Poll: Is Cheating In Gaming Okay?

[damon8r351]

This question was intended for both playing an actual game, and the trophy meta-game behind it. I go by a pretty simple metric when determining what's cheating and what is not: the intent of the developer. Did the developer intend on you using the game that way? If not, then it's cheating.

 

So if you ever boosted a trophy, exploited a glitch that would otherwise be fixed by the dev, tampered with the software or hardware, rolled back a patch, used a save file that you yourself didn't make, paid someone else to enter your profile and complete a game for you as purely a business transaction, or attempted to add a feature into the game that wasn't already placed there by the dev using a third party tool, then you were cheating. At least according to me.

 

Since all of us, including me, have at one point or another done at least one of these, you probably should be answering Yes to the poll question, at least by the metric I set above. But, personally, I don't care what you do. Do what thou wilt if it hurts no one.

 

But I'm going to be honest: I'd be lying if I said I didn't roll my eyes every time someone white-knighted the "sanctity" of the leaderboard and said cHeAtInG tRoPhIeS iS wRoNg in one breath, and then in the next breath posted in their newly created boosting session or thanked someone for showing them how to roll back the patch on Final Fantasy XV.

 

Interesting poll results, beeteedubblyoo. ?

Edited June 30, 2019 by damon8r351

[AJ_Radio]

I’m going to be honest, and this is my OWN opinion: 

 

If you are using a hacked console or game saving to get trophies, that is outright cheating. 

 

If you are boosting with a group, then I can make the argument that you are not cheating because you are still having to fulfill the requirements to earn those trophies. You’re just NOT earning those trophies casually which is playing multiplayer the way it was meant to be played. 

 

Most PS3/Vita games now HAVE to be boosted because the player base has dwindled to a mere trickle. Some PS4 games even have lost a lot of players because of their age. Far Cry 4 for instance is best done boosting for those three online trophies.

 

Using glitches trends a very fine line. Anything that looks even a little out of the ordinary can be reported on, resulting in a flag that the player has to dispute here on the forums. 

 

Technically with the Debug Menu now being well known in the Jak and Daxter trilogy, you don’t even have to play the games at all for those platinums. That basically defeats the purpose of earning trophies normally unless you already played through these games once. But it is allowed on this website.

[Big_Bobs_Beeper]

Imho cheating is fine. Be it single player or multiplayer. If people can do illegal drugs, rob banks, commit murder, ECT then cheating in a video game is fine. Sure it can ruin the game for others in a multiplayer setting, but that's been going on since the early days of gaming. People have been known for tinkering with controls on the old school arcade games to "cheat". 

[Cassylvania]

Well, I don't know about cheating, but there's this great big beautiful gray area of cheese that has produced some of the most hilarious moments in gaming for me. Mostly in sims and Dark Souls. It's not MY fault if a game is so broken that the AI can't even play it. ?

 

But yeah, I don't like cheating in multiplayer games. No Oddjob and no screen peeking. Boosting trophies is okay, though. A lot of those require coordination, which is part of the fun of multiplayer games. If the developers intended for you to get those trophies alone, then they should've been designed for a solo campaign.

[damon8r351]

1 minute ago, Cassylvania said:

Well, I don't know about cheating, but there's this great big beautiful gray area of cheese that has produced some of the most hilarious moments in gaming for me. Mostly in sims and Dark Souls. It's not MY fault if a game is so broken that the AI can't even play it. ?

 

But yeah, I don't like cheating in multiplayer games. No Oddjob and no screen peeking. Boosting trophies is okay, though. A lot of those require coordination, which is part of the fun of multiplayer games. If the developers intended for you to get those trophies alone, then they should've been designed for a solo campaign.

 

If I wake screaming tonight because in my dreams I pictured gray cheese, I will blame you.

[JoaLoft]

Hmm, there should've been a third option that says "Yes, but only in singleplayer games/modes if it doesn't affect trophies". So I'll refrain from voting.

 

If it's just to mess around with the physics in an open world for instance and you love a good chuckle, go for it. Anything else is a very big no-no for me, e.g. cheating to earn trophies very easily, cheating online, etc.

[PerryToxteth]

Cheating? Hmm...

The immortal lines of Bill Clinton immediately pop into my mind. 

