Zygalski
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CHEATS GETTING YOU DOWN?
Darren Turpin brings you the latest news and gossip from the world of games. This week he takes a look at the issue of cheating in the online arena.
What is it about online gaming that brings out the worst in some people?
Foul Play: Cheaters on Xbox Live
Yesterday I played three games of Pro Evolution Soccer 4 on Xbox Live. In each match my opponent disconnected from the game before it ended in order to protect their win/loss record.
In a quite spectacular oversight, developer Konami failed to incorporate some kind of mechanism to punish "quitters", leaving the ranking system wide open to abuse.
There are two types of Pro Evolution Soccer 4 quitter - those who leave a game as soon as they realise they won't win (say, when they go two or three goals behind), and those particularly annoying individuals who leave it until the last possible moment - usually the final minute of injury time.
'Quitters' are spoiling Pro Evolution Soccer
Microsoft's Xbox Live service allows gamers to leave bad feedback, and at the very least it's a good way to relieve some frustration, but there's no facility for sending recent opponents personal messages calling them dirty cheating scumbags.
Given the level of language some players use that's probably a wise decision, but I confess there have been occasions when I've yearned for one.
The disappointing thing is, having witnessed the effects of cheating in online PC games such as Counter-Strike, Xbox Live was supposed to give everybody a level playing field.
Admittedly the problems are nowhere near as widespread as they could be, but the cheaters are out there - something which Halo 2 players are having cause to lament.
Unlike Pro Evolution Soccer 4, Halo 2's online interface is very thorough, and it's clear a lot of effort was put into making sure the experience is fair for all concerned.
Halo 2 has also suffered
However, recently it has also become clear that even a comprehensive amount of play testing will not prepare a title for hundreds of thousands of gamers almost continuously playing over a period of months.
Inevitably holes will be found. Holes have indeed been found, and some Halo 2 players are exploiting glitches in the game and interrupting their internet connections in order to gain an unfair advantage.
It's a frustrating situation for the majority of gamers who want to enjoy a fair, competitive challenge. But what's confusing is exactly what the cheats get out of it.
Clearly there's a certain amount of kudos to be gained from having your name at the top of a leaderboard, but the process of getting there must be pretty dull.
Beating unmoving opponents in Halo 2 can't be very entertaining, but for some people it's obviously the winning not the taking part that counts.
Bungie Studios is taking a hard line
Hopefully updates will arrive to solve the immediate problems in Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and Halo 2.
But in the meantime Bungie Studios - the developer of Halo 2 - announced that it is taking a hard line by banning the Xbox Live accounts of thousands of cheats and badly-behaved players.
It's a commendable move, but whether it works in the long-term remains to be seen. Past experience suggests that people will find ways to exploit any online title if they're willing to look hard enough.
While the developers and service providers do their bit on the game side, as players we can all help to improve the situation by leaving bad feedback when we encounter cheats, and not resorting to similar behaviour.
If the cheats are getting you down, there's a simple solution: don't play with them. Online games are always better with people you know, so make use of your Friends list or join a clan, and find some like-minded individuals to spend some time with.
Coming up against cheaters is frustrating, but don't be put off, and try to remember that the majority of online gamers are pleasant people who enjoy a good, fair competition.
Good stuff.
