Game and Player Rules

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SERVER RULES

Players must agree to follow all Payon Stories rules. Failure to follow these rules may result in action taken against you or your account.

1. General Rules

1.1 Definitions

  • Player - a physical person playing on Payon Stories
  • Staff - Volunteers who officially fulfill the mission for Payon Stories given by the administrator
  • Master Account - An account created on the website which permits you to create game accounts to connect into the server
  • Game Account - An account to connect to the game itself which hosts your characters; once you are connected on the website with your master account, you can create or link up to 3 Game Accounts.
  • Linked Account - Each game account we can link to another Game Account one way or another. - Example 1: Two players use the same connection (same IP); - Example 2: If player A shares one game account with player B and another Game Account with player C, each game account of players A, B, and C may be considered linked together.

1.2 Proof

To prove an infringement please provide:

  • A recording done with the client record tool (.rrf file in Replay folder). To learn how to record and watch replays, please refer to the guide on Discord: https://discord.com/channels/1051580563624042547/1054153062765314098
  • To prove you have sent a message, please use the «mail» system, a screenshot and the date (date hour minute), so that we could check the log if someone contests it. To prove a message has been sent in the chat, take a screenshot and provide the date (date hour minute). In order to protect the privacy of reporters and to avoid harassment, proof submitted to staff will remain confidential. This means during a ban appeal, we will refuse requests or demands to provide such proof that comes from another party.

1.3 False Reporting

Threatening the reporting of another player or a group of players to “bully” them into doing something is not allowed. Similarly, trying to intentionally frame someone for breaking the rules when they haven’t done something wrong is not allowed. This isn’t the same as simply suspecting a user may be breaking the rules (such as reporting a potential bot). Proof alteration is also not allowed and weaponizing the rules system may be met with the loss of the privilege to create tickets.

1.4 Baiting

Two wrongs do not make a right. If someone does something to you, it does not make it right to do something bad back to the individual. Players are strongly encouraged to have a replay recording their side at all times whenever they are hunting on maps in order to record potential bad actor activities, whether to protect themselves or to protect other users. The proper way to handle someone breaking the rules is to report the behavior with evidence, rather than engage in the same misconduct and be recorded breaking the rules with no evidence of your own.

With that said, the intention of trying to goad other players into breaking the rules is a rule infraction in of itself and will also be considered as weaponizing the rules system. While each case is different, doing things like intentionally taunting another player, daring them, following them with a train of mobs to entice them to steal them from you, intentionally standing in tight corridors so they have to go far out of their way to not drop mobs on you, etc, are all things that can be considered as “baiting” or griefing/harassment.

More on how to record and watch replays may be read here: https://discord.com/channels/1051580563624042547/1054153062765314098

1.5 Relations Between Players and Staff

Please understand our GMs and CMs are human beings who mainly act as volunteers out of love for the game and server. They deserve your patience and should be treated like any other member of our community as they try to help you.

Our staff members are volunteers, they get no counterpart of any kind for their work: no money, no item, no zeny, no experience manuals, bubble gum or event rewards. When a staff member connects to the game as a player, they are no more or less than any other player and we ask other players to respect this status. Do not hesitate to report any infringement to preserve our staff integrity.

Respectfully disagreeing with staff is acceptable, but threatening staff or publicly denouncing them (such as slandering them or inciting others to harass them) may result in an in-game and Discord-related punishment. Staff members will never ask or offer to give you items/zeny. They will never ask for your password, or private information.

Staff never uses a secret character or account, and won't recruit through people through a weird or subtle process. When we are recruiting, we announce it openly in the Discord. If someone claiming to be a staff member promises you money, zeny, or items, then it is a scam. Please report it and we will take care of it accordingly.

1.6 Sanctions

For each infringement, the sanction refers to the “default” punishment. The staff may consider reducing or increasing sanctions after considering the circumstances. Serious or multiple infractions, staff will consider a permanent suspension of the player from all our platforms.

2. Accounts and Multi-Clienting

2.1 One Player, One Master Account

Each player is allowed to create one single Master Account. It is forbidden to use a temporary email address. A user’s email must come from a well-known domain and can be easily accessed by the player later. It is forbidden to share your Master Account access. Users found doing so risk a permanent suspension on all linked accounts.

