Puzzle solutions:
These are keys to puzzles that are necessary for you if you want to get ahead in the game. They can be keys to doors, quiz questions, safe combinations, the use of certain objects that the player has to find out relying on the information gathered during the game. These are not considered cheats, either. But if you read them in advance, you will lose some fun of the game.
Strategy guides/game guides:
We can make a distinction between official and non-official game guides. Official guides are printed, illustrated books that are published by game developing companies and you can buy them online or in bookshops. Non-official game guides or FAQ's are detailed descriptions made by game fans about particular games, which are usually free and available electronically in txt. or doc. format on the Internet. You can also find game guides in magazines dealing with video games. These detailed descriptions do not only contain the goals of the game, the game control commands, characters, the objects, the rule system, but you can also find extensive information about the strategies concerning end plays and the different situations in a particular game. They used to be made for more complex games such as simulators or strategic games but nowadays they come with almost every video game.
Trainers:
These software are not developed by game developers, they are designed for the manipulation of certain memory values. They usually consist of an 'exe. file' that can be downloaded from the Internet in zipped or compressed format. Trainers allow you to alter certain values and features that are originally not built in the game. For instance, money trainers will give unlimited money, or with the touch of a bottom you can switch on the invulnerability mode. Enthusiastic players and coding people make them for PC games.
In order to use these trainers you have to start the game and with the combination of the ALT+TAB keys you have to switch back to your operating system. Some games do not permit the switch with the combination of the ALT+TAB keys if there is not a parallel program running in the background so it is worth the trouble to open an operating screen before the start of the game. Another simple way of switching back is to use the WIN button on your keyboard.
Before you run the trainer it is important to check it for viruses to make sure that your trainer is free from viruses. In this way you can avoid many unpleasant surprises. Run the program and select the desired option in the trainer. In some cases, if you press certain keys or the combination of certain keys during the game it will result in the desired modifications. You can get information about these modifications and their consequences when you start the trainer as this kind of info is written on the screen right after you start running the program.
Return to your PC game while you are running the trainer, in other words, it is important to run the trainer in the background while your are playing with your game.
Why does the trainer not work with your game?
The most common problem is that the trainer is not compatible with the particular game you play as a result it does not function because it was made for a game with a version number, which is different from the game you use. Most trainers are released with info (.nfo) and readme txt files. In these files you will find all the necessary information about their proper use and the version numbers of the games they are compatible with. In some cases you have to start the trainer before running the game. It is recommended to try out both methods.