I may be a little soulless, but forgive for being the devil's advocate here for a sec. I truly hope I don't come across as harassing, because I would never want to do that to anyone.

At what point does what you explain above become too much or go too far? This line

some just want to have a richer experience out of the universe they hold so dear

I think was pretty great, and it makes me think of dressing up for cons or being part of a community like our awesome one right here! IMHO, that is healthy fun.

But you also said

Many know that they'll never be an Astronaut, a Marine, a heroic leader or even live as the gender they desire to be or openly love who they wish. Video games offer the the ability to do so - to live out their dreams.

I may have a difficult time explaining why, but this just doesn't feel right to me, and it leaves me feeling a bit sad.

I think one's dreams should be lived out in real life, along with all of real life's stuggles and difficulties, as well as joys and surprises. Video games are just that, games. Can they provide inspiration, encouragement, joy, experiences that are impossible to experience? Abso-freaking-lutely, and I think that insofar as those inspirations, encouragement, joys, and experiences help us in living a better real life and connecting better with real people, games are awesome and healthy.

But, there is such a thing as too much; and I believe "too much" happens when games and the universes and the easy escape they provide are used as a preferred alternative to real life. When you live more in a game world than you do in the real world, whether that be time-wise, emotional investment-wise, social engagement-wise, money-wise, whatever, I think that is too much and unhealthy.

Now, if you didn't intend all this by what you said, Grizzlei, then please disregard my devil's advocacy :)

With regards to spooky6's question, I think it really depends. Insofar as "true role playing" is done purely for fun, kind of like an actor playing a part, that can be really great and enjoyable for not only the person role playing, but the people they come across who understand that they are role playing (playing be the key word.) I'm pretty sure I would enjoy interacting with such a person. As long as they "keep it clean!" ;)

However, when it is done as a way of living, when the role is taken too seriously, when the game is no longer a game to that person, I think that is unhealthy. I would feel sad coming across a person like that, or if I ever reached that point myself (I may have reached it at times in the past, or been close to reaching it, and it is not an enjoyable place to be in.)

Good question, spooky6, and thanks for reading!

The best part of video games is the anonymity one can enjoy. You can be whomever you please and nobody can know otherwise. Role playing in a video game is an amazing level of immersion someone can get out of a $60 game. Anyone who forgets or tries to hinder such behavior is forgetting what interactive storytelling and all forms of media is all about: FUN!

I have so many problems whenever I try to play 'renegade' or whatever. Whenever I'm playing a character who has choices, and I'm in any way attached to the character, they end up acting along my moral compass. I don't really get any joy out of playing the 'dick' characters.

I still love the roleplaying aspect, but most of my RP characters aren't too dissimilar.

You know, I do a bit of role-playing in quite a few games, even games like Forza (caRPG). I think it's fun, and as long as it doesn't tread into an awkward territory with the people around you, it's great. :-)

I'm really curious as to what this entails. You wouldn't mind sharing some of your stories, would you?

Welcome.

I am Kermit. I am a grizzled space wizard. Don't cross me.

He's not kidding. That cane smarts like a mutha!

That's just YOU! ;-)

I am Kermit. I am a grumpy space wizard. Don't cross me.

Sounds like somebody's overdue for a nap!

When I was a WoW player I would come across true Role Players. For those that don't know, in WoW people will play their persona and they seemed to be having a blast. That said, would anyone enjoy the guilty pleasure of playing pretend from time to time? Could it be a better way to be immersed in the world or do you think you would be shunned by those who simply did not understand your life choice?

This is how I play practically every game ever - it's just that since it's usually single player, not much of it gets verbally expressed. But I've been informed that I talk to Skyrim NPCs all the time apparently, without me even realizing it.

In Halo campaigns, I was always thinking as Master Chief. When one of my soldiers would die, I'd go over and check them and make sure, look around at my survivors and say "We've got to keep moving." Stuff like that. Multiplayer, except for Fireifight and sometimes Invasion, was just too sport-like to really maintain the role play.

But with Destiny, I can't wait. And I'm totally looking for a wolf pack who's interested in playing the same way. When we get closer to launch, I'll be trying to organize some parties that like to play the same way.

(And who cares if some people judge you wrongly for it - there're probably just too scared to admit that they too wish they could run around pretending to be Batman like they were 8. Hell, we're all sitting in front of a TV playing video games for hours - I wouldn't call role-playing any more childish on top of that.)

I don't do this often - but have been known to do it. Helps with the immersion.

(And who cares if some people judge you wrongly for it - there're probably just too scared to admit that they too wish they could run around pretending to be Batman like they were 8. Hell, we're all sitting in front of a TV playing video games for hours - I wouldn't call role-playing any more childish on top of that.)

Dude, I loved this! And apparently Batman makes everything, even analogies, better :)

And that's what i hope to see a lot of. I wonder if Bungie will support a clan system? So we can have more "team" interaction. Or even clan on clan pvp.

When I was a WoW player I would come across true Role Players. For those that don't know, in WoW people will play their persona and they seemed to be having a blast. That said, would anyone enjoy the guilty pleasure of playing pretend from time to time? Could it be a better way to be immersed in the world or do you think you would be shunned by those who simply did not understand your life choice?

This is how I play practically every game ever - it's just that since it's usually single player, not much of it gets verbally expressed. But I've been informed that I talk to Skyrim NPCs all the time apparently, without me even realizing it.

