No cheating, for the love of God!

Posted by Jeremiah Kauffman.
First posted on 17 September 2000. Last updated on 25 February 2006.
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I have been recently browsing through reviews covering some of my favorite computer games and, upon reading about an article on Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle, I immediately fill with a regret that I am never going to be able to undo. I am talking about the regret that comes from cheating on an adventure game. Adventure games are a special breed of game, in that figuring them out is most of…

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Excellent

Very true what you say. I have resorted to walkthroughs sometimes, and I always regretted it later. However, I have also made the experience that about 5 years after beating an Adventure game, I have not only forgotten most of the puzzle solutions, but often also how the story is going to end. I might be just the case for me. But I think all is not lost.

Only in extremely rare occasions, if I get really stuck to the point that I seemingly cannot enjoy a game anymore, I resort to some sort of help. There's something called UHS (Universal Hint System) which is much more subtle than a walkthrough. These are hypertext files where you can select the question that you cannot seem to solve in the game. Then, the document gives you one very, very subtle hint. It does not give away a solution, it only gives you a little nudge in the right direction. If after some hours, it still didn't help, you can display another, more direct hint. It's still cheating, but it leaves you with less of a bad feeling than just reading the solution.

Also I'd like to add that I often read walkthroughs and FAQs after I have beaten a game on my own. This is due to the fact that when I play games, I want to see and experience absolutely everything it has to offer, and FAQs often point me in the direction of secrets and additional stuff that I would have certainly missed otherwise.

Switzerland By Daniel • On 17 May 2008 • From Switzerland

You are totally right man!

Cheating spoils an adventure games indeed. Though there are some games who just ask for it, just like you said.

But for the unexperienced adventure-gamer I suggest you do use a walkthrough when you're totally stuck. This is because the most puzzles make no sense at all to your common sense. To finish a game like the curse of monkey island you have to think abstract some times. This is something that is not easy. To figure out how to "think" in these games is not hard but it'll take a few puzzles to obtain this way of thinking. From that moment on I suggest you burn all your Walkthroughs (or just delete them, don't look for them etc.) You now have the ability to finish every game!

Netherlands By buhm • On 02 February 2005 • From Tilburg, Netherlands

Great article. I found your web site via a link and am an avid adventure gamer. I have never read an article so bold and to the point about pc games. I do admit I am guilty of looking up some hints. Partly because some games seem like they require you to get into the head of the person who created the game. Illogical solutions to puzzles that the only way you can find the answer is to crawl inside the creators head and see what they were thinking at the time. But then there are games that deserve to be played with the greatest patients. I will heed your words and be more patient. You have inspired a fellow adventure gamer to, "Do the right thing".

United States By byanca • On 21 June 2004 • From Washingtong, USA

Cheat! For the love of $deity, cheat!

I completely and utterly agree that the most painful thing is to see the answer to a puzzle and wonder, "Could I have solved that on my own?" BUT, after spending hours on a poorly made puzzle in an otherwise fantastic game, one which involved pushing a random switch after talking to someone halfway across the world, and going into a sidequest that turns out to be mandatory, I concluded that some puzzles just don't deserve to be solved.

Seriously, I know it's disappointing and humiliating to admit defeat, but do you really get such a sense of satisfaction after wasting hours of your life to solve a puzzle with no reward other than being able to explore more? How much more satisfying to spend the time exploring, thus playing a shorter, but more interesting game?

I have had puzzles whose solutions left me with more of a dejected feeling, like "I can't believe I was supposed to figure this out on my own." To quote an example, why Ozma? Why Draw Points? Why Pirate Penguins?

When the going gets tough, I say cheat! It's a game, the goal of which to have fun, and unless pressing every tile combination in the room over a span of 3 hours is fun, there's no reason to waste time with puzzles that, while solveable by trial and error, don't really make sense.

Chrono Cross's Pip was much more fun after learning how he worked. Legend of Mana's weapon system was slightly fun, but only after "cheating" to find out how others have made the stuff. Cheating can be good: while someone has to waste their time, it saves others the trouble of doing so. And sometimes, without checking the faq you'd never know half of the rich gameplay a game has to offer *cough*Chrono Cross*cough*

For the puzzles which are unclear, random, and more trouble then they're worth, I'm entirely grateful there are faqs. Unless like in multiuser games it hurts others to cheat, I stand for the right to have fun.

By Starling • On 22 January 2003 • From LImbo, Center

I wholly agree with the article about cheating in adventures. I cheated on Curse of Monkey Island, and I still regret it. When I played Grim Fandango though, I vowed not to cheat through the whole game. I kept my word, and only used a walkthrough on a mere three occasions. A huge feeling of accomplishment later overwhelmed me. With EMI, I now already vow not to cheat at all, since the feeling of strong will will only be increased. You spoke with the right words.

By roderick • On 24 November 2000 • From Holland

Regarding "cheating" in adventure games--aren't some of the puzzles deliberately obscure so the gamer will buy the strategy guides? Rather than not cheat (try not cheating on "Starship Titanic"), I employ a time limit on a puzzle. If I'm stuck, and I've tried everything I can think of a few times within that time limit, I look for a hint (not an answer). Recently I became stuck playing "RING". It turned out part of the game had crashed, and I wasn't able to pick up an object I needed. If I hadn't checked the hint, I wouldn't have realized the technical difficulty. I had to go back and play a part over. This time, the object was picked up with no trouble.

By M. Ethier • On 21 November 2000 • From Amherstburg Ont. Canada

i agree but i have printed off all the walkthroughs to all the games i own -just to use when i am really stuck but unfortunately from then on i am drawn into cheating and always regret it

By joan Lucas • On 22 September 2000 • From England