Tommy Hanauer

Final: Cover Letter

August 9th, 2007

August 10, 2007

Leonard Hall 110,
Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
Indiana, PA 15701

Dear Dr. Sherwood,

In the process of taking your English 202 class I have completed an impressive amount of work. This is evident in my blog where you will find the steps I have taken in finishing and refining my research paper. I have also included in my previous blog post the full responses to the survey I conducted, which I gathered my data from. The amount of time and affort I spent on the research paper is evidenced not only by the large sample size that I gathered and analyzed but also by the content of the paper. I have integrated philosophical and empirical resources into my paper and I have synthezied them appropriately with my own fieldwork. What I have created is an insightful piece of work. My research paper is an adaptation of Levinasean theory into modern, digital, life. I believe the analysis you will find within my paper is unique and has not been done or attempted before. The findings of my paper, while I do think they could have been more accurate if the survey was more controlled, point towards intresting conclusions. I feel I have gained new knowledge in the process of this class, but not knowledge of other people, I have gained new knowledge because I have created new knowledge.

Apart from my research paper, which comprises the main part of my blog posts and is undoubtedly the highlight of my course work, there are also several smaller entries that I would like to direct your attention to. The first one is the entry on McLuhan where I discuss his idea about the “global village” and link it to my personal idea that such a “village” leads to nihilism in western culture. The other post that I feel proud of is my very first one, “The Slave Revolt: A Response to Mirror Mirror” where I give a Nietzschean critique of the Mirror Mirror article. I put thought into all of my writing and it shows. I may not be a brilliant writer, but I do have a strong work ethic, and even more importantly I have some good ideas. Whenever my ideas and my knowledge grow and progress I feel accomplished.

Sincerely,

Tom Hanauer

6311 Crombie Street
Pittsburgh PA, 15217

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Survey Results

August 9th, 2007

Survey:

I am writing a paper about ethics and virtual reality. This is not about violence and whether video games affect your temperament or not, this is supposed to examine people’s ethical approaches to the virtual reality environment. This survey is composed of a few open ended questions, you are not obliged to answer all of them, but it would be helpful if you did.

1. Do you cheat in single player games? Yes or no and why?
2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong? Yes or no and why?
5. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality? How so?
6. Do you feel you are able to express your real self
7. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
8. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
9. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
10. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
11. How do you experience other players and how does it differ from how you experience people in real life in a face-to-face encounter?

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games?
Yes: Usualy i do after i have completed the game, or get bored/stuck in one place for too long, the main reasons are if there are fun cheats, like in the GTA games, or if want to experiment with certain weapons in FPS type games.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
No: Never cheated in Multipler Online games. I may have exploited something once or twice but hardly ever.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
Single player cheaters arn’t bad if their stats don’t get uploaded or something like that, but Multiplayer (online) cheaters should burn in hell, especialy if their cheating causes non-cheater’s stats to go bad or something.
Playing online is about playing somebody thats real, not AI, so you would want to be playing against somebody that can really test you skill, you can’t do that if someone cheats. Cheaters take away thwe fun of online gaming.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
NoAs long as it doesn’t effect stats or other players its ok, just for a bit of fun. Also cheating can sometimes be the only way to get around errors, if you have a scratch on the disc and need to avoid something etc…

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
Yes If somebody spends hours/days revising/preparing something for say a job, only to be turned down because somebody has a better score (the cheater, who didn’t put any time into it), its very unfair, if you don’t try hard you don’t deserve anything good.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Yes I Don’t always go by my real name, or sometimes try to fit in, saying
things that are oposite to what i believe. That hardly ever happens though.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
Sometimes, i’m just as shy online as i am in real life, but i can take longer to say things on forums/msn etc…
8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
Don’t think anyone has ever insulted my avitar, if they did i may get offended, depends what they say.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
It allows you to explore things you could only dream of.
Try new things without worrying about consequences.
Free to do whatever you want, thats what makes the GTA games so Epic.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
NO Maybe do something similar if its got nothing to do with 9/11, but simulating something as bad as that is just sick.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I help people (newcomers and anyone else looking for help) alot in games e.g. if they ask for a command in San Andreas Multiplayer to do something like send a PM, i’l help, or if they are under attack by a cheater i would report the cheater etc…
In real live i would probably be the same, i would help out people who ask for directions (athough i realy shouldn’t because 5 minutes after telling the person i realise i’ve given them directions to the wrong place lol), and if somebody was being attacked in the street or something i would probably help, only if i think i can take on the guys/girls, i would probably just shout and run if it were to be a dozen body builders or something lol.

. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
Yes, sometimes when I keep failing at a mission I cheat, sometimes I just cheat for fun, depending on what game I’m playing
2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
No, because I dunno how
3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
SP: indifferent. Online: Kinda ruins my fun
4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
No, because the creators of the game made most cheats.
5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
No, because I don’t really care.
6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Sometimes my online character is an alien, I guess that’s different… Then Again…
7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
Yes.
8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
No, I might have the liberty, but I just don’t waste my time on insulting peeps online
9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
Real Life>online, definately
10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
Beeing able to explore worlds, hoping for the day we can all live like in that book Otherland from Tad Williams
11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
Yes, I’m not American so I guess that plays a big role, and as long as the game is realistic enought I’d wanna give it a go.
12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I’m usually the n00b, no n00bs ever came to me for help, so I never got to abuse or help them. In real life I won’t cross a guy who didn’t have it coming to him

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

Only when I’ve already beat it.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

Nope.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

It shows their lack of skill.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

Only when I’m being cheated against cause it’s not fair and takes the joy away from playing.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Well, I’ve cheated a few times in real life, but I don’t make a hobby out of it. I’m usually competent enough that I don’t need to.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Fairly. You can get away with a lot more on the internet then in real life. I’m pretty sure all of us take advantage of that.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

That could go either way. You could either be completely honest or just flat out lie your ass off, all with ease. I myself am much more honest on the internet due to being anonymous.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

If they deserve it, yes. Some people are completely oblivious of their stupidity, so they have to learn sometime.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

I guess I’m equally offended, but it’s more annoying to be insulted by someone you don’t even know. The only reason I’d get offended from someone insulting my avatar is that it’s something I created and spent time on.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

More fun than actually reality and no consequences.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

Even though it’s just a simulation, no because A.) That’s a nice “f*ck you” to everyone who died in reality from that event, and B.) That would be one of the crappiest games ever made, right next to True Crime. I wouldn’t see the fun in flying a plane for a few minutes and smashing into a building as an entire game.

I try to help new people if I’m not already doing something. I don’t purposely act like an elitist dick just because I’ve been around longer then them. It pisses me off when people do it to me, so I don’t to it to others. I’m pretty much the same in real life, I’m nice to people who are nice to me.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

Yes - im too lazy to actually unlock extras. Its quicker to cheat.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

No - because I dont want to get myself banned from playing.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

Single player - OK, I dont think anything. Multiplayer - Its cheating honest players from succeding in the game.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, not at all. If cheats are coded into the game then why not? Or if its a glitch, then try it out. (but not online)

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

2.
Yes its wrong, we know it. But somehow I cant help myself… If its going to get you something good out of it (good job, money) and not affect other people in a negative way then its ok.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Yes. Online im Fighting a war. Shooting aliens. Driving fast cars. Stealing the other teams flag. Offline im none of those.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Yes.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

No. Theres no point to it. Were all just playing for enjoyment and why should someone try to spoil someone else enjoyment.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

I dont get offended when someone insults my character in a game.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

I can just play for fun when im bored. I can do things Id never be able to do or even get away with in real life.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

No. Its just f*cking wrong. Id feel guilty after playing it. (I suppose this brings an argument about it being ‘OK’ to play a war game shooting at terrorists?)

Im generally nice to other players. I dont offer help to a new player if I just see them, but if they speciffically ask me to help them then I will. In real life if there was a newcomer to a job or something, I’d probably help them without them having to ask me first.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

Only after I beat the game. I like the challenge at first, and I like to go back and see what I missed by playing it safe.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

Nope, it takes away the fun and makes you look stupid.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

Single player-their loss. Multi-Boot them or give them a cheaters section to play against other like minded individuals.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

I don’t think it is wrong if it is one player. Cheating on ranked games is wrong.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Tough question. I have cheated in real life. It depends on the circumstances, sorry I can’t answer this any better.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

No. I try to act the same and I don’t get cocky just because I am behind a keyboard.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Yes.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

Yes, but I am mature enough to not do it. I might make a joke but I don’t get an attitude and pick fights.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

Another good question, I haven’t had that happen, but I do take some of what I read more personal than what I hear in real life. I think it is because I could influence them in real life or change their mind, but there are limitations on what you can do to someone through a monitor.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

Not sure I understand the “VR” but I like gaming because I can let off steam. You can also be the hero/villian you always wanted to be without having to be overly brave or worry about consequences.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

Yes, I can separate reality and fantasy quite easily. I would prefer to play someone trying to stop it but I would play as a terrorist. It is just a game, I have played as a vengeful god that killed thousands with the click of a mouse.

