Morals and where to draw the line - Game Development

I have been pondering an idea for the past six months, and after some thought am ready to move it from an idea to prototyping, however I feel its 'core game play' may raise some moral or otherwise ethical questions.

Being a first time indie developer (with multiple un-released completed projects) I am running into a problem where I don't know where to draw the line when it comes to glorifying crime, of particular concern to me is potentially giving people the knowledge to commit crime in a real world environment.

What I'm after is a casual discussion about where you think I, as the developer, need to draw the line in a situation where the core game-play is breaking into peoples homes.

As it stands I don't have any plans for a major over-reaching story or plot, other than to get good, learn the mechanics I'll put in place, and have a good ol time racking that cash in.

I can't elaborate on this much more for fear that I'd sell myself out, also being a first solid idea I've had in a long time I don't want to over-reach.

Thanks for your time, and I may make a poll if there is enough feedback on this.

 

It goes without saying that context matters. I mean, breaking and entering in a survival game in a setting like the Walking Dead is hardly going to raise an eyebrow, since the context is that you are surviving in an explicitly hostile environment and competing for limited resources.

I imagine this is not what you are asking about, and instead want to make a game where the player breaks into perfectly normal people's homes in otherwise normal conditions? The way I see it, nothing is taboo, but the question is always 'why'? And really, if you want things to go down well, the answer to that question has to be as solid as the distance you cross that line. Or at least you have to be able to make people believe it is.

 

You've summarized this very well, it gives me something to think about.

Yes you are understanding me correctly here.

Perfect thank you.

 

There's the older Thief series well praised for its game play, and there's also this. The feedback from the discussions seemed pretty positive.

 

Hey thanks for sharing that. That game you posted actually shows my idea has already been thought of. I wont let that dishearten me though, I will need to see how my plans differ from that of this developer.

 

I forgot to say, I imagine it heavily depends on whether there's violence of any kind. If there's no violence, even though it's a bit of a moral gray area, it's probably not going to outrage anyone very much.

 

No worries, yes the idea is no violence, my vision wasn’t one of a home invader, moreso a simple burglar who doesn’t want confrontation. I’d toyd with the idea of sinister NPC who may be scoping out a human victim (the player could be that) but that detracts from vision and blurred the lines to horror / thriller style which isn’t where I want to end up

 

On principel I would say that being able to engage with bad ideas is fine (and to some degree even nesscary to become a "better" person).

However there are two clear lines I would draw and one grey zone:

1.) Falsifying historical events without making it clear that it is alternate history. At best one is unintentionally spreading misinformation and at worst it is just outright propaganda.

2.) Giving exact technical knowledge on something which would almost excusivly (or in large parts) hurt people. For example I probably wouldn´t mind if people could learn real lockpicking from my game since there are plenty of non-criminal uses (hobbiest, locking yourself out and legal professions). On the other hand building bombs crosses a line since not only can malicious people abuse it even more amateurs would probably hurt themself or those around them.

Now the grey zone is more tricky. A game can lead the player to a certain conclusion or try to make a specific point by design (intentionally or not). Depending on how harmful I consider that conclusion or point (and to some degree how insidious the used design is) it may cross a moral line. However it would have to be very crass since this is such a murky area.

 

I agree, especially when it comes to where games lead players.

Judging from the replies so far I think we can agree that the bounds are quite relaxed, but to be careful where history is applied and any assumed demographics.

I already know for sure my idea is different to that of the other thief game that is coming soon to steam (see a couple posts up) as it’s not focusing on being any kind of simulator, and will be more fictional based settings and loosely represented humans (think prison architect here)

 

It depends on the crime, the morality standards of your target audience, and the age of your target audience. Look to other popular media targeting that same audience for general guidance.

I wouldn't concern yourself with this. Everyone has seen enough crime films, CSI episodes, Breaking Bad, Sopranos, to fill their heads with an endless list of ways they can commit crimes. Read any news site today and it is an endless list of stories of how crimes were committed, and how the perps got caught, so even instructs readers on what actions to avoid to improve your chances of getting away with it. Knowing how a crime could be committed doesn't itself shape the morality of the viewer/player in a way to provoke them to commit the crime. If they would commit the crime you describe, they are already committing other crimes, and would commit a different crime instead with the time they would use to commit your depicted crime. Showing a realistic scenario how a particular crime could be committed adds a bit of authenticity to the game that players will appreciate.

