User guide

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and is welcome to comment even if they disagree with the views expressed in a blog post. However, please be respectful and avoid saying anything you wouldn’t want your parents to see. They might ground you and take away your laptop.

Negative comments won’t be deleted (although those displaying inappropriate material will be – see the next point). Instead, I’ll take a deep breath and have a cup of tea before responding in a constructive manner, if I feel it’s appropriate to do so.

Inappropriate behaviour:

You wouldn’t go out of your way to ruin someone’s day in real life, so why do it on the internet? I reserve the right to block anyone who displays aggression or intimidation from accessing the Later Levels blog and associated social media channels.

If you’re not the sort of person who insults others and acts disrespectfully, you have nothing to worry about. While negative comments won’t be deleted, those containing racist, sexist, or homophobic abuse, personal abuse, libel, copyrighted material, excessive swearing, references to illegal activities, requests for pirated software, or slurs against Monkey Island will be removed.

Format and audience:

Clear comments left on blog posts and social media channels are very much appreciated. I’m too old to be down with the kids nowadays so I find shouting capitals, text-speak and the overuse of emojis really hard to process.

Remember that the Later Levels blog and associated social media channels are public forums. If you wish to talk to me privately, please drop me an email or send me a Discord message.

Community and collaboration:

These two things will do more for your blog than a dodgy SEO company ever could. I greatly appreciate your support, but please don’t follow only in the hope of a follow-back: it’s never going to happen, and you’ll just waste your time.

Additionally, out-of-context comments left on posts solely for promotional purposes or blatant advertising will be laughed at and then edited. If you leave a link to your site and it’s not appropriate, it will be changed to point to somewhere you don’t want it to go.

Digital codes for video games are sometimes sent to me by developers and publishers so I can preview or review their projects. However, the way in which I receive software will never influence my opinions or content, and the source will always be disclosed in the post if I haven’t bought the game myself.

Adult responsibilities mean I don’t have time to respond to every request received, and I’ll only accept a free code if it looks like a release I’ll enjoy playing. Life is too short to spend it on video games that aren’t your cup of tea and blog posts you don’t enjoy writing.

From time to time, I may choose to back campaigns on crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter. This is particularly likely if the promotional material features pixel art and mentions inspiration from Myst or Twin Peaks.

This is done using my own money, and my decision to back a campaign is a personal one. If I decide to publish a review of an item obtained via this method, or one for which I’ve made any other kind of financial or personal investment, it will always be disclosed in the post.

I sometimes attend events to gather content. I’ll always fund the cost of travel, accommodation, food and tickets myself (although it would be great if someone could upgrade me to a five-star hotel).

But seriously: I don’t accept any kind of cash incentive or gift and don’t use paid advertising or affiliate links. These things would jeopardize Later Levels’ independence, so the answer is always no. Information provided via URLs in blog posts is simply there to be helpful because that’s the kind of person I am.

There are no personal relationships with developers, publishers or advertisers here at Later Levels, as I’m not sure my husband would approve. But if if Ragnar from Red Thread Games ever gave me a call, I wouldn’t turn him down.

No revenue is generated from Later Levels and I don’t get paid for what I do here. As mentioned earlier, I don’t accept any kind of cash incentive or gift and don’t use paid advertising or affiliate links. However, I will accept a hot chocolate and chat if you fancy one the next time I see you at an event.

You won’t find a Patreon or any other kind of membership platform here because everyone is welcome, and there’s no charge. You don’t need money to start a blog, and the cost is on me if I choose to pay for something to maintain or upgrade the site. If you’re looking to donate, why not give it to this amazing gaming charity instead?

A lot of websites state in their code of ethics that they have a policy of staying neutral. I’ve never understood this: having an opinion removes neutrality, and what’s the point in blogging if you’re not going to share your opinion? Our individual tastes and experiences mean we can never truly be unbiased, but you can be sure I’ll be honest and explain my view.

I won’t write anything about an individual personally unless it’s done with their consent. I also don’t usually report on news, but if I choose to do so, I’ll ensure the research is thorough so I can be as accurate as possible and link to sources wherever I can find them.

Titles will be reflective of the post, humorous whenever possible, and usually contain a pun – but never clickbait. I’ll add a highlighted note if I become aware of an article that contains a serious error or incorrect information, while small spelling or grammatical errors that don’t affect its meaning will be silently corrected.

Later Levels actively supports SpecialEffect. I’ve taken part in streaming marathons, fun-runs, pub quizzes, and volunteering on stands at expos and conventions around the UK. Find out more about the organization by heading over to the Inclusion through technology page.

Donations made during charity events such as marathon streams are taken online via JustGiving. They go directly to the organisation I’m supporting, so I don’t see any of the money – and nor would I want to. Meeting members of the community and making a positive impact on the world is all the benefit I need.

I don’t usually hold giveaways, but when I do, a winner is drawn at random based on the entry rules specified. This is usually done by tallying the number of entries and using the random number generator at RANDOM.ORG.

You’re able to enter once unless the rules state otherwise, and if you violate those rules, you’ll be disqualified (along with your 50 aliases). I can’t be held responsible if an item gets lost in the post or is delivered to a wrong address, and occasionally it may be necessary to substitute a prize with something of comparable value.

As you can probably tell from the Later Levels’ policies, I’m rather partial to a spot of satire and a few sarcastic jokes. I hope it’s obvious when something is written for humour rather than factual information – but if that isn’t the case, please do get in touch so I can clarify and update the site if necessary.