Editing configuration files in PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS is now a bannable offense in the game after players removed fog effects, as reported by PC Games N.
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS recently introduced fog weather effects to the game, and some players took to editing .ini files to disable graphical features, which permitted the fog. Bluehole was not keen on this kind of circumvention, and as a result, they silently changed the game's terms of service, disallowing any changes to the .ini files whatsoever. The discovery of the changes was noted on Reddit. The F.A.Q. a page for the game now contains the following blurb regarding editing configuration files:
Is it okay to edit configuration files?
No, editing any game files to gain an unfair advantage is against the Rules of Conduct. This includes changing any game configuration files to result in changes that cannot be made via the in-game settings menu.
Disabling an in-game hazard like fog is something that the developers probably do not want players to be able to do, but the change in the rules has had some unintended effects. Players had used configuration file editing to improve framerate and overall game performance, and the changes to this policy have resulted in lower overall framerates and worse game performance for some players. It is worth noting that the answer to that question previously read as follows:
We don't recommend users to alter their default game configuration .ini files or launch options. If advanced users wish to do so, we cannot guarantee the game will work as intended and are unable to provide support related to any changes to these files.
One additional point worth noting is that the .ini file is not a locked file; instead, a player-facing one that is fairly easy to adjust.
The changes that force fog to remain on were affected by forcing certain types of post-processing, which has resulted in blurrier graphics and other issues. One particular Reddit thread notes that the OP's FPS drops are stable in forested regions but drop to 40 in some cities, and a number of other graphical hiccups and strange behaviors have been observed as well.
PUBG Community Manager Andro Dars took to the subreddit for the game to clarify the situation. It seems that he's stating that only people who remove textures from the game have been banned as cheaters, but the lack of clarity has some of the people responding worried about a potential ban. PUBG has been rough on cheaters, with over 150k banned since the game's launch.
What do you think of PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS changing their rules regarding the editing of gameplay files? Do you think the solution they've implemented to keep fog on is a good short-term solution or could they have done something differently? Let us know in the comments below!