Ethnical Choices in Computer Games

The definition of hero may differ between people as their ideologies differ. When it comes to computer games, the definition of the hero depends on the ideologies of the developer of the game. The ideology behind the game determines who the hero of the game is. At times, the actions of the hero in the game conflict the moral beliefs of a society and an individual. For instance, in the game Bioshock, the aim is to save the little sisters who are used in the manufacture of ADAM. However, when one saves a certain number of these little sisters, he is rewarded by getting a useful amount of the ADAM. The conflicting nature of the objectives of the game might bother the player on the moral stand of the hero. Is it morally acceptable for the hero to save life in order to get a product of these same lives e is saving? A hero is a person that goes through danger and sacrifices his will for the sake of a greater good. However, in such games, the interests of the player might not be the greater good of the society but his personal interest of getting more ADAM (Sheffield Brandon, 2010). This makes the definition of hero a complex issue when dealing with computer games. The definition of hero in computer games is not defined by the morals of the society but by the motives of the developer.

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As a parent it is obvious that one has to choose the moral values to instill in their children. The choices of the games the children play influence their development of morality. This fact makes it mandatory for the parent to select an appropriate game that helps the moral development of the child. The parent should consider the values emphasized in the game and their suitability to his or her moral beliefs. A good parent will check the moral value of a game before allowing their children to participate in it. Through computer games the parents can help their children develop their ethics. Of importance to such parents, is the values and choices the games offers. For instance, the game Infamous, offers the player an opportunity to determine whether they are good or bad characters. By monitoring the childs game play in such games, the parents can influence their behavior and their attitudes towards the ethics of the society (Sheffield Brandon, 2010). By monitoring the choices the child makes when playing such games, the parent can influence the moral development of the child. A good parent will not make the decision for the child playing the games but will influence their decisions to make them chose the morally accepted paths.

The ethics of a game are influenced by both the design of the game and the choices of the characters. The ethics of a game is a cumulative dependency on the ethics and design of the game. Although the designers ideology of ethics influences the ethics of a game, the personality of the player plays a bigger role in developing the ethics of these games. Some game developers have developed a system where the morals of the game suit the beliefs of an individual and their society. For instance, in Dragon Age, the actions of a player are determined to be either good or bad by the other players. These choices are influenced not by the developer but by the players of the game. The mass effect developed by this games help in developing a consciousness of the society in ones actions (Sheffield Brandon, 2010). This consciousness helps develop the morality of a child as it learns the consequences of every action on the society. Computer games do not deny a person the ability to choose; the choices people make when playing these games determine their ethical value to the society.

References

Sheffield Brandon. (2010). Ethical Choices. Game Developer, 7(4), 2. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwievOic693JAhVHaRQKHcbbBbkQFgg0MAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwvideo01.ubm-us.net%2Fo1%2Fvault%2FGD_Mag_Archives%2FGDM_April_2010.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHUOH7sFGOGbAG3qY5FdRYDt52Ovw&bvm=bv.110151844,d.d2s