1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

POLL: To cheat, or not to cheat?

Discussion in 'BG2: Throne of Bhaal (Classic)' started by Brallrock, Dec 31, 2005.

  1. Tardazor Gems: 4/31
    Latest gem: Sunstone


    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2004
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Well, i always get the "bags" (bag of holding, bag of gems, and scrolls) early for save space (and get money for items ;) ).
    I rarely use the Ctrl-something, I prefeer other ways of victory (hack and slash :D )
     
  2. Shrikant

    Shrikant Swords! Not words! Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2003
    Messages:
    2,620
    Likes Received:
    3
    Gender:
    Male
    I rarely cheat now-a-days. I don't think Ctrl-J is much of a cheat. I don't use Ctrl-Y except in Bodhi's lair where some mods doubles all vampires. (One Tanova is bad enough but two :eek: ) I might CLUA in certain weapons, etc. I once Ctrl-Y'd the entire docks district once but reloaded later :evil:
    And I use Ctrl-Y to bash open locks. Hate when doors get stuck.
     
  3. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    OH CTRL+Y bash-opens locks too? Didn't know that! Then I can use it!

    It really pisses me of when a fighter with 24+ STR (via potions or CF or draw upon holyiest of the mights) can not bash-open a non-trivial lock. It makes no sense to me...
     
  4. Prine Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2006
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't cheat on the first playthrough. After that I just mess around with the game however I please. I've obsessively gone through the object files and 'canonised' a bunch of weapons and items. De-cheesed a lot of the TOB content, changed the cloak of spell turning into a cloak of poisonousness, among others. Customised the casting scripts to give my casters the free contingengies NPCs get, and to get them to behave less like morons when I'm not keeping an eye on them. I experimented with things like stat bonuses, immunities, innate regeneration and resistances for the PC at various intervals to simulate 'divine abilities', since my PC is usually some kind of non-caster type. And lots of other stuff which I don't remember.

    Personally I think most of the mods out there are essentially cheating just because of how unbalancing they are, e.g. Valen, Solaufein, etc. Really, I think any kind of tampering with the game is 'cheating', no matter the intent, but I also think cheating is fine if it doesn't screw the game up for you. I'd have gotten bored with the game ages ago if I hadn't co-opted it for my own personal amusement.

    Elwithral, that sounds kind of like the stuff I used to do years ago with Ultima VII and Serpent Isle. Haha.
     
  5. Caradhras

    Caradhras I may be bad... but I feel gooood! Veteran

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2004
    Messages:
    4,111
    Media:
    99
    Likes Received:
    104
    Gender:
    Male
    How do we draw the line between cheesy tacks and cheating? Some items are overpowered (protection from magic anyone?) hence cheesy, but since they are implemented in the unmodded game it can't be cheating?

    That's true but it depends on the mods really. If you get more fights (and sometimes very difficult ones) it's only fair that you should get extra goodies, XP and stuff. It's a vicious circle because it only makes your party even stronger.
    I'm thinking about the Valen mod, it's a very nice NPC mod. It features special encounters as well (nice fights btw) but the character possess a certain dagger that is too powerful and unbalanced. When I pick her up I always have her drop her dagger somewhere so it won't spoil my game.
    I use mods to enhance the game and make it suit my tastes. One the one hand I have the spell 50 mod to boost spellcasters but I also installed the mod component that lower the duration of Stoneskin and Ironskin. I don't play with True Grand Mastery because I think that in this game magic wielders should retain an advantage over tanks. I didn't install the Invisible Cloak of Mirroring Animation fix because I don't want to strut around with such cheesy item in the first place.
    What it comes down to is do we need to cheat to have fun? Can cheating be fun?
    IMHO minor "tweaks" are more innocuous than good old Ctrl+Y... If you add a minor innate ability to your PC or make a MC with a kit where is the problem? You could use a DC but why not do it if you find DCing stupid (the 'inactive class' thing is preposterous...). Why can't a Wild Mage be dualled? Why can't I make a Halfling mage?
    If Jan Jansen can be a Thief/Illusionist why can't my half elf Bhaalspawn be Thief/Wild mage? (both result from the Times of Trouble!)
    Why does Edwin get extra spells per level? Why does Jaheira get Harper's Call? Why Imoen is such a bore? Why Sarevok gets the Deathbringer Assault? Why Haer'Dalis is such a proficient Blade?
    If it helps to make your character more unique, why not tamper with the rules?
    And if you're thinking "man stop that's overpowered!" I'd have two words for you: Ranger/Cleric.
    Why these guys are such freaks?
     
  6. Prine Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2006
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    0
    Really, I don't get why there's such a great stigma involved in cheating that people have to beat around the bush and argue semantics to justify whatever they want to do. I mean I wouldn't cheat in a multiplayer game, but if it's just you playing, who cares?
     
  7. kuemper Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2005
    Messages:
    8,926
    Likes Received:
    8
    His magical heirloom necklace, probably because his is a Thayvian Red Wizard.
    Uh, because she's a Harper? :grin:
    She has the personality of a pineapple.
    He's part of a specialized order of fighters called Deathbringers, hence the reason.
    Practice? Well, tbh, he's not really *that* good; he's only acting! :lol:

    Basically, if you want to get to the nuts and bolts of it, cheating is anything that is not in the unmodded game. Caradhras said that himself and I think he's right on. Yes, I do feel Weimer's mods (Tactics, Solafein and Valen) are cheating. My definition of cheating is to violate rules dishonestly. Of course, this also means those nice 'bugs' and 'exploits' we're all fond of are also methods of cheating.
     
