Game behavior guidlines (SB.com community TS server/game ban-able offenses)

[Volcano]

Hello everyone,

 

As we all know, everyone is welcome to play Steel Beasts on the official SB.com TeamSpeak (TS) server and community events (such as TGIF or campaigns hosted through the community TS server); we are not a community that enforces restrictions or requirements on who can participate. That said, the goal of this community has always been for ALL users of every skill level to be able to come together for fun, fair, and honorable games together, without select people ruining the experience for everyone else.

 

With that in mind, and with the goal of making the official Steel Beasts playing experience pleasant for all users, certain behavior will result in a minimum of a one week ban from the SB.com TS server, and from SB.com hosted games, and repeated behavior will result in longer bans (multiple weeks, a month, etc). This ban-able behavior is judged by several server admin and the ban may occur at any time, after careful consideration and evaluation (after analysis of the AAR and gathered data, for example). In all cases, the reason for the ban will be specifically mentioned.

 

Understand that over the years patience has been stretched thin in this area and banning has always been a last resort, at least now we will quantify the behavior that should be avoided. Also, it isn't as if getting banned from the official TS server/games is the end of the world, either you should do the responsible thing and adjust your behavior when the ban expires, or resign to play games in a community somewhere else where the behavior is tolerated.

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The following is the list of major TS server and game behavior that constitutes as exploits/cheating/bad behavior which will result in a ban, and also some rules regarding virtual unit channels on the SB.com TS server:

NOTE: Additional behavior may be added to the list over time.

 

Multiplayer community rule violations (general behavior and in-game behavior):

1. Any modification to textures in such a way that they allow higher visibility or greater spotting ability (see "anti-cheat checks and monitoring" below)
2. Using a callsign/name in TS which is vulgar or insulting to others
3. Any attempt to "hack" the SB.com TS server (trying to bypass a ban as a proxy IP / username or otherwise manipulating the server) -- PERMANENT BAN
4. Sitting in SB.com TS server and redirecting users to another TS server
5. Being belligerent with any of the SB.com TS server admins
6. Any attempt to disrupt TGIF or any other officially sanctioned SB.com event. This includes but is not limited to: organizing other gaming events during the same exact day+time slot as TGIF, to be played on another server or on SB.com's Teamspeak server, or communicating with other users to boycott TGIF or other officially sanctioned SB.com events.
7. Any exploitative behavior in game, including but not limited to:

• Exploiting of artillery to either get it to execute quicker or in greater abundance than is allowed under normal use
• Placing friendly vehicles on bridges and killing them yourself (by fratricide) with the goal of blocking bridges to the point that it breaks the scenario (no bridges available)
• Placing bunkers or battle positions on bridges in an attempt to block them (use actual obstacles for this instead)
• Placing battle positions as anti-tank ditches, as a way to exploit AI pathfinding
• Placing of infantry in water to sit submerged as invisible spotters, and/or to keep them immune from artillery (infantry crossing water obstacles is fine, of course)
• Placing of infantry or any other unit in such a way so that you can see through/under the terrain, allowing you to spot enemy units through hills (see "anti-cheat checks and monitoring" below)
• Placing infantry inside of large rocks
• Exploiting infantry fatigue and ammunition by splitting off single soldiers from the rest of the squad

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Anti-cheat checks and monitoring:

 

By participating in Steel Beasts.com official community events (TGIF or officially sponsored campaigns) then you are also consenting to anti-cheat checks and monitoring. These checks and monitoring are in the form of periodic and random screen shots gathered from all users participating in the current game. These screen shots may be taken at any point during a session and may happen several times a session.

 

Anti-cheat check issues that will cause you to be banned:

1. Any modification of the terrain textures or models that allows the user to have increased visibility and situational awareness over the standard textures, such as, but not limited to: making vegetation or building related textures transparent or less opaque, modifying the the ground textures to be transparent or less opaque. Modifying building textures in a reasonable way (ie. to enhance their appearance with more detail or accuracy, or to make a "variety" or "subjective" change to their appearance, while still maintaining some basis in reality) IS ALLOWED.
2. Any modification of the thermal textures (terrain, vehicles, buildings or infantry) in any form.
3. Any unreasonable modification to vehicles or infantry textures (diffuse or specular) to the degree that the texture is deemed unfair to others in that it provides the user with increased situational awareness (i.e. it provides an unfair advantage to spot enemy units). An example of this would be a texture a modification that makes vehicles appear in bright colors, or adjusting the specular textures so that vehicles appear as if they are glowing. Modifying vehicle and infantry textures in a reasonable way (ie. to enhance their appearance with more detail or accuracy, or to make a "variety" or "subjective" change to their camo pattern or colors, while still maintaining some basis in reality) IS ALLOWED.
4. Any situation where the user is caught observing under the terrain mesh, in any way, shape or form.

 

The goal is to be of minimal disruption, but also to ensure that everyone in the community is abiding by the rules so that they don't excel at the expense of the experience of other users. The intent is less about banning users and more about enforcing a standard so that all users may have the same experience, and to discourage people from cheating, and to encourage self restraint.

 

What happens if you are found in violation:

• After a group decision on the matter, if a user is found to be in violation then that user will be banned immediately, with their name listed in this thread and the reason for the ban.
• After a group decision on the matter, if the violation is found to be of minimal (or subjective) severity then that user will receive a private PM notifying them of the violation, with the attached screen shot showing the issue, and warning them to fix the problem. If that user is in violation a second time then they will be banned from participating in SB.com events, along with their name listed in this thread and the reason for the ban.

 

SB.com admin may consider removing the ban after a MINIMUM one year period, but repeated bans or major severity bans will be permanent.

 

If you disagree with the monitoring and enforcement of anything above then you simply do not participate in SB.com events.

 

We encourage VUs to utilize the built in 'host screenshot' feature to enforce their own rules.

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Steel Beasts.com Team Speak server and server license access:

 

Access to Steel Beast.com Team Speak server and the Steel Beasts unlimited server license is a privilege, not a right. You are not guaranteed lifetime access just by purchasing the product. Every customer is granted access but eSim Games and community moderators reserve the right to terminate access at any time.

All bans can be appealed to Sean or myself and we may review it for possible reduction in length (this is a group decision).

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We appreciate the community's understanding on this issue.

[Volcano]

In regards to SB.com Team Speak moderation, there are now actual moderators to handle issues. The following is the list of current SB.com Team Speak moderators:

12Alfa

Gibsonm

TSe419E (forum) / CavGunner (TS)

Moderators will be identifiable by a special icon.

Note that moderator action is the LAW, but just as always, any ban can be petitioned for review and reduction (the petition will be decided by a group). The point being: there should not be any worry of unjustified bans taking hold.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Volcano