I try to help. I like to do that in real life and in games. It doesn’t bite you in the ass as much when you do it on a computer.

. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why? Yes, but only after I’ve finished it

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why? No because if people are cheating it’s unfair on people who aren’t.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer? Single player is fine but the miltiplayer cheaters are assholes.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why? No because it’s only a game

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why? Depends on the situation. If it’s to feed a starving family it’s ok in my book.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so? Yeah because I don’t shoot people in deathmatches in real life.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online? Not really

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why? Yes because we don’t know each other

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online? Not really and in real life

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why? Have the freedom to do whatever you want.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why? No, that’s just sick

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why? Yes, because sometimes certain things piss me off and I need to cheat to get by it. However, most of the time I don’t cheat like Halo since it doesn’t really have any code stuff to put in (AS A CONSOLE GAMER.)

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why? No, because there is no need to cheat if someone beats your ass and you need to cheat to beat them shows you have no skill and are impatient.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer? Single play is okay as long as it is not online with other people. Multiplayer cheating sucks because then nobody gets an advantage.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why? Sure, because it is cheating for the benefit for yourself and it doesn’t help others who are better.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why? Yes, because it is breaking da law. They are greedy scalawags.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so? No, because I am a nice person online and outside.e

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online? No.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why? No.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online? Yes, because my avey is coo and no-one shuld bee dissin my avey liek mi momma.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why? WHAT!!!!!!!! WHEN IS VIRTUAL REALITY, REALITY!

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why? Yes, because it would be an interesting point of view. It is not like people did with flight simulator. I remember people would crash their 747’s into the Trade Centerz.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter It depends. It is best to help the newcomers so that when you help them they become ur buddies. If you don’t they will probably own you in the future and say “BITCH YOU DIDN’T HELP ME NOW LOOK WUT HAPPEN HERE, DEAD BITCH.”

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why? No, I think it takes the fun out of the game.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why? Never. Besides the fact that I could get banned, it takes the fun out of it.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer? That’s their choice to cheat in single player. But I dont like cheaters in multiplayer, I don’t see how it is fun to watch your computer play a game.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why? I don’t think it’s wrong, its just a game and it is their choice of how they play it.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why? Yes, but that doesnt mean we don’t do it :/

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so? I guess. I don’t have the same scenarios in real life as i do in the game so they would be different either way.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online? Yes

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why? Yes, because I don’t know them. But it still makes me feel stupid for insulting or arguing over a game.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online? No, I could care less. Real Life.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
Something to do when bored.
11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why? Yes, it is just a game.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I would help out a newcomer as much as I could, as long as I am still having fun and can do it on my own time. I probably would not help out a random person at something new in real life, yet I might in “virtual reality

I am writing a paper about ethics and virtual reality and I was wondering if you all could give me a helping hand by answering a short survey of mine. This survey is composed of a few open ended questions. You are not obliged to answer all of them, or any, but it would be very helpful to me if you did (at least answer some!). The paper ideally is supposed to examine people’s ethical approaches to the virtual reality environment. Comments are welcome, thanks!

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, there is no need to, play the game the way it was meant to be played or don’t.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

No, there is no need to, play the game the way it was meant to be played or don’t.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

I think it is sad, because it affects those of us who would like to play the game normally.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Not majorly, if at all because I feel more comfortable online than face to face.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Yes, for the same reason above.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

No, because I’m not the type to offend someone whether online or not.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

I’m more prone to be insulted offline in real life, because well, virtual reality is just that….virtual.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

Being able to talk with people without the stress of being face to face. Yeah I’m weird like that.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

No. Because…thats just wrong. If anyone made a game like that, they should and would be sued.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I tend to help out newcomers when I can in game, and in real life I’ll gladly help people as well.

1. No. If I can’t handle the game without cheating, maybe the game isn’t for me. After all, it is a game.
2. Same as above.
3. They should think about if what they do really makes the game funnier.
4. A computer game is designed to entertain, so ethically wrong isn’t maybe right. That would imply you take the game way too serious, which I find wrong.
5. Depends. Mostly yes. To some extent, lies are okay. Cheating can (but not often) be okay, depending on circumstances.
6. Not very much.
7. The other way around. More honest in real life.
8. Yes, online nobody can punch you in the face.
9. I’ve had numerous comments on my avatars over the years. I am not my avatar. Simple as that! (thank God!)
10. Is this a form of virtual reality? This is about as far as it goes for me, and if this is VR, I enjoy talking to people I normally wouldn’t meet. I see this (and the entire game d2) as a way to have fun and discuss etc.
11. I think the idea sounds somewhat boring, but I do admit I’ve crashed into buildings on purpose with Flight Simulator some ten years ago. Ethically, I wouldn’t say that crashing into WTC is any different than every war game where you invade middle east countries. You need to know the difference between game and reality, that’s it.
12. I’d rather help out. At least that’s what I try to do. In both cases

1. No, because mostly they like to infect your computer and kill it. ;p

2. Ditto above.

3. “I won’t be seeing you later, probably because you will be hacked.”

4. Mostly, yes, because you’re modifying the game to go on your terms, which isn’t quite what a game is for. If it’s something to balance single-player and online experiences such as RWM, then that’s different, because you’re still accepting their “terms” but you’re leveling the playing field between online and offline.

5. I would think so, we should all be able to start on the same playing field, not with some people with bigger head starts than the rest of us.

6. A little, if only because it seems easier for me to confront people without actually confronting people. So I guess it loosens my tongue a little compared to real life.

7. Sometimes. Sometimes it gives you time to put things more honestly, sometimes it gives you that time to mask your true intentions.

8. No, because I don’t insult people based on something as trivial as someone’s avatar. I don’t insult without good reason, and an avatar is not a good reason.

9. Not at all, though I would consider them immature. I would probably be prone to take offense in real life, mostly because you can sense body language, which gives a lot away, and online, you don’t have anything but a few pixels to work off of.

10. It’s a little easier to deal with people online, they come and go with more fluidity. In real life it doesn’t really work that way, but in its own way it’s necessary to learn that way.

11. No, because I would much rather play the next Zelda, Super Smash Bros., or Diablo title ;p

12. I help new friends out all the time, not because I plan to “abuse” them but because I got help from others, and so it is only natural that I help others to pay my “debts,” so to speak, and, to be honest, they’re all a bunch of 0s and 1s, they aren’t going to matter in the grand scheme of life…or will they? In real life I’m probably a little more reserved about helping…

1. Do you cheat in single player games? Yes or no and why?

No. I don’t know how to.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

Sadly I don’t do multiplayer, can’t get it working properly.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

It’s not for me, but whatever floats your boat.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, it’s only a game…

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Yes, because it’s real life. Your actions may affect others, or make you look like someone you’re not.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality? How so?

yes and no. I’m as sharp and witty, at the same time when I’m down you see it in my posts, mainly because due to personal circumstances I’ve got no where else to go with it.

7. Do you feel you are able to express your real self

Usually, yes. Language sometimes makes it difficult.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

freer is not in my dictionairy I’m afraid. Dunno what it means.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

don’t care about avatar. I don’t like to be insulted at all, not online nor anywhere else.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

I seem to get on with people online easier. Dunno why.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

No. I’m not interested in games like that. Don’t like wargames either.

I don’t play with other people…..oddly enough. I would never abuse someone. In real life I sometimes manipulate people another direction. It’s because it’s the only way to get things done when people start belittling and patronizing you.

1. Maybe, if I just want to see the plot, though I would not consider that I beat the game if I use it. (THERE IS NO COW LEVEL / POWER OVERWHELMING / AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs / WhosYourDaddy, ok, enough SC and WC3 cheats)
2. No, unless you count trading for HR’s as cheating. It affects other people.
3. As long as it does not affect other people, there is nothing wrong with it.
4. Yes if it affects other people. No if it does not.
5. Same as above.
6. Not really.
7. Yes, as I do not need to fear retaliation.
8. I don’t insult people online or in real life.
9. It’s easier to ignore someone online than real life.
10. Generally the game play itself.
11. No. That’s just plain wrong.
12. I would try to help them, as long as they are not hopeless. At that point, I will probably just leave them.

