is not permitted to help define what PonyIsland considers appropriate versus inappropriate.

Due to the fact that Anthro art which is more humanized requires clothing rules and restrictions, all human based artwork must follow the same guidelines. If you are uncertain as to whether or not your human artwork is appropriately clothed, please open a Support Ticket.

Female Anthro Adoptable/Artwork Guidelines
The following information has been made available for everyone when it comes to what types of clothing are considered appropriate versus inappropriate for female anthros.

Acceptable/Appropriate clothing types:
-- Tank tops
-- Standard shirts
-- Tube Tops that cover the breasts and go at least halfway down the torso*
-- Skirts that are halfway to the knee or longer
-- Shorts that are halfway to the knee / Bermuda shorts
-- Capri pants
-- Dresses which end halfway to the knee or are longer
-- One-piece bathing suits

*Allowing a bit of exposed stomach (belly button) is permitted provided that it is done tastefully. Exposing the stomach and allowing the pants on the anthro female to be low cut will not be permitted. If the clothing type is too provocative it will need to be changed before posting on the forums.

Unacceptable/Inappropriate clothing types:
-- Bikini tops & bottoms that can double as bras/undergarments
-- Tube tops that ONLY cover the breasts
(tops that stop above the halfway mark of the torso)
-- Extremely short shorts or skirts
(shorts/skirts that end above the halfway mark of the thigh)

To help ease confusion as to what is considered appropriate clothing attire, the following examples have been provided:
Example 1 (by Weretigress)
Example 2 (by Mesukaru)
Example 3 (by Mesukaru)

Male Anthro Adoptable/Artwork Guidelines
Male anthro creations have a different set of rules than the females' guidelines. Male anthros are permitted to be topless provided their bottoms are covered appropriately and their bare torsos are drawn tastefully. The following information has been made available for everyone when it comes to what types of clothing are considered appropriate versus inappropriate for male anthros.

Acceptable/Appropriate clothing types:
-- Normal shorts, trousers, etc
-- Sleeveless t-shirts / Tank tops
-- Short sleeved & long sleeved shirts

Unacceptable/Inappropriate clothing types:
-- Speedos or tight shorts that can double as undergarments
-- Loincloths that only cover the genitals are not permitted*
-- Very low on the hip pants/shorts**
-- Any type of tight clothing from the waist down that can come off too suggestively

*This is not to say that all loincloths cannot be used. As long as the upper portion of the legs and the groin are covered by the loincloth, this type will be permitted. If you are concerned with this, please see the examples below, or open a Support Ticket to ask.

*If the line for the hip is visible and suggestive of what's behind the zipper, it's too low. When it comes to pants on a male anthro, the top of the pants should start at the belly button, or at the top of the hips to avoid falling into the category of being inappropriate.

To help ease confusion as to what is considered appropriate clothing attire, the following examples have been provided:
Example 1 (by Weretigress)
Example 2 (by Weretigress)
Example 3 (by Weretigress)
Example 4 (by Mesukaru)
Example 5 (by Mesukaru)