Immorality in Video Games

[Rosarium]

This isn't about the playing of violent/explicit games alone, but about choices made within the video game itself. Does an immoral act in a video game have any real life consequence?

For example, in the game Bioshock, the player is a person stuck in a hostile place. For reasons that would take to long to explain, one has opportunities throughout the game to save or kill children (it makes sense within the game but I know how that sounds, just know there is a choice in the game which makes sense in the context). The game changes depending on these choices made. I played the game and saved all the children. I did so for reasons of consistency (I saved the first) and knowledge that the morality of the character in this regard mattered so I didn't want to be ambiguous.  However, what if for whatever reasons I played the game and chose differently? It is just a game. It has no visual images which would cause me to sin in any way (I think, if there are, I missed them). However, it would be a choice in a moral framework, albeit, electronic.

[Stephanos]

I remember being somewhat shocked upon first reading a review of Bioshock, which basically said what you said: killing little girls.  However, when I finally played the (great) game, the story and background certainly clarified the situation more.  I can see two ways of explaining this morally:

First, the setting and story of Bioshock is horror/survival as you obviously know.  And there was a lot of horror to go around in Rapture.  It's not hard to imagine that someone there for any length of time, including Jack, could very easily go insane and begin to behave like an animal in efforts to save alive or escape.  An insane person is not fully culpable for all his actions, in general, so this could (possibly?) alleviate guilt due to even acts like killing the girls, which of course in the story is done out of survival instincts.

Second, more for the person playing the game: to some extent playing a video game is like reading a book.  Bioshock's story is certainly good enough for a novel.  If I were reading a novel about a main character, let's say, doing immoral things, I don't in general sin by reading about the actions he commits.  There are exceptions, of course, and I guess this observation is weakened by the element of choice present in games.

Herr, are you familiar with both endings of the game?  I don't want to spoil anything, but the player can, I think, tell that one of the endings is certainly better in every sense and therefore the one to be "attained".

Anyway I don't in general see a moral problem as you have described.

[Virgil the Roman]

Does beating prostitutes and cops with nightsticks in "Grand Theft Auto" count? In game, I also hijacked a bus and ran over a dozen pedestrians.

[DrBombay]

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child." - 1 Cor. 13:11

Try to find an grown up diversion and put away the kiddie games then you won't have to worry about such dilemmas.   

[Virgil the Roman]

I gave GTA as a humourous example. I played it only a handful of times; engaging in above aforementioned activities.  I found it rather boring, droll, dull, and stupid.  I was informed that there was some sort of point to the game; beyond beating the hell outta whores and cops with nightsticks as some sort of "amusement:" I found it rather inane.

[Rosarium]

Herr, are you familiar with both endings of the game?  I don't want to spoil anything, but the player can, I think, tell that one of the endings is certainly better in every sense and therefore the one to be "attained".

There are three endings to the game

I know them all. I haven't actually played it for the two others though.

Which one do you think better? I played the game once and saved all the Little Sisters. I didn't even lose one as a Big Daddy (I felt this part of the game was redundant though, it was too long after the climax and seemed tacked on).

[Rosarium]

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child." - 1 Cor. 13:11

Try to find an grown up diversion and put away the kiddie games then you won't have to worry about such dilemmas.   

Words from the wise person who has no clue.

The game BioShock is not for children and I do not think a child could play it.

[DrBombay]

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child." - 1 Cor. 13:11

Try to find an grown up diversion and put away the kiddie games then you won't have to worry about such dilemmas.   

Words from the wise person who has no clue.

The game BioShock is not for children and I do not think a child could play it.

Never underestimate a child.  Just sayin. 

[Rosarium]

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child." - 1 Cor. 13:11

Try to find an grown up diversion and put away the kiddie games then you won't have to worry about such dilemmas.   

Words from the wise person who has no clue.

The game BioShock is not for children and I do not think a child could play it.

Never underestimate a child.  Just sayin. 

I played my first video games when I was 13 and I can say that it makes a big difference.

A normal child could not play the games I play normally. They do not have the mental or physical development to properly play the game.

[Stephanos]

There are three endings to the game

I know them all. I haven't actually played it for the two others though.

Which one do you think better? I played the game once and saved all the Little Sisters. I didn't even lose one as a Big Daddy (I felt this part of the game was redundant though, it was too long after the climax and seemed tacked on).

Three?  There's one in which Jack apparently saves all the Little Sisters and brings them back to the surface, with clips of feminine hands at weddings or something like that.  Then a second ending shows a Splicer team taking over a submarine (ostensibly one with nuclear warheads aboard).  I don't know of a third ending, though.  I know it's possible to attain the first ("best") ending even if you harvest/kill one or maybe two girls, but no more than that.