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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
Depends on the cheat and the game, so a yes/no answer is in order. I never cheated in D2, but never saw a reason. But other games I have simply because I would be at a point where I cared more about moving on than facing the challenge. Case in point, I downloaded a cheat for one of the later Need For Speed games (Hot Pursuit?) simply so I could drive the car I wanted on the track I wanted. I simply did not find the game interesting enough to go through the full package to unlock one car. Another example was Doom 3. Although I did all of Quake 4, and many other FPS, I found myself just getting bored as all hell with Doom 3. Finally towards the end I just did God mode and ran through to the end just to see how it ends. Since that time I deleted the game and could care less about it.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
No, never have cheated. If I cheat in a single player game, this is my business. But if I cheat on a MP game then I make it other’s business which is selfish and rude. I don’t care for others to cheat against me, so why should I in turn. Better question is what kind of character do you have to be this selfish? I had to deal with a lot of frustration in games like Call of Duty and America’s Army before they enabled Punkbuster which took care of Aimbot. I like the online play because of the challenge. When someone using Aimbot and a sniper rifle is in the game, there is no more challenge.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
For single player it is THEIR business and nobody else’s. People will cheat for various reasons, some good, some bad. People should care less about others as long as they have no impact on them. On the other hand people that cheat online do have an impact on others. For example, players using TPPK does have a direct impact on me, where as without this cheat any player going hostile can only PK me if I choose it (meaning if I do not go into town). What I think of these people are that they are immature, selfish, rude, and have no ethics.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
Again, in single player, absolutely not. On MP where you can affect other’s fun, yes this is ethically wrong because you basically do not have the right to do this.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
No, I do not. BUT, I am sure people can give some examples where there is a grey area. Basically there are no absolutes in this world
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Basically no, I treat people the same as how I treat people in real life. In other words I treat people the same as how I want others to respond to me.Maybe because after so many years I am fed up by little immature cowards who need to act out online hiding behind anonymity.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
In sense yet, but then again why open up to complete strangers when you can do it with people that know you better.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
Not particularly. It all comes down to would I say the same if they were in person? As I get offended my little jerks who mouth off, I in turn should figure that others may not care for what I have to say. There is always a much better option…leave the game.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
Depends on the situation, more often it is just tiresome and annoying.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
The challenge is more realistic for online games. For example I never ever had a problem playing any map in Close Combat series, would almost always win. Yet when playing against my brother all bets were off. Same for Call of Duty. I can whip through the entire game in a matter of hours, yet online there is a unique challenge there where I actually have to work at staying alive.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
No, NEVER. I find this dispicable. I am one who was glad that Microsoft adjusted their Flight Simulator so sick people would not do this. I think it really speaks volumes about someone who would like to do this. What’s next them a game about serial killers? The same rules of life should be applied. Even if there was no intention we would not allow people to take flight simulator classes just for fun to see this happen.
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Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I personally enjoy from time to time helping out others, for example in D2 giving out items or free rushes (never once charged for a rush). Again I treat people how I would want to be treated. Even after all these years there are still many aspects of this game I do not know about. I do not care for someone to insult me because I do not know something, and in turn what kind of person am I to insult someone else for their lack of knowledge. A simple fact of life is that EVERYONE was new to this game or that. One reason why the number one aspect of any game I despise, and especially D2, is the need to call someone a “noob” or “newbie”. To me this is the most immature and idiotic thing in online games. Every single player had to start somewhere. Fact is the vast majority of players got to where they are with the help of others. It is ammusing to see a level 98 player calling someone a noob, when I am sure at some point they were new to the game, and during the time they received a lot of help from others.

Years back in a rush there was some kid who obviously had just started this game. He had no idea on how to play at all. Out of the group I was the only one that helped him (he did not even know how to use the portal system). While the rest of the group became impatient and rude, I could not help but think that in turn maybe they could have used some kindness in the past.

I know one thing, I would not have the characters I have today if it was not for the kindness of others. Sadly people just do not realize that YOU benefit more with kindness than being an immature jerk-off. In fact the one player that has help me out the most (gave me tons of items to get started..like Hoz, Gaze, etc..) is someone I could have just been rude to. Instead I helped them rush a character, even though my own was very weak. He appreciated all the hard work I did, and in turn repaid me later on. In a sense it is all Karma, what goes around comes around. The person you may decide to ignore and be rude to, could very well have been your best ally.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

1. => I do not cheat to help me accomplish something, but I have tried some to see funny effects (eg: convert blood effects into flowers).

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

2. => Nope, it feels more like real life to me than single player, you can’t very well have fun and enjoy it all without any consequences.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

3. => Assuming we’re talking about game altering cheats for the purpose of completing the game easily or obtaining massive items without doing anything, I think about the same as… I’ll swallow my words from here on

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

4. => Yes, I believe that how a person acts in computer games says something about that person in real life, after all, it’s the same personality behind both, behind a computer, you can be all you want, without any consequences, so that’s basically how those people act.
That’s why I often use extreme examples of real life situations when people ask why I dissapprove of something ingame, that way, if they disregard it without any thought, I know what kind of persons they are in real life.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

5. => In real life, there are no rules, a kill is a permanent one, even a small hurt can be a permanent scar (both physically and psychologically).
There is no fine thin line as to what is right or wrong, or what should prevail, you can only live your life by the ethics you were thaught, nothing else.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

6. => I can honestly say they are similar, ofcourse, online, everyone is a bit more himself than in real life.
I know for a fact that some people hate my guts, as where others like hanging out with that same guts.
I see no reason to beheave differently.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

7. => Not for me, others might, but I still prefer a face to face conversation, where you can show the other with gestures what you really mean.
(Don’t even start about webcams, I hate sitting in one place while talking or thinking, I need to wander around for that).

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

8. => Actually I feel even more restricted when it comes to fighting and insults, whatever the other party is doing to get me angry orso, it has a lot less effect than face to face.
Maybe because I can choose to ignore people online easier than in real life.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

9. => People don’t like my avatar? I’d probably laught about that one, and as I pointed out in 8, I feel a lot less offended when it’s online, simply hit delete and ignore.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

10. => The fun options, real life doesn’t have does, you need to work a lot harder for them.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

11. => I played MoHAA, and I live in Belgium, does that answer your question?

12. => I try to avoid other players as much as possible in most games, since most of them aren’t worth my time.
Depending on the behavior of that newcommer I would either help him or ignore him (not how ignorant he is, just his personality).
In real life, even though it’s not very nice, I would rather help a gorgeous chick than some 50 year old homeless guy.

On computer, all you can go on, is their behavior, in real life, looks come first, since you don’t know the person in advance, online, it’s all you know.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
No, single playing is something I would do because I enjoy the game how it is. However, if you include some of the mods (example being Kingdom of Tenai mod for Diablo) as cheating, then I do somewhat.
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2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
In multiplaying there is sometimes a competitive level to things. In Diablo’s case, there is a requirement for good items to be a real participant in Player v Player. And due to the type of time investment that goes with getting such items, I have used alternate methods to get them.
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3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
In single player I don’t much see the point, but in multiplayer I can understand it to an extent. Some hacks, like auto aim mods, are on a different level. They remove the skill of things and ruin fun for other players, which is going too far, in my opinion.
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4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
In most cases, I’d have to say no. Extreme cases of cheating, like keylogging, is very wrong.
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5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
Yes. Shouldn’t really need an explanation.
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6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Yes. My online persona is more playful than my real life one. Not hugely different, but a tad.
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7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
There’s not much of a difference.
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8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
I feel free to insult people that deserve to be insulted. If someone is being an *** on the computer of in real life, my action is the same.
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9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
Well, online people are easier to dismiss, sure. But the majority of online insults are so petty that it’s not worth it to care. Add onto that the fact that most don’t really know you as a person and it’s obvious enough to see where a person is more vulnerable.
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10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
Well, in a multiplayer sense (I don’t really play single player), it’s competition and improving of skill.
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11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
No. Firstly because the game would likely be gimmick title that just wants to sell on it’s “controversy,” which translates to a crap game. Secondly, it’s not really the type of goal I’d want in a game.
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12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I’m an oddly sociable person. Typically my attitude is a very open and friendly one, and the same is true of my online persona. I have helped many new players in the game, and I think that’s a solid reflection of how I carry myself in real life.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
It depends but it doesn’t come up often. Mostly it’s for my convenience or fun, as an example I’ll refer to Jedi Knight 2. For some stupid reason they start you off without a lightsabre or any force powers and without them it’s just another crappy shooter.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
I used to have a MH for d2 but I’d like to think I matured out of using hacks. I’d still like to be able to see where I’m going but it’s cheating.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
While I’m not particularly against hack use I do stand behind fair play so for single player I don’t give a rats *** if they’ve got every hack known to man running but once they head online I expect them to turn it off.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
It’s said that a society can be judged on the way they play a game and I agree. A thief is a thief is a thief and the same thing goes for a cheater.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
Yes.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Not especialy. I decided a long time ago that it was insane to do anything that your ashamed of (yes, I have a point). Online personalities are often about roleplaying or fantasy and because I do exactly as I believe I should I dont really have a need to build a fake persona. That being said, I do enjoy roleplaying games so I can see that some people might act differently online.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
Oi, I really gotta read these questions ahead of time instead of as I come to them. I do have to commend ya on comming up with questions about the points I want to make. But yeah, as above.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
I don’t do it anymore then I do in real life.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
I do get more offended by people online more often because most people wouldn’t say it in real life. Dopey people like that are a waste of my time.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
Reality is boring. Slaying a dragon is much more interesting then filing a memo.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
So long as it was done tastefully.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I often help out people on the forum so I’d say that between my reputation and previous answers this speaks for itself.

Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Yes , not even close to being the same don’t think im gonna embarrass myself in the real world by saying “Awoo!”.

Im still the same attitude wise to people though on forums and in real life , trying to be nice to everyone etc.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, unless you count something like black sheep wall in SC.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

Course not, if i play online it’s to have fun with other players, or pit myself against them in a friendly environment, if im gonna cheat, why play?

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

Single player is not a big deal, except for the fact that if your truly cheating, then even if your not harming another person or player, your still harming yourself. Basically that though, truly cheating is always harmful.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

Yes, because when you cheat in ANYTHING, it gets easier to cheat in other things, that may have larger consequences. Like i said in #3 though, cheating always harms yourself.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Of course, #4 with emphasis.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Nope, that would just mean that i have parts of me im uncomfortable with people knowing about that i can show online, cause no one really knows me.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Nope, there is no difference in honesty online or off, either your honest, or your not.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

No, I don’t generally insult people. Online or off should be no different.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

No, I don’t get offended easily, but real life is easier to get offended of course, they can see you.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

The ability to compete or interact with people I might not have ever been able to in person.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

No, how would that even be a game? Not only would it be offensive for families and friends of people who died, how could that possibly be fun? I do like war games, but not ones that are based on current issues.

Like I said before, online or offline it is still you, so I interact the same way I would if they were standing in front of me. I am not an abusive person, so I would help a newcomer, but also because I get much more satisfaction helping someone then abusing them.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

No. I enjoy the challenge provided by the game. If I get stuck on a certain portion, I try to figure out what I could do differently to accomplish the task/goal/whatever.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

No. In MMO games cheating gives an unfair advantage to the player and I feel that is wrong.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

I dont have a problem with people cheating in single player games. They are playing by themselves and should be able to enjoy it however they please. MMO games are different because as stated in question 2, cheating provides and unfair advantage to that player that the others are not given.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

Because I don’t agree with it yes. Cheating can be construed as another way of lieing and I despise liars.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

I most certainly do. Too many people (especially those in my generation and younger) have been given things to them on a silver platter. Instead of going out and EARNING the things they desire and attempting to acheive better for themselves, they expect things to be handed out to them, or given to them just because they want it. If they dont get it they ***** and cry until they do or cheat/steal to get it.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Not really. I try to give off the same vibe I do outside of online although some people construe things differently because facial expressions and body movements give off a lot of information. While talking or whatever online, it’s hard to pick up on these things. I myself am a very sarcastic person. Part of me likes it because I love making gullible people beleive outrageous things. This is harder to pick up on in an environment such as this.

I actually got someone to beleive I was infallible once. That was a great day. (no sarcasm here)

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

No. If I’m pissed off, I say so. If I’m sad I say so. Being online doesn’t change this. Although I wasn’t always that way. When I was younger (15-18)it was easier, but im now 22 and have done a bit of growing up. :p

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

No. I only try to insult people when they deserve it. For example when they’re being a dumbass, I will call them such or find a more creative way to express how stupid they are being.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

No I dont. It’s just a game, I’m here to have fun. Why would someone calling my conglomerated pixels something ‘mean’ offend me. That I don’t understand.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

It’s a bit of an escape. Much like a book or movie. For a little while, you forget about all the responsibilities you have and can just enjoy the fun you are having with no other concerns.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

Well it would need more than that to enthrall me. I think the real question is would I find it offensive. To that question, no I don’t. I used to live in NY and was there on 9/11. People over dramatize bad situations and try to play victom for things that have no relation what so ever to them. It was a terrible event, but to place it up on basically a pedastal and restrict any type of information/game/criticism or whatever regarding it because it hurts your feelings is, to quote Penn & Teller, bull****.

I always try to help out newer players. I was there once and didn’t always get help when I needed it, so I learned from that and instead of discouraging someone because they are new and don’t know the aspects of the game, I encourage them to LEARN and try new things. I do the same in real life. I would rather have someone ask a question which they feel is stupid or they should know the answer too, than do something wrong and be upset about it later.

1. Yes I do. Single player mode is for individual entertainment and with runes or gear, I copy until I have what I need. Runes in partucular, after a gazillion back and forths with files, cubing, I have a dozen of every one.

2. No.

3. I don’t care about single player, but there is a code of right and wrong within the team. I don’t even like maphack although understand its temptation.

4. Yes it is wrong. Cheating on a diet, stop smoking, gambling, fidelity…in all things allows the habit to grow.

5. Very much so. As a species we must have a code.

6. No…that is me, or rather me as the hero warrior I’d like to be.

7. Very much so…more so than in person.

8. I don’t get off on indiscriminate insulting. Demonstrates low self esteem.

9. Both equally…although in real life they can see in my eyes not to **** with me….the consequences are more real rather than in a game of chest beating.

10. To lose oneself for awhile in another character where you really feel the pain, feel the teamwork, look to perfection of character.

11. Absolutely not. I don’t like those games where you can shoot cops and innocent bystanders.

12. I always help people out in the game. It’s called passing on the favor…I’ve been rushed or given cool gear for free, and I do the same for others. Again, while it is only a game, the mindset should still be the same…you either are a hero…or a villain. Now when there is a bad *** abusing folks in a game…if I have a character that could nail him\her, I’ll bail out and come back in and go hunting…that’s called “bounty hunting” in my book. LOL. Good luck on your paper.

ps. for your profile stats (married, 58 years old, professional, college degree, one child) and my nephews and me love this game for years now….

1. Hardly! I always found myself running the cheats in Neverwinter Nights just because cows from hell was irresistible. Other than that, it kinda defeats the purpose of playing a game if you’re going to ‘godmode’ you’re whole way through, though I do test things for statistical purposes on single player. (wow I’m a nerd)

2. No not on multiplayer.

3. Their business not mine! If they wanna cheat single player to test builds thats perfectly fine with me, which’ll probably help me out in the long run =P As for multiplayer, its unfair but not much you can do.

4. Kinda gray about this. I’d say not really, its more of a maturity thing and concern for others.

5. Yes! I always hated when I spent so long working on projects/assignments/papers and people just hold their hands out and say “YO GIVE DAT PAPA 2 MI”

6. Not really, I’m a bit more friendly online than I am in real life “HI! HOW ARE YOU!?! ” haha =D and also, a tad more agressive when need be. My jokes are also alot funnier =P

7. Sometimes, without all the awkward facial expressions, and when things get TOO awkward you can just be like “DIARREAH G2G” versus IRL.

8. I dont insult unless given a reason, but yes I do feel more free to make fun of others online

9. No one insults my avatar cuz Inguna Butane is beautiful! It takes a bit to get me offended, but in the end it would depend on who it was doing the insulting.

10. It not being real, ha. Also the strange but fun people you meet in the process.

11. I have played something similar actually and thought it was very stupid, not my cup of tea…shouldn’t really be anyones for the matter.

