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Webimpulse
11 February 2013, 06:20 PM
Namaste all,

I know that video games generally have nothing to do with Hindu principles, especially the violent games; I don't find this to necessarily be a bad or a good thing, it just...is. However, there is one game that I've played recently that even though it is violent, it at least comes close (or closer than any other video game, anyway) to recreating the Hindu concept of karma, and the negative repercussions of violence in it.

That game is Dishