Ethics and Game Design John Nordlinger [email_address] Program Manager Microsoft Research

Agenda: Ethics 101 Computer games are a cultural phenomena; rising but is the quality? Computer game players and their choices? Can computer games do good and do well? Good news with Computer games References

Ethics 101

Computer games are a cultural phenomena; rising but is the quality?

Computer game players and their choices?

Can computer games do good and do well?

Good news with Computer games

References

Ethics 101 In the beginning (well in the West anyway) … The Presocratics 600 BC Thales – Harmony 532 BC Pythagoras - 535 – 475 BC Heraclitus – War, conflict, change. 500 BC Parmenides –No change /nodualistic

In the beginning (well in the West anyway) …

The Presocratics

600 BC Thales – Harmony

532 BC Pythagoras -

535 – 475 BC Heraclitus – War, conflict, change.

500 BC Parmenides –No change /nodualistic

Ethics 101 470 BC Socrates – self examination 400 BC Plato Allegory of the Cave The Republic ALLEGORY of the GAME

470 BC Socrates – self examination

400 BC Plato

Allegory of the Cave

The Republic

ALLEGORY of the GAME

Ethics 101 384 BC Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics Foundation of modern ethical thought Virtues: Intellectual – from teaching Moral – from habits The golden mean – moderation Doing good is the greatest pleasure No role for emotions.

384 BC Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics

Foundation of modern ethical thought

Virtues:

Intellectual – from teaching

Moral – from habits

The golden mean – moderation

Doing good is the greatest pleasure

No role for emotions.

Ethics 101 Stoics Epicureans Plotinus (ad 204 – 270 )

Stoics

Epicureans

Plotinus (ad 204 – 270 )

Ethics 101 Enter Religious thought “ Thou shall not kill”, The Bible “ To kill something is to insult its creator”, Upanishads Bhagavad Gita (150 BC) “ Frivolous speech is sinful”, Buddhism Relative (Normative) vs. Absolute philosophy.

Enter Religious thought

“ Thou shall not kill”, The Bible

“ To kill something is to insult its creator”, Upanishads

Bhagavad Gita (150 BC)

“ Frivolous speech is sinful”, Buddhism

Relative (Normative) vs. Absolute philosophy.

Ethics 101 What, then is morally good? Courage, Honesty Innocence, Humor Kindness [Bo Lozoff, North Carolina Philosopher, teaches Yoga in Prisons – author of It’s a Meaningful life, We’re all Doing Time, Just another Spiritual Book.]

What, then is morally good?

Courage, Honesty

Innocence, Humor

Kindness

[Bo Lozoff, North Carolina Philosopher, teaches Yoga in Prisons – author of It’s a Meaningful life, We’re all Doing Time, Just another Spiritual Book.]

Ethics 101 What is morally bad ? cruelty dishonesty cowardness (NietzscheHeraclitus – weakness ) What is bad in a MMORPG? FPS: slow Reaction time. (Ninja) Looting Griefing Poor play; ie slow (or drunk) healer, non or overly-aggressive tank. (Leeroy Jenkins) Lack of communication, improper communication, spamming

What is morally bad ?

cruelty

dishonesty

cowardness (NietzscheHeraclitus – weakness )

What is bad in a MMORPG?

FPS: slow Reaction time.

(Ninja) Looting

Griefing

Poor play; ie slow (or drunk) healer, non or overly-aggressive tank. (Leeroy Jenkins)

Lack of communication, improper communication, spamming

Games Yesterday & Today Quake 2 - 1997 Far Cry - 2004 Prince of Persia - 1989 Max Payne - 2001 Doom - 1993

Evolution of the gaming market WW retail revenues for Windows games tripled in a decade The online Windows gaming market has exploded Projections put total WW Windows games revenue over $9B in 2009 XBOX Live reaches 12M WoW reaches 10M The online Windows gaming market remains strong and online gaming transactions have increased Chinese gaming market by 68%! China game market:$2.1billion in 2010 gamedaily 9/29/2006 $695M 1995 2004 Sources: NPD Data, DFC Intelligence and Themis Group Windows Retail Revenue $2.0B $2.35B $6.86B 2009 $2.3B Windows Online Revenue

WW retail revenues for Windows games tripled in a decade

The online Windows gaming market has exploded

Projections put total WW Windows games revenue over $9B in 2009

XBOX Live reaches 12M

WoW reaches 10M

The online Windows gaming market remains strong and online gaming transactions have increased Chinese gaming market by 68%!

