AdmiralCheez wrote...
inb4 Soviet Russia
So, you know how most major decisions in the game are split into paragon and renegade? And you know how you have to accumulate points in one or the other in order to pass specific persuasion checks?
Well, duh. You play Mass Effect, don't you?
Anyway, a lot of people complain that it's silly to divide everything into two categories, even sillier to give you points for choosing those categories, and downright absurd to have to keep getting points in order to select certain conversation options. And you know what? It kind of is. But there are design limitations in videogames such as these, and that sort of thing is ultimately subjective anyway.
However, that's not the point. The point is that this system has created a special sort of beast that may or may not have been intentional. This beast is one that gets in your head and messes with you, adding a psychological challenge that, once you realize it's there, is just as fun as the rest of the game.
See, the system is classic positive reinforcement. Do this, and get rewarded. Punch that guy, and get badass points. Even better, these points can be used to bypass certain obstacles that would normally give you a headache, such as having to pick sides in an argument or grit your teeth through a boss fight. In fact, since several points in the game virtually require you have a certain amount, they're more like currency than a stat boost.
That's right. You are being paid to behave in a certain way.
So after testing the waters a little bit, most people pick a side they feel more comfortable with and stick with it. People who would rather be calm, kind, and principled go paragon, and people who would rather be practical, badass, and less trusting go renegade. Easy enough.
But as you play more and more to one side in order to get more and more "money," you may start to notice that the paragon/renegade's thought patterns are different from yours. You may come across a decision you disagree with, or perhaps there's a line of dialogue that just seems stupid.
At this point, you have a choice: either sacrifice your next "paycheck" to do what feels right, or grit your teeth, go for your usual flavor, and snatch up the points you know you'll probably need later. However, because you've been choosing similar responses over and over, you've been conditioning yourself into thinking that a certain behavior is "correct." Because your moral alignment of choice has been rewarding you so far, part of you starts to feel like the other side is inherently less desirable.
"Wait a sec," you ask yourself, "if I go paragon/renegade on this, does that mean I'm being a sissy/douchebag?"
The game, by offering you a reward for picking a side, has suckered you into thinking in black-and-white terms. Additional reinforcement is gained by watching your Shepard act out your decisions, and suddenly you find yourself inwardly (or outwardly if you're a BSN regular) justifying your side while bashing the other.
In a game like Mass Effect, where you are constantly being reminded by various characters and events not to fall into a single way of thinking or give into snap judgments or generalizations, you are being rewarded for doing just that.
Whether intentional or not, I think that's absolutely brilliant. It's the ultimate sucker punch and a great way to sneak a psychological lesson into a videogame.
(lol playin a vidya gaem maed me smarturr)
You're looking way too far into it. When roleplaying, which i'm not sure you do, having to constantly consider meta-gaming elements just so your character can say "Stop" to jack and miranda is the ultimate pain in the ass. There's nothing psychological about it; it's just a pain in the ass.
Traditional RPG's have always allowed you to allocate points into persuasion, and there is a reason they have always done this.
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...I was referring to the post you were referring to, not your own....
