Cheat codes

[King Phenomenon]

BRING EM BACK! and implement them in existing games. For the casual gamer that would like to actually experience the whole game without haveing to play it for a million hours. Some games are just to difficult. Atleast an easy mode on all of em or unlimited lives or more strength. You want difficult then choose difficult setting. What’s the big deal.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Lol. Just get better at games.

 

[Alien826]

Lol. Just get better at games.

That's what we call "git gud" and is a common response to people that say a particular game is too hard.

OK, let's say I just shelled out $60 or so for a game. I think that entitles me to play it at some level? The break point is actually not when I can't do something, though that may be the case, but when I stop enjoying it. I then have a decision to either struggle on or quit the whole thing. I should have another choice, which is to set an "easy" level (I'll discuss cheat codes in a minute).

All this stems from the observed fact that there are some players that are just mind-numbingly good at video games. They defeat games at the hardest level and complain that the game is too easy. That's fine, and good for them, but some of them seem to get offended by the idea that some people either can't or don't want to put in the time or effort necessary to get that skilled. Why this should offend them escapes me, but it seems like the "jocks" at school that are naturally good a games sneering at the fat kid that struggles to run round the track once. If he'd just work harder, they say, he would succeed and be wonderful like us. I'm sorry guys, but some of us just don't want all the hassle that entails, we just want to spend a few hours enjoying the game we just paid good money for.

I see that most games do have "easy" levels and that's good. I'm less happy about cheat codes, because they can have side effects. I believe they are put in to help developers and testers to work through the game without constantly dying, or grinding to get a particular resource. That means that they may not work as described. I'll give a recent example. I'm playing Starfield and I hit a situation where I was fighting through long corridors being poisoned by gases and attached by robots. Even on easy level I just kept running out of health. I found a cheat code that stopped me dying, and got through it with a huge sigh of relief. Then I found that all my previous saves had gone. Apparently using the cheat codes changes the name of the save file or something.

I should emphasize that what I say applies only to single player games. In MMOs, some people do cheat to get the most powerful weapon or whatever and that's wrong as they are getting an advantage over other players. If they can't compete, then they should choose another game, though most MMOs in my experience segregate players at different skill levels in some way.

/rave

 

[Heyo]

BRING EM BACK! and implement them in existing games. For the casual gamer that would like to actually experience the whole game without haveing to play it for a million hours. Some games are just to difficult. Atleast an easy mode on all of em or unlimited lives or more strength. You want difficult then choose difficult setting. What’s the big deal.

The cheat codes are now called "in game purchases". The gaming industry realised how much people like to cheat (or have an "easy" mode) and good capitalists as they are they don't give them away but make you pay for it.

 

[Erebus]

I loved cheat codes in the 90s. I honestly think they can be a great way to both make the game accessible and open up some fun extras. I remember Nightmare Creatures had codes to let you play as the monsters, effectively changing the game's entire combat style.

I do agree with @Alien826 that difficulty options are just generally a good idea in single player games. I don't personally want a game to be too easy but there can definitely come a point when frustration outweighs the catharsis of victory too. It also doesn't impact me at all if somebody else wants to play at a different difficulty setting.

 

[Brickjectivity]

What's important is the ability to skip starting videos, cut scenes and other time fillers. How about those games that punish you with a long death scene, or that make you wait between reloads or listen (for no reason) to lame tunes? How about games that only have auto save? Yuck.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

That's what we call "git gud" and is a common response to people that say a particular game is too hard.

OK, let's say I just shelled out $60 or so for a game. I think that entitles me to play it at some level? The break point is actually not when I can't do something, though that may be the case, but when I stop enjoying it. I then have a decision to either struggle on or quit the whole thing. I should have another choice, which is to set an "easy" level (I'll discuss cheat codes in a minute).

