Introduction:
Fallout 3 is a post apoptilitic Role-playing game and has a karma/morality system that affects game play.
There is a way to do a neutral karma path but theres no extremes and some aspects of the game wont trigger. Here are a few tips to maxing karma in Fallout 3.
Sticking with one side:
First off its always easier if you choose one path and stick with it. Trying to switch path mid game can be hard to get max karma because of certain plot elements that may have already fired in the game. Examine each karma moment and save often so if it doesnt go the correct path u can redo.
Avoiding a netural option:
While there is an option to stay in the middle on this game it is extremely hard because there are so many quests that affect karma in a big way. also its quite easy to gain karma without trying too. For example if you help people for a quest and your neutral u can gain good karma for saving someone. another example would be when you enter an occupied house and steal you gain bad karma. while not impossible to stay neutral its just unadvised because u have to balance your good and bad acts throughout the entire game.
Look and read up on all quests:
There are numerous online sources that give you infromation abotu quests and the karma out comes on them. One quest i know about is the tranquil lane quest if you do what the little girl wants you to do to get out you get lots of bad karma. However, there is a good karma option that people are unaware of. There is an abandon house that has clickable objects (all version pc and consoles) there is a certain order you have to click the items to get out. however i do not know the order but the information can be found on numerous sites.
Get advice from other players
If you are unsure which way you will want to choose you can ask your friends and other gamers about their experience playing the game. You can also ask others for some tips on the harder quests in the game as well as what are the benefits to playing one way over the other. always be polite and nice when asking so you can get a timely and nice response.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
InterView with Gamestop manager about Karma Systems
Introduction:
The local Gamestop manager TJ took some time outto answer a few of my questions. specficallyi was interested in game karma systems. the questions asked were:
Do you believe Karma Systems work in games?
TJ thought for a few minutes and then said "I believe that karma systems work in some games but not others." as he elaborated abit he further went to explain that most karma systems wer ebased on the game developers and tthere vison for the game plot. He Also explained that he doesnt believe there is a "perfect" karma system out there as of yet.
Why do you believe this to be True?
Tj started in on specfic examples to explain what he meant. the first one he though was good was the Fallout series karma. He explained this was becuase it impacts the game in ways that are seen and unseen so it can still throw curve balls at the players. while he went off on a tangent about his thoughts on fallout eventually he got back to his other example. for one he didnt like he used Starwars force unleashed. he believed it was too similar to the knights of the old republic karma system and that one didnt work. he explained that the star wars karma system only affected player appearance and really nothing else and that it didnt really affect gameplay too much.
What would you change about the karma systems?
Tj thought there need to be a clear effect on gameplay so that players could have a different experience based on the choices they made. he also would keep the karma quests as they do in infamous and fallout have. as well as a clear difference in character appearance or attitude as the choices affected the gameplay .
The local Gamestop manager TJ took some time outto answer a few of my questions. specficallyi was interested in game karma systems. the questions asked were:
- Do you believe karma systems work in games?
- Why do u believe this to be true
- What would you change about the karma systems?
Do you believe Karma Systems work in games?
TJ thought for a few minutes and then said "I believe that karma systems work in some games but not others." as he elaborated abit he further went to explain that most karma systems wer ebased on the game developers and tthere vison for the game plot. He Also explained that he doesnt believe there is a "perfect" karma system out there as of yet.
Why do you believe this to be True?
Tj started in on specfic examples to explain what he meant. the first one he though was good was the Fallout series karma. He explained this was becuase it impacts the game in ways that are seen and unseen so it can still throw curve balls at the players. while he went off on a tangent about his thoughts on fallout eventually he got back to his other example. for one he didnt like he used Starwars force unleashed. he believed it was too similar to the knights of the old republic karma system and that one didnt work. he explained that the star wars karma system only affected player appearance and really nothing else and that it didnt really affect gameplay too much.
What would you change about the karma systems?
Tj thought there need to be a clear effect on gameplay so that players could have a different experience based on the choices they made. he also would keep the karma quests as they do in infamous and fallout have. as well as a clear difference in character appearance or attitude as the choices affected the gameplay .
Philosophy Behind Game Karma System
Explanation of karma
Karma is the religious belief that each persons actions have consequences and that these choices will affect you in the next life. In Buddhism however, karma mainly refers to one's intention or motivation while doing an action.(http://viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html) Accirding to Buddhism there are 4 laws of karma.
The Four Laws of Karma
1. Results are similar to the cause. Simply said, when I cause other people harm, I will harvest suffering myself. It is important to note here, that "positive" actions are defined as actions that have happiness as a result; "negative" actions are defined as actions that lead to suffering as a result.
