Cheating on Steam [offline]?

[Fokkas]

I was just wondering... I'm new to steam essentially, and I was wondering if you can still cheat on Steam games (through either cheat commands, command consoles, txt file editing, trainers, or other exploits) without being banned or locked or something?

I'm no fan of cheating online and I don't respect it at all but I feel no shame to cheat against an AI in an offline game from time to time. For instance I've used things like trainers for Command and Conquer, and Company of Heroes games before - and I've changed the ini files for Age Of Empires III to make it more realistic and increase the population limits for each team, and adding more building potential... But can you do any of that on Steam? And is it harder to do or relatively the same after you find the Steam>common>[game folder]?

Also, even with games with the Valve Anti-Cheat support, can I play an offline game (while disabling achievments) and NOT get banned? I mean, I don't want achievments when I cheat, I'm not stupid lol - but it would suck to use one cheat or find an exploit and then log on one day to find that I've lost hundreds of dollars on a banned account.

[Hempest]

Youll only be banned if you join a VAC server with cheats running

[Fokkas]

So, the game and VAC will register the cheats on a game but not do anything unless I join a Multiplayer or leaderboards server type thing?

[WiseDevil]

For some games if you cheat you will not get achieviements (like Fallout new vegas). If you load to a previous save were you didn't cheat it will count the achieviement. In other game like Rage I tweaked the fov because they don't include that in the options and I didn't get in trouble for anything. You can get on the leaderboards and cheat but that's a d!ck move.

[Vaemer-Riit]

If the cheats are accessible from inside the game have at it.

If the cheats require you to modify text files without using special tools (tools to recompile encrypted configuration files for example) have at it.

If the cheats require you to modify protected files and or use special tools (that encrypted configuration tool again) make sure that there is no anti cheat in the game or that the anti cheat ignores what you are trying to do.

If the cheat requires you to install a "cheat tool" or trainer, stay away.

[WiseDevil]

I also don't recomend adding any texture changes, I remember if you change texture and shadders to counter strike to make it look better it counts as a modifier to the game (not cheating) because the hooked file enabled a bloom effect so he got vac banned for that.

[Fokkas]

So hypothetically, if I purchased a game such as.... Company of Heros 2, and decided to use a trainer for single player campaign, I'd be fine?

[WiseDevil]

Originally posted by internal_memory:

So hypothetically, if I purchased a game such as.... Company of Heros 2, and decided to use a trainer for single player campaign, I'd be fine?

If you won't play online yeah I don't see a problem in that. I recommend to delete the trainer mod if you so decide to play online, really no point of having training wheels for that long anyway.
edit: by delete I mean not in the Company of heroes configs

[Kesac]

Regarding Company of Heroes 2, you may want to look into the -dev command line option too -- this will allow safe cheating (via a "developer console"). (This was found via google search, I don't have the game so I can't test it)

Edit: This is similar to sv_cheats 1 in Valve games, and it will NOT allow you to play online while -dev mode is enabled.

[NoKe.BranDon]

thanks

[Fokkas]

Oh that's pretty awesome actually, I'm pretty pumped to get CoH2 Deluxe while it's on sale, I used to have the CoH 1+DLC afew years back but that was on a different Steam account which just vanished or something - so it'd be good to be able to get them again.. Not like it was any real loss lol, my original copies were gifted to me so meh.. But now I have no friends on Steam XD.

[Fokkas]

I could believe it honestly lol. Not everything in every game is made to be achieved fairly.

[グルスガンマモン]

While this is rather 1 year old. just for future refrence for anyone who stumbles in here.

I cheat Offline too beacuse the npcs has no feelings and it hurts no one, Normally only use Trainers from Cheathappens and Game copyWorld for games that have no online capabilities or vary little and is not the main focus and no VAC Tag (you can check in the Game's store) For example Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed, Trainers are fine and Cheat Engine Built Trainers are too but I do NOT Recommend using them online. For Games like HL1 and 2 trainers are not needed as the Developer Console already provides the cheats by default.

The only issuie that you can have with a trainer is your game crashing due to the trainer version not matching the games current version for that trainer or not working at all. Trainers are ok but not hacks, They are not completely the same, Your not sapose to be able to use trainers online anyways as they are mostly desgined for offline games not online.

Hacks are made for online but not offline.

Valve Games you should use with extreme caution, Remember to always use the console on these games and nothing else. Watch what games you pick your planning to cheat on beacuse 1 wrong move and you can get in big trouble.

I seen to many post that say "Don't try it, Dont cheat this and don't cheat that, etc, etc, etc." Not all Cheats are bad, You just have to be extra careful. Trainers are safer than Hacks are, The trainers I use should never have anything that says "wallhack, aimbot" theres no need for that in a trainer, Heck I love editing with Cheat Engine in Devil May Cry 3 Speical Edition to give me unlimited Red Orbs (Money) so I can heal and spam Holy Water.


Here is a list of games I cheat that are safe to cheat with a trainer (I wont be held responsible for accidental bans that was your respnsability!),

Safe to cheat in Single Player (These came off my Steam Library)
-----------------
Devil May Cry 3
Mirror's Edge
Watch Dog's (Keep online Mode off, That means no player invading your game switch it off)
Borderlands 1, 2 & Pre-Sequel. (Becareful cheating on this beacuse it will screw up your character's Development if you mod like it's exp multiplier you will break it)
Fable 3 (If you still own it on Steam not on Steam Store anymore)
Five Night's at Freddy's
Mass Effect 1 & 2
Prototype 1 and 2
Saints Row Games (Offline Only, Single Player Recommended)
Sonic Generations (Don't use it in during online score board thing, You will learn the hard way use the trainer in offline only!)
Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed (Offline Cheating only!)
Aliens Breed 2: Assault (You can edit the values for ammo and stuff with Cheat Engine no trainer needed)
BioShock 1, 2 and Infinite.
C&C Games except the online one (Offline Only).
Duke Nukem Forever
X-Blades
Batman Arkham Aysalum and Arkham City Games (I never did have luck with trainers on the second installment it just never works for me)
Second Sight