Once you decide to join us here on Burstfire UO, you are BOUND to the rules provided here for you. Breaking these rules lead to serious penalties decided by the staff members. Ignorance is not an excuse, using it brings punishment.

GENERAL

Reports: If you're reporting something that you think shouldn't be happening in game, please provide a screenshot or logs to prove your case, otherwise it may be overlooked. Taking a screenshot of your journal with useful information is helpful as well. Please keep the screenshots until the issue is resolved.

Bugs: As a part of shard progression, we try to fix bugs to make BF UO a better experience to all players. Using a bug/exploit to your advantage have HIGH penalties. If you are UNSURE about ANYTHING please speak with a staff member immediately, E-mail, or page.

3rd Party Programs: The use of programs such as Injection (Inparticular with a modded file), EasyUO, God client, Tree Hack, and Light Hack are FORBIDDEN. Ban/deletion of account follows. The only programs allowed are UO Autopilot, UO Loop, GhostMouse, UOMcro, Oridans UOMacro for Shadowlands UO (Superior to UOLoop), UO Tillerman Helper (also known as UOBoatHelper)and UO Auto Map.

Invul NPC's, Donator Steeds: You are at no time to use an invul NPC (wether it be in safe zone or invul) nor a donator steed to raise skills in anyway (Its exactly the same as using a stoned NPC and the same punishment will apply in this case aswell)

Line of Sight Abuse Shooting through house doors is illegal, it is caused by a bug in sphere which cannot be fixed. Also, Targetting fields on the outside of a house so they go in or targetting fields from the inside of a house so they go out is illegal. Due to recent arguments about a jailing, just want to stress this even more than it already is: Doing ANYTHING through a wall or door is illegal. Although casting over/on a hay or items in house combat is totaly legal if the person is hideing behind the items.

Safe Zone Abuse: Different from guard zones, safe zones are areas where you cannot be harmed. Using these to escape damage while in combat is Forbidden, no question.

Z-Axis Abuse: Z-Axis is the "vertical" direction in UO. Sphere does not properly notice obstructions in this direction. For example, it is possible to stand on one floor of a house and hit someone on the next floor. Using ANY SKILL through a z-axis in any way, shape or form is considered illegal. This will carry a 3 day jail term on average, but may be liable to more depending on circumstances.

Note: Casting summons on water in order to practice a skill on them is also considered z-axis abuse.

X-Axis Abuse: Using walls, chain lightning, meteor storm, or casting EVs from the outside of a house on the door to make them go in houses with the door shut is illegal. The same rule applies for standing IN the house and using these bugs to affect people outside the house.

Insta-logging: Insta-logging while in combat is forbidden. You will get jailtime for doing so. Jail time of 3 days MINIMUM is served. You also lose the loot you have on you.

Donator Steeds:
You are not allowed to use donator steeds for the following things:
- Use the steed to haul items
- Use the steed to block (as it's invul it could not be forced to move out of the way)
- Use the steed to kill anything (this should never be possible but if your steed suddenly is able to damage you are supposed to report it)
- Anything else that you couldn't use a normal horse for.

NPC's:
NPC's that are stoned are not to be sparred with or attacked. Raiseing skills on one of these npcs is punishable by skill nuke and 172 hours jail.

MACROING
You can macro here but you must not be AFK (Away From Keyboard). The only acception to this is if you are macroing within the allotted time designated by an AFK Permit. Staff members will occassionally perform Macro Checks on those whom are macroing without such a permit. They are performed as follows:

METHOD 1:
---------

a ) You will get a message above your head usually including the words "AFK" "CHECK" or a slight variation from these.
b ) For numerous times following, staff will speak to verify.
c ) Upon the last 2 minutes the afk checker will show and repeat the same.
d ) You are given 5 minutes to respond, if no response, the appropriate penalty is applied.

METHOD 2:
---------

a ) You will see a dialog with the message AFK CHECK or words to that effect.
b ) Within 5 minutes, you must click the "OK" button in this dialog box. Failure to do so will result in the appropriate penalty being applied.

Penalties are applied even at gm skill if using the skill gives any benefit, for example afk fishing would be a reduction in skill because you are getting fish. Penalties for failing one of these checks can be found. here.