2. No results without a cause. As is obvious within science, things do not just appear out of nothing.
3. Once an action is done, the result is never lost. Similarly as above, things do not just disappear into nothing.
4. Karma expands. Once we have an imprint of an action in our mind, it tends to be habit-forming. As is often said in wars for example, killing the first enemy is tough, but after a handful, one quickly loses count and it becomes "normal". Also psychology often stresses a similar point when e.g. explaining actions of adults from their childhood experiences.
In conclusion karma is just a belief more then anything so its more accurate to call it a morality.
Designer intent with morality/karma system
Game designers intended for players to make their own choices as they would in real life situations. there is no strict moral code to be followed. The karma system is designed on what most of society has deemed good or bad decisions. As their is no strict moral code to be followed playing through the game then its all based on players choice alone and them accepting the consequences.
Sources:
Parker, L. (2009, November 17). Black or White: Making Moral Choices in Video Games - Features at GameSpot. GameSpot is your go-to source for video game news, reviews, and entertainment. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.gamespot.com/features/black-or-white-making-moral-choices-in-video-games-6240211/
Karma. (2011, September 11). View on Buddhism: (Tibetan) Buddhist practice and philosophy. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html
Schulzke, M. (n.d.). Game Studies - Moral Decision Making in Fallout. Game Studies - Issue 1102, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://gamestudies.org/0902/articles/schulzke
Character Alignment - Television Tropes & Idioms . (n.d.). Home Page - Television Tropes & Idioms . Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterAlignment
Adkins, N. (2011, November 28). Morality in Games. 1UP.com: Video Game Reviews, Cheats, and More. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9091877
Karma is the religious belief that each persons actions have consequences and that these choices will affect you in the next life. In Buddhism however, karma mainly refers to one's intention or motivation while doing an action.(http://viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html) Accirding to Buddhism there are 4 laws of karma.
The Four Laws of Karma
1. Results are similar to the cause. Simply said, when I cause other people harm, I will harvest suffering myself. It is important to note here, that "positive" actions are defined as actions that have happiness as a result; "negative" actions are defined as actions that lead to suffering as a result.
2. No results without a cause. As is obvious within science, things do not just appear out of nothing.
3. Once an action is done, the result is never lost. Similarly as above, things do not just disappear into nothing.
4. Karma expands. Once we have an imprint of an action in our mind, it tends to be habit-forming. As is often said in wars for example, killing the first enemy is tough, but after a handful, one quickly loses count and it becomes "normal". Also psychology often stresses a similar point when e.g. explaining actions of adults from their childhood experiences.
In conclusion karma is just a belief more then anything so its more accurate to call it a morality.
Designer intent with morality/karma system
Game designers intended for players to make their own choices as they would in real life situations. there is no strict moral code to be followed. The karma system is designed on what most of society has deemed good or bad decisions. As their is no strict moral code to be followed playing through the game then its all based on players choice alone and them accepting the consequences.
Sources:
Parker, L. (2009, November 17). Black or White: Making Moral Choices in Video Games - Features at GameSpot. GameSpot is your go-to source for video game news, reviews, and entertainment. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.gamespot.com/features/black-or-white-making-moral-choices-in-video-games-6240211/
Karma. (2011, September 11). View on Buddhism: (Tibetan) Buddhist practice and philosophy. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html
Schulzke, M. (n.d.). Game Studies - Moral Decision Making in Fallout. Game Studies - Issue 1102, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://gamestudies.org/0902/articles/schulzke
Character Alignment - Television Tropes & Idioms . (n.d.). Home Page - Television Tropes & Idioms . Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterAlignment
Adkins, N. (2011, November 28). Morality in Games. 1UP.com: Video Game Reviews, Cheats, and More. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9091877
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Starwars Knights of the Old Republic Karma/ alignment
Basics
StarWars Knight of the Old Republic is a game set in the StarWars universe. The player takes on the Role of a brainwashed sith lord know as Darth Revan. The main character has limited customization options. (gender and then your standard traits and talents setup) in starwars all jedi control a mysterious power know as The Force. The Force has two sides: a light side (good karma for the purposes of the game) and a Dark side (bad/evil karma).
