I have a complaint about an admin I met in a UK room. After telling me not to use letters in my clues and after I told the admin the letters were not being used in any clues, the admin told me the rules were blurred and that he/she suggested no letters at all. I told the admin the rules should be cleared up and the admin said nothing. At first the admin did nothing, but after a while the admin probably got mad at me and banned me for 60 minutes, which is ridiculously unfair. I told the admin I was exercising my privileges and the admin could come up with no reason for why what I was doing was against the rules. If the rules are blurred, the admin tells me not to do something the admin knows I don't believe I am doing, and the admin at first does nothing, and the "no letters" is a suggestion, it seems like admin abuse to me to ban me for 60 minutes. I am complaining about this admin, the way he "blurs" the rules, and the way he/she isn't consistent with his/her previous actions and words. After a while the admin left and when I kept writing letters the admin banned me for 60 minutes without warning. The admins name is {Name Removed} or something like that. I told the admin it doesn't make sense to have a rule against all letters since the rule seems to be no letters in the clues and since we already have a rule against unrelated stuff. The admin said nothing.

Regardless of what you have been told by any admin, here is the iSketch stance on letters which can be found in the "rules (http://isketch.net/instructions/rules.shtml)" section of the iSketch instructions:

Letters: Never use letters - whether or not they are related to the puzzle.

Are you still convinced you didn't break the rules?

Incidentally, this isn't the right place to complain if you want something done. You need to e-mail iSketch at info@isketch.net for that.

There are a few occasions when you can use letters though, and these can be found by reading through the rules.

Thank you for clearing this up for me. I am convinced I did break the rules. I am also convinced the admin did not abuse his/her power. Looking through the rules, the only letters that are allowed are symbols.

Well that seems to have sorted that...NEXT!

The only things you can write on iSketch are symbols and mathematical equations like the examples in the rules or in these few examples shown here (http://www.isketchforum.net/showpost.php?p=186075).

You can write personal messages on screen like "hello", "bye" and "lol", as long as it is doesn't take too long writing it, or you start having a full-blown conversation with someone. I know of some people that have been voted on for writing things like that, so I would advise not to use letters at all, in case you get a vote from someone :)

Be careful with equations... it's a cause for triggerhappy people to hand out warnings. If you can write an equation without using letters... it's best to not use letters.

For example, if you want to convey the notion of an equation, you can draw:

4 = 4
4+2 = 2+4
3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2
(etc.)

instead of
a = a
a+b = b+a
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
(etc.)

You can write personal messages on screen like "hello", "bye" and "lol", as long as it is doesn't take too long writing it, or you start having a full-blown conversation with someone. I know of some people that have been voted on for writing things like that, so I would advise not to use letters at all, in case you get a vote from someone :)

I think that got removed from the rules a while back due to too many people being warned over it. It's now "Never use letters."
...But I guess if you're in a room of regulars who know you, they'll understand and you'll get away with it.

Also, you can write in Tandem to communicate to your drawing partner, like asking to draw a big picture together. (:

Hi Newbie ...

The rules are very clear re: Letters ... no letters at all ... but please remember that the Admin are here to help people understand the rules and to help the game run smoothly.

With reference to private messages ... can I possibly just give you another perspective ... if you are using the acronym "LOL" it's a given that nine times out of ten it's going to be a private message, but if the word for instance is 'Laugh' then the 'lol' could all of a sudden become a very real written hint - which is a blatant violation. Players who are watching do NOT know whether it's a private message or a hint to the word as they don't know the word until they guess it.

So if you choose to use private messages, even if an Admin does not act on it - all letters are votable by players and you are risking being voted on. (Moreso in the easier rooms where a lot of new players go).

So my personal advice to anyone ... is not to use letters at all and if you do then know you are risking either a vote from a player or players or an Admin taking action against it.

The only things you can write on iSketch are symbols and mathematical equations like the examples in the rules or in these few examples shown here (http://www.isketchforum.net/showpost.php?p=186075).

You can write personal messages on screen like "hello", "bye" and "lol", as long as it is doesn't take too long writing it, or you start having a full-blown conversation with someone. I know of some people that have been voted on for writing things like that, so I would advise not to use letters at all, in case you get a vote from someone :)

I'd disregard this entire post.

I've seen myself and others banned for anything that even resembles a letter.

Whether it's a formula or a symbol, or putting Z's above someone to show sleep.

I'd disregard this entire post.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I know of some people that have been voted on for writing things like that, so I would advise not to use letters at all, in case you get a vote from someone :)

So my personal advice to anyone ... is not to use letters at all and if you do then know you are risking either a vote from a player or players or an Admin taking action against it.

Do you see anything different there? I know the rules had changed to "no letters at all", but I was merely providing my opinion about personal messages.

I've seen myself and others banned for anything that even resembles a letter.

If another player's friend was leaving the room while they were drawing, for example, and they wrote "bye" at the bottom of the screen, I wouldn't vote against them for writing letters. Sometimes, however, other people will vote as they see letters on the screen. However as Nuka has said, anything with letters is voteable and actionable by admins, which I completely agree with.

Also, letter violations don't usually result in a ban. Bans are permanent. Instead they result in a block, which is temporary.

Whether it's a formula or a symbol, or putting Z's above someone to show sleep.

Symbols are allowed. Mathematical formulas are also allowed, as briefly discussed here (http://www.isketchforum.net/mathematical-formulas-t3621.html). Z's are not, they are letters. So if someone writes Z's, that would be breaking the rules.

Thank you for clearing this up for me. I am convinced I did break the rules. I am also convinced the admin did not abuse his/her power. Looking through the rules, the only letters that are allowed are symbols.

I am convinced I did break the rules. I am also convinced the admin did not abuse his/her power. Looking through the rules, the only letters that are allowed are symbols.

Lol, sorry to be picky but are you the same person? :biggrin: If not, then I apologise in advance :)

Apart from universal symbols, Roman numerals are also allowed :)

Numbers: You may use numbers in clues, (i.e., use the number 2 for "two" or "to") - including numbers that are already in the puzzle. You must not use numbers to represent letters as done in techno jargon. For example: Do not write 533 for the word "see". Roman numerals are allowed; do not mistake them for letters.

Whether it's a formula or a symbol, or putting Z's above someone to show sleep.

This is one of the textbook examples of what not to do when playing isketch, and I'm just sick of voting people for it and getting moaned at by cretinous 12 year olds; 'But I didnt wite sleep, but I didnt wite sleep, waah, waaah, waaah'.

Thank you anyway, I can now disregard your entire post.