Poll: Am I the only Morally motivated gamer out there?

[Andrew Drake]

I myself am a bit of a pragmatist in games.

I always examine the situation, and choose the option that seems to have the best outcome according to a set of principles. I will attempt to summarize these, and in order of priority:

1.Minimize collateral damage to noncombatants, civilians, and other neutral parties.
2.Minimize damage to myself and my allies.
3.Maximize damage to the enemy.
4.Maximize benefit to myself.
5.Maximize benefit to my allies.
6.Maximize benefit to neutral parties.

As you see, my priorities are to help everyone except my enemy. Now I would like to expand the meaning of number three: I will not avoid dismembering you. I will personally ensure that I deal as much damage to you as possible. I will carefully choose my blows to ensure I get the most out of each strike. I will be Revan to your Mandalore. You are %#@*ed.

As for my allies, I will do my best to protect you, however I do not consider you above victory. I will do my utmost to keep you alive, to ensure that everyone comes home from the mission, but I will have no qualms about sacrificing you to ensure victory.

Finally, the neutral parties. If my enemy attacks you, he is dead. You are not involved, and I will not allow my enemy to drag more people into our conflict. Stay out of this, and I will do my utmost to keep you out of it. This applies to my enemy's medical personnel and injured as well. You can not threaten me, do not attempt to and I will not kill you. However, should you join my enemy know this: You just signed your death warrant.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

I typically take the good options when I play games with moral dilemmas.

I insert my own mentality into the game, and I'm a nice person with a tiny bit of a hero complex, sooo.....Yeah.

I AM vindictive, though. When I played Infamous for the first time, I went all hero except for one choice (you can probably guess which one.)....But I rarely took any enemies captive. If someone tried to shoot me, I would take them out and kick them in the ribs when they were down. You try to kill me, you are NOT getting back up, I'm sorry.

Also, I enjoy sometimes going back and playing evil in some games. Running an evil corporate empire in Galactic Civ 2 one game was REALLY fun. It kind of feels liberating to not care about the morality of your actions sometimes.

 

[RESURRECTION21]

yes i like being a hero i do not like doing bad things in games paragon for life

 

[Odinsson]

To this day I have not completed an evil playthrough of Fallout 3. I got to finding Dad, and then he was so disappointed in me that I couldn't keep going and restarted.

Skyrim, on the other hand, I've played through as a hard-bastard assassin who only cares about money. Even then, I grew attached to the other Brotherhood members and actually cared what happened to them

 

[Aarowbeatsdragon]

it really depends for me, in bioshock i was good and saved the little sisters because if you ask me the choice to kill them shouldnt have even been in it seeing as saving them was quite obviously the canon choice. I dont see the point of games that have moral delemas when they have one ending thats considered canon. so in those type of games im good but in games like fallout and skyrim and fable (fable doesnt actually have a canon ending, they handled it well by having there be multiple rumours about what happened) im evil because...well..you play a good guy in literally every other game...when i have the option..why not be a bad guy! its fun!

interestingly enough in dragon age and mass effect i play a good guy...dont even know why..just felt right those times.

 

[VoidWanderer]

This is my first post on Escapist so I'll try not to screw around.

When I browse through forums, articles, interviews and the like, I find that, nine times out of ten, when it comes to morality that I'm usually alone. I've always chosen to be the good guy and not ask for a reward at the end of it when possible. When it comes to Skyrim I think I've given at least 150 gold coins to beggars (you can only give one at a time) on completely separate occasions. I can't even stomach doing a second play through being a baddie.

But when I take a look the previously mentioned articles, it tells me that almost all gamers are bad. So I was wondering if anyone else out there is somewhat similar to me if I'm just a weirdo.



Edit: Amazed I got feedback so quickly

THANKS FOR THE WARM WELCOMES!

First off, you are never the only one in anything. I too feel morally obligated to play the good guy...

Then I played a Sith Inquisitor on TOR... I know of the light side choices, but whenever I see [Shock!] I can't click that option fast enough. Being dark side feels great.

 

[BeeGeenie]

One problem with morality in games is morality itself can be very relative. "Bad" people in real life don't see themselves as bad people, and when you play a game, you generally don't want to see yourself as a bad person. Also, game designers have to create an antagonist. The enemy is usually generically evil, which makes the player good by default.
I never go on gratuitous killing sprees in game. It serves no purpose. But I have been known to steal all their stuff. They're NPCs; they're not using it for anything; I might need it to save the world!

 

[Faladorian]

This is my first post on Escapist so I'll try not to screw around.

