Hacking/Cheating: How far is too far?

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Have you ever resorted to 'cheating' in a game (Contra Code, The Missingno/Infinite Item cheat, looking up passwords, etc.)? Also, do you frown upon cheating/hacking? Also also, do you make exceptions?

There are only two times I've resorted to using the likes of cheating. In the original Pokemon R/B I did make use of the Infinite Item cheat to stock up on Rare Candy and raise my enslaved fighting animals up to appropriate Elite Four levels. This cheat was remedied once Yellow came out...so I finally had to buckle down and become a man, so to speak, by taking on the Big Four (Plus Rival) with all-natural Pokemon...even keeping that crappy Pikachu.

The second time has been very recent, with Pokemon Platinum. I usually never care about event Pokemon, because I don't like using Legendaries anyway (Once everyone has a Legendary, they're just not that impressive). But, unfortunately, now we have Rotom...a Pokemon I love because it's an electric-ghost that possesses televisions (C'mon...even if it looks like an electrified buttplug, that's awesome). I used an Action Replay to unlock its appliance forms (Got myself a big bulky fridge), because that's taking the Mystery Gift too far.

 

[Space Spoons]

The only time I cheat is after I've finished the game on the merits of my own skill. It's mostly to inject some extra entertainment into the game after playing the legal way has lost it's luster, but it's also appealing to see how far I can push a game's engine before it starts to get freaky.

For example: Every tried to play Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with every cheat available in the game turned on at the same time? What about fighting through the Elite Four in Pokemon Red with a team of six Missingnos? It gets weird, trust me.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

The way I see it...the only times it's good to do it is when a.) You've already beat the game and just want to 'PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT' or b.) When you don't understand why something is unavailable to you or for pure aesthetic (different costumes and all that jazz).

I really do hate certain kinds of hackers, especially with games that have online capability. Shiny Uber-Legendaries with perfect natures and IVs and moves that they should not be able to learn...it's a nightmare.

There are also times when you can not technically cheat...but can still be an absolute dick (Betraying sleep clause, etc. if you understand the Pokemon jargon).

 

[KayOss_92]

I cheat if I'm getting bored.
I never use cheats in an actual game, though (except KotOR I and II, but I had mods installed and console command cheats were required to get neat clothes and WHATEVER MAN OKAY?)
For instance: In GTA: SA, I often went on infinite health/ammo rampages, but I never saved them.
They were just for absurd fun.

Agreed. San Andreas + civilians have weapons + faster cars + angry drivers + civilians riot + weapon set = kick ass battlefield to have fun with.

 

[Ago Iterum]

Cheating's fine, but hacking always leads to problems... Like the spawn cheats people use on GTA IV for PC, they'll spam ferries into a racetrack when you're in the middle of a race, and everyone just gets disconnected because peoples PC's can't handle the onslaught of spawns.

And all the while, some kid with obviously nothing better to do is sitting there, getting everyone including himself disconnected from servers repeadedly for hours on end, and finding it funny.

I'd be bored out of my skull after the first time you have to reload that behemoth of a game.

 

[vxicepickxv]

The only games I really "hack" are ones with built in mod functions, like Oblivion, The Sims series, and the like. I use cheat codes after I'm done with a game, or because I feel like it.

 

[Siris]

Too far is never far enough. Words to live by

 

[Nomad]

I cheat (in singleplayer) when I deem I'll have more fun if I do. There's no reason to sacrifice fun for purity, really. If you find a certain game element annoying or unneccessary, and there's a cheat to remedy that, then awesome - go for it.

As for the "online capability" games, that really depends on the 'cheat'. Many of the things people get upset and jump through the roof about are really just details that don't really affect the performance of the person using the exploit to any major extent. It's just convenient to say the only reason he killed you is because he's customized his camera settings so it follows his movements smoother, or anything else of the same sort. My view on that kind of thing is the same as my view on cheating in singleplayer, really. It's a matter of taste, and if there's a way to make the game suit you better - regardless of game mode - then go for it. This, however, bars the obviously unbalancing "hacks" such as aimbots and godmode. Other than that, it's no big issue to me.

That said, I'll admit there's a certain sense of accomplishment in being able to pull through a really difficult task in a game, knowing you went through it the way it was intended. Cheating spoils that sometimes - though it again depends on the nature of the cheat and what kind of task it is. This is just my opinion, though, and I feel everyone should be entitled to make his or her own judgement call when it comes to this.

 

[Rycane_HHS]

Most often I first go through a game and then use cheats if I want to go through the story again on second playthrough or something like that. I might also cheat through something I consider too cheap for the opponent/ridiculously difficult for the player. I'm not proud of that, but I like going through games, instead of leaving them halfway completed because I can't get past one single part.

On other occasions, I just want to cause random mayhem. Like in San Andreas, or in Vice City... or even in GTA3, GTA2, etc. Just because I wanted to blow stuff up.

 

[Skullcheese501]

I only use cheats when,a:im stuck on a level or: b: ive wanted to see what happens when you play the game with cheats.
I also believe that,for example on oblivion the no bra for female characters is too far for cheating/hacking because that basicaly turns a good game into pornography

 

[The Seltsam One]

I usually cheat in single-player games first for a bit to test out the really good weapons and armor and then play it normally. Also, the no bra cheat does not turn a good game into porn it turns a good game into a good game!(with the possibility of porn)

 

[Sevre]

It's too far when it goes online.

 

[Doug]

It's too far when it goes online.

This!

 

[teisjm]

Whatever you do in single player is up to you. if you cheat in online multiplayer you're a sorry excuse for a person. Unless it's not competitive... maphack in diablo2 won't hurt any1

If it's amongst friends at a LAN it can be fun though, cause they can tell you're cheating and just smack you IRL for doing so if they want.

If you use "global hacks" like setting the gravity up in CS it affects everyone equally and should not be considered cheating but more like modding, which is fine.

 

[DoW Lowen]

I disdain cheating online, drop hacks and purposeful lags are annoying as hell.

I would never cheat in a game on the first run through, afterward it's like... "why the hell not". I find cheating makes a game boring with the huge exception of sandbox games, Crackdown would be nothing without it.

 

[The Legendary Phoenix]

Eh...I only cheat when a game is losing it's flare.
When I do cheat it fun for a lil bit but then the game feels even worse.

 

[The Seltsam One]

I think that cheating/hacking is ok on free online games which are usually RPGs because they don't really affect anyone and the ones that do are fun to use because the game is probabally filled with 7 year olds and they just scream and scream when people cheat.