All this stems from the observed fact that there are some players that are just mind-numbingly good at video games. They defeat games at the hardest level and complain that the game is too easy. That's fine, and good for them, but some of them seem to get offended by the idea that some people either can't or don't want to put in the time or effort necessary to get that skilled. Why this should offend them escapes me, but it seems like the "jocks" at school that are naturally good a games sneering at the fat kid that struggles to run round the track once. If he'd just work harder, they say, he would succeed and be wonderful like us. I'm sorry guys, but some of us just don't want all the hassle that entails, we just want to spend a few hours enjoying the game we just paid good money for.

I see that most games do have "easy" levels and that's good. I'm less happy about cheat codes, because they can have side effects. I believe they are put in to help developers and testers to work through the game without constantly dying, or grinding to get a particular resource. That means that they may not work as described. I'll give a recent example. I'm playing Starfield and I hit a situation where I was fighting through long corridors being poisoned by gases and attached by robots. Even on easy level I just kept running out of health. I found a cheat code that stopped me dying, and got through it with a huge sigh of relief. Then I found that all my previous saves had gone. Apparently using the cheat codes changes the name of the save file or something.

I should emphasize that what I say applies only to single player games. In MMOs, some people do cheat to get the most powerful weapon or whatever and that's wrong as they are getting an advantage over other players. If they can't compete, then they should choose another game, though most MMOs in my experience segregate players at different skill levels in some way.

/rave

Wow, I type one little sentence and you go off for paragraphs. Glad I'm so inspiring to you, I guess.

 

[Soandso]

Lol. Just get better at games.

I kinna have to agree. Not all games are meant to be enjoyed by everyone. Not everyone can sink their time and effort into a Fromsoft game, and that's ok. There's already an oversaturation of games with easy modes out there for casual gamers to enjoy

 

[Quintessence]

BRING EM BACK! and implement them in existing games. For the casual gamer that would like to actually experience the whole game without haveing to play it for a million hours. Some games are just to difficult. Atleast an easy mode on all of em or unlimited lives or more strength. You want difficult then choose difficult setting. What’s the big deal.

The big deal is that some "games" these days instead realized they could sell you cheat codes at $15-20 a pop and you'd actually pay for it. If you want an example of what that looks like, see the trashfire of video game magnetization that is Fallout 76, where the cheat codes (e.g., infinite ammo, enemies do less damage) are literally part of a premium subscription service that costs $100 a year. Oh, and they have cheat code consumable items in their rip off of a cash shop too. Predatory monetization and corporate greed are why we don't have cheat codes in many games anymore. That'll be $9.99 a month, pal.

There are some ethical developers and player-first developers who still put in highly customizable settings and cheat codes, though. Terraria (Re-Logic) did, for example and the developers of Terraria are just total all-stars when it comes to continuing to develop their game at no cost to customers. Subnautica (Unknown Worlds) did the same thing with updates to their game, as did No Man's Sky (Hello Games). Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Larian) did as well by adding new game settings. They are usually menu or new game configurations rather than button presses while in game.

 

[Erebus]

They are usually menu or new game configurations rather than button presses while in game.

Obligatory shout out to Rimworld for customisation options. You can make things as easy or difficult as you want by tweaking virtually every part of your starting scenario and the overall pacing of the game.

Also, you're right that Terraria is an absolute gem. The fact that it was continually updated for free over the course of a decade is such a rarity.

 

[Alien826]

Wow, I type one little sentence and you go off for paragraphs. Glad I'm so inspiring to you, I guess.

Sorry, no offense meant. I was just using your response as a "hook" to cover the subject. Should have replied to that OP maybe.

 

[Eddi]

If only there were cheat codes for reality

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Sorry, no offense meant. I was just using your response as a "hook" to cover the subject. Should have replied to that OP maybe.

No, it's fine. I just thought it was funny. I don't take this thread very seriously.

 

[Alien826]

I kinna have to agree. Not all games are meant to be enjoyed by everyone. Not everyone can sink their time and effort into a Fromsoft game, and that's ok. There's already an oversaturation of games with easy modes out there for casual gamers to enjoy

The point is though that the more skilled players can play at "superdeath" mode if they want, but those that can't manage "normal" mode simply can't play the game at all without an "easy" mode. And both have paid for the game with no refund offered.

