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?
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?