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Why morals in videogames don't work

August 15, 2010 in News comments 4

The Kartel looks into the idea of morals in videogames and why for some reason they just don't seem to work. The idea of including such a concept is to bring the players into the virtual world but moral choices don't seem to add to that.

One of the things game makers have been trying to do since the start of the industry is find ways to fully immerse gamers into their manufactured worlds. What better way to do that than presenting the player with moral choices to affect the game? The concept is great but for some reason the application usually sucks.
IrieMars via thekartel.com »
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  • 0
    Lupin_the_third Aug 15, 10
    The application sucks because no one can do it right.
  • 0
    Red 9 Aug 15, 10
    the only morals in games are the ones we impose upon said games. It's only up to the game to decide how to reward you for them.
  • 2
    Hideo1 Aug 15, 10
    Fallout 3 and, to a lesser extent, Oblivion are the only games I've seen morals work because it is genuinely a bit of a hard decision when you've got Harold asking, nay begging, you to kill him because he's in so much misery but then he could be the Wasteland's only chance at salvation, so do you crucify him to save the world or let him die in peace? Don't even get me started on the Pitt either

    It worked though because unlike inFamous or Bioshock and other games it didn't force anything on you, it only defined how people saw you. You could be the nicest person in the whole game but still steal everything you see and have everyone hate you, because that's what it's like in reality. You can be the biggest bastard in the game and still not have it matter because you give a lot of money to charity, tricking people into liking you. Either way the moral choices you make have consequences which are varied and interesting enough to keep you going with them and they don't force you to be either completely Jesus or the devil so it's still actually moral choice, not just choosing between saving the children or raping them.
  • 0
    Xeros the Slayer Aug 17, 10
    I know a good video on this topic. Discusses the it quite well.

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