This is sort of related to yesterday's Jimquisition. In the video, Jim states that while playing the Walking Dead games he became so attached to the Clementine character that he started making decisions in game for her benefit for no other reason than he cared about her character. He wasn't roleplaying, he wasn't going for a particular ending or achievement. The game just made him care about the character to the point where gameplay considerations were circumvented.
Coincidentally, something similar happened to me last night while I was playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I reached the part where
Now, I'd been playing a stealthy pacifist run. I had a combat rifle (for boss fights only) and a stun gun. The character themself advises me to use this as a cover to get in the building. Based solely on gameplay considerations, my best option would be to slip past and leave them to their fate.
I didn't even hesitate to throw that away and wade in to save them. The game made me care about the character enough that I completely disregarded gameplay considerations in order to save them.
That, to me, is a game doing it right. Too often in games, the only reason you have for what you're doing is the game giving you objectives and expecting you to do it. Less like being a hero and more like a rat running a maze. You're not emotionally invested in it, you're just doing what you're told. But when a game can make you care, when they can get you invested in what happens, suddenly the gameplay constrictions don't matter. You're doing things because you CARE. You want to do something for no other reason than the game made you care about the outcome.
When this happens, you're truly becoming a part of the story, because you're as invested as the characters are. Your feelings and connection to the story affect your actions. This is something that ONLY games can do. Other media can engage you and get you invested, but only games allow you to act on those feelings. They let you DO something about it.
So my question is what other times in games have you done things for strictly non-gameplay reasons? What games engaged you so that you did something for no other reason than you were emotionally invested in the outcome?
Another good example, for me, was defending Tali in the trial in Mass Effect 2. I made sure to protect her father, while still exonerating her, not because it was the "best" outcome, but because I legitimately wanted her to be happy.
What examples do you have?
Coincidentally, something similar happened to me last night while I was playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I reached the part where
the chopper crashes with Malik inside.
I didn't even hesitate to throw that away and wade in to save them. The game made me care about the character enough that I completely disregarded gameplay considerations in order to save them.
That, to me, is a game doing it right. Too often in games, the only reason you have for what you're doing is the game giving you objectives and expecting you to do it. Less like being a hero and more like a rat running a maze. You're not emotionally invested in it, you're just doing what you're told. But when a game can make you care, when they can get you invested in what happens, suddenly the gameplay constrictions don't matter. You're doing things because you CARE. You want to do something for no other reason than the game made you care about the outcome.
When this happens, you're truly becoming a part of the story, because you're as invested as the characters are. Your feelings and connection to the story affect your actions. This is something that ONLY games can do. Other media can engage you and get you invested, but only games allow you to act on those feelings. They let you DO something about it.
So my question is what other times in games have you done things for strictly non-gameplay reasons? What games engaged you so that you did something for no other reason than you were emotionally invested in the outcome?
Another good example, for me, was defending Tali in the trial in Mass Effect 2. I made sure to protect her father, while still exonerating her, not because it was the "best" outcome, but because I legitimately wanted her to be happy.
What examples do you have?