Poll: Playing Evil

[keithkc81]

I do agree, evil in video games is poorly represented. The character I was talking about knows that other people think he is evil. He is part red dragon and chromatic dragons are evil. He doesn't consider himself evil, he just acts how his nature dictates. He is currently in a situation that he has to act nicer than he would like to. He understands that most people don't agree with his methods. He doesn't consider them wrong, but he knows they aren't accepted. I as a player understand that he is evil, and he will do what it takes to get what he wants. He isn't Saturday morning cartoon evil. He is trying to save the world because that is where he lives and keeps all his stuff.

If it wasn't for having to get along with humans to complete his goal, he would put a claw though the chest of anyone who apposed him in any way. He sees humans as a lesser race, he doesn't see why they should live if they don't have the potential to be useful. In general he sees himself as more important than almost everyone else. That is what I feel evil is, considering yourself more important than everything else just because.

Even my evil persona has little desire to take over the world. He probably could in a about a decade, but what would he do with it? Having everyone under your control seems kind of boring in the scheme of things. If there is no one to oppose you, what is the point? Can one person even think about being about to handle all the problems of a world? Is it possible to be able to use all the resources at your command in a efficient manner? How can you deal with all the people that are going to try to kill you and take over your position? How can you deal with all the heroes that are going to come in groves and try to take you out to restore balance?

I don't think video games are ready for this kind of freedom. In a pen and paper RPG all is open with a good GM. It's much harder for a video game developer to offer that kind of freedom. Like many people have said before the evil choices made in games is just another play though. I haven't seen any game explain the motivations of an evil character. It always seems to be "Oh, you want to do evil things, here you go."

I seem to be on a rant now. I apologize, I would like to thank all of you for your input. While the poll indicates that most people don't have a problem with playing evil. I don't think anyone can make a valid claim after only about 170 votes.

 

[LAGG]

Depends if the gameplay is good.

 

[shrimpcel]

I don't mind playing an evil character, but when I have the option I do play a character that's as good as possible, simply because it feels proper.

 

[Ren_Li]

"Evil" is a single word to describe a character with; and frankly, I need a hell of a lot more than just "because I'm evil" as a motivation behind my characters.
I like psychology. It's something I have an interest in and a natural understanding for, and would like to be able to study it and do something with it one day. As such, a character who's sole motivation is "because it's evil" is far, FAR too shallow for me.

And as for a character who does evil stuff because they find it fun, and feel no guilt, well... That'd be sociopathy. And frankly, I also would have no interest in a character who's primary defining trait is a mental condition that totally removes them from the world around them and ensures that their motivations are all "me, now". That's... for one thing, difficult to connect with, and for another it's totally uninteresting to me.

I would play a well-rounded character who has valid motivations (or, at least, motivations they see as valid) for doing what others view as "evil". But evil for evil's sake? No.

 

[Another]

If it's the black and white Angel or Hitler than I can't do it. It's just ridiculous really. If it is something where I do something evil unknowingly or the situation is grey and I need to be a hardass, I can do that. If I am going to be straight out "evil" there needs to be a reason for me to do so.

 

[Zombie Sodomy]

I can't be full on evil. I let an entire town get massacred in SWTOR. It sucked, but it was the right move to make from a tactical standpoint. When I'm playing a game I'll always do what I think is best, regardless of alignment points. Sometimes I come off as a dick, but I'm not evil.

 

[2fish]

Well setting aside that most games fail to make good bad guys I think I fall into the bad guy camp.

I will start out trying to be nice. However I have to look out for myself and anyone in my crew. I will take a bullet for my own, but I will also level a house filled with innocents if it is the best way to protect my own. I may feel bad about their needless deaths but hey they failed to get out of my way.

I always hate the scene where the hero calls out the bad guy and says I will stop you now! I mean shit why warn them? If they don?t know you are there easier to kill them. Fight from the shadows, honor means nothing to the dead.

Treat all fights like it is life and death, only winning matters as if you die your morals don?t change anything. From the outside this can look very evil, if you are in the party it is what you do to survive.

Evil does not mean attacking everyone despite what games seem to think. I mean that is a waste of ammo for one.

 

[Jodah]

I'm usually "evil" in games. The only exception is I try to be decent to any companions in the game. I'll stab an orphan in the face until it stops being funny and in the next moment save my companion's kitten from a tree.

 

[conmag9]

Depends. In most RPGs, I'm steadfastly a good person. But in the right circumstances, or with the right character, I can get right into being a decidedly unpleasent person. It's not my default, but it comes up occasionally.

I seem to have a particular thing for "compassionate omnicidal (no, I did not spell homicidal incorrectly) maniac", as weird as that sounds. But it takes an unusual setting for that to work. Usually.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

From what I have seen on these forums, it seems that playing an evil character in a game is almost unthinkable. I am confused by a lot of the recent threads. When I play a game I feel that I am playing a role that has been placed in front of me. That may be the role of a great hero, or an unsavory *bleep* saving the world just because.

Oh, I enjoy playing evil now and then. Although, typically in video games it isn't evil so much as Asshole, but yeah.

