Hello, adventure game fans! We’re glad you’ve joined us in this odyssey, and are thrilled to share this exciting old/new community-building opportunity together. Got questions before we get started? We’ve got answers!

A forum?! It’s 2025!

That’s not exactly a question, but we take your point. Yes, times change, technology changes, and this is in no way meant to replace our active and ongoing Discord or other social media channels. There are LOTS of ways to chat with your fellow adventure game fans.

But for those of a certain vintage (and there are many of us – look at the games we play!), forums are still the ideal way to communicate online. No need to rush a response or miss out on a quickly passed topic of interest. Easy to find subjects that matter to you and skim past the ones that don’t. A place to chat for hours, days… heck, sometimes even months or years. And all of it permanently recorded for posterity.

I already registered an account at Adventure Game Hotspot, for reasons I still don’t fully understand. Do I have to do so again for the forums?

The two are entirely separate administrative entities, so yes you do. But creating a forum account couldn’t be easier. Simply click the (stick with us here) “REGISTER” link at the top of the page, fill in your details, wait for the confirmation email to arrive, and you’re in! You can add an avatar, a signature (don’t go crazy) and other profile details when you log in for the first time.

Are you secretly collecting our personal info and selling it to the highest bidder?

We’ll let you know when we get a bidder. Wait, no, I mean definitely not! We take personal privacy very seriously, so rest assured that your information will never be shared.

Are you heavy-handed censors of free speech? I demand the right to…

Yeah yeah, zip it. Our goal is to moderate lightly with guidance and support, as we believe the best conversations are the ones allowed to evolve (and perhaps course-correct) naturally. But there are lines that cannot be crossed. If necessary, we will step in and remove unacceptable content and perhaps even impose discipline, from warnings to outright bans, but such actions will always be a last resort.

What lines? What can and can’t I say?

It’s a little concerning that you’re so eager to find out, but the desire for clarity is understandable. However, each situation is different so there can be no carved-in-stone rules, just general guidelines. So here are a few basic dos and don’ts to keep in mind.

DO:

• Be respectfu! We may be anonymous behind our user names, but those are real people you’re talking to, so bear that in mind in everything you post.
  
• Stay on topic. An occasional digression is fine; hijacking threads is not.
  
• Be inclusive. This is not a clique but a community! The only way for communities to grow is to make new people feel welcome and accepted.
  
• Speak up! Lots of people like to lurk, and that’s perfectly fine, but the real fun is jumping in and taking part. It could be where lifelong friendships are formed!
  
• Let us know of any spam or inappropriate content with the “report post” feature to notify us right away.
  
• Make yourself at home! Not the “leave dirty laundry everywhere” kind of home, but the “relax, put your feet up, enjoy yourself” kind of home.
  
• Have fun!
  

DON’T:

• Be an ass! It really is that simple. If you have to stop and wonder whether you’re being one, trust us: you are.
  
• EVER be abusive. Disagreements of opinion are healthy, so vigorous exchanges are encouraged! But never make it personal.
  
• Back seat moderate. Please help to keep things on track and guide threads in a positive direction. But when that’s not enough, let the mods be the mods.
  
• Push any agendas. If you have an opinion, we all want to hear it! Once. Not over and over and over again, every chance you get.
  
• Post angry. Nothing good comes from rage-posting.
  
• Put anything in print that you wouldn’t say to someone’s face.
  

Am I allowed to swear?

F@$%ing hell yes! But as with all things, don’t overdo it. A little restraint is part of being respectful of those around you.

Can I be critical of games, developers or even – gasp! – Adventure Game Hotspot? Or is this all about holding hands and singing Kum ba yah?

Criticism is a healthy part of any community, so long as it’s constructive. Suggestions that might lead to improvement = good; savagely tearing down = bad. (Also, we’re partial to “What a Wonderful World” if there’s going to be any group singing.)

Can we do quizzes and group playthroughs and such?

Does that monkey behind you have three heads? Of course!

I’m a developer. Can I post about my game here?

Absolutely! Engaging with developers is one of the benefits of a public forum, and we love to hear about new games! Just stick to one thread per project and don’t spam it with every minor update. Hint: When it starts to feel like you’re talking to yourself, you probably are.

Can we talk about politics and religion and all those other safe, entirely uncontroversial topics?

We see what you did there. Technically you CAN discuss potentially divisive subjects in the Hotspot Hangout, but for obvious reasons it’s best avoided, and any attempts to do so will be on a VERY short leash. There are lots of places online for people to wallow in the muck if they wish. We’re here to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our love of adventure games.

Is this basically Adventure Gamers redux?

Not at all. Of course former AG regulars are welcome here, but these are the Adventure Game Hotspot forums. We’re starting with a clean slate, with a fresh attitude all our own – something new and different and exciting, not just a repeat of the same-old (though perhaps with the odd timeless thread topics excepted). No one has history here, good OR bad. (Though admittedly, past indiscretions elsewhere will be taken into account if familiar patterns repeat themselves, so if this is a second chance, come as your best self.)

Who are the moderators so I can be good when I know they’re looking?

We'll surely add more at some point, but at present the moderators are: Joshua (Joshua AGH), Jack (Jackal), as well as the wonderful LadyKestrel, who has served selflessly in the same role at various other adventure game forums over the years. Mess with her and we start cracking skulls.

This forum is missing “X” feature. What gives?

Don’t be confusing us with algebra. But yes, the forums are very much still a work in progress. There are limitations to the popular MyBB software they use, but it’s our goal to update and improve them over time, so if you have suggestions we’d love to hear them. More importantly, since we aren’t natural programmers, if anyone with such skills is willing to help us administer updates and fixes in future, please let us know! Any and all qualified help is very much appreciated.