Karma System and Gameplay
Gameplay rules are "The game's system is based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Combat is round-based; time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack and react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round." (http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic) Game developer Bioware uses an alignment system(which for the purposes of most games is a karma system). the two sides are light or dark. "The alignment system tracks actions and speech — from simple word choice to major plot decisions — to determine whether the player's character aligns with light or dark side of the Force. Generosity and altruism lead to the light side, while self-serving or violent actions will lead your character to the dark side, which will alter the character's appearance, turning their skin gray and scarred." (http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic)
Dark Side/ Bad Karma
Light Side/ Good Karma
Sources:
Reference for Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic - Search.com. (n.d.). Metasearch Search Engine - Search.com. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic
Dark side picture from http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i135/phenormenon/jadzian_kurr.jpg
Light side picture from http://images.wikia.com/swgames/images/2/25/Light_Side.JPG
StarWars Knight of the Old Republic is a game set in the StarWars universe. The player takes on the Role of a brainwashed sith lord know as Darth Revan. The main character has limited customization options. (gender and then your standard traits and talents setup) in starwars all jedi control a mysterious power know as The Force. The Force has two sides: a light side (good karma for the purposes of the game) and a Dark side (bad/evil karma).
Karma System and Gameplay
Gameplay rules are "The game's system is based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Combat is round-based; time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack and react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round." (http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic) Game developer Bioware uses an alignment system(which for the purposes of most games is a karma system). the two sides are light or dark. "The alignment system tracks actions and speech — from simple word choice to major plot decisions — to determine whether the player's character aligns with light or dark side of the Force. Generosity and altruism lead to the light side, while self-serving or violent actions will lead your character to the dark side, which will alter the character's appearance, turning their skin gray and scarred." (http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic)
Dark Side/ Bad Karma
Sources:
Reference for Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic - Search.com. (n.d.). Metasearch Search Engine - Search.com. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.search.com/reference/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic
Dark side picture from http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i135/phenormenon/jadzian_kurr.jpg
Light side picture from http://images.wikia.com/swgames/images/2/25/Light_Side.JPG
Infamous 2 Karma System
Basics
Infamous 2 is a followup to Sucker punches hit game Infamous. The same factors that contributed to karma in the first infamous still apply in Infamous 2. Although there are few additions and changes.
Improvements
Brian Fleming of Sucker punch said in his blog "When we spent time thinking and designing the improved Karma system, we ultimately concluded that there was a way to make these choices both clearer and much more believable: to make your Karma decisions more about relationships and less about the specific choice at hand. So instead of a question that really didn’t relate to our primary gameplay (e.g. “should we take this food or give it away?”), in I2 we let the player decide who to ally with on a quest, or choose between Kuo’s surgical strike or Nix’s no-holds barred assault. You aren’t just choosing a mission, you’re choosing an ally and alienating another person. This was both clear for players, and more real." After playing Infamous 2 i can agree that the karma choices aqnd affects are much clearer then in Infamous. They also updated there quest icons to let the player know concisely which way your karma will go from doing this quest.
Evil/ Bad karma from quest
Good karma from quest
Sources:
Fleming, B. (2011, February 11). What Goes Around Comes Around: More on the inFAMOUS 2 Karma System. Playstation Blog. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from blog.us.playstation.com/2011/02/11/what-goes-around-comes-around-more-on-the-infamous-2-karma-system/
Bad karma icon from http://images.wikia.com/infamous/images/8/86/Badmission.png
Good Karma icon from http://images.wikia.com/infamous/images/a/a1/Goodmission.png
Infamous 2 is a followup to Sucker punches hit game Infamous. The same factors that contributed to karma in the first infamous still apply in Infamous 2. Although there are few additions and changes.
Improvements
Brian Fleming of Sucker punch said in his blog "When we spent time thinking and designing the improved Karma system, we ultimately concluded that there was a way to make these choices both clearer and much more believable: to make your Karma decisions more about relationships and less about the specific choice at hand. So instead of a question that really didn’t relate to our primary gameplay (e.g. “should we take this food or give it away?”), in I2 we let the player decide who to ally with on a quest, or choose between Kuo’s surgical strike or Nix’s no-holds barred assault. You aren’t just choosing a mission, you’re choosing an ally and alienating another person. This was both clear for players, and more real." After playing Infamous 2 i can agree that the karma choices aqnd affects are much clearer then in Infamous. They also updated there quest icons to let the player know concisely which way your karma will go from doing this quest.
Evil/ Bad karma from quest
Sources:
Fleming, B. (2011, February 11). What Goes Around Comes Around: More on the inFAMOUS 2 Karma System. Playstation Blog. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from blog.us.playstation.com/2011/02/11/what-goes-around-comes-around-more-on-the-infamous-2-karma-system/
Bad karma icon from http://images.wikia.com/infamous/images/8/86/Badmission.png
Good Karma icon from http://images.wikia.com/infamous/images/a/a1/Goodmission.png
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