More than one player is allowed to play from the same IP. However, each player must own and use their unique Master account. Keep in mind that these accounts under the same IP may be considered as linked accounts and that players would have to avoid semi-AFK and/or AFK types of gameplay (Infra multi-clienting rule).

2.2 Multi-Clienting: One Player, One Client Open

Multi-clienting is strictly forbidden. You are NOT allowed to control more than one character or client at a time. This can be hard for us to prove directly with definitive data as connections can be easily spoofed. Therefore, if it looks like multi-clienting, behaves like multi-clienting, and benefits like it is multi-clienting, then we will rule that it is multi-clienting. While connections may be spoofed, it is still incredibly hard for one person to micromanage more than one character for a prolonged period of time, not just from staff, but from the rest of the player base as a whole.

Examples are, but not limited to that would violate Multi-clienting rule: Connecting a second character to transfer items, Buff another character, Abusing the autovend system to leech or buff a character Assuming a semi-AFK type of gameplay on a linked account (another player on the same connection).

Assuming a semi-AFK type of gameplay on a linked account may be considered as a multi-clienting attempt. Every gameplay which could be performed by one single player while playing another character at the same time would be considered as a semi-AFK type of gameplay.

Examples:

- Buffing another player then going AFK with or without auto follow

- Refreshing a Bard or Dancer skill(s) on timer

- Leeching

Please be active, or disconnect until you can return to playing actively.

Giving someone the guild leader position to an auto-vend character so that your active characters may benefit from the auras with guild skill stat bonuses is tolerated.

2.3 One Player, Three Game Accounts

Each player is allowed to have access to three Game Accounts, each one has to be linked to the owner’s Master Account. At least one Game Account must be owned by the player in order to play on Payon Stories.

This system permits a player to make two merchants for vending purposes, logging out with the @autotrade command, so that they could play on another game account while the auto traders would still be connected to server side via a passive connection.

2.4 Account Sharing

Account sharing is strictly forbidden. It is also strictly forbidden to transfer ownership of an account to another player.

Players may be allowed to have ONE single 4th account in one condition: to access a guild account. A player is only allowed to access to one single guild account regardless whether or not the Three personal Game accounts limit has been reached.

2.5 The Only Fourth Account, The Guild Account

A guild leader composed of at least three different players in the guild is allowed to create one single guild account. The name of this account must have as prefix 'guild_'(automatically inserted by NPC), eg. “guild_unicorn”. Only two characters are allowed on this account: One brewer (alchemist) and one forger (blacksmith). These characters may be used for vending as well. The leader can remove this access by changing the password at any time. The account belongs to the guild leader and they are fully responsible for all usage performed on this account. Staff isn't responsible for any items lost from Guild Account due to any mistake.

This account will be allowed, by exception, as the fourth account of each user. If a user of this guild account wants to access another guild account (eg. because they moved to another guild), they must inform the owner of the previous guild account owner, then request an authorization from the staff.

This account is considered as a linked account. It is prohibited to assume a semi-AFK type of gameplay on shared accounts (Supra Multi-clienting rule).

2.6 Guest Accounts

Users are allowed to create a “Guest Account” which allows them to share access of their characters to other users without compromising their account data, and keeping the items and zeny on that character safe.

However, players must still trust who they loan those characters out to. If a rule is broken on the Guest Account, then all accounts under that Master Account will face punishment as well. Guest Accounts still follow the “linked accounts” rule.

For a player to access someone’s Guest Account, they must also have an active Master Account within Payon Stories. Willingly loaning accounts to someone whose accounts are suspended in an attempt to evade punishment, or do not even have an account in the first place and therefore have not accepted these rules and conditions for play, is not allowed. Violation of this rule may lead to your own Master Account being permanently suspended.

2.6a Guest Accounts Clarification

It is allowed for multiple Game Accounts under the same Master Account to be logged in at the same time, as long as the Guest Account System is used.

2.7 Sanctions

Not respecting the "Accounts and Multi-clienting" rules will lead to the ban of each account. Not informing the owner of a guild account AND staff about accessing a different guild account would lead to the prohibition to access to any guild account. An “active Master Account” is any account in which the suspension on all accounts is not permanent. Creating a Master Account is proof that you accept the terms and conditions of the rules and agree to adhere to them. Breaking the agreement means the suspension and thus removal of access to this account, either temporarily or permanently.

