Halo 5 Guardians: Leaked Content & Spoiler Policy

[RedStarRocket91]

Update

 

As a reminder, we do not allow the posting of leaked gameplay or other content, as these often contain spoilers. You may, of course, continue to post footage from the Beta and any other media released deliberately by official sources. Posting of leaked content will be treated with the same punishments and warnings as posting spoilers.

 

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Hello all,

 

As we're now less than fifty days from the launch of Halo 5: Guardians, it's time to lay out our policy on spoilers. Please read the following information very carefully, as it explains both when and how it is permitted to post spoilers, and the punishments for doing so incorrectly. This topic will remain open and pinned for reference both above Shoutbox link bar and at the top of the Announcements forum until the start of December: if you are at all unsure about these rules, please ask here.

 

 

When can I post Spoilers?

 

There is a blanket ban on posting spoilers until 9am EST on Monday the 2nd of November: this is to ensure that those who cannot play until the weekend, due to school, work, or other weektime commitments, are able to experience the game without any spoilers.

 

After this time, all topics must be tagged as either 'SPOILER' or 'SPOILER-FREE', until 9am EST on Monday the 30th of November: this is to help players make informed decisions about the kind of content they wish to read, and avoid accidentally reading spoilers or posting them in a supposedly safe thread. During this time, no spoilers will be allowed in thread titles.

 

After this time, spoilers may be posted freely without tags. 

 

 

Where can I post spoilers?

 

Spoilers may only be posted in the Halo 5: Guardians forums: do not, for example, post spoilers in the Halo Lore forums, the shoutbox, or status updates: you may talk about spoilers via Private Messages, but only once both parties have confirmed that they are willing to do so and accept the risks. You may continue to post about non-Halo 5 spoilers, such as the content of Escalation, as normal during this time. Spoilers may only be posted in threads marked with the 'SPOILER' tag.

 

 

How can I post spoilers?

 

All threads in the Halo 5: Guardians forums posted between 9am Monday 2nd November-9am Monday 30th November must be clearly tagged with either 'SPOILER' or 'SPOILER-FREE', and should be titled in a suitably vague way (for example, 'How Johnson dies at the end of Halo 3' is not acceptable, but 'Johnson and the end of Halo 3' is okay). If you're not sure whether your topic title is vague enough: it isn't. Make it vaguer.

 

If you are posting in a 'SPOILER' thread, you do not need to enclose your posts in spoiler tags.

 

 

What happens if I post a spoiler against these rules?

 

If you post any spoilers during the blanket ban, your account will receive a warning point and lose its ability to create content (such as posts, status updates, and shouts) until 9am EST on Monday 30th November.

 

If you fail to add the correct tag when starting a topic - whether it contains spoilers or not - your thread will be deleted without warning or notification.

 

If you misuse the 'SPOILER-FREE' tag when starting a topic, your topic will be deleted without warning or notification and your account will receive a warning point and lose its ability to create content until 9am EST on Monday 30th November.

 

If you post a spoiler in a SPOILER-FREE thread, or post spoilers outside of the Halo 5 forums (even if they are clearly marked and tagged s such), your post will be deleted without warning or notification and your account will receive a warning point and lose its ability to create content until 9am EST on Monday 30th November.

 

 

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I know these rules may seem a little harsh, but the Moderating Team is committed to ensuring that everyone has the chance to experience Halo 5: Guardians at their own pace, and can make their own, informed decisions about whether or not they wish to consume spoiler material. Your support of this policy helps keep the forums a safe space for all Halo fans, and that everyone has the opportunity to discuss Halo 5: Guardians in a way that suits their experience with the game.

[Drizzy_Dan]

This was a major problem with Halo 4 and I'm fully ready to enforce this policy.

[Caboose The Ace]

I saw two massive Metal Gear fans on Reddit get the ending of Mgs v spoiled for them five days before launch.

 

It devastated them and so I can totally see where these rules are coming from.

 

Spoilers are horrible so lets make sure everyone who comes here can experiences the game's story as the developers intended, playing the game.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Caboose The Ace

[Guts]

There's nothing worse than a spoiler, ESPECIALLY for something not everybody gets Day One.

 

Thank you Red

[Buns]

With how story heavy Halo 5 is turning out to be I'm glad this is a thing and I am glad our moderators are willing to enforce this.

 

I take pity on the mods who accidentally read threads that contain spoilers while theyre trying to save the rest of us from them.

 

I'm aiming to beat Halo 5 the same night I get it so I'll do my best to report any threads to make sure nobody else has the game spoiled too early for them. 

[rrhuntington]

I had Halo 4's ending spoiled for me. I tried to ignore during my first run, but by the second to last mission I knew it was true. Thanks for this.

 

I'm going dark around Oct.22nd from anything Halo related anyway. It will be strictly spooky scary stuff till I get the game.

[Unease Peanut]

I fully agree with this

 

 

 

I take pity on the mods who accidentally read threads that contain spoilers while theyre trying to save the rest of us from them.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing while reading this. Godspeed mods!