12. I’m surprisingly really nice with people, and treat it sort of as first impressions. I help em out when needed but know when they’re trying to suck the living wealth out of you. its generally the same face to face.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

Sometimes, but only after I’ve beaten the game and want to experiment with other options and modes of play.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

No.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

I usually try to reserve judgement although I suppose it would depend on the cheat and the environment it was done in (SP or multiplayer, how integrated is the multiplayer environment, is it done among friends in an isolated group, etc)

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes
or no and why?

In single player, no.
In multiplayer, it depends on the circumstances (some listed above) but usually yes.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Absolutely, for the same reason as it is in games (artificial and undeserved advantage). However, the consequences and the affect it has are obviously more serious in real life.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Not at all. I can’t imagine not being me.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Perhaps a little. I think everyone may admit it’s easier to say some things (good or bad), when the internet is the medium.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

Again, perhaps a little. Odds are though, if I’m mad enough to do it in a game, I’d be mad enough to tell someone off in real life.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

Insult my avatar? I don’t really care if someone likes it or not…I do. I’d say I’m less likely to be offended by the average internet idiot. If someone is a jerk in real life I’ll have to put up with them more and face to face interactions are always more heated.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

I play for the relaxing escape and the interaction with people I’ve become friends with.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

Absolutely not. I find the notion disturbing. I never could get into killing people that didn’t deserve it (GTA etc).

I try to help out people who I think show a bit of decency and common sense. If someone acts sensible then I want to help them. If not, I usually ignore them and go my own way. I suppose I act much the same in real life.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, but Black Sheep Wall is tempting.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

NO! Enough said.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

Single player: don’t give a dang. Multiplayer: If it affects me directly or indirectly it matters and I think they are PoS.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

Hmm… Yes. Why? I don’t know…

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Yes. Question answers itself.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Yes, I’m more confident online.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

Only with friends so mostly no.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

Slightly, but I rarely do. I still think it is wrong.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

Everyone loves my avatar so this question does not apply to me. Oh, 2 part question. Online person.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

Lights in a box is fun.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

Hmm… Depends if it was fun and if the Patriot Act is still there.

Act in a nice manner. Yes help. Same.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
Sure. They’re not cheat’s; they’re game enhancers. Helps liven up a stale game sometimes, other times its just fun. Why would game designers put them in if they wouldnt enhance the game for some people.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
Hmm, dont know what you mean by this. You mean, say, by scams and such? no.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
Single player, fine, multiplayer, not so much.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
No. Because it doesnt mean anything

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why? Yes. I dont think it needs an explination.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online? Not at all.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online? real life

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why? Hell no. You dont support something like that.

Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
When starting a game definitely no cheating, if I can’t get through the game as it was intended then I’m doing something wrong. Therefore I have to figure it what that is, as finally solving a game that was difficult is rewarding. That said I have used cheat codes before after a game has been solved the correct way. My example will be Shinobi for the Sega Master System (boy I’m dating myself here aren’t I? And yes I know it’s not technically a computer game). You can skip to any level you wish, if one was entertaining to play.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
Definitely not. Cheating when interacting with other people could ruin their fun and enjoyment of the game. To do that would just be disrespectful to my fellow gamers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?p
There is a difference between the two. Individuals who cheat in Single Player games aren’t affecting anyone but themselves, so I have no problem with that. If that is how they enjoy the game, then I say let them. However Multiplayer games are completely different. Since you are interacting with others who are not cheating, this could very well ruin the legitimate player’s enjoyment of the game and therefore turn them off of a game they would otherwise enjoy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
I’d have to say this depends on what is done to actually cheat. Some games such as Civilization or my previous Shinobi example have easter eggs purposely added by the programmers. The creators are allowing you to cheat and by adding such possibilities to the game, actually want to you do so to a degree. On the flip side hacking a program in order to cheat would be ethically wrong. You’d be tampering and altering the game into a variation not intended by it’s creators.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
Most definitely. Cheating promots laziness, if you can cheat then why do the work necessary such as studying for the test. This then places individuals who don’t truely have the correct skillset in important positions, where their eventually failure will cause a hardship on honest individuals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
No, not really. I act exactly the same online as I do in real life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
I do feel it is easier to be more honest online than in real life. I’m not less honest in real life, it is just that face-to-face honesty can be a bit more nerve racking than a simple post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
Yes I do feel it is more accepted to insult others online due to the anonymous nature of the internet. However I wouldn’t do so as that isn’t part of my personality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
No one has insulted my avatar yet. However no I don’t believe I’d be insulted, as that is just a single person’s opinion and we’re all allowed our opinions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
It’s a nice stress releasing activity after a difficult day at work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
Talk about a loaded question, are you sure you don’t work for the government. Just kidding. I’d say no, I do not play games were I am the villian engaging in mass murder.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inherited Bowels
12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I treat people online as I do in person. If someone needed my help for a legitimate reason, I’d provide it. Whether that is answering a question or helping them perform some task.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, since it’ll get to easy/boring like that.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?

No, same reason as above, plus there is no challenge left if you are the best.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?

Each to his own, but i find em quit pathetic if they are older then 14 years.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?

No, it just stays a game, not reality, you don’t hurt people with it, just lessen your’s and their fun.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?

Yes. Life is not a game, it’s illegal for a reason, honoust people have this way a much harder time.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?

Nope, i try to do my best to be friendly against most people, but get as quick irritated as irl.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?

It’s easyer yes, but I’m not a very shy person irl so i don’t have much problems with that.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?

Don’t quit understand freer, but i figure it means ‘to have no problems with it’. I don’t have problems with it, if i feel like they deserve it that is.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?

I don’t have an avatar, don’t care about one.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?

I just playing diablo with others, it’s a fun game and I can play with fun people (yes there are a few out there on Bnet^^)

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?

No. There is a limit to what you can laugh with. A lot of people died there. I think you can make jokes about it, but if you make a game like that a lot of those extreme people would enjoy themselves with it on a way it is not meant to be

I would not abuse them, this way they get bad impressions of the game and the community, which allready is as bad as it gets, and the more friends, the happier i am, the more returns i automatically get. In a face-to-face encounter I would allways try and be friendly, if I get negative response, I’ll notice it and avoid the person

1) I play games through on Single Player before I’ll cheat. Typically on D2 I only use single player editors to test builds and gear sets before attempting it on battle.net.

2) Never. I am extremely competitive when it comes to gaming and cheating ruins the experience not only for me, but for the people I’m playing against as well.

3) Single player I don’t care if someone decides to cheat. They’re the only ones affected and they should be in control of their gaming experience if that’s what they choose to do. On multiplayer games I despise cheaters because they are ruining the game for me as well as others simply because they cannot stand losing or whatever.

4) Yes, because it ruins the game for people who are playing by the rules.

5) Yes, it is unfair because there are other people trying to accomplish the same goals without cheating and they are more deserving than cheaters. Finding an advantage and taking it is perfectly fine and logical, but when that advantage is beyond the rules that everyone is playing by, it’s wrong.

6) Not really. The only noticeable difference online rather than offline is that when I’m online I’m more prone to get verbally aggressive when taunted. Obviously because there are less consequences for that online than offline, especially on battle.net.

7) It’s the same online and offline for me. I always have my serious/intimate (not the way you’re thinking, lol) conversations in real life rather than online because I like to have the body language incorporated. I find it much easier to express opinions online though because when you’re typing you can organize thoughts much more easily before you hit enter. You can’t backspace words to make something more clear in real life, ;P

8) No. I’ll only get into the insulting and name calling when someone starts it with me first. However, when I’m online I’m more likely to say more hurtful things because I don’t have to deal with the legal consequences of getting into a physical fight.

9) I don’t get offended by much of anything, online or otherwise.

10) The variety and multitude of people you can encounter.

11) If i was fun I would. I’m able to recognize it as a game. However, I doubt there’s anyone with big enough balls to try to make a game like that and even if they did the government or people would probably put an end to it.

12) Usually I’m right in the middle of those two extremes. On Starcraft I freely give advice to people I beat if it seems like they’d appreciate it rather than be offended.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
no i dont, at one stage i did, but it ruined the game completely for me, so now i dont do it any more.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
no, on multplayer if something is too hard that i cant do my self i can ask someone else for help, instead of cheating.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
why do they bother playing multiplayer, if they cant do something get help, and dont cheat.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
i think all cheating is ethically wrong, but thats how i grew up.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
yes, sam as above

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
not really, the only difference is online if i get annoyed ill just go to a new game, or log off.