PLAYER INTERACTION & BEHAVIOR

Ultima Online, is at principle, an RPG and so tries to recreate a medieval fantasy setting. Within this setting, people are going to choose from many professions, including criminal ones such as thieves, assassins, murderers or common criminals. However, choosing one of these professions does not give the player who does so the right to behave antisocially towards staff/players. While it's obvious people are going to have disputes, there is no reason to bring race, country, sexual preference, gender, or religion into it! So keep 'em out of it! Insult their poor taste in text color or something if you have to insult.

Any player who uses racist or homophobic words, regardless of context, will be subject to a jail sentence lasting two weeks (840 hours)

Moongates: Moongates are placed for quick travel between different areas of the map. While you may pk around them, casting fields on the gates (or within the stone circle surrounding the gates) and waiting for someone to hit them is not allowed and will result in a moderate jail sentence.

Shrines: Shrines are also used for quick travel between different areas of the map. PK'ing around them is permitted, but casting fields directly on the shrine will result in a moderate jail sentence.

Spamming: Spamming is considered to be improper behaviour and may result in jailing. When using skills that spam, please move to a sparsely populated area or you may be smitten.

Spell Spamming: Spell spamming is when the words usually said before a spell (e.g. Kal Vas Flam, An Ort, or Corp Por) are set up to be said via a macro, in order to prevent a player from seeing the real spell being cast. Using this during combat is considered illegal and involves heavy punishment.

We will, however, permit ONE segment of text with "Spell-up" spells such as Magic Reflect, Bless, etc.

Harassment: Harassment of other players or GMs will not be tolerated. If you feel that you are being stalked or harassed by another player, then page a GM about it. Any claims of abuse with insufficient evidence to back it up will not be handled.

Player Killing (PKing): Player Killing is permitted on the shard, for the reasons provided at the start of this section. However, harassment (such as following a player around and killing or guard-whacking them every time they resurrect) will not be tolerated.

Exception 1: Player Killing is forbidden in both the Minoc and Trinsic newbie dungeons, and also in Mt. Kendall (Newbie Mine).

Exception 2: Player killing on any quest or event labeled as a no pking event is illegal. BY DEFAULT QUESTS ARE NO PK EVENTS. IF PKING IS ALLOWED IN THE QUEST A STAFF MEMBER WILL ANNOUNCE.

Note: Returning to the area where there player who called guards or pked you is done at your own risk. If you die again because of this it shall not be considered harassment.

Looting: Looting another player's body is LEGAL. However, you may become a criminal from looting a body.

Order and Chaos fighting: You are alowed to loot the body of an opposite faction member (if your a faction member) eg Chaos can loot order and order can loot chaos. If you go grey after looting go invisible if possible. Calling guards on a member of O/C while they are looting or fighting the opposite faction is illegal and results in a 72 hour jail sentence.

Exception 1: Looting on any quest or event labeled as a no looting event is illegal. BY DEFAULT EVENTS ARE NO LOOT. IF LOOTING IS ALLOWED IN THE EVENT A STAFF MEMBER WILL ANNOUNCE.

Exception 2: Looting/Stealing from players is forbidden in both the Minoc and Trinsic newbie dungeons.

Guards: Town guards are very strong, and can kill most players in a single hit. Guards attack criminals & murderers & people you are grey to.
CriminalYou may become criminal in many ways, primarily looting, stealing, or attacking a blue character. When you are criminal anyone including NPCs can call guards on you.
Becoming Grey to a characterSome spells like dispel are considered offensive spells. Also stealing/trying to steal from a player may have this affect rather than making you criminal. If you are Grey to a player that player can call guards on you but other players & NPCs cannot.
MurdererI hope you can figure this one out. If you have more than 3 kill counts you are labeled as a murderer. Anyone can call guards on Murderers.

Interaction with staff members:
Please keep in mind that the Burstfire UO shard staff team is not paid for maintaining the server. We maintain the server in our spare time, purely for the pleasure of providing a fun and entertaining environment for players to play in.
The GM staff are available to help you with any functional aspects of the game. Gameplay
issues and questions, ( e.g. ?How do I improve my magery?? ) should be posted in the UO General Discussion forum. DO NOT PAGE REPEATEDLY ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, DO NOT INCLUDE PROFANITY OR INSULTS IN YOUR PAGES, AND DO NOT SPAM OR ABUSE THE PAGING SYSTEM. ALL OF THESE ARE CLASSED AS SERIOUS OFFENSES AND WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY.

