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Computer-based Games: Developer Ethics

Computer-based Games: Developer Ethics. By: Pedro Exposito. Overview:. Why is it necessary to consider ethical standards in videogames? Why are good developer ethics important? How can developers ensure that their games do not encourage immoral behavior?

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Computer-based Games: Developer Ethics

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  1. Computer-based Games: Developer Ethics By: Pedro Exposito

  2. Overview: • Why is it necessary to consider ethical standards in videogames? • Why are good developer ethics important? • How can developers ensure that their games do not encourage immoral behavior? • Examples of unethical and ethical game design. • Classic arguments. • Conclusions. • References.

  3. Why is there a need to consider ethical standards in videogames? • Advances in technology • Shift in gaming demographics • Lifelike simulation

  4. Why are good developer ethics important?

  5. General Statistics: • Approximately 95 % of teenage boys play videogames. • ~ 146 million gamers in the U.S. only • ~ 45 % of all gamers are under the age of 18 • ~ 65.7 million gamers in the U.S. are below 18 • 20 million gamers in the U.S. are 12 and under • 70 % of children aged 2 to 18 have access to videogames at home • M-rated games = fastest growing segment of the gaming industry • 1/3 of games purchased are M-rated

  6. Alarming Statistics: • Federal Trade Commission’s Survey: 78 % of teens aged 13 to 16 were able to buy M-rated games from stores • Boys who play T or M-rated games for at least 40 minutes a day may witness over 180 incidents of aggression per day. • 78 percent of the violent action is shown up close. • In 98 % of the violent games surveyed, aggression was not punished properly. • Almost half of all violent video game segments featured humor. • In M-rated games, the player is more likely to be the aggressor.

  7. Why are good developer ethics important? • Their work reaches millions of people. - Thousands of them are minors. • More interactive than other mediums of entertainment. • Violent games can lead kids to [3] - Develop aggressive scripts for social problem solving. - Lose sensitivity towards violence. • Gaming figures and children. - Unethical role models.

  8. How can developersenforce good morals in virtual worlds? • Adopt a flexible ethical standard to follow in game development. - The Virtue Ethics Approach: good & bad consequences. • Online Gaming: Identify fraudulent users and punish them • Discourage cheating offline - Limited cheating & well-balanced difficulty modes • Stop hacking attempts • Fix glitches • Remove indirect advertising

  9. Examples of Unethical Game Development • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Ps2/Xbox/PC game) • Unreal Tournament G.O.T.Y. Edition (PC game) • Just Cause 2 (Ps3/X360/PC game)

  10. Examples of Ethical Game Development: - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (PC game) - Fable (Xbox game)

  11. Anakin: “I won’t help a murderer like you.”

  12. Classic Arguments for Unethical Game Development • Ethics is up to the players. - The players did not make the game. • “It is just a game!” - Not for everyone though. • The chances of it affecting anyone are close to zero. - What if 10,000,000 people play it?

  13. Conclusions: • The increase of violence and lack of ethics in current popular videogames is a problem that can affect modern society. • Modern game developers must incorporate ethics into game development in order to accomplish their industry’s true purpose. • Game developer’s job: To provide fun, unique, and safe entertainment for everyone.

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