Things are coming to a head here.  As the sysop hosting the BOTE game there were and still are decisions that need to be made here.  I'm no expert, and can only make decisions based on my own experience, and advice given to me by other players whom I trust and respect.
It's 2am here. It's not the first sleepless night I've had trying to deal with game issues.  I'm just adding this for those of you that think I sit on my a** and do nothing but watch the game pass by.
I spend time looking into issues in the game, and talking with players both in and out of the game.  Then I draw my own conclusions.
I thank the many people I've talked to, and asked advice on how to handle things.  Remember the shutdown I had cause I lost power for several days?  I expected I'd ruined the game then cause we missed some turns, and some externs.  But when power came back, it was almost like nothing happened, and I was very impressed.  I thanked the players for their understanding, and willingness to play through.
Then I got played. I was starting to develope some lag, I wasn't fully sure of the reasons, but did know that several requests for me to reboot the machine had somehow cleared the problem.  So one day when I was asked to do so again, I didn't think twice about it.  I didn't realize that dock was blown, and my resetting it would cause those players to lift.  I created a huge rift in the game I vowed not to interfear in.  I learned my lesson, and made a rule that I would not reset the server unless 1 member of each corp agreed it was needed.  Well, it's no longer a no rules game, but everyone agreed to the change.
I've had to make some random unannounced shutdowns becaue everyone agreed I should start restoring some of my normal games to the server, and those bangs required server shutdown.  So to keep it fair, I did random times, and unannounced.  So now some feel I've broken my own rule, why stop there?
This game was started as a "no rules" game.  I stated anything goes if the game allows it to happen.  When C1 started their planet/ship buyout I expected fallout, but didn't get as much as I expected to be honest.  But then the pings started to suffer and I've never felt comfortable with putting a finger on the absolute cause of that lag.  A few players whom I respect tried to explain to me how the buyouts can affect my cpu load, and therefore my pings would suffer.
SG was kind enough to work with me to test this issue.  Unannounce to other players, they stopped their buyouts, and didnt make any moves while I watched them, adn other players on the spy windows, as well as watched the cpu load on my server.  It didnt' go dowm by a lot when they stoppped, nor did it climb much when they started.  I later tested this again without their knowledge by stopping those scripts without their knowledge at all, during times of heavy load.  Once again, I saw little difference in cpu load, nor pings.  Do I feel that those scripts can contribute to the issue, yes!  But do I believe they are 100% the cause, no.
Now today I come home and find one of those players whom has been locked out for 2 weeks, but refuses to give up, still trying to get into the game.  But I see a change.  I see that instead of just hitting one node as I've seen in the past (login attempt, menu, logoff, repeat) I now see him on 7-8 nodes just flying through them trying to log in.  I also note my CPU is maxed, and staying maxed.  This was and is the only change I observed with the game.  That player told me they made no changes, I've got no reason to doubt his honesty, but something has changed, and I dont know what.  Now I check the per node load on my system.  Rather than seeing the typical two nodes with higher loads on them (1 ship buyout, 1 planet buyout) I now see like 12 high load nodes.  The only change I see is this sudden increase of login attempts by the player on multiple nodes, and the increased cpu activity.  After a little attention is drawn to this, it increases even more till all of my nodes are full and players can't even log in.  That player still says he made no changes.
Oh, lets not forget the attempt to hack my system and my having to move the game to a different computer and port because of that.
I fear this game is headed for the crapper.  Well, it's alread there actually, swirling around rapidly, just about to make that final gurgle sound.
How can I avoid it?  Everyone says pull the plug on SG's scripts, make him stop.  Well, kind of hard to say he's violating the rules of a no rules game.  And as stated above, I've not proven to myself that it's at fault 100% for the lag.  I'm aware that most of this will not call this a fair win, but I have to admit he can win with this stratagy unless someone finds a way around it.
I also see that if I don't pull the plug, this game is just going to keep swirling around with no end in site.  Nobody is attacking anybody cause they can't afford to loose their ship. Nobody is happy cause they think it's the cause of the lag, and maybe it is, I could be wrong.  C2 and C5 is going to be board enough to quit, locked out maybe if they make a mistake, and we'll have to wait another 30 days for them to be deleted from the game.  I also see if I don't pull the plug I'm going to have at least 10 unhappy players that may never want to play my games again, and think I'm a spineless SG pet.
I feel as a sysop my hands are tied.  I don't like the outcome, nore the reputation that might come from it.  But I feel I have to honor my original no rules stance, and allow the buyout to continue.
All this being said, I will ask C1 to consider discontinuing the use of their buyout scripts and allow the players to finish playing out the game.  Let me make this clear, I'm NOT demanding, I'm asking for the sake of the game.  I fully acknowledge that they will be voluntarily giving up the win they could very well achieve. If they choose to voluntarily stop using their scripts, I think we should all give them acknowlegement of a game stratagy well thought out and executed, and also applaude them for allowing the game to continue at their sacrifice.
Sorry about the book!  It's 3am, I'm stepping down from my soapbox now.  Good night to all, and don't call me in the morning

