30% of TF2 Players are Cheating - Here's How to Spot Them

#TF2 #TeamFortress2

Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Valve. It consists of nine classes, Scout, Soldier, Pyro, Demoman, Heavy, Engineer, Medic, Sniper, and Spy, and two teams, Red and Blu. The teams try to take the others' objective, such as an intelligence brief case, or a control point.

[Zardee.]

If the cheater is suspected to be in a party, tell the oppposing team (Playername) is cheating.
If someone instantly types in chat "No he isn't" or something along the lines of that, that person is probably one of the cheater's backup.

50% of the time, the scenario would go about just like that.

[inductivegrunt]

From bots to human cheaters. Different cause, same effect. I just hope this can get rectified faster than the bot problem so that it's less likely you get your head blown off every time you enter an open area.

[Touhou]

The problem is how normal players do not see blatant cheaters

[BisharpnearOhio]

Whenever I see the word huge in a YouTube title, I always think of Pyrocynical

[smietan]

I have a really shitty positioning on sniper and enigneer by choice, because countering these classes is based around knowing sightlines and sentry spots.
Nobody is going to expect a sniper to be attacking from the opposite site of the map, or camping in a small closed space, or hiding in a fountain on koth_lakeside.

I sometimes do braindead stunts just to see what works.

[KurffyOfficial]

this makes sense. I started playing tf2 again after almost a decade and everyone called me a cheater cause i'd get 3-5 head shots back-to-back as sniper before dying.

[capefeartrainsandsirens]

I remember joining a 2Fort server with a sniper hitting constant headshots while chat spamming and a scout insta killing everyone with a force a nature.

[Shrekswamp]

Bro I know damn well when some sniper is cheating there is no way a fucking person would have a instant snap reaction time.

[aussiebullet]

Pro tip: On alot of source games, when you press space when spectating a teammate, you can see what they are seeing. Useful for detecting cheating players.

If there is a suspected cheater on the enemy team, tell your team using team chat to saying some like "playername might be cheating"

[imfunniguy]

This is a very recent video, so imma give some insight.

- Most cheaters have a little window that tells them if they’re being spectated or not. Be wary of this when scoping out a possible cheater. If they stop what they’re doing immediately after you start spectating, keep watching them.
- Rocket jumping cheats exist. They’re primitive, but they exist.
- Smart cheaters know how to hide the fact they are cheating. If a cheater is called out while playing a specific class, they might swap to another.
- Cheaters favor hitscan classes over others, like Sniper, Scout or Heavy. Soldier and Pyro are exceptions, due to both being simple classes.
- Cheaters come in all shapes and sizes. That guy who has unusuals and good cosmetics? He could be cheating. Cheaters can hide in plain sight if they look like a good player since most people don’t put much thought into good looking players doing good.
- Blatant signs of cheaters include but are not limited to:
+ Snapping when shooting. Sign of aimbot usage.
+ Projectiles/Flames moving in strange directions. Sign of projectile aimbots.
+ Hitting sniper shots out of tunnel vision. Sign of usage of a cheat that removes the scope overlay and zoom.
+ Saying “1” in the chat. Typical sign of disrespect among cheaters. That means that their are cheaters on both teams to look for.
+ Getting too many crits in short periods of time. Sign of crithacks, most common in melees because it’s easier to hide.

To anyone who may ask, no, I’m not a cheater. I’ve had enough experience to know how cheaters operate and play the game, plus searching through cheater forums.

[jayzeejaythegoat]

It sucks that there is no killcam in TF2, it would make it so much easier to catch stuff like ESP and triggerbot

[unteleportedbread]

Great idea of looking at their movement and their aim combined. the only issue is that you can either find snipers in the same exact spot because why would they change their position if range is never a problem? I also see a bunch of actually good snipers in weird spots since they provide a better sightline, or it is somewhere where people wouldn't normally check or it is just hard to get to. Other than that great video, ill try this next few games

[medicore]

Yesterday I was playing on Dustbowl and a cheating spy stabbed me from a good distance away while I was looking at him. He got kicked within 2 minutes or something.

[I-Stole-Your-Toast]

one way to figure out if someone is a cheater, is to say, "red I think you have a cheater on your team" cheater: "who" you: "(cheaters name)"
cheater: "(several insults)"

[JohnDoe-zxul]

some of them are so obvious, had a scout with a kritskreig medic just turning to hit me in 1 frame then turning back where they're facing when i jumped them as soldier. it's like how a sniper bot flicks for a frame to headshot someone 90 degrees to their left and then flicks back to where it was looking.

another one i remember that was hilarious was a f2p pyro staring down at a teleporter right as he left spawn, didn't know i was nearby, shot a rocket at him and the tele, flicks at inhuman speed to airblast my rocket, then instantly stares down at the teleporter. dude wasn't even aware what was even happening or that i was by their spawn to destroy their tele.

