Do you think you should be allowed to kill kids in games?

[Folji]

M'aiq believes the children are our future. But he doesn't want them ruining all of our fun.

M'aiq also believes that anyone who wishes death upon a child should probably go see someone about that. He thinks their presence feels real enough without having to do things to them.

I forgot about M'aiq. He can always be counted on to tell us what Bethsoft has to say on the matter.

You my friend have one the thread for me.

M'aiq appreciates the sentiment. He thinks those who feel the children are only in the way should try breaking off from their adventures for a game of tag with them.

He also appreciates their immortality from time to time, as it allows him to hurl fireballs at the impudent offspring of the Jarl of Whiterun without the Jarl himself minding.

 

[Gorilla Gunk]

Because if I kill a kid in a game (mayor mcCreedy) i am totally an unstable individual who has a mental problem, right? (reference to another thread)

Just a bit, yeah.

All I'm hearing is a lot of people saying, "THE INABILITY TO CAVE IN A CHILD'S SKULL WITH AN AXE IS RUINING MY IMMERSION," which is batty.

 

[Triforceformer]

It depends on the context of the game. If, you know, the actual character wouldn't/doesn't kill children as far as the story goes, why should we force them to?

 

[Smooth Operator]

Why? The kids in skyrim don't do anything, besides run.

No they don't do anything except annoy, they run around all the time and should they come withing barking distance they will stop and bark at you, every, single, fucking, time.
And should a fight break out the annoying little fuckers stand out like a sore thumb because they are immortal.

That's just dev time well spent right there...

 

[Palmerama]

I think one of the only games that I have been able to kill children is in Fallout 2! But they didn't look like children. THe NPCs looked like adults & you only realised they were children when you highlighted them. There is a mod that changes the image back to a child the Fallout Restoration project (any Fallout 2 fan who doesn't have it should get it). If you killed too many children you got the "Child Killer" reputation perk. I think it said something alon the lines of: "You have laid waste to a certain number of children in the wastes. You evil, evil thing!"

 

[latiasracer]

I Would like it i guess. Mostly, so i could start fights in Little lamplight, and not be left shooting at indistructable children with assalt rifles.

 

[Swifty714]

I have been able to kill kids in fallout once.

With no mods.

The story was, I was exploring a raider hideout that was inside of a big satalite dish. While inside, I found two raiders, who had 'child' models. It was like the size of their bodies matched the children, but they had the skin of a normal raider.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Of course? And on the subject, I'm against essential NPCs full stop.

I think if the developers decided to not implement it, It would be disrespectful to then go and mod it in.

Yet they saw fit to record the death noises for children?

 

[Lawnmooer]

Its fairly obvious why thats not allowed.
Skyrim for example.
Whatever you kill you can take its clothes=people calling child porn.

I remember finding out that certain mods for clothes affect children as well as adults in FO: NV allowing children to walk around nude. (Though there was a mod that allowed them to get covered back up)

It was shortly after I tried looking for the mod to allow children to die (Which had actually been removed from the mod site I was using as it was a frowned upon premis... Unlike child porn it seems)

Also I haven't tried but there are various ways of removing all items from NPC's (Such as console commands and other mods) which may actually work on children (I've also not tried pickpocketing one, since the top perk of pickpocketing in Skyrim allows for taking of equipped clothing and armour)

 

[Havok2099]

I typically use children killing mods in any games I play that have the option, but I rarely kill children unless I'm using a very large collateral damage weapon. I just don't enjoy mistakenly firing a arrow in a kid's head, who gets very upset with me but otherwise seems fine, I just like my immersion.

 

[zidine100]

It just means they get out of the awkward situation of having to explain to there stockholders and the people in charge why there game is suddenly branded by the media as a child killer simulator.

And they just allow the community to make a mod over it, ergo removing there responsibility.

 

[AngloDoom]

Why just in games?

OT (and super-cereal):

Yes and no. I think that the only constraints on games (broadly-speaking) should be dependant on what the game is trying to get across and how necessary it is to the game. Killing children in Assassin's Creed is unnecessary and off-message. Killing kids in Skyrim should be fine simply because it should be a reflection of your character and if he/she kills kids then, hell, he/she kills kids.

Obviously, this only works in a society where people don't get shocked and appalled and people killing imaginary vermin (rats, not children...).

 

[Zac Smith]

If devs don't think kids should be killed, don't put them in the game. I personally never realized that there have never been kids in a GTA game until someone pointed it out to me when this exact topic came up. If they put the kids in, they should be the same as NPCs.

In Skyrim, if your so inclined, you can cut off women's heads strip them and display their corpses in your house, as the guy on youtube. Doesn't mean that Bethesda are encouraging it. Just because kids would be able to die doesn't mean we are all suddenly wanting to go out and kill children

 

[Mad World]

Yes. In games like Skyrim, at least.

Invincible kids isn't very good for immersion.

 

[Skops]

Yes you should. Like many others, I believe when you make a model NPC he/she is fair game no matter what the age.

Likewise, I also believe for those games that feature you as a child even for a short time (Fallout 3) there should be a shit button. You know, just for those times when you see your parents have those lovely white sofas. In RPGs I play the 'Asshole' and I want to play the asshole from birth!

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

Everyone know that killing kids in video games makes Chris Avellone come and kick your ass. Anyway yes I don't see why not. I probably would do it as I don't like killing people for no reason but it could be used in a moral choice like in Dragon Age.

 

[Twilight_guy]

No. I think the developers should be able to make the game how they like and if I don't like it, I won't buy it. It's a controversial issue and they made their stand.

In fact specifically referring to them as "kids" blur the line of morality. In order to accept the massive wall of violence and genocide that gamers commit we have to assume that we are interacting with the game as a simulation and abstraction where we aren't so much murdering dudes as overcoming obstacles. Once we blur this line and say this part isn't a simulation its tied to something real then we truly are saying that its perfectly fine to murder kids in this semi-real way. I don't support that and I think the line between fantasy and reality needs to be reenforced by us not trying to break it down. I don't play murder simulators I play games.

 

[Something Amyss]

It's my opinion and I stand by it. If you want a reason, I will unashamedly quote Yahtzee when he presented the question, if the developers had stopped players from having sex with only the children in the game, would it be OK to mod that limitation out of the script? You can accept my opinions and my arguments or not, it won't change them. I am not trying to convince you. I am only answering the question that was asked.

But pedophilia is important for immersion.

Or something. I don't know. I don't have the heart to actually play this one straight.