109 replies to this topic

[Sweeney]

[Mishelle]

I used cheat codes playing The Sims today.

Thug life.

[Mishelle]

Since my laptop broke I've got my dell from the 90s until I can get a new laptop for my birthday. Not only that but I have shitty cox internet because Cox is the only internet my complex is allowed to purchase. If it weren't for Autobuying I probably wouldn't even be on neo because most of the games lag like crazy on my computer and restocking is out of the question completely. Plus I sell my items for super cheap thanks to the SSW along my impatience with the TP. Even with the ABer I miss a lot of stuff because my internet is so bad. So people get super cheap items and I get neopoints to get the pets and gallery items I want. As far as I'm concerned it's winwin.

[Mishelle]

I'm not sure what I'm getting but I know for damn sure it wont be an HP. Maybe I'll get a Dell, my desktop is a Dell and the fact that it's still functioning over a decade is quite nice. I just really want to get something light that I can take with me during my 3 hour break between classes.

[sprockets]

A lot of us wouldn't cheat in the first place if our legit accounts didn't get frozen cause TNT thought we cheated. Of course, they may just be freeze happy because they are aware that users cheat.

I was talking to ShadowLink once about how many users he thought actually AB and he was able to check to see how many people accessed the item database (because it gets updated when you first load it) in a given month, it's actually a lot lower than you'd expect considering how many downloads there have been in total

[pyelon]

My view on this topic is that in ANY economy, virtual or real, there will be "cheaters" - people who abuse the system's weaknesses to gain an unfair advantage.
yes, most (if not all) of the members of this site use programs that provide that advantage, whether big or small, just as wall street giants use speculation to make short-term gains.

The thing to keep in mind is this: there is an overwhelming number of "legit" players (just to label people not using any programs etc), and a very small fraction of "non-legit" players (us).

Does us doing this stuff really deflate the feeling of accomplishment of other players? Well, when I played legit when i was younger, did seeing a trophy in someone else's lookup ever make me feel like less of a player? I'd say not really. It would maybe make me feel like I had a long way to go, but I still feel that when I see the trophies and avatars I don't have yet. So, I dont think the effect is terrible.

What i sort of do agree with is the idea that autobuying hurts - autobuying when you usually wouldn't be at the computer increases competition for legit players. It may not be you who snipes their item, but the fact is you're one more hand reaching for the same prize, without even being there.

Picture 5 hungry kids in some desolate country, and the parent brings home enough food for one - if you were one of those 5 hungry kids, but you managed to get the one-serving of food yesterday, do you deserve it today as well? Well it doesn't matter because even when you're not around, there's a substitute kid who can grab the food for you and hold onto it until you're hungry again!

Kinda a lame analogy I know but, the point is, the actually hungry kids have a harder time getting food!

[Sweeney]

Picture 5 hungry kids in some desolate country, and the parent brings home enough food for one - if you were one of those 5 hungry kids, but you managed to get the one-serving of food yesterday, do you deserve it today as well? Well it doesn't matter because even when you're not around, there's a substitute kid who can grab the food for you and hold onto it until you're hungry again!

Kinda a lame analogy I know but, the point is, the actually hungry kids have a harder time getting food!

It's a more apt analogy if, instead of food, you substitute luxury items.

Who "deserves" a new DVD more? The kid who hasn't had one in four days, or the kid who hasn't had one in five days? The reality is that it doesn't matter, because there's no real impact on the one who misses out.

[Equi]

i agree that cheating is wrong and bad in any manner

but neopets is just a game to me

i weigh my wants vs. my aversions, and it comes down to whichever wins out

[Sweeney]

i weigh my wants vs. my aversions, and it comes down to whichever wins out

So how do you choose which wins? How do you compare the good with the bad?

[Turnip]

The way I see it, is that cheating is just like the equivalent to using an escalator or elavator to get to where you wanna be Sure you can just take the stairs, get up to the top with hard work and getting FIT (SQUATZ N OATZ EVERYDAY), and health nuts/legit kiddies might look down on you for doing it your way, but it doesn't really matter since you're still gonna get to where you wanna be~ And since when was it bad to use an elevator/lift instead of the stairs? ^^

[Sweeney]

Arguably since the country began to be populated by people who can't climb stairs without losing their breath...
But there's no analogy with Neopets there ^^

[Waser Lave]

Arguably since the country began to be populated by people who can't climb stairs without losing their breath...
But there's no analogy with Neopets there ^^

Also during earthquakes, fires etc.

[Sweeney]

I believe the better analogy would be you have a motorcycle, and you compete in a bike race.

Well, you're wrong then, aren't you?

[Sweeney]

There are more than one way to skin a cat, but aint none of them thats goina make the cat happy.

What about waiting until after it died of natural causes, following a long and fulfilling life?

[liquidnails]

Hmmm. I used to be dead set against Abers, but after being so frustrated with ridiculously fast "ppl" beating me in shops, I turned to the dark side.

[willy101]

I think the bigger problem with cheating tools is that they lead to an inflated price of Neopoints. In other words, those playing "legit" have NPs that have decreasing value b/c of cheaters who are generating items faster as well as more NP from games allowing them to purchase items at higher prices

[Eefi]

I think the bigger problem with cheating tools is that they lead to an inflated price of Neopoints.

There are people who are just as fast as your AB when buying items (and if they weren't if would be so easy to tell autobuyers apart from humans) and they are all responsible for inflating the prices. In every economy it's always a handful of people who hold almost all the money.

To me, Neopets is just too much grinding if you're not a badass restocker yourself or are an absolute pro at those flash games. I don't want to spend 4 hours each day to earn a paint brush in a year. Then I'd rather be not playing at all.