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The morality of role playing in mmorpgs (poll)
beastliest21
Member Posts: 98
Is role playing in games viewed the same as acting in a movie? Say If you were married to an actress, and she was playing a seductress in a movie would you hold her actions against her in your marriage? Does the same apply to role players? Say your wife was role playing as a seductress in an mmorpg, would that be considered cheating, even if she hsa no real intentions with anything she does in the game? The whole concept of role playing and morality is controversial. If you play a villian would be considered a bad person in life?
Comments
If either of these flavors or point of views on said subject is making one uneasy, go ahead and ask yourself truthfully why it is that way.
If you found out your spouse was playing a questionable role in a mmorpg would it be ok to spy on them to see what they are doing on there?
Roleplaying is exactly like acting, novel-writing, and other creative mediums in that vein. The only time it isn't is when people who aren't really roleplaying and/or do not understand separation of character and player are involved.
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In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on August 13, 2008.
Sometimes a game is just a game.
No required quests! And if I decide I want to be an assassin-cartographer-dancer-pastry chef who lives only to stalk and kill interior decorators, then that's who I want to be, even if it takes me four years to max all the skills and everyone else thinks I'm freaking nuts. -Madimorga-
Ok, let me guess....you came home from work early to find your wife cybering with some half elf or something.
Can't see why anyone would object to playing various roles, even ones that go against their morality.
That would be like saying if you thought killing people was bad and then played a game where you killed people, would you feel like you did something bad. Really you didn't do anything at all, just pretend, unless your morality is such that the thought counts too.
Don't you worry little buddy. You're dealing with a man of honor. However, honor requires a higher percentage of profit
When I was playing SWG (pre NGE) i knew this guy in my guild that was having a heavy relationship with this female character. When his wife found out what was going on she told him to stop it.
His reaction was to threaten to kill himself if she insisted he stop. Their marrage broke up soon after.
I know this is probably rare but it does happen.
MInor difference.
Playing a role in the movie, the actor did not create the character. Nor is the character a long term extension of himself.
When role playing in mmorpgs, players tend to commit long term, and see their character as an extension of themselves.
Nobody else wrote the kiss scene. You did.
I would hold them accountable.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
My wife would get a black eye and be sent back to the kitchen.
On a serious note though, the difference between acting and role playing is quite different in that when acting people follow a script written for them by someone else.
Well yeah these types of questions are always tricky. Some people are light roleplayers, some are really into it. That's blurring reality and gaming, so it's a bit different. Buuuut...I'd say the choices you make for your character could or could NOT reflect who you are in real life. I mean, we all want to be something different now and then, right? MMOs are a perfect way to do that. I think it's different than acting in a movie really, because it's all improv., you're creating the character into who you want it to be, not who a director says it has to be.
If the concept of a relationship or love gets throw in the mix, well then I really can't judge what people do. I've yet to experience it since I don't roleplay
. But, I'd say that if she really takes it seriously, maybe you should be a little concerned if she has a "questionable" role. But more than likely she's just doing it in the game and not in real life, so don't worry about it.
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A human and an Elf get captured by Skaven. The rat-men are getting ready to shoot the first hostage with Dwarf-made guns when he yells, "Earthquake!" The naturally nervous Skaven run and hide from the imaginary threat. He escapes. The Skaven regroup and bring out the Elf. Being very smart, the Elf has figured out what to do. When the Skaven get ready to shoot, the Elf, in order to scare them, yells, "Fire!"
Order of the White Border.
There's a difference between cybering and roleplaying.
Cybering is about the players - it's YOU having written sex with the OTHER PLAYER.
Roleplaying, whether it involves sex or not, is about the characters - YOUR CHARACTER is having sex with THEIR CHARACTER...or throwing a snowball at them, or telling them about yesterday's raid, or whatever.
If one doesn't understand this, one does not understand true roleplaying. It doesn't matter that there are different styles of roleplaying - in the end either you have complete player/character separation or you don't, and the former is better than the latter, because the latter causes many problems.
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In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on August 13, 2008.
You sound quite... versed in these things. o_o (But seriously, I do agree)
Honestly, who would care? Anybody that gets worked up over something like that needs serious help.
Well, the roleplayer in MMOs is an actor, but thats not all of it. One could say its an improvisating actor, which is really rather seldom for the acting we see in movies, or in the theatre.
Plus, the MMO roleplayer is indeed not allowed to exploit bugs, and will of course be held accountable for all his actions, just like every other player of the game.
you sir do not belong on these forums
MMO wish list:
-Changeable worlds
-Solid non level based game
-Sharks with lasers attached to their heads
Couple of points I'd like to hit on.
1. roleplaying in a game is not the same as acting in a movie. Actors get paid then go home to thier spouse. In a game, "you" pay, and guess what? you already "are" at home.
2. How far does the roleplaying go? All the way to an hour long steam session in full detail?
3. When you do it, is your spouse there? Do they see it? Do they know? Do they approve?
The question you're asking is, "is it ok to have an online affair at the excuse that it's just a game or it's just roleplaying. "
My answer would be this. That is a coward way to try to weasle out of something you already know is wrong. If there is doubt, then you already know the answer.
A tiny mind is a tidy mind...
So wait .. because they wrote the script they are accountable? What if they ARE a writer? Not only do they write books and screenplays.. they have played the roles. So because they are a writer and an actress they should be held accountable?
What if they are an actor in a improv theatre production? The actual person in question here is in spotlight productions, a theatrical program. Not only do they write scripts.. they play in them.
I agree. If the person does not bring their fictional writings into their real life, it is just that "fiction" . The person in question is a writer actually. They have been published and received awards. The spouse has spied on their activities and starts fights over it. A creative person, I do agree, do not view things like most other people. They keep their writings/ roleplayings and acting separate from their life, therefore I do not think that the things they write or act out should be held against them in their relationships, or their actual lives.
I think that totally depends on the person involved. If they are not a creative person, (writer, actor, artist roleplayer tyrpe) and they are doing it .. that might be a different story depending on what they are doing and why they are doing it. If the person is doing it for a creative outlet, it is different because of the way that person views it themself. If the person cannot separate fictional role from reality .. that is where this is a problem.
the problem is too many people treat mmo's as real life and not a game. ie..
you kill them they get upset.
you play a female character they assume the person playing the game must be female
oddity:and yet you play an elf they don't assume you are elf in real life.
although I can understand people getting upset if abusive things are said, or griefing such as spawn camping. plus the whole someone roleplaying a seductress but not having those intentions is real life, I dont think he/she is wrong to do that - it is like acting. however its pretty dam wierd, PERIOD! I wouldn't hold them accountable for thing they do in the game at all but I would worry about thier mental health, but each to his/her own I guess
My blog:
Unfortunately, you get a lot of people who cannot make that separation between self and character. They're really playing themselves with elf-ears or whatnot. That's not roleplaying at all. This is also true of people who have a problem with male players playing female characters.
My RL wife could play an RP scene with someone and not have it affect our RL lives so long as that separation exists. Once that separation ends, however, there will be, and probably should be, problems.
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