Game-Violations

Welcome to Game Violations, the ultimate facility for server streaming of Punkbuster protected games. We aim to deliver the best possible service when it comes to cheat violations and detection.

During the latter part of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 the dedicated management team worked quietly behind the scenes getting the website and streaming facility set-up.

Game Violations was established in late 2004 by FruitY and [FoXeH]. FruitY was an experienced player and server admin and [FoXeH] a ClanBase cup and ladder supervisor. Both were disillusioned by the amount of players cheating in SoF2 and escaping punishment. Rather than sit back and watch it happen they decided to create a pro-active Anti-Cheat org.

In the beginning Game Violations was intended to be a service solely for Soldier of Fortune 2 official CB matches. However, we quickly recognised that there are 1000's of servers out there that have no connection to ClanBase and felt it was unfair to exclude them. Afterall, the more servers we have streaming the more cheaters we can catch!!

We have since moved into other games and will continue to expand our portfolio of coverage as and when requested by the gaming leagues around Europe.

The system at Game Violations makes light work for server admins. You can set your server to stream to the GV repository, which basically means that we have a record of what happens on your server. We parse all the streamed logs for PB kicks, cvar violations and md5 mismatches. Those violations are then added to the GVB for you. This means the only work you ever have to do is check your PBSS and submit any which you feel show evidence of cheats.

If you have questions or problems relating to Game Violations or punkbuster you can find help in the Forum, at our IRC channel #Game-Violations on Quakenet or you can email us. We also invite you to sign up to our Forum and share your knowledge and experience with the rest of the community.

By signing up you agree to adhere to our forum moderation policy:

Posts in breach of the following will be edited or deleted and in extreme circumstances a user account will be deleted:

• Any image or post pertaining to facism, sexism, racism, extreme violence, disadvantaged people, abuse, pornography & animal cruelty. This is generally considered as behaviour likely to shock or disturb.
  
• Off topic advertising FE: trying to obtain clicks or visits in order to earn money. (clan channels and pages are permitted in avatars & signatures).
  
• Publishing links containing virus or worms.
  
• Advertising or referring to locations for cheat downloads.
  
• Comparison of who has the best cheat or publication of scoreboard screenshots when using cheats.
  
• Senseless spamming. (Any posts of lol, noob etc on ban threads).
  
• Harrassment (repeated insulted or bothering of a fellow forum user).
  
• Offending a GV admin or Staff member in their course of official duty.
  
• Non English posts where a translation into English is not provided.
  

1. Definitions

Game Server - A server running a gaming program, where players can connect and interact with and against other players.

Repository - A system used by Game Violations to check that logs are not being tampered with in any way by streaming in real time from your server to our storage facility. This prevents admins from adding to or changing the information contained in logs in order to falsify details about other players with the aim of getting those players banned for cheating. This system must be used by any clan or public server admin who wishes bans to be entered on the Game Violations banlist (GVB).

Streaming Logs - the method of gathering un-tampered logs from your server in real time.

GV EyeDent - (Player Search Tool) Game Violations search system that enables players and server admins to verify the status of the GUIDs in the database. Searches can also be made using IP's and player nicks.

GVB - (Game Violation Banlist) the list we compile of banned GUIDs. This should be saved and renamed to pbbans.dat as that is the common name of the file that is automatically loaded by the pbsv.cfg. This will enable server admins to keep cheaters out of servers that are set up and maintained in the correct way using the Game Violations tool system. The GVB is automatically generated from cheats and cheat related settings that are found in streamed logs and from manually added screenshots.

Server Admin - an online game server admin with full ftp access and control of a game server.

Extended User - a reward account for streaming your server to GV 24/7, which grants access to additional features and tools provided by GV.

2. Service Game Violations will make tools and information available FREE OF CHARGE that will assist server admins to run a game server as free of cheats as is possible. These tools will be accessible by Internet connection and shall be available for League Matches, Practice Clanwars, Training, Tryouts and general server play.

