• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 00:22
CET 06:22
KST 14:22
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups C & D Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups A & B Preview2TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners12Intel X Team Liquid Seoul event: Showmatches and Meet the Pros10
Community News
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced2[BSL21] Ro.16 Group Stage (C->B->A->D)4Weekly Cups (Nov 17-23): Solar, MaxPax, Clem win3RSL Season 3: RO16 results & RO8 bracket13Weekly Cups (Nov 10-16): Reynor, Solar lead Zerg surge2
StarCraft 2
General
BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced SC: Evo Complete - Ranked Ladder OPEN ALPHA When will we find out if there are more tournament Weekly Cups (Nov 17-23): Solar, MaxPax, Clem win Weekly Cups (Nov 10-16): Reynor, Solar lead Zerg surge
Tourneys
Tenacious Turtle Tussle [Alpha Pro Series] Nice vs Cure RSL Revival: Season 3 $5,000+ WardiTV 2025 Championship StarCraft Evolution League (SC Evo Biweekly)
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 501 Price of Progress Mutation # 500 Fright night Mutation # 499 Chilling Adaptation Mutation # 498 Wheel of Misfortune|Cradle of Death
Brood War
General
BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Which season is the best in ASL? Data analysis on 70 million replays sas.vorti stream [BSL21] Ro.16 Group Stage (C->B->A->D)
Tourneys
Small VOD Thread 2.0 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL21] RO16 Tie Breaker - Group B - Sun 21:00 CET [BSL21] GosuLeague T1 Ro16 - Tue & Thu 22:00 CET
Strategy
Game Theory for Starcraft How to stay on top of macro? Current Meta PvZ map balance
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread The Perfect Game Nintendo Switch Thread Beyond All Reason Should offensive tower rushing be viable in RTS games?
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Artificial Intelligence Thread YouTube Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion NBA General Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Where to ask questions and add stream? The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Esports Earnings: Bigger Pri…
TrAiDoS
Thanks for the RSL
Hildegard
Saturation point
Uldridge
DnB/metal remix FFO Mick Go…
ImbaTosS
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2306 users

Why Maphack?

Blogs > needcomputer
Post a Reply
lantz
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States762 Posts
September 01 2013 03:32 GMT
#1
I really dislike maphackers so im writing this blog.

Today, I have a question for all you. Why do people maphack? Don't you think it would ruin the game for you? Previously, I had always thought high level people maphack because they like winning and getting into GM with super high records. I never expected lower league people to map hack... until today.

So today I was laddering as Z and went up against a protoss player. I am Diamond League and my opponent was Gold League. I decided to have some fun and rush muta off two base. Like super rush mutas and only make 1 queen while morphing the other base into lair as soon as I get 100 gas. The protoss did not block my hatch or scout at all. During the game, I began to suspect something when I showed up at his base with 6 or so muta and there were already cannons in place... Then my opponent proceeded to go blink stalker without scouting at all. However, even though he went blink stalkers, I ended up winning the game due to mechanics.

This got me thinking... if you don't have the mechanics, why would you maphack? It would really slow down your improvement and understanding the game. Also, what is sadder is when you use a maphack but get completely destroyed. How would that make you feel....

Basically, I really dislike people that cheat in games to win and hopefully blizzard will take a more active role in banning maphackers of ALL leagues. /rant

If you have time to watch the game:
Please excuse my intro talk BM, I like to play around with protoss opponents
http://drop.sc/356779

*
Entirety
Profile Blog Joined April 2012
1423 Posts
September 01 2013 03:39 GMT
#2
Well basically I feel that maphacking isn't actually about the winning aspect, although people definitely feel that maphacking will give them crazy winrates.

One of the most appealing features of maphack is to eliminate the unknown aspect of StarCraft II... basically, haven't you ever raged when you got 11/11ed or you lost to cloak banshees because you weren't ready? It happens to all of us, we don't properly scout and we get punished at least a few times. If you get outplayed hard, then you feel like the other player was better and you need to improve. If you get cheesed out or something, then it's natural to feel that you were the better player, you could have won in macro games, the other player is a scrub, etc.

Thus, maphacking lets you be ready for that. It eliminates the frustration of losing to cheese... Suddenly you know what to do, and if you lose, it's simply because the other player played better.

Disclaimer: I do not maphack and I've never maphacked in my life. I did consider it at some points for the reasons I listed above, but in the end, I thought I should just improve naturally and play the game the way it was meant to be played.
IMMvp (정종현) | Fan Club: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=211431
lantz
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States762 Posts
September 01 2013 03:49 GMT
#3
Yeah I understand what you are saying. But if you maphack, then you don't learn any timings and you get hooked/addicted to maphacking so you never really get better.

I don't even know how to report maphackers so I usually just let it go since it's ladder and I'll probably never face them again
Esoterikk
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
Canada1256 Posts
September 01 2013 04:08 GMT
#4
There are people who don't care about improving, they only care about winning no matter how it happened, to most of these people they were be perfectly happy having invulnerable units.
FakeDouble
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Australia676 Posts
September 01 2013 04:48 GMT
#5
On September 01 2013 12:32 needcomputer wrote:
I am Diamond League and my opponent was Gold League. ...6 or so muta and there were already cannons in place... Then my opponent proceeded to go blink stalker without scouting at all.


