The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard: Difference between revisions

{{examples|page=the computer not playing by human rules}}

== Generic Examples ==

* In [[Real Time Strategy]] and [[Turn-Based Strategy]] games, the computer ...

** ... builds faster, or just has new units magically appear out of nowhere.

 

== Specific Examples ==

=== Fighting Games ===

* While the AI in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]] Melee'' and ''Brawl'' isn't of Rubber Band variety, it still can [[The All-Seeing AI|always see everything in the stage]].

** Sniper Rifles in UFO: Aftershock are strangely inaccurate unless the user is a level 3 sniper, then combat becomes a joke, however hostiles are all able to fire them like normal weapons without any penalties for stance or injuries. On the plus side they don't get any bonuses for these either and Cultist psychics almost never wear Trueshot aura Bracers.

* The old Microprose game ''[[Master of Magic]]'' initially had a shapeshift spell that would disguise one unit as another. The manual noted that this illusion would not affect the computer players. Too bad ''Master Of Magic'' was a one-player game with no network, internet, or even hotseat play capabilities.

* In the ''[[Star Wars]]'' ''[[Dark Forces Saga|Jedi Outcast]]'' and ''[[Dark Forces Saga|Jedi Academy]]'' games, all Force-using characters (enemies and friends) but you possess immense (though not bottomless) Force batteries, have bullshitime perfect reflexes and cannot be surprised. Furthermore, their Force powers don't cool down and can be reused instantly. All this is designed to make them impossible to kill without a lightsaber, since they will deflect blaster bolts and telekinetically redirect missiles and explosives straight back at you. (Theoretically, one could lure them into a heavily-mined area, but that's more trouble than it's worth.) When you have a Jedi NPC, a Dark Jedi NPC and a missile launcher (or better still the concussion rifle) in the same room, it is actually possible to get the two to play an infinite game of Force Push tennis.

** Also, similarly to enforce lightsaber combat, if you do attack them with normal weaponry, their powers and sword strikes are suddenly mega-effective and you will die in five seconds.

** The British National Lottery online games do exactly the same thing. For instance, there is a game where you can guess whether the next ball from the machine will be higher or lower, giving the illusion that skill is required to win. However, whether you will win or lose the game is decided beforehand. Sometimes it's funny to deliberately choose the least likely answer and then watch as a highly improbable sequence of balls emerge - again and again.

* Coin-operated pub quiz machines were fair for a few years after they first came out, until the makers realised that some [[Renaissance Man]] types were making serious money off them. The response was to introduce gambling elements to the games that reduced them to [[Luck-Based Mission]] even for people who knew all the answers to the questions. Some games even introduce elements ostensibly requiring manual dexterity - for example, on ''Bullseye'' a player must hit a prize segment with a dart, and ''Battleships'' involves hitting it with a revolving turret. However, even when aimed perfectly, the game decides whether or not the shot will hit.

** In case you had any doubt, there's no warning of this (at least in Canada).

* Claw Machines. Good lord. It's amazing how many people don't know this, but almost all claw machines are rigged in various ways. For instance, many machines lower the claw slowly and then pull it up quickly, tending to drop the prize with this sudden motion. The most common method of rigging a machine is to rig the claw so that it only actually closes tight enough to grip a prize every so often. If the machine is set to grip a prize, an experienced player will almost always win...but these instances are rare. On some machines, you get a chance to win every X amount of plays. Someone in-the-know could let other people play until the machine is ready to spit out a prize, then swoop in and take it. However, most modern machines use a Random Number Generator.