The Services are available for Public or Private Server Use.
It is not permitted to "re-distribute" our services or tools for money or return services without our express prior consent.
Game Violations makes no guarantee as to the availability of the service or any specific feature of the service. Game Violations reserves the right to change the Service and any of its features at any time.

3. Registration Requirements
Members of the public are encouraged to sign-up to Game Violations and participate in general forum discussions provided they adhere to the moderation policy.
There is no requirement to register yourself as a server admin or provide your server IP(s).

4. Ban Submission Requirements
Participating admins who would like to have their bans added to the GVB shall agree to:
Stream your gameserver logs to the Game Violations repository for use with our tools and services and for verification that bans you submit have not been tampered with in any way.
Use the methods provided by EvenBalance and Game Violations for you to do so.
Screenshot submissions by admin members of Game Violations will not be accepted unless your server is currently streaming to the Game Violations respository. This is a requirement and necessary precaution to ensure that the screenshots have not been tampered with.
All pbss that have been submitted to Game Violations by a streaming server admin have in no way been altered by you in any fashion. If it is found that you have altered any pbss you have submitted your account will be cancelled without notice.

5. Ban Appeal Requirements
There is a timelimit of 3 months for appealing a ban listed on Game Violations. This applies to all bans from the time of their publication. After the 3 month appeal period has expired no ban appeals will be considered.
There is a possibility that your CD key may have been leaked and used by another person, a simple IP check can validate your claim and we will sanction any request to the Leagues in which you play to verify this. However, our bans are for GUIDs so even in the event that your key has been leaked we will not lift the ban.

6. Fees
The use of Game Violations and its services are completely Free of Charge.

7. Use of the Service
Game Violations can refuse to publish or post any information or material, whether whole or in part, that is deemed unacceptable, undesirable or in breach of this agreement.

8. Warranties Provided by Game Violations
With the exception of certain tools and services specifically identified as being offered by Game Violations, we do not control any information, products or services on the Internet, except for such "Game Violations - identified content" all merchandise, information and services offered, made available, or accessible on the Internet are by third parties who are not affiliated with Game Violations.
You assume full responsibility and risk for the use of this service by yourself and any authorised affiliate to your account. This service is provided on an "as available" and "as is" basis only. Game Violations does not guarantee that the service will be uninterrupted or error free or that any information, software or other material accessible via the service is free of viruses, worms, trojans or other harmful or malicious components. Game Violations makes no express or implied warranties, representations or endorsements, including but not limited to: warranties of title, non infringement or implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose regarding any merchandise, information or service provided through Game Violations or on the internet generally. No advice or information given by Game Violations or their Admins shall create a warranty.
Game Violations will not accept liability for any costs or damages arising directly or indirectly from use of its services. It is your sole responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, usefulness and completeness of ALL opinions, services, and other information.

9. Your Remedies
If you are dissatisfied with the Service or any of its terms, conditions, rules, policies, guidelines or practices, your sole and exclusive remedy is to terminate this Agreement and discontinue using the Services and tools provided by cancelling your account with Game Violations.
Under no circumstances shall Game Violations or their Admins be liable for any incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages that result in any way from: The use of your account or the service. Your inability to use the service. The use of information or services provided by Game Violations.
Mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletions, defects, delays, or any other failure of performance.

10. Indemnity
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Game Violations and its affiliates harmless from all liabilities, costs, and expenses, including reasonable Lawyers fees, related to or arising from: any violation of this Agreement by you or those who access the Service through your account; AND, the use of the Service or the Internet and the placement or transmission of any message, information, software, or other materials on the Internet by you or by those who have access to the Service through your account.
11. Term of Agreement
This Agreement is effective upon the first use of the Service through your account.