This isn't actually proof of maphacks. Mutas are common, not scouting or just the obligatory probe scout is common in gold league. Blink stalkers are not as common I'll grant you that, but doing random non-standard stuff is common in gold league and below. Unless you can point out timings where he peers through the fog at your base or has ridiculously good reaction time/positioning despite not knowing where your mutas are, you can only suspect, not know for sure.

That said, discussion points about maphacks are still valid.

People like winning, and some people like winning over and above observing 'rules'. People use aimbots in FPS games, athletes use performance enhancing drugs like beta-blockers in shooting, EPO in cycling, steroids in weightlifting etc. If people think they can get away with it, there will always be some that will try to give themselves an unfair advantage.
Formerly known as carbonaceous
Eggi
Profile Blog Joined December 2012
478 Posts
September 01 2013 04:55 GMT
#6
Because they can. Thats as simple as that.

The reward is to high and the risk is to low.

FakeDouble
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Australia676 Posts
September 01 2013 05:09 GMT
#7
Okay, watched the replay. Most suspicious part is around 13:00 where he makes an attack command at your 3rd, which he did not have vision of, hesitates, changes it to an attack to the nat, then back to the 3rd. Guess he saw all those spines at both places through the fog.

Nexus first without probe scout is risky, but an acceptable gamble. calling your bluff re 6 pool is not suspicious at all (who trusts their opponents anyways?). 3 cannons per mineral line before seeing muta are suspicious. But if he had full vision of muta via minimap, he doesn't do a good job of moving his stalkers around to defend, you get to snipe a pylon at the main ramp. The extra cannons after seeing muta are not suspicious. The gg timing was suspicious (he probably saw the mass ling muta coming across the map).

I'm inclined to believe he maphacked that game, mainly because of the first thing i said, but in future you should state exactly what the suspicious behaviour was before accusing people of maphacks. It's a serious allegation and you should have good evidence.
Formerly known as carbonaceous
lantz
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States762 Posts
September 01 2013 05:28 GMT
#8
@FakeDouble

Trust me, I would not accuse anyone unless I at least put effort into confirming it. I watched the replay by myself then watched it with some random people who confirmed my suspicions. Also, I put this in the blog section and didn't name him.

I'm pretty sure he was maphacking because of the stuff you said. Also, there is a part where he moves his stalkers towards an ovie in the middle of the map to kill it without seeing it at all. He also starts his third base, then sees a large amount of muta and lings in the middle of the map and leaves the game. Why would he start a third base before leaving? He could of just left after he lost his army. I think he saw me incoming and knew he couldn't hold it so he left.

Anyway, this blog is more about trying to understand why people maphack/cheat. I just thought it was pretty crazy that a gold leaguer was maphacking.
Entirety
Profile Blog Joined April 2012
1423 Posts
September 01 2013 10:51 GMT
#9
On September 01 2013 12:49 needcomputer wrote:
Yeah I understand what you are saying. But if you maphack, then you don't learn any timings and you get hooked/addicted to maphacking so you never really get better.

I don't even know how to report maphackers so I usually just let it go since it's ladder and I'll probably never face them again


Who says maphackers want to get better? Who says they want to ever learn those timings?

Imagine you are someone who works all week long and then some due to overtime... you come home really stressed and you want to play a little StarCraft II. You already know you won't ever reach Gold/Diamond because you have such little time to play (1-2 hours per week). You're stuck in Bronze/Silver where all those noobs cheese you out and it's infuriating because you swear you could beat them in a macro game. Wait a second, I thought you were playing StarCraft to relax after work?

That's why you choose to maphack. Because you don't have time to learn the timings and you know you won't ever learn them anyway. All you want is a nice easy game of SC2 without worrying about if he's gonna go 11/11 or reapers or 6rax marine or marine/SCV all-in or cloakshee or widow mine drop or hellbat drop or oh shit you just lost because he went for proxy thor drop. Fuck. That's it, you're downloading the maphack.

I was trying to put you in the mindset of someone who would maphack... I know that's one very specific scenario, but I hope that helps you understand why people would maphack. Not everyone wants to improve... or rather, not everyone wants to put in the effort to improve.
IMMvp (정종현) | Fan Club: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=211431
Roqu
Profile Joined December 2004
United States26 Posts
September 02 2013 05:59 GMT
#10
They have maps in sc:2?
:O :O :O
Sejanus
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Lithuania550 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-09-03 05:32:18
September 03 2013 05:30 GMT
#11
Basically same reason why people play pay to win games. Which is many different reasons, actually. Some suck in everything in their lives and want at least some way to feel as if they are better than others. Some just for shits & giggles. Some because they can't deal with losing. List goes on. You won't find a single reason for everyone.
Friends don't let friends massacre civilians
Eggi
Profile Blog Joined December 2012
478 Posts
September 03 2013 15:01 GMT
#12
On September 01 2013 19:51 Entirety wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 01 2013 12:49 needcomputer wrote:
Yeah I understand what you are saying. But if you maphack, then you don't learn any timings and you get hooked/addicted to maphacking so you never really get better.

