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The psychology of a cheater.


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#41 Tavvra

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:32 AM

Bordom. I haven't seen that one yet. Whenever I cheated it was due to pure bordom with whatever I was faced with.

Ultima Online; got bored killed Richard G, made one hit x-bows and had more fun then playing normally. I am among the unlucky ones who created the care bear crowd you see now and now all pvp games suck compared to 1st year UO.

Counter strike; wicked bored, made aim bots and killed the entire team within 5 seconds after a match started. Lulz were had in '01 for a weekend, never played again.

Battletech online; one button kills

And now back to your regularly scheduled program.

You need to look at it from two different prospectives nowadays, either you are making money designing programs or coming up with cheats, or you are really bored and broke. Nothing spells desperate then a person playing a f2p game and cheating in it.

EDIT; I spelled within with an e

Edited by Tavvra, 14 July 2012 - 09:32 AM.


#42 CMDR Sunset Shimmer

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:34 AM

I'm going to assume OP is talking about Online Multiplayer videogames. As we're on a board for a videogame in the first place, and one of the multiplayer variety.

This has become an actual point of study for psychologists due to the fact that frankly, we all act a bit differently on the internet. We are able to become more of our "idealized" selves. Not only this, but with the anominity of the internet, many who would normally not take a chance like cheating, will do so due to a situation called "Forced Internet Autism."

Forced Internet Autism is due to not seeing the "other people" on the screen, it's a lack of emotional and empathic connection with those you are harming with your actions. This leads to sociopathic behavior in an online environment due to your lack of ability to empathise with those you're around.

The fact is, for many of us who play videogames, we get emotionally attatched to it [And when it comes to Mechwarrior I think alot of us are even MORE attatched to it than most games for some reason] So to see a cheater, or someone exploiting or blantiantly hacking. Angers us. Those who are doing the hacking, are unable to empathise with us because at this point, to them, we're just something "Typing in capslock" or Yelling over a mic. To the cheater, you're NOT a person, because they have none of the visual cues to go off of to realise they're hurting you even emotionally.

Internet anominity also allows one's more, sociopathic tendency's out, because again, with the inability to empathise, you don't care what you do to another. A great example of this is DayZ, and people who shoot other survivor's on sight instead of trying to work together. After putting several hours into surviving only to loose all your progress can be a very frustrating thing for the player who dies. Though for the one who did the killing, they don't care... now they have your stuff. Unlikely in a real life scenario this would happen.

In the end, the internet, allows you to write off that other person, as just something in your computer. As for cheating IRL... That's when some of the other examples in this thread come to the forfront.

#43 William Denton

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:35 AM

View PostGrugore, on 14 July 2012 - 09:21 AM, said:


I think you're the one who doesn't get it. This post is discussing people who hack games in order to gain an unfair advantage over other players, thus ruining the game for others. There are people who do it just to **** with people. I know this for a fact. They do it just because they like causing pain and misery to others. Competitive advantage is one thing, and your reasons for it may be accurate, but some people cheat just to make other people miserable.


And normally it's common ground that by playing a game you will bow to its rules. The other statement above is about real life conflicts which are... quite a different question.

Edited by William Denton, 14 July 2012 - 09:35 AM.


#44 Tavvra

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:38 AM

So breaking and bending the rules becomes a theoritical high?

#45 Huron Stone

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:39 AM

View PostBaron Kreight, on 14 July 2012 - 08:58 AM, said:

Why do students cheat on exam sessions?

Because we didn't study. :P

#46 Grugore

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:42 AM

View PostHuron Stone, on 14 July 2012 - 09:39 AM, said:

Because we didn't study. :P


I can honestly say I never cheated on an exam. Huh? Why do I have my fingers crossed? Nervous habit. Cough Cough.

#47 Makaveli

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:43 AM

View PostGrugore, on 14 July 2012 - 06:15 AM, said:

Good feedback, so far. Thanks. And no trolls yet. How cool is that?

Trolls will come... they will.

#48 Grugore

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:44 AM

Next week, we'll be discussing the psychology of the troll. :P

#49 Voodoo 6

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:47 AM

View PostGrugore, on 14 July 2012 - 05:49 AM, said:

Every game has them. Even Mechwarrior. Cheaters. The question for me is why? This is just me talking, but If I had to cheat in order to compete with others, I wouldn't get any satisfaction out of it. Why do they do it? How would it feel to win knowing you're only second best? Is it a desire to dominate at all cost? Do most of them even consider it cheating? Do they do it just to **** people off? Why?

This is a serious question, and I'd like it to be treated as such. No trolls, please. Let me amend that. Trolls will be shot on site!


When I was younger I played some FPS that I can't remember, I cheated, target bots mainly. I did it (and got bored quickly and ultimately ruined the experience of the game) because dominating so hard, and I mean not-humanly-possible is a rush. Some times I'd try and play the game and because I was a noob and was playing like I had an aim-bot because I got used to it, I got owned, pissed, and turned the hacks back on! In the end it ruined the game for me, it wasn't fun. To have fun in any game you need some challenge and something to look forward too, like achievements or unlocking things.
Also, some days when your just having a crap day, hacking a game into pieces and owning even the most pro people is such a good feeling, but you don't earn anything and it's a false victory.

In short? Some people aren't happy with their lives and need to take down the people around them I think. Or just need that rush of epic ownage.

#50 Eegxeta

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:50 AM

Ok I can admit to cheating in games, but I have never cheated when playing against another person. And even when I do cheat in single player I only give myself the slight edge needed to get pass the part I'm on. And sometimes you just want to hear the story of a game.

