Tardis:2012 archive/Game of Rassilon rules

This page has not been updated since 2012. It is no longer applicable, since it describes a feature not available on the independent Tardis.

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Retained for archival purposes only.

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13:50, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

The following are the rules of the Game of Rassilon.

What is the Game of Rassilon?

The "Game of Rassilon" is this wiki's implementation of an optional Wikia feature called Achievements. When turned on, editors can "compete" against each other in a friendly game. That game awards points and badges to editors as they compete tasks — called editing tracks — such as adding categories and pictures to pages, or editing pages in a particular category. Because the admin staff can choose the categories in which the game will be played, it's a useful tool for shining light onto parts of the wiki that need help.

It can also help individual editors who want to contribute, but don't know quite where to start.

What are the rules?

The administrative staff of this wiki would honestly prefer there not to be a need for formalised rules. The Game of Rassilon is meant to be a way to enhance the fun of editing. If you make a genuine effort to improve the wiki in whatever editing tracks you are competing, you're playing the game properly,

The main rule

However, we recognise that some of our users would like to have rules set down in stone. So here's the main rule of the game: you may not break any other rule of the wiki while playing this game. Here's a list of those other rules, just so we're clear:

• Canon policy
• Copyright tags
• Tardis Manual
• Point of view
• Vandalism policy
• Plagiarism
• User pages
• User images
• Protection policy
• Video policy
• What Tardis Wiki is not
• No personal attacks
• Blocking policy
• Discussion policy
• User rights
• Disambiguation
• Username policy
• Deletion policy
• Edit wars are good for absolutely nothing
• Spelling
• Signature policy
• Outdated/Chat policy
• Archiving policy
• Interlanguage links
• Shortcuts
• Image use policy
• Valid sources
• Manual of style
• Wikipedia policy
• Edit summary
• Neutral point of view
• Images and perspective
• Changing policy
• Spelling we've agreed by discussion
• Image policies
• Desktop is definitive
• Infobox policies
• Editing policies
• Spoiler policies
• Merging policy
• Don't wikify your own material
• Guidelines for administrators
• Subpage policy
• Outdated policies
• User rename policy
• User pages
• Bots
• Username and signature policies
• We're Wikipedia's evil twin
• Colour spectrum policy

Let's take a look at how this very simple rule works. One of the editing tracks involves adding categories on pages. If you make a genuine effort to put pages in proper categories, you're playing the game properly. But if you make up a rubbish category name, like category:The Doctor sucks, and then you place it on 50 pages to win the badge, you'll have performed 50 separate offenses against our vandalism policy. Yes, you may have won the badge, but you'll probably end up being blocked because you were vandalising the site.

The other rule

There's one more rule of the Game of Rassilon. In fact this is the only rule which is actually specific to the game. Don't game the system in any way.

For instance, if the editing track involves Alcoholic beverages from the real world — but you really want to edit the article, Milk — don't put Milk into the alcoholic beverages category just to win points.

Likewise copy-editing is fine. If the only edit you make to a page is to change hte to the, that's completely allowed. We love copy-editors and are absolutely happy to give them an advantage in the game. However, don't make tiny, unhelpful edits, like adding a random letter or extraneous space on a page.

There may well be other little ways to game the system which haven't been mentioned here. That doesn't mean that they are legal. Remember, if it feels like you're cheating, you probably are; and if it seems like you've found a loophole, you probably have.

Exception to "no personal attacks" policy

Because this is a game, it's possible that rivalries might occur. Some editors may become fierce opponents. In the spirit of competition, some amount of taunting may ensue. Rough banter about the playing of this game will generally not be construed as a personal attack by the administrative staff. If you're really bothered by another user's language in comments about their rivalry with you in this game, please ask them to calm down their rhetoric. If they refuse, then and only then, may you ask an admin to intervene.

Remember, this is a game. Don't let other players get to you.

Note, however, that this exception does not apply to your conversations with an admin about the technical issues you're having in playing the game. It is most definitely a violation of the no personal attacks policy to berate a member of the administrative staff about mistaken point or badge awards, faults in categories, the sudden removal of an editing track, or any other technical aspect of the game. The admin staff are at complete liberty to change any aspect of the Game of Rassilon at any time — up to and including removing it from the wiki — and you may not insult or degrade them for discharging their duties to the game or the wiki.

Penalty for rules violation

This is meant to be a friendly game, played honestly. If any substantive abuse of the game is discovered, the administrative staff are completely at liberty to block you for as long a period of time as they see fit.

When you are blocked, your badges disappear from your page and you are unable to progress in the game. If playing the game is enjoyable to you, don't break the very simple rules.

As outlined in our blocking policy, it is preferred that admin staff give a warning prior to blocking — but this may not be possible in every circumstance.