Showing server rules and key info on the loading screen
Show a short “top rules” summary on screen (three to five lines), and put the full rules, keybinds and first steps behind tabs players can open with the mouse. Write rules as short, concrete sentences, number them to match your Discord rules, and update both together. Link to the full rulebook with an external link.
The loading screen is the only moment a new player is guaranteed to look at your server for a minute or two with nothing else to do. It is the best place to teach the five rules that matter most and the handful of keys they will need in the first ten minutes — if the information is short, scannable and current.
What belongs on the screen
| Always visible | Behind a tab |
|---|---|
| 3–5 most important rules | The full rulebook |
| Where to get help (Discord / /report) | Staff list |
| One “first step” line | All keybinds |
| Progress and status | Server features and jobs |
Tabs need the mouse — enable it with loadscreen_cursor 'yes' as described in interactive loading screens.
Writing rules people read
- One rule, one line. If it needs a paragraph, put the paragraph in Discord.
- Concrete behaviour, not values: “Stay in character in voice chat” rather than “respect the RP”.
- Number them and use the same numbers everywhere, so staff can say “rule 3”.
- Positive where possible: “Value your life in dangerous situations” reads better than a list of bans.
A complete rules template with common roleplay rules is in the server rules template.
A rules tab example
<nav class="tabs">
<button data-tab="rules" class="active">Rules</button>
<button data-tab="keys">Keys</button>
<button data-tab="start">First steps</button>
</nav>
<section id="rules" class="panel">
<ol>
<li>Stay in character at all times in the city.</li>
<li>Value your life when threatened.</li>
<li>No random violence without roleplay first.</li>
<li>No exploiting bugs or using cheats.</li>
<li>Respect staff decisions; appeal on Discord.</li>
</ol>
</section>
<section id="keys" class="panel" hidden> … </section>document.querySelectorAll('.tabs button').forEach((btn) => {
btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
document.querySelectorAll('.tabs button').forEach((b) => b.classList.remove('active'));
document.querySelectorAll('.panel').forEach((p) => (p.hidden = true));
btn.classList.add('active');
document.getElementById(btn.dataset.tab).hidden = false;
});
});The keybind list
Players ask the same questions in their first ten minutes: how to open the phone, the inventory, the radial menu, how to talk on the radio. A short table of your server’s actual keys answers them before they ask. Keep it in sync with your key mappings — players can rebind them, so say “default key”.
Keeping it current
An outdated rule on the loading screen is worse than none. Keep the rule text in one place that both the loading screen and your Discord rules channel come from, or make updating the loading screen part of every rules change. A hosted loading screen you can edit in the browser makes that a one-minute job.
Common questions
Should I put my server rules on the loading screen?
Yes — the headline rules on screen and the full list behind a tab. New players read them while waiting.
How many rules should be visible?
Three to five. Everything else belongs behind a tab or in Discord.
Do rule tabs need the mouse?
Yes. Enable the cursor with loadscreen_cursor 'yes' in the loading screen manifest.
Want a loading screen you never have to debug?
Build it in the browser, export once, and edit it whenever — no HTML, no re-uploads.
Start free