[splitzo]

Projectile hacks can be relatively easy to spot regardless of the cheater's movements. A common sign is the use of a projectile aimbot, which places the rocket at a predetermined point, irrespective of where the cheater is looking. This often results in a significant discrepancy between the shot and their actual angle. Another indicator is how frequently they time their rockets before knowing a player's location, such as firing automatically when a player is about to round a corner. If you encounter a soldier or huntsman sniper who seems to fire precisely when you would have crossed the corner, especially if it happens consistently, it's likely they are cheating.

As for snipers, detecting cheats can be a bit more challenging. Instead of focusing solely on the ratio of headshots to body shots, pay attention to the consistency of their shots. Even skilled snipers will miss occasionally, particularly against agile classes like scouts. An unusually high consistency in landing shots may suggest cheating, especially when coupled with suspicious movement patterns that resemble someone new to the game.

Triggerbots are a prevalent method of "legit" cheating. These bots automatically fire the mouse as soon as the player's crosshair aligns with a specific hitbox of the enemy. The key giveaway is the consistent firing at a preconfigured interval. If you notice a sniper flicking their mouse as if to shoot an enemy but not actually firing when any normal player would have, it's a clear indicator of triggerbotting. Additionally, the strange back-and-forth motions over the enemy's head hitbox, without any shots being taken, is a behavior unnatural to genuine players.

For scouts, doubletapping with weapons like the Force-A-Nature is a common way of cheating, where both shotgun rounds are fired simultaneously, resulting in an abnormally high DPS. When a scout seems to instantly delete soldiers or heavies with this technique, they are most likely cheating.



Projectile aimbots can be identified by observing certain patterns in their firing behavior:

1. Rockets Fired at Feet vs. Body: A common trait of projectile aimbots is that they are configured to fire rockets at the enemy's feet rather than aiming directly at the body. This is done to ensure a higher chance of hitting the target with consecutive rockets, as the rocket is placed at the feet to ensure knockback, and in theory and easier to hit rocket on the second.

2. Automatic Firing When Rounding Corners: Projectile aimbots typically work independently of the cheater's aim and are set to automatically fire the projectile when they activate an "Aim Key." This means that the cheater does not need to time the shots manually; the aimbot handles it for them. To spot this behavior, pay attention to how consistently they fire projectiles the moment you round a corner. If they seem to shoot with precision every time you appear, it might be an indication of a projectile aimbot at play as well as some form of ESP.

3. Discrepancies Between Aim and Projectile Origin: Another telltale sign is any weird discrepancy between the cheater's crosshair placement and the point from which the projectiles are fired. As projectile aimbots place the rockets at specific points, the cheater's crosshair might not always align with the origin of the shot. If you notice frequent inconsistencies between their crosshair position and the projectile firing point, it could be indicative of an aimbot.

4. Not Firing: Some cheaters using projectile aimbots may configure their settings to fire only when there is a high likelihood of the shot landing, leading to peculiar and considerable delays between shots. In desperate situations where a legitimate player would instinctively take a shot, the cheater may exhibit unusual hesitation or refrain from firing altogether. These "uncanny" shots or instances where shots are not taken despite the situation warranting it can be strong indicators of cheating. When a player's behavior deviates significantly from what is expected of someone with their claimed skill level, this can serve as a good indicator.



Identifying potential cheating snipers involves considering the following aspects:

1. Shot Accuracy: Pay attention to how consistently the sniper lands shots versus how often they miss. While an unusually high percentage of landed shots might raise suspicions, it is not a definitive indicator on its own. Keep in mind that even skilled snipers can have impressive accuracy. Therefore, accuracy alone is not enough to conclusively identify cheating.

2. Movement and Dodge Patterns: Observe how the sniper moves and dodges while playing. Legitimate, skilled snipers often exhibit more agile and precise movements to avoid incoming fire and stay alive. On the other hand, cheaters may display relatively sluggish or less sophisticated dodge techniques. However, this is not a foolproof method, as some skilled players might adopt various movement styles. You should consider all aspects of their play before making any determination.

3. Another important aspect to consider when identifying potential cheating snipers is their flicking behavior. Pay close attention to whether they frequently flick their crosshair as if they were about to shoot but then choose not to take the shot. In such instances, it's essential to objectively consider if, as a legitimate player, you would have taken the shot in the same situation.
When evaluating this behavior, try to remove any personal biases and evaluate the scenario from a neutral standpoint. Consider the factors as they are, how critical was the situation, how where they positioned, How did they move their mouse, in accordance to the target, usually triggerbotters will flick as if they were going to fire, but not taking the shot due to delay or some other factor with their configuration. If you find that the sniper consistently flicks without taking the shot in situations where most legitimate players would have attempted the shot, it might be an indication of cheating.



When analyzing a player potentially using cheats with the Force-A-Nature or Soda Popper, consider the following factors:

1. Instant Double Shots: Watch if the player is firing both shots of the Force-A-Nature or Soda Popper instantly with no delay in between. Legitimate players have a slight delay due to the weapon's mechanics, and may have a slower time to kill over all due to aiming adjustments.

