this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2025
35 points (100.0% liked)
Gaming
3796 readers
107 users here now
The Lemmy.zip Gaming Community
For news, discussions and memes!
Community Rules
This community follows the Lemmy.zip Instance rules, with the inclusion of the following rule:
- No NSFW content
You can see Lemmy.zip's rules by going to our Code of Conduct.
What to Expect in Our Code of Conduct:
- Respectful Communication: We strive for positive, constructive dialogue and encourage all members to engage with one another in a courteous and understanding manner.
- Inclusivity: Embracing diversity is at the core of our community. We welcome members from all walks of life and expect interactions to be conducted without discrimination.
- Privacy: Your privacy is paramount. Please respect the privacy of others just as you expect yours to be treated. Personal information should never be shared without consent.
- Integrity: We believe in the integrity of speech and action. As such, honesty is expected, and deceptive practices are strictly prohibited.
- Collaboration: Whether you're here to learn, teach, or simply engage in discussion, collaboration is key. Support your fellow members and contribute positively to shared learning and growth.
If you enjoy reading legal stuff, you can check it all out at legal.lemmy.zip.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Three things have changed.
First, GameFaqs put all of it online for free. Why would you buy a book? It's now a relic of the old web, but it's still there, filled with cheat codes and guides for all your games. Strategies evolve as players learn new things, so forums have replaced prescriptive guidebooks to accommodate new ideas.
Second, game development has changed. Cheat codes were originally tools for developers to function test. To test a particular level or feature, devs would have to play the actual game. Modern games are not as linear, and modern developers can throw together a test environment on the fly. Game components are more like isolated microservices, so modifying the game to test features does not need to be baked into the code.
The third thing is that everything has an online multiplayer now. Cheats are fun when it's just you against the machine, but online competitive play is ruined when your opponent has infinite health. Online cheaters still exist, ruining multiplayer for entire communities, but their aimbots and shit cannot be officially sanctioned or promoted in a guidebook.
A lot of cheats weren't actually useful gameplay cheats. My favorites were always the silly ones like big head mode or flying a real car in rogue squadron.
Oh yeah, a lot of games introduced cheats as easter eggs. NBA Jam set the standard for a lot of cheat variables.
Fourth, guidebooks still exist but are basically collectables now.
Christmas presents for the gamer who has everything. I got my son a Breath of the Wild encyclopedia, and he spent hours reading about different enemies and collectibles. It even had a map of korok seeds that he could scratch off (although he gave up when he learned what the reward would be).
Exactly. I bought one for the last Pokemon game I bought for nostalgia sake.
Edit: I still used the wiki when I had to find answers to stuff.