New Game Rules - valid from 17.9.2012

    This Thread includes all Game Rules, Clarifications and Addons valid at OGame.org starting as of Sep 17, 2012,
    specifically:




    The following points are valid for all the Universes listed at OGame.org.
    The rules should permit all players to enjoy a fair gameplay within their universes. Note that complaints and inquires regarding particular accounts will only be disclosed to their owners for privacy reasons.



    InGame Rules and OGame.org Clarifications
    1. Accounts
    2. Multi Accounts
    3. Account Sitting
    4. Bashing
    5. Pushing & Pulling
    6. Bugusing / Scripting
    7. Real-life threats
    8. Insults and Spam
    9. Language
    10. Breach of the rules
    11. Terms and Conditions
    12. Exceptions & 13. Support

    Edited 3 times, last by yohdh ().

    1. Accounts


    The owner of a game account is the owner of the Lobby account where the game account is located.
    Each account is entitled to be played by a single player at any time, account sitting being the only exception.
    Game account exchanges to another user are only permitted using the ‘Account Gifting’ function within a Lobby account.
    Lobby accounts cannot be transferred to others.



    Clarifications:
    Account trade: it is possible to gift/trade accounts through a token. Account changes have a 15 days cooldown (a token can be redeemed for an account after 15 days from the last account ownership change). The token can be found in the Lobby menu, under Generate Gifting Code. You select the account you want to gift and you will receive the following message: Are you sure you want to create a gifting code for this account? This code allows another player to permanently take over all the associated universe accounts and they will then disappear from your lobby. The code is active for 48 hours.

    Edited 4 times, last by kewlness ().

    2. Multi Accounts


    Every player is allowed to control a single account per universe.
    If two or more accounts are usually, occasionally, or permanently being played from the same network (e.g. schools, universities, internet cafés) it is highly recommended to notify a GameOperator in advance at https://ogame.support.gameforge.com/en




    Clarifications:

    Due to being a chaos universe, this rule does not apply to universe Volans (174-en).


    While playing under the same IP, players should abide by the following:



    • It is not allowed to log into each other's accounts, on purpose or accidentally
    • It is not allowed to attack each other for profit
    • It is not allowed to ACS attack
    • It is not allowed to give Recycle Support
    • It is not allowed to give Cargo Support
    • It is not allowed to give each other moonshots
    • It is not allowed to trade with each other
    • It is not allowed to ACS defend each other


    It is allowed to hold accounts to give away at a future date in the same lobby but only one account is to be played. Any other accounts in the same lobby must remain permanently in vacation mode and may only be logged into once per month to ensure it does not delete due to inactivity. No other actions are allowed on these "holding" accounts.

    Edited 8 times, last by kewlness ().

    3. Account Sitting


    ‘Account Sitting’ enables a player to allow another player to ‘sit’ their account, i.e. caretake it in their stead.
    An account may be sat for a maximum of 48 hours.
    Account sitting is only permitted using ‘Sitting Codes’, which are available in the Lobby. While the account is being sat, it cannot carry out battle activities with other players.
    Lobby details cannot be passed on to other players. Any infringement on these rules may lead to a permanent ban for the Lobby account for account sharing.



    Clarifications


    • No account may be sat during the first 3 weeks of a new universe.---> It is now allowed to sit an account even if the universe is new.
    • The sitter may also:
      • place an account into vacation mode.
    • The sitter may not:
      • ACS attack/defend and Moon Destruction, Espionage, IPM attack .
      • remove an account from vacation mode.
      • change any personal account information (examples: email, password, nickname).

    Edited 2 times, last by Rav3n ().

    A Bashing system has been implemented in the game with version 11.8.0, and it dictates what is allowed and not allowed:

    • Attacks/Combat
      Attacks count towards the bashing counter if the attacker won the combat or if is a draw.
      - If the defender wins the combat the bashing counter will not be increased.
    • Fleets with only espionage probes (regardless of mission)
      - In servers without probe storage: Never counts towards bash count.
      - In servers with probe storage: Attacker wins count towards the bash count and draws/lose do not count towards bash count

    Important to note:

    Players who reached the bashing limit for a planet/moon can't join any ACS who attacks this planet/moon.

