2010 - Playing with Ethics: Experiencing New Ways of Being in RPGs
David Simkins (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA)
David Simkins (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA)
ISBN13: 9781615208456|ISBN10: 1615208453|ISBN13 Softcover: 9781616922504|EISBN13: 9781615208463|ISSN: 2327-1825|EISSN: 2327-1833
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61520-845-6.ch005Abstract
Role playing games (RPGs) are compelling spaces for ethical play. Participants can take on roles very different from their own and experience the world through a variety of social contexts. This form of play can be encouraged by good game design principles including the balanced use of consequence, mirroring, social context, and freedom. This chapter examines the structure of ethics in role playing games and uses case studies of expert role players and analysis of game design to explore the effective use of the four design principles in popular games.
References
Bailey, W. A. (2005). “You shall not kill” or “You shall not murder”?: The assault on a biblical text. Collegesville, MN: Liturgical press.
Bethesda Softworks. (2006). Elder scrolls IV: Oblivion. New York: 2K Games.
Bethesda Softworks. (2008). Fallout 3. Bethesda, MD: Bethesda Softworks.
Bioware. (1998). Baldur’s Gate. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bioware. (2000). Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bioware. (2002). Neverwinter nights. New York: Atari, Inc.
Black Isle Studios. (1999). Planescape: Torment. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bruner, J. (1986). Actual minds, possible worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bruner, J. (2002). Making stories. New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux.
Bungie Studios. (2001). Halo: Combat evolved. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Game Studios.
Chase, D. (Executive Producer). (1999). The Sopranos. New York: Home Box Office.
Dewey, J. (1905). The school and society (5th ed.). New York: University of Chicago Press, McClure, Phillips & Company.
Frasca, G. (2003). Ludologists love stories, too: Notes from a debate that never took place. In M. Copier & J. Raessens (Eds.) Level up: Digital games research conference proceedings. Utrecht: DiGRA and University of Utrecht. Retrieved December 12, 2006 from www.digra.org/dl/db/05163.01125
Gadamer, H. G. (1989) Truth and method (2nd rev. ed.). (J. Weinsheimer & D. G. Marshall, trans.). New York: Crossroad.
Gamespot. (2004). Elder scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A. Retrieved May 1, 2009 from www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/theelderscrollsivoblivion/preview_6111720.html
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Pallgrave Macmillan.
Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York: Routledge.
Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (1986). Ethnography: Principles in practice (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Huizinga, J. (1955). Homo ludens. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd.
Latour, B. (2005 January). The emperor’s brand new clothes. Domus.
Lionhead Studios. (2004). Fable. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Games Studios.
Malaby T. M. (2007). Beyond play: A new approach to games.Games and Culture, 2(2), 95–113. 10.1177/1555412007299434
Marx, K. (2005). Eighteenth brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (D. D. L., Trans.). New York; Mondial.
Marx, K., Moore, S., Aveling, E. B., & Engels, F. (1887). Capital: a critical analysis of capitalist production. London: S. Sonnenschein Lowrey.
Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Nietzsche, F. W. (2000). The birth of tragedy (D. Smith, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Nietzsche, F. W., & Kaufmann, W. A. (1966). Beyond good and evil: Prelude to a philosophy of the future. New York: Vintage Books.
Nietzsche, F. W., & Kaufmann, W. A. (1974). The gay science: With a prelude in rhymes and an appendix of songs (1st ed.). New York: Random House.
Plato. (1992). The Republic (G. M. A. Grube, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.
Rockstar North. (2004). Grand theft auto: San Andreas. New York: Rockstar Games.
Sartre, J.-P. (1956). Being and nothingness: An essay on phenomenological ontology. New York: Philosophical Library.
Simkins D. W. Steinkuehler C. (2008). Critical ethical reasoning in role play.Games and Culture, 3(3-4), 333–355. 10.1177/1555412008317313
Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. London: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Square. (1994). Final fantasy VI. Tokyo, Japan: Square.
Squire, K. (2008). Open-ended video games: A model for developing learning for the interactive age. In K. Salen (Ed.), The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation series on digital media and learning (pp. 167-198). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Steinkuehler C. A. (2005). The new third place: Massively multiplayer gaming in american youth culture.Tidskrift Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 3, 17–32.
Steinkuehler C. A. (2006). Massively multiplayer online videogaming as participation in a discourse.Mind, Culture, and Activity, 13(1), 38–52. 10.1207/s15327884mca1301_4
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wittgenstein, L. (1993). A lecture on ethics. In J. Klagge & A. Nordmann (Eds.), Philosophical Occasions, 1912-1951 (pp. 37-44). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.