I'll make a simple response to this on a few of the areas you touched on.
1)  If it was me, the server would come before any game.  I'd fix the problem that is maxing out the cpu one way or the other, the other being shutting the server down if I couldn't find another way. 
2) I've ran many a ship buyout and planet buyout scripts and never heard of it maxing the cpu.   Now, the auto log scripts that are the indirectly related to the ship buy out would do it.  Any time there are very fast connects and disconnects, twgs has a tendancy to lock up nodes.  When a node locks, it can, and probably will, increase cpu usage.
3)  You are the sysop and the one footing the bill.  Do as you darn well please and stop fretting over it.   Period...
 

Well RP I am sorry your going threw this and I wish c1 had chosen to play the game instead of stall the game...but that's all there doing. not a winning stratagy, just one heck of a long stall. they have no grid let all they can go is sit in there base for the rest of the game as we wait for the haz to clear at there door 45 days from the last planet collition....so we all have to wait about a year before we can invade there now 4 bases. but once that happens then there out...this game has the potential to drag on forever and with the way they set it up they have it so the could even lock them selfs out....or if we want to speed up the proses we can remove the planets or selfs...but it fairly time consuming....still do able. I for one DO NOT applaed c1 for the tatics they have chosen to use in a war game, not to metion a game that is suposed to be some of the best tw players around. very disaponted in them is more my opinion. Ackting like a 4 year old thats not gitting it's way so it takes all the peces in the game and tries to say "I win" laff....don't think so. I'm not going to get board RP I'll play it to the end....think that will be what 2009?

as far as the other stuff with lag, now I'm not a sysop you'd have to ask around but it's my understanding that if you have a spywindow open and the player drop from game the window locks up and after that happens say 3 times it will max out your cpu.

But any way those are my thoughts...and can we ask the player that is trying to relog to stop? so the rest of us can log in now.

The processes by which C1 and Jupiter have locked down the nodes are totally seperate.  Jupiter was/is using a relog script trying to get back in the game, and that's expected.  I'm not sure why it went to multiple nodes instead of just one as it had been doing in the past, but he claims it's the same script he's been using for 2 weeks now.  I can't ask him not to try logging in, but I would like it if he has made a change for him to revert back.  I will also ask C1 to release their nodes.  They agreed to do this last night if I asked.  I'm asking.

Untill now, there wasn't really a cpu issue, and there was no damage being caused to my machine.  I still don't think their damaging anything.  Spiking the cpu only creates the lag, and since they are the only game on that server, it's not affecting any other games.  So the only peeps it's affecting is themselves.

This is what I've been trying to say all along, the buyouts raise the cpu load, but not max it.  However them logging into multiple nodes, as well as the buyouts, have finally spiked the cpu load.  Prior to this the buyouts might have slowed the pings, and loaded the cpu SOME, but not 100% the cause.

Well last night I was ready to pull the plug on the game, and walk away.  I know that wouldn't be fair to the players that have so much time invested in this game.  It really was on track to be a great game. 
At this point I'm hoping to reach a common ground so the game can continue.  I agree that C1 can cause this to drag out much longer.  I also know players are just irritated enough to throw the towel.  Both ways doesn't make a very satisfying win for the mass of the players.  C1 can win this game in the very long haul.  To most they call it a tainted win, and they know that and accept it.  If this game is to continue it will be C1's self sacrifice that will move it forward, and it will be by their choice, not by my demanding.  If they decide to shut down, and accept defeat we should all applaud them for their effort.  Why will they want to shut down if we're only attacking them and calling them cheats.  They're running a stratagy to win the game, and they're willing to accept the criticisms that come with that win.  If we acnowledge their process, maybe we can move on.
Right now, It's no loss to me either way this goes.  As the game is on a machine by it's self, I can let it run for years, and it's no big deal to me.  I can turn off icq, and have some quiet evenings.  Maybe my wife will start to like me again if I start ignoring BOTE complaines and come to bed now and then, instead of falling asleep on the couch.
This is my attempt at diplomacy.  If it works great, if it doesn't, well I go back to my cozy desk, well off the front, and the battle continues.
All in all, I'm happy with how the game has played till now, I'm proud of my servers performance, and I'm feeling good about myself and the decisions I've made.  I feel I've done my best, and that's all I can expect of myself.  There are things I've learned and things I would do different having that knowledge, but I can't change the past, only look to the future.  I also feel ALL players in C1, C2, and C5 deserve a round of applause for sticking it out this long.  I never dreamed it would go this long.

