Individual research topic

Topic: The ethics of videogames

Case study: The Sims (series)

Introduction of The Sims

The publisher is Electronic Art which is an American video game company. The sims is a strategic life simulation video game. The game is for single-players.The series of The Sims is the best-selling computer game in the world because it is an open-ended and indefinite gameplay The series include The sims(the first found), The sims 2 and The sims 3.

Attractions of The Sims

Keep upgrading the quality

The sims series keep upgrading and having better amendments. The quality of the frame and details in the game are upgraded. The newest series, The Sims 3, is in a very high quality. The  character's bady and facial details has been promoted.

Various expansion packs

The sims keeps releasing many expansion packs. Items and funiture can be downloaded and uploaded on the Internet. It attracts more and more players to play the game and maintains the sense of freshness.

The Sims's expansion pack

Open a virtual world to each player

 players can make an ideal city and create whatever they want. They can interact with every building and city and master all the limited control in the Sims world.

Create a sim(a character in Sims)

3-D models of Sims can be modified. Player has ability to create a character and change any parts of the body when player building a character. You can change their facial details, dressing and body type etc.

Creating a character

Moreover, player can design different traits to the character, e.g. the moodlets, interactions and behaviors.

Then, the game can be started. Player can give orders to characters.

Players can adjust character's body type


 Selecting ages




Healthy tendency

Every character has own lifetime wishes

Character's job can be adjusted. He/She can become a doctor, scientist or a famous football player and whatever. Every character would like to achieve their lifetime goal. If you attain his/her wish, his/ her mood will become higher. It can help to increase him/her motivation to achieve lifetime goal.

Educate children to establish a wonderful world

Parents and teachers can apply this game as a teaching tool, for the sake of inculcating some moral education to youngsters.

Realizing player’s dream

People can make their dream come true and accomplish what they didn’t have in the real life.

Temporarily depart from the reality

Players can enjoy the game as an entertainment and do something impossible in the real world. Help players to release stress.

Positive ethical influences

The game encourages players to work hard for reaching goals

Establish a healthy and positive attitude under a peaceful social environment and learn to plan for future

Harmful tendency

The Sims creates a world of moral ambiguity. Players can perform their psychological experiments in the virtual world without caring the ethical judgement. Therefore, some crimes exist in The Sims, they are similar to the real world. The crimes might lead teenage and children to build up some harmful tendencies.

Stealing things

Stealing can be a hibit on character's characteristic. 

Sex relation

A person can have sex with anyone, included their family members. It depends on their desire or personality character.

Nudity

In The sims 2, player can see naked roles on the screen. Although the system has automatically mosaic on the nude, the system still allow players to remove mosaic. 

  "Child molesters might use the game as a sort of virtual practice arena.”

                                                                                                 by Miami lawyer Jack Thompson 

Killing/murder

5 methods of killing characters in The Sims 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rUenxJedt8&feature=related

Some players even teach others how to kill their game characters.

 http://www.cracked.com/blog/exploring-the-mysteries-of-the-mind-with-the-sims-3/

A player takes use of The Sims to achieve his evil ideas. He created a man who represents a Japanese guy. And then maltreats him and finally kill him. To release his dissatisfaction to Japanses.

Negative ethical influences

Ignore the moral principles

 homosexuality can be accepted in the game, guy and lesbian couples can get married.

 Lover or couple relations can be all ages-an old man can have sex with a teenage. 
Lesbian

 Encourage violence and crime

killing, bullying and murder always happen in the game. Players are easily influenced by these behaviors and produce an anti-social mentality.

Encourage to kill baby, children and teenage

It is the most controversial issue which arouse many parents concern. They afraid that they children will imitate it.

However, some people disagree with certain videogames, like The Sims, would arouse moral degradation.

"I have no problem with murdering, raping, curb stomping atc. Anyone in a game because games are ways to 'experience' thing you don;t in real life."

                                                                                                              by forum user, Sarah Kerrigan

Reference List: 

http://www.cracked.com/blog/exploring-the-mysteries-of-the-mind-with-the-sims-3/

 http://www.games.net/article/feature/102822/madness-moral-crusaders-attack-the-sims-ea-responds-update/

http://thesims.ea.com/

Is it reasonable to consider computer games as art?

a) How does Adams define art? Do you agree with his definition?

According to the article written by Adams, he divide art into three types: literary art, fine art and decorative art.  In fact, I don't think that nowadays art can be simply definited. Contemporary art is a good example to show this fact. In the 20 century, artworks are no longer  be sorted out just painting, sculpture, dance and music etc. Art today can be mixed with different elements and medium. Some art can be overlapped in two types. Such as some artwork in the movement of conceptual art. The three types definited by Adams seems ambiguous. Besides, I agree with the point that Adams quoted from a novelist, Leo tolstoy. He stated that the function of art is to pass on cultural values from one generation to the next, to serve a sort of moral purpose. Whether art can be definited, it has no doubt that art has a function of educating new generation. Art in different periods can reflect the social state and history.
According to Adams, what is needed for videogames to be considered as art?

The ethics of digital games

a)According to the film, what are some pros and cons of playing videogames for individuals and societies?

According to the film of Gamer Revolution, playing video games have many advantages but
also disadvantages for individuals and societies. Let's talk about the advantages first.


Nowadays, the types of video game are abundant and various. Consumers can
choose the games they are good at or interested in. Playing video games even can be a job or
successful business for players and make profits from them. For instant participating such
video game competitions, like the film showed, or selling virtual stuff and game account to
buyers. Based on the film, we can see that there are some video game competitions in Koren.
The players who participated in the competition even have their own fans. Video
games somehow establish players' confidence and sense of self-esteem. In the virtual game
world, they found an ability that they can pound of themselves and forget who they are in the real
 life. Just like the shooting game,"American Army". Video games is not just entertaining, they
can help people to re-understanding themselfves.

However, addicting to playing videogames is one of the
disadvantages. Especiallysome Onlinegame nowadays are too  popular and be welcomed
from teenagers and children. Even more and more adults lapse into the game. They might start
ignoring the reality and addicting to the virtual world. Gradually, they would lost themself. Further, they may neglect their health and work in the real world.


The other concern must be the exaggeration of violence,  and erotic masseges transmitted
from some videogames. Many videogames today are involved with  factors of violence and
sex. Most games are targeting to teenages and children. Though some may not allowed for
under or 18 year-old. Most of them are indistinctly include those elements of bad behavior.
These may bad to youngsters' mental growth.

 

b)   According the film, is there any evidence that digital games can encourage aggressive values and anti-social actions in the real world? Do you agree?

Games in the film are normally about shooting and military strategy. They are encouraging players to the thought of killing and using violence to solve obstructions. These are impossible to carry out in the reality. Players strive to get a higher scores or the winner of the game. It is somehow inspiring them to involve to the game and to do something different from daily life, especially some war game and strategy game exposed in the film. I have heard about some news that people imitated some condition from the digital game and hurt their family member at home. The fact from news can proof that some aggressive values and anti-social actions can be influence by the trend of digital games. 

c)   Should governments have the right to ban certain games? Why or why not?

I don't think that banning games should be the best solution to prohibit encouraging aggressive values and anti-social actions. In fact, most games aims at provide an entertainment platform to people to relax. It is hard to be avoided certain games to contain some elements about violence and anti-social actions. If they are completely prohibited, it would lost the meaning of entertainment or certain advantages they have. However, even though some video games may comprehend certain unhealthy tendency, they still have the value of education and cultivate player's self-esteem. In my view, educating youngsters a healthy tendency when playing videogames, should be a better method to avoid them build up aggressive value and anti-social actions.