Is there anything that you will refuse to do in a game?

[Knonsense]

So, I think a small part of the gaming experience is breaking social laws and our usual ethics. The vast majority of people who play Grand Theft Auto or similar crime themed sandbox games don't regularly engage in haphazard manslaughter, and this is part of the fun for a lot of people. Evil characters are often more fun to play than good characters when we are given the choice.

However, I've noticed that there are some things in games that are beyond my character to do, even in a virtual world when nobody's watching. I don't engage in child killing in Fallout or Fallout 2 (Of course, this has practical concerns in game.) I will not run a government with Mercantilism or State Property in Civilization IV, or a Planned Economy in Alpha Centauri. And I am desperately trying to dredge up a third example because I like aesthetics in my writing, but I am failing to do so because it's getting a little late over here.

Of course, there aren't any rational ethical problems with doing these things in game. You're not impacting real people, just a bunch of transistors. But, it just doesn't feel right and I resign myself to it.

So, as the title suggests, has an option ever popped up in a game that you have a similar reaction to? Or am I just pathetically innocent?

 

[ohgodalex]

I will not kill sheep in Age of Empires 2.

 

[Mad Maniac with axe-firing chainsaw]

I can't bring myself to tax people harshly in a game. My rents are always at a minimum in Fable 2 and at low tax rate in Total war. However psychotic I can be when I'm not playing seriously, when I am being serious I cannot bring myself to be a tyrant.

I also can't do "smart" evil in general. My character may have the occasional psychotic break when I'm not in a mood for serious gaming, but I can't set out to gain from being evil. Somehow harming people for personal gain steps over a line with me. Games like GTA seem to sidestep this, but that's usually because I tend to only play those games when in psychotic mode, as I like to call it.

Basically I have two modes. I'm sweetness and light until I get bored or pissed off, and then my super-powered evil side gets roused and I become a complete and utter tool, to the point where I'll find a way to be evil in a Final Fantasy game, even if thats just wailing on the cutest, most harmless monsters I can find.

 

[deathstrikesquirrel]

I couldn't nuke megaton, something to me felt that was so abhorrent.

 

[Shepard's Shadow]

Trapping a Sim in a box. For some reason, I can't do it.

 

[Erana]

Rape.
Not really a problem in most games, though...

Also, i'm not much for killing kids.
Oh, and I refuse to play a game when I'm not having fun.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Killing people just for the hell of it. Maybe it's just for the sake of immersion, but I don't just shoot someone I see just because I can. Or maybe it's because I'm a good person. I don't know.

 

[deathstrikesquirrel]

I couldn't nuke megaton, something to me felt that was so abhorrent.

But the blast scene is soo awesome! Its completely worth all those innocent lives.

the messed up part is that I ended up killing everyone in megaton while I toyed around with the weapons you make out of schematics.

 

[Vuljatar]

I will never, ever do any quests for the P.E.T.A. Druids in World of Warcraft. In fact, I've made it a point to wipe out their camp every time I pass by.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

There were several things in Mass Effect I couldn't do.

I never kill the Rachni Queen, even on my renegade characters. She's just kinda sitting there, begging for her life, and something just screams "DON'T DO IT!" in the back of my mind.

 

[squid5580]

Nope I have never found a game that allowed me to do something that I felt guilty or bad about. Except losing to it. Or collectibles. Would that count? Not collecting a bunch of useless crap?

 

[Voodoo Child]

At the climax of Fable 2:

If I don't

Spoiler

bring my dog back to life with my choice,

I feel sick with myself.

(Also, with such a pitiful "boss fight" I use the term "climax" very loosely.)

 

[M0rp43vs]

This might sound nerdy but in Devil summoner 2, I refuse to fuse one of my demons. I've had it since level 10, i think, now is level 30 but it was so fun loving and nice I couldn't bear to part with it. You may now laugh.

Also like elephant guts, I try to avoid wanton murder just for the hell of it.... unless they pissed me off

 

[deathstrikesquirrel]

There were several things in Mass Effect I couldn't do.

I never kill the Rachni Queen, even on my renegade characters. She's just kinda sitting there, begging for her life, and something just screams "DON'T DO IT!" in the back of my mind.

you're kind of a monster either way you do that, but that's why you always have a friend with questionable morals to push that button.

 

[NeutralDrow]

<url=http://www.addictinggames.com/interactivebuddy.html>This flash game. Sure, tossing baseballs for the little guy to catch isn't as exciting as, say, tossing a grenade for him to catch. Or lobbing fireballs at him. Or smacking him with a flail. Or raining bowling balls down on him.

...at least, until I realize it's shaking in absolute terror and running away from everything I do, including the harmless stuff. Then I suddenly feel like scum.

I just can't make people suffer unless they really, truly deserve it. This generally means not attacking innocents, not overtaxing my populace...

I can't bring myself to tax people harshly in a game. My rents are always at a minimum in Fable 2 and at low tax rate in Total war. However psychotic I can be when I'm not playing seriously, when I am being serious I cannot bring myself to be a tyrant.

This, pretty much.

I also can't be evil in Planescape Torment. The one time I sold one of my party members into slavery for more power, I immediately felt guilty (even though it was Morte). Just thinking about doing that to Dakkon made me feel unclean.

So, as the title suggests, has an option ever popped up in a game that you have a similar reaction to? Or am I just pathetically innocent?

Not in the least.

 

[Vrex360]

Never hurt the innocent and never compromise in the face of injustice.

 

[jwabsolution]

kinda funny reading through other people's posts because Ive done most things people refuse to do and never thought twice about it.
I remember for every character I ever made on Morrowind I would systematically kill every last person I could in Seyda Neen (the starting town for those that dont know) then steal and sell everything that wasnt bolted down. I think all my characters were also in the thieves guild so that when I killed a guard I could pay off my debts to the guild.
I think the only thing Ive never been able to do in a game is hack it in order to cheat against people online. Bethesda games dont count... its just too much fun to give your characters every item in the game and just tool around with the world.
-JW

 

[Syphonz]

I`ll never play as Èvil on the first playthrough of any morality system game.