Man´s best friend in games
I love dogs, I grew up with them and I don´t wish to live in a house without a dog. So every time I see a dog in a game I have mixed feelings about it, because a dog in a game isn´t always your friend and even when the dog is your friend then something could happen to him or her. But I have to admit that games that have dogs in them usually make me happy. For example: Fable 2, Fable 3, Fall Out 3 and CoD Ghost also looks interesting with Riley (the dog). But I feel heartbroken when I have to hurt dogs, for example in Far Cry 3. Still I´ll do what I must, but it´s not something I like to do.
So how is it that some people feel some kind of guilt for killing a dog in game but don´t have problems killing other people in a game. Like in Fable 2 I wouldn´t feel bad butchering a town, but when something happened to my dog I was quite upset about it. It´s strange though, because it´s all just artificial and none of it is real. But I guess the bond you have with the dog, yes even if it´s not a real dog the feelings you can have for it can be real, make it important to you and you don´t wish to lose a friend. I think it´s safe to say that a lot of people chose at the end of Fable 2 the option the needs of the few. Maybe even someone that liked to be evil probably couldn´t help but have a soft spot for his or her trusted companion.
I don´t think this only counts for dogs though, because I think people who like horses wouldn´t like to shoot them. In a game like Red Dead Redemption it would make it easier to shoot the horse of someone you´re chasing, but if you like horses you might feel bad about it. It´s not like you´re shooting at a car, a horse has feelings and to hear the sound they make when they die is just a crack in your heart. I think that also counts for those who aren´t really into horses, killing animals in games isn´t something you feel comfortable with. Perhaps a hostile animal or a dangerous looking animal, a giant spider will probably get less love from gamers because a lot of people are freaked out by it. But maybe those who are into spiders feel different about it, just looking at some of the pets in WoW you can see that some people actually like spiders or just use them to freak others out. For whatever reason I always like being a hunter or a ranger (when I play Guild Wars).
In some games animals are just background decoration, sometimes you can actually interact with them but in the game Skyrim that would be quite limited. I have to admit that animals had less value to me, probably because of the small role they played in the game. If you could have a dog as a companion then it would definately be more interesting for me. So maybe the size of the role they play in a game also makes animals more important to you. When I look at CoD Ghosts I see a big role for Riley, as you can take control of him and use him to silently take out enemies or distract them. I love this type of gameplay, where man and animal work together to accomplish something. Also working together with Riley in the multiplayer looks interesting, he´ll growl when enemies are near and even avenge your death when you´ve been killed. The big problem I have with this is that Riley is easily killed, so seeing him killed that often and having to kill the dogs of others will be unpleasant for me. But it won´t stop me from buying the game, in the end it´s meant to be fun and I doubt people put animals in games to be killed. Well maybe some games are like that, but in most games it´s not about being cruel to animals!
When it´s possible I like to put myself in a game, even when it´s just my name or a vague character description. It´s the same for me when it comes to naming my dog or even choosing the appearance. I have a Dobermann and so I have to have a Dobermann in game, at least if that´s possible. I even bought the Sims pets dlc just to have a dog in my virtual house. I have to admit that most of my Sims are just unlucky test subject in one of my tests, usually the test how to make their life miserable. But with a dog in the house I turn into this caring and loving gamer, so maybe animals make the world a bit better. Maybe not for all of us, perhaps not everyone feels the same as me when it comes to animals in games but I like to think that they add something extra. At least if done properly, when I think about that dog in Duck Hunt I can´t help but wish I could shoot him! Laughing at you when you miss, sigh just thinking about that makes me wish I still had that game on my NES...
My dog Xander.
Dogs aren´t always your friend in a game, sometimes they´re just a small part of a much bigger world. But I like to see them in games, preferbly as your companion and invincible. I don´t say every game that has an animal in it is fantastic, but I like to believe that it adds something extra to the game. But just as there are so many different tastes in all the genres out there.I guess we all have our own favourite when it comes to animals in games. It´s tough to hunt them for your own survival or to improve your skills, like in Tomb Raider or Far Cry 3, but it´s a part of the game and just like in the real world sometimes you have to make difficult choices. Perhaps above all you should always remember that it´s just a game, as much as you´re attached to your online animal friends there are real animals out there that want your love just as much. So I´d say it´s important to never forget that!
