RPG training

[alpharaposa]

It's funny. Over the years I've played a lot of video and computer game RPGs, and there's an interesting element to it.

ursulav once mentioned a certain trait of long-time RPG players. I don't recall the exact wording, but she pointed out that whenever she plays a game where you can choose to be good or evil, she could start out as a baby-killing demon and will finish the game Lawful Good.

Even in games where you're perfectly allowed and can even win the game by being a sneaky bastard or downright demonically evil, us well-trained gamers will take the Good path on the first play through. Years of playing RPGs and other games has trained us to be nice, say yes to all the side quests, and uplift the dignity of all living things.

Even in games like Mass Effect, where it's more of a characterization than actual good vs evil, well, let's just say that anher's first playthrough is toting up points on the Paragon meter, not Renegade.

There are time when you're afraid to say no to the quest or the sidequest or be mean to the person you're talking to, because it means you might miss something in the game or have things just not turn out as well as they could. It's why people will struggle for the 'good' endings over the 'normal' ones.

I have been excessively morally trained, it seems, at least for game-playing.

Comments

[xaq.livejournal.com]

There are times when you're afraid to say no...because it means you might mis something in the game or have things just not turn out as well as they could.


Super Paper Mario came to mind right then and there.

You know the scene I'm talking about. :b

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the good endings are... better! We're all suckers for a happy ending, and it's just not 'in' for the bad guys to get the happy ending.