When I compare the role playing that I used to do when I played pen and paper RPGs to how I play CRPGs, I'm not sure if I really role play when playing computer games. I think I just tend to make the decisions that I feel like making. For me, I think it's less about filling out a role as it is about getting what I want out of the game. Maybe I role play and don't realise it but if I do I think I'm usually playing the same role.

Maybe it's that it's never felt like there was a point in playing a bad guy or any other way. Any time I've tried it's always felt like the disadvantages out weighed the advantages. You do something evil and suddenly you can't get any town services, the super powered guards instantly come attacking, and there's no guarantee that any of the other evil characters don't want to kill you too (which makes sense since they're evil). When I'm playing a game, I want to explore the world so why would I make it impossible for myself to do so?

Not to mention the times when I come accross something in the game and I'm thinking "Ok, so let's see how the programmers decided they want me to be (whatever)." Like they try to throw a bone to the player that wants to play a certain role but once it's done, that's it. It feels like something that's tacked on and there isn't really any bearing on the rest of the game. Maybe that's a little contradictory to what I was saying about not liking the way town services are unavailable and such. But there has to be some sort of middle ground where there's consequeces to what you do without completly limiting what you can do.

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Original post by Telastyn I don't play games to be someone else. I don't want to pretend I'm in some fantasy land. In fact, I find the entire thought somewhat distasteful and unhealthy.

Aristotle wrote that fiction is an act of mimesis (playing pretend) and that this is one of the primary ways human being learn about the world. Later theorists have agreed with this statement and added to it. A psychologist pointed out that children do not really grasp the concept that they can cause others' pain until their imaginitive ability develops enough that they can imagine being the other person and feeling their pain. This is the foundation of empathy, possibly one of the most noble human traits there is. Literary theorist Simon Lesser said fiction functions as an "ideological dressing room" which allows people to "try on" different philosophies and attitudes, testing which they want to incorporate into themselves and which would be a bad idea to do so. So the ability to roleplay can be regarded as an integral part of personal development. Roleplaying is a valuable tool in therapy situations where the patient has behavioral problems like anger management or being a doormat to an abusive person. A little experience roleplaying an unfamiliar trait also improves one's social expertise at understanding and interacting with other people who have this trait.

Something reminded me of the Sims games, and those reminded me that there is one type of 'roleplaying' I like where the game does not provide the story context. Not what the Sims games actually are, but what I _thought_ Sims 2 wag going to be before I played it - a virtual world/dollhouse set up for the player to be a writer/film director who could easily create sets and actors, pose or animate them, put word bubbles in their mouths, and create an original film which could be uploaded to youtube or something.

The simulator aspect of the game would still be important, but mainly because it would make random crap happen which would give the player mew ideas about how to use those elements in their own storytelling. And achievements in sim mode could unlock content for moviemaking mode. I don't really understand why the Sims series hasn't gone this direction, because Sims 2 contained all the necessary elements to make movies, it just didn't contain an interface to help players make them, or a tutorial introducing the concept. They're on Sims 3 now, but I haven't heard of it doing anything with this concept either.

@Iron Chef Carnage
I often do something similar, but all during the first run. I'll start by taking some distance from the game, see what are the choices I have, and go for the most convenient one. After a while, if the story really involves me, I'll start to think more as my character than me. This happens to me mostly in games where you have a certain degree of freedom, but not total.

I love roleplaying in a game when the choices presented to me have sense for my character. If the story is about my char saving the world, then in a way or another all my choices must have some good in them, because a guy who is saving the world must be good. But how will he do it? Will he sacrifices his love for everyone? Will he disdain minor problems to run and fix the major ones as soon as possible? I like to roleplay these things.

I hate roleplaying when every sentence you listen to is implicitly forcing you to take a choice between good and evil, and even worse when that choice is so obvious. Then I immediatly go out of character and choose the most convenient one.

I would not like to see choices my character wouldn't make. If I spent my last three days healing the sick, why should I want to punch someone in the face? Just because I can? No. It's a possibily that shouldn't even cross your mind, and if you see it, it breaks your immersion.

Another thing I hate is when you can talk to everyone and impose your decisions on everything. You are not god, and if people could live without you before your arrival that should be true even after your appearance. Of course someone could really need your help, but it shouldn't be possible to see two people fighting over something, and just step in and say "x is right, because I say so". That's just awful.

It's about making choices that feel like they matter, but whose consequences we don't really have to deal with. They feel important, which gives the desired feelings of power and accomplishment, but if they go wrong it doesn't really hurt us.

I don't blame Telastyn for thinking it's a little bit sick, but then I kind of enjoy it too.