Hi guys.

http://www.isketch.net/instructions/rules.shtml

No mention of PMs being allowed from now on.

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I'd like to point out that the following still apply though:

"Mathematical formulas are allowed. For example: The word "equation" can be rendered using "x + y = z"."

"Roman numerals are allowed; do not mistake them for letters."

It's about time they changed it since it says "Remember, letters are NOT allowed" before you draw, and admin kick messages say the pretty much the same thing. (still doesn't make sense because of the above though)

Except that it's not a true general statement anyway...

Letters are part of every alphabet, abjad, abugida, or syllabary. So... we can still use logograms! Good news for everyone who can write Chinese or Japanese. Or Egyptian hieroglyphs.

On a more serious note: I think this rule sucks for both the reasons NH stated and because I don't think it's a problem to write RIP, zzz, etc. because it doesn't give away the answer any more than an open box with an arrow (to indicate 'in') does.

Oh well.

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Actually, I've been skipped by an admin for a Chinese symbol before (a made up, Chinese looking symbol, not a real one. Trying to signify chinese-ness - not trying to give out a word - as if I could do that)

RIP on a gray block quickly translates into tombstone, grave etc. zzz gives away sleep and so on.

I'm kinda happy with the change.

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If words like that were allowed then draws like this would be allowed:



I can, however, see why people would feel the need to draw letters for certain words (not saying the rules should allow for it though). Example: if you were told to draw a compass in real life, you'd no doubt put N, E, W and S on it.

I once did that. In the geography room and got a warning from an admin, heh. In my newbie days :P

I'm glad PMs aren't allowed anymore. Not to sound as though I never did them myself though! I did, but very rarely. At least this takes away the temptation of even writing "bye" to someone when they leave while I'm drawing. And it's annoying when someone votes to skip your PM and an admin comes in.. (which happened to me once). Waste of their time. It must be disappointing when they get to the room only to find that it was a PM that was being skipped. They could be out there chasing more important votes.

Hmmmmmm is it possible to draw a compass without letters

^^^^^ have you been screen capping my draws again^^^^


Once again I got skipped for using numbers, I wish it would state on canvas that numbers are allowed. My word was million, pretty hard to draw without numbers (and I didn't have enough time to draw a million dots........)

edit...it does amaze me that money signs can be used. £ $ etc . A pound sign is guessable straight away , whereas a Z for a sleep draw (which isn't allowed) could be a number of words...sleep...nap... dream..snore...snooze..bedroom....duvet... etc etc

And I suppose that using £1 is for "pound" is no different from using 1p for penny. There's lots of odd examples, lines need to be drawn somewhere...

Very different £1 is allowed 1p isn't.

I'm all for the new rule, and indeed the old rules that still stand, I just feel the the Z one seems harsh, when £ $ are allowed that's all. If I wrote a £ sign everyone should get it straight away, but using the Z doesn't give the word out by just that.

What I mean is that £1 is no bigger a clue than 1p, and one is allowed and one isn't.

so maybe the answer is......no signs at all

That way hopefully more people could start to draw sounds like pic's when needed.

The general, underlying rule of iSketch on what to draw and what not to draw is:

In my mind, symbols (and also numbers) are no more artistic than letters. I still think they should be allowed though.

There's always been something to complain about in the rules section. I remember there being a massive thread on it.. somewhere.

But I think it's fair to say this was a great decision. I don't think there is need to pick on every teeeeeny tiny bit of the rules. There will still always be some grey areas, and we can't all be happy altogether. It's difficult to get the balance. I think I'd struggle if I was the rule maker.

I'm just glad that PMs aren't allowed. The £ vs zzz's.. shouldn't matter (though I see your point). But remember, the general rule is that symbals are allowed and letters aren't. If they allow zzz's for a drawing where someone is sleeping, then they ARE allowing letters. Surely this would be contradicting the rules and people will abuse that and there will be complications.. especially with the newer players who don't know the rules properly. So it only makes sense to cut off letters full stop. And to disallow symbals and numbers too, would just make the game waaaaay too difficult. So that's where the line has been drawn. I'm happy with it :D

What I find contradictory is that the cent sign is allowed but the penny sign isn't. It's equitable to allow the £ sign if you allow the $ or € symbols but to allow 'c' for cent but not 'p' for penny seems odd to me.

The cent sign is ¢, not (technically:P) a c...

And Nerdy, the no letters rule is already contradicted by exceptions that already exist.
As is the "no non-artistic clues" rule.

If you think it's strange that the 'c' (as part of the symbol) in ¢ is allowed but the 'p' for penny isn't, then 's' for dollar would be strange as well then :P Someone voted to skip me for doing the dollar sign... S without the line going through it at first. Easy mistake, 'cause it started off as a letter.

Must. Remember. To. Do. The. Line. FIRST.
Or at least draw the pound sign! Which would make more sense considering I'm a UK'er, heh.

I hate to agree with hinty (muahahahaa! :P) but I'm with him on that one.. the ¢ sign isn't just a c, just like the dollar sign isn't just an s. The p for penny is just a letter on its own. But I gotta admit, I do feel a tiny bit guilty when I skip people for doing a 'p' on a penny, especially when they generally follow the rules. :|

It would be funny if they allowed € and £ but not a ¢ or a $ (purely because they have letter-like characteristics about them). That would create so much drama. I think I'd need an idiots guide handbook on the rules of iSketch to keep on my desk :D Like I said, the lines have to be drawn somewhere, and I think they've done well to find that balance.

Wow! Is this a sign that im getting old... because, ive never heard of anyone using a p as short for penny????(must be something those people that just loooooooove to use letters made up)... I always thought you used a "1" and the "cent" symbol when making a sign for a single penny in real life and on iSk(if youre lazy and looking for easy points).

NoHints... couldnt you draw a map and put the little compass symbol at the bottom? Even if its not as elaborate as BB's example(i.e. circle with a cross with arrows inside)???? Ive drawn this and most people get it. Works for north, south, east, west too.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

HOORAY! For the "slight" change of the rules. I love it. If things are gonna be done artistically then I think symbols should be gone too.(I know Im asking too much of some people). I can draw a dollar bill in place of a dollar sign. I can draw a quarter, dime, nickle, and penny and point to the penny for cent/penny. I dont even have to put any drawing or symbol on them as long as I use the right colours and sizes. Anyway, Ive done this and people were able to guess what it was.

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I agree... PM's should not be allowed in drawing time, I often see confused newbies madly guessing and getting frustrated. Although I have written a few myself . For the new players it would be frustrating "why am I getting skipped for using letters when others aren't?"

In the UK we use 25p for example as the way of showing that amount of money. It's the only way we write it.

was a good move, but how are some of the others going to know about it?

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True.. Most of us don't even read the rules (or didn't, when we first started playing iSketch. Not that I did that.. Lalalalaaa..). However, I'm sure if you skip someone (for example, a regular player), and they argue it or if they are confused about it, we can tell them that PMs are no longer allowed, and direct them to the rules link.

I'm sure it'll spread over time :)

As for the newbies, they won't have known about PMs being allowed before, anyway (if they are new after the rule change).

LOL Deano, every room we are in I shall ask you in open chat......
"Hey Dean - have you seen the change to the rules about PM's??"
:D

*waves to Nerdy*

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