Comments on: Great Debate: The Moral Grey Area http://gamerlimit.com/2009/05/great-debate-the-moral-grey-area/ Gamer Limit Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:38:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rainfly_X http://gamerlimit.com/2009/05/great-debate-the-moral-grey-area/#comment-12709 Rainfly_X Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:32:51 +0000 http://gamerlimit.com/?p=23401#comment-12709 I think the optimal way to do it is to structure the choices, so that the game learns whether you like black and white, or shades of grey. Games already do a pretty good job of figuring out whether you want to be good or evil, and giving you choices that reflect your past decisions. That's the "easy" part... but until we have an ambiguity axis, we will forever have discussions like this. In my opinion, it's personal preference, and something you should be able to decide *within* a game, as opposed to your *choice* of games to purchase. I think the optimal way to do it is to structure the choices, so that the game learns whether you like black and white, or shades of grey. Games already do a pretty good job of figuring out whether you want to be good or evil, and giving you choices that reflect your past decisions. That’s the “easy” part… but until we have an ambiguity axis, we will forever have discussions like this. In my opinion, it’s personal preference, and something you should be able to decide *within* a game, as opposed to your *choice* of games to purchase.

]]> By: William http://gamerlimit.com/2009/05/great-debate-the-moral-grey-area/#comment-12708 William Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:10:16 +0000 http://gamerlimit.com/?p=23401#comment-12708 People seem to be comparing games with movies, and lets face it - games rely on alot of cliched cinematic storytelling devices reducing games to a cinematic cousin. - But games offer interactivity that films and other media don't have. - The 'grey area', non linear world has alot of potential, I think Grand Theft Auto offered a great model (though nevertheless still pretty linear) and even Shenmue on the dreamcast wasnt a bad stab, you were involved (although somewhat mundanly) in his basic life. - It depends on what you want to do as a developer, create the addictive classics like pacman with its simplicity or strive to develop gamings main institution. Which is their interactivity. But a virtual world will always be virtual. Developers need to ask themselves what they want to do, if they want to create true non linear experiances, that allow players to activiley explore a non pre - determined path, this would be great for the gaming experience itself also. It would also allow games to elevate somewhat from being the weaker cousin for storytelling on the media front giving them an original feature. Interestingly storytelling and great gameplay are a connected feature. People seem to be comparing games with movies, and lets face it – games rely on alot of cliched cinematic storytelling devices reducing games to a cinematic cousin. – But games offer interactivity that films and other media don’t have.
– The ‘grey area’, non linear world has alot of potential, I think Grand Theft Auto offered a great model (though nevertheless still pretty linear) and even Shenmue on the dreamcast wasnt a bad stab, you were involved (although somewhat mundanly) in his basic life.
- It depends on what you want to do as a developer, create the addictive classics like pacman with its simplicity or strive to develop gamings main institution. Which is their interactivity. But a virtual world will always be virtual. Developers need to ask themselves what they want to do, if they want to create true non linear experiances, that allow players to activiley explore a non pre – determined path, this would be great for the gaming experience itself also. It would also allow games to elevate somewhat from being the weaker cousin for storytelling on the media front giving them an original feature. Interestingly storytelling and great gameplay are a connected feature.

]]> By: Austin_SJ http://gamerlimit.com/2009/05/great-debate-the-moral-grey-area/#comment-12526 Austin_SJ Sun, 31 May 2009 08:30:14 +0000 http://gamerlimit.com/?p=23401#comment-12526 It seems to me that the moral grey area style of presentation is now the more cliched style than when things are presented as black and white. In films and games nowadays, the protagonist is a bent cop with a dark past, with tonnes of character flaws. We no longer seem to be presented with an all round nice guy/girl who is just doing the right thing. In terms of what makes for a better game? I think absolutes make it easier to have chacters seem different and to make play throughs more worthwhile. It seems to me that the moral grey area style of presentation is now the more cliched style than when things are presented as black and white. In films and games nowadays, the protagonist is a bent cop with a dark past, with tonnes of character flaws. We no longer seem to be presented with an all round nice guy/girl who is just doing the right thing.

In terms of what makes for a better game? I think absolutes make it easier to have chacters seem different and to make play throughs more worthwhile.

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