China game market:$2.1billion in 2010 gamedaily 9/29/2006

Games in the news Grand Theft Auto, Warriors and Take 2 Games Devin Moore “Life is a video game: everybody has to die sometime” Featured on 60 mins “Can video games lead to murder” March 2005 Backyard Wrestling Addiction Bad games lead to Bad PR Boycotts Bad legislation Massachusetts has a current Bill to limit video games. Utah Bill HB257 passed House 24 Feb (56 to 8 ) but fails in Senate. China implements law against long MMORPG game play. Lawsuits – Jack Thompson (stifled by Take Two) Second Life Fuzzy Porn Real estate Partitioning teens & ~teens Research and medicine Trango

Grand Theft Auto, Warriors and Take 2 Games

Devin Moore “Life is a video game: everybody has to die sometime”

Featured on 60 mins “Can video games lead to murder” March 2005

Backyard Wrestling

Addiction

Bad games lead to

Bad PR

Boycotts

Bad legislation

Massachusetts has a current Bill to limit video games.

Utah Bill HB257 passed House 24 Feb (56 to 8 ) but fails in Senate.

China implements law against long MMORPG game play.

Lawsuits – Jack Thompson (stifled by Take Two)

Second Life

Fuzzy Porn

Real estate

Partitioning teens & ~teens

Research and medicine

Trango

Summary thus far… Ethics is a long evolved field of study with divergent beliefs but with some common aspirations. Computer games often reinforce a different social norm than is acceptable in Real Life. (RL) Power (aggression) > Peace Who is affected ? Legislatures Game designers, developers and Game publishers Parents & teachers Game Players

Ethics is a long evolved field of study with divergent beliefs but with some common aspirations.

Computer games often reinforce a different social norm than is acceptable in Real Life. (RL)

Power (aggression) > Peace

Who is affected ?

Legislatures

Game designers, developers and Game publishers

Parents & teachers

Game Players

Trends - Software Demand for larger worlds Demand for more detail Floppies vs CDs vs DVDs -> HALO2 4.2GB Blueray -> 20GB Procedural techniques – EA’s Spore Rising development cost Content creation is the bottleneck $10M content budget Art Pipeline is not scaling Amortize cost over multiple platforms

Demand for larger worlds

Demand for more detail

Floppies vs CDs vs DVDs -> HALO2 4.2GB

Blueray -> 20GB

Procedural techniques – EA’s Spore

Rising development cost

Content creation is the bottleneck

$10M content budget

Art Pipeline is not scaling

Amortize cost over multiple platforms

Trends – Hardware CPU performance Clock speed brick wall Transition to “multi-core” CPUs Games are CPU-limited Games are tuned until they are not GPU-limited PC & consoles GPU performance 2x increase every 2 years Multi-core code, optimized code more difficult.

CPU performance

Clock speed brick wall

Transition to “multi-core” CPUs

Games are CPU-limited

Games are tuned until they are not GPU-limited

PC & consoles

GPU performance

2x increase every 2 years

Multi-core code, optimized code more difficult.

Trends in computer gaming Graphics, Audio, Physics cards AI & Procedural designs. – Emergent scenarios More Content. Piracy leads to subscriptions… New storage… Very large team effort Personalization: mods, downloadable assets Serious Games Mo’ Money More public scrutiny requires more focus on security

Graphics, Audio, Physics cards

AI & Procedural designs. – Emergent scenarios

More Content.