[Melody]

Thanks for the heads up Red, spoilers are the worst.

[Akali]

I would hate it if anyone posted a spoiler for something like Halo 5. It is a crucial game since it will either save Halo or destroy it (my opinion from MCC and other things).

 

Thanks for the update Red!

[Sikslik7]

As someone who had the ending of Halo 4 spoiled for me two weeks before it came out, it took away from the experience. I also remember having people discuss the ending in the shoutbox less than an hour before I got it, (I'm looking at you Europeans and Australians), so I couldn't pretend/believe the spoils ending was false.

 

I am very happy to see work before the release of Halo 5 this time around.

[Unease Peanut]

 

 

Cortana dies

 

 

[Caboose The Ace]

^

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

U JUST SPOILED THE GAME FOR ME M8!

 

I'M GONNA GO CRY NOW!

[Halo6 Follower]

Great idea Rocket! (And to the mod team as well, i'm sure this was discussed with everyone??)  

 

As an Australian I know the curse and blessings of getting games a tad bit earlier than the majority of members, and I also know that spoilers suck (I got Halo 4 spoiled for me the day after its release, at school. It was very annoying). So i'll make sure to not even discuss the game until it releases in the US.

 

Question though: An unboxing of the LCE would be fine right? There will be 0 spoilers. (As I wouldn't have played the game yet) Just thought I will check before I do an unboxing and post it here. Thanks!  

 

Thanks for the effort put in, Mods. As Bnus said, it must truly suck to get spoiled yourself while protecting others.        

[RedStarRocket91]

 

 

Aeris dies

 

 

 

[Maestro]

I approve of this policy! I really don't want Halo 5 to be spoiled, since I doubt I'll get to play it on day one. If I don't have much in the way of schoolwork, then I'll pick it up.

 

 

Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father.

 

[Fishy]

Only problem I see is if someone starts it off with the spoiler, it's ruined for those who read the "Recent Posts" because BBCode don't work in "Recent Posts". Just my thoughts.

[RedStarRocket91]

Only problem I see is if someone starts it off with the spoiler, it's ruined for those who read the "Recent Posts" because BBCode don't work in "Recent Posts". Just my thoughts.

 

That's an excellent point - I'll see about getting the Halo 5 forums removed from the ticker until the end of November.

[BaconShelf]

Some Questions;

 

A) Are spoilers allowed in the first week if they're fully marked and placed within [.spoiler][./spoiler] BBCode? I think this should at least apply in the lore forum, if nowhere else.

Does this apply for other Halo media? IE Novels, Comic releases, and so forth. I want to know if I should be like this with Last Light, releasing on tuesday and Shadow of Intent in december. Similarly, would saying Jul got the Janus Key be classed in this system, if that were posted a week after the comic was released, rather than five months? 

Edited September 12, 2015 by BaconShelf

[RedStarRocket91]

Some Questions;

 

A) Are spoilers allowed in the first week if they're fully marked and placed within [.spoiler][./spoiler] BBCode? I think this should at least apply in the lore forum, if nowhere else.

Does this apply for other Halo media? IE Novels, Comic releases, and so forth. I want to know if I should be like this with Last Light, releasing on tuesday and Shadow of Intent in december. Similarly, would saying Jul got the Janus Key be classed in this system, if that were posted a week after the comic was released, rather than five months? 

 

Any spoiler content from Halo 5: Guardians is banned across the whole site until the stated deadline has passed, and will result in disciplinary action regardless of whether or not it is enclosed in spoiler tags. Spoiler content from other Halo media (such as Hunters in the Dark, Escalation, and older Halo games) may be posted as normal: the spoiler rules posted in this thread apply exclusively to Halo 5: Guardians.

[BaconShelf]

 

Any spoiler content from Halo 5: Guardians is banned across the whole site until the stated deadline has passed, and will result in disciplinary action regardless of whether or not it is enclosed in spoiler tags. Spoiler content from other Halo media (such as Hunters in the Dark, Escalation, and older Halo games) may be posted as normal: the spoiler rules posted in this thread apply exclusively to Halo 5: Guardians.

 

Alright, thanks to clarifying.

[Ranger Intel]

Sounds great, nice call. Respect to the staff team who will be checking all threads and posts non-stop until November 30th.

Edited September 13, 2015 by UNSC Spartan II

[HIWBC]

This is definitely a good policy, I remember there being tonnes of people spoiling Halo 4 for each other, whether they were just being trolls or a bit thoughtless of other people; it was very annoying and there is no place for it on a great and friendly forum such as this one.

 

I approve, Red !

 

Great way to combat spoilers .

[Caboose The Ace]

But what about the Shoutbox?

 

How long is the blanket ban in the Shoutbox for?

 

 

[superintendent]

this is great! but sadly i won't need this because i won't be able to play halo 5 until waaaaay after the release. Man i need to get an Xbox one 

[im a man]

awsome