    - This is to prevent that ACS will fail because a member reached the limit of the bashing protection

    If the player has reached the full bashing protection counter, he won't be able to send espionage missions with other ships anymore towards the target where he reached the full counter. Normal espionage missions with only espionage probes is still possible.


    Due to being a chaos universe, this rule does not apply to universe Volans (174-en).

    Edited 8 times, last by yohdh: Added Clarifications ().

    4.a Pushing


    It is not allowed for any account to obtain unfair profit out of a lower ranked account in a matter of resources.


    Pushing is, but not only limited to, these example: resources sent from a lower ranked account to a higher ranked one with nothing tangible in return.


    Trades, recycling help & ACS splits must be completed within 72 hours.


    For all exceptions (like bounties) a Game Operator needs to be informed via Ticket: https://ogame.support.gameforge.com/en



    Clarifications

    Due to being a chaos universe, this rule does not apply to universe Volans (174-en).


    After a pushing ban is over resources must be sent back to the player who pushed your account or otherwise returned as arranged with your Game Operator.

    • Trades that mean an unfair profit to the higher ranked player by falling outside the following range of ratios will be considered as Pushing cases:
      3:2:1 Where each unit of deuterium is worth 2 units of crystal or 3 units of metal.
      2:1:1 Where each unit of deuterium is worth 1 unit of crystal or 2 units of metal.
      These trade rates are valid for all universes at OGame.org.
    • For universes with Lifeforms active, players can donate food to other players without limit, but cannot be used in trades for metal, crystal or deuterium (where the resource receiver would be higher ranked).
    • It is forbidden to manipulate legal trade rates by giving unfair advantage to a higher ranked player (example and not limited to this: buying expensive and selling cheaper the same resource to the same player, selling scraped fleet or defence at low trade rates).
    • While it is allowed to "pull" a lower ranked player by providing them resources to assist their growth, it is not allowed to provide enough resources to pull a player past the higher ranked player's own rank, even if those resources were not spent.
    • Recycling Help and ACS Splits: It is recommended to notify a Game Operator while the lower ranked player transports resources to the higher ranked one. ACS split can be done as players want while all involved contributed.
    • Bounties/Headhunts: must be approved by a Game Operator before they happen and can only be paid for after the conditions of the bounty/headhunt have been fulfilled.

    Note: If You expectedly or unexpectedly receive resources from a lower ranked player, you cannot keep them. Any pushing case will apply 72 hours after the resources are obtained. Within this time, the resources should be sent back to the player pushing you or an appropriate Game Operator should be contacted to arrange a solution.


    ***


    4.b Pulling



    Resources sent from a stronger player to a weaker player without anything in return, in game terms known as ‘pulling’, is limited to 500m resources per week.



    This rule applies to you if one or more of the following conditions are satisfied:

    • Your universe is younger than 3 weeks

    OR

    • You are within the Top 20 economy in your universe

    OR

    • You have more than 2bn economy points.


    Notes:

    • One player can only pull 500m. One player can receive multiple 500m pulls.
    • It is forbidden to manipulate legal trade rates to circumvent the pulling rules.
    • Limit resets every week on Monday 00:00:00.
    • Moon shots are not subject to the pulling rule.
    • In any case of pulling, it is not allowed that the pulled player passes the pulling player in points. Unspent resources are considered too.
    • Trading, recycler help, ACS, profit sharing etc. are not considered "pulling" since the player receiving resources provides value in return. Same rules of "fair play" apply in those cases as usual.
    • In new universes, it is completely forbidden to sent resources from the opening of the universe until it completes 3 full weeks of age + 3 days (until the 4th following Monday).



    Note: After the end of a ban for this reason, the player has 72h to return the exceeded resources to a Game Operator.



    Updated on August 1, 2022 with lifeform-specific clarifications. ~Rav3n

    Updated on June 7, 2024 with Pulling rule been added and clarified. - It will start to be applied on June 17, 2024. ~yohdh

    Updated on June 12, 2024 for Pulling rule rewording. ~ChaosK

    Edited 13 times, last by yohdh ().

    5. Bug using / Scripting


    Using a bug for anyone`s profit intentionally or not reporting a bug intentionally is strictly forbidden. Using a programme as an interface between the player and the game is prohibited. Any other form of automatically generated information created for malicious misuse is forbidden as well. Exceptions are listed in the forum of the game.



