Arcade Berg aka. "Learning Game Design with Arcade Berg"

Is asking for help cheating?

When you get a work assignment as a test from a company you've applied to work for, is it cheating if you ask someone else to help you?

I think not.

I've heard people saying that's it's not okay, because a test is to see what you, the individual know and what you can do by yourself. I think that's misleading.

Of course, if you get a level design test asking you to build a level, or a programming test asking you to actually code a small game, you can't let someone else do it. But I think it's only fair to ask for hints and tips from others. Heck, I'd even recommend it.

No one would complain if you looked at other finished products and get inspiration from them. Nor would anyone complain if you did a hefty amount of googling to get your job done. But it's so taboo to ask other for help.

What's the difference? It's all "extelligense". And even when I work "for real", I still often ask others what they think and want their feedback.

Example:

If the test is to list the five games that's most groundbreaking in its way to present the narrative and why, is it not okay to ask what other people think?!

I mean, it's still you and your response that's the final thing and I think it's great if you first ask people so you can think "Oh yeah, you're right! Why didn't I think of that.". That's a learned knowledge. You now know about that game, and you're really impressed on how it presented it's narrative and you'll look it up.

What you can't do however is ask someone to list their five favorite games and just use their answers.

Okay, just wanted to share.

Not cheating as in cheat-code or "loving" someone else.

And I just have to link to this really awesome game I found about 30 minutes ago, called Dragondot!

http://nmccoy.net/games/game06_dragondot/applet/index.html (22/3/2010)

I love it because of it's absolute simplicity and how it plays on our struggle and enjoyment of getting stronger in-game. I couldn't stop playing until I beat it.

NMcCoy's Games, Game 06: Dragondot