People who think cheating in single player games is "wrong" are nuts

[child of wonder]

I cheat at single player games when I have trouble beating them.

I want to enjoy the game and I really don't have the time or desire to put in the time to improve. I might get to play a game 2-3 hours per week max.

Sometimes it's fun to cheat just to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

 

[GrumpyMan]

I have to be really, really mad at a boss to use a cheat code to kill it. Once I've tried to kill it maybe 20 times without success, then I'll look for a cheat just to progress through the game. But I do turn it off as soon as I've killed that boss and pulled out a knife or something after it's dead and just hack it up to pieces. lol....but it's rare that I have to do that now.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Cheating in multiplayer is definitely wrong because everyone is supposed to be on the same ground. Although over my past years I have entertained occasional cheaters who would otherwise be mediocre at best if their cheats brought their game to about my level, just for added challenge.

As far as single player, no, it's not morally wrong. I've done that plenty of times in the past. Usually because I found the game boring and just wanted to see how it ends, the plot, the rest of the levels, the artwork, etc... In such cases I probably wouldn't have even finished the game if it wasn't for the cheats.

 

[MJinZ]

I have to be really, really mad at a boss to use a cheat code to kill it. Once I've tried to kill it maybe 20 times without success, then I'll look for a cheat just to progress through the game. But I do turn it off as soon as I've killed that boss and pulled out a knife or something after it's dead and just hack it up to pieces. lol....but it's rare that I have to do that now.

Games are designed for a person to overcome obstacles... not cheat through thme.

 

[tk149]

My rule:
First playthrough - no cheating. Use Guides if stuck.
Second playthrough - Increase the difficulty, no cheating.
Third playthrough - cheat like a mofo and give payback to all those #$*#&$ who shot me in the head the first time.

 

[KeithTalent]

Games are designed for a person to overcome obstacles... not cheat through thme.

Games are designed for the players to enjoy them. If using cheats in a single player game helps someone enjoy it more, then that's their prerogative.

KT

 

[2dt Drifter]

My rule:
First playthrough - no cheating. Use Guides if stuck.
Second playthrough - Increase the difficulty, no cheating.
Third playthrough - cheat like a mofo and give payback to all those #$*#&$ who shot me in the head the first time.

THIS ^

I loved going through HL2 for the Nth time using only the shotgun. I would modify it so it would output 500 pellets instead of 8 and have my max ammo cache be in the hundreds. Fun times and it certainly didn't ruin the game for me. Maybe next time ill put the SMG Damage to half but triple the magazine capacity. That's the kind of cheating I like to do

 

[MJinZ]

Games are designed for the players to enjoy them. If using cheats in a single player game helps someone enjoy it more, then that's their prerogative.

KT

Games are only enjoyable when you play within the rules of attaining an objective.

When the objective is to survive an onslaught, and you turn on "God mode", there is no point in even turning on the game.

 

[KeithTalent]

Games are only enjoyable when you play within the rules of attaining an objective.

When the objective is to survive an onslaught, and you turn on "God mode", there is no point in even turning on the game.

Nonsense. What you say may hold true for you, but not everyone plays games for the same reasons.

Some people just like to walk through and randomly mow down baddies, regardless of objective, particularly if it is a game they have already played and they can take out their frustrations on a particular character that gave them fits along the way.

KT

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Games are only enjoyable when you play within the rules of attaining an objective.

When the objective is to survive an onslaught, and you turn on "God mode", there is no point in even turning on the game.

lol

you sure? you sure that's just not what YOU find enjoyable?

 

[Dorkenstein]

I used to cheat in nearly every single player game I had as a kid. Then I got sick of ruining the experience and taking every bit of challenge and value out of my games and started learning to play. So, since there's an echo in here, single player cheats aren't "wrong" - they just ruin games completely. That is, unless you got a game for pennies or free and don't care about enjoying it whatsoever. If I could roll back the time, I would have beaten all my old games legitimately and been a happier man. The ones I DID beat with my own skill were so much the sweeter.

 

[MJinZ]

Nonsense. What you say may hold true for you, but not everyone plays games for the same reasons.

Some people just like to walk through and randomly mow down baddies, regardless of objective, particularly if it is a game they have already played and they can take out their frustrations on a particular character that gave them fits along the way.

KT

A real life gun range is a lot more fun for these purposes.

 

[TheVrolok]

I do my first playthrough, but sometimes on subsequent playthroughs I'll cheat. Especially in big RPGs like BG/DA:O, I'll play through a few times taking different paths/playing different chars but I don't want to be bothered with grinding, I just want to play with all the skills, etc.

