~To Cheat or not to Cheat `The arguments for and against the use of 'Cheat Material' `whilst game playing. ~` By Simon Burrows ~` 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 `As Rik Rok once said: "Somehow DOOM wouldn't be the same for `me if I was killed every couple of rooms!". And so say all of `us! It's a plain fact that computer gamers from Northants to `New Guinea practice the fine art of 'cheating' so they may `progress through the complex levels of their favourite game in `less than quick time. `The degree to which one 'cheats' is a matter of preference. `At its simplest level, special key combinations can be used to `access secret cheat menus or to edit certain in-game `statistics automatically, such as the number of lives, height `of jump etc., in the player's favour. For those, a little `more practical, lengthy solutions or detailed playing guides `offer the chance for players to breeze through the more `complex games such those from Sierra and LucasArts. For the `more adventurous among us, memory-resident debuggers and `complex hex-editors open the door to the possibility of `hacking game code to give infinite lives, extra time or `colossal sums of money. `The satisfaction experienced from completing a tricky game is `like nothing else a gamesplayer can experience. Upon reaching `the final level with one life left, players can be turned to `jelly with the thought that one move could be the difference `between completing the game they had been battling against for `months, or to be once again banished to the depths of level `one to start the whole quest again! Those opposed to the use `of 'cheat material' state that by resorting to these drastic `lengths, to make easy that which is meant to be difficult, `destroys this satisfaction, and makes the limited effort it `takes to 'cheat' absolutely worthless. `This argument is partially true, since completing large `sections of a game solely with the use of a 'cheat' is `somewhat unsatisfying. However, in most cases this is not `what 'cheat material' is designed for. By using it to conquer `small sections of a game, which, despite great investments of `time and effort, have proved impassable, the player can `advance to new locations and challenges. They may then `continue through the game again, with, hopefully, no further `need to 'cheat'. `There has been much press attention recently towards the cost, `to the consumer, of buying a new game. Much of the complaint `has been directed at the gaming giants: Sega and Nintendo. `However, just as much to blame are those who make games for `systems such as the PC, who charge anything from �10 for old `budget releases to �50 for so called 'fully-priced' releases `which, although usually boasting proudly their great graphics `and sound, often severely lack in any gameplay. Those who `attack the use of 'cheat material' say that despite the large `investment needed to buy a game, consumers are drastically `reducing the value for money of their purchase by using `'cheats' which turn a few months of gameplay into little more `than a few hours - even less in some cases. `However, if new games are to be successful when they are `released, level designers and programmers alike will always `need to spend time and money ensuring that levels are created `of increasing difficulty, which will challenge the players as `they progress through the game, and add incentive to reach the `end. Therefore, there will always be a large majority of `people who will never reach the end because the final stages `of the game prove to be too difficult. This means that so long `as the player is strong-willed enough to use 'cheat material' `only in small sections of the game where they find it `absolutely necessary, it will actually unlock sections of the `game which will otherwise never be reached, and, thus, `increase the value for money of their purchase. `Another argument taken by those opposed to 'cheating' is that `games aren't designed to be played in the state which 'cheats' `leave them in, or completed as easily as 'cheats' make `possible. They believe that the judgements of difficulty made `by the programmers and designers of the games should be `respected by leaving the game as it is. The fact remains, `however, that it is the programmers who 'put' the 'cheats' `into the games. It is obviously impossible to access a secret `cheat menu which isn't there. In simple terms, the 'cheats' `are built into the games in the primary stages so the testers `may check those parts of the game even they cannot reach! `However, the programmers don't have to leave the 'cheats' in `- as they haven't in many games, such a 'Uridium II' - so `if they are left in, users cannot be expected to not benefit `from them if they wish to. `What opponents to 'cheat material' often forget is that there `can be two sides to 'cheats'. As well as making games `ridiculously easy for beginners, some games support 'cheats' `which will actually add an extra level of difficulty on for `those experts who can complete the game in its hardest modes. `An example is DOOM where certain 'hacks' can be administered `to increase the speed and agility of enemies, make them more `perceptive, or increase the power of their attacks. Taking `these steps can rejuvenate a game for the expert gamesplayer `and allow them once again to test their skills to the full. `There is now a new generation of 'cheats' which, rather than `reducing the gameplay which can be enjoyed by players, can `enhance it by adding new options and, in some cases, even new `levels. An example of this is 'Street Fighter II'. Ever since `this, and other games in its genre, have been released, the `all-important question "How can I play the bosses?" has been `asked. The fact is that due to the restrictions of home `systems, you cannot play the bosses. That is, until now. By `using a 'cheat code' using the 'Action Replay' cartridge, `players can unlock a crude mode where the bosses can be `controlled. This is an astounding way to increase the `expensive gameplay which computer owners around the world `invest in. `"Will you ever reach the end?". That's what Nintendo asked `you to consider in their recent advertising campaign. This, `as many things in life, is up to you. If you're one of those `chosen few who can complete a game without a 'cheat', then its `entirely in your hands to crack the latest challenges. Or, if `you're in the great majority who never quite make it to the `end, then, to cheat, or not to cheat - that is YOUR choice! `And, as Rik Rok also once said, "If only life could be hacked `so easily!". ` 袴袴袴袴袴袴� ~` By: Simon Burrows ` 袴袴袴袴袴袴