3. Cheating

3.1 Macros and Third-Party programs

Any kind of automation is strictly prohibited, especially autohotkey, macros, or bots. Players must be able to answer in English when asked a question by staff at any time. To facilitate brewing, crafting and forging, some commands may be available. No macros are allowed.

Other programs should never interact with the game, with the exception being that of recording tools or tools that help the game run correctly (such as Wine for Linux users, dgvoodoo for more modern graphics cards, etc). Please request permission from staff before using these programs. We would like to find ways to patch these bug, as necessary, so the game performs better and runs out-of-the-box.

3.2 GRF and Modified Clients

You are only allowed to use the client provided by us on our website. You are not allowed to modify ANY files in this client to change the gameplay of the game, especially GRF, no matter what the modification does! If you have a suggestion for a GRF or client edit that would benefit the entire community, you must submit that suggestion and the staff will review said suggestion.

You are allowed to modify music files (but not sounds) and also use alternative GRF provided by staff on our website. You may change Bard and/or Dancer skills, 'Frost Joke' and/or 'Scream' text files, as long as it does not contain inappropriate material or a means to harass any other players or guilds. UI skins as well as Homunculus AI's are allowed to the extent that they do not automatically feed your Homunculus or cause the player character to take any actions that do not require direct user input.

3.2a GRF and Modified Clients Amendment

Modifying GRFs for the purposes of changing Bard/Dancer text is tolerated, but will more than likely be picked up by our anti-cheat tool. We STRONGLY advise against this, as there is no way for us to determine exactly which files were modified.

3.3 Exploits

Exploiting, abusing bugs or attempts at exploitative behavior are prohibited. You will not be in trouble if you discover a bug and report it promptly, so please report it to the staff first thing when you encounter such an issue.

Some bug abuse are tolerated, such as:

- Glitching on another character cell is allowed — but it is not allowed for the purposes of overtaking other players’ vending spots and chatrooms

- Using icewall trap tricks

- Animation canceling

- Teleporting to avoid damage

3.4 Sanctions

Infringement of these rules will result in a permanent ban, regardless of the seriousness of infringement.

4. Market Regulations

4.1 Vending Spots and Chat Rooms

In town, do not set up vending or buying rooms on main roads. Respect a distance of 3 cells around NPCs and 2 cells around other vending, buying or chat rooms. While a vending spot may be available, glitching (such as using the 'First Aid' skill) on a vending spot where a prior vendor is already standing in order to set up your own vending or buying room before them is prohibited. Merchants doing this may be kicked or face temporary suspensions. If a merchant walks over to a spot and is in the process of setting up shop, then that spot is now taken and it is NOT available for use by anyone else.

4.2 Overpricing and Item Misrepresentation

While you are free to set up the price of items, intentionally overpricing an NPC sold item or misrepresenting an item is forbidden.

Misrepresentation would be the act of selling an item with another similar item such as unslotted gear vs. slotted ones for the same price or at a higher price than the NPC price.

Intentional overpricing would consider what type of item is being sold and the added value of the sale. Our intention is not to prohibit a seller to provide supplies on a faraway map and collect a margin, nor a merchant to take a slight margin by selling an item 10% higher than the NPC price. Our intention is to avoid spot reservation or scamming.

4.3 Scamming

Scamming is to deceive, trick, or scheme someone to cheat them out of something. We punish this practice when the scammer is falsely representing an item, using an accomplice, or any kind of other deceit to strengthen the lie to create a sale. Scamming does not include indirect trade offers, such as borrowing an item, promising to pay back, etc. Accepting indirect trades such as these are done at the players’ own risk. For other types of scamming, we advise you to be careful.

4.3a Scamming Rule Clarification

Any agreements made between players (e.g. loot splits) cannot be enforced by Staff.

4.4 Spot Reservation

Auto traders remain connected to the game for up to 72 hours on a passive connection unless interrupted, or if the merchant is unable to vend anymore. These auto vendors will automatically log off.

