So there I was, playing Morrowind, the thrill of adventuring tingling through my very bones. At this point my character is already rippling with strength and honed with skills. He's a killing machine, a solid mass of fury smouldering inside a fortress-like suit of magical armor. In such circumstances, when I walk around a village and the NPCs start to give me lip, the urge to simply unleash a torrent of brutality upon them is sometimes overwhelming.

So I ask myself: Is the desire to mow down NPCs like a human weedeater a natural part of human nature? Are we destined, yes, inevitably pulled toward evil as moths flock to lampposts? THAT's the question that this week's column will attempt to figure out! To accomplish this I've put together a panel of experts. I will, of course, represent the video and computer gaming industry in the discussion to follow.

With me today (and pictured, right) is Dr. Robert Reis, accomplished author and professor of both Theology and Philosophy. Having taught at the University of Pennsylvania throughout the late 80s and 90s, he's since moved on to become a fulltime author. His collection of essays entitled Behind the Blank Slate: The Course of Humanity earned critical acclaim. He'll be speaking with regards to the nature of good and evil and how our actions in a digital world may possibly reflect the nature of the human condition.


To provide a counterpoint and to round out the panel, I've also invited Bob Jackson (right), this dude I used to roleplay with in college. Bob Jackson describes himself as a "Professional Munchkin" ever since his recent termination at Taco Bell. He recently hitchhiked to GenCon where he came in third in a sponsored D&D 3rd edition tournament. In his latest campaign he also owns two castles and has a special ring that allows him to cast the "Wish" spell twice a year. Bob is here to represent the avid roleplayer.

Fargo: Gentlemen! Thank you for your time.




Dr. Reis: Thank you, it's a pleasure to be here. I always welcome the opportunity for public discourse, particularly on such a rich and varied topic.


Bob: I brought the chips.




Fargo: Now, on to the first issue. As a gamer, while playing Morrowind, a dark-elven stranger who I didn't even know said something snide to me on the streets of Balmora. Knowing that I could slay her and half the town on the spot, I had the most uncontrollable urge to Bring It. The question: Does this make me a bad person?

Dr. Reis: Well, to really answer that Fargo, we have to back up a bit. There are two schools of thought on the matter. One is that the human being is conditioned from birth to respond to stimulus a certain way, like a machine. We're blank slates filled with data through experience. The other school has it that there is a higher moral principal hardcoded into every human from conception, and only the defective among us have a capacity to do evil against this nature.

Bob: No way dude, it's like this. If the chick was loaded with loot, and you got away with it, you'd be like "Neutral Evil." If she was this poor peasant chick and you just offed her 'cuz it felt good, you'd be "Chaotic Evil." But, like, if you really needed the money to kill some evil God or somethin', then you could technically kill her and still be like "Chaotic Good," but like, that depends on the DM. Werd.

Dr. Reis: ...uh, that's good to hear Bob ... in fact, you bring up an interesting point. Are particular deeds necessarily "evil" or "good," or is the whole concept subjective and are deeds inseparable from the circumstances surrounding them? For instance, is it always evil to kill?

Bob: Not if the bitch had it comin'.




Fargo: According to a recent GameSpy Grudge, we proved that effectively 37% of GameSpy readers were in fact evil. That's probably higher than the readership of any other gaming publication and second only to Microsoft. Dr. Reis?

Dr. Reis: That's a shocking statistic, Mr. Fargo, it underscores --



Fargo: You can just call me Fargo.




Dr. Reis: Right, as I was saying-




Fargo: Just don't type it wrong and say "Fago."
I hate that.



Bob: Hahahahaha that's cool.




Fargo: Makes me sound like a jar of spaghetti sauce or something.




Dr. Reis: LIKE I WAS SAYING, it underscores the fact that computer games nowdays are becomming rich simulations of the physical world, giving the user complete range of action. In games like Morrowind, you really CAN play an evil character. What are the consequences?

Bob: I like to kill people so that their bodies spell out funny things in the dirt, then I take a screenshot. One time, I cut this dude up with a Katana, and he fell halfway through the wall, so it looked like he didn't have a head, so I took a screenshot, and I sent it to this guy, and then ........ [Bob stares blankly at the wall for a few minutes.]