Good or Evil?

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Ledhed

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Many games as of late have provided players with freedoms never before seen in the medium. Long gone are the days of running to the right until one could run no further. Gamers today want to be able to run left, up, down, whichever way is tickling their fancy at that moment. This design concept has paved the way for, what is in my eyes, the most interesting and divisive option in gaming: the ability to do good, and the ability to do evil.

By the time I acually completed the first Mario game, I was so angry at Princess Toadstool, after having quested through countless Bowser stages only to be told that she 'is in another castle', that I didn't feel like saving her. I wanted to toss her in the fire, and go have a brew with Bowser. Had Mario been created in this age of gaming, I very well could've had the chance to.

So, my question is this:

When playing games of this sort, which way do you sway? Do you play the Hero O:) , or the Villain :twisted: ? Please include reasons why you choose either side.

Note: I'm not including a 'middle-ground' option. There is no such thing as kinda-good or sort-of-evil. It's black and white, there is no gray area.
 
What? No 'Both' choice? I like to enjoy both perspectives when it's just a fantasy exercise. Isn't that why we have games, to do the things we'd never do in life?
 
[quote name='epobirs']What? No 'Both' choice? I like to enjoy both perspectives when it's just a fantasy exercise. Isn't that why we have games, to do the things we'd never do in life?[/quote]

I didn't include a 'both' option, because everyone will choose that. Noone will admit that they are truly good or truly evil with that option available.
I want to see everyone's true persona. Though I do believe very few players actually try to be either completely in a game, I know that there is a part of them that is aware of their alignment when there are no consequences. That is what I want to see.
 
Well, I think you'll find that most people don't feel they've gotten their money's worth from the perfect example of KOTOR until they completed it as both Dark Side and Light Side characters. Much of the replay value of Fable is grounded in the same multiple paths to a satisfactory conclusion, although Fable will supposedly offer more shades of gray between the two extremes.
 
I, for one, choose good. I just feel better that way. However, if the game is radically different when you're evil (such as KOTOR), I'll replay it to see what it is like.
 
I prefer good. For some reason I feel pity on those tiny pixels when their parents die, or their house is burned down, or I kick their dog and I'm responsible.

Also, I know many players tend to replay the game as both good and evil (hell i do), but ledhed is asking what you would prefer to play as the first time around, or if you couldn't go back/start over with the other side.
 
I played KOTOR as both good first and evil second. I had way more fun the second time through being evil. It was funny to see peoples reactions to my evilness. So I would say evil.
 
This may have to do with the oldschool Ultima games.. but I've always thought it made the game harder (atleast for the first majority) to play as the good character.. because of that I tend to always play as good first.
 
[quote name='zewone']Good first. Evil 2nd. Playing as evil is always more fun and easier though.[/quote]

Not always... Sonic Adventure 2 was really easy both good and evil, and Everquest is much harder if you are an evil race/class
 
Im usually good first, but if I play the game again I play an evil character. I still need to get around to playing KotOR as an evil character.
 
[quote name='DMFunk'][quote name='zewone']Good first. Evil 2nd. Playing as evil is always more fun and easier though.[/quote]

Not always... Sonic Adventure 2 was really easy both good and evil, and Everquest is much harder if you are an evil race/class[/quote]

Sonic Adventure 2 is different from the mainstream good vs. evil path. It is a much more linear game where there are evil and good characters, but both are basically the same gameplay, just different motives.

In most games, evil includes making selfish choices, such as getting gold instead of helping out someone in need, or sacrificing people (as in Black and White) rather than praying for favor. In Everquest you are basically shunned if you choose to be evil, and many normally peaceful people (like town guards) tend to fight you.
 
Eeeeevil.

Why? Because I mostly have to be good in real life; being evil in real life usually gets you thrown in jail (or worse). And playing video games is all about doing fun stuff that you could never do in real life.
 
Good. I never killed anyone in Thief 3 and in Splinter Cell I only kiled or knocked out the people that had to die or get knocked out to complete an objective.

And in Half-Life I saved most of the characters that were scripted to be killed by aliens or soldiers. (not to brag, but I am a good shot, I play with 20.0 mouse sensitivity)
 
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