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
yes

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
no, i dont see the point to insult them, it just lowers me down to other peoples level.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
no, online and real life i dont really care what people think, if they want to insult my avatar or m, feel free.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
being able to do things that i couldn’t do in real life.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
no, to me that sounds like a boring game, and if i dont get enjoyment from it why bother playing.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why?
I use to cheat in single-player games till I found that the novelty of it wore off so quickly I quit playing the game, so I no longer cheat, so that the entertainment value stays intact for far longer.

2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why?
I do not cheat in multiplayer games. Personally this would give me no satisfaction, knowing that I cheated to get ahead or to get others ahead.

3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer?
If they do so thats up to them, as long as it doesnt infringe on my ablitity to play/enjoy the game I play.

4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why?
I think it is. As far as I know it is against the eula of the company making the game. It also infringes on other people who would like to play the game as it was meant to be played, especially in a multi player setting.

5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no, and why?
It certainly is. Cheating gives false pretenses as to your true ability and true character, taking advantage of others is very bad mannered and all that stuff.

6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so?
Not overtly different, but certainly in real life I can hit a range of emotions/mannerisms that I can not translate onto my online personality.. and I find it easier to socialise online than in real life (I am autistic)

7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online?
I would have to say yes, I dont need to see your/their face(s), which makes it much easier.

8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why?
I dont insult people in real life and neither do I in my online life. I have no desire to make someone else feel crappy or to get a rise out of anyone.

9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online?
I am confused by avatar, do you mean my online personality or the pic I would choose to accompany my account.. if its my online personality and someone insults me I get offended and sadened.. I am equally prone to offense in real life as I am online.
If your meaning my pic than no, cause I never use a pic on any forum I am involved on.

10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
Well going back to the autism issue for me, I find it very difficult to socialise ‘in the real world’, people make me nervous, noise makes me nervous that I can not outright control, I just feel overtly sensitive to the business of society and this creates a tremendous amount of anxiety in my person, so a virtual environment has helped me to meet more people and be involved in ‘community’.

11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no, and why?
No I would have no interest in this. I am not out for cheap thrills.

12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter
I try to be curtious and kind to all that I meet in real life or online. I would try to help out a newcomer to the best of my ability, sometimes I have to cut it short cause if I have to explain myself over and over my anxiety builds which causes migraines. This does not differ to real life except for the fact I meet more people online than I do in real life.

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On Ethics And the Virtual Enviornment: A Levinasean Reading of “Player to Player” Online Interaction

August 9th, 2007

Tommy Hanauer
English 202
Dr. Sherwood
August 3, 2007

On Ethics & the Virtual Environment:
A Levinasean Reading of “Player to Player” Online Interaction

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a video game that allows its player to roam a city while killing and robbing innocent bystanders among other extremely questionable acts (Thompson). The actions undertaken within the game are actions that no normal human being would ever undertake in real life, yet these actions are sanctioned within the game. In the context of the game they are the “right” actions to undertake if one seeks to complete the missions and win. The seemingly unethical practices of running over pedestrians, shooting cops, and stealing cars are rewarded within the game (Thompson). At face value, GTA seems to exemplify the threat that video games allow us to suspend ethical behaviors that we would otherwise practice in the context of real life. Several questions emerge from this scenario: do game participants apply their real world ethics into the virtual realm? Should they apply them? Do they even view the virtual world as an ethical realm? And, do the ethics of virtual reality influence the ethics of real life? Through an examination of these questions, this paper seeks to discover how the two worlds interact in the context of ethics. To begin the discussion, let us examine how the virtual world and the real world interact through some of the general effects online role playing games have on the identity of individuals.
Sherry Turkle has been studying the interaction between people and virtual life since the 1980s. In a recent article she says that the anonymity that comes with online life allows people to express “unexplored aspects of the self” (102). She discusses Multi User Domains (MUD), which are virtual communities where the main object is to create a character and interact with others in the domain space (102). Turkle goes on to discuss a case study of a 34-year old male she calls “Case” who takes up the persona of an “assertive” female online. Because Case grew up under his father’s influence thinking that all assertive males are “bastards,” while thinking that assertive women are “together and modern,” he has grown to have many difficulties with confrontations in his daily adult life (104). Turkle says that Case told her that the chance to act as an assertive woman online has helped him become more confrontational in real life (104). Turkle concludes that “We make our technologies, our objects, and then the objects of our lives shape us in turn” (116).
Similar effects of role playing on online games on identity were described by Ketzel Levine in her article for NPR, where she discusses the findings of Tracie Spaight, a virtual ethnographer, and her collaborator Robbie Cooper, a portrait photographer, who together went around the world collecting pictures of real people and their online avatars, “There is ample repetition, even among them. For one, quite a number of avatars are just younger, thinner and prettier versions of their creators. For another, just as many avatars are polar opposites of their people,” they say. Levine goes on to talk about Celia Pearce, a game designer, who tells about a shy female friend of hers, who by playing Everquest has managed to overcome her shyness in the real world. Levine concludes in a similar manner to Turkle, “stay in costume long enough — whether a general in a Civil War re-enactment, or a wench at a Renaissance fair — and the lines may blur between who you are and who you’re pretending to be.” Although both Turkle and Levine examine the interaction between identity and the virtual world, and their effects on one another, they only examine the positive affects they have. What about the negative ones? Are there any negative ones? Can the online RPG world potentially corrupt the people who participate in it? This raises a serious question; if the virtual world can influence our identity, why should it not also influence our day-to-day ethics? Before going on to answer such questions a discussion of the nature of games and their cultural roles is necessary.
Up to now, I have only discussed the effects of video games on real life identity. But, video games are not the only games that have such an affect. In fact, all kinds of games have that potential affect. The Dutch historian Johan Huizinga said that “play and games are central experiences of human beings (Quoted in Consalvo, 3).” He thought that games were protected by what he referred to as “magic circles” (Consalvo, 3). The “magic circles” are a separate sphere of interaction from the daily environment and possess rules that are all their own. Within them, even killing can be rewarded (3). The significance of this is that game spheres allow for all kinds of experimentations. To quote Consalvo, they allow us to be “selfish, silly, inconsistent,” or to be God, “all powerful” (4). As such, games allow for experimentation with different modes of behavior that can then be applied to real life. Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic and Thomas Larsson summarizes this point in the following manner: “…Play is used for learning patterns of behavior and for communication. Play and games, rule based forms of play, seem to be an indispensable mode of intelligent behavior. The most fundamental relations between humans, such as, love, kinship, and social ranking as superior/subordinate are intimately connected with the ritual play (2).” Games allow for different levels of socializing, and, as we see, our interactions within games have an affect on our interactions within real life. It is important to remember however that the consequences of the actions within the game depend on the rules of the game itself (Consalvo, 4). Furthermore it is important to stress that, because the game is in a separate sphere, the rules of the game do not leave the game. A football player, for example, knows that tackling a person simply because they have a ball in their hands is only permissible within the context of the game itself and should not be applied outside of the game realm.
Keeping this in mind, I want to examine the concerns about the possible effects of gaming in a virtual world on the ethics of its participants that arise from the theories of the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. Levinas thought that what grounds ethics is the face-to-face encounter, something missing in the virtual world. Without face-to-face interaction the whole ethical framework of the gamers could possibly collapse. Before elaborating on his ideas, however, there is a need to explain what the virtual world is.
This is the definition Wikipedia gives for virtual world: “A virtual world is a computer-based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and interact via avatars.” An avatar is a user’s online representation of him/herself (Wikipedia). Avatars are linked with “handles,” which can be a screen name or a just a picture. An avatar is your own online character. Colin Beardon, in a 1992 article, said that virtual reality “has the effect of reality upon us, though we recognize that it is not properly real.” He goes on to quote Baudrillard, a 20th century French philosopher, “VR (Virtual Reality) is best described as a simulation, as opposed to a representation.” What Beardon means to say here is that in virtual reality we create a representation of something but then treat it as a reality, although we know it is only an illusion. This is exactly what it means to be a “simulation.” This definition manages to incorporate the “magic circle” of games into the realm of virtual reality. Games are environments we create in which we temporarily adopt a different set of rules as governing our reality, although we know that these rules do not truly apply in real life. For example, once someone is done playing GTA, they probably will not go out and steal a car just for the sake of transportation.
But, what is the effect of this on our experience of other people, especially within the game itself? Do we stop seeing them as autonomous beings and only view them through the lens of the game? What happens to our ethical interactions with others in the realm of virtual reality if we stop viewing them as actual people, like we do in real life? This may cause concern to the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. Levinas believed that the origin of ethics itself is grounded in face-to-face interaction (521). He thought that the face was the “communicator.” The face is and indicator of the existence of another subjectivity, and when we encounter another face we engage with it as something that is “infinitely transcendent and foreign” (Levinas, 515). What he means is that we encounter something we can never control firsthand. We can never completely control the subjectivity of another (their thoughts, impulses, desires, etc.). We can never “grasp,” or truly understand another because the other is completely independent of us and resist all of our efforts to “control” or have power over his/her subject (i.e. the self or the mind). This encounter is what grounds ethics in Levinases perspective, because it creates a feeling of responsibility towards others because the other is so infinitely transcendent that the only way we come to acknowledge that we can have power over him/her is through murder (521). “Murder exercises power over what escapes power” states Levinas (518). What is ethical about the encounter and its dynamic is that it provides us with a choice, we can either kill or let live. We thus feel a responsibility over the lives of others because we feel responsible for our choices and actions and realize that we have an affect on others through them. So, while the encounter suggests violence, it is the basis on which ethics are grounded, in Levinases perspective. One can see why Levinas might come to think that in a place where the face-to-face encounter does not exist, unethical behavior may be rampant and the order of the day, since all feelings of responsibility to others will be diminished and probably forgotten. Whether this happens or not highly depends on whether the people who participate in the virtual reality of online gaming see other players as other people, and whether they see the virtual world as a world of laws and rules and actions that carry consequences on real human beings. The answer to the question Levinas poses requires of us to understand how gamers view other gamers. In order to answer all of these questions, including all the ones already stated thus far within this paper, I have conducted a survey, whose results I will share in the following pages. The survey’s main goal was to determine how gamers view others within the game sphere through examining how they interact with, treat, and are affected by other players.
In order to examine what ethics gamers apply to the virtual gaming environment and how they view and experience other players within virtual reality, I decided to distribute my survey across various gaming forums. The emphasis within the survey was on the ethical issue of cheating. I chose to deal with the issue of cheating rather then the issue of violence for the specific reason that cheating is a calculated, and thought out action. Violence in many cases is the product of impulse, cheating on the other hand requires prior thought and planning, and because the focus is on the influence of games on the ethics of its participants, cheating was the best choice to examine. The questions I asked were fairly open-ended and required some personal interpretation during analysis of the data. 32 people responded to this survey, although not all of them answered all of the questions. This may have caused some discrepancy with the data, but since most people (30 out of 32) did respond to all the questions, the discrepancy appears to be very insignificant. Issues regarding the validity of the survey, including further questions it raised, will be discussed near the end of the paper. Most of the replies came from a forum for the game Diablo II . Others came from the forums of the GTA games. Here are the questions, the results are in parenthesis.