Pages: Most pages can be solved while you are offline, so make sure that your pages are clear and concise, and explain the problem as best as possible. Pages with "help" or words to that effect will be ignored. If your page is not handled by the time you need to log out, either log out at your house or at an isolated area. If you page and the problem changes, then re-page, and it will overwrite your old page. If the cause for your page solves itself, then please page again stating "Please ignore" so that your page can be discarded.

Note: Interfering with a GM page through pvp or other disturbences may result in a jail sentence.

Items: GMs do not give, or rename items, and only sell some items. They will not give you your corpse back should you die from normal game circumstances, whether against monsters (NPCs) or players (PCs). Should you experience the loss of items and are *certain* that it is due to a bug, then you can page, but bear in mind that no items are replaced without Admin approval.

All gm sold items will now be 30k. Items sold by GMs are:

*Looms
*Water Troughs
*Stairs (These will be locked down unmovable by players to avoid any possible abuse with them. Placement is at the discretion of the gm who answers the page.)
*Telepads - Only available for roof access.
*Ovens
*Mills

Gms also provide a moveing service for 20k per trip, as well as a pvp challange which costs 20k for a best of three between two people. Both partys must agree on the rules before hand and both must be willing to fight.

Contraband items such as items that should decay but get locked down due to the houseing system must be removed. Also items that seem to be illigal such as unusualy named chests and Newbied armour should also be reported.

Skills/Stats/Names: GMs will not change the colour of your hair or your skin or give you points in skills or stats. They do however offer a name change service and a sex change service. Each change is priced at 1 million gold pieces.

Impersonating Staff: Leading another player to believe that you are a member of staff or have staff priviledges in order to obtain special treatment is strictly prohibited. This is considered a major offense.


ACCOUNTS

Multiple Accounts: With exception of staff members (staff/player accts) you are only permitted ONE account on Burstfire UO. If you are caught using another account in such a way, then the account will be deleted. Repeating this leads to permanent banning.

If a player is going away and wishes to keep his account active, then he MUST inform the Admin staff of who is looking after the account while he is gone. That person may log into the account occasionally to keep it active, or top up any house rent or shop rent, but he MAY NOT ACTIVELY PLAY with the account. If he does, then it risks a ban of both the player looking after the account, and the account being looked after.

Shared accounts: are NOT permitted here. You cannot use another person's account UNLESS you are holding it for them as they are gone as mentioned above.

Transferring accounts: is no longer allowed due to some extreme cases of misconduct. If you are the owner of an account and you will be away for an extended period of time, you may request that the account be blocked until you return by sending a mail to admins@uo.burstfire.net.

Multiple connections from one IP: We are aware that several players have attempted to run several clients from the same machine, and are able to track this. If we find two accounts to be running off the same IP, then the Staff team will block the accounts unless they have previously reported a LAN. Only a max of 3 accounts will be allowed from a LAN or Net Cafe. Any additional accounts playing at these lans is subject to being blocked.

Note: If you are playing on a LAN of any kind, then you should contact lans@uo.burstfire.net before playing for the first time, and indicate the account names that will be sharing, and the IP address that they will be sharing (if on a static IP connection), so that your accounts will not be blocked.
NEW ADDITION PLEASE NOTE: If you are playing from a Net Cafe we require your account name and the name and address of the Net cafe at which you play. This information will not be distributed to anyone outside staff and will be used to maintain a total list of accounts from the net cafe in question.

Account problems: If you have lost or forgotten your password, please e-mail passwords@uo.burstfire.net from the e-mail account you originally signed up from. If for any reason you encounter any other account problem, banned message or character loss, contact the Administration Team. A GM can solve client problems such as crashes on logon fairly easily.

CYBER-CAFÉ'S

If you play at a cyber-café, it's your risk. We take absolutely NO responsibility if you happen to lose all your things as a result of playing there. This includes, but is not limited to:
i) If you go away while you are logged on, and someone moves your character, getting him killed.
ii) If someone gains access to your accountpassword because there was a key-logger on the PC there, it's your problem.