 

Do what you want. Damn the haters.

I grew up playing games and watching movies that glorified the military. Then I joined the military, and the grand sum of that idiotic adventure is I blew up some poor persons orchard in Afghanistan. Most people I meet still think my service had something to do with "defending freedom."

Thieves are just poor people. Clever poor people. Who aren't little wimps.

I wanna play a game where I get to be a clever thief!

 

Do what thou wilt...

 

Do what you want because your morals are the ones that will decide if you sleep at night.

Also remember that Crossy Road made like 10 million, so the conversation is probably moot.

 

I like this asset, but I have seconds thoughts using it has a map, its has a abandon theme, but I know yanks are sensitive about School shootings

https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/?stay#!/content/106665

Can I go for it?

 

Thanks for the replies, got some good attention and quality replies out of this thread.

I’m going to clearly say I would clear this for a core gameplay element.

Now I’m to decide do I want to go ahead and make all these systems required, testing and pushing what I know to it’s limits, or do I want to back off and go for a simple top down 3D survival type game implementing basic systems, polishing it, and then adding more down the road.

What do they call this dilemma by the way? Where you have a great idea and your all gunho about it, then back off on it. Common sense? Lol

 

+10 points for the Aleistair Crowley quote

 

A conscience?

 

Oh my god I have a conscience people!!

 

For the most part, this was handled in the 90's with the original GTAs and Mortal Kombats. The consensus seems to be virtual violence needs no motive, its purpose can be purely for the sake of escapism.

If you ever start to feel like your project is morally reprehensible, jump in GTA-whatever and run down some pedestrians and fire rocket launchers into large crowds of animated meshes meant to look like people. No harm, no foul, no consequences. At least in your case the player would be robbing NPC's [assumption] whereas in Overwatch you're launching grenades and rockets at a character controlled by another player, whose mood is likely affected (even if temporarily) by your actions.

 

Just be aware that your game may be illegal in some jurisdictions if it shows technical details of how to commit certain crimes. This can potentially limit the size of your audience.

Some things that are restricted in some countries include: bomb manufacture, decryption, nuclear technology and drug manufacture. Other countries restrict nudity and/or sex. And so on. Some of the restrictions are quite bizarre.

Its worth doing a quick search of the applicable country specific laws of any markets you intend to target.

 

I personally don't feel that creativity is the place to impose restrictions on one's self as that is supposed to be the area where someone is safe to release their inner thoughts. We as people are morally questionable in one regard or another, as most of our morals are derived from circumstance, self imposed limitations and social survival instincts. I personally think that even the most offensive games gives insight into the human psyche, especially given someone sat down and put in a tremendous amount of work to working through and creating this thing.

I also want to clarify that being offensive doesn't mean good art, I think there's plenty of edgelords who just want to provoke for the sake of provoking. I would say that this kind of art is garbage, not because of it's content, but because I find it to be dishonest in some way or another.

There have been works of art that are to their core, shocking and offensive, but are hailed as masterpieces because of their brutal honesty and depictions of the human condition. I think if you are being honest, and making something that contains something "offensive" that you find to be true, an honest reflection of yourself in some way, or even if it just explores a topic you are afraid of, then your creative output is the place to put this. The creative process is one where we work things out for ourselves.

Basically, don't mind the "what about the children?" crowd
Follow your intuition, if your output is ugly and it makes you feel sick, don't necessarily take that as a reason not to follow through with it. At the very least, continue with the idea in private and see where it goes.

I personally always go back to Goya's paintings that he did on the walls of his home in private. They weren't meant for anyone really, they were his way of working through his own issues. Those are some of the most cherished and revered paintings now because they are honest, but they are very grotesque both visually and in terms of the themes depicted. But sometimes, that's what we are.

 

This game springs to mind, had great fun with that as a kid but never grew up wanting to burgle anyone.