What's Your Opinion On Cheating?

[Lord Pug]

So, I often cheat in video games. You see, I have a brother who is really good at video games so if we ever happen to both have the same video game, he always gives me cool stuff in it after he finishes it. For instance, my brother finished Pokemon Sun (I have Pokemon Moon) and I have barely started it. He gave me a bunch of high-level Pokemon. Or in Terraria, he beat the game and gave me tons of cool stuff that he got after he beat the game (I "helped" him beat some of the bosses by perpetually running to the side of the screen). Sometimes I use literal cheats (like in The Sims: 4 and a bit in Minecraft, too).


I was talking with somebody about all this cheating and they said "cheating is bad." The idea that cheating could be bad never really crossed my mind. Does anybody else have any opinions on cheating in video games?

 

[Windsock]

is it competitive MP?


If it isn't, but nobody gives a shit if you do cheat?


if both of those are a 'no' why give a shit?

 

[Riolux]

It honestly depends on the game and whether or not it affects others. In most multiplayer experiences, cheating is perspective unless you're explicitly abusing some broken mechanic (as in it shouldn't be there, not broken as in "extremely hard to beat") or using some form of software to make yourself nearly unbeatable. In singleplayer, it becomes mostly irrelevant if you cheat or not as it doesn't affect anyone but yourself unless your singleplayer experience, items, and abilities carry on into online play as well, which would be cheating for sure.

 

[LegoLad659]

Singleplayer games used to come with cheat codes for a reason. Because, at the end of the day, the player should be able to experience the game how they want to experience it. For some people, that's facing all of the challenges and beating the game 100% legitimately. Others just want to see the story. And others still simply want to feel powerful. All of these things are valid reasons for playing a game. If the guy that wants to see a game's story ends up getting stuck because he can't beat a particular challenge, then having the option to skip that challenge would be extremely welcome. If the guy that wants to obliterate everything in his path starts the game being incredibly weak, then he can give himself the power he wants and enjoy the game the way he wants to. If your brother wants to give you the most powerful stuff in games which allow that, and you want to receive that powerful stuff, you're perfectly fine to do that. The last thing anyone wants to do is trudge through the parts of a game that they don't enjoy.


Of course, this says nothing about multiplayer games, where all of that is thrown out the window in favor of fairness for the other players. There's a reason everyone hates people that hack multiplayer games to absolutely stomp everyone in it - It just isn't fair for the other players, and ruins the experience they were hoping to get with it.


There's a video on Youtube that covers this subject in more detail and in a better fashion, if you'd like to know more.

 

[Thalia_Neko]

No one should care if someone cheats in a singleplayer game.


(There are even people that hate it when people hack pokemon)


Honestly, as long as you hack them for yourself and dont use them in battling (though, technically, its all just numbers and you can get a perfect pokemon without hacking anyway), it shouldnt matter.


If you hack in singleplayer, it shouldnt matter. Cheat all you want.


In MP, though. If you hack/cheat, youre scum in my eyes lol.


Too many times Ill die in MP to someone who is hacking or cheating. Its just a game in the long run, and it doesnt ultimately matter. But you shouldn't cheat in those situations, still. If the  game was for money, itd be illegal to cheat or hack.

 

[Flooffy]

My personal opinion, but if you play a game, why to play with cheat and fly through it? It sounds rather boring, if you are a god in the game, finishing it with a breeze... the challenge is gone. That is a part of the game that is fun ^^


I don't do it, but what others do, is their own thing. Live and let live

 

[Count Gensokyo]

I generally don't do it.


The only time when I get triggered with this, though, is when people act like they're all that and a bag and a chips for using "god mode" in Dark Souls.

 

[Esper Alucard]

To me, as long as it doesnt ruin the game for someone else, its ok. If the cheat is giving an advantage over another player, then its best you just stop.

 

[Randomfella]

The only game worth cheating in is something like GTA where you can't be bothered so you just go on an op rampage. But as far as most single player games go, I never cheat, can't really see the point of it. Then again I really enjoy a challenge, normally don't play below max difficulty, because then I feel like I'm taking the easy road or something. I don't really mind other people cheating on single player games, I understand the attraction to it, though I don't have that same feeling.


For multiplayer games I despise cheating, why not just have an 'I Win' screen on a black monitor? People getting gear from other players in an mmo or something is fine, that's the choice of both players, but if you hack someone's account and steal their gear then that's another story completely.


Actual cheating in multiplayer games ruins the gameplay for everyone, including the person cheating, so why bother?

 

[Cold Ramen Noodles]

I try to play the game without cheating, because I sometimes enjoy a challenge as well. But if I'm stuck on ONE level and there's a chance to cheat, then I will. I don't want to abandon the whole game if I'm stuck on a level I've tried like 50 times. 

