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Oct 6th, 2008 at 10:43:02 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
Play 3:
During this play, I didn't concentrate too much on the missions, but instead just wandered around to see what I could and couldn't do.
I was wondering if it was possible to play the game while following moral guidelines. I realized pretty fast that this was not possible. You can't really do much in the game aside from running, jumping, stealing cars, and attacking. So much for morality.
There were a couple of things that I think were worth noting. First of all, it is possible to take a 'job' as a taxi driver, and earn some 'honest' money. While the job consists of picking up passengers and dropping them off at their requested destination, you have to steal a taxi in order to do this.
Another thing I noticed is that it is impossible to communicate with other characters (save the 'family' during missions) by talking to them. CJ can't begin conversation with passerbys. He can punch anyone, but he can't talk to them. Seems a bit strange, doesn't it?
In conclusion, I don't think its possible to play this game in a moral manner because you are not given the option to be moral. While you can play the game being less villianous than others, you are still forced to be a villian nonetheless. Despite this, the story provides a reason for this behavior, and it is then up to the player to decide if the required actions are just.
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Oct 6th, 2008 at 02:37:49 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
Play 2:
I did a few more missions, and noted a few interesting things. To provide a marker, I'm up to the drive-by mission.
One thing I wondered when I began playing was if it is possible to get through the game without killing anyone. (my boyfriend later told me that this is a big question posed toward the GTA series) So far, while it is required that some people die, CJ himself doesn't have to personally kill anyone - his friends do that for him. For example, during the missions where you are required to kill Ballas, CJ is in charge of driving the car full of his armed friends. All you have to do is point the killers to the targets. But is this really any different than killing them personally?
I'm not sure of the exact laws, but I think in our society it is. It also is in the game law. Cops do not tail you (at least to my knowledge) when your friends kill. Now, if you accidentally run over someone during this process, then yes, they would.
So far, I'm under the impression that you can get through the game without personally killing anyone. However, I don't think this makes the game any more ethical. Sure, you can get by without killing people, but you still have to assist killings.
This entry has been edited 2 times. It was last edited on Oct 6th, 2008 at 02:51:39.
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Oct 5th, 2008 at 21:20:09 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
GTA:SA - Play 1
I have played other editions of Grand Theft Auto in the past, in particular Vice City, but I never got around to San Andreas. Getting started on the game was a bit tricky, as my computer has been broken as of late.
Fortunately, I got it up and running, and managed to get started on GTA. I even found a game controller to use, as I knew ahead of time that I am not nearly dexterous to play via keyboard.
I got started on the game, and realized right away that it follows the same rules as the other GTA games - you play a criminal, steal/injure/scam to get ahead in the game, and the game itself is chock full of racial, sexual, and cultural stereotypes. But it's fun, right?
One thing that stood out to me right away was the first cut scene. Carl, on his way home via taxi, is stopped by the cops, beat up, robbed, and blackmailed. What this said to me right away is that the 'code of ethics' in this world has to be questioned. Clearly, in an ethical world, this incident would not have happened. Carl had not done anything except get in a cab from the airport, so there was no good reason for the cops to stop him. Point being - one of the codes of ethics is violated in principle: The Social Contract theory. This theory requires that a society have rules and enforce them. Assuming that the GTA world's laws are based off our own, the laws are not enforced. In contrast, the enforcers actually BREAK them.
Taking this into consideration, it can be said that the 'society' of the GTA world doesn't actually exist. The 'law' is a front - there are no real laws, just people with their own agendas. The cops 'act' as cops, but they don't follow the laws set in place. (another example - they shoot first, ask questions later) However, people sharing similar views form into groups - the gangs, the police, the civilians - each are programmed to act a certain way within their own group, and a certain way to other groups.
Basically, there are 'micro-societies' in GTA. Sometimes they coexist, sometimes they don't. Carl, after the first cut scene, is forced to find his own 'society' to exist in - his home gang.
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