Why do some people prefer to play the bad guy if given the option?

[ThreeName]

When it comes to video games or tabletop games or really anything where you can choose your own path, I always like to play the good guy. I mean, why wouldn't you? One human being granted power above others would logically want to look out for those less fortunate, right? Why is it then that people play evil characters in RPGs or root for the bad guys on movies? Escapism, sure, but if that were the only reason I think they'd play it 50/50, but instead some people PREFER the evil power fantasy, which I can't helped but be a little disturbed by.

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Also the bad guys in movies are generally, despite their actions, more charismatic and likeable. I like to use the Disney example: Who's the best character in The Lion King? Scar. Who's the best character in The Little Mermaid? Ursula. Who's the best character in Hercules? Hades. Who's the best character in Aladdin? Jafar. And so on and so forth (Note that this rule doesn't apply to Pixar because they're excellent at writing protagonists).

What's the reasoning behind it? Is being a hero really boring? I don't think so. Is it because the world deserves it? What gives you the right to make that call? Power corrupts? I think by now most people should know that catchy phrases aren't necessarily true. At least I should hope not.

Honestly, yes. Heroes are boring. Villains or villainous behaviour allows the exploration of alternative points of view, actions or beliefs that are generally counter the more socially accepted or promoted rules.

"I'm doing the right thing" "Why?" "Because it's the right thing!" is terrible character writing, and it's no fun to play as. "I'm doing the wrong thing!" "Why?" "Because of my complex moral reading of the situation!" is both more interesting and more original.

 

[Dalisclock]

In Saints Row 4 sometimes it's fun just to abuse your superpowers and start throwing cars at people or people at people.

Saints Row is pretty much "Being a Dick: The game". Particulary SR2, where the boss is a sociopath by cannon, and pretty much every activity is in some way being a massive asshole(and making it fun). My favorite probably has to be Septic Avenger, where you drive a septic truck and spray down everything and everyone with liquidized shit using a high pressure hose/cannon. Fuzz is a close second just due to the shear number of atrocities you commit while dressed as a cop and while a camera crew is filming you. It's even better when the cameraman offers you a chainsaw to boost ratings.

Considering what a massive shit pit stillwater is, it all seems appropriate.

 

[LostCrusader]

Probably for some variety in the stories, or because evil sometimes gets better/more entertaining powers.

Also,
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[Rebel_Raven]

Well, I'd imagine it's because one can't play the bad guy in reality without unwanted repercussions.

Heroes can be boring, yes. Especially if they are up tight. They generally don't balance some less than savory actions, trying to be noble all the time.

Some people just wanna be contrary. They see something nice, and they wanna break it.

There's a lot of motives, honestly. Just gotta ask, sometimes.

 

[Lost In The Void]

slight spoilers for the Anime Fate/Zero but the Male character's explanation makes it clear what I despise about good characters in games

Spoiler

 

[LaughingAtlas]

I generally base my virtual morality on the condition of the world I'm exploring, if given options. If it's a dark, bleak, horrible world of monsters, murder, and children getting hacked up to be made into salami for a guy that rapes mannequins in his basement, I'll probably be a messiah on steroids. Pious steroids.

If everything seems pretty much fine, I'll make it not so, moreso if those living in that clean, functional society seem like jerks. I've caught myself thinking more maliciously where I'm the designated hero (Spyro the Dragon, for instance) than when I gunned down every man, woman, and child (Thanks, modding community!) in the Boomers tribe of New Vegas, some of them in their sleep.

Either way, it's pretty much just defiance of the game world, maybe just to balance things out. I've tried playing evil characters in games where things are pretty fucked (most of them) and can never seem to keep interest after wiping out a settlement or two. In those "You Are Mr. Hero" adventure games, however, I have quite a lot of fun painting my actions with the darkest strokes I can manage.

 

[Something Amyss]

I like to do different things. In RPGs, I'll play pretty much any alignment or class at least once. I get character ideas and run with them. But I still stay on the good side of things probably 70% of the time. In video games, well, it's fun to let loose. Though, again, I tend to play the good guy. Probably even more often.