In D&D/Pathfinder, I have played several evil characters. My Lawful Evil character is actually very party-friendly (ie, even in non-evil parties). That character wants to rule the world with an iron fist, but needs to gather resources first - and save the world if anything ELSE threatens to destroy or conquer it. Thus party friendly evil - saving the world so it's still in pristine condition later.

I also have a chaotic evil character who's just wonderfully insane. Inspired by Albedo from Xenosaga. ^^

 

[Commissar Sae]

My favorite D&D character was always my fallen Paladin. He went from a brutal but generally good man (executing thieves even if their were stealing for a decent cause) to a sort of anarchist revolutionary. He became so disillusioned with the justice he was dealing out that he turned it back on his order and the priesthood around it. In the process I killed a number of otherwise innocent and decent people. This only drove my character further towards madness, but with a new goal.

After sparking a civil war by casting down the local nobility I started to forge a new society, based on a certain equality but with some incredibly harsh law codes. It was just too bad that I was playing with a party that largely ignored some of these roleplaying aspects and played their people as chaotic stupid more than anything else.

So yes, I would play evil, but my preferred form of evil is less murdering psychopath and more ruthless tyrant.

 

[The_Lost_King]

If there is a morality system I will be evil no matter what. I always play evil in morality systems. Sith in Kotor, evil in Infamous, renegade in Mass Effect, etc.

If it is something like Dragon Age, though,I am either good or neutral.

 

[Trueflame]

Video games, particularly Bioware type games, have conditioned me to be good. Not for any moral reason, but simply because being evil is typically the more boring route, with you simply killing or robbing everything and everyone in your path. Whereas as the good guy, you have to talk to everyone, try to figure things out, and usually end up with a greater variety of quests, objectives, and loot. So in games like that I usually play the good guy first, and then play as an evil character next.

In games where there isn't such a binary moral system, I try to make choices that just seem to be the best. I start out nice and helpful, but am vengeful and ruthless to people that get in my way or show themselves to be evil. So still putting me in a pretty gray area, rather than a typical purely good protagonist.

 

[Childe]

For me i just like playing evil because i can't be evil in real life lol. With trying hard to be a christian plus staying on the right side of the law, living up to my own and others expectations it gets really annoying. Playing evil allows me to cut loose

 

[drzoidbergmd]

Evil characters can be fun if they're done right. What's important to remember is that, most times, evil characters either believe they are doing right, or have some sort of personal belief that permits evil. Once it becomes cartoonish and divorced from any sort of reality or cohesive thought is when it becomes dissatisfying.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Fallout 3 really brought out the inner evil bastard in me.

On the other hand, I can't bring myself to play evil in Mass Effect. I just feel so awful about it. I like being nice to my crew members.

 

[Agayek]

Generally, I will always choose whatever the option is that my personal moral compass says is "good". Several times, that's not what the developers decided was good, but fuck them.

I just feel bad otherwise. I just can't enjoy pretending to be what I view as evil, and it kills my interest in the game.

I recognize that the victims aren't real, but it still makes me feel like I should hate myself for making that choice, so I avoid them.

Now, that said, I don't have any particular problem with the character I'm playing committing atrocities (for example, I take no issue with something like Spec Ops and the evil things the game makes the player do). It's only when I'm presented with the choice that it becomes a problem.

 

[Vern5]

On the other hand, I can't bring myself to play evil in Mass Effect. I just feel so awful about it. I like being nice to my crew members.

This interests me. I was very considerate towards my crew members in Mass Effect as well. I enjoyed joking with them and encouraging them as much as I could. However, I still ended up having massive Renegade points in Mass Effect 2 because I was impatient and cruel towards everyone else.

It completely possible to be "Evil" in Mass Effect while still being a nice person to your crew. And that's how it should be.

OT: If I do take "Evil" choices, I never really considered them evil in the first place. Maybe in hindsight but everything is clear when you view the aftermath. For example, When Sovereign attacked the Citadel back in Mass Effect 1, I told the Alliance Fleet to concentrate all of their energy on destroying the Reaper and ignore supporting the Council ship. I figured, with the Alliance battering the Reaper, the Council would survive in the confusion. Apparently, my assessment was way off because those morons died.

Of course, the result of that decision was Renegade and I felt a little bad about it but I wasn't outraged or surprised too much. The plot had taken a sudden turn for the realistically grim and I found contentment in that.

 

[Taurus Vis]

Evil is a point of view. My character serves a greater purpose than any immediate threat. The greater good is more important than a friend, a quest giver, a family. In any game, it's always about helping the many, even if it means letting a few good men die. There can never be change without sacrifice. Thinking you can save the world is foolish. It's how I live my real life, not that I've ever had a life or death choice put in my hands.

 

[RedDeadFred]

On the other hand, I can't bring myself to play evil in Mass Effect. I just feel so awful about it. I like being nice to my crew members.

This interests me. I was very considerate towards my crew members in Mass Effect as well. I enjoyed joking with them and encouraging them as much as I could. However, I still ended up having massive Renegade points in Mass Effect 2 because I was impatient and cruel towards everyone else.

It completely possible to be "Evil" in Mass Effect while still being a nice person to your crew. And that's how it should be.

Completely true and I would play it this way if the game didn't punish you for not going all out Paragon or Renegade (there are some speech checks that require ridiculously high Paragon/Renegade scores). That's one of the changes in ME3 that I really liked.