> Why the duck would video card manufactures care if people cheat in video games?
They care because game makers care. If they want their logo in the pre-game splashes and similar they need to not be a problem to the people who decide what goes there or it'll end up costing more than it would cost the compatetion. Also they certainly don't want someone like EA coming out and explicitly saying they don't recommend their line of graphics systems.
> Heck, why would even GAME manufactures care if people cheat in video games?
Way back when, they didn't. Well they did, but only for the first X weeks after which any sectret and big ending reveals were public knowledge anyway afte3r which they'd leak out cheat codes themselves to increase interest inthe game from more casual players.
Now they care because their customer base cares. The perception that someone might get an advantage by using a particular card will put a lot of people off. Even if it isn't really possible (because the game is well enough designed that such hacks won't really give any advantage) the perseption amongst the general public that it might be is enough to be concerned about.
> Can somebody clear up if that is the real reason those debug options etc were taken out?
Not unlikely: they were probably pig sick of people breaking things and blaming them for the resulting mess (I tweaked X and your card overheated and my computer crashed and I lost three days of unsaved work, waah, waah, waaaaaahhh).
Or people tweaking the settings, making things far worse in some circumstances, and then assuming that the card is crap (and telling everyone) because to does X badly without thinking that their tweaks might have a little to do with that.
Or they were sick of getting many support queries about the options, or having to make an effort to monitor populat forums for people distributing blatently bad advice about them so they can nip the above problems in the bud. Time is money and reputation management can be expensive especially if you are having to do it retroactively.
Or all of the above. Basically people. People are a problem.
They care because game makers care. If they want their logo in the pre-game splashes and similar they need to not be a problem to the people who decide what goes there or it'll end up costing more than it would cost the compatetion. Also they certainly don't want someone like EA coming out and explicitly saying they don't recommend their line of graphics systems.
> Heck, why would even GAME manufactures care if people cheat in video games?
Way back when, they didn't. Well they did, but only for the first X weeks after which any sectret and big ending reveals were public knowledge anyway afte3r which they'd leak out cheat codes themselves to increase interest inthe game from more casual players.
Now they care because their customer base cares. The perception that someone might get an advantage by using a particular card will put a lot of people off. Even if it isn't really possible (because the game is well enough designed that such hacks won't really give any advantage) the perseption amongst the general public that it might be is enough to be concerned about.
> Can somebody clear up if that is the real reason those debug options etc were taken out?
Not unlikely: they were probably pig sick of people breaking things and blaming them for the resulting mess (I tweaked X and your card overheated and my computer crashed and I lost three days of unsaved work, waah, waah, waaaaaahhh).
Or people tweaking the settings, making things far worse in some circumstances, and then assuming that the card is crap (and telling everyone) because to does X badly without thinking that their tweaks might have a little to do with that.
Or they were sick of getting many support queries about the options, or having to make an effort to monitor populat forums for people distributing blatently bad advice about them so they can nip the above problems in the bud. Time is money and reputation management can be expensive especially if you are having to do it retroactively.
Or all of the above. Basically people. People are a problem.