Role playing games (RPGs) are compelling spaces for ethical play. Participants can take on roles very different from their own and experience the world through a variety of social contexts. This form of play can be encouraged by good game design principles including the balanced use of consequence, mirroring, social context, and freedom. This chapter examines the structure of ethics in role playing games and uses case studies of expert role players and analysis of game design to explore the effective use of the four design principles in popular games.
References
Bailey, W. A. (2005). “You shall not kill” or “You shall not murder”?: The assault on a biblical text. Collegesville, MN: Liturgical press.
Bethesda Softworks. (2006). Elder scrolls IV: Oblivion. New York: 2K Games.
Bethesda Softworks. (2008). Fallout 3. Bethesda, MD: Bethesda Softworks.
Bioware. (1998). Baldur’s Gate. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bioware. (2000). Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bioware. (2002). Neverwinter nights. New York: Atari, Inc.
Black Isle Studios. (1999). Planescape: Torment. Irvine, CA: Black Isle Studios.
Bruner, J. (1986). Actual minds, possible worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bruner, J. (2002). Making stories. New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux.
Bungie Studios. (2001). Halo: Combat evolved. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Game Studios.
Chase, D. (Executive Producer). (1999). The Sopranos. New York: Home Box Office.
Dewey, J. (1905). The school and society (5th ed.). New York: University of Chicago Press, McClure, Phillips & Company.
Frasca, G. (2003). Ludologists love stories, too: Notes from a debate that never took place. In M. Copier & J. Raessens (Eds.) Level up: Digital games research conference proceedings. Utrecht: DiGRA and University of Utrecht. Retrieved December 12, 2006 from www.digra.org/dl/db/05163.01125
Gadamer, H. G. (1989) Truth and method (2nd rev. ed.). (J. Weinsheimer & D. G. Marshall, trans.). New York: Crossroad.
Gamespot. (2004). Elder scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A. Retrieved May 1, 2009 from www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/theelderscrollsivoblivion/preview_6111720.html
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Pallgrave Macmillan.
Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York: Routledge.
Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (1986). Ethnography: Principles in practice (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
Huizinga, J. (1955). Homo ludens. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd.
Latour, B. (2005 January). The emperor’s brand new clothes. Domus.
Lionhead Studios. (2004). Fable. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Games Studios.
Malaby T. M. (2007). Beyond play: A new approach to games.Games and Culture, 2(2), 95–113. 10.1177/1555412007299434
Marx, K. (2005). Eighteenth brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (D. D. L., Trans.). New York; Mondial.
Marx, K., Moore, S., Aveling, E. B., & Engels, F. (1887). Capital: a critical analysis of capitalist production. London: S. Sonnenschein Lowrey.
Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Nietzsche, F. W. (2000). The birth of tragedy (D. Smith, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Nietzsche, F. W., & Kaufmann, W. A. (1966). Beyond good and evil: Prelude to a philosophy of the future. New York: Vintage Books.
Nietzsche, F. W., & Kaufmann, W. A. (1974). The gay science: With a prelude in rhymes and an appendix of songs (1st ed.). New York: Random House.
Plato. (1992). The Republic (G. M. A. Grube, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.
Rockstar North. (2004). Grand theft auto: San Andreas. New York: Rockstar Games.
Sartre, J.-P. (1956). Being and nothingness: An essay on phenomenological ontology. New York: Philosophical Library.
Simkins D. W. Steinkuehler C. (2008). Critical ethical reasoning in role play.Games and Culture, 3(3-4), 333–355. 10.1177/1555412008317313
Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. London: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Square. (1994). Final fantasy VI. Tokyo, Japan: Square.
Squire, K. (2008). Open-ended video games: A model for developing learning for the interactive age. In K. Salen (Ed.), The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation series on digital media and learning (pp. 167-198). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Steinkuehler C. A. (2005). The new third place: Massively multiplayer gaming in american youth culture.Tidskrift Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 3, 17–32.
Steinkuehler C. A. (2006). Massively multiplayer online videogaming as participation in a discourse.Mind, Culture, and Activity, 13(1), 38–52. 10.1207/s15327884mca1301_4
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wittgenstein, L. (1993). A lecture on ethics. In J. Klagge & A. Nordmann (Eds.), Philosophical Occasions, 1912-1951 (pp. 37-44). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.
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