I don't even know how to report maphackers so I usually just let it go since it's ladder and I'll probably never face them again


Who says maphackers want to get better? Who says they want to ever learn those timings?

Imagine you are someone who works all week long and then some due to overtime... you come home really stressed and you want to play a little StarCraft II. You already know you won't ever reach Gold/Diamond because you have such little time to play (1-2 hours per week). You're stuck in Bronze/Silver where all those noobs cheese you out and it's infuriating because you swear you could beat them in a macro game. Wait a second, I thought you were playing StarCraft to relax after work?

That's why you choose to maphack. Because you don't have time to learn the timings and you know you won't ever learn them anyway. All you want is a nice easy game of SC2 without worrying about if he's gonna go 11/11 or reapers or 6rax marine or marine/SCV all-in or cloakshee or widow mine drop or hellbat drop or oh shit you just lost because he went for proxy thor drop. Fuck. That's it, you're downloading the maphack.

I was trying to put you in the mindset of someone who would maphack... I know that's one very specific scenario, but I hope that helps you understand why people would maphack. Not everyone wants to improve... or rather, not everyone wants to put in the effort to improve.


This also pertains to higher levels.
IdrA once said somewhere that in the right conditions of using map hacks it can actually be used to TRAIN timings.

Whats better than being able to see that EXACT timing at the EXACT moment it is happening. Being able to pause the game with your (ideally) teammate and talking about what to change.

Also I heard koreans used MH to train in broodwar.

If you use it on ladder though,

fuck you
HardlyNever
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States1258 Posts
September 03 2013 15:14 GMT
#13
There is no logical reason to maphack (outside of possible "training" purposes, but I'm not really sure if that is all that worthwhile). The reality is, as soon as you maphack (or use any other hack like automation, etc.) you have broken the rules of the game, and essentially stopped playing "starcraft 2." It is sort of like playing chess, and just pretending all your pieces are queens, winning, and thinking you "won at chess." You don't actually win at chess, you stopped playing chess the second you changed all your pieces to queens. Your opponent knows you stopped playing chess when you changed the rules; you know you stopped playing chess when you changed the rules, so you didn't really "beat your opponent at chess."

That is what maphacking on ladder is like. You aren't actually beating your opponent at sc2. You aren't getting better at sc2. You are getting ladder points for the sake of getting ladder points, but generally speaking ladder points are supposed to be some reflection of skill. In this case, they aren't, though, so you really aren't even using ladder points correctly.

It takes a very special kind of stupid to know your cheating, and still think you "win." I would guess most of the time the opponent suspects being maphacked as well. So you(the cheater) knows you didn't actually win, your opponent probably at least suspects you didn't actually win, so what exactly is the point of it?

There is no tangible reward for winning on ladder; it is all a mental reward. You don't have anything to actually gain from maphacking the ladder (if you are using it in an online tournament with a reward, it is more understandable from a logic perspective, at least). I don't understand how you can still have that "mental reward" when you know you didn't actually win at sc2, but somehow they still do.

Unfortunately, most maphackers seem to be utterly stupid, so this is totally lost on them.
Out there, the Kid learned to fend for himself. Learned to build. Learned to break.
Masq
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Canada1792 Posts
September 03 2013 16:15 GMT
#14
Should rename the blog to "Why Cheat?".

Probably the same reason people cheat on tests, lie, steal, etc. Its an easy way to 'improve' without any effort.
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Replay Cast
00:00
2025 KFC Monthly #3 - Day 1
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RuFF_SC2 117
ProTech31
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 5144
ggaemo 200
Shine 68
Noble 39
Larva 35
sorry 33
NotJumperer 15
Icarus 4
Dota 2
NeuroSwarm127
League of Legends
JimRising 747
Other Games
tarik_tv1070
Mew2King59
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream309
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 21
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hupsaiya 124
• Sammyuel 27
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Other Games
• Scarra1735
Upcoming Events
OSC
11h 38m
LAN Event
12h 38m
Replay Cast
17h 38m
Replay Cast
1d 3h
WardiTV Korean Royale
1d 6h
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
WardiTV Korean Royale
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
Wardi Open
3 days
Monday Night Weeklies
3 days
[ Show More ]
StarCraft2.fi
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
Wardi Open
4 days
StarCraft2.fi
4 days
Wardi Open
5 days
StarCraft2.fi
5 days
Replay Cast
5 days
The PondCast
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

SOOP Univ League 2025
RSL Revival: Season 3
Eternal Conflict S1

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
YSL S2
BSL Season 21
CSCL: Masked Kings S3
Slon Tour Season 2
META Madness #9
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2

Upcoming

BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
RSL Offline Finals
WardiTV 2025
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026: Closed Qualifier
eXTREMESLAND 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.