Whats your opinion on cheating?

[Ozzmal]

Whats your opinion on cheating?

Now, this post could turn rather ugly. So let me say that I would love to keep this conversation polite. Were all human beings here (I think), and I assume most of us are adults, so lets act like it. I was reading about the XP mod that was released to work around the XP bug, that was when this popped into my head.

I installed a mod that increased available vendor gold to some ridiculous level (i.e. infinite). My reason for doing so is that I was tired of meditating for 7 days to sell a few honeycomb.

I've been lucky, and haven't encountered any bugs so far, but also I haven't left White Orchard. I decided to play the game on Death March, and so I knew I would need every advantage I could get. I've spent roughly 30 hours in the prologue, and explored what I can only imagine is EVERY square inch of its terrain. I've found treasure chest that I can't seem to find on any other guide (even Prima's), and between the honeycomb and extra loot i'm sitting at about 6k crowns.

So, my real point (took a while to get here, I know), how do you feel about cheating to simply speed up grinding processes? I decided a long time ago that I can live with it. I played WoW for 4 years, and I've had all the grind I can stand. Also, with the mod I find herbing unnecessary, as I simply purchase any I need. This made exploration more natural, and allowed me to take my eyes off that small map in the corner and pay attention to the world around me.

Also, anyone else having a blast on Death March? I'm finding it crazy fun. Can't wait to advance my story, but im waiting on the new patch to drop so I don't mess any of my save files up.

 

[carsomnyr]

I am using the same mod because from my point waiting a few days for merchants to get their coin and having to go around the whole map to be able to sell your loot to 99999 diffrent merchants doesnt add any immersion and makes me feel like i am working(Having a job kind). I dont really count anything that gives you better life quality as cheats in game. As for real cheats like idk god mode adding items,money depends really i dont use them while i actualy wanna play the game but they can give you the ability to go overboard and have some senless fun in later playthroughs.Still at the end these are all choices and diffrent persons will have diffrent ideas but in my opion the Developer should give these kinds of choices to the player.

 

[Ozzmal]

I am using the same mod because from my point waiting a few days for merchants to get their coin and having to go around the whole map to be able to sell your loot to 99999 diffrent merchants doesnt add any immersion and makes me feel like i am working(Having a job kind). I dont really count anything that gives you better life quality as cheats in game. As for real cheats like idk god mode adding items,money depends really i dont use them while i actualy wanna play the game but they can give you the ability to go overboard and have some senless fun in later playthroughs.Still at the end these are all choices and diffrent persons will have diffrent ideas but in my opion the Developer should give these kinds of choices to the player.

Interesting note about the developers giving out these types of tools. That would be awesome. Kind of like how bravely default lets you turn off random battles, I found that one small change made that game SO much better.

 

[carsomnyr]

Interesting note about the developers giving out these types of tools. That would be awesome. Kind of like how bravely default lets you turn off random battles, I found that one small change made that game SO much better.

I always try to suggest putting toggles and such for difficulty options; While we pc gamers can shape our game balance to our liking Developer not giving these options is quite unfair for console players.

 

[SmilingSword]

I gave myself the exp I missed because of the exp bug via a console command. Don't really see that as cheating as it was the same amount of exp I would of got anyway. All in all it's a single player game, so do what you want. I personally find no real point in cheating, but I do believe cheating and modding a game are two completely different things. When I think of cheating I think God Mode or infinite cash or whatever, whereas a lot of mods are there for purely aesthetic purposes, or to increase difficulty or to add a lore friendly balanced alternative to a system in the game. I will say that I'm a huge fan of mods and if mods could take a piece of trash like skyrim and turn it into a playable game, imagine what they could do for a masterpiece like the Witcher 3.
Not going to use any mods at the moment as I am still on first playthrough and I kinda have this rule that my first run of any game, has to be the vanilla game. Will most probably mod quite heavily come October once the first expansion comes out.

 

[Liquidacid]

It's a single player only game so it's a non-issue. Whatever someone else does or doesn't do in their game can in no way ever affect me so why would I care?

 

[dragonbird]

Whatever someone else does or doesn't do in there game can in no way ever affect me so why would I care?

^This. So much this. It's not cheating. Playing games is supposed to be fun, do whatever you want to do to make it more enjoyable for you.

But not this:

While we pc gamers can shape our game balance to our liking Developer not giving these options is quite unfair for console players.

It has nothing to do with fairness. The fact that some players want to play it differently doesn't give them any right, or entitlement, to insist that the developers change it or build in tweaking tools for absolutely everything.

The ideal would be a situation where installing mods on consoles was possible. But until then, it's just a fact of life.

 

[Wintermist]

I can't say I care how people play their games.

 

[soot00]

Single player game, doesn't effect me whatsoever....

 

[Liquidacid]

^This. So much this. It's not cheating. Playing games is supposed to be fun, do whatever you want to do to make it more enjoyable for you.

If it's a single player game. If you do it in an MMO and ruin others fun people should show up at your house with pitchforks and torches

 

[Ozzmal]

^This. So much this. It's not cheating. Playing games is supposed to be fun, do whatever you want to do to make it more enjoyable for you.

But not this:

It has nothing to do with fairness. The fact that some players want to play it differently doesn't give them any right, or entitlement, to insist that the developers change it or build in tweaking tools for absolutely everything.

