Poll: Religion in Games

[Outcast107]

Yes, Legion was also a great character. It provokes many ethical questions about machines and their status as sentient. What do you think, would such creatures posses anything like a soul?

Hmm...that a tough question. If the Geth were real, I think they would. As they can think, react and be reason with its hard to say that it doesn't, at least in my opinion. The only reason the Geth are view "evil" is because fought back against the Quriens due to them over reaction, but I can't blame the Quriens for it.

It would have been the same reaction by the humans in my opinion. Both sides were right and wrong in what they done. The Quriens believe that the Geth would kill them since they were becoming sentient. While the Geth were trying to protect themselves, but at the same time almost commented genocide.

 

[Nimcha]

Yes, Legion was also a great character. It provokes many ethical questions about machines and their status as sentient. What do you think, would such creatures posses anything like a soul?

Hmm...that a tough question. If the Geth were real, I think they would. As they can think, react and be reason with its hard to say that it doesn't, at least in my opinion. The only reason the Geth are view "evil" is because fought back against the Quriens due to them over reaction, but I can't blame the Quriens for it.

It would have been the same reaction by the humans in my opinion. Both sides were right and wrong in what they done. The Quriens believe that the Geth would kill them since they were becoming sentient. While the Geth were trying to protect themselves, but at the same time almost commented genocide.

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

 

[Requx]

Depends what religion God of War would suck without it but I never liked those bible games...they are just terrible.

 

[drh1975]

As a (lapsed) Catholic, religion in games doesn't bother me. I've played-and liked-Assassin's Creed, Dante's Inferno and others regardless of religious undertones.

 

[Outcast107]

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

To tell the truth. I rewrote them. I didn't like either option. But I view the big picture. Which would be better. To destroy the geth that had a "error" code within them that made them follow the reapers as gods. Or rewrite them to not belief in the reapers as gods and not be a tool. Plus, this might help me later in the game against the Reapers.

 

[octafish]

Am I the only one wondering what will happen to the Hanar if they discover the truth of the Collectors? This one's mind is blown.

Sure, religion has an influence in life, why shouldn't it in games?

 

[ShadowsofHope]

If the game is all the better for religious content, then go wild. If it's only in there to appease religious individuals, and does not do anything for the story other than "wanting to be there", then no. It can be left out.

 

[DudeD1020]

I love playing as a character that has a religion, its one of the things that makes them so much fun, a code of laws not forced upon their shoulders, but one they adopted and can choose to break for their own reasons. I really love to play as real-world religions.

OT:Religion should be tackled and beaten into submission by games. I do not mean that in a violent anti-religion way. I mean it should be added to any game that wants the players to think or wants a player to grapple with the story and understand the deeper and more complex parts.
Oops forgot to mention, I'm personally an Atheio-agnostic.

 

[Outcast107]

Am I the only one wondering what will happen to the Hanar if they discover the truth of the Collectors? This one's mind is blown.

Sure, religion has an influence in life, why shouldn't it in games?

I was thinking about that...Not it in telling them. <.< *runs*

 

[Nimcha]

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

To tell the truth. I rewrote them. I didn't like either option. But I view the big picture. Which would be better. To destroy the geth that had a "error" code within them that made them follow the reapers as gods. Or rewrite them to not belief in the reapers as gods and not be a tool. Plus, this might help me later in the game against the Reapers.

I did the same. I saw them mostly as tools though, but that might be because I just prefer playing Renegade. >.>

 

[Mikkaddo]

If there is going to be religion in games, it has to be handled VERY carefully.

For instance:

if one particular religion is shown as evil, there has to be a plot oriented reason for it, just because we can doesn't cut it. Also, if you intend to show one religion as the "end all" or as I prefer to call it the "Golden Rule" theory, then there has to be a believable reason for that being the ONLY ONE THAT IS RIGHT and for the others (if any in the game's universe) existing. After all, you can't tell me that it's Zeus and his buddies that are the gods but the catholics still exist . . .that doesn't make any sense nor could that believably happen.

 

[Outcast107]

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

To tell the truth. I rewrote them. I didn't like either option. But I view the big picture. Which would be better. To destroy the geth that had a "error" code within them that made them follow the reapers as gods. Or rewrite them to not belief in the reapers as gods and not be a tool. Plus, this might help me later in the game against the Reapers.

