Comments on: Choice and Morality, Part Three http://metagame.org/2009/06/22/choice-and-morality-part-three/ writing on games Tue, 25 May 2010 11:13:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Mass Effect 2 Disappoints – metagame http://metagame.org/2009/06/22/choice-and-morality-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Mass Effect 2 Disappoints – metagame Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:07:35 +0000 http://metagame.org/?p=37#comment-33 [...] At the end of the day, Mass Effect’s sequel is a disappointment. Believe me, I know I’m swimming against the current here. EA/Bioware gets to put a big trophy on their mantle  – a 96% Metacritic. That’s the fourth highest score for a 360 title, ever. So am I insane? Maybe. But as I played the game, too many things stood out as “could be better.” So that’s what this this entry is about: pondering what keeps an entertaining game from being what I’d call great.  (One quick note: I’m going to avoid discussion of the game’s morality system. Been there, done that, etc.) [...] [...] At the end of the day, Mass Effect’s sequel is a disappointment. Believe me, I know I’m swimming against the current here. EA/Bioware gets to put a big trophy on their mantle  – a 96% Metacritic. That’s the fourth highest score for a 360 title, ever. So am I insane? Maybe. But as I played the game, too many things stood out as “could be better.” So that’s what this this entry is about: pondering what keeps an entertaining game from being what I’d call great.  (One quick note: I’m going to avoid discussion of the game’s morality system. Been there, done that, etc.) [...]

]]> By: Mary http://metagame.org/2009/06/22/choice-and-morality-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Mary Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:40:55 +0000 http://metagame.org/?p=37#comment-6 Pretty good post. I just found your site and wanted to say that I have really liked browsing your posts. In any case I'll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon! Pretty good post. I just found your site and wanted to say
that I have really liked browsing your posts. In any case
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!

]]> By: Marc http://metagame.org/2009/06/22/choice-and-morality-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Marc Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:02:30 +0000 http://metagame.org/?p=37#comment-5 Please subtract the "via games" from my second point. Please subtract the “via games” from my second point.

]]> By: Marc http://metagame.org/2009/06/22/choice-and-morality-part-three/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Marc Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:01:41 +0000 http://metagame.org/?p=37#comment-4 While I agree that the Bioshock moral choice loses significance *when* you figure out that the difference between them rewardwise is negligible. However, a balance of the moral theme to fun gameplay needs to be maintained. At least for any highly commercial game. Also, players may come across moral choices in real life (e.g. grandpas in a coma on life support, and the insurance doesn't cover it all), and may be using games to escape to "Yay, good guys win!" via games. You need to hook an indie game developer for your moral choice game. While I agree that the Bioshock moral choice loses significance *when* you figure out that the difference between them rewardwise is negligible. However, a balance of the moral theme to fun gameplay needs to be maintained. At least for any highly commercial game.

Also, players may come across moral choices in real life (e.g. grandpas in a coma on life support, and the insurance doesn’t cover it all), and may be using games to escape to “Yay, good guys win!” via games.

You need to hook an indie game developer for your moral choice game.

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