  8. Nakia

    Nakia The night is mine Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2003
    Messages:
    5,575
    Media:
    102
    Likes Received:
    136
    Gender:
    Female
    I use ctrl-J a lot because I get bored tracking around in an area I've already explored. May use ctrl-R to save time. I've played BG2/ToB so many times now I get bored with some of the 'quests' so want to hurry on. Especially in areas where it is hard to rest. "You may not rest here. Find an Inn"

    Cheating spoils the game and is easy to misuse. My feelings about what others do in a single player is: Whatever makes it fun for you. It's none of my business.

    I do use power word "reload" a lot though.
     
  9. jA Gems: 3/31
    Latest gem: Lynx Eye


    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2005
    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    0
    I do not even set up my game for cheats.
     
  10. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    ^You are among the rare individuals then I guess.
     
  11. Killjoy Gems: 8/31
    Latest gem: Skydrop


    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2005
    Messages:
    288
    Likes Received:
    0
    There's only so much time in a day. You can either watch your little party of guys walk around and around and around or just CTRL+J to where you need to go. You can sit there for hours re-rolling character stats until you think you have a "role-playing" worthy character or you can shadowkeeper those same stats in about 5 seconds. Like others have mentioned, you can sit there casting every last healing spell you have memorized, rest, then cast again for as many times as needed, or CTRL+R. In other Infinity Engine games, there's even more random number generation that you can sit there and waste time on, or just CLUA/edit yourself, like hit points per roll, random occurences (Melicamp the chicken being restored), or random loot (Icewind Dale 1 & 2 drops). Yes, you can sit there like a good little soldier for hours reloading your saved games until you get the best possible result, or you can edit the result in and cut out the hours. These are single-player games where the only stakes are your own enjoyment and your time. Nobody is selling BG2 gold or characters on Ebay or stealing your quests or experience.

    Note that there are also "fair" in-game exploits that are arguably cheating, like using SOA fence merchants to get infinite gold by selling something expensive and stealing it back repeatedly. If using something that is just as abusive (but shipped with the game) helps you sleep better at night, more power to you, even though it's easy to earn piles of gold "honestly" in SOA and TOB.
     
  12. Yulaw9460 Gems: 9/31
    Latest gem: Iol


    Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2004
    Messages:
    319
    Media:
    20
    Likes Received:
    9
    Gender:
    Male
    Well, I sometimes change Jaheiras profs with Two Weapon Style. It baffles me that some fighter class combinations can only get ** in that proficiency. So if it suits me, she gets ***.
     
  13. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    Killjoy, neat post there, and I heartily agree with you!

    Though I must confess, I did the steal&sell trick...to collect enough GP for the spiffy but way too expensive mod items sold by merchants....ah and I slept really well. :angel:
     
  14. olimikrig

    olimikrig Cavalier of War Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,876
    Media:
    472
    Likes Received:
    21
    Gender:
    Male
    Basically that's just doing what thieves does: being a thief...
     
  15. Bronze Gems: 2/31
    Latest gem: Fire Agate


    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2005
    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    I use the Ctrl+J teleport a lot because charcaters walk so slooooooow in Baldur's Gate II but that's about it. If I start a new Throne of Bhaal game without finishing SoA first I usually summon some items too but you don't really need to cheat in this game really, just look at Jaheira stats, she's a cheater :p
     
  16. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    Really? I don't think Jaheira was a cheater...Look at Anomen, he is impossible to dual class into a cleric with that abysmal wisdom. And how can Minsc still retain his title of ranger with that wisdom? Oh and I heard Heardalis was also cheating in his weapon proficiencies....BUT they are all cool (to a certain degree ofcourse, especially in the case of Annoyman.) characters, so once in a while a little cheat can be cool?

    I always cheat my way for the avatar of my PCs. I want them look like a cool mage, NOT dumb-ass cleric who looks exactly same as a fighter. ANd when they wear robes, ONLY the color of their clothing changes. Urgh.

    Luckily, some mod added a wonderful avatar shifting script, and I used it evr since! Changed Minsc's avatar to half-orc, for example, it suits him better! Don'T you agree?
     
  17. DarkStrider

    DarkStrider I've seen the future and it has seen me Distinguished Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2005
    Messages:
    4,321
    Likes Received:
    2
    I don't have the cheats enabled, I don't have any mods attached, I simply have the patches installed and play the game that way.

    EDIT: I do cheat in that I don't play as an Iron Man so I can quit/reload a save if I screw something up. It's not I'm averse to cheating per se it's just that I don't think it's that great an advantage having them.
     
  18. Prine Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2006
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    0
    Most mods aren't about having an advantage, they're about adding content to the game.

    If the game hadn't been moddable, I'm fairly certain it would have been forgotten years ago.
     
  19. Abdel - Bhaal Spawn Gems: 13/31
    Latest gem: Ziose


    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2005
    Messages:
    561
    Likes Received:
    0
    I only cheat in BG1 with ExploreArea. That's it. I never had a reason to cheat in BG2 because it diminishes the game challenge if you do. Besides it isn't a hard game where cheating is necessary to win.
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.