"Up and down, left and right BA" Do you still remember this mysterious code? Yes, this is the classic "Contra" cheat book. More than ten years ago, whether they were searched on the Internet and copied down, or passed down by word of mouth among friends, these secrets have become memories engraved in the DNA of that generation. So, these secret books are rarely seen nowadays. Have they disappeared? This time, the author will talk about the history of game cheats.
Although Konami's cheat code is not the earliest cheat code in the history of games, it should be called the most classic example. This set of instructions "up, up, down, left and right, left and right BA" can increase the original 3 lives to 30 lives in the extremely difficult "Contra". I believe that many players rely on this to get through.
In fact, Konami cheats first appeared in the shooting game "Space Cruiser". During testing, the producers found that the game was too difficult, so they designed this set of cheats to help players complete the game. Not only for the sake of players, in the early stage, many cheats also appeared to make testing more convenient. Therefore, such as level skipping, invincible mode, etc., can allow testers to enter the later stages of the game more quickly.
Due to the limitations of the city program, these early cheat codes may trigger more unknown bugs if these instructions are removed after the game is completed. Therefore, whether the developer is willing or not, these test tool commands are often released with the game, which makes many players keen to dig out the secrets in the game. Some manufacturers even use the commands to trigger cheats as a marketing tool.
The most famous one is Blizzard's "show me the money" in "StarCraft". Not only this one, but the cheats in the "StarCraft" and "Warcraft" series always start from buzzwords that players are familiar with, which naturally leads to a lot of discussion. But why are these interesting game elements gradually disappearing, and it seems that no manufacturer is willing to add cheats such as wall-traveling mode or invincibility mode to the game?
Let us recall that the original intention of cheats is nothing more than to reduce the difficulty, so that testers can test smoothly, or to reduce the difficulty of players when playing the game. Today's programming technology no longer sends the instructions or modes used for testing to players. At the same time, most of today's games provide difficulty options, which allows players to easily experience the game without cheats.
For game makers, they always hope that players can fully experience the game. If you give players too much power, the game will become very boring. Just imagine that in a fighting game, although an invincible character may be interesting at first, it will become boring over time.
Nowadays, the game is more complex. If the player turns on the wall-traveling mode and walks around, it is likely that the game will be unable to continue, so similar cheats are less common.
Coupled with the recent introduction of achievement systems on game platforms, players on the Internet can check each other's account game history. Achievements that can be obtained without relying on cheats have become a goal pursued by players. Xbox Live will even label accounts that use third-party cheating tools as cheaters, allowing players to focus more on improving their gaming skills rather than relying on external forces.
But what should you do if you really want to use formal channels to improve your character's abilities? At this time, it’s time to take out the ultimate secret book, which is your treasure. Nowadays, many games have embedded gold systems and DLC, many of which have props and equipment that enhance abilities.
In fact, cheats are popular because they provide a sense of surprise in the game, so they do not necessarily have to enhance the player's abilities to be popular. For example, the big head mode of "NBA JAM" or calling up hidden characters in the game can surprise players. This secret book, which is similar to an Easter egg, has also developed a routine that completely abandons the input of commands.
The extremely popular cow level in Diablo 2 is the best example. Even like "Uncharted 4", the infinite bullet mode can only be turned on after the player has passed the level, which makes people want to re-enter the game and open the unparalleled game. This approach not only allows players to fully experience the game, but also extends the life of the game.
Nowadays, some 3A masterpieces can enable cheat codes. Although this is also a way to replace traditional cheats, most of them have side effects. Taking many Rockstar games as an example, either the progress cannot be saved, or it will affect the archive and Achievement.
It seems from the above that game cheats have not disappeared, but because current games have spawned many substitutes for cheats. But what everyone misses is not the hidden characters, the protagonist who changes color or becomes smaller to make it difficult for enemies to aim, but the ritual of inputting commands. And which set of cheats do players miss the most?