this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2025
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Y'all laugh but there are way too many people into idle games, not to mention people who prefer watching a stream (even without commentary) over playing a game itself.
I cannot comprehend why, though, just like I can't comprehend how cheating (particularly single player) can be fun.
I was laughing along until you said "watching a stream (even without commentary)". Yeah I've done that one. Sometimes I want to see what's next in the game without spending 100 hours to get there ><. Also watching lets me mentally unwind, playing takes a mental toll.
I think we're all kinda beat down by life, so I don't really judge people on it. I just am not one of them, haha. (But I don't even watch TV or movies much so I'm admittedly a weirdo).
I also don't watch TV or movies -- only Twitch streams. I've been this way even when not beaten down by capitalism and fascism though. Even when I'm taking a break from working on creative projects, it's still nice to be able to turn my brain off and get the experience of seeing the game. Maybe my unmedicated ADHD makes me that way.
Cheats in single player games is a blast.
It gets old quick but it's fun for a while.
Have you never played a game with unreasonable grind that saps all the fun out of it ? Often just to drive player hours and 'engagement'. Multiplayer cheats however can die in a fire.
I suppose. When I'm referring to cheats, it's more in regards to invulnerability, infinite resources, etc., which seem to sap the point of having a game in the first place. Like making the fun parts into a grind, rather than the other way around.
That said, I'll also say sometimes part of the challenge is the grind, so it depends. You have to pick your own poison, right?
Like, take Silksong for example. You lose out on the full experience if you mod out the annoying run from bench to boss, it's like a 40 second annoyance built in punishment. But I get why you'd do that-- it's technically there for a reason but I get it. Hell, even the difficulty adjustment mods I can understand.
But making the bosses die in one hit or making yourself invulnerable? Now you've lost me, that's like a core element of the game; you might as well just watch someone else play it because what's the point.
Some games I want to play just to experience the storyline, but without getting stressed by danger or frustrated by getting stuck.
When I was a child I used to ask my dad to input the invulnerability cheat in Doom. I was way too bad at movement, aiming and basically just everything, that I could have had fun otherwise. Likewise for Anno 1602, there I needed the money cheat because otherwise I'd just go bankrupt. I didn't understand the income balance yet but I still had fun building economy chains.
I'm not sure I have a point here. Just remembered cheating as a child because I needed it. Probably haven't cheated in 18 years now.
My dad entered in codes for me when I was really little, but that's kind of another thing entirely. I don't think little kids have an achievement oriented sorta version of play, so anything goes with them. Once you're older, that dopamine rush just hits differently, though.
In education you could also consider it a form of scaffolding. Enabling someone to do something they normally can't do is a form of development, like giving handicaps in games and stuff can foster the skills to not need them eventually.
Good analogy. It also brought to mind the bumpers you can enable for kids in bowling.
I mean it used to be the norm for games to have cheat codes built into them. Maybe you get stuck on one part and need help, maybe you have fun spawning a bunch of weapons and going on a rampage (see GTA), or maybe you just want to see what happens if you spawn a giant enemy in a small room.
Then just don’t play that game lmao
I don't watch others playing games, either, but someone who likes those streams told me he didn't see a difference between watching good gamers play games and good football players play football.
You never used cheat codes in GTA San Andreas and the like? It's a lot of fun
I actually thought about that after my comment and summoning a tank from nowhere was fun. At least for a little bit... but maybe mostly for the novelty of it all. Also I was like, 12.
I mean it varies. It's fun to just goof off in games sometimes. That's why sandbox games like Minecraft typically have creative modes, sometimes you just wanna play in the sandbox and have a good time without the more typical game parts tying you down
Imagine thé thing you cook and guide a rimworld playing ia while making cookie then an horde attack you start yelling the cookie burn your base is lost.