Anyone ever used "Cheat Engine"?

[Lilith]

Apparently this is a piece of freeware which you can download to your PC, it then enables you to cheat in online games. My son (who plays something called Dragon Fable online) is pestering me like mad to download this for him, but I am very dubious in case it screws up our PC/contains viruses/etc etc.

Has anyone ever used this software, and could offer me some advice? I am a complete non-techy, so my worry is that if anything did go wrong, I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it? Do I download it, or steer clear? All advice gratefully received!

[Christian]

I've had a quick browse through their forum http://forum.cheatengine.org, and it doesn't seem to be dangerous.

(Of course as a parent you have a moral obligation to your son... you want them to think cheating is OK?!)

Seriously though, it does look quite advanced - far beyond cheating - so if you think your kid will learn from it, go for it.

(By the way I work in software support, so I have a good grounding in these things)

Edited January 27, 2008 by Christian

[wanna be drummer]

I don't use it personally myself, but I know people who've used it and they never had any trouble with it, so I believe its all right.

[Jarlaxle 56]

I don't really think it's a good idea to cheat in online games...I don't think you should let him use it.

1) You could get banned from the server

2) It ruins the game for the people who aren't cheating

[IGG]

Don't download any program from another website unless you have realtime virus protection.

[wanna be drummer]

I don't really think it's a good idea to cheat in online games...I don't think you should let him use it.

1) You could get banned from the server

2) It ruins the game for the people who aren't cheating

It's not entirely for online games I dont think

[Del Zeppnile]

I always thought that running nitrous in a street racer was a 'cheat engnine'.

[Lilith]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I reached a compromise in the end - I downloaded the program just to let my son get past the bit he was stuck on, then uninstalled it again straight after.

I also delivered a stern lecture on how cheating is wrong in general. If everyone uses cheats, it just levels the playing field anyway - or to quote the baddie in "The Incredibles", "When everyone's special - no-one is"!