Video game murder has no value anymore

[KarmaTheAlligator]

I don't feel anything for murdering NPCs. Why would I? I'm just having fun doing something I could never do in real life.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

Story time? Story time. Story time!

Alpha Protocol, first playthrough. Now as a rule there are two playthrough styles for me when it comes to stealthy games, there's the Galoan playthrough where I kill every person I can, and the Tarryl playthrough where I do the opposite.
This time I was rolling with the Galoan playthrough, knifing random guards left and right with no remorse in my body, until I got to this ship where I had to kill some Russian guy. So I get on, knife a guy, go upstairs, knife two guys, then work my way down where I encounter three dancing ladies, they didn't sit well with the whole knifing thing, but whatever I'm playing Galoan what do I care? So I off the guy and leave to go upstairs where I encounter Sis.

After a small boss fight (since I know the secret to ending bosses in that game) I get the option to talk or to kill, being that I'm playing Galoan I have to kill her.
That was the most painful thing I've ever done in that game.

Captcha: edureiv excelled.
So you feel that Edureiv's met expectations? Good.

Yeah, killing Sis sucks if you've ever spared her before. Though its a GREAT way to piss off Albatross if you are playing a "Professional" Thorton. Seriously, I don't think you can ever make him like you again if you off her.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Well, after facing The Sadness in MGS3, I don't kill enemy soldiers in Metal Gear games anymore.

It's The Sorrow. But I agree. NPC's felt alive. But the murder that hit me the most was

Spoiler

killing The Boss

 

[Brainpaint]

ok yes you have valid points excpet the rape thing...the trauma of rape and having to live with it FAR outwieghs dying...for that person...other poepl may be affected by death more but rape effects the victim far more than death would. but i do generally feel worse off when a female dies rather than a male....the same with a child it feels more impactiful when they die than when an adult male dies...i dont know why it just does..

I've known several people that have been raped throughout my lifetime. Sure, it was traumatic, but they're alive. They probably won't ever get over it but at least they can try and turn their lives around despite it and muscle through the bad patches.
If you're dead, you're dead. There's no coming back. Not with present tech.
There are also plenty of people that have been raped that get up, keep walking and think "At least I wasn't killed." (Metaphorically of course).

Also, from another perspective, would you rather your mother/father/sister/brother/best friend be raped or dead if you HAD to choose?

 

[uhddh]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I pressed the wrong button and shot some cop in the head. I had to cull the entire station and surrounding area to survive. I felt bad.

 

[Averant]

Depends on the situation. I never go wholly evil in an RPG cause I just feel like a dick whenever I do... Not to mention I'd run out of ammo trying to kill everyone in FO3.

Speaking of FO3, I never felt bad about killing people, but it was always kind of awkward whenever I killed a Townie NPC. they would just be laying there for the entire game, with people stepping over their bodies like they didn't exist. Always made me kinda tiptoe around the bodies, cause they didn't just disappear immediately after.

that should happen in more games. keep the bodies around, or at least build graves.

 

[badgersprite]

Nameless characters? Never, I don't think. Video game murder only has significance when it's story-related. An actual enemy or ally. It's the same as in any form of fiction. I mean, how often do you feel bad for some random faceless mook who gets gunned down in an action movie? And by "feel bad", I mean more than just, "Ow that death had to hurt!"

 

[aba1]

Games are like movies killing is only as emotional as the developers or artists make it. If a game has no killing the whole time when it happens it will be a big deal just like a movie.

 

[targren]

So when was the last time you felt an impact by murdering a nameless character in a game?

DX:HR.

Spoiler

Near the end Adam is attacked by countless waves of driven mad crew of arctic station. They are almost exact copies of a few models but i didn't feel ok with murdering them - they were unwilling victims of grander scheme. Had to replay this section. :|

I myself had those thoughts too and didn't kill a single one of them.

I did the same thing. Even reloaded twice when I took one down accidentally. After all, it's not their fault.

Spoiler

And then it turned out that the only ending which didn't suck total balls was the one where you blow up the facility and kill them all anyway. I was pissed

 

[JesterRaiin]

So when was the last time you felt an impact by murdering a nameless character in a game?

DX:HR.

Spoiler

Near the end Adam is attacked by countless waves of driven mad crew of arctic station. They are almost exact copies of a few models but i didn't feel ok with murdering them - they were unwilling victims of grander scheme. Had to replay this section. :|

I myself had those thoughts too and didn't kill a single one of them.
Then the game ended and never mentioned the fact that I didn't kill a single one of them.
Then I remembered the first Deus Ex actually barking at you if you kill an enemy in the first level.
And then I got pissed at DE:HR.

Exactly. I remember quartermaster reprimanding J.C. for his bloodthirtsty behavior.

I'm surprised that there's no debate about lack of impact and general "Meh" tone in DX:HR. This game - very good in terms of gameplay, mechanics and such - has serious problems with scenario. It seems that Adam's actions are considered mostly irrelevant. :|

 

[Manji187]

So when was the last time you felt an impact by murdering a nameless character in a game?

In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl I once shot a soldier. He didn't immediately die, he collapsed from severe bleeding. He started crying out in pain...calling for his team mates (who were already dead). It made me feel really bad.

If NPC's are one day programmed to beg for mercy...or start talking away at your conscience while dying... that's when killing in videogames might change. Right now there are simply no consequences. You shoot...they fall.