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[Column] General: Neverwinter is the Devil?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Many games these days are labeled as 'evil' or somehow encouraging players to perpetrate horrendous deeds. In our latest Devil's Advocate, we take a look at one game and go through the process of seeing it as the devil. It's a fascinating read that you won't want to miss. Leave us your thoughts in the comments.
So today, let me just tell you of a mental exercise I went through while thinking of the original snarky piece, which I’ve long since abandoned. In today’s Devil’s Advocate, let’s discuss how someone could, by some strange longshot of logical leaps, define one particular MMORPG as “demonic.”
Read more of Victor Barreiro Jr.'s The Devil's Advocate: Neverwinter is the Devil?
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Comments
Playing a cleric solidified my contempt for this game. I remember making a cleric that worshipped the god of war, focusing on melee. Not possible in this game. Slings, naaa less throw spears of light. I just don't understand why they call this d&d.
^
Pretty much this. I have seen other threads about NW talking about the "dungeon crawls". What crawl? This is Mortal Combat slapped with a D&D sticker on the box.
DDO gets my $$.
I grew up with pat robertson's kind of thinking all around me so it does not take much effort to imagine how that type could (and still does) demonize games, movies, or books. It could be Tolkien, D&D, Harry Potter, or a modern MMO like Neverwinter, as long as it draws on folklore and mythology there will be something in it for his type to fear. He makes the same mistake as the people he preaches against- he can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality.
I don't think anything gamers do or don't do will have an impact on people like him. That kind of person needs things to be opposed to. The fact that the vast majority of D&D players aren't crazy or evil never stopped pat, so I don't see the realities of who video gamers actually are effecting his type either.
This is like the link some try to make between games and violence every time someone goes on a shooting spree- there's no proof games cause violence, and even studies that contradict the theory, but it will keep coming up anyway.
Neverwinter has taken something precious to me and dumbed it down to the point of ridiculousness. When the choice of a cleric's deity is considered 'fluff', you've completely and utterly f*cked up the game beyond recognition.
I'll stick with Neverwinter Nights, Eye of the Beholder 1-3, Dungeon Hack, Temple of Elemental Evil, and all the old Infinity Engine games by Black Isle. They actually make an attempt to represent tabletop D&D properly.
It's a sad day indeed when a family is too afraid of reprisals to publicly thank somebody for saving their lives.
One thing people need to get right is that you do what you do because of you! No game, music, movie, etc makes you do anything. If they do, then there was already something wrong with you in the first place, and if it wasn't for "that music" or "this movie" or "that game" it would've been something else that set you off to go do evil.
I've played violent video games pretty much my entire life and I'm the most patient, quiet, and calm person you'll probably ever meet. I remember when Mortal Kombat came out, the government wanted to ban it in the US, but it was deemed as art, so nobody could touch it. I couldn't tell you how many spines I ripped out of people in my childhood playing that, but it didn't seem to have any effect on me. I can't count how many gallons of blood got all over my screen when I shot monsters in Wolfenstein or Doom, but it didn't seem to have any effect on me...
If you're going to do something evil, you're going to do it, that's your choice to do so. Nobody or anything can make that choice for you.
You guys have far too much time on your hands.
1. Neverwinter is a game - you can choose whether or not to play it, no one is forcing you to play
2. if you do choose to play you are not required to pay a dime, you can earn astral diamonds to exchange for Zen
3. the game is in open beta with no wipes, your purchases will stay with you
4. Dungeons and Dragons is about grouping up (think jesus and apostles) and fighting evil (demons, other beliefs or ideas) so in a way it is pro Christian.
Good post....I think your audience is going to twist this into futile bickering and eye poking.
Really enjoyed it. The hilarious part is that most people that did play D&D stayed out of trouble, because they were with their friends inside and not doing crazy shyt outside, cause of boredom.
My mother quickly realized this and I have been a roleplayer/gamer for 20 years.
I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.
MMORPG Gamers/Developers need a reality check!
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
Smile
After reading this article I decided to make an account and hopefully join in on this conversation. I have been sitting here, trying to find the words to properly articulate my thoughts on this matter. I was raised in a Christian family, but I suppose that I am Agnostic; I am skeptical regarding the existence of any God(s), but I do believe that anything is possible.
Now to the meat of the article: Robertson believes that people should stay away from anything that features magic and demons. The truth of the matter is that--if they do exist--demons have influence in all forms of media, regardless of content. Demons have been around since man and they know what makes them tick, which is why I disagree with his response. The fact of the matter is that you really cannot hide yourself from such influence as long as you live. Instead of hiding, I believe it would be better educate yourself so that you will be able to identify and combat such attacks if demons do exist.
I would also like to point out that if demons do exist, then their influence and general presence of corruption have already sabotaged churches in many religions. Before you call me crazy, let's take the Vatican for instance: there have been reports by other members of the Vatican that certain members are corrupt. Malachi Martin has written books regarding strange events that take place in the Vatican, and he worked there. There are religious leaders and religious individuals on religious television channels who commit atrocities. Do not just focus on a video game, you must dig deeper to protect yourself in all aspects. If you are looking to shelter yourself from the influence of demons, you might as well do it right and step away from all forms of media in order to stay away from the evil influences. If you want to go this route, then you should focus on many other theories that religions have established.
Many people claim that demons taught man math and science in the days of the Bible. Humans supposedly mated with demons and demons taught people many things. If you want to get away from demonic influence, then research everything that demons taught and stay away from. If you are attempting to avoid it, avoid it 100%, don't just choose to shelter yourself from a fraction of it.
This is the most pointless article I've ever seen. The only reason I can think any person would even post this sorta thing is to aggravate people by instigating religious arguments.
Seriously there is not enough mmo news that you have to post a story like this? mmorpg.com how you have fallen.
http://www.greycouncil.org/
This debate has been going on for years, its nothing new. I remember on TV as a child a priest of Catholic religion saying that the old PnP D&D was bad and would lead children astray to commit sacriffices and worship Satan. This was when D&D was first published and when it hit the UK shores. His ranting actually got me into playing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay which is a darker version of D&D.
Not once have I thought about sacrfficing anyone to a dark power or running down the street with a sword hacking people up. What it did do though was get me into reading books and finding an enjoyment from them.
[mod edit]
What's interesting to note is that the god AO was the game creaters way of introducing a Christian god or at least hinting about it. A.O. stands for "Alpha & Omega" which is one of the Christian God's titles. I myself took it upon myself to use this deity (LG Alignment) to create a psuedo Catholic medieval religion in the Forgotten Realms.
this article was a waste of my time. Stop writing this type of nonsense. Open up your own personal blog if you want to talk about random stuff like this and your 'thoughts' and 'connections' to MMORPGs.
I don't come here for this type of content, I come here to talk about MMORPG's and their components, not this subjective nonsense. Seriously if its a slow news day then play some games and write about adventures in the game or something. It might be pretty interesting to read an RP article of someone playing a DnD game.
Joined - July 2004
Have you been following video game adaptations of D&D for very long?
I just ask because that's the eventual conclusion for just about every one of 'em.
eeps, looks like this thread had a bit of ugliness, outta here.