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Biases in Simulation Video Games
Orsonwarcry writes "Kieron Gillen went to Prague to speak to Bohemia Interactive, known best for Operation Flashpoint. He goes on to discuss the effects of bias on simulation games. 'In other words, a simulation is never just a simulation. Equally, freedom is rarely actually free of designer- imposed desires. Even in games with the most self-expressed mandates of "choice" for the gamer, it doesn't mean that there isn't a message. In Deus Ex, the generally politically liberal Ion Storm Austin created a world where you could choose between violence and pacifistic approaches, but the charismatic characters urged you towards peace while the monsters suggested violence.'" Some interesting stuff in there.
Surely there must be bias in the player too for this to become an issue. The article example of "mosters" urging violence, for example, assumes that every player will assume monsters are bad. Clearly these folks did not watch enough Sesame Street.
Now go turn on PBS while I fire up a MUD, no biased graphics to distract me from good and evil there!
Trying to use sarcasm in text-based forums does not work.
Games are biased towards female characters with very strong spines.
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Games are just simulators, virtually identical to the ones we use to train our soldiers. No one's saying anything through them.
Hmm.
Let's put aside the question, exactly in which imminent conflict the armed forces expect to utilize their finely-honed gold-coin-collecting skills.
I look forward to watching the conflict in which the military takes a ball of junk and starts rolling people up in it, or carries ridiculous-sized swords and rides around on giant chickens (Wark!).
"It felt almost as good as stealing cars from grandma." -- Margaret Thatcher, probably.
I prefer having to make the moral choice between the rocket launcher and the land-shark gun.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
If I recall correct, Deus Ex was about breast augmentations.
So conservatives are pro-violence?
I was always deeply offended by the SimCity series' bias towards Llamas. There are few animals more evil and mean-spirited than a llama, and Maxis' emphasis on this animal is suggestive of their cold-hearted capitalist aims!
Because a simulation is supposed to be an objective replication of reality. Think "The Next Generation"'s Holodeck. It's much like how journalism is an objective view of events.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
In other news, Rearden, Inc said to be interested in working with engineers from Pontifex and Railroad Tycoon as part of next-generation simulator to be coded in Objective C!
It's much like how journalism is an objective view of events
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(Score:+5, Funny) or (Score:+5, Sad), I don't know which one is it
Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
In the easter egg in GTA3, they show a clear bias toward badly filmed porn flicks and old-school arcade game graphics.
Actually if you activate the cheat codes you can end the game with a dance party. Well, I guess that could be considered a dystopian ending too. Forever stuck on the dance floor... definite bias against old time Baptists.
It billed itself as an impartial and realistic hell-invades-military-outpost simulator, but I'm beginning to notice a distinct anti-demonic-zombie bias. Also, the game is blatantly pro-shotgun.
How many lepers have you avoided this week?
All of 'em.