So what happened???
My team waits till we have level 6 planets.in a DEFAULT STOCK game and then we run a ship buy out....
At the time Uncle Sam said " Any team not prepared to deal with a ship buy out in a major tournament doesnt deserve to be playing in that game"
Well he was WELL stated!!!! I mean he nailed it on the HEAD!!!!
Just to be on record...My corp isnt stopping ANY buyouts till Sam or Spy get deleted for time out...
Then I will stop the ship buy out as it would be pointless....
You cant get in the Game??? WHY??
BOTH Me and Will Turner have BOTH been *ship destroyed* and have come back in the game..I have been killed SEVERAL times during this buy out and Continue to be able to get in..Whats your Problem????
The door is well known to you guys ..All my ships are behind it....Come on and come get me or Dont.
We still Grid practically everyday and we are going to continue our buyouts until our 5 accounts can out produce the other teams 4 accounts....
You want to mega corp against us...By all means Feel free.....
But WHY should i give up either the Planets or the ships???
Eventually us 5 will catch up in figs..we have already made progress to that end ...
Lastly...IF we can go ship destroyed and then come back in EVERYONE should be able to do the same.
its not my fault you guys ignored us and let us build more planets then you its not my fault you scoffed at our buy outs and claimed they wouldnt work...
But it is me and Will Turners Fault they are working! not to mention my corpies running those scripts.
I didnt run some buy out at stardock i TOWED every single one of those ships to our home sector..costing countless turns and time.
i didnt do it on day 4 or 5  i waited for level 6 planets in a stock game!!! level 6 H class planets!!! take along time to build those!!!
 
Its simple  debris is there to stop ur moths (which it has) planet buy out so u cant clear the debris
The ship buy out is to keep out people who go ship destroyed making mothing very dangerous.
NEITHER is going to stop.
I dont care if we are playing this game for 6 months or 2 years ALL my players are DEDICATED and they play turns everyday!!! 
So go home Give up or keep playing Your choice.
( i'm SOOO glad we posted no ties in this game)
BTW im selling ships at BOTE if any are intrested.
Whats wrong guys no Badgirl here to call a tie ???

Ok I have something to say, and no one is going to like it but tough crap.

First and formost RP as has been said you Sir are the sysop, the #1 concern for you is not any ONE game, be it a tourny game, or a default 5k sector game.

What you need to use as a balance for your actions on YOUR twgs is ONE thing and that is, what is the best action you can take to protect the continuation of your twgs, and the system that supports it.

If you have to reduce the avaliable nodes on the twgs,( you did state it was the only game on that sytem correct?),
in order to test the lag theory then do it.

If you need to make a change in order to protect the quality of the gaming experiance of your players then do it.

If you need to add a control to the end game phase to bring about a satisfactory conclusion to the tourny then do it.

Any time a game fails to live up to its expectations either by the players or the watchers, or the system admin team, then there presents a chance for all to learn and grow in the perspective areas that that game effects us.

But all in all you already know that to do nothing at this point, is to allow a game that is so full of bad events to become the measure that future games hosted by you may become tainted by.

get over the whole c1 winning bit...it's a stall in the game. not a win and take a resorse look...we can hid it with the best of them

you get back in becuase no one else sd is at keys...and we are not stooping to the point of a by out....the rest of your point do realy make much sense...all you said is you can't play head to head so make a base and turtel...it's allowed. and I'll personaly be taking those ships in 6 months-2years laffing boy   

I do have one question to anyone that thinks they can answer this if one BOTE is running how many more can there be at the same time...so when SG and crew do this again in BOTE2 will there be a BOTE3...all going at the same time that will be neet

 
Good For you Kewl !....As to stooping so low as to use a buy out...i plead GUILTY...What you call a Stall i call Fuel for the most Shielded H's in the Game. What you call Turtling I call Long Term Plan.
Im happy your aboard till the End !.
Good for you!

does that mean that someone that really want to could use a real power hack and not just a script to stall part of the game and it would still be fair and the sysop would have to accept that even to the cost of his server ?

