Hey everyone. Mark Of The Ninja just came out on Steam and I've been playing a fair bit when it struck me that is was an almost perfect example of a moral choice system in a game. There is no bar that swings red or blue, quite simply it's built into the game. Quickly, being evil (i.e. killing everyone) is significantly easier than the good path (i.e. sneaking past everyone). It's all built into the level/game design without the need for an moral "points". What do you think?
Mark Of The Ninja: Moral Choice system done right.
- Thread starter YT
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This felt very obvious actually by removing the sign of artificial points. The real trick is to give the player viable feedback that their choices are actually effecting the world around them. Examples could be word of mouth, people approaching in glee or scamper in fear, or maybe just make things harder/easier for them to show their feelings indirectly.
Good and evil choices are subjective depending on what the person's definition of it is. It's more about if they do things in a peaceful/chaotic manner for selfish/selfless reasons I predict. Just because you don't kill anyone doesn't make you a good guy.
Good and evil choices are subjective depending on what the person's definition of it is. It's more about if they do things in a peaceful/chaotic manner for selfish/selfless reasons I predict. Just because you don't kill anyone doesn't make you a good guy.
Whenever I look at Moral Choices within games, I always end up disappointed.
The most generic and common paths to chose from in games are Good and Evil choices, good usually being sympathetic and evil almost always being a degrading, abusive jerk. With games now featuring the Jester route of comedy, it does not fall into what I would like to see being implemented.
Sarcasm, Cynicism, Optimistic, Pessimistic, all of these are lumped into a category without much perspective of the player. For example, what if I wish my character to be Empathetic, but a Pessimist at the same time? (An odd combination, but full of character none-the-less!) Pessimism is almost always lumped with the Evil category, and Empathetic being the majority of Light/Good. Certain situations can call upon the character switching to a negative outlook, albeit brief if anything.
While a fully functional personality chart may be too much to ask for (Which it is, for the record) I find moral systems to be just a free replay button, seeing as nearly every player always goes back to play the opposite of what they chose the first time.
The most generic and common paths to chose from in games are Good and Evil choices, good usually being sympathetic and evil almost always being a degrading, abusive jerk. With games now featuring the Jester route of comedy, it does not fall into what I would like to see being implemented.
Sarcasm, Cynicism, Optimistic, Pessimistic, all of these are lumped into a category without much perspective of the player. For example, what if I wish my character to be Empathetic, but a Pessimist at the same time? (An odd combination, but full of character none-the-less!) Pessimism is almost always lumped with the Evil category, and Empathetic being the majority of Light/Good. Certain situations can call upon the character switching to a negative outlook, albeit brief if anything.
While a fully functional personality chart may be too much to ask for (Which it is, for the record) I find moral systems to be just a free replay button, seeing as nearly every player always goes back to play the opposite of what they chose the first time.
Sometimes I reckon it'd be better to have no consequences for good or bad actions at all, rather just present the binary choice (because it's impossible at the moment to put in every possibility) and leave it to the player's mind; like The Pitt DLC for Fallout 3 there were no karma points for the choice at the end, and it pretty much doesn't affect the main game (though that's more due to it being DLC) so it ended up being quite effective, to me anyway.
Only sometimes though.
Only sometimes though.
Just another plant methinks.
Anyway, WOW, mark of the ninja is being heavily promoted. Almost makes me want to buy it. I used to believe in moral choice systems, and then I grew up and became an adult.
Not to say it isn't an interesting take on game mechanics, just that as the older I get, the sillier it seems. TRY NOT TO GET JADED KIDS!!!
Lousy 18 post plants, always breathing your carbon dioxide and starting oddly worded threads.
Anyway, WOW, mark of the ninja is being heavily promoted. Almost makes me want to buy it. I used to believe in moral choice systems, and then I grew up and became an adult.
Not to say it isn't an interesting take on game mechanics, just that as the older I get, the sillier it seems. TRY NOT TO GET JADED KIDS!!!
Lousy 18 post plants, always breathing your carbon dioxide and starting oddly worded threads.