Piracy leads to subscriptions…

New storage…

Very large team effort

Personalization: mods, downloadable assets

Serious Games

Mo’ Money

More public scrutiny

requires more focus on security

New rules for game play Lt. Col. Dave Grossman On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill Can we do better FPSs & better than FPSs? Relationships Chinese Couple, met via Legend of Mir 2, got married; now in divorce & bitter dispute over virtual goods. Eurogamer 7/13/2005 South Korean marathon gamers

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society,

Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill

Can we do better FPSs & better than FPSs?

Relationships

Chinese Couple, met via Legend of Mir 2, got married; now in divorce & bitter dispute over virtual goods. Eurogamer 7/13/2005

South Korean marathon gamers

New types of Game Play New types of game play Training better characters Black & White, Lionhead Studios “avatars need love too” Create a model of you to compete against others Forza Motorsport, Microsoft Game Studios for XBOX Star Wars: The Force Unleased EA’s Spore – This winter?

New types of game play

Training better characters

Black & White, Lionhead Studios “avatars need love too”

Create a model of you to compete against others

Forza Motorsport, Microsoft Game Studios for XBOX

Star Wars: The Force Unleased

EA’s Spore – This winter?

Choices “ Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to chose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice” Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged “ The next generation [of games] is really about choice, and emergence, and continuous experience.” Game Informer, Bioshock, March, 2006

“ Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to chose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice”

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“ The next generation [of games] is really about choice, and emergence, and continuous experience.”

Game Informer, Bioshock, March, 2006

Choices Ours is an age besotted with graphic entertainments. And in an increasingly infantilized society, whose moral philosophy is reducible to a celebration of “choice,” adults are decreasingly distinguishable from children in their absorption in entertainments and the kinds of entertainments they are absorbed in- video games, computers games, hand-held games, movies on their computers and so on. This is progress: more sophisticated delivery of stupidity. ___ George Will From Everything Bad is Good for you. Steven Johnson

Choices Ultima 4 [1985] Planescape Torment [1999] Fable [2004] KOTOR WoW [2005] BioShock [2007]

Ultima 4 [1985]

Planescape Torment [1999]

Fable [2004]

KOTOR

WoW [2005]

BioShock [2007]

Planescape Torment Computer Role-Playing Game Emphasis on conversation & storyline Cult classic Main themes: Guilt Redemption Regret Significance of reality perception Importance of knowing oneself

Computer Role-Playing Game

Emphasis on conversation & storyline

Cult classic

Main themes:

Guilt

Redemption

Regret

Significance of reality perception

Importance of knowing oneself

The Good …. Limited emphasis on weapons: The sword of Trias (only usable if Lawful Good) Dak'kon's karach, which only Dak'kon can use . Greater focus on story, choices & dialogue. Humorous and insightful throughout : “ Ideas and beliefs can be more threatening to you than some berk with a sword“.

Limited emphasis on weapons:

The sword of Trias (only usable if Lawful Good)

Dak'kon's karach, which only Dak'kon can use .

Greater focus on story, choices & dialogue.

Humorous and insightful throughout :

“ Ideas and beliefs can be more threatening to you than some berk with a sword“.

World of Warcraft – The good… 10 Million subscribers! Many of long term players female. Most popular game in Microsoft Surpassed 1.5 million paying customers in China – just a month following the games commercial launch… China: WoW grew by a 1/3 in just 2 months! IBM believes WoW players gain Business acumen “ What happens in Azeroth, stays in Azeroth” Story of Ezra Chatterton (Ephoenix)

10 Million subscribers!

Many of long term players female.

Most popular game in Microsoft

Surpassed 1.5 million paying customers in China – just a month following the games commercial launch…

China: WoW grew by a 1/3 in just 2 months!

IBM believes WoW players gain Business acumen

“ What happens in Azeroth, stays in Azeroth”

Story of Ezra Chatterton (Ephoenix)

WoW: …the bad and the ugly. Time > Skill Group > Solo Guilds - us v. them Terms of Service – enforcing strange behavior Power > Peace Addictive –whither Terranova? A real problem with a clever solution.