    Clarifications:

    Bug using is, but not limited to these examples:


    • Any method to prevent a player from sending, recalling, or slowing their fleet

    Using any method to generate lag for a player in order to prevent them from sending, recalling, or slowing their fleet is not permitted.


    It only applies if the defender fleet was returning to the moon/planet. If it was already landed, it is not considered bugusing because the defender could fleet save earlier, except if the bug is triggered a lot of times to cover all minutes of the attack.

    • Sensor phalanx spam


    It is forbidden to negatively influence the functionality of the Sensor phalanx by sending multiple missions on the same coordinates of one player.

    As “filling” the sensorphalanx is seen by many as game tactics, the following is allowed:

    The defender is allowed to send unlimited number of own fleets.
    He is also allowed to ask two other players to fly at the defending coordinates with 40 fleets in total (both combined).
    If the defender is part of an alliance, he is allowed to ask two additional players (same alliance members) to fly at the defending coordinates with 40 fleets in total (both combined).
    In consequence, there will be a total of 80 fleets from 4 different players, plus the defender’s fleets, depending on available slots.

    To be able to use the extra 40 fleets, the defender and the other two players need to be in the same alliance for at least 72 hours prior the action.

    It is the involved parties responsibility to control the allowed limit.

    The use of this option needs to be reported to a GO via the Support System as soon as possible, latest 24 hours after the first of the 80+ fleets was sent.

    • Causing an intentional lag to a player or on the servers in any fashion will be treated as bug using. Using any methods to prevent a player to send, recall or slow his fleet is forbidden.
    • Bots, Macros, Automated Scripts etc. will be treated as Scripting unless otherwise expressly approved by Game Forge.

    Edited 6 times, last by Danimanza ().

    6. Real-life threats


    Implying that you are going to locate and harm another player, team member, Gameforge representative, or any person that might be related in any way to any of the game services is forbidden.

    7. Insults and Spam


    Any kind of insult and spam are not allowed.



    Clarifications


    Anything that causes offense by being of an unacceptable quality that may hurt an individuals integrity is strictly forbidden.
    The standards in the game environment will be set by the game team to meet the users moral views.
    Content might be censored, punished in a temporary or permanent basis: no complaints will be processed about this and as always the final word will be with the game team.


    Any situation intended to saturate a players interface through any method is forbidden.
    This includes but is not limited to:

    • Personal Messages spam
    • Probes spam
    • Overview spam
    • Advertising other games or content

    Edited once, last by Rav3n ().

    8. Language


    The game’s publisher reserves the right to exclude players, who are not able to speak the game’s respective native language (e.g. in the game, forum or on the Discord server). Other permitted languages will be listed in the official game forum.



    Clarifications


    The only official language in all the OGame.org services is English.
    Only use English language in game personal messages, game alliance pages, game alliance applications and game circular messages.


    The only characters allowed on Accounts, Planets, Alliance names and Alliance Tags are those of

    • 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
    • a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
    • A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
    • whitespaces / underscores / hyphens (not beginning / end of a word, not more than one in a row, not more than 3 in total)

    Updated 30Jul22 - Replaced references to IRC with Discord. ~Rav3n

    Edited once, last by Rav3n ().

    9. Breach of the rules


    Any kind of breach of the rules will be punished with warnings up to a permanent ban of the account. The corresponding GameOperators decide the type and duration of punishments and are contact persons for bans.



    Clarifications


    Abuse of Rules
    Any form, way and or any attempt to get personal profit unfairly out of any staff member's decision is forbidden.
    This includes but its not limited to:

    • Messages sent with sole purpose of obtaining a vacation mode ban.
    • Impersonating or claiming to be staff with or without intentions of personal profit.

    Edited once, last by Rav3n ().

    11. Exceptions


    The game`s community management reserves the right to have exceptions to these rules. In special cases (e.g. during events) game rules can be changed or suspended. The user group concerned will be informed when and if this is the case.



    12. Support


    Contact our Support team for any problems you may have relating to the game.
    Report issues as soon as you can, so we can offer you the best possible support. We can only provide support for issues which arose during the last 3 months.

    Edited once, last by Blankie ().