being evil in games with moral choice

[xeonblade]

In games like fable,fallout and dragon age they have a moral choice system I have played multiple of these games and in online co-op with some friends in fable 2 and alot of my friends always play evil and I wonder why its not just my friends alot of people like to take the evil role in moral choice games. I for one play as the good guy no matter what but it just boggels my mind in why people like to be a evil person killing innocents and such.

 

[Aircross]

Rule of Fun.

I always do at least two runs in games with a karma system.

One good, one evil.

 

[Daveman]

Well my first playthrough I just play it like I'm in the game, so in New Vegas for example I was nice to everyone, but figured Mr House was a dick for creating such a warped system as Vegas itself. Also the NCR needed help and couldn't handle taking over the region and the Legion were just murderous, backwards, sexist jerks. So of course I figured I was the only one suitable to lead.

Then I played it through in every other means possible for kicks. If it's there, it'd be a waste not to play it.

 

[Eisenfaust]

they're... not real innocents... hell, come to think of it, in fable they're probably not real innocents either... and who can resist the urge to test out a new weapon on something that ISN'T a goblin... so what if they get carried away with it when the guards come knocking

besides, the horns look cool

 

[staika]

I always play a good person because I'm such a nice person and I can't stand being mean to someone even when its in a game. That and games like KOTOR have trained me not to go the evil path because they make your guy look horrible to the point I have to hide his face with a mask or something.

 

[The-Fiction]

I usually do several playthroughs of games with moral choices, each time taking a different approach. I find it interesting and a lot more fun to see how the consequences and reactions are different depending on my level of douche-baggery.

My first 3 playthroughs usually go something like this:

1st. I act the way I believe I would act if it was myself in the situations (as best as I can, I can't say for sure how I'd react on some situations because a lot of them are pretty ridiculous). Usually this playthrough is mainly good, maybe with a bit of law breaking and necessary killing, but only a bit. And making sure there is something in it for me when I'm risking my neck.

2nd. The super good playthrough, where I help and protect everyone I can, not being concerned about the reward. No killing of innocents or enemies if possible (some games obviously it can't be helped.)

3rd. Evil. Evil, evil, evil, EVIL. This is usually a complete mess around, when I'm just Chaotic Stupid Evil and I'm just horrible, murder, steal, pillage, burn and insult everyone I can.

Most people I know tend to do something very similar. I think the evil mass-murdery style just allows us to act in a way (hopefully) we would never be able to act in real life. Which is surely the point of gaming in some respects, to be able to do things we can't do ourselves, for a bit of fun.

(Yay! My first ever post here... I'm going to bask in it).

 

[Blunderboy]

So you claim to be good, but you still kill Hobbes right?
As people have stated, sometimes it's more fun to let your inner nutter loose.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

(Yay! My first ever post here... I'm going to bask in it).

Welcome to the Escapist. Stay out of the basement and remember, you are never the only one.

OT: I always do multiple playthroughs on games with a moral choice. Usually I'll first play as I would act myself in the situations my character is getting into. After that I'll play just being a total dick and murdering people for fun, stealing all the children's chocolates etc etc. Then if I feel like being a pussy I'll do a super good guy playthrough spreading rainbows and happiness everywhere I go.

 

[Mikeyfell]

I usually find the "Evil" options stupid.

Ideally (Ideally evil, what ever) the evil choice should be for efficiencies sake.
For EG: you have to get through a door. The good option is to preform the Heimlich maneuver on the bouncer's choking girlfriend so he'll let you in. The evil choice is to hit his girlfriend with a chair and pee on her. Yeah it's evil but at that point you're wasting time which leads me to believe your character doesn't care about the over all goal.

That's why I like games like Kotor or Dragon Age Origins where the "Evil" option was often faster and easier then the good option so there was a reason to pick them.

 

[jumjalalabash]

Honestly it depends on the game in terms of feeling any moral impact. Kotor for instance I don't give a shit if I murder everybody being that everyone still trusts me for some reason. But Fallout 3 I almost gotta force myself to do serious evil in that game.

 

[blaqknoise]

It's just 1's and 0's, they aren't real people.

It's all just for fun. Nothing more.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I'd happily play an "evil" character if "evil" was more nuanced in these games than the mustache twirling, Snidely Whiplash dialogue options we're given. The only "evil" I ever get offered is the old-lady slapping, foaming at the mouth maniac evil. Evil for evil's sake. Just random dickishness. That can be funny, I guess, in small doses, but it makes for pretty worthless characterization. Why can't I be a more subtle evil? Why can't I just be greedy, or sly, or cowardly? Why can't I be passionate, and have those passions lead me to immoral ends? Why can't I be a complex or conflicted "evil" character, like Daniel Plainview from "There Will Be Blood"? Why must I ALWAYS get the dialogue for some remorseless, baby-kicking monster?

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

I do whatever's best for my self-interest.

Then, if the game is good i'll do another run and probably live under the whip if there was any trophies i missed. Like inFamous.

 

[Riddle78]

I find in games it's less "Evil" and more "Asshat". It's usually very petty being evil (In Fable,everything's a joke...),and there are very few "Done right" evil options in games. I can't even think of one,at the moment.

 

[darth.pixie]

I always play a good person because I'm such a nice person and I can't stand being mean to someone even when its in a game. That and games like KOTOR have trained me not to go the evil path because they make your guy look horrible to the point I have to hide his face with a mask or something.

KotOR made me learn how to mod and make my own textures because of that. Still played evil but with much better skin and way cooler eyes.

I always play evil and even if I want to play good, I still do evil stuff. It's because most of the characters in game are either idiots or assholes and after going through the Ruins of Doom, infuriated at the maps, low on health and with an encumbrance that would crush anyone's back, here comes Farmer Whathisface who wants you to get him some apples from Old Lady Whatsername who lives three feet away and he will give you a shiny gold coin.

At which point I either feed him a bullet or a sword. It's much more simple.

 

[Dogstile]

My only issue with being evil in games (and usually why i decide to be good) is that it usually has worse rewards. Hell, even in overlord its better to be a "nice" evil

 

[Odbarc]

Evil usually means you can get more rewards by demanding them whereas good pays them back, refuses rewards and such.

It's harder and less rewarding.

 

[Bigsmith]

I normally do three runs of games with a moral choice system.

First play through as what I would say in the shoes of the character.

Next one Evil.

Last one good.

this is what I'm the process of doing for ME1 and 2.