Rules Reminder

Now that we’re through with Phase 1 of The Lost Fleet, we want to quickly remind everyone about cheating, including how Bravo Fleet defines it and what can happen if you intentionally cheat. Before we begin, it’s very important to note that we’ve never experienced a case of cheating before in a Fleet Action or in a competition – and we certainly don’t want The Lost Fleet to be the first! This is merely a gentle reminder and a brief introduction of some things to avoid!

We’ll begin by outlining what we believe could be easy cheating “traps” to fall into, so you know how to avoid them:

• Submitting another person’s work. This includes submitting another person’s screenshots for a competition, another person’s writing, and other similar submissions. Collaborative writing and gaming is obviously okay, as all members involved receive credit! (See the Creative Integrity Policy for more details)
• Submitting previously completed work. This can include holding onto gaming screenshots for submission to a future ribbon race or writing stories in advance of the FA or a given phase.
• Submitting modified screenshots. This includes altering a score, time, or any other qualifying competition criteria. The Engineering Office has ways of determining whether a screenshot was modified, and most websites hosting our competitions show raw score data.
• Assisting other members with their submissions. This includes sharing screenshots of your work or providing advice that would give another member an unfair advantage. Any questions or guidance for a competition should be directed towards the competition’s judge!

As a reminder, Section 6 of the Judicial Code states that both Plagiarism and Cheating are offenses that the JAG Office will investigate and prosecute. These offenses are defined as:

• Plagiarism – Members must not submit any plagiarized work as their own. Work of others, including content generated by software or a website, may be used in a member’s work provided that the sections of the work that are not wholly original work of the member and the sources thereof are identified and disclosed.
• Cheating and Exploitation – Members must not willfully or knowingly exploit, abuse, or otherwise tamper with official game play or official activity in the form of competitions, tests, or other activities. As used in this section, exploitation means the unsanctioned use of bugs or loopholes in gameplay for the purpose of gaining an obviously unfair advantage. Cheating means the use of any dishonest or unfair act for the purpose of gaining an advantage. Unauthorized use of the same submission in two separate competitions is a form of cheating.

Cheating can also come with hefty penalties. Fleet Actions often come with a slew of awards and promotions, so it’s important to us that submissions are fair and honest. As such, a member who intentionally cheats during a Fleet Action or competition could face demotion, removal of awards earned during the FA, or a ban from participating in the next FA. In short, it isn’t worth it! Remember, you can earn points in the FA for just submitting to a competition – even if your submission isn’t complete! It’s always better to put your best, honest effort into your work!

Much of this is common sense, and we know most if not all of you are already following the rules! Questions about what constitutes cheating for a specific competition should be directed towards that competition’s judge, but you are of course welcome to use the #ask-the-bfc forum on Discord if you need any clarification!