Well I think it´s time to shut my computer off and have a walk with my dog!
So how is it that some people feel some kind of guilt for killing a dog in game but don´t have problems killing other people in a game. Like in Fable 2 I wouldn´t feel bad butchering a town, but when something happened to my dog I was quite upset about it. It´s strange though, because it´s all just artificial and none of it is real. But I guess the bond you have with the dog, yes even if it´s not a real dog the feelings you can have for it can be real, make it important to you and you don´t wish to lose a friend. I think it´s safe to say that a lot of people chose at the end of Fable 2 the option the needs of the few. Maybe even someone that liked to be evil probably couldn´t help but have a soft spot for his or her trusted companion.
I don´t think this only counts for dogs though, because I think people who like horses wouldn´t like to shoot them. In a game like Red Dead Redemption it would make it easier to shoot the horse of someone you´re chasing, but if you like horses you might feel bad about it. It´s not like you´re shooting at a car, a horse has feelings and to hear the sound they make when they die is just a crack in your heart. I think that also counts for those who aren´t really into horses, killing animals in games isn´t something you feel comfortable with. Perhaps a hostile animal or a dangerous looking animal, a giant spider will probably get less love from gamers because a lot of people are freaked out by it. But maybe those who are into spiders feel different about it, just looking at some of the pets in WoW you can see that some people actually like spiders or just use them to freak others out. For whatever reason I always like being a hunter or a ranger (when I play Guild Wars).
In some games animals are just background decoration, sometimes you can actually interact with them but in the game Skyrim that would be quite limited. I have to admit that animals had less value to me, probably because of the small role they played in the game. If you could have a dog as a companion then it would definately be more interesting for me. So maybe the size of the role they play in a game also makes animals more important to you. When I look at CoD Ghosts I see a big role for Riley, as you can take control of him and use him to silently take out enemies or distract them. I love this type of gameplay, where man and animal work together to accomplish something. Also working together with Riley in the multiplayer looks interesting, he´ll growl when enemies are near and even avenge your death when you´ve been killed. The big problem I have with this is that Riley is easily killed, so seeing him killed that often and having to kill the dogs of others will be unpleasant for me. But it won´t stop me from buying the game, in the end it´s meant to be fun and I doubt people put animals in games to be killed. Well maybe some games are like that, but in most games it´s not about being cruel to animals!
When it´s possible I like to put myself in a game, even when it´s just my name or a vague character description. It´s the same for me when it comes to naming my dog or even choosing the appearance. I have a Dobermann and so I have to have a Dobermann in game, at least if that´s possible. I even bought the Sims pets dlc just to have a dog in my virtual house. I have to admit that most of my Sims are just unlucky test subject in one of my tests, usually the test how to make their life miserable. But with a dog in the house I turn into this caring and loving gamer, so maybe animals make the world a bit better. Maybe not for all of us, perhaps not everyone feels the same as me when it comes to animals in games but I like to think that they add something extra. At least if done properly, when I think about that dog in Duck Hunt I can´t help but wish I could shoot him! Laughing at you when you miss, sigh just thinking about that makes me wish I still had that game on my NES...
My dog Xander.
Dogs aren´t always your friend in a game, sometimes they´re just a small part of a much bigger world. But I like to see them in games, preferbly as your companion and invincible. I don´t say every game that has an animal in it is fantastic, but I like to believe that it adds something extra to the game. But just as there are so many different tastes in all the genres out there.I guess we all have our own favourite when it comes to animals in games. It´s tough to hunt them for your own survival or to improve your skills, like in Tomb Raider or Far Cry 3, but it´s a part of the game and just like in the real world sometimes you have to make difficult choices. Perhaps above all you should always remember that it´s just a game, as much as you´re attached to your online animal friends there are real animals out there that want your love just as much. So I´d say it´s important to never forget that!
Well I think it´s time to shut my computer off and have a walk with my dog!
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