X on 30/1/2002 at 21:27
Deus Ex is one of the few games I know about that draws a player's morality into question, making it a different game for every player. Recent events in the real world, the POW debacle in Cuba mainly got me thinking. When I play the game through I don't kill the Nsf terrorists, because I can feel some empathy with their cause, as a social activist myself. I have no qualms about killing the Mj12 agents/troops however.
Both Nsf and Mj12 troops are representations, and are generic in design. This adds to the lack of concern when, for instance, mowing them down with a GEP gun. Do you think that Ion Storm should make a more resolved attempt to add humanity to their enemies, or what?
PCommish on 30/1/2002 at 21:54
In Deus Ex, I have no moral qualms with using lethal force against any hostile if doing otherwise would put others or myself into mortal danger. The things we learn later in the game shouldn't have an effect on our moral choices beforehand. Going into the statue I know there are a bunch of terrorists who want to see me get killed, and I'm not going to put myself or Gunther into more danger by not killing them. Plus, my JC Denton is usually supposed to be a killing machine. That's the style I enjoy, so this is my back story for it.
Talgor on 31/1/2002 at 08:46
I never felt any pressing need to KILL anybody... I played the first time very non-lethally, partially because I think killing anybody is a waste, nothing is black and white (and in this case I was pleasantly right ;) and, on some level, I felt that killing is for amateurs... I was supposed to be a pro, so I could do it silent and non-lethal, and I did. It became a matter of professional pride. ;)
santaClaws on 31/1/2002 at 15:57
Hey, guys: This is a computer game! What do you expect? Even if it posed a question to morality (and I know it does, for I've finished it 4 times or so), you'd still be
* forced to follow the storyline (hope there'll be a game soon which doesn't force you to) and
* interacting (be it talking to, helping, trying to avoid, killing, intimidating, whatever) with mere bits! Yeah, exactely, those little whirling numbers in your computer's cables!
Come on, I know DX is a great game, but, more important, it's a great game! At some point, you've got to draw a line between reality and virtuality .. especially if it's the like twentieth discussion of the same thing.
-claw
BlackCapedManX on 3/2/2002 at 02:48
True but the whole idea of games is to be as close to reality as possible with out it actually being you. So sometimes morality and such should be implemented. Though as said JC is a killing machine and if nessecary will kill. My personal beleif is to simply clear out eveything (possing a threat) on a map, do so while wasting as little resources as possible, and end the level with the same amount of equipment (ie:ammo, medkits/biocells, lockpicks/multitools, etc. and health) or more. If it means killing my enemy... so be it. That and I'm not a very moral person.
X on 3/2/2002 at 17:46
To say this is JUST a game demeans the medium, and disallows for how far this particular game pushed the boundaries.
If JC was merely a machine, then morality was removed. But, resultant of the relationship between player and designer, he became a vessel for the player's morality. Which begs the question, if a character has a more obviously personality, can the player have a similar level of control over him/her?
Shoshin on 5/2/2002 at 19:28
The best thing about this game is that this discussion is taking place at all. Most games out there in the first person perspective world do not even give you a choice.
Homoludens on 5/2/2002 at 20:50
Most FPS games out there never give you the opportunity for intellectual and philosophical considerations, but then the Deus Ex player is of a particular caliber. :thumb:
Gilla the Guerrilla on 7/2/2002 at 12:48
I played through the game the first time trying to avoid killing anybody wherever it was possible, and now i've decided to have another go as a gun-toting terminator. The strange thing is, although it's fun trying out all the different weapons, whenever i off some unwitting MJ12 goon, i can't help but feel like i'm playing the wrong way, or that there's going to be some punishment later on for just mindlessly killing. It does makes me feel guilty, to an extent.
And on top of that, i've also found playing the game as an out-and-out killer is also incredibly easy (this is on "realistic" mode), and just doesn't seem as much fun to play.
:erg:
X on 7/2/2002 at 21:06
I think that the Majestic 12 troops are portrayed as soldiers following orders, as pawns. Their nervous chatter indicates their humanity, something that say the MiBs lack, and thus I have no qualms about blowing THEM up.