When I browse through forums, articles, interviews and the like, I find that, nine times out of ten, when it comes to morality that I'm usually alone. I've always chosen to be the good guy and not ask for a reward at the end of it when possible. When it comes to Skyrim I think I've given at least 150 gold coins to beggars (you can only give one at a time) on completely separate occasions. I can't even stomach doing a second play through being a baddie.

But when I take a look the previously mentioned articles, it tells me that almost all gamers are bad. So I was wondering if anyone else out there is somewhat similar to me if I'm just a weirdo.



Edit: Amazed I got feedback so quickly

THANKS FOR THE WARM WELCOMES!

Side Note: You're making a good first impression for these forums. So thanks, and welcome to the Escapist.

OT: I tend to be selfish in video games. If being nice gets me a good item, then so be it. But if somebody has something i want, I'm blowing their head off to get it.

 

[KrabbiPatty]

I tried being an "asshole" in games like Infamous 2 before and it always made me feel like a fucking monster. Something about being effectively all powerful and taking advantage of mindless NPCs makes me feel kind of like shit, so I just don't do it.

I have friends who play alongside me sometimes, yelling out "OH, dude, bodyslam that guy through the building!" and I'm like "Yeheeah...but really, no, I wont."

I'm watching my girlfriend giggling like a maniac as she carves through a herd of NPCs in Prototype and I just kind of wince.

So...yeah, full Paragon in ME for this dudebro.

 

[xshadowscreamx]

i do like being good, it makes me feel good..but when it comes to being the bad guy, i do get a perverse satisfaction....being nutural in say 'fallout', you do what ever it takes to get the cash.

 

[That One Six]

I tend to play games with a morally gray attitude. I don't go out of my way to hurt civilians, but I won't really help them out of the kindness of my heart. I generally decide my character's goals and history before I start the game, and so I follow that path throughout my playthrough.

 

[w00tage]

you've always heard that most gamers are bad because it's the bad gamers that can't shut up about themselves, is all. The rest of us just play our gamez and post about stuff OTHER than ourselves

 

[pneuvo]

You didn't say a single thing I could disagree with. I am a good person and I carry that with me where ever I go, and that includes the world of gaming. I understand that many like to let their alter ego out, and why not be bad when no on will really be harmed, but I can't do it. There is no fun in it for me. Such things take me out of the immersion and ruin the fantasy.

 

[Unsilenced]

Nearly any post that begins "Am I the only..." can be responded to with "No."

I *usually* try to be good, but only because I think good options tend to be more interesting. I made a thread about it at one point. Basically good options tend to open up opportunities wheras evil ones close them, as few NPCs will be your buddy if you're a murdering psychopath.

In games where it's "good vs. convenience," I also stick with good because it's an added challenge. "I know I can make it through this room, but can I do it without killing anyone?"

This also means though that some times I will go out of my way to be extra wrathful, but only if I have reason to do so. If I'm, say, double-crossed, all NPCs must die. The more fire is involved, the better.

I usually play characters that are polite and helpful, but have a dark and mercenary heart.

"Here you go Mrs. Buttersworth. Fluffles will be just fine. By the way, which way to the city guard barracks?"
*hides sword behind back*
"...I have business there."

 

[Laser Priest]

Depends on the game, but I generally avoid the villainous options. I'm an even split of heroic and mercenary options.

Then again, when it comes to some games, I feel the need to be a sadist.

 

[Erttheking]

I honest to god feel bad when I do bad things in games...unless it's to an asshole, like that Krogan in Mass Effect 2 who refuses to shut up. Then it's pretty fun.

 

[uberDoward]

Interesting responses here.

For myself, I play video games as a form of escape, as a way to explore the 'outer bounds' if you will. So yeah, I'm pretty much always a total dick.

Full Renegade here, baby! Punching people left and right!

Take ME2 - I did everything I could to have each person kill someone in order to join my team.

I find it a good release outlet to stop me from doing so IRL

 

[Hiroshi Mishima]

I can't really answer the poll cause I typically make my own choices along the way, and sometimes they don't "match" the alignment the game wants you to be. The problem with moral choice systems is that they almost never present shades of grey. It's also kind of sad that sometimes the "good" or "just" choices are just as damning as the evil ones in my opinion.

However, commenting on your use of Bioshock as an example.. I also normally make choices that I'd HOPE would be good ones. I'm a nice guy for the most part, after all.

I always have one good guy and one bad guy.
Best of both worlds, and I experience all the content both sides have to offer.

I also do this occasionally, such as in Knights of the Old Republic or Fable.