 

[Novislav Đajić]

If you cheat on MP servers, rip you, most games have a global ban system or use VAC/ PunkBuster / Battleye


If you cheat in SP why do people even care?

 

[Swindle]

I don't see a problem if you're doing it for your own joy. So long as you're not one of those sorts that tries to equate your gains from cheating to someone who actually played the game for such things.

If you cheat in multiplayer games though, especially ones that people really get into (which is all of them), you deserve the ban that will inevitably come to you. Well, unless it's on an old game. Those are usually rife with bots and hacks. 

 

[MechanicalHeart]

Like most people have stated:  


In singleplayer: nobody gives a crap.  


In multiplayer:  You belong to the lowest form of virmin if you have to ruin other people's experience by cheating, to cover up your own ineptitude. 

 

[two]

Depens on the game (like GTA or the sims, often makes the game more fun), and whether you're really stuck at some point or not because then it's just not fun anymore. Otherwise it just ruins the whole challenge a bit for me. But I don't see a problem at all if you do- in singleplayer games then not in multiplayer. 

 

[The Mechanist]

 Heating and exploiting the game are very different, you named both of these, honestly if no one is getting hurt then it shouldn't be a problem, in modes that involve other players it's questionable cuz everyone has to be onceven ground ya know? So having a major advantage could be cheating, it all depends on the circumstance

 

[DerUbermensch]

Whether single player or on multiplayer, I frown upon cheating.  But I can condone it on buggy games or games that are more frustrating than fun.  After all, a good game should be fun rather than frustrating.  A word of warning: major game services like Steam have a zero-tolerance policy on cheating.

 

[punkinblackk]

There are reasons the Sims series, and GTA series among others have lists of legitimate cheat codes. 


(Sims 2 it was nearly impossible to keep a family of more than like... Two people and an animal alive without cheats of some sort)

 

[Blaire Wisteria]

No one should care if someone cheats in a singleplayer game.


(There are even people that hate it when people hack pokemon)


Honestly, as long as you hack them for yourself and dont use them in battling (though, technically, its all just numbers and you can get a perfect pokemon without hacking anyway), it shouldnt matter.


If you hack in singleplayer, it shouldnt matter. Cheat all you want.


In MP, though. If you hack/cheat, youre scum in my eyes lol.


Too many times Ill die in MP to someone who is hacking or cheating. Its just a game in the long run, and it doesnt ultimately matter. But you shouldn't cheat in those situations, still. If the  game was for money, itd be illegal to cheat or hack.

The amount of times I've seen hacked Pokemon on the ORAS multiplayer has made me stop playing online with randoms.


I personally hate it when people cheat the game, get achievements/trophies with said cheats, and then show them off like they actually did the work to get them.

 

[simone]

well i do it all the time, but i only try to do it when i absolutely need the help. i can never honestly say i've been really good at a video game without some particular type of cheat. cheats make the game more fun anyways. i'm all for them lol

 

[Dex118]

It's cool at the start (useful) but then it gets "boring"

 

[Ammy]

Nice to see my stance is more or less the same as everyone else's here; don't do it to break the competition, and don't do it to gain an opportunity to boast. Then it's fine, personal enjoyment is really all that matters beyond that.


Lost count of the amount of times I've "cheated" by using a console command in Bethesda games whenever an NPC wouldn't spawn in properly for a quest. Which is usually a minimum of four times per game.

 

[JKai]

Do you. You want to cheat it's your business.

 

[Azuria]

I think cheating makes you bad at games. Here is my anecdotal evidence.


My brother plays age of mythology: the titans expansion. He used cheats to instantly get free heroes and resources to build a wonder. Then he managed to lose after that. The difficulty of the other computer he was playing against was easy.


Easy computer's literally do not even attack you. I have no idea how he lost.

 

[Insanitation]

Last time I cheated was the item duplication glitch in pokemon red/blue/yellow.


oh, and Battletoads. Had to beg for a game genie for that rage inducer. I don't do multiplayer so I haven't had any bad experiences there (Basically I don't play video games with people who are not in the same room, if they're being obnoxious, counterproductive tools I want the option to employ the backhand)

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

If it is a game like Borderlands, then I won't care, mainly because those games become difficult, even if you have the best guns or shields. But the only thing I have learned when modding my Borderlands the Pre Sequel saves, is never touch your Badass rank, as it will send you to 0 every time you increase it. I enjoy cheating in borderlands, mainly because I can help others blow through the game, and help them get to the endgame grind. I simply mod in guns I want, either legendaries or other rare guns, and often give them to others. I do not care for cheating, but ruin my fun, you will be dead to me. Borderlands modding is ok in my eyes.