SLG-Dennis

The changelog is a bit misleading there, it's the bonus damage that was reduced. The base damage of headshots was also reduced.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I specifically avoided saying 'you', but 'one'. The problem is that as soon as other people are involved on a server - even just a few, there guaranteed is someone that does play competetive or would not like other people to have an unfair advantage, they probably also cannot 'balance odds out' themselves, as they don't have the money for it. What is 'amusement' for you, might be a severe hit to their gameplay that they expect to be on common, fair grounds without shenanigans. Hence for me it's the same as cheating - do happily in your single player and co-op games where everyone knows, but as soon as public servers come into play, don't do it. (Other than if everyone is fine with it)

The hermit living on it's own just liking to have a bit of interaction with others, but mostly playing for themselves without any ambitions for any of the made up 'winning conditions' by other players does exist, but they're extremely rare. The typical case of multi-ac...

The effects (and in nearly all cases the intention) are the same - one is trying to get an unfair advantage over others and is doing so by methods the developer (in this case we) did not intend, basically introducing "Pay to Win". That is exactly what cheating is, no toxicity or bigotry is involved in day-to-day cheating, only unsocial behaviour. Most cheaters you don't even notice, as they have no desire to brag with their results, they're just trying to get that edge over everyone else.

In the end the goal of these rules is to provide a fair playing field (and as such a protection of everyone else, not a punishment of the single one), so the punishment is tied to the effects and the intention, not the moral wrongdoing which definitely is not on the level of cheating. The effects - in opposite to most griefing - extend to many players on the server though, especially if such methods are used to 'win a meteor race' or 'government-' or 'market domination' - don't forget you...

It is the most severe rule violation on all official servers after typical -ism violations, leading to an instant ban for all involved accounts. Most of the bigger private servers I know aren't dealing much different with that, but especially smaller servers or unadministrated ones don't seem to care a lot.

I personally dislike it heavily, given the advantages it gives that have already been explained by other people here - in the end I'd check the rules of the server you are intending to join and / or ask an admin there and go with the individual rules of the community you actually want to play with. For me, it's the same as cheating and always warrants a permanent ban.