This is both the forum and game FAQ.
Here are some answers to some common questions floating around the forum...

Forum FAQ:
- Q: How can I change my forum avatar?

A:Avatars in this forum are linked to a global site called gravatar.
By creating an account on Gravatar (making sure that you use the same email address as that you use on the forums), and uploading your custom avatar to their site, it should automatically synchronise the two accounts within a few seconds.

- Q: How does the text formatting work here?

A: The basic formatting information is displayed to the right of the text box you use to create a post, but here are the tags again:
Create a link: <a href="">Create a link</a>
Write some code: enclose your code within ` (commonly used for quoting other users also)
<strong>Write in bold</strong>: <strong>Write in bold</strong>
<em>Write in italics</em>: <em>Write in italics</em>
And lastly:<blockquote>Write inside a blockquote</blockquote> (this entire paragraph is in a blockquote)

- Q: My threads are being closed/posts being deleted - why?

A: Likelihood is you are breaking the forum guidelines.
These are the guidelines that both users and administrators should follow. At the end of the day, it is the admin team's discretion on whether a thread/post stays or goes (based on the guidelines).
Excessive arguing about the discretion in thread will likely provoke an admin to punish, so all complaints about such matters need to be presented and dealt with in an official manner through posting an aptly named thread in the Support forum.

- Q: How can I be a good user on the forum?

A: In one sentence: follow the forum guidelines.
In more than one sentence: keep thinking whether what you say is related to the topic and is not some junk and/or designed to provoke anyone. Keep threads as 'clean' as possible and make sure than any links to external websites are not advertising products or hacks of any kind.

- Q: How can I edit the title of my own thread?

A: Click on the 'edit' button by the original/first post you made, and change the title from there.

Game FAQ:
- Q: How can I change my ingame name?

A: Your ingame name is defined in the 'config.ini' file in your Ace of Spades installation folder.
So to change it, simply go to your Ace of Spades folder (often 'C:\Program Files\Ace of Spades'), then open the file 'config.ini'.
Inside there is the line 'name Deuce' - simply change 'Deuce' to the name that you want (remembering to keep a space between 'name' and the name you choose).

If you get permission errors, then you shall need to: copy all the contents out of 'config.ini', paste it into notepad, delete the original 'config.ini', now change your name in notepad as described above, save it onto the desktop as config.ini (remembering to make sure it's saved using 'All Files' option rather than '.txt' if using notepad), then copy/paste that desktop 'config.ini' back into your Ace of Spades folder.
Step-by-step video of this process can be found here (Thanks to Andrea for the video).

- Q: What is the purpose/goal of this game?

A: Ace of Spades is an FPS (First Person Shooter) with sandbox terrain. The goal is to capture, and return to your Command Post (marked as a team-coloured '+' on the map), the enemy Intel (marked as a square in the opposition colour).
By capturing, you increase your team's score and you receive the ability, for one minute, to see all enemy movements (as red circles on the map). You have limited ammunition on your player, but you can restock your supplies at your own Command Post.
You have two digging tools, a rifle and some grenades. The pick-axe is used to gather blocks, destroying one block at a time; the spade is used to destroy three blocks at a time (destroys the block you point at, plus the blocks immediately above and below it - useful for making tunnels).

- Q: How can I play the game on linux?

A: using WINE. Details on how to do this can be found on the Wiki.

- Q: How can I play the game on mac?

A: Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?8zhioibefcxb0ak
Unzip then right-click on the app and select "view contents" to access the config.ini file.
(Thanks goes to knottycorpse for creating the original app, and Pwaa for highlighting and updating it)

- Q: How can I remove the fog?

A: You can't, and it is considered a hack if you do so..

- Q: How can I change my controls?

A: Unforunately control-changing functionality has not been programmed into the game, however Ben Aksoy (the developer) has said that custom key bindings are on the agenda for future updates.

- Q: I cannot load client.exe, what is wrong?