12. Termination of Agreement
You may terminate this Agreement by using only the methods outlined in Section 12 herein. Game Violations may terminate this Agreement at any time without cause or without notice. Immediately upon receiving notice that you, or any person who has access to the Service through your account, commits a material breach of this Agreement, your account will be terminated forthwith and all streaming facilities revoked.
Upon termination of this Agreement all rights granted to you shall immediately cease and terminate. You must destroy or return to Game Violations all copies of software and documentation that you received from us.
Game Violations right to enforce the provisions of Sections 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

13. Notice
You can change or cancel your Game Violations account only by talking to a Games Violations Admin. You must provide your full account name, account email and reason for cancellation. Game Violations may provide notice to you by email to the address provided by yourself at the time of your registration or as amended thereafter or by general posting on the Game Violations forum. All notices or other communications to you shall be deemed effective on the first (1st) calendar day following the date of electronic mailing or posting.

14. Miscellaneous
Game Violations failure to enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of The European Union, without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of the European courts with respect to all disputes arising out of this Agreement, your use of the Service or otherwise between you, and Game Violations. Any cause of action you may have with respect to the Service must be commenced within 3 (three) months after the claim or cause of action arises or such claim or cause of action is barred.
Any legal action or other judicial proceeding concerning, relating to, arising from, or touching upon in any way, no matter how remotely, the contract for services between you and Game Violations and/or your use of and/or Game Violations provision of systems and services there under, shall be brought and litigated, if at all, only in the court system of the The United Kingdom and Europe. In such event, you acknowledge the right of the specified court to assert personal jurisdiction in any such action over you and waive and release now and forever any defence to that assertion of jurisdiction that might otherwise exist.
This Agreement and any of your associated rights or obligations arising from its acceptance are not transferable by you to any third party without Game Violations prior written consent.

1. cvars:
Cvar violations carry a 3 month ban as there is always a possibility a player downloaded or was given this cfg and didn't check it before using it. Hopefully the 3 month ban serves as a lesson to the player and they are more careful in future. If the same GUID is caught with cvar violations a second time the ban will be made permanent as this player obviously hasn't learnt their lesson or they are cheating.

If we are unsure about a cvar we will not add the player to the GVB. Instead they will be placed on a watchlist and monitored for future cvar violations.

2. PBSS:
Punkbuster screenshots of cheat violations carry a permanent ban.
PBSS of re-spawn lag and map bugs are never bannable.
Map bug abuse is a matter for the relevant leagues if the offence(s) take place during an official league match.

3. Console/ in-game Screenshots:
If your server is streaming to the GV repository there is no need for you to submit console screenshots. Every violation which occurs on a streaming server will be picked up by our automated parsing system and submitted for verification/processing.

4. PB-kicks:
Almost all official PB kicks carry a permanent ban:

• Wallhack
  
• Aimbot
  
• Multihack
  
• PB-Hack
  
• Gamehook/Gamehack
  
• Driverhack
  

Etc.

There are however individual exceptions to this rule:
FE: In CoD4 Gamehack #89116 is only banned for 3 months as this is a ranking utility which is deemed useless in league play. Duplicate offences will result in permanent bans!

5. MD5-Mismatches:
The md5tool searches for cfg, dll, ini and exe files in players game folders.
Players who are kicked for a cfg violation (iE: bulldog.cfg, Dc35.cfg, Demon.cfg etc.) receive a temporary ban as there is a possibility they downloaded it, got it from a friend or they renamed their own cfg to it.
exe, ini and dll's will receive a permanent ban as they form part of a cheat set-up and have been installed specifically into the game folder.

6. Ignoring CVAR Queries:
Some cheats that use cvar commands have blocked the possibility for PB to check them and return a value of 0. These have been detected through GVs own scripts and carry a permanent ban as they are clear evidence of Gamehook based cheats.

The name "Game-Violations" is protected under International Trademark Laws and was first registered by Garry Rieger of Rieger Designs on behalf of GV in August 2004.

Unauthorised use, registration or linking of "Game-Violations" contravenes International Trademark Law and will result in a polite request for removal of use. A period of 14 days grace will be granted before legal action is commenced in the Law Courts of the resident country where the contravention has taken place.

All artwork (including banners, avatars, GV signatures and linkworks), GV scripts, GV-CheatEye Scripts coded by members of the GV team and GV tools are protected by Copyright and are the sole possession of Game-Violations. Unauthorised use, copying or dissemination contravenes International Copyright Laws.