Repeated abuse from a Cyber-Café WILL result in a ban on that Cyber-Café. All players are expected to be vigilant and notify us immediately if they see anyone cheating.

In addition, if you know a banned player is playing from a cyber-café and fail to notify us, or are aware of someone at your cyber-café abusing, this WILL count against the cyber-café, as we cannot allow these places to become havens for banned players or abusers.



OTHER RULES/WARNINGS

Abuse Of Resurrection Stones: Throughout the land, you may encounter resurrection stones. These stones are only used to "Res" you, and should not be abused. If you use the res stone repeatedly to PVM monsters...or even use them to res yourself repeatedly for other purposes such as helping a friend gain kills ..etc...this is a jailable offense and is seen as Minor Bug Abuse.


Hoarding Items/Creatures: Please DO NOT hoard items. Hoarding items causes server lag and other problems including bugs that may affect your character and/or cause it to be deleted. Any items that you do not need should be disposed of in one of the following ways:

1.Thrown away, and left to decay
2.Placed in one of the grey trash cans at banks and various shops
3.Cashed in at reward placards

Also, please remember that there is a limit to how many items can coexist in an area. If this limit is exceeded, it is likely that they'll vanish, due to this restriction. Because of this restriction, make sure that the amount of visible items in your house is kept to a minimum, and use chests and bags to store items wherever possible.

A maximum of 2/3rds of a house floor can be decorated, this is to stop lag and reduce crashing. Also all steeds must be in a steed book OR put into a chest. You may have one or two on display but the rest must be in books.

House Placement: Any house placed in the way of any map item (mine, spawn or blocking a path) will be given an official warning notice by a GM, giving the owner 72 hours to move his house. If he does not comply, then the house will be removed. Houses can only be placed in clear, level terrain. Improper placement of a house will make it unsafe for you and exploitable by others.

Ships: Ships have several bugs, and that's common knowledge. Buy and use one at your own risk. No boat will EVER be re-deeded. However, the owner may use the command ".scrapship" to receive a portion of the cost back. A boat must be locked every time it is vacated. Always make sure your boat is locked when leaving it. If you lose your boat and have the key you may use ".locateship" to get find out the location. Boat control is made easy by the use of ALT + [num keys] (num lock off). Repeating a direction will make the boat go faster.

X-Walling: It is illegal to make two walls (e.g. wall of stone) cross over in an X shape trapping someone inside to be able to kill them.

Tri-Walling: Any combination of three stone walls (or two walls and a static object such as a house), or any other similar tactic that prevents an opponent from moving is illegal, and carries the same sentance as x-walling.

House PVP Putting Items with the intention of blocking a player on the first tile row into a house is illegal and carrys the same sentance as X-walling, As long as there is a clear route through to the back of the house, items can be placed on the first 2 rows of tiles inside from the door


Vendors: The selling of a bag of items that contains other equipment, or trash, is strictly forbidden (i.e. selling a bag of "Full Titanium Plate" for 20k when the only thing inside the bag is raw ribs).

BIDDING/Housing: Obstructing house signs with an unmoveable item to prevent people from bidding is illegal and is considered a minor jailable offense.

MINOC/BUCS DEN HOUSE SHOWROOM: You are NOT allowed to flee a fight from Bucs Den by going into the house showroom portal. Punishment of 3 days minimum.

USING TELEKINESIS TO LOOT CORPSES: It is illegal to use telekinesis to loot corpses as you do not turn criminal when you do so. You will be jailed for 72 hours and whatever you looted will be returned.

If exploited for any reason not above, sentencing will apply as that of the level of bug or safe zone exploitation used (Dependant on circumstances).

We value freedom of expression. We do not, however, tolerate disrespect. All complaints will be attended cordially if they are presented cordially and in a respectful manner. Being polite can get you a long way in life, and this is no exception. We value criticism as it helps us improve what is wrong. Use the Forums and IRC to discuss any game issues you feel are wrong. You'll soon find out that the staff is very sensitive to real problems and WILL do its best to solve them.

If you feel a staff member has wronged you in any way, email the Admin Team and they will look into it.

Contact Admin Team : admins@uo.burstfire.net