The big thing I don't understand is why cheat in a game just to win, it is a game so who really cares if you win. Cheating only ****** people off and gets you no reward in the end.

That filter is strict I didn't even use a bad word.

Edited by Eegxeta, 14 July 2012 - 09:52 AM.


#51 Grugore

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:51 AM

Another reason, maybe, is old farts like me who don't have fast reflexes anymore and can't compete with the munchkins. :P

#52 ArchRakshasa

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 09:52 AM

Uh... Hackers and cheaters... Every game has them, lets just hope the devs stay on top of em.

Metality of a Hacker
Torment and Heckle other players..... (Superiority Complex)
If I can do this im the best.... (Self Delusion)
I can't win unless I do this.... (TOTAL FAIL)

#53 Voodoo 6

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 10:08 AM

View PostGrugore, on 14 July 2012 - 09:51 AM, said:

Another reason, maybe, is old farts like me who don't have fast reflexes anymore and can't compete with the munchkins. :P


ABSOLUTLY WRONG!
When I was uber-young (I'm 25) could i think fast, get into a terrible situation and have snap-F'in reflexes and get out some of the times? Yes!
Do I do better now in ANY game now that I know strategy and I can understand games and the aspects of said games? Yes!
Do I NOT play ModernWarfare 3? No I do not anymore because of these reasons.

Any game that rewards players in twitch reflexes and amazing hardware should not be popular at all on these facts alone, however MW3 still exists which saddens me.

#54 Ted Steiner

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 10:10 AM

So the premise is that we assume there will be cheating, and then decide in advance why people will be theoretically doing it? I don't know that it's that cut and dried vOv

If the game is designed well enough, the rules and policies carefully crafted, it shouldn't be very prevalent.

#55 Grugore

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 10:18 AM

I think the best defense against cheaters is that the people in charge take it seriously and take steps to remove said cheaters and a community that aggressively brings them to the attention of the admins. I also think that in this particular game, cheaters will be rather obvious and easy to spot. We have many experienced players who know the limitations of the mechs and will be able to spot them without too much trouble.

Edited by Grugore, 14 July 2012 - 10:20 AM.


#56 Ted Steiner

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 10:38 AM

I think the best defense against cheaters is to have tight code, careful review processes, and a clear, simple transparent ruleset for the players. I can't imagine actual "botting" giving much advantage due to convergence, which was a clever choice. Consistent standards enforced even-handedly for the players regarding rules and what is allowed for play will be a big deal on this one. With all the bickering regarding things like shooting for vulnerable parts of the robot and whether or not this is fair (in a game simulating all-out war?!), this could be troublesome. You'll find losing parties accusing winners of cheating for playing by "unofficial rules" that random parts of the playerbase might decide to follow, and forums full of even more vitriol than is current.

#57 Sean von Steinike

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 10:57 AM

View Postchristopher1006, on 14 July 2012 - 06:40 AM, said:

Just attempted it on Total War: Shogun 2 the multiplayer campaign. If anything I think it's because it drives players crazy trying to figure out how you're winning and the satifaction you could gain from that. The other reason is is that it gives you the undeniable win. As said somewhere above, to some it's the fact that you win not how you win. Personally it takes the fun out of trying in the games.

So, you are a CONFIRMED cheater.

View PostTavvra, on 14 July 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

Bordom. I haven't seen that one yet. Whenever I cheated it was due to pure bordom with whatever I was faced with.

Ultima Online; got bored killed Richard G, made one hit x-bows and had more fun then playing normally. I am among the unlucky ones who created the care bear crowd you see now and now all pvp games suck compared to 1st year UO.

Counter strike; wicked bored, made aim bots and killed the entire team within 5 seconds after a match started. Lulz were had in '01 for a weekend, never played again.

Battletech online; one button kills

And now back to your regularly scheduled program.

You need to look at it from two different prospectives nowadays, either you are making money designing programs or coming up with cheats, or you are really bored and broke. Nothing spells desperate then a person playing a f2p game and cheating in it.

EDIT; I spelled within with an e

Another confirmed lame cheater.

#58 Chillybill

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 11:03 AM

something that I have not seen mentioned, but if you use a cheat or hack for the undeniable win then in my book you just stole C-bills from me and you are not only a cheat your a thief, just my two C-bills....


:D

#59 Rooster68W

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 11:06 AM

I think everyone has there own reasons for cheating. i have seen some really good players cheat, and usually they do it to get a certain edge over the game. or sometimes just to screw around and have fun. I remember owning a mad cat controller and it had a turbo button. when i was bored i would remember turning it on just to make my character seem like a GOD. i would kill faster, but because i was careless i would die faster. It was all good fun. Of course i haven't done that in years, and don't own a modded controller, and i'm too afraid to mess with my computer in anyway to even try. so at least with this game i will always be honest even if i don't want to. And i'm fine with that.

#60 Belorion

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 01:40 PM

View PostOutrider01, on 14 July 2012 - 08:35 AM, said:

5 Guys that don't get the human mentality. Its not self esteem for a cheater, just as much as you are naive but won't admit it. Take a huge step back, take the fact that humans do it to gain an advantage to win. Thats it, thats all the reason to do it is to win.



I would hardly classify myself as naive having taken lots of anthro, psychology, and working in a field that has to do with the way the human mind works.

Your trying to justify a course of action that has no justification. Games aren't real battles so your analogies don't apply.

People cheat because they want the affirmation of winning, but since they didn't actually earn the win, it further undermines their self esteem.

If they just grew a pair, and played to win, they may would find themselves on a much more rewarding path.

Edited by Belorion, 14 July 2012 - 02:21 PM.






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