 

"It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

[AffectatiousDonk]

Interesting question. I think it really comes down to the type of relationship you have with your partner. I mean I think most people accept the look but don't touch rule. Of course as the 1st episode of Season 5 of Black Mirror shows us the line between looking and touching is blurring. Combine this with the rapid advancement in the Japanese Adult Simulation Machine market and the growing interest in VR technology and well it is not surprising things are about to explode.

 

Who is to say cheating will only be limited to anime characters or other humanoids. I mean experimentation with a horse in RDR2, octopus in any VN or even a fence post in Farm Together. Exciting possibilities for sure. Perhaps the only real answer is to embrace the open relationship because how can you ever be sure just what your partner is doing in the  "gaming" room.

 

 

[KillerUni12]

I voted yes because of how broad cheating can be defined as. I don’t really support CFW or hacking trophies, but I’ve played in some modded CoD zombies lobbies and got a good laugh out of some of it. 

When it comes to boosting, I usually attempt the trophies legit first- if they are a ridiculous grind (Looking at you Battlefront DLC) or the lobbies are dead (Future Soldier DLC, Hardware Rivals, Far Cry 2) then I often will turn to boosting. After all, why would it be a bad thing if I find a new way to enjoy a game? Especially if it doesn’t affect another player 

[Guest]

I use the cheats in Lego games...?

[Beyondthegrave07]

7 hours ago, diskdocx said:

 

So, if you were playing a LEGO game, you would not use a Red Brick multiplier? I mean, the game itself calls it a 'cheat'.

 

It's a core gameplay function, but sure, there is nothing stopping you from grinding those 20 billion studs by replaying levels hundreds of times instead.

 

I am of course, using some hyperbole here, but since you said categorically 'No', then I think the example is reasonable.

 

This topic, however is not. I'm not answering it, because this type of question is not black and white. Without context, the poll cannot be answered. And please don't give me 'cheating is cheating' as an answer, because without defining what you consider cheating, you can't answer whether or not you would do it.

We'll, I was just basing it on my specific scenario as in "competitive play." Not really to be taken seriously as a whole. In the end, it just comes down to how you define "cheating." If only cheating was as black and white as this poll...

[RadiantFlamberge]

1 hour ago, Cassylvania said:

Well, I don't know about cheating, but there's this great big beautiful gray area of cheese that has produced some of the most hilarious moments in gaming for me. Mostly in sims and Dark Souls. It's not MY fault if a game is so broken that the AI can't even play it. ?

 

That gray area is not what I call cheating. In games where enemies take block damage (like most fighting games), I don't see anything wrong with exploiting that. "Infinite" combos are the developer's fault.

I haven't used the Skyrim Buckethead exploit, but I've watched someone else do it on a Youtube video. I loved it! Just put a bucket or kettle on everyone's head in the shop, then steal all you want. This made me laugh so hard I was in tears. Oh... also the Magic bucket flight. I'm glad that Bethesda didn't patch it out.

 

I voted no on the poll, so what do I consider cheating? Hacking, modding, or exploits that are used to gain an unfair advantage on trophies, leader boards, or multiplayer.

[Copanele]

Yeah heck why not cheating is ok. Ever had to play a shitty game from a series that you love?(DMC2) Or tried one of the many delicious mods for skyrim on pc(base game is nothing compared to the stuff the community brings on the table). I mean sure cheats cheats but who doesn't love meteoring the shit out of Windhelm with exploding cheese?

Ever punished an invicible cheater via gravity in DS3? :3 cheating sometimes can bring satisfaction to the cheated one ( still have to be good at it , gotta admit). 

No gray option needed , just as the OP stated, if you don't USE the game as the developer intended then that's cheating, fully agreeing with that statement .How else will we have so many funny youtube clips?

I mean...you could always not cheat! Ah and in multiplayer if you can't help but find cheaters in every game session ... maaaybe that game ain't as good and you should really play something else.

This is an interesting topic , I vote for more like these  

[Property_Damage]

Is cheating on your spouse ok?

[ProfBambam55]

17 minutes ago, Property_Damage said:

Is cheating on your spouse ok?

only if third party software is involved...

[Chocolat_GiddyUp]

We must cleanse PEE-SN-PEE from the cheeterz.

 

[AJ_Radio]

4 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

Well, I don't know about cheating, but there's this great big beautiful gray area of cheese that has produced some of the most hilarious moments in gaming for me. Mostly in sims and Dark Souls. It's not MY fault if a game is so broken that the AI can't even play it.

