The ethics of cheating (in video games) |
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Cheating in video games is almost as old as video gaming itself. It's never long before someone decides that he wants to take the easy way out. This would seem unfair to others who choose play by the rules of the game, however.
As a gamer I have to admit that I did my fair share of cheating through a game. Most of the time, nothing major. If I get stuck in a level to the point that I feel a migraine building up, I'll consult a walkthrough.
Some people consider this cheating, while others won't. Some who consider this cheating will consider this fair and allowable, others won't. But what is cheating anyway? And when is it allowable, and when is it unfair?
So this piece may just be my way of rationalizing my own actions, or just to appease my own gamer friends, but a part of me really wants to know. As a gamer, am I breaking some unspoken, unwritten law when I cheat? Mind you, this is an opinion piece and should not be taken in any other way than as opinion.
To go to the farthest end of the spectrum on this question, I shall define cheating as "any action done or information gathered in or outside of the game that allows the player to progress through a game outside of his or her own capabilities in relation to the dynamics set by the game."
This includes walkthroughs and asking people what to do to get to the next level. It also includes hacking, trainers, taking advantage of bugs and even using the game's own built in cheat codes (remember "black sheep wall"?).
All of this could be typified as unfair, essentially because it gives an advantage over others who are playing the game under their own steam and skill. It cheapens the overall challenge the game presents and awards less (and in some situations totally cancels out) bragging rights. Gamer's honor, if you will.
With that in mind then, what are the situations where gamer's honor doesn't matter? For example, I've already finished the game. Many, many times before. Would it really hurt if I used god mode just for the fun of it?
Another situation would be if I got myself stuck in a level and have exhausted all my mental resources and I'm about to go insane (it's happened). It's either read a walkthrough or drop the game I paid good money for.
However, there comes a point where cheating is abused and becomes a tool to gain the upper hand over someone else. In the end a line has to be drawn where "cheating" can still be called "assisted gaming." One writer from the Washington Post describes it this way: it's one thing to cheat to explore all the the games has to offer, it's another thing to use it for dominance. I heartily concur.
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Comments [refresh]
Interesting viewpoint. Too bad QJ's new layout prohibits people from reading it.
1st Opinion: Cheating can clearly be though of as something anyone can do, its just that the "better"(at cheating) players do it. Consulting a walk through as cheating? Sure, I'll go with that. As far as I'm concerned if the game doesn't prevent it from happening, its not cheating...
2nd Opinion: Meh, just because you can wipe off all the peices off a chessboard and declare you're the winner doesn't mean you really won. Not to mention, just because you looked up a 3 move win doesn't mean you're a cheater either.
I wouldn't call using a bug in the game cheating, because the bug is, probably, exploitable by everyone who plays the game. So it is nothing more than using an ingame-item, for example.
it works when you are over at a friend's house and you don't have your save data, so you enter a code in to get back to where your save data was at home!
it all depends on what your goal is.
if it is just to have fun with the game you just shelled out $60 for, then anything goes.
if your goal is to test your skill, then yes even something as simple as a walkthrough would be cheating.
i usually play games to have fun, not for honor or recognition.
i only consider cheating wrong when you use something to give yourself an unfair advantage (one not easily obtained by anyone) when playing another human player.
I don't like any assistance or exploits when I am playing a game. If/when I get to a point that starts to "stress me out", then I walk away and get to it later. Usually that solves the problem immediately. As for others getting assistance or using hacks, I really don't care unless it is in an online game or versus another person. Anyone that cheats online or against other people is a sack of fecal matter, to me.
FAQs and Strat guides are 100% fair. just my 2 cents.
From Dictionary.com:
game - 1. an amusement or pastime
Games are called games because they are designed for you to have fun. As long as your having fun (and not taking away from anyone else's joy), then who cares what you do?
I dunno why, but I hate to cheap, it just feels lame. I'm competitive and I'm always doing everything in my games, and that's one of the things I find fun, so cheating is just not my type!
Still, some of my friends cheat in all action games (like GTA) but don't cheat in JRPG games (but ALWAYS cheat in american rpgs, lol.)
I completed halo3 on legendary. I never used the walkthrough once. I used the walkthrough to find the skulls and I dont really care who says its cheating. cause almost eveyone who has all the skulls used a walkthrough. so w/e
I usually play story heavy, single player games. If some "skill" aspect is interrupting the flow of the story, I will cheat to overcome it. In FPS i usually turn on god mode. I do not play therm for the "challenge" and I don't feel like I have cheapened my experience.
The only time I regret cheating is on adventure games, even if wholly stumped.
I'm probably older than most here... (36 eeeck) and have been playing "computer" games since before the IBM Compatable (now known as the "PC") was around.
I feel using any outside source to help in a game is "cheating". However, using a walkthrough to find missing items (such as skulls in Halo3) may be considered by some as "ok". And yet, I feel if I do that, I did not deserve the items.
Games have had cheat codes forever. Who forgets god mode in Doom I ? If the devs put codes in there, then sure, take advantage... but there should be a penalty. 360 games for example... enter a cheat code... but then you cant get any achievements. Sounds fair to me.
I regard cheating as being anything used except ones own skill to gain an advantage over an opponent or to gain recognition in a public area for something that one could not do alone.
Using a walkthrough is at times a saviour in my opinion as there have been moments in some games where it is just plain irritating and gets to a point where I want to throw the game in the bin. A walkthrough is also generally for the solitary player as a game that is played for fun within a group then the walkthrough is never needed as the solution is always found long before irritation sets in.
The use of God mode is with some games just plain fun, it was great to rip through the games as Quake 3, having full weapons and unlimited ammo is just plain fun fun wasting bots with the rocket launcher at pointblank. I do not regard this as cheating but as an alternative way to just further enjoy the game.
In the first unreal the use of fly was wonderful just for looking around the environment. In games purchased for fun and entertainment anything that can be done to enhance the fun or prolong the entertainment value is in my opinion a good thing.
I'm 30 and I've been playing since I was five years old. My first game was cat and mouse on the atari. I then later found a copy of super mario bros on the atari. yes the atari.
In short Ive been playing games for roughly 25 years. And I want to make a couple of points. Point number one. No one cares how old people are or how long they have been playing games. Point number two. Video games are games and how people choose to play them Is up to them. Some people my want to use cheat codes for the Fun of it.
Omg Did I just call cheating fun?! Someone get the president on the phone!! *Gasp!
THe third and final point. People have been taught to look for cheats and codes since they where children. Up up down down left left right right A B select Start. Ring any bells?
So just because people want to be anal and play through a game by the books and be a poin dexter. Doesn't mean anyone who wants to play a game any way they see fit. Is wrong to do so.
The end.
To some hard core gamers. Finding a cheat is like finding a secret weapon or the ultimate armor. If the cheat can be preformed with a in game bug or a code. then all the better. Because like it or lump it. It's part of the game itself. And I feel, Strongly. that any bug or code that is part of the final game that is built in to the programing of the game itself Is Not cheating but fair play..
Its like telling people who went to the trouble of finding knights of the round in final fantasy seven. DOnt use knights of the round Its cheating because a whole lot of noobs dont know how to find it. Well W/E