Time > Skill

Group > Solo

Guilds - us v. them

Terms of Service – enforcing strange behavior

Power > Peace

Addictive –whither Terranova?

A real problem with a clever solution.

Good news with Games Games for learning, Games for health Language: SOE EQ2, Alelo’s Tactical Iraqi, Sonica Spanish, Stanford’s Language, Proof & Logic, etc. Math: Nintendo Brainage, DimexianM Training: Flight Simulator, Full Spectrum Warrior, HAZMAT, America’s Army, Close Combat Community, social awareness and family building Games to enhance computer science www.seriousgames.org

Games for learning, Games for health

Language: SOE EQ2, Alelo’s Tactical Iraqi, Sonica Spanish, Stanford’s Language, Proof & Logic, etc.

Math: Nintendo Brainage, DimexianM

Training: Flight Simulator, Full Spectrum Warrior, HAZMAT, America’s Army, Close Combat

Community, social awareness and family building

Games to enhance computer science

www.seriousgames.org

Games for Learning Language and math learning Training Social awareness

Language and math learning

Training

Social awareness

U.S. Gov (finally) takes notice Emergence of Asia as major locus of technical expertise concerns U.S. policymakers. For instance, China produces 4x as many engineers as the U.S. Merrilea Mayo, National Academy of Science

Emergence of Asia as major locus of technical expertise concerns U.S. policymakers.

For instance, China produces 4x as many engineers as the U.S.

Merrilea Mayo, National Academy of Science

One Game Can Reach as Many People as the Entire U.S. Higher Education System Graduates in a Year Across all Science & Engineering Disciplines M.M. N.A.S . Woodcock, Bruce Sterling (2005). An Analysis of MMOG Subscription Growth. MMOGCHART.COM 21.0. 17 Feb 2007. http://www.mmogchart.com World of Warcraft Lineage Lineage II 390,000 U.S. B.S. S&E’s/year

One Game Can Reach as Many People as the Entire U.S. Higher Education System Graduates in a Year Across all Science & Engineering Disciplines, M.M. N.A.S. Woodcock, Bruce Sterling (2005). An Analysis of MMOG Subscription Growth. MMOGCHART.COM 21.0. 17 Feb 2007. http://www.mmogchart.com 60,000 U.S. B.S. Engineers/year Final Fantasy XI Everquest Ultima Online 390,000 U.S. B.S. S&E’s/year

Thanks! Sir Bruce! http ://www.mmogchart.com/ “ Charting the future of the MMOG industry.”

Stanford’s Language, Proof and Logic + Tarski’s world

Some more examples The Redistricting Game USC, Chris Swain Redistrictinggame.com Virtual Orchestra Rock Band for the Symphony crowd Gamelab.ntu.edu.sg The Binary Game Persuasive Games and DigitalMill for Cisco

The Redistricting Game

USC, Chris Swain

Redistrictinggame.com

Virtual Orchestra

Rock Band for the Symphony crowd

Gamelab.ntu.edu.sg

The Binary Game

Persuasive Games and DigitalMill for Cisco

Games for training HAZMAT Hotzone Full Spectrum Warrior America’s Army Close Combat Navy Submariner Cold Stone Flight Sim ESP

HAZMAT Hotzone

Full Spectrum Warrior

America’s Army

Close Combat

Navy Submariner

Cold Stone

Flight Sim ESP

Games for Health Game to cure disease Snow World - pain and fear therapy/mitigation

Game to cure disease

Snow World - pain and fear therapy/mitigation

Games for Scientific Discovery Zoran Popović, University of Washington Very large user-assisted optimization disguised as a competitive game Deployed to millions of casual-game players BioCraft: Protein folding phrased as a 3D-puzzle Could lead to discoveries with deep implications to fighting viral diseases and cancer