 

[TheVrolok]

A real life gun range is a lot more fun for these purposes.

.. while being significantly more expensive, and difficult to access.

 

[zebano]

I've had several run-ins with my 11 year old over cheats. I've caught him using cheats on several Xbox 360 games. He uses the cheat, flys through the game and then is like "I'm bored". "Well maybe you shouldn't have cheated your way through your game. Now you don't have anything exciting/challenging to play and you don't have any $$ for a new one!"

The bigger issue for me is this: if he's succumbed to the temptation of cheating at video games will he also succumb to the temptation to cheat at school?

So yes, there's a moral implication for me.

But I'm not passing judgement on those who do! This is more a parenting issue.

I agree with you it's often a moral implication of whether someone is willing to do the grunt work required in life or if they'll do the bare minimum. That said, I would have finished a lot more games had I cheated, and on any subsequent replay I almost always look for a guide.

 

[MJinZ]

.. while being significantly more expensive, and difficult to access.

It's like sex.

 

[TheVrolok]

It's like sex.

... right.

 

[Rifter]

My rules are:

Play the game, enjoy it and only use a guide if I am royally stuck or think there is a bug.

Using cheats and guides are there for me only to enhance the gameplay once I have completed a successful playthrough of the game.. exception being FF7 on the PS1 where I used a Materia guide and a Chocobo guide from the start.

Unfortunately there are games that almost require you to be trawling forums or guides such as the Star Wolves series. Perhaps one of the best games I have played from a gameplay aspect (Freelancer meets Homeworld meets RPG) but it was created by a Russian developer who unfortunately left a lot to be desired in some of their Russian -> English translation and that creates difficulties when a slight deviation in course in certain scripted areas initiates a scripted "you are dead" cutscene. Also although the scripted sequences are rather good in most instances, certain scripts tend to break and this can completely ruin the experience, having to go back to a previous save to progress. Without guides or forum intervention, it may not be possible to find these 'flaws'.

As said in the OP, there are some games where the "cheats" are simply commands to enable the console or display FPS. It would be handy if GameFAQS.com encorporated these commands into a different section as they are not cheats.

BTW... Star Wolves 1, 2 & 3 are on sale via Steam. Worth picking up in my opinion

This X 1000000

Beat the game once no cheats then screw around with cheats just for some added fun after you have already beaten it.

 

[shortylickens]

Well, I see no issue in giving myself higher encumbrance in Oblivion and Fallout 3. It doesnt make the game any easier it just keeps you from making assloads of little trips back to town for selling junk off. Anything that speeds up the boring part of games is not a cheat. Ditto the Turbo command in KOTOR.

 

[Oyeve]

Even console games usually have save points.

I know some people who said they saved after going to church, but I went to one and didn't see any save points there either.

LOL'ed

 

[TAandy]

People who think cheating in single player games is "wrong" are a few sandwich's short of a picnic.

Seriously I was browsing around for cheats for Company of Heroes(and would you believe it there are almost NONE that help you progress in the game) and pondering posting a thread about it and my mind went back to numerous times I've heard people over the years talk as if cheating in single player games was morally wrong. How screwy would you have to be to think like this?

I wonder if there is anyone here who has the courage to fess up to this belief?

dammit, had to login to say this...
Muppet!

 

[smackababy]

This completely depends on the game. When I play RCT (Roller Coaster Tycoon) I like to use a trainer to have infinite money and all rides. I've already beaten every park, so I just like to make dream parks and go wild. Now if I were to cheat in like Civ 4 or something, I'm sure nuking the other guys using spears would lose its entertainment value after the first couple times.

And HL2 with the Portal Gun might be a hack, but it is amazing.

 

[shortylickens]

Also, giving yourself unlimited instant TOW missiles on World In Conflict is FUCKING AWESOME!

 

[GrumpyMan]

Games are designed for a person to overcome obstacles... not cheat through thme.

Games are designed to give me an hour of pleasure when I have the time, that's it. If I find myself replaying the same scene for that hour, screw that. You take gaming too seriously, you should get out and enjoy life more. They are no reflection of real life in any way, shape or form. Just because you get through any game with out cheating does not make you a great man in real life. Get a grip...

 

[YoungGun21]

Cheating is fun in singleplayer. I laugh at all of you that say "I feel more accomplished if I beat the game legitimately." Really? It's a game. What's the difference if it takes you 30 hours and only takes me 2 if we both still enjoy it?

I would love to have unlimited ammo in every single game I played, but they don't give it to me. So, I have to get it myself.