Quite frankly, it's sometimes fun to be something I'm not. It's the escapist thing mentioned. But even then, I don't think escapism means 50% good. Escapism is whatever you want it to mean. If you want to cut loose and blow up some puppies in a virtual world, have at it.

Also, games tend to portray good vs evil as "bland saint" vs "over-the-top cartoon villain." When portrayed that way, it makes evil more appealing.

I don't think it automatically reflects upon a person. In real life, I legitimately have an issue doing harm to people, even in self defense. When I play GTA online with friends, I sometimes shoot pedestrians for annoying me. And the kicker is, there's virtually no way to make me free of the consequences that concern me in the real world. even if tomorrow I got the powers of Superman and there was nobody who could take me down, harming someone still means inflicting harm and I don't want to do it. Humans, even the ones I dislike, have feelings, awareness, dignity. Video game characters aren't real and have no such pretense. Hell, the pedestrian I shoot will eventually respawn.

Entertainment and reality are two different things entirely.

Also, I imagine many people like being evil because being good is what we're supposed to do.

 

[ecoho]

In my case it's for a little chance in pace. When you're the bad guy you have your own reasons to be doing whatever you're doing, when you're the good guy you usually is trying to help or save something. Being the bad guy makes you feel more proactive most of the time. Except in post-apocalypse situations, because then, most people you meet are jaded and apathic, so it is genuinely fun to become the badass beacon of hope in the setting.

But aside from that? One thing that bothers me is that evil in games is really badly portrayed especially when there is some kind of morality point system. Bioware is actually pretty bad about it, i had a horrible experience trying to play Star Wars TOR because of it.

I started a game as a Sith Inquisitor, i was trying to role play a Lawful Evil character, who cares about efficiency and is ambitious in going up the ranks. I seriously struggled to mantain the Meter in the Neutral, and worse, i had to make some really stupid decisions along the way just to kick a few dogs and don't go Light Side. Aparently being evil means being self-destructive according to Bioware.

Anyway, i like when i can be evil, what i don't like is that most of the time it's impossible to be evil like...Palpatine for instance in a game where there is a morality point system, it just doesn't translate well that this act of kindness is just to make it easier to take over down the line.

So, a better question...Why is it so hard to make it possible for a character to be Evil in a game, without being the Joker ou Kefka type of Chatic Evil?

may I suggest playing a dark sided Jedi? honestly I think bioware made a good choice with how they made tor, if you want to be cliché then you'll be cliché and do darkside choices as a sith and lightside choices as a jedi but if you rock the boat and go the opposite direction you are actually rewarded. Also light and dark choices are a little more grey on the other classes as mostly the right thing to do can sometimes be really dark.

OT: I like to be chaotic neutral that way you can do as you please when you please also people don't get pissed when one min. I risk my life to save the inn keepers daughter and then turn around and rip out his heart because the fucker didn't pay me what was owed for the next quest we did for him.......the basterd

 

[Amir Kondori]

I believe that many people have dark thoughts sometimes, and no one is one hundred percent good all the time. Sometimes in our lives we may have lied, stolen, cheated, hurt someone. I usually take the good guy route in games that have these options myself, but sometimes it is enjoyable to indulge these darker impulses in a safe and consequence free environment.

 

[Chaos Isaac]

Well, asides schadenfreude, it can be very cathartic to just screw over stupid people or jackasses in some game worlds by just being a douchebag.

 

[JohnZ117]

"They say, best men are moulded out of faults, And, for the most, become much more the better for being a little bad."
William Shakespeare

I like to explore that baser side of mine, to understand it and the whole of what is me. It helps me learn why not to do so in real life.

 

[GamerAddict7796]

I always play the good guy as I find it more fun. Just killing everyone you meet gets some chuckles for 5 minutes but I prefer helping characters. However, if anyone dare oppose me or threaten any innocents then I will be more than happy to blow their head open with the nearest shotgun. Usually while laughing like a mad man then going back to the quest giver, being called amazing and going on my way.

