(I put this here in Off Topic because it not specifically about Glitch)
The word griefing gets tossed around a lot and the line may be a thin one. I know it well. Anyone who has played most FPS online knows that horrible moment when you enter a game and someone just kills you over and over, living for just second, because they've modded (or whatever). That is obvious (using cheating to break the physical rules of the game to not just win but to do it to piss people off). Straight up causing grief.
But if they are not breaking the physical rules? Where it is a subjective question as to breaking the spiritual rules?
Today I came upon a question that answers it for me, and it actually ignore the question of intent of the player.
If this was an actual game event, performed by an NPC, could I come up with a story/game reason for it? And a follow up question: Does the action actually break the game or just make things more challenging?
Let's take a very simple example: Killing spice trees in Ur. What if it was being cause by NPCs? What if it was a cult that for whatever reason hates spice? (Maybe they believe spice is evil because food should be bland because spicy food is decadent.) And for me it works. The game play (if I care enough, which I don't) would be save the spice trees! Must keep them alive against these zealots!
How about butterflies in mining areas? Again, the ecology has gone a bit wonky. Perhaps Zille, bored by the drab colors of batterflies, has imagined butterflies in her cavern. Or Cosma has developed a crush on Zille and, because she's a bit ditzy, gave her a bunch of butterflies.
I think these questions answer it very well for me. Now I don't care at all what the "greiefer" is thinking... which also, handily, takes away what the they want - attention. I get cool story elements that are surprising and they get zilch.
Thank you for listening.