In Halo campaigns, I was always thinking as Master Chief. When one of my soldiers would die, I'd go over and check them and make sure, look around at my survivors and say "We've got to keep moving." Stuff like that. Multiplayer, except for Fireifight and sometimes Invasion, was just too sport-like to really maintain the role play.

But with Destiny, I can't wait. And I'm totally looking for a wolf pack who's interested in playing the same way. When we get closer to launch, I'll be trying to organize some parties that like to play the same way.

(And who cares if some people judge you wrongly for it - there're probably just too scared to admit that they too wish they could run around pretending to be Batman like they were 8. Hell, we're all sitting in front of a TV playing video games for hours - I wouldn't call role-playing any more childish on top of that.)

This is exactly what I imagined for Co-op Nights. There were usually people who wanted to do goofy stuff, and I enjoyed that, too, because a lot of that you couldn't do by yourself, but I was always torn between the two approaches.

When I got a team that was in-character, it was awesome.

Kermit

Immersion is my #1 goal when I interact with fiction.

And it has been for as long as I can remember.

Sadly, I have only had two D&D experiences, and I just had to learn the culture and the premise of the game as fast as I could (I've still only just barely dipped my toes in it), but I tell you the truth, because of my time in Drama Club in high school, I took the acting very seriously, and I loved it.

It's like co-authoring a book with someone, but way more fun.

I did the same thing with Reach. My Noble Six ran with Noble Team as part of a unit. I didn't merely play as him--I portrayed him.

With VR upcoming as a viable tech, I am very excited about the D&D-type possibilities.

Levi, I'd be thrilled to be a part of that wolf-pack, if there's space available.

You've gotta let me hear this southern accent. I must authenticate it's, um, authenticity. ;)

- CC

(And who cares if some people judge you wrongly for it - there're probably just too scared to admit that they too wish they could run around pretending to be Batman like they were 8. Hell, we're all sitting in front of a TV playing video games for hours - I wouldn't call role-playing any more childish on top of that.)

This is where some games make your realize you want to be like that person or interact in that world. The Arkham games reignited my burning love for Batman that went cold when the Animated Series went off the air. They captured something truly beautiful about flying across an alleyway like a ballerina to make sure the 8:15 locomotive fist made into Joker Thug's nutsack station in time.

I'm a little cofused here dude. First you said

I'm very curious, because moral choice in games for me seems like a stupid thing, since moral choices in games aren't really moral choices at all.

to Jillybean. Then you said

I gotta say, I'm one of those people who doesn't understand that sort of choice. To me, Role Playing is sort of based on regret. It's based on regret, because you want to imagine yourself as another person in another place, and that means you don't want to be where you are right now or who you are right now, or else you'd be yourself and doing whatever you want.

What if the "moral choices" a person makes in a game are how they play as themselves? I don't normally act like a jerk (at least I try not to), so I don't act that way in a game. I just don't really have any desire to. It's not that I'm making a moral choice when I do that, since I agree with you that they are just pixels on a screen (with regards to all the NPC's and environment at least); I'm just being myself while I play.

Also, I think Levi had an awesome point about good role playing being akin to a child's game of pretend. And, Batman.

- No text -

Could it be a better way to be immersed in the world or do you think you would be shunned by those who simply did not understand your life choice?

I gotta say, I'm one of those people who doesn't understand that sort of choice. To me, Role Playing is sort of based on regret. It's based on regret, because you want to imagine yourself as another person in another place, and that means you don't want to be where you are right now or who you are right now, or else you'd be yourself and doing whatever you want.

It's one thing to play an RPG or a video game (an activity, acting as yourself), but it's another thing to BECOME the character. I don't see how that's anything but sad.

Are all actors sad then?

Honestly though, if you don't 'get it' you shouldn't judge it. There is lots of stuff I judged too quickly and passed over when I was younger and have since 'got' and realised I was simply missing out.

It's fun. Or can be, rather. End of story.

As they say in my country, fair do's.

But I think it's really sad that you don't seem to have any desire to explore novel situations from a safe (i.e. imaginary) standpoint.

Exploring fictional scenarios (e.g. through novels, video games, movies) allow are a recognised way of improving empathic skills. This is generally seen as a good, conducive, social skill.

Could it be a better way to be immersed in the world or do you think you would be shunned by those who simply did not understand your life choice?

I gotta say, I'm one of those people who doesn't understand that sort of choice. To me, Role Playing is sort of based on regret. It's based on regret, because you want to imagine yourself as another person in another place, and that means you don't want to be where you are right now or who you are right now, or else you'd be yourself and doing whatever you want.

It's one thing to play an RPG or a video game (an activity, acting as yourself), but it's another thing to BECOME the character. I don't see how that's anything but sad.

Hah, wow. You couldn't possibly enjoy your life AND enjoy pretending to experience another one, could you?

As someone who just came back from a weekend of LARP, I feel incredibly patronised and insulted.

My life is great, but I wanted to spend a weekend with the CHALLENGE of roleplay, the PROGRESSION of a plot, and the SOCIAL ENJOYMENT of a weekend with friends in a shared experience.

It's nothing about regret. It's just a different type of game, one with a lot more social interactivity nuance and reward than a board-game or videogame, and requires a different skillset.

I recommend you read about GNS Theory. It gives 3 good reasons that a person might want to roleplay that aren't "They regret their life" in the same way that one would want to play a videogame, watch a movie, or be interested in other cultures and universes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNS_Theory

Gamist - You're playing a game
Narrativist - You're experiencing a plot
Simulationist - You're immersing yourself in a universe