diff --git a/achievement.cpp b/achievement.cpp
index f83f6a07..1b5f8257 100644
--- a/achievement.cpp
+++ b/achievement.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ EX bool wrongMode(char flags) {
     dls = land_structure;
 
   if(land_structure != dls) return true;
+  if(shmup::on && vid.creature_scale != 1) return true;
   if(numplayers() > 1 && !multi::friendly_fire) return true;
   if(numplayers() > 1 && multi::pvp_mode) return true;
   if(numplayers() > 1 && multi::split_screen) return true;
@@ -804,6 +805,7 @@ EX void achievement_final(bool really_final) {
   if(bow::crossbow_mode() && bow::style == bow::cbBull) specialcode += 32;
   if(bow::crossbow_mode() && bow::style == bow::cbGeodesic) specialcode += 64;
   if(bow::crossbow_mode() && bow::style == bow::cbGeometric) specialcode += 96;
+  if(shmup::on && vid.creature_scale != 1) return;
   
   if(sphere && specialland == laHalloween) {
     if(specialcode) return;
diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index 744571fd..0ef04666 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -2955,8 +2955,7 @@ EX void show3D() {
     dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("3D detailed settings"), "", 'D');
     dialog::add_action_push(show3D_height_details);
     
-    if(scale_used())
-      add_edit(vid.creature_scale);
+    add_edit(vid.creature_scale);
     }
   else {
     add_edit(vid.creature_scale);
@@ -3105,7 +3104,9 @@ EX int config3 = addHook(hooks_configfile, 100, [] {
     }, "context help", 'H');
 
   param_f(vid.creature_scale, "creature_scale", "3d-creaturescale", 1)
-    ->editable(0, 1, .1, "Creature scale", "", 'C');
+    ->editable(0, 1, .1, "Creature scale", "", 'C')
+    ->set_extra([] { dialog::addInfo(XLAT("changing this during shmup is counted as cheating")); })
+    ->set_reaction([] { if(shmup::on) cheater++; });
   param_f(vid.height_width, "heiwi", "3d-heightwidth", 1.5)
     ->editable(0, 1, .1, "Height to width", "", 'h');
   param_f(vid.yshift, "yshift", "Y shift", 0)
diff --git a/geometry.cpp b/geometry.cpp
index 4a8dd44a..51edf769 100644
--- a/geometry.cpp
+++ b/geometry.cpp
@@ -576,8 +576,6 @@ EX void add_wall(int i, const vector<hyperpoint>& h) {
 static constexpr ld hcrossf7 = 0.620672, hexf7 = 0.378077, tessf7 = 1.090550, hexhexdist7 = 0.566256;
 #endif
 
-EX bool scale_used() { return (shmup::on && geometry == gNormal && BITRUNCATED) ? (cheater || autocheat) : true; }
-
 EX bool is_subcube_based(eVariation var) {
   return among(var, eVariation::subcubes, eVariation::dual_subcubes, eVariation::bch, eVariation::bch_oct);
   }
@@ -784,13 +782,13 @@ void geometry_information::prepare_basics() {
   if(msphere && geuclid) scalefactor *= (1 + vid.depth);
   if(msphere && ghyperbolic) scalefactor *= sinh(1 + vid.depth);
 
-  if(scale_used()) {
+  if(true) {
     scalefactor *= vid.creature_scale;
     orbsize *= vid.creature_scale;
     }
 
   zhexf = BITRUNCATED ? hexf : crossf* .55;
-  if(scale_used()) zhexf *= vid.creature_scale;
+  zhexf *= vid.creature_scale;
   if(WDIM == 2 && GDIM == 3) zhexf *= 1.5, orbsize *= 1.2;
 
   if(cgi.emb->is_euc_in_hyp()) {
@@ -1314,7 +1312,7 @@ EX string cgi_string() {
     V("RS:", fts(geom3::euclid_embed_rotate));
     }
 
-  if(scale_used()) V("CS", fts(vid.creature_scale));
+  if(vid.creature_scale != 1) V("CS", fts(vid.creature_scale));
   
   if(WDIM == 3) V("HTW", fts(vid.height_width));