Ok there are some things that I am very passionate about. The mainn thing is the integrity of the game. I have seen a lot of accusations about cheats and with the most recent activity of exploitation of a bug. When a bug is discovered, it is not uncommon for people to test the bug for the purpose of reporting it so that it may be fixed at the developement teams earliest convenience. Those who take advantage of the bug are considered to be exploiting it and considered "cheats". The term "cheat", lets look at the definition of a cheat....
Cheating is an act of lying, deception, fraud, trickery, imposture, or imposition. Cheating characteristically is employed to create an unfair advantage, usually in one's own interest, and often at the expense of others,[1] Cheating implies the breaking of rules. The term "cheating" is less applicable to the breaking of laws, as illegal activities are referred to by specific legal terminology such as fraud or corruption. Cheating is a primordial economic act: getting more for less, often used when referring to marital infidelity. A person who is guilty of cheating is generally referred to as a cheat (British English), or a cheater (American English).

I highlighted the key phrase to the definition for a reason. Being a strategy game, we all look for that advantage that will get us to the top. In any game we play to have fun, but the underlying goal is to win. Winning happens in many different ways, but in this game your ranking dictates wether you are winning or not. But back to the advantages. We all seek that advantage within the structures of the rules! Below are the rules, in case people have not clicked that link...
1.Multiplay is forbidden
Only one account per pc is allowed. Avoid entering your account by another players pc to avoid automatic ban.

2.Bug exploitation
You must not take advantage of any bug found. You have to report bugs immediately to game administration/forums.

3. Hacking/Scripts/Bots
Trying to hack into the server or into the accounts of other players, or otherwise messing with the game itself is strictly forbidden. Use of scripts or bots is not allowed and possible use will result in a site ban.

4. Bashing
It is not allowed to attack any given planet or moon owned by a player over 5 times in a single 24 hours period.

Bashing is only allowed when your Alliance is at war with another Alliance.
The War must be announced on the official Zorg Empire Forums, under Alliances thread.

Note: Attacking fleets that are completely destroyed and Interplanetary missile attacks do not count towards the bashing rule. Moon destruction missions do count towards the bashing rules.

5. Harassments
Harassment to other players is strictly forbidden. This includes the use of offensive or sexually explicit language in messages, or on boards; spamming; sending unwanted messages when told to stop, etc. Please mind your attitude and language at all times. Be polite and have fun.

6. You must not MILK
Milking is a form of cheating. No player may knowingly send resources to a higher ranking player unless it is done during a trade (in accordance with the Trade Ratios posted on the forums). Once within a 24 hour period a higher ranking player may send the equivalent of 1 hour of production to a lower ranking player (pulling).

7. Protect Your Info
* It's up to you to keep your account safe.
* Don't give your password to anyone.
* Any attempt to get other user passwords will result in a permanent ban.
* If your account is hacked, report this to Zorg Empire administrators immediately.
* Zorg Empire brings no responsibility in case your account is hacked nor any responsibility to restore anything. We will however strive to restore everything we can. In such case you will need to provide convincing info that the account is indeed yours.

8.Spam
* Zorg Empire offers to its users the ability to message each other through an in-game mail system and the ability to chat in the forums. You are not allowed to spam in any of them nor any other chat that will be launched by Zorg Empire in the future. This means that you got to refrain from advertising, posting or sending the same thing multiple times, sending meaningless messages etc. Sending more than 150 spy missions per player per 24 hours is considered as SPAM. Violators of spam can be easily reported to admins and we will take care of the rest. Take note that punishments for spam can be very severe.

9.Forums
* Using the forums is a privilege, at any time you may be kicked or have your thread be modified/deleted.

Rules:
1- Please keep all pictures and words appropriate for all ages.
2-Pure advertising is not allowed. If you are to post a link make sure you firstly let others know what this is.
3- Do not use the forums as a place to harass, insult, or reveal info about other players.

10. Age
* You have to be at least 13 years old to play Zorg Empire. In case you are not, you can still play if you get permission from your parents and/or your legal guardian.

11. Payments
*All payments are final and non-refundable. Any attempt to refund/cheat will result in account termination.

You can send an email to webmaster@zorgempire.net for any issue you have with the game.

These rules were established to create an even playing field. But to give everyone the same tools for success and the advantages that the skilled players could use. A menu was created, this is a toolbar that should be used, and this toolbar alone...
Planet Menu

Overview Resources
Buildings Research
Shipyard Defense
Fleet Merchants

Empire Menu

Empire Alliance
Galaxy Technologies
My Messages Search
Zorg Empire Plus!

Player Menu

Ranking Score Board
Friend List Notes
Chat Forums
Options Logout
Refer & Earn

Game Help

How to start FaQ
Rules Contact
Battle Simulator

Any tool outside of this menu does provide for an unfair advantage. A couple of weeks ago I was told by someone that they use a standalone code. They also told me that it is the same file that someone else uses, and that they saw what the higher ranked person uses. Then I see that person make a post showing the codes to running this game. Does this concern me? You bet your arse it does. Nobody that plays this game should know how to access those codes, let alone copy and paste them for everyone else to see. I have seen people post excell spread sheets. These are not tools that have been provided, and anyone that can access the games codes have the potential to exploit them. Cause if the ability is there, the temptation is there! Sooner or later that temptation is going to win out.

