Video game exploit: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Use of video game bugs to gain unintended advantage}}

{{about|exploited glitches in video games|the video game|Exploit (video game)}}

{{Original research|date=December 2014}}

In [[video game]]s, an '''exploit''' is the use of a bug or glitch, or use elements of a game system in a manner not intended by the game's designers, in a way that gives a substantial unfair advantage to players using it.<ref name="DOG 03, 474">{{cite book | title=Developing online games | url=https://archive.org/details/developingonline0000mull | url-access=registration |author=Mulligan, Jessica |author2=Bridgette Patrovsky |chapter=Appendix F |page=[https://archive.org/details/developingonline0000mull/page/474 474] |publisher=New Riders |year=2003 |isbn=9781592730001}}</ref> However, whether particular acts constitute an exploit can be controversial, typically involving the argument that the issues are part of the game, and no changes or external programs are needed to take advantage of them.<ref name="Consalvo 07, 113">{{cite book | title=Cheating: gaining advantage in videogames | url=https://archive.org/details/cheatinggaininga00cons | url-access=limited |author=Consalvo, Mia |publisher=MIT Press |year=2007 |chapter=Chapter 5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/cheatinggaininga00cons/page/n126 114]–115 |isbn=9780262033657}}</ref>

==Controversy==

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==Common types==

[[File:Dan Backslide Wavesash.gif|thumb|left|Wavedashing, an exploit mechanic used competitively in many [[platform fighter]] games, as demonstrated in a modded instance of ''[[Rivals of Aether]]''.]]

Common types of exploits include:

; [[Duping (gaming)|Duping]]: Duplicating items or money.

; [[Lag (video games)|Lag]] and disconnection exploits: A game with inadequate lag handling may let players intentionally cause lag for themselves to cause an advantage.<ref name="Consalvo 07, 113" /> Similarly, a game that lets a player disconnect immediately with no consequences may let players exit a game without suffering a loss. (''[[Shogun 2: Total War]]'')

;Geometry: Taking advantage of how the game world is built. Typically the goal of these exploits is to reach normally inaccessible areas or take unintended shortcuts in the game world. These are commonly achieved by going through walls, crossing invisible barriers made by the programmers, or scaling ledges not intended to be climbable.

; [[Twinking]]: Twinking usually refers to taking advantage of design flaws in the game's gearing system in order to equip a new or low-level character with much higher level gear. Other actions commonly referred to as "twinking" include giving a new character a large amount of gold, and intentionally keeping a character at a low level while gaining much better equipment.

; Movement speed bugs: These usually allow the player to move faster than intended, such as [[bunny hopping]]. Many of these have been embraced by certain games, such as skiing in the [[Tribes (video game series)|''Tribes'']] series.

; Safe zones: Places where a player can attack with no risk of being attacked back. This is often a form of an exploit in the geometry (terrain) of a game—however, a game may have areas that make players within them safe (especially in PvP games/zones in which the opposing faction(s) may not enter) from attack while not disallowing the safe players to attack.

; Game mechanics: Taking advantage of the systems that make up the gameplay. A game mechanics exploit is not a bug: it is a case in which a system is working as designed, but not as intended. An example is the "wavedash" in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', in which the momentum gained from using a directional aerial dodge could be retained on landing; with proper timing this allows characters to use a stationary attack while sliding across the ground or reposition themselves in a snappy, precise way.

; Cheesing: Performing repeated, usually considered cheap, attack moves in such a way that doesn't allow the enemy to respond or fight back. An example would be ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' in which one can perform repeated moves that keep the enemy being attacked and against the side of the screen, with no way for them to perform a counterattack.

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==Response==

Developers may find it difficult to identify and respond to an exploit because players who discover vulnerabilities in a game may be reluctant to inform the game's developers, in order to continue exploiting.<ref name="Consalvo 07, 113" /> However, once developers learn of exploits, the response may include banning players who took advantage of the exploit, changing the game's rules to eliminate it or make it less useful, or even embracing the exploit. Positive opinions of the exploit can lead to the designers embracing it as [[emergent gameplay]], such as when skiing in the [[Tribes (video game series)|''Tribes'']] series of games gained developer support. The now-standard practice of [[rocket jumping]] originated in a similar way, by exploiting game mechanics in a way not foreseen by the developers. Otherwise, the developers may try to fix the underlying problem, or discourage use of the exploit if the issue cannot be clearly addressed by technical means. In severe cases, players may be banned. Further, the game state of the world may need to be reset to restore [[game balance]]. For example, following a serious currency [[duping (gaming)|dupe exploit]] in ''[[EverQuest II]]'', the developers removed large amounts of duped money from the game to address the rampant [[inflation]] it caused in the game's [[virtual economy]].<ref name="zdnet-eq2">{{cite web | title=Cheaters slam 'Everquest II' economy | author=Terdiman, Daniel | date=11 August 2005 | url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-144176.html | work=ZDNet News | access-date=21 February 2007 | author-link=Daniel Terdiman }}{{Deaddead link|date=July 2018 2024|bot=InternetArchiveBot medic}}{{cbignore|fix-attemptedbot=yes medic}}</ref>

==See also==

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[[Category:Esports terminology]]

[[Category:Video game culture|Exploit]]

[[Category:Cheating in video games|Exploit]]

[[Category:Video game terminology|Exploit]]

[[Category:Video game culture|Exploit]]