I'll add that I'd advise not giving up too easily. Do some side quests to get a higher level then come back to what you were having trouble with. I've often found to my amazement that what was hard at level 5 is a breeze at level 10. Look on the internet*. Sometime you are just bashing away at a bad approach.

* I tend to wait for a few months before playing anew game. I avoid the early bugs and allow people to post useful stuff!

 

[Alien826]

Obligatory shout out to Rimworld for customisation options. You can make things as easy or difficult as you want by tweaking virtually every part of your starting scenario and the overall pacing of the game.

Also, you're right that Terraria is an absolute gem. The fact that it was continually updated for free over the course of a decade is such a rarity.

I had to look at these! Not for me I think. I'm not fond of SIM games in general. I need immersion! And Terraria looks like Mario!

The big deal is that some "games" these days instead realized they could sell you cheat codes at $15-20 a pop and you'd actually pay for it. If you want an example of what that looks like, see the trashfire of video game magnetization that is Fallout 76, where the cheat codes (e.g., infinite ammo, enemies do less damage) are literally part of a premium subscription service that costs $100 a year. Oh, and they have cheat code consumable items in their rip off of a cash shop too. Predatory monetization and corporate greed are why we don't have cheat codes in many games anymore. That'll be $9.99 a month, pal.

There are some ethical developers and player-first developers who still put in highly customizable settings and cheat codes, though. Terraria (Re-Logic) did, for example and the developers of Terraria are just total all-stars when it comes to continuing to develop their game at no cost to customers. Subnautica (Unknown Worlds) did the same thing with updates to their game, as did No Man's Sky (Hello Games). Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Larian) did as well by adding new game settings. They are usually menu or new game configurations rather than button presses while in game.

Interesting, I haven't encountered this, though I don't disbelieve you.

My experience with after-release stuff is ...

Fixes and small improvements - free
Small stuff you can buy that don't affect the gameplay (cosmetic) - at a price.
Big DLC releases with new playable content - Usually a a price.

Incidentally, it's worth enter the tilde (~) character to see if there are undocumented cheat codes lurking, but BACK UP the game first!

 

[Erebus]

I had to look at these! Not for me I think. I'm not fond of SIM games in general. I need immersion! And Terraria looks like Mario!

Rimworld definitely falls into the sim category. It sometimes gets jokingly referred to as a war crime simulator due to how easily it can take a dark turn. You might start by trying to be good but sooner or later you'll wonder why you're feeding perfectly good crops to your pigs. Pigs are capable of eating an entire human body and people do keep raiding your colony after all...

Terraria is a bit trickier to pin down in terms of genre. The most immediate comparison is that it's 2D Minecraft but that's kind of an oversimplification. It's definitely a sandbox game but also has a fairly strong emphasis on progression, combat and loot.

 

[MJ Bailey]

Personally have no problem with cheat codes for computer games. However when you are competing with other individuals at a game and use cheat codes...??? Why even bother playing the game if you can not even be honest enough to know how good at the game you are or not?

 

[Soandso]

The point is though that the more skilled players can play at "superdeath" mode if they want, but those that can't manage "normal" mode simply can't play the game at all without an "easy" mode.

The problem for those of us who enjoy more challenging games end up getting the shaft when games have a "hard mode." Instead of the game being built around the challenge itself what ends up happening is that the game is built around a balance that's easier and less challenging and when "hard mode" is added, they just increase the enemy's HP or damage dealt. This just leads to cheap deaths that feel bad to play. No one likes being one shot by cheap or lazy game mechanics

On the other hand, when the game is built around the challenge itself it makes for a much more fulfilling and downright fun experience when you finally conquer the challenge the game presents. This is rare nowadays though, considering just how mainstream gaming has become. Game companies wish to cater to as broad of an audience as possible. Nothing wrong with that, but when that happens niches form

90%+ games out there have easy modes or just aren't that challenging. Let the people who enjoy challenging niche games have their fun and leave em be, imo