What Is Power Gaming in FiveM?

Power gaming is forcing unrealistic actions or outcomes on other players without allowing them to respond or react naturally in roleplay scenarios.

Core Violations

1. Denying Player Agency

❌ "/me tackles you to the ground and you can't move"
✓ "/me attempts to tackle you to the ground"

2. Forcing Impossible Actions

❌ "/me dodges all bullets Matrix-style"
✓ "/me dives behind cover"

3. Ignoring Game Mechanics

❌ Claiming immunity to game damage systems
❌ "My character has kevlar skin"
✓ Using actual in-game armor items

Common Examples in FiveM

Police Scenarios:

• Instant-cuffing without roleplay
• “/me finds drugs” without searching mechanics
• Claiming evidence that doesn’t exist in-game

Criminal Scenarios:

• Escaping custody without interaction
• “/me is immune to tasers”
• Forcing hostage compliance without RP

Medical Scenarios:

• Refusing injuries after accidents
• Instant-healing without EMS
• “/me has no injuries” after being shot

Server Rule Implementation

Most servers define power gaming as:

Rule: Actions must be possible within game mechanics and allow response time
Penalty: Warning → Kick → Temporary Ban → Permanent Ban

Detection Methods

1. Action logs – Server-side monitoring of /me commands
2. Player reports – In-game reporting systems
3. Admin spectating – Direct observation
4. Automated flags – Suspicious action patterns

Prevention Guidelines

For Players:

• Use “attempts to” instead of absolute statements
• Wait for responses before continuing actions
• Respect game limitations

For Admins:

• Clear rule documentation
• Consistent enforcement
• Example scenarios in rules

Technical Enforcement

Some servers implement:

-- Example anti-powergaming script concept
RegisterCommand('me', function(source, args)
    local text = table.concat(args, ' ')
    if string.match(text, 'forces') or string.match(text, 'cannot') then
        TriggerClientEvent('chat:addMessage', source, {
            args = {'SYSTEM', 'Potential powergaming detected. Use "attempts" instead.'}
        })
        return
    end
    -- Process normal /me command
end)

Related Violations

• Metagaming: Using out-of-character information
• Fail RP: Breaking character or scenario logic
• RDM/VDM: Random/Vehicle deathmatch without RP

One-sentence summary: Power gaming in FiveM means forcing actions or outcomes on other players without allowing proper roleplay responses, violating the fundamental principle of collaborative storytelling.