2. Lagging" Player Model: Observe if the player's character model appears to be warping or teleporting despite having a good ping. This unnatural behavior is usually apart of the double-tap cheat as it manipulates packets in order to achieve the unnatural firing speed, bypassing the mechanics of both the weapons firing speed. Usually double-tap cheaters, will "LAG" while firing or just ALL The time.

3. Successive Well-Placed Shots: If the player does not fire both shots simultaneously but instead shoots in succession, take note of how often they land high-damage, well-placed shots. Given the Force-A-Nature's ability to knock players back unpredictably, consistently hitting multiple accurate shots can be challenging for even skilled players. An unusually high success rate with this weapon might raise suspicions.

4. Discrepancy Between Aim and Shot Location: Pay attention to any discrepancies between where the player is looking (crosshair position) and where their shots are coming from. Cheaters using double-tap techniques may configure their aimbots aggressively to account for the Force-A-Nature's knockback. As a result, their shots might land in locations where their viewing angle was not.

[vibethecat]

an interesting thing I've recently noticed about tf2 cheaters is that, on payload, they move the cart wayyy faster than it usually goes, about twice as fast in fact.
how did I find this out? simple really: there was 3 cheaters on blue, that stood nearby the cart at all times. now, 3 already gives the cart alot of speed, but however, in this case the cart was acting like it had the *whole* team around it, which is interesting because it shows that even small details like that can show if someone is cheating. and the same went for when we switched teams too, the cart would move twice as fast back as it usually would and moving back the cart is already pretty slow so imagine my shock seeing it move twice as fast back lol

[Longknife]

Just had two games with cheaters and the worst of it is how it makes you second-guess yourself sometimes cause *everyone* is covert now.

*Scenario 1:* Direct Hit Soldier got Kritz'ed and pushed forward on Badwater last. If his first target was 12 o' clock from him (aka right in front of him) then his second target was 10 o' clock. I was his 3rd target, and I was at his 3 or 4 o' clock. And not only that, I was at his 3 or 4 o' clock and 10 feet in the air because Scout. He still flipped around and perfectly landed the shot. And not only that, but after he killed me, he immediately 180'ed to 9 o' clock and perfectly hit a building. Yes, it's a building, but there was no delay between his shot on me and the building. This begs the question: *WHY* is this guy flipping around with utmost urgency to perfectly hit a Dispenser that wasn't shooting at him? How did he know it was there? It's not like the Dispenser announced itself by shooting at him. Why rush the shot instead of taking your time?

When I accused him, he and his medic immediately got defensive, and for the rest of the game he pulled out his shotgun and only fought me at midrange, as if not wanting to give me more evidence. Still, I flanked and killed his Medic as he was jumping out the Badwater Last window when pushing (I was in the room before and sneaking up on Med, probably why I could safely flank without him going for me) and he landed every shotgun shot, even spontaneously gaining crits as it happened.

Dude denied he was cheating til the end.

*Scenario 2:* Was approaching a Heavy as Scout, another Scout was with me. He went right, I went left. The Scout going left kinda backed off and started pivoting back my way simply because he was struggling with a jump (Viaduct cliffside) but otherwise had announced his presence to the Heavy. When I approached from the left, Heavy lit me up and was instantly talking trash about how predictable I was in chat, and that he was a plat Heavy. Now believe it or not, I actually *AM* one of the fabled 12 Heavy mains and I've gotten 2nd in gold HL, though way back when. This was still a red flag to me because while I could see him assuming he'd get a Scout from both sides, it was really odd for him to prioritize my side because the other Scout *should* reach him first. He likewise hit me IMMEDIATELY when I hit the corner but wasn't pre-firing at all. (which honestly, a plat Heavy would. Why not?) But hey whatever, maybe I'm just paranoid or bad and mad.

*NOPE.* Later on he and several friends fully admit to cheating, and he switched from Heavy to Scout to Sniper and made it obvious he was aimbotting on all three. Someone in chat also pointed out cheaters love making bots for vaccinator med now because they had 3 of these, and sure enough I'd been encountering vaccinator med all damned day.

Point being: I would've second-guessed myself and if I was just bad, if not for his admission.

The *ONLY* reason I remain confident there must be loads of cheaters: it feels like if I peek or turn a corner, I immediately get lit up by three separate bodyshots now. Can tell it's three because your body will lose forward momentum and go through three separate pushes back with varying angles.

There is simply no way I'm somehow awful at turning corners or peeking and all these players are spontaneously bodyshotting at those moments despite having been distracted, with their distraction being the ENTIRE reason I decided to push.

It's a shame really, because I can imagine both players not trusting themselves enough to call out cheaters and the cheating easily getting infinitely worse with how difficult it's become to convince others that the other player doesn't just have a really good gamer chair, they're just cheating. The community seems especially adverse of accusing Demo, Huntsman Sniper and Soldier of cheating, as if they believe only hitscan can work, not understanding that projectiles mathematically have a range where they can 100% be aimbotted and the only downside is you regain control over if the hit connects beyond a certain range.

[pyroplays]

I know a guy who is REALLY good with soldier and can get alot of airshots, but they just can't wrap their head around rocket jumping.

[axbax]

*that just DONT happe-*
best moment in the video