A: Ace of Spades works by webpage sending information to 'client.exe' to load it automatically with the correct settings. This means that you can't just load 'client.exe', you must choose a server from the play page and let it load itself.
Currently there is no GUI (Graphical User Interface), however some members of the community have created their own alternative server browsers with nifty extra features, more notable ones being listed here.

Again from the latest shuffle, a clans category for the competitive players out there.

Along with the general guidelines, here's some specifics for the category.

Guidelines:
   • Recruitment and match requests/reports belong here
   • Questions directed to clans are to be posted on their relevant threads
   • 'Clan-seeking' players may also post here with a description of why they'd be a good choice for a clan (perhaps mention in-game name, servers you play on, previous clans and any other relevant experience)
   • Let people have their clans and organisation on the forums - don't intervene with 'clans are useless' posts
• No pretending to imitate an existing clan member in order to trick new users into thinking they have been initiated.

Useless or severely mocking posts will be moderated.

Welcome to the new suggestions category! Don't know about you guys, but I'm glad to see it.

Along with the general guidelines, here's some specifics for the category.

Guidelines:
   • To be used for game ideas in terms of improvements or modifications
   • Use the search feature before posting
   • If you feel your post can expand on an old thread in this category, you may post in it

Off-topic guidelines
Off-topic is for things unrelated to Ace of Spades.
The general guidelines however, still apply here.

Topics shall now be moderated under the guidelines, as well as:
We shall allow:
   - Random talk about various subjects
   - Question and answer topics
   - Talk about other games you play

However, we shall not permit:
   - Sexual/racist/abusive/spamming posts or topics
   - Anything we deem inappropriate for viewing
   - Provocative behaviour will be dealt with - disrespect or spite shall not be tolerated

We hope to keep this place a lot cleaner than it has been, attract a wider audience and have a generally better community.
Thanks,
The staff

Rather revive a dead thread, I decided to make a new one.
With the addition of the SMG in .54, I've updated my AoS Metroid mod as well.

Link to the old thread/pics:
http://ace-spades.com/forums/topic.php?id=2225#post-27198

New pics:
http://min.us/mSEV98Wpvcv8C

This edition of the mod features:

The Phazon/Hyper Beam
Phazon corrupted HUD
New weapon sound
New icons to replace the helmets on player selection

The new HUD is a bit trippy at first, so watch out @_@

Get it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?l5rl53qi8cfqj5o

Same old story, have fun and whatnot!

Following on from the new announcement, we have drafted some guidelines for this category. Any suggestions to improve these can be posted below.

Guidelines for General Gameplay
In addition to following the general guidelines set out:

- Posts should be related to gameplay only.
- If you have any difficulties/enquires about either the game or the forum, they belong in the support category
- Topics that do not relate to gameplay, or are directed at a specific user (or group of users), belong in Off-Topic
- Map/mod requests/releases belong in the Maps&Mods
- Keep threads on the lines of the topic. Purely unrelated posts are likely to just be removed from now on
- Provocative behaviour will be dealt with - disrespect or spite shall not be tolerated

Not following these, or the guidelines set out in the forum guidelines will likely result in the moving/deletion/closing of posts, and user warnings if required.

Thanks,
The staff.

You are probably aware that this place is used alot to discuss things. But at the moment it is un-ruled.
Threads are being endlessly bumped and everyone is asking the same questions over and over again. I wouldn't quite say it's spammed, but it's pretty bad.
The forums need more controls, and administrators/moderators to enforce them. We need to lock threads with reason, move threads to another category, and add more categories! One for news, mapping, modding etc.

On the thought of moderators, the Wiki has its team: http://www.aceofspadeswiki.com/index.php?title=Staff
A collection of people who know the game pretty well and have been reliable. For some, moderating the wiki might be enough, however many of us who have a bit of time on our hands could be available to help moderate these forums.
I just think that, seeing the player base is ever expanding and because people are getting tired of spam, there needs to be some control implemented before this place descends into mayhem.

~The Grandmaster