Intentionally overpricing items to reserve a spot is forbidden. Players when attempting to browse shops do not want to go through dozens and dozens of otherwise empty shops which are only “selling” a single Jellopy, Apple, Grape, Empty Bottle or whatever other common item for millions of zeny. Merchants found reserving spots will face suspensions, and continuous, repeated attempts may face a permanent suspension on their vending account altogether.

4.5 Real Money Trading

Real money transactions (abbreviated as “RMT”) for in-game items, currency, accounts, leeching services, or other services are strictly prohibited and will be dealt with permanent suspension of account privileges.

Advertisers of such services will receive a permanent IP ban.

4.5a Real Money Trading Clarification

Trading anything OFF the server (money, crypto, personal favors, currency from another server/game) for anything ON the server will be considered RMT.

4.6 Sanctions

Disrespecting the vending/chatroom, attempting to spot reserve and false item pricing usually results in a suspension on only the game account involved in vending. Frequently breaking of these rules, as well as trying to scam players may lead to an entire master account suspension. Attempting to RMT and advertising on other platforms is a permanent ban on all accounts, future or otherwise.

5. Communication

5.1 General Communication Rule

No matter the channel used in-game, or on our Discord server, you have to remain civil. In public channels, no harassment, spam, baiting, provocation, or insults will be tolerated. Also, please use the appropriate public channel, in english. Gentle baiting (teasing) may be tolerated unless the targeted player has already asked you to stop. Please avoid other server discussions. Casual mentions or comparisons are generally tolerated, but obvious advertisements for other servers will lead to a ban. On ALL channels, prohibited content include but not limited to: Indecent and sexual remarks, racism, sexism, homophobia, death threats, advocating violence or hate for a person or group of people, incitement to suicide or drugs consumption. This game is being played by non-adults, hence, please use some discretion with the content being communicated. If the infringement is done through in-game messages, please use the ignore command "/ex <Player Name>". The “/exall” command may be used to block whispers from everyone. If the player bothering you circumvents this protection by any means including taking it to public chats or logging onto other characters to bypass the “/ex” you set up on them, then you may open up a report ticket against them with screenshots of the chat history.

5.2 Impersonating Staff

Impersonating staff is naming your characters as a part of or any member of the Staff such as using CM or GM prefixes or using names designed to make it look like you are one of us. This is an immediate permanent suspension.

5.3 Names

You are free to name your character, guild, party, or pet the way you want as long as it doesn't infringe any of the communication rules. Players have no ownership over a name, having said that, if a player chooses a name in order to impersonate or attempt to tarnish the reputation of another player/group of people, we would force a name change on said character. Names are first-come-first-serve. Requesting the removal of a players’ name who has retired from play will most likely have the request denied.

5.4 Harassment and Slandering

Harassment consists of repetitive attacks, annoyance, insults, demands, or solicitation to psychologically affect someone. Harassment can take the shape of many forms such as multiple griefings, following someone, reacting to every message sent in a derogatory way, etc. The purpose may be to obtain something sexually or morally, or to deeply injure the victim.

Slandering is to spread false rumors and tarnish the reputation of somebody else and to push others to harass another person. If you have proof of slandering, please report said behavior instead of doing the same thing back to the other player.

We will deal with those practices severely. Please never retaliate and immediately report it. In severe cases we suspend anyone involved in such practices.

5.5 Sanctions

Communication rules are extremely broad. Punishments can go from simple warnings, to mutes on a single character, to entire account suspensions all depending on severity and frequency. Payon Stories is an incredibly social server, encouraging people to band together to achieve each players’ goals. Please be respectful and cordial to your peers.

6. Gameplay Rules

6.1 Griefing

Skills should be used for the benefit of players and the eradication of mobs. Players using skills to harass other players may be subject to punishment. Examples would be trapping players using Ice Wall or buffing mobs to make them stronger, and preventing another player from being able to combat mobs properly. These rules are not applicable in PVP situations.

6.2 Mobbing and Mob Griefing

Mobbing is allowed, but if you feel a player is monopolizing a map, please discuss the issue with said player. We would punish multiple abuses and may consider the impact of the mobbing and the size of the party.

Players attempting to hold mob(s) hostage for an unnecessarily long period of time with no attempt or intention to kill the mob(s), will be considered monopolizing the mob and may receive punishment.

