We may have these “lame” shades of grey type of moral choices to change the story and such now, but I think it’s merely another step in approaching games that actually achieve meaning.

Hey, despite the fact that I dispute this anonymous user’s point, I don’t disagree that games struggle to achieve any semblance of meaning, And, because of that lack, Anonymous is right that people should enjoy the games they play. The problem, however, is that that’s all games can achieve. Games don’t even approach the uncomfortable feeling that art forms like film, literature and music can provide. And, any time a game attempts to step outside this well-trod path, it’s achieved through watered down moral choices and “shades of gray,” which is another way of saying completely transparent good or bad choices that, for whatever reason, don’t have their intended effect. That’s depth right there. You made a good choice, and, wow, something bad happened. It didn’t really surprise you, though, since it’s happened at least six times this playthrough. Also, the character who died didn’t impact your ability to kill enemies, so their disappearance troubled you for nary a moment the first time they passed on. Oh, the third vendor died in this town? That’s a huge loss!

Anyway, yeah, I bought Shadow Complex. The game is garbage, so I was disappointed that I bought it anyway, but Peter David’s comment on Christian’s Gamasutra article on Shadow Complex was baffling and saddening. He contrasts freedom of speech with the act of boycotting, and comes to the conclusion that boycotting is preventing ideas from being spread by people who want to sell stuff. For some reason, maybe it’s my attachment to logic, I don’t know, but I find many faults with his point of view and it further sullies my feelings about Shadow Complex.

Where one might argue that music is produced by many sound engineers and so on, the fact is that music often reflects the personal ideology of a person, and can be seen as an extension of the egos. That is, most individually derived music. This becomes harder in a band, or when the music is for a product.

It’s all very complex. I think Card’s a good writer, and for that I don’t mind buying his books. But I also want to smack him around the head for being a douche. At the very least, if his writing is not an agent of his views, I don’t mind. I can’t say the same for the writer of His Dark Materials, the Golden Compass, etc.

And as Michael said, we buy the product, not its maker.

Its sort of how if you believe every study that comes out about food, you pretty much wouldn’t be able to eat anything. Remember when they said eggs were bad, well now it turns out they are good for you!

I think the boycott is pointless in that it probably isn’t going to accomplish much or affect sales too badly.

But on the other hand, if that’s how those groups choose to promote their belief then there isn’t anything wrong with it either. They are more than likely fully aware that it isn’t really going to affect much in the grand scheme of things.

But just by making a big ruckus about it, they might get a few more people to see their point and join their cause.

Because really I agree, I don’t think its going to do anything to change the mind of the creator. So to do it for that reason would be pointless.

And who cares about same-sex marriage? Quite a lot of people, both those who want it and those who are adamantly against it.