It's something that's always escaped me. For some unfathomable reason, there are kids (and, even more pathetic, adults) who simply MUST win. And if that means paying money for a hack, so be it. It's really just plain sad. Why would someone feel the need to ruin other people's time just for a few numbers? A pretty rank image? It's not like using steroids in baseball; you won't get anywhere with your hacks. Even if you are one of the very few people who could end up making a career out of gaming, that will never happen because the moment you show up at a LAN everyone will see that you really are a hack user and you never had any skill.
Is it a lack of self esteem? Do the players feel an attachment to the game where their only happiness comes from excelling at it? Or do some people just do it for fun? Why? You never see anyone going to the amusement park and cutting in line "for fun." They'd get their asses kicked or thrown out. The anonymity of the internet lends itself into letting these kids run wild without fear of retribution. If you play dirty in a street game of basketball, you'll be shunned. If you're a swindler at gambling games (AKA saying you suck to trick people into playing you for big cash), you are known as a hacker and nobody will play with you. In video games though, kids get this sort of body armor in the form of being anonymous and will do whatever they please, knowing full well in the back of their heads that if this were real life, they'd get their asses kicked.
So, why do people feel the need to go as far as paying money for some esteem boosts?
Is it a lack of self esteem? Do the players feel an attachment to the game where their only happiness comes from excelling at it? Or do some people just do it for fun? Why? You never see anyone going to the amusement park and cutting in line "for fun." They'd get their asses kicked or thrown out. The anonymity of the internet lends itself into letting these kids run wild without fear of retribution. If you play dirty in a street game of basketball, you'll be shunned. If you're a swindler at gambling games (AKA saying you suck to trick people into playing you for big cash), you are known as a hacker and nobody will play with you. In video games though, kids get this sort of body armor in the form of being anonymous and will do whatever they please, knowing full well in the back of their heads that if this were real life, they'd get their asses kicked.
So, why do people feel the need to go as far as paying money for some esteem boosts?