 

But yeah, I don't like cheating in multiplayer games. No Oddjob and no screen peeking. Boosting trophies is okay, though. A lot of those require coordination, which is part of the fun of multiplayer games. If the developers intended for you to get those trophies alone, then they should've been designed for a solo campaign.

 

Dark Souls is probably one of the most refined Action RPGs out there. There’s no cheesing apart from a couple boss fights and over leveling your character to the point where nothing is even remotely a challenge. 

 

It’s one of those games that requires a lot of research. A big slip up can mean another playthrough. 

 

Cheating in multiplayer is either outright hacking, using an exploit that completely overpowers your character, or abusing a mechanic that the developers overlooked. I seen plenty of these instances in MMOs like Runescape and World of Warcraft.  

[Tarsier182]

Pressed yes as I think people should be allowed to do as they please in Single player, even if I think it ruins the experience itself,

But competitive multiplayer absolutely not, no one should ruin someone else's fun.

 

I also don't class guides or boosting dead multiplayers as cheating.

[JohnCenaSong-]

5 hours ago, Crimsonfire44 said:

If people can do illegal drugs, rob banks, commit murder, ECT then cheating in a video game is fine.

 

Uhm, you can't really just do any of that, it's illegal, widely considered wrong and a bizarre comparison to make as well. I don't think comparing whatever people do in a videogame to full on criminal activity is really a good idea , unless you want them treated similarly and have using an aim bot or boosting a game be a criminal offence with jail time lol.

[majob]

11 hours ago, MMDE said:

While many may consider this like a libertarian question, where you think people should be able to do what they want to do, I think it's sort of a contradiction to cheat at a game. Are you actually playing a game if you cheat? To play a game, you must meet certain goals within the constraints of the rules, otherwise, you didn't actually play the game, but you just did something that may remind you of playing the game.

So what about games with developer intended cheats such as GTA? The developers themselves placed the cheats in the game and made them available for you to use within the confines of the game as it was made. Of course you're still playing the game in that context if you're cheating because in that instance cheating doesn't change the objectives, it just changes the means to which you achieve them.

Edited June 30, 2019 by majob

[MMDE]

Just now, majob said:

So what about games with developer intended cheats such as GTA? The developers themselves placed the cheats in the game and made the available for you to use within the confines of the game as it was made. Of course you're still playing the game if you're cheating, cheating doesn't change the objectives, it just changes the means to which you achieve them.

 

Allowing you to break the rules or play a different game by applying different rules doesn't change what I said I think.

[majob]

4 minutes ago, MMDE said:

 

Allowing you to break the rules or play a different game by applying different rules doesn't change what I said I think.

Well you said "Are you really playing a game if you cheat?"as if the modification of the rules somehow means "You aren't really playing the game" when you're still technically interacting with the gameplay elements but simply under a modified scope. The game itself is still there and still being played, just not under the conditions you find satisfactory. I don't mean this as a jab, just some light debate

 

EDIT: I only consider this with developer intended cheats. Mods and hacking I consider something else and unwanted

Edited June 30, 2019 by majob

[MMDE]

13 minutes ago, majob said:

Well you said "Are you really playing a game if you cheat?"as if the modification of the rules somehow means "You aren't really playing the game" when you're still technically interacting with the gameplay elements but simply under a modified scope. The game itself is still there and still being played, just not under the conditions you find satisfactory. I don't mean this as a jab, just some light debate

 

EDIT: I only consider this with developer intended cheats. Mods and hacking I consider something else and unwanted

 

Changing the rules means you aren't playing the same game anymore. Are you cheating if it's allowed?

Edited June 30, 2019 by MMDE

[majob]

1 minute ago, MMDE said:

 

Changing the rules means you aren't playing the same game anymore.

Not at all, a variety of games exist with multiple rule sets depending on how you want to play and videogames can be no different. By that logic, does changing the difficulty mean you aren't playing the same game anymore? A different set of rules gets handed to the AI in those instances.

[Kurumi-and-Noire]

Honestly there shouldn't be a reason to cheat in gaming in general, both just playing and trophy wise. If a game has them inputted in the game already like, for example: collect 10 easter eggs and unlock this cheat, than that's a different story. Besides that still sticking with my answer being no for this poll.