Game creators tackle ethical issues
Source: CNet News
The video game industry really cares about you.
That's reassuringly evident after attending a few lectures and panel discussions at the Game Developers Conference, where game creators this week discussed everything from metaphysics to racism, all with the goal of producing games that are more fun and maybe even display a little social responsibility.
Take the panel on the addictive quality of games. In a discussion reminiscent of the scene in "The Godfather" in which the five families debate the ethics of peddling street drugs, game makers wondered whether it's possible to make a game that's too compelling.
Besides the ethical implications of customers devoting excessive time to a game, at the expense of family and other real-life elements, it's not good game design to rely on addictive behavior, game designer Steve Meretzky said. Players will stick with a game just to finish it, he said, but they may not be having much fun toward the end, a bad idea for a business based on fun.
"It's the feeling of investment," he said. (The player thinks) "I've put a lot of time into this game. Even if I'm not enjoying it, I need to keep going so it's not all wasted time."
As far as ways to limit addiction, nobody had a solution.
