06-11-2003, 12:48 AM
This is simple, though my initial answer is going to point out that the D2 accelerator is cheating as well, though it is arguable that it gives others an advantage (from using it I feel it does actually, though very minor, and I really wish it would be incorporated into the game). But lets get back to maphack.
First, what is cheating? Well, we can use the Dictionary.com definition. '2. To violate rules deliberately, as in a game'. So, what are the 'rules' of D2? Well, that would be what the game is like as provided by Blizzard at the current patch version or whatever rules may be agreed upon by all players in a closed environment such as a LAN game. So, the game mechanics such as the way the map is displayed, the way the spell effects are drawn, etc, are the rules of the game. Maphack alters these rules from some players and not others, and is done deliberately. So, is it cheating? Yes, plain and simple. This also means that D2 accelerator, as I mentioned is cheating as well.
Alright that isn't what people are interested in in this debate. They want to know how maphack gives an advantage or ruins the game for other people. Let's go into general things that don't even involve PvP before we get specific. I join an open game and wish to party with someone. I like to play the game through and not rush. I am lucky enough to find others who want to play this way. Now, some maphack rusher comes in, and since maphack enables you to zip right to the quest items, they go and complete them and force me to start a new game, or join them to get the quest and not allow me to play the way I wanted to. Yeah, that can be done by general griefers and doesn't require maphack, but it certainly aided by maphack.
I am in a party and don't use maphack, others do. So, when drops hit, it takes me longer to filter out what hit the ground since maphack isn't doing it for me, making it harder for me to try and pick up nice or valuable items. Skilled 'ninja grabbers' who don't use maphack can do the same, but I have a much better chance against them.
Maphackers find the bosses faster, and can charge up to them killing them while I am still exploring and have an even better chance of getting items. Maphackers who are hiding it, still have a tendency to speed up the pace of the game by getting to exits quicker, removes some of the exploratory factor of the game from those who like it, but still want to be party friendly.
Let's go specific now, thanks to MEAT for providing a list of maphack features. Much of this is already covered in the general area so I just deleted many of the features where I already talked about this.
Show all shrines on automap sooner than normal, each type with different graphics.
Note big by itself, but cheaters get to use gem and experience shrines more easily than I do.
Full screen light radius, full infravision (see through walls) and sunny weather.
Same deal, advantaged into knowing what you are facing sooner. Allows PK'ers to leave party knowing that the next room is going to be a furball and making it harder to defend yourself (had this happen to me a couple of times where they just give a full, going to town real quick message).
Show monster enchantments, auras and immunities on automap.
Encourages annoying one trick pony builds by enabling them to aviod areas they can't deal with. Causes me to hear them whine about going to new areas when partied with them.
Change colour or hide selected items on ground.
Discussed already
Show rune numbers and number of sockets on items.
Knowing just what to pick up and what to leave on the ground allows you to get that item for the runeword and not me.
Virtual map scrolling, allowing casting or shooting at huge ranges.
Since you are cheating on killing things early, that ruins my fun of being able to fight monsters
Protect socketed items from accidental socketing.
While this one should still be a feature, why do cheaters not have to worry about accidently wasting an item for socketing and hence losing the time in trying to find it again, when legits don't?
Automatic exit game on low life and/or hostility.
Do I even have to explain how this is cheating in PvP or Hardcore?
Maphack adversely affects my playing of the game directly and indirectly by encouraging annoying behavior. That is the connotation side of cheating.
This does seperate maphack from D2 accelerator because the very minor advantages that I feel D2A can give you (easier to deal with monsters due to better vision when using Blizzard or Frozen orb), have very little or no affect on other players. That makes it a mostly benign form of cheating which is why Blizzard isn't concerned about it, IMO. Maphack as I pointed out, does ruin the game quality for non maphack users.
I have better things to do with my time now than explain the obvious, so I am done. If valid specific points are raised I might spend time repsonding again.
First, what is cheating? Well, we can use the Dictionary.com definition. '2. To violate rules deliberately, as in a game'. So, what are the 'rules' of D2? Well, that would be what the game is like as provided by Blizzard at the current patch version or whatever rules may be agreed upon by all players in a closed environment such as a LAN game. So, the game mechanics such as the way the map is displayed, the way the spell effects are drawn, etc, are the rules of the game. Maphack alters these rules from some players and not others, and is done deliberately. So, is it cheating? Yes, plain and simple. This also means that D2 accelerator, as I mentioned is cheating as well.
Alright that isn't what people are interested in in this debate. They want to know how maphack gives an advantage or ruins the game for other people. Let's go into general things that don't even involve PvP before we get specific. I join an open game and wish to party with someone. I like to play the game through and not rush. I am lucky enough to find others who want to play this way. Now, some maphack rusher comes in, and since maphack enables you to zip right to the quest items, they go and complete them and force me to start a new game, or join them to get the quest and not allow me to play the way I wanted to. Yeah, that can be done by general griefers and doesn't require maphack, but it certainly aided by maphack.
I am in a party and don't use maphack, others do. So, when drops hit, it takes me longer to filter out what hit the ground since maphack isn't doing it for me, making it harder for me to try and pick up nice or valuable items. Skilled 'ninja grabbers' who don't use maphack can do the same, but I have a much better chance against them.
Maphackers find the bosses faster, and can charge up to them killing them while I am still exploring and have an even better chance of getting items. Maphackers who are hiding it, still have a tendency to speed up the pace of the game by getting to exits quicker, removes some of the exploratory factor of the game from those who like it, but still want to be party friendly.
Let's go specific now, thanks to MEAT for providing a list of maphack features. Much of this is already covered in the general area so I just deleted many of the features where I already talked about this.
Show all shrines on automap sooner than normal, each type with different graphics.
Note big by itself, but cheaters get to use gem and experience shrines more easily than I do.
Full screen light radius, full infravision (see through walls) and sunny weather.
Same deal, advantaged into knowing what you are facing sooner. Allows PK'ers to leave party knowing that the next room is going to be a furball and making it harder to defend yourself (had this happen to me a couple of times where they just give a full, going to town real quick message).
Show monster enchantments, auras and immunities on automap.
Encourages annoying one trick pony builds by enabling them to aviod areas they can't deal with. Causes me to hear them whine about going to new areas when partied with them.
Change colour or hide selected items on ground.
Discussed already
Show rune numbers and number of sockets on items.
Knowing just what to pick up and what to leave on the ground allows you to get that item for the runeword and not me.
Virtual map scrolling, allowing casting or shooting at huge ranges.
Since you are cheating on killing things early, that ruins my fun of being able to fight monsters
Protect socketed items from accidental socketing.
While this one should still be a feature, why do cheaters not have to worry about accidently wasting an item for socketing and hence losing the time in trying to find it again, when legits don't?
Automatic exit game on low life and/or hostility.
Do I even have to explain how this is cheating in PvP or Hardcore?
Maphack adversely affects my playing of the game directly and indirectly by encouraging annoying behavior. That is the connotation side of cheating.
This does seperate maphack from D2 accelerator because the very minor advantages that I feel D2A can give you (easier to deal with monsters due to better vision when using Blizzard or Frozen orb), have very little or no affect on other players. That makes it a mostly benign form of cheating which is why Blizzard isn't concerned about it, IMO. Maphack as I pointed out, does ruin the game quality for non maphack users.
I have better things to do with my time now than explain the obvious, so I am done. If valid specific points are raised I might spend time repsonding again.
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It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.
It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.