Game Design Ethics

That depends on lot of the level of abstraction and tone of the game, but yeah, in a lot of cases where there's at least a sense of a grounded reality, I think players generally appreciate an intuitive game world where NPC's react to the player's actions in a relatable way. I'm not convinced there's any real psychological impact to that though.

If we're talking Pac-Man, well there are no consequences for EATING GHOSTS. How messed up is that? You're even rewarded with extra points. Sick.

How do you figure that?

You should check out the shows Dexter and Breaking Bad.

 

An excellent point.

I'm reminded of a moment in Deus Ex which sort of contradicts my own comment about a minute ago about the psychology of game fiction (hey, it happens). There's a civilian NPC somewhere in the game who is not integral to the story after a certain point. If the player kills her, they can loot her body and get four multi-tools (a multi-tool is a valuable item). I remember killing her and grabbing the loot, since she's just a "toon" in the game. But wow, I felt kind of bad about it, even though there were zero consequences (and even a decent reward). I'm sure some players mowed her down and didn't think twice about it.

So yeah, the game design doesn't even have to explicitly do anything for the game to instill a sense of ethical dilemma . Players can't help but bring their own values into the experience. http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/60370025.jpg

 

Well while moral casting holds true for most entertainment of the 20th century, like I said in the post above, recently it is cool and edgy to do shows where people do things that are obviously wrong and just let the moral question float around unanswered. It is always superficially about 'letting the audience decide for themselves'. But from what Ive seen these tv shows/ games etc generally have a strong but subtle message which is that you're doing something wrong ONLY IF you look at it in the light of morality, that if you cast away that whole question it opens up a new world of possibilities and freedom. Is that a reaction to the social regulation in society? Part of the postmodern trend? An indication of where society is going? I don't know but I don't see anything useful coming out of it.

Edit: About games having messages that devs are not aware of, I think it is a pretty obvious thing that goes for all art. Does a painter think consciously about all the things that they are trying to convey with their painting? Of course not, but those messages and meanings are still there. The subconscious mind is always at work below the surface.

 

I don't like that...maybe it is because I am a parent, but those shows bother me. That is okay, because no one is forcing me to watch them so I let those who like that sort of thing have their fun.

Maybe the old movies have become too mundane and people want the thrills of the new.

 

Like it or not, Ethics are rarely shaped by the creators, but by the audiences who consume the content. They will pick and choose, and favourites will emerge.

 

Species tend to follow the behavior that produces the best outcome.

Ethics are fine until your competitors start obtaining greater gains by not following said ethics.

Game designers are essentially applicators of behavior science, manipulation of users to invoke certain behavior responses in them is their craft. Whether it be by simulating a world with pixels or faking real people through bots for that matter.

You can take a look at both Hearthstone and Heroes of the storm as games in which it is extremely difficult (in fact impossible) to tell if you are playing against real players or mere bots.

Does the playerbase care ?

 

Do they know they are playing against bots?

Actually, did a google search for Hearthstone and bots. Seems players do care.

 

Isn't that what happened with dynamite? Wasn't it invented for mining? The audience repurposed it for bad things

Give them a turing test

Maybe she was symbolic. In the main story that is our lives, most people are there for us to step on at any detriment to their future because they are not integral to our story.

 

Of course it has to be a 'her'. In b4 feminists. Don't worry, I have your fronts because backs are offensive.

What I'm actually saying is that politics and ethics aren't the same thing. Ethics are doing the right thing but politics can't agree on the right thing. So IMHO we need to keep politics as far from gaming as possible. Unless its Barack-Bounce.

 

Ethics is doing the right thing, politics is not taking the blame for doing the wrong thing

 

The facepalms echoed across the sea for all of eternity.

 

I'm gonna quote you on that one. That's incredibly simple, easy-to-remember, and accurate.

 

Except politics often do the right thing. It's just debating what that right thing might be. It's not necessarily an evil.