Gathering mobs near another player in order to kill or bother said player is prohibited (including the use of Dead Branches).

6.3 Kill Stealing

To kill a monster that is already chasing or fighting another player is prohibited. This also includes mini bosses. If the player loses aggro of the monster, he loses ownership of this monster.

However, actively placing yourself in the path of a monster or a mobber, including mini-bosses, to attempt to shift aggro is also prohibited.

Using the skill 'Steal' or purposely lowering a monster's HP to a certain percentage without killing them may be assimilated to monopolizing the map, as this denies other players the natural resources of the map.

The “@noks” command exists to help aid to protect players with their mob ownership. The command isn’t to be used to gauge if someone has ownership of a mob or not. Disrespecting the above conditions and someone’s ownership of a mob will lead to punishment, whether @noks comes into play or not.

6.4 Loot Stealing

Loots belong to the player who has killed a monster for the duration of the in-game protection. Purposely bringing a looter or following a player(s) to take the loot they have been unable to pick up before this duration expires would be considered as loot stealing.

6.4a Loot Stealing Amendments

Intentionally making it difficult for others to loot items that are under the protection of the loot timer (e.g. by tanking a mob on top of the loot) is not allowed.

6.5 MVP Exception

MVPs are not subject to the kill stealing rule and any player may attack them at any time. Loot priority is programmed to favor the player(s) with the highest damage output.

Keep in mind, it is still considered PvM and not PvP, which means the Griefing rule still applies. Take all precautions to not affect other players in a negative way so the competition is fair.

Also, you should never purposely make another player be unable to reach/fight any MVP, see/click an MVP tomb by any means (eg. ice wall, useless traps, forced teleportation).

This rule doesn't prohibit any play style that may lead to the teleportation of the MVP as long as it is a viable strategy and doesn't affect other players.

6.6 MVP Rules

We’d like to loosen the leash of the rules on what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to competing with MVPs, however, there are some hard-line rules that are required to ensure competition remains fair. No blocking the MVP with Ice Wall to prevent other competition from doing damage or being able to reach the MVP/loot Entrapping other players with Warp Portal is not allowed Directly griefing the MVP (such as casting heal and other support skills) with the intention to make the MVP harder to kill is not allowed. Instances where support skills make sense like using Heal when the target is the Undead type, or using other support land skills to prevent the MVP from using their own, are allowed. Using land skills on other players to prevent them from using their own land skills is not allowed. Situations where opposing competition is dogpiled on top of one another can be ignored, however. Example: Putting down Pnuema on a competing player so they cannot use Safety Wall on themselves. Other griefing rules are still applicable. No mob dropping players, using dead branches, etc. As everyone has ownership of boss monsters unlike regular mobs and mini bosses, the usual rules for taking mob aggro do not apply. A boss monster and its slaves' attention can be taken, kited or dropped freely onto anyone willingly engaging it and will not considered mob dropping or sabotaging competition. However, intentionally sabotaging a party’s position and making the MVP cast skills on them to get them killed IS against the rules. Example: Amon Ra and his meteor storm.

6.6a MVP Rule Amendments

Stalling (interfering with another team's ability to kill the MVP by taking aggro and running it around) is permitted, as long as BOTH of the following conditions are met: - your team is present on the map OR on their way (should not take longer than a minute or two to arrive) - your team realistically has the ability to kill the MVP This is to help prevent griefing while allowing competition. Note that this rule does NOT supercede other cases outlined in 6.6 (don't heal the MVP, etc)

6.7 Sanctions

While the game has many places to hunt at, some areas will always be more popular than others for a variety of reasons. Failure to respect your fellow players and to unfaithfully hoard resources or create unfair competition of said resources can be met with sanctions from a day, up to a permanent ban with repeated offenses.

7. The Spirit of the Rules

It is impossible for the rules to cover every single scenario. However, their purpose is clear; to provide a fair and fun environment for everyone to play in.

If Staff feels as though an action violates the intent/spirit of a rule, we reserve the right to act on the violation even if it isn't explicitly listed.

This is to avoid scenarios where people actively look for and take advantage of loopholes. The rules will be amended when necessary, but exact wording for an exact case should not be required for every possible interaction.

If you are not sure about whether or not something would be allowed or not, please open a ticket and we will be happy to clarify.