Consider that he claims its "stalling" meaning the out come would be the same regardless of my actions...
If this was true why would i even play?
As to your Question the two are not the same...
hacking a server is not like running a ship buy out .
They are way different creatures.
SG

Okay RP, I have some questions, first is the server running aliens in the other games?

and is there any delays on logging on after kills?

for the aliens, the alien server sometimes hangs on the TWGS and causes intense server cpu usaga, you can go to the taskmanager and kill the nonperserv, on all instances of it, or go in the twgs and click the alien server and shut it down for 30 secs and restart it, or do both, I usually do both when it hangs and causes server cpu usage, also when you go to the task manager you will see if the nonperserv is using the cpu time,

on the relogin attempts, sometimes the TWGS hangs up and ghosts the players connections, and wont let them relog back in and sometimes not on the same node cause the node that has them showing loggin in or logged in, is a ghost, you have to break those connections to kill the ghosting to let the player relog back in. The TWGS still has some bugs with it and the node ghosting is one of them.

So you may have to use the spy window function and disconnect user on the multiple node uses to a game to kill the ghosts to the game to let users to login on game, and no this isn't a cheat to all that are reading, this is a legit issue with the twgs, I have been over this many times with JP on it. and it is agreed that it is a TWGS issue that was trying to be fixed with the next TWGS version that was supposed to have jumpgate in it. Which is on hold now till he gets time from the Xbox project to get back to work on it.

The only other way to fix the ghosting is to shut the TWGS down and restart it. But you may want to think on that one, cause it will make havoc on the whole game if a buyout is in progress.

But as stated it is your server and you are the sysop. and you have to do what is necessary to first and foremost fix any issue on the server that is server related to make the server run smoothly.

And from past experience with tournies, I don't envy your position at the moment, cause it is a double edge sword at the moment.

Good luck my friend and hope you find a way to fix the issues without interrupting the game if necessary.

I think SG and Zen both make good arguments.
I can't say this game has gone on without errors on my part.  But I do feel I've run a fair game.  I do feel I've made fair decisions. 
Might my server be tainted by letting this buyout continue?  Well, I see it this way.  I stated no rules at the beginning, with this in mind all players coming into game can expect buyouts, megacorping, alien planet farming, even node hogging.  With this game on it's own server, there is no effect to players in my regular games.
You guys want to crash my system, it's your choice, your loss.  You crash it, game over, nobody wins. 
If I had to call the game right now I'd have to say C1 wins.  By my book, they are staying you guys off.  And can continue to do so.  They are breaking no rules, and I can't make them stop with said no rules.  I asked, and I think they make a valid arguement as to their investment.  Feel free to dispute this, but it's my call, my view, and that's how I see it.
I Sam made an arguement that I already changed my no rules, buy stating that I will not reboot the system without consent of all three corps in game.  To make myself clear, I said that I would not reboot to clear LAG without consent of all parties, and it was to try and ease the tension going on there, I also stated I needed a player to agree, not the ceo of the team.  I was told by teams to start bringing games back onto the server cause things were "slow" so I did.  But bangs require me to take the TWGS off line.  To make it fair, I did random times, without notice.
Now, just to clear things up, I'm rescind that rule.  I'm going right back to the no rules.  I will reboot my server when I see fit, for whatever reason I see fit to do so.  I don't expect it to happen often, but I'm going back to original rule of no rules.
SG has let his captured nodes go per my request, but last I checked my original player has captured those let go by SG, and nobody can get into the game still.  I'm not sure if he's using a new script, a modified script, or typing all his commands by hand.  I don't care.  The fix to this problem is this.  At 3pm EST I'm taking the TWGS offline, I'm checking the one player per IP box, and fixing a few small things on the computer I need to fix (not game related).  I'll then bring the game back online.
I asked SG (didn't demand) to stop his buyout scripts, as I told you I would.  He's posted a responce to your request, Lets see your rebuttle here.  I'm interested in the arguments, and what might result from it.
 
 

There are no other games on this server, and no aliens in the BOTE game.  The game was moved to a new computer I had in mind for a tournament server.  One game at a time on it.  My other games are on my original machine now.


Not sure exactly what you mean.  I run no delays except death delay. That I'm aware of.


Well, I wasn't having this issue till yesterday, but I can at least solve the attempt by checking the one user per IP.  It should be this way on a tournament box anyway.


I tried the spy window yesterday.. I disconnected the user from the node, and it came right back.  Try another it did the same.  Had like 12 nodes locked down.  I don't know if it was ghosting or not.