The ideal would be a situation where installing mods on consoles was possible. But until then, it's just a fact of life.

I also think that it wont be too long before you can install mods on consoles. While it may not happen this generation, I can definitely see it happening as the line between PC's and consoles becomes thinner.

 

[RedBehrend]

I don't have a problem with cheating, cheat all you want because it's not multiplayer!
I do have a problem when people come crying that:
A) They cheated or modded and screwed something up (blaming the game for crashes / etc..
B) They cheat or mod and a update and/or DLC comes out and then they cry because it screwed things up.
C) They cheat and then say the game was boring or too easy etc...
D) They cheat or mod and then find out it had a lot more packaged with it and then cry or try to blame the game company.

I only care about cheating when it's multiplayer or it somehow hurts other players or the community.

 

[Liquidacid]

I also think that it wont be too long before you can install mods on consoles. While it may not happen this generation, I can definitely see it happening as the line between PC's and consoles becomes thinner.

Honestly I don't see consoles themselves lasting to much longer. Every generation they get closer and closer to a pre-made game-box PC. In fact they basically are one now just with a bunch of limitation built in on purpose. As time goes on they are just going to keep adding in more PC features and making the difference between them less and less

 

[carsomnyr]

It has nothing to do with fairness. The fact that some players want to play it differently doesn't give them any right, or entitlement, to insist that the developers change it or build in tweaking tools for absolutely everything.

The ideal would be a situation where installing mods on consoles was possible. But until then, it's just a fact of life.

Diffrence of opinion i guess and i didnt say anything about entitlement still unfair is unfair . Its not only mods that gives us flexiblity; Ability to use console commands , Modify game files in hex editors these options are giving us both the ability to cheat and work around some pesky bugs. I am constantly checking and trying to help people in bug threads and it pretty much sucks not being able to say a console player to use x command to workaround y. Dont get me wrong i also understand your point but still at least putting a dropdown menu for console commands which are already on the engine would go a long way.

 

[RedBehrend]

Honestly I don't see consoles themselves lasting to much longer. Every generation they get closer and closer to a pre-made game-box PC. In fact they basically are one now just with a bunch of limitation built in on purpose. As time goes on they are just going to keep adding in more PC features and making the difference between them less and less

My take on it

Consoles are done for, the new boxes plus things like Steamos is pretty much gonna crush them as tech gets cheaper and faster.
Consoles will come back with modules and pretty much be a PC for dummies lol

Outcome = Everything is a PC lol (Almost already is) Microsoft even started creating universal gaming / OS code across devices where one day it'll all be the same running on different bare metal frameworks, bootstrappers etc...

Shit my phone already can connect to my screen and do almost all the basic tasks already why you gonna need a bulky console with set hardware.

 

[KiriSilvermane]

doesnt bother me at all how you play your game:

whether i understand the reasoning behind it or not is another matter:
for exemplar: ive played for 30+ hours so far and have accumulated over 8000 crowns! i travel about collecting loot and weapons and if i get over burdened i head to the closest merchant or blacksmith and flog them. its rarely a chore!
as for XP bug; again..not sure its effecting me; or if it is i haven't noticed it being detrimental to my game experience!
im lvl 15, nearly 16: tried a lvl 20 quest yesterday and got my arse handed to me! but im hitting up lvl 17/18 missions and getting through. got full upgraded griffin gear (not superior) and it seems to be running along nicely.

the only "cheat" ive used would be a mod to pause and change time of day etc for screenshots.

 

[uScared]

When I was but a little pub I used to cheat in games regularly. Things like GTA San Andreas or Warcraft 3 and so on, I knew all the nasty codes. Eventually I came to realize that this robbed me of so much content in these games, GTA IV was the first GTA I played without cheating in Weapons, Max Armor and Helicopters - and it was a blast. Having all these things unlocked from the start would've robbed me of the sensation of unlocking them myself as the game progressed.

Since then I didnt really cheat anymore in any game I've played. I did use a couple of console commands for the Witcher 3 on my 2nd playthrough, adjusted my level a little and gave me some alchemical base stuff so I didnt have to look for them all over again.

 

[Millian]

There is no cheating in single player, aside maybe from cheating yourself.

 

[VelcroSnake]

It's a single-player game, who cares what other people do?

 

[Tuco]

So, my real point (took a while to get here, I know), how do you feel about cheating to simply speed up grinding processes?

I wouldn't feel that bad if it actually was that, as there are few things I despise in gaming as much as anything forcing, endorsing or even just encouraging grinding.

But the thing is, I don't really feel there's any "grinding process" required in this game and pointing it as an excuse to exploit/cheat reeks a bit of self indulgence.
The thing is: you don't really "need" to meditate for seven days to make merchants restock". You'll do it just because it feels convenient you, while it just seems a cheap way to exploit the game to me.

That said, while (at least so far) I refused to use it myself, I can share some sympathy with people choosing to avoid the weight limit constrictions, because boy, between weight limits and overabundance of random loot every two steps it really feels like they tried their hardest to make inventory management as annoying as possible, at times.

---------- Updated at 09:52 AM ----------

I can't say I care how people play their games.

Me neither, but I don't feel like the question was strictly about caring for what others do, as much as justifying it for yourself. So, my short answer is no, I don't justify myself for cheating in single player, unless we are talking about case limit scenarios where I'm removing what I perceive as a genuine design flaw.