Best example is probably in New Vegas where the soldier at Camp Searchlight tells you about what the Legion did to the town. I then went to Cottonwood Cove and killed everything there, apart from some slaves I freed. Going back and just saying "I've dealt with Cottonwood Cove" and when he asks how just saying "The old-fashioned way" was just a crowning moment of awesome. Plus, it gave me good rep with the NCR so I can satisfy my bloodlust while also being a good guy. Best of both worlds.

 

[duwenbasden]

Simple: because I don't have to explain to the tribunal Senate and the Oath council why I headshot the Colonel when the sole reason is "she looked at me funny" or "I liked his suit".

However, I prefer playing the subtle arsehole. You will never realise "that guy/gal" because you never see the character be "that guy/gal".

 

[Czann]

The evil side is always more fun to play. Especially if it's a game based on some brand like Star Wars or LOTR.

Given the power I would do extremely evil things to extremely evil people so... Karma zero I guess?

 

[happyninja42]

I don't like playing the evil route when given the option. In most games that I want to play, it is a power fantasy, of me in that role. I don't really disassociate my choices personally from those of the character. And that's kind of the point, I'm pretending to be that person in the game. And I like to be a good person, so I pick the good route, because I enjoy it.

I actually enjoy the NPC's in video games, or tabletop roleplay. So I try and see how my actions would be viewed from their side, and I try to pick the one that has the lowest Dick-factor possible.

When done right (which isn't very often in games I admit), the good path, should be the harder path, while the evil path, is quicker, easier, more seductive. So in that respect I enjoy playing the good path because it's sort of an accomplishment, that I overcame the obstacles the game devs put in my way to be a hero, and did it anyway. That the world of the game, or the people within it, are a little better off because of my efforts.

I like that feeling. It's enjoyable. I can understand people's desire to indulge the other side of our personality, I just don't share it really. I've known enough people IRL that would be a Renegade, or Dark Side Cole McGrath type personality, and I have no desire to pretend to be like them. So I don't. xD

 

[kasperbbs]

I'm usually playing the good guy, but sometimes i want to set some npc's on fire. I'm fighting hordes of monsters to save the world and some butthole tells me to bring him 10 pieces of whatever so that he would give me some information that would help me on my journey and he even acts like i should be grateful.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Power corrupts? I think by now most people should know that catchy phrases aren't necessarily true. At least I should hope not.

We have thousands of years of evidence that power does corrupt. Most modern government are set up under the assumption (More like certainty) that this is the case.

Personally, I think we play bad characters because most of us are good people in real life. We value society and others more then every little base evil that we have in our souls. So if you're given the option to be evil for once, and satisfy those little urges every once in a while without hurting anyone, why not?

Power is a means to an end. Literally it is the means you will use to achieve some end. There is literally nothing corrupting about power - it is the road to that end (or the end itself) that corrupts. Dealing with the fragile reality of other people along the way can corrupt an idea easily enough. Just look at any revolution you might care to examine and you'll see this reality play out. Power isn't good nor is it evil - having to apply power to people, many of whom tend to disagree if your end diverges significantly from what they know - that is what corrupts.

Don't blame the tools for the failures of the human condition.

 

[Bestival]

I like to play the villain because IRL I'm always the nice guy, even when I really want to give people a piece of my mind I usually let it go. being a villain for once in refreshing every now and again.

Yes, very much this.


Also, usually it's just easier to be the bad guy. Take Skyrim for example. If you don't care about breaking the law you can steal tons of shit, murder people that annoy you, and laugh and laugh and laugh as you set chickens on fire.

Hell, even when I intentionally set out to be good. Just pure absolute good, I don't manage it. Just one thing has to not go my way and and I'll go "Fuck this, I'm all powerful!" and go happy murder funtime on some bitches.

Only thing that's managed to keep me good is Watch_dogs, and that's mostly because getting good rep is really easy, and having a bad rep is actually kind of annoying, without any real reward. Other than the occasional fun shootout with the cops.

This whole black and white, good and evil view is rather uninteresting to me anyway. When I play, everything but me is gray, and I get to be whatever color I damn well fancy.