Screen peeking

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Screen peeking – sometimes referred to as screen looking, screen watching, screen cheating, or lan hacking – is an action specific to multi-player video and computer games that use a split-screen to facilitate several players on a single screen. Screen peeking is when a player looks not only at his/her own section of the screen, but at the sections of other players. By screen peeking, the player attempts to gain information outside the trope of the game and therefore gain an advantage.

In a first person shooter, screen peeking can be used to determine the location of a hiding player, avoid the crosshairs of another player's weapon, or determine another player's remaining health. And while screen peeking is most common in first person shooters, it can also be performed in other games. For example, most popular football games involve both the offensive and defensive player choosing their plays on the same screen – a prime moment for screen peeking. There is a common debate among gamers as to whether or not screen peeking is a form of cheating.

[edit] History

The term "screen peeking" most likely became popular due to the game GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64^{[citation needed]}. GoldenEye 007 was an extremely popular game at the time of its release primarily due to its multiplayer mode which relied on a split screen to allow up to four players at once on a single television. A similar tactic was also commonly employed in Internet Cafes, with the game Counter-Strike. Dead teamates would often yell out the locations of other players in hopes ending a stand off between players. Seasoned players who knew the maps were able to recognize their opponents' locations, even in the most secluded hiding spots, by looking at their screen.

A common argument for screen peeking is the fact that all players are already constantly aware of sounds made from the other players. The loud ring of a shotgun shell, or the tell-tale sound of someone using a teleporter in Halo 2, can provide a disadvantage to the player causing the noise, as their position or actions become instantly known to others, without the need for screen peeking. This argument attempts to nullify arguments against screen peeking, as it is already impossible to offer completely fair play given the resources and method of playing. One of the issues with screen peeking is that it can extend the advantage of certain players beyond what is normally possible in a game.

Another argument in favor of screen peeking is that each player is capable of it. Unlike other hacks, anyone can screen peek. The claim that some players have a greater advantage while screen peeking stems from the fact that good players are often better equipped to handle a high volume of information while looking at multiple of screens. Also, since most games do not directly define screen peeking as cheating, it is left up to the players to decide whether to consider it acceptable in gameplay. "No screen peeking" is technically a player-fabricated rule, and can be compared to ideas such as "no grenades" or "no sniper rifles."

[edit] Solutions

Many players use the simple remedy of staring at the ground when another player is a suspected screen peeker. This enables their location to be kept confidential. Perfect Dark for the N64 had a feature where the player could cause their screen to dim significantly with only the crosshairs showing to prevent screen peeking but still allowing the player enough vision to be able to snipe other players wandering into view. This was done by crouching down as low as possible, then by pressing the crouch buttons again and holding them (R + Down C by default). There have also been products designed specifically to prevent screen peeking in video games. [1]

Some console games have even gone to the extreme of using auxiliary displays for each player, such as the Dreamcast's VMU and the Gamecube's GBA cable.