Very large user-assisted optimization disguised as a competitive game

Deployed to millions of casual-game players

BioCraft: Protein folding phrased as a 3D-puzzle

Could lead to discoveries with deep implications to fighting viral diseases and cancer

Snow World Hunter Hoffman, U Washington Allowing physical therapy for young burn victims

Games for Fitness: Dance Dance Revolution Yourself!Fitness Sony Eye-Toy Nintendo Wii Future of Exercise

Dance Dance Revolution

Yourself!Fitness

Sony Eye-Toy

Nintendo Wii

Future of Exercise

Respond Design’s Yourself!fitness

Bruce Gooch University of Victoria Future of Exercise Using Flight Sim ESP and recumbent bicycles to make exercise and programming more compelling. Flight SIM ESP is less sedentary and more fun. Programming is less abstract and more fun.

Imagine Cup winners! 1. Brazil Mother Gaia City Rain 2. Belgium Drunken Puppy 3. Korea Gomz

Eduardo Morgado mentor Guilherme Campos game design Helena van Kampen game art Rafael Fantini game developer Tulio Sória game developer

Economic + Social + Environment = Sustainable City

Some classics … Science Fiction (…becoming Science Fact) 1984 Neuromancer – William Gibson (forcecasted the term ‘net’) 1985 Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card (predicted military use of games for training) 1992 Snow Crash – Neil Stephenson (described MMORPG + RL cross over) Philosophy 1926 Story of Philosophy – Will Durant 1945 The History of Western Philosophy – Bertrand Russell 1985 We’re all Doing Time – Bo Lozoff (often called “the convict’s bible”) 2007 Persuasive Games – Ian Bogost Covers games, their agendas (purposeful or accidental), implicit morality and the potential of the genre.

Science Fiction (…becoming Science Fact)

1984 Neuromancer – William Gibson (forcecasted the term ‘net’)

1985 Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card (predicted military use of games for training)

1992 Snow Crash – Neil Stephenson (described MMORPG + RL cross over)

Philosophy

1926 Story of Philosophy – Will Durant

1945 The History of Western Philosophy – Bertrand Russell

1985 We’re all Doing Time – Bo Lozoff (often called “the convict’s bible”)

2007 Persuasive Games – Ian Bogost Covers games, their agendas (purposeful or accidental), implicit morality and the potential of the genre.

Resources on the web Web www.slashdot.org/games www.joystiq.com www.gamasutra.com www.gametab.com www.seriousgames.org Serious games listserve

Web

www.slashdot.org/games

www.joystiq.com

www.gamasutra.com

www.gametab.com

www.seriousgames.org

Serious games listserve

Thanks! [email_address] Senior Research Program Manager Microsoft Research ?

[email_address]

Senior Research Program Manager

Microsoft Research

Ethics 101 – Wikipedia continued Divided into three primary areas: meta-ethics (the study of the concept of ethics) normative ethics (the study of how to determine ethical values) applied ethics (the study of the use of ethical values).

Divided into three primary areas:

meta-ethics (the study of the concept of ethics)

normative ethics (the study of how to determine ethical values)

applied ethics (the study of the use of ethical values).

Ethics 101 – from wikipedia (via Latin ethica from the Ancient Greek ἠθική [φιλοσοφία] "moral philosophy", from the adjective of ἤθος ēthos "custom, habit"), a major branch of philosophy, is the study of values and customs of a person or group. It covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as right and wrong , good and evil , and responsibility .

(via Latin ethica from the Ancient Greek ἠθική [φιλοσοφία] "moral philosophy", from the adjective of ἤθος ēthos "custom, habit"), a major branch of philosophy, is the study of values and customs of a person or group. It covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as right and wrong , good and evil , and responsibility .

March 19 th , 2007 US grew by 2% (69% of population) China and Russia grew by 20% (10% of C population) (17 % of R population) China to overtake US within two years. S. Korea (70% of population)

March 31, 2008 Brazil overtakes UK and Korea to make top six China is now over 211M 16% of pop Economist, Feb 2 nd .. has more internet users … … but usage patterns are different…