I did the same. I saw them mostly as tools though, but that might be because I just prefer playing Renegade. >.>

Actually, that choice was Paragon.

 

[D34dM4n]

i don't really care about religion irl so i care about it in video games even less. the only thing that might get my goat is if a game shoehorns in heavy handed religious shit for no other reason than to have it in there.

 

[Giest4life]

If they add to the narrative rather than serve as a moral compass, then I'm fine with that. Just like in books, specifically, I'm reading Malazan Book of the Fallen and the whole thing is revolved around gods' interferences in morals' lives. I love it, even though I'm an atheist.

 

[Some Fella1]

It just add more story and plus character development to the game itself.

Boom, reason no. 1 I would put religion in a game. By giving players a back story on a religion and then giving them someone from that religion (and forcing them to make a real moral choice). A typical moral dilemma would give a player the option of helping, leaving, killing, ect.

It's at this point players can make an assumption and go with what the back story of that religion says or go against that assumption. This can have a massive impact on the end game, showing that the supposedly evil cult is in fact just reclusive to the public and is really filled with good-hearted people who would give their money to a bum, and that the back story is really just rumours from the result of a terrible accident that has developed into their public image.

My example comes partially from Neverwinter Nights 2, specifically Neeshka, a tiefling (half-demon) rouge with a bad attitude to anything that doesn't involve money. As the game progresses and the player (optionally) befriends her, her sour attitude becomes a more gentle one (but she still likes stealing money, she'll just be more sympathetic about it). If the player gains enough influence with her by the end game, she goes through a dialogue explaining how, before the player, she was simply misunderstood and stereotyped and because the player gave her a chance (and broke the stereotype), she refuses to believe what the antagonist tells her.

While Neeshka is not a religion, religion stereotypes her, and by breaking that stereotype, the player can gain a great character in their party (with plenty of options to gain money).

 

[Nimcha]

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

To tell the truth. I rewrote them. I didn't like either option. But I view the big picture. Which would be better. To destroy the geth that had a "error" code within them that made them follow the reapers as gods. Or rewrite them to not belief in the reapers as gods and not be a tool. Plus, this might help me later in the game against the Reapers.

I did the same. I saw them mostly as tools though, but that might be because I just prefer playing Renegade. >.>

Actually, that choice was Paragon.

Really? Wow, guess I messed that up. Oh well by that time I usually have a full Renegade bar anyway. xD

 

[Blatherscythe]

As long as the Gods of said religion actually do something like in Elder Scrolls I like it.

 

[Naeo]

Just so long as the game isn't evangelizing/pushing it on you/clearly meant to be a pro-religion game, I don't care. Christianity, Islam, and so on are all fine by me in games, just so long as the game isn't "and thus Christianity triumphs once again" or "and thus Islam proved the superior moral force" or what have you. I don't care if it's in the game as a world thing--if a game is set in, say, Iraq, I damn well expect Islam to be at least a noteworthy point in either the world or the plot (or, hell, both). I don't care if there's a particularly religious character in a game, so long as it's not over-the-top. That is to say, if, I dunno, Marcus Fenix (because fuck it) were Christian, I would have no problem with the occasional Christian utterance because it's part of his character. But if he's always making a big deal out of it or if the other characters are making a big deal, it'll bug me.

So in short and in English. I don't care about religion in games so long as the game doesn't A) push that religion, or B) make a big deal out of it when it's clearly not a big deal for any other reason.

 

[Outcast107]

Thanks. And yes I agree mostly, you can say something for both sides.

One last question, did you destroy the 'heretics' or rewire them?

To tell the truth. I rewrote them. I didn't like either option. But I view the big picture. Which would be better. To destroy the geth that had a "error" code within them that made them follow the reapers as gods. Or rewrite them to not belief in the reapers as gods and not be a tool. Plus, this might help me later in the game against the Reapers.

I did the same. I saw them mostly as tools though, but that might be because I just prefer playing Renegade. >.>

Actually, that choice was Paragon.

Really? Wow, guess I messed that up. Oh well by that time I usually have a full Renegade bar anyway. xD

I went the other route, I was fully paragon at the end with a bit of renegade somehow. I still don't know how I got those points, but whatever.

 

[EboMan7x]

I only have a problem with fictional gods in RPG's, because you'll notice that all the good guys believe in god, and the "evil" response when talking to them about religion is "I don't believe in god".