Video games can be fun for everyone to enjoy
until you find the players you are competing against aren’t super skilled;
they’re cheating. Since the dawn of gaming, there has been a need for a way to
detect cheaters in video games that can not only prevent them from cheating but
also being kicked out if they continue the behavior.
Finally, companies are starting to develop
cheat detection systems in video games that can catch cheating players in
action. While cheating in video games falls under a legal grey area, the
advancement of competitive video gaming has increased the need for these cheat
detection system advancements. Here are how they are being applied, who is
using them, and how they affect your gaming experience.
How Do Cheat Detection Systems Work
Since there are multiple ways for gamers to
cheat, there must also be multiple ways to stop it. Cheating in video games can
range from cheat codes implemented by developers to third-party software.
Cheat Code Prevention
The easiest cheating to detect is the one
using cheat codes. While these codes are allowed during gameplay, the cheating
player finds that their progress and achievements are not saved at the end of
their run. This is an easily applied deterrent that effectively motivates
serious players to discontinue cheating in video games.
Who Is Using Cheat Detection Systems In Video
Games
As these cheat detection systems advance, more
and more companies are applying them to their systems. Big-name game developers
and systems are expected to at least assist in helping to eliminate cheating in
the gaming world.
Companies such as Xbox, PC, and Nintendo are
all investing in cheating detection systems for their gameplay. In games such
as Assassins Creed, Grand Theft Auto, and WOW, cheat detection systems have
been written directly into the game.
How Do Cheat Detection Systems Affect Your
Gaming Experience
The biggest way that cheating gamers affect
your own gameplay is through online gaming. Online gaming cheating instances
can cause major rifts, especially in high-stake scenarios, such as competitive
gaming.
Multiplayer Online Gaming
When multiplayer games were being developed
coders specifically left out cheat codes as the advantage would take on a new meaning.
It also was fairly easy to spot cheaters in early gaming as it was all done
locally. Now internet gaming allows gamers a certain level of anonymity,
meaning the cheating detection elevates from the responsibility of the gamers
to the developers.
Anti-Cheating Softwares
To minimize cheating in multiplayer gaming,
anti-cheating software is used much like anti-virus software. These software
include some such as:
- nProtect
- GameGuard
- Punkbuster
- Valve Anti-cheat
While they are not perfect systems, they have
drastically reduced cheating in online gaming.
As players become more aware of how cheating
detection systems work, and how to override them, developers are constantly
working to stay ahead of the game. In a perfect world, the best way to prevent
cheating is for everyone to commit to not cheating. However, the world is an
imperfect place, and for now, we just
have to rely on cheating detection systems to minimize cheating in video games.