The biggest problem is with proof. Cause everyone is innocent untill proven guilty. In the past cheats have manipulated their way to the top so quickly, that it was more than evident what was going on. But what happens when it is done more subtly, does that make it ok? The answer is no! Cheating is cheating. No matter how many times it is done, no matter how much it helps a player rise to the top, it is still cheating. The main question is how is it stopped, before it destroys the integrity of the game that we love to play.

Sorry, I just had to vent a little. And possibly get people to look at what is going on in the game and who is doing things that give them an extra edge that is not supposed to be happening per the rules of the game.

And after hearing how it works,I understand the need and want to have room for more than 200 espi reports in our message boxes.sure the attacks have to be plugged in manually...one time..and after that there is no need to be at the computer.After knowing that is part of how it is done i wouldn't mind seeing a 50 report limit..not like anyone is gonna have resources for over 50 fleet slots anytime soon.

Two points i want to focus on here.

1) Fairness.
2) Actual wrong doing.

1) Fairness:

In a competitive game as such, it is important that everybody plays from the same ground. With same weapons and shields. But what is most important tool in ze is your knowledge that is what gets u the advantage as a player. Asking someone to play at a much less tactics is not what is practical. Players who are ranked high up are because they have the thorough understanding of the game, that knowledge is what gets u the real advantage.

Now regarding keeping everybody to be with the same equipments, such as tools and scripts and bots and hacking tools (not considering the legal issues yet), it is fair when everybody has the same tools and such in their disposition. Only unfair when they are not available to all when the tools are supposed to be helping you with the game.

With the legality issues bot machines and hacking tools are off the table, anyone using them is committing a felony. It comes as fair as it gets.

Censored.

In my opinion and with the legal notifications of ze the above is legal.
I suppose players high up are equipped with that knowledge so that is their advantage, giving it to all in a excel spread sheet to share with all is FAIRNESS.
2) Wrong doing:

As i already mentioned hacking boting or scripting to by pass ze main pages to over come bot protection, or user log on informations is illegal.


I hope this makes sense.

Please don't discuss how to 's of scripting and boting. The only official and legal tools ATM are the ones given by the admins. Tools on the Player Guide and Help sections would be put up for review.
-neoshagrath

Anything that automates player actions in-game are not allowed.
Simple calculators and simulations are allowed as long as it does not get in between the player's direct interaction with the game itself.

I believe the tools were already reviewed, cause it is there for almost 8 months or so now. And admin verified the sources of the tool calculations, and as per the general ppl the spread sheet contents and its calculations were blocked with a password.

PS: Official is appropriate, i am not sure about the illegality of the tools tho, that kinda contradicts the former sentence.

neoshagrath wrote:Anything that automates player actions in-game are not allowed.
Simple calculators and simulations are allowed as long as it does not get in between the player's direct interaction with the game itself.

Should I rephrase it to re review?
Which and what is legal has never been clearly stated. I guess because this has never been a big issue before.

I think what can be made legal will depend on the opinions of the player base. I'm sure inputs will be greatly appreciated.

The Bot protection was once frowned upon by a lot of people. Some may still do.
I vote for a better Bot Protection. Again, I'm sure player inputs will be appreciated.

Still, how to's of boting and scripting should not be discussed.

Well the reason for giving the details on the what is what (not how to, if I am to give how to it would be the tool and script reference) is because many of the players in game have no clear perception on what is a bot and what is a script. And even tho it seems working at a desktop user end they might perceive them as stand alone, not completely valuing the underlining of the issues for which the are not legal.

What was censored was referring to to a case scenario where a script can be used, not how to again but what are replaced, and why it is not legal. As a demonstration of what to pass and what to adhere.

On the bot protection the programmers of the game are the best in there to do anything about it. any user just asking for a better bot protection is a popular demand. In that case i vote for better bot protection.

Do study the tools and find the catch in them to deny their access.

PS: on a more secured thread say in the beta section we can discuss what can be added to it, and with the programmers input there we can proceed towards a solution.

-Where are those accusations? In some public forum ? Bring them to admin knowledge by sending an email to webmaster@zorgempire.net

-Why you want better bot protection ? Regardless of what we think or what we plan to do, have you noticed the system to fail anywhere ? Again report or speak with facts.

-You know of any scripts being used that are not being detected ? Again report.

-Obviously, if one can create a calculator, he can use it in his (or friends) advantage and there is nothing illegal about it.

-We have never revised any tools.

-Regarding the codes of the game, I fail to reach your point anywhere near. Our code is secured and no one but the developers have access to it.

-For the record, since the Anti Bot script install:
*There have been less than a dozen reports for script usage.
*There has been 1 manual ban for bot usage which was later lifted (after an in-depth analysis of our logs)
*There have been dozens of automatic bans that last a few hours (but these are rarely critical)

Other interesting records:
*There have been various exploitations in the past. I can recall 3 major ones, with the latest being unlimited IPM issue. All exploitations have been dealt within a day; exploiters got banned and the bugs they exploited got fixed (within the day).
*When we introduced the anti bot script (which only took a few days, if not one ? - i do not recall exactly- to be tuned so it will not bug players but block scripts), there was not even a talk about scripts. Instead, there is now and I fail to see the source of the problem.

Bottom line is that the game integrity is 100%, in perfect condition. Anything that arises, we will fight it back as usual.

Occasionally, there will be players that feel that an opponent cheats but most of the time this is not the case. Even then, we are here to check your report.

The code sample posted in the indicated thread was a very generic code which was just for demonstration only. That was not taken or copied from any ze page.

Just thought i would clarify a bit more.