Supportive Culture Grows

Welcome to Obernaft—a collective space where players, creators, and curious minds meet to explore the ever-expanding world of games. Here, game fundamentals aren’t just dissected—they’re shared with intention. Whether you’re knee-deep in competitive esports or exploring controller optimization from your living room, this is where knowledge lands with purpose and community thrives through growth. We call this page Supportive Culture Grows for a reason: it’s about building something inclusive, thoughtful, and sustainable, one respectful conversation at a time.

Founded by Tyvian Velthorne in vibrant Los Angeles, Obernaft offers more than industry commentary—we offer interpretation, encouragement, and clarity in an often noisy digital space. Our team connects daily with game developers, esports analysts, control mappers—and most importantly, with you. This community is a place for potential to rise, for ideas to mature, and for passionate voices to resonate with impact. These guidelines exist as both a light and a path: illuminating our values and guiding the way we move forward, together.

Why This Matters

Games evolve. So do players. So must communities. Whether you’re chatting about recent multiplayer trends or reflecting on level design breakthroughs, the culture around you shapes how those conversations land. The purpose of these community guidelines is to foster an environment where sharing, learning, and respectful interaction aren’t just expected—but felt. This isn’t a place to broadcast over others. It’s where we listen, respond, and build something better through collaboration and care.

At Obernaft, we want you to bring your excitement—and your questions. We believe discovery grows through honest exploration and shared insight. You don’t need to have the perfect setup or elite tier credentials to take part. You just need curiosity, courtesy, and a commitment to participating in good faith.

Our Shared Gameplan

Imagine our community like a strategic co-op run. We succeed when we support each other. These values keep us aligned:

Respect, Always: Every user is a real person—and every real person deserves dignity. Communicate with empathy, even when debating competitive meta or patch balance.
Keep It Constructive: Feedback should help, not hurt. Whether reviewing a feature or replying to a game critique, aim to clarify or uplift rather than dismiss.
Celebrate Difference: Perspectives vary based on playstyle, culture, and skill level. That variety is power, not noise. Diverse dialogue fuels discovery.
Credit Matters: If you reference another creator, article, or streamer, link or mention them. Good ideas deserve good attribution.
Growth Takes Trust: Admit when you don’t know. Ask when confused. Trust that others are here to help—not to gatekeep.

You don’t have to know all the lingo. You don’t have to main a trending hero. You just have to show up curious, honest, and ready to learn or teach, depending on the moment.

How to Connect Effectively

Our conversations cover wide terrain—from esports integrity to casual FPS tuning. Here’s how to make the most of that:

Be Present: Before jumping in with a response, take time to absorb what someone else has shared. Read fully; listen deeply.
Be Specific: Vague praise is nice. Thoughtful detail is better. If you liked someone’s insight, say why. It keeps discussions dynamic and gives credit where it counts.
Be Ethical: Don’t exploit, plagiarize, or spread pirated content. The games we love are built on effort—let us match that with how we share and cite.
Be Inviting: See a newer player asking about controller mapping strategies? Offer your favorite settings. Remember your own first steps and how much a kind response meant.

Question everything—but respect everyone. It’s a tricky balance. Practicing it is part of why we’re here.

Respectful Participation

We believe in robust conversation—tournaments spark debates, game mechanics evolve fast, and new builds are always up for scrutiny. But how you argue matters more than that you argue. We won’t tolerate:

Harassment or bullying (even in the name of “tough love” or “competitive intensity”).
Hate speech, slurs, or discriminatory language of any kind. Ever.
Spammy promotions or repeated off-topic content.
Dishonest reviews, trolling, or retaliation posts.

We moderate content not to censor, but to protect the space where good ideas can safely emerge. If your content is removed or lightly edited, we’ll let you know why—and we hope you’ll understand that the goal is clarity and continuity, not control.

Moderation and Safety: The Quiet Maintenance

A strong gaming session requires smooth input. A strong community requires subtle moderation. Like a background process monitoring latency, we observe without constant interference—but we act when needed. That includes hiding toxic threads, pausing disruptive accounts, and following up gently when someone’s crossed a line.

If you notice harmful behavior or content that contradicts our values, let us know by reaching out to [email protected]. We act thoughtfully, always guided by fairness—not algorithms or forced metrics. You can also call us directly at +1 805-425-6488.

On Privacy, Trust, and Digital Respect

The right to privacy isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s game-critical infrastructure. Please don’t post personal data, private accounts, or real-world contact details (yours or others’) in public threads. We also ask that you respect off-platform boundaries. Screenshots of private chat convos, dox-worthy data points, or direct attacks? Never okay.

We align with evolving standards and take data care seriously. To understand how your information is protected and used, revisit our Privacy communications when available. Thoughtful tech and human respect go hand in hand.

Attribution, Sharing, and Creative Honor

Gaming is a remix culture—builds migrated, tactics refined, memes honored. But none of it works without proper credit. If you share a strategy you picked up from someone else’s YouTube breakdown, say that. If a phrase came from a streamer or article, nod to the original. Attribution isn’t academic here—it’s relational. It shows we’re listening, not just absorbing.

If you’re building something based on game interface tweaks, controller adjustments, or multiplayer mode reviews, reference that lineage. It helps establish transparency and builds bridges between creators. Conversations expand fastest when trust travels with them.

Building Together

Some want to contribute more formally to Obernaft: articles, features, mini-reviews, field-tested experiments. We love that. Interested? Send a pitch or draft via email to [email protected] and include a brief summary of your involvement in the topic you’re addressing. Whether it’s your multiplayer achievements, racer control remaps, or feedback from esports events—we welcome it.

In the coming months, we’ll open paths for ongoing contributors, beta feature testing, and community-led segments. We’re excited to see where your voice fits into the evolving landscape of what we create together.

Our Founder’s Guiding Vision

Tyvian Velthorne started Obernaft not with the goal of dominating headlines, but of decoding them. In his words, “A controller is only complicated if no one’s willing to explain it clearly.” That spirit lives in everything we do—from explaining the nuances of analog dead zones to unpacking tournament rule changes. Through every sprint, delay, and update—his vision remains constant: make space for others. Give credit. Stay curious. Keep the vibe human.

Our Studio and Support Info

Our local HQ sits at 2300 Diane Street, Los Angeles, California 90017, United States–a city layered with artists, coders, gamers, modders, and thinkers. Here, ideas move fast, but attention is earned. We aim to serve both locals and digital participants alike—those dissecting gameplay from across the globe and those just a few blocks away looking to make their first mod feel real.

Open Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM PST
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 805-425-6488

One Final Note: Keep Becoming

Supportive culture isn’t something that emerges fully formed. It grows—the same way you did as a player. Through missteps, restarts, and the occasional surprising win. Here at Obernaft, we nurture that same model of growth in how we talk and design and connect. These guidelines aren’t here to box you in. They exist to forge a foundation where your ideas don’t just land—they evolve.

Thanks for being here. We’re ready for what comes next—and we’re glad you’re playing with us.