1. Do you cheat in single-player computer games? Yes or no and why? (Yes: 16, No: 19)
2. Do you cheat in multiplayer online games? Yes or no and why? (Yes: 0, No: 32)
3. What do you think about people that cheat on single player and on multiplayer? (Approve: 0, Disapprove: 29, Indifferent: 3)
4. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in computer games? Yes or no and why? (Ethical: 6, Unethical: 26)
5. Do you think cheating is ethically wrong in real life (on tests, for money, etc.)? Yes or no and why? (Ethical: 0, Unethical: 26)
6. Is/are your online personality/personalities, different then your real life personality/personalities? How so? (Yes: 6, No: 26)
7. Do you feel you are able to be more honest and express your true opinions/feelings when talking to people online? (Yes: 22, No: 12)
8. Do you feel freer to insult others when you are online? Yes or no, and why? (Yes: 8, No: 22)
9. Do you get offended when people insult your avatar? Would you say you’re more prone to get offended by someone in real life or by an anonymous person online? (Yes: 25, No: 6)
10. What do you enjoy most about virtual reality and why?
11. Would you play a simulation game where you are a 9/11 terrorist and your objective is to crash into the twin towers? Yes or no and why? (Yes: 10, No: 22)
12. How do you interact with other online players? If it were possible, would you help out a newcomer to a game or abuse him/her? How does this differ from how you would act towards other people in real life in a face-to-face encounter? (Help: 32, Abuse: 0)

As I said above, in order to address Levinases concern an examination of how game participants view one another online is in place. In order to do this the questions were separated into ones that dealt with, or signaled at, how people treat others online (questions 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 12) and into how they react to others online (i.e. how they are influenced) (questions 3, 4, and 9). There were also questions that dealt with how players view the online multiplayer environment as opposed to the single player (question 1), and real world environments (questions 9, 11, and 5) which signaled to how players view others within the multiplayer world in comparison to how they view others in the real world. These questions showed whether the encounters within the virtual world are unethical and whether they transfer over into the real world interactions of the players.
One way to understand how people view one another is through examining their ethical interactions. By understanding how gamers relate to other gamers and why, we can in turn understand how they view them as beings. For this reason I have evaluated the answers to my survey (questions 1 -5) in terms of the ethical theory each response most closely adheres to, mapping answers into Yes and No and then assigning them to an appropriate ethical theory. Categorizing the ethical codes that players follow, if they follow any at all, will help us to come to a conclusion about how players view other players via their treatment and reactions to them. Four subsets of ethical theories were used to evaluate the responses: Deontological, Utilitarian/Consequential, Subjectivist/Egoist, and N/A, or Relativistic/Nihilistic. Here is a brief explanation of all subsets:
1) Deontological ethics are ethics that deal with duty and laws. The value of the act is in the act itself. Immanuel Kant is the leader of this school of ethics. In his The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals Kant states that one should “Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst will at the same time that it shall become a universal law” (311). He means that people should only act on a principle that they should will everyone to act according to. Any respondent that appealed to maxims (universal moral rules) or laws, qualified under the deontological banner. An example of this would be if a participant claimed that cheating is simply always wrong because cheating is wrong.
2) Consequential ethics are ethics that focus on the consequences of actions and make ethical judgments based on that. Utilitarianism is the theory that what is ethical is whatever maximizes the amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people (Bentham, 231). Any response that appealed to infringing on others’ “fun” or any response that generally said that cheating is wrong if it puts others in a disadvantage without being in the context of the rules of the game went under the utilitarian heading. Any response that justified an action based on its consequences was immediately inducted.
3) Ethical egoism, or subjectivism, is the theory that states that what is right is whatever is to my personal advantage. Any response that appealed to what the consequences of others were on the individual him/herself were plugged into this subset. This does not imply that the respondents are ethical egoists but that when answering the questions about the ethicality of certain actions they tended to think first about the consequences it had on their personal playing experience rather then on that of others. A typical response under this label would be that cheating is wrong because it puts me in a disadvantage.
4) The N/A category was for people who replied with a yes or no but gave no further explanation, or gave an explanation that simply did not fit under any of the other subsets. I also put ethically relative or nihilistic approaches under this category. Anyone who said that there are no ethics or that all online ethics are “relative” went under this category.
As I mentioned above, the questions were divided into ones that deal with treatment of other players, reactions to other players, and ones that deal with the contrast between virtual world and real world interactions. Here are the results and analysis for the questions that deal with treatment of others: The data collected suggests that the way most players treat other players, from the people surveyed, is with a utilitarian approach. This means that an overwhelming majority of the respondents see themselves as agents within the virtual world, meaning, they realize that their actions carry consequences on other players. As the answers for Question (2) revealed, nobody claims they have cheated in online games, at least not in any way that puts them at an advantage over other players. Thirteen respondents claimed they do not cheat because it’s unfair to others, showing the application of utilitarian principles to online gaming, two respondents said they do not cheat because it is wrong, showing a deontological line of reasoning, eight respondents said they do not cheat for egotistical reasons (for example, one said “it make’s you look stupid”), and thirteen others stated no clear reason why they did not cheat on multiplayer. Question (4) reveals that the majority who think that cheating is wrong in multiplayer think so on the basis of utilitarian grounds (22 out of 26). Most people were indifferent towards cheating in single player because it had no affect on them and on others, also displaying a utilitarian approach.
Question (7) showed that the “anonymity factor” of online games, as one participant expressed it, seems to make most people feel they have the ability to be more open and honest with others. I think this would also suggest people would feel more liberty to insult, which is what question (8) asks, but most people took the question as asking them if they do actively insult others online. Most people said that if they have something to say online they will say it offline as well. The general attitude of people was that they felt they could insult, because anonymity allowed for more honesty and less consequences, but they do not because they are more “mature then that.” This was an interesting discovery in regards to treatment because although there is more liberty to insult most respondents to the survey still do not do so. It almost seems as if they treat other players as if they would treat real people. The answers to question (12) also support this idea. The answers revealed that all the respondents are usually willing to help other people online. No one said they abuse players on a regular basis. Even though there is no need to help an avatar, people still seem to do so. The reason why players were eager to help and reluctant to insult usually only pointed at simple good heartedness, no answers seemed to point at the feeling of mutual responsibility towards other players, apart from one participant who said that the “law of reciprocation” applies both online and in real life. Some players said they will help someone if that means that same player will help them in the future as well. This might be problematic to Levinas, although, whether the responsibility in those specific interactions exist or not does not deter from the fact that most players who were surveyed help others and feel no need to insult others online.
The answers to question (9) also show that an overwhelming majority said that they are far less prone to get offended online then they are offline. This also suggests that even if the opportunity to insult is heightened, even to the point of encouragement, the affects of insulting another’s avatar would be quite meaningless, rendering the whole process absolutely pointless. But apart from that, it seems that a sense of responsibility exists among the players, as the answers to the questions about cheating suggest, players treat other players as people that suffer the consequences of their actions. In other words, people know and understand that their actions online affect other players.
The answers to questions 3, 4, 9 reveal some information about how surveyed players react to others online. Question (3) showed that twenty nine people expressed a disapproving attitude towards players that cheat. Twenty of them expressed their disapproval on utilitarian grounds, stating that it is “unfair” towards other players because it puts them in a disadvantage or ruins their enjoyment of the game. Four respondents disapproved over egoist reasoning saying that it’s wrong if it affects them or ruins their own fun. Three were indifferent and only two expressed disapproval on a deontological basis. The fact that the majority of the participants disapproved of people cheating on the basis of utilitarian grounds shows that they also viewed the other players are agents who can affect other people. This is very important because it establishes that the players do not see other players as mere objects. Question (4), as I already said, reveals that the majority who think that cheating is wrong in multiplayer think so on the basis of utilitarian grounds (22 out of 26). This supports the idea stated above that players see other players as certain types of agents. Most people were indifferent towards cheating in single player because it had no affect on them and on others, also displaying a utilitarian approach. The significance in this is that the only time players view other players as agents is when they come into contact with them in the virtual world. If there is no contact, there is no feeling of responsibility. It is only when players find themselves in interaction with others that they feel a sense of responsibility for the other, as is shown by my data for the treatment category that states players apply utilitarian ethics to the multiplayer world (question 2). Question (9) showed that most respondents are less offended by people online then they are by people in real life. This shows that there is a difference in their interaction. I would say that this is because the online players seem more distant, their opinions lack relevance in the other player’s real lives. This is also because the lack of face-to-face interaction allows us to truly ignore other players and avoid real confrontation. To summarize, players react to other players online as people who are able to influence others within the collective game-sphere they inhabit. Players see themselves as people who influence and see others are people who can influence.
Given this information we are now at a position to evaluate Levinases concern. The problem we foresaw dealt with how the players will view one another. Levinas thought that face-to-face interaction was what grounded ethics because it creates a mutual feeling of responsibility between the people who come into interaction. If that primal interaction were to be gone, ethics would not exist. Within virtual reality there is no face-to-face interaction, but what my analysis suggests is that there still are feelings of responsibility as was shown by the fact that most players do not cheat in multiplayer and disapprove of others who do, and hence ethics exist within the game world. Most players view each other not as people per say, but as players. They also view themselves as players. Because most of they realize that as players within the virtual world, their actions carry consequences on others, they also realize this about others. This is the ground-work realization for the utilitarian outlook that we saw dominates the perspective of players within the game space. One might say that it is a conundrum, but players see other players as “autonomous” beings within their mutual, virtual, space of interaction. This would not be far from Huizinga’s point about the “magic circles,” and games having their own separate rules (Quoted in Consalvo, 3). Just as how the rules are separate, the idea of an autonomous “person” is distinct within the video game and takes a form of its own. With it, the idea of what the right form of interaction shapes itself as well (i.e. ethics). Within the context of the game, all that matters is that players see each other as autonomous players. This, coupled with sharing the same game space, is enough to create a feeling of responsibility towards other people as players of the same game. So, what happens in the absence of “face-to-face” interaction, which grounds ethics through creating responsibility, is that a “player-to-player” form of interaction takes its place. Players see each other as “people” that have an influence over one another within the game space and treat each other accordingly by following the rules. The one direct manifestation of this, found in the survey, was that they all mostly find cheating in multiplayer to be unethical because of its consequences on other gamers within the virtual interaction space. This shows that ethics have not been completely abandoned in the game space. The last question now left to explore is the interaction between the participant’s real world ethics and the game space ethics, which is the last thing examined in the survey.
People who participate in virtual reality, such as in the form of video games do not abandon all of their ethics as we just now saw. But what is more fascinating is that there seems to be a strong correlation between their ethical outlooks within the game space and their ethical outlooks within the real world. This can be seen in the survey, especially within the correlative questions (4) and (5). Question (4) disclosed that the majority of people (twenty six participants) think that cheating is wrong in multiplayer games. Question (5) was a correlated with question (4) in the sense that while question (4) dealt with the virtual world, question (5) transposed the same question into the real world. Twenty six respondents expressed that they thought cheating in real life was just generally wrong. The most interesting correlation between the two, apart from the fact that for both questions twenty six responded that they thought it was wrong in both, is that in almost every case where a respondent remarked it was wrong on utilitarian grounds in virtual reality, the respondent also remarked it was wrong in real life based on utilitarian principles as well.
The examination of the interaction between the real world and virtual world ethics took an interesting turn with question (11). Question (11) was meant to show how “real” is “too real” when it comes to virtual reality. Most respondents (twenty two) said that they would not play a game where they can crash planes into the World Trade Center. The reasons ranged from the very common “that’s just plain wrong” to someone saying “it’s like a big fuck you to all those who died in the attacks.” Someone said that the idea of such a game was just a “little bit too close to home.” The main reason people would not play that game is because they see it as being applicable to reality itself. The ten respondents who said yes, however, explained that it was just a game and that one must separate reality from fantasy, clearly thinking that this game applied to reality to a far lesser degree then those who said they would not play such a game. What happened here directly relates to Levinas concern. The people who said they would not play the game reasoned that it carried the sense of a realistic face-to-face interaction for them. The passengers on the plane were not entirely fictional characters in their eyes. The virtual characters would possess, or maybe symbolize, the faces of real people, and the interaction with such closeness to reality deterred many from being able to participate in killing them within the virtual world. The interaction carried real-world implications, just as one expressed, playing such a game is like saying “fuck you” to all those who died and to their families. The other ten who said they would play such a game explained that it was just a game and that you must separate reality from fantasy, clearly they did not think this game interact with reality applied to reality to the same degree the ones who said they would not play such a game did. They saw no implications or consequences that this game could carry on real life. The interesting thing to note from the answers to question (10) is that all answers were based on the distinction between reality and fantasy.
To conclude, although it may seem like people adopt the ethics of the environment they are in, such as, killing people in GTA because it is rewarded and encouraged within the context of the game, it does not mean that they transfer these ethical values into the real world environment. People’s ethical notions about the virtual world are governed by how “real” and how many real consequences are realized from the illusory virtual environment. And while “for some (if not many) players, the game is a space apart where normal rules don’t apply” it does not mean that no ethical rules apply (Consalvo, 4). As seen, ethics are still present within games because, even though the realistic “face-to-face” encounter is gone, it is only replaced by the “player-to-player” mode of interaction, which grounds the ethics within the game by creating a sense of responsibility within players towards other players.
The last thing left to do is discuss issues with the survey and some questions that should be asked about the whole issue of gamers and ethics. The survey is not an accurate depiction of all online players. It is a limited sample and should be regarded as such. There is one very big issue and concern that was not touched upon in this essay because it would have called for the writing of an entire book. The virtual community is a global community, and as such, it implies that people from all over the world and all different cultures and values participate in it. With such an immense difference between players it seems ridiculous to simply state that a game has a universal effect on all people who play it (Consalvo, 3). This was examined only slightly through asking the loaded question of whether one would play a game where they are the “terrorists” of September 11, 2001, and their mission would be to crash into the World Trad