Am I supposed to feel bad?

[Wardi Boi]

Many games these days seem to be implementing some sort of moral choice system into them and I have always taken the good path because that's my own choice but whenever I want to do a "evil" option or I'm forced to do one, I always feel bad and/or end up caving in.

The best example for me was in Fallout 3 because I killed the ghoul, Roy Phillips, with a pocket grenade like the gameplay demo without even thinking about it. However, later on when I found his followers, I had no choice but to kill them since I couldn't do their side of the quest. I just felt horrible and depressed and decided that killing when they were asleep was the best way to do it but it was quite difficult especially after talking to the woman ghoul who had faith in Roy and his plan and was generally pretty nice.

Are we, as the the players, meant to feel sadness or remorse even though that is the choice we want to happen or are forced to commit something immoral; or does it just come you as a somewhat disturbing trait?

By the way, share some of your experiences, don't just mention the Roy Phillips example above.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I very rarely play the 'bad guy' in games like inFamous, Fable, Fallout or The Elder Scrolls.

It's very hard for me to break my hardwired 'be a good guy' attitude.

The only one I have no problem with is playing a renegade in Mass Effect, mostly because renegade Shepard is still a good guy, but his methods are just ethically questionable.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

That quest should have had no karma gain or lose, seriously one ending resulted in a large group of innocents being killed.

 

[Eggbert]

I don't typically feel bad about using the evil options. I actually revel in taking the quick route to problem solving in most games. Of course, then again, sometimes I pick evil options because they're hilarious. Example from Baldur's Gate: I got caught rummaging around in someone's dresser, and a guard shows up. He informs me that I can pay 100 gold for my crimes, or spend some time in jail or somesuch. The responses available were, in order: 1."I'll pay the fine" 2."I'll go to jail" 3."DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! POND SCUM!"

Really, how was I supposed to resist clicking that?

 

[PatrickXD]

The designers want you to feel bad, they want you to get an emotional connection with the game. It's part of the reason why games are so great!
I know in the new Deus Ex I...

Spoiler: This is a big ol' spoiler

Felt really bad for Faridah when she dies, she was just an awesome character!

 

[Paul]

I normally play from a position of what I'd do myself. In Red Dead Redemption that pretty much meant being a saint, because being evil in that game is nonsensical considering the content of the story. In Mass Effect though I can swing between Paragon, Neutral, and Renegade, all depending on how I believe I'd react in the same situation.

 

[CityofTreez]

I always feel bad about choosing "evil" options. I just can't do it.

In ME is the closest I have gotten, though.

 

[Valkyrie101]

Many games these days seem to be implementing some sort of moral choice system into them and I have always taken the good path because that's my own choice but whenever I want to do a "evil" option or I'm forced to do one, I always feel bad and/or end up caving in.

The best example for me was in Fallout 3 because I killed the ghoul, Roy Phillips, with a pocket grenade like the gameplay demo without even thinking about it. However, later on when I found his followers, I had no choice but to kill them since I couldn't do their side of the quest. I just felt horrible and depressed and decided that killing when they were asleep was the best way to do it but it was quite difficult especially after talking to the woman ghoul who had faith in Roy and his plan and was generally pretty nice.

Are we, as the the players, meant to feel sadness or remorse even though that is the choice we want to happen or are forced to commit something immoral; or does it just come you as a somewhat disturbing trait?

I assume you don't know about the alternate outcomes. I won't spoil anything, but suffice to say that Roy deserved it and that it was probably for the best.

 

[staika]

I always do feel bad if I do something bad to people even though they aren't alive and can't feel anything I still feel bad. the only thing I can do guilt free is stealing because I never have to deal with the people. This is why I always play the good guy in games.

 

[teqrevisited]

You felt bad for killing Roy Phillips? I gibbed that son of a ***** with a sledgehammer until his earthly remains consisted of a fine red paste that covered the floor and part of the wall.

I wont say anything further than that but he deserved it.

 

[Rawne1980]

I had a chat with Roy and his girl ghoul friend before shooting them in the face.

They are pixels.

Replay the game and miraculously they will be alive again.

Thats the joy of games, you can do whatever you like and if you do feel a pang of guilt you can just reload an earlier save and redo it again.

 

[Wardi Boi]

Many games these days seem to be implementing some sort of moral choice system into them and I have always taken the good path because that's my own choice but whenever I want to do a "evil" option or I'm forced to do one, I always feel bad and/or end up caving in.

The best example for me was in Fallout 3 because I killed the ghoul, Roy Phillips, with a pocket grenade like the gameplay demo without even thinking about it. However, later on when I found his followers, I had no choice but to kill them since I couldn't do their side of the quest. I just felt horrible and depressed and decided that killing when they were asleep was the best way to do it but it was quite difficult especially after talking to the woman ghoul who had faith in Roy and his plan and was generally pretty nice.

Are we, as the the players, meant to feel sadness or remorse even though that is the choice we want to happen or are forced to commit something immoral; or does it just come you as a somewhat disturbing trait?

I assume you don't know about the alternate outcomes. I won't spoil anything, but suffice to say that Roy deserved it and that it was probably for the best.

Oh I knew what happened but still, I felt bad afterwards for whatever reason and it was more the female ghoul as she was like "Oh please don't hurt us" when I said I'm here to kill them but told them it was a joke to calm her down and decided to do the deed when they were asleep.

 

[Best of the 3]

Spoiler: My encounter with Roy and what happened afterwards

I managed to convince them to live together and then Roy double crosses me and kills them all anyway and takes the Hotel over for himself. I didn't feel so sorry for him after that, neither did my trigger finger as I went on a rampage through the hoten to wipe the sods out.

Did I feel bad for killing him, no. And I probably won't if I do it again.

 

[krazykidd]

That quest should have had no karma gain or lose, seriously one ending resulted in a large group of innocents being killed.

Yeah but ghouls are ugly ! Only beautiful people should live ( this is a joke btw )

OT : i like being the bad guy in games , because i'm the good guy in real life , role playing as a dick ftw!

 

[yuval152]

That quest should have had no karma gain or lose, seriously one ending resulted in a large group of innocents being killed.

OT : i like being the bad guy in games , because i'm the good guy in real life , role playing as a dick ftw!

That's exactly what i do.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

I dont really feel bad when im trying to do bad. I feel much worse when I have good intentions, but I mess things up. Like in Deus Ex.

Spoiler

In the first mission, where you are trying to save that hostage. I saved the hostage, but the guy got away. That affected quite a few more things later in the game.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Well, since it's 'just a game' you're not supposed to feel bad, but if you do (or alternatively feel good for saving a life etc etc), then the dev team can pat themselves on the back for a job well done for good immersion.

 

[Jaloopa]

I occasionally try to play through the "darkside" options, but in any game that makes me feel reasonably attached to the characters I can't do it. I decided to be a dick in Fallout 3, but couldn't bring myself to blow up Megaton. I never got any further than that decision, to my shame.

KOTOR was another example. It got to a point where a team mate was being tortured and I just couldn't do the "I don't care, kill her if you want" approach that would improve my dark side powers.

Mass effect is the only franchise where I've felt able to do the nasty options regularly, because that is more like getting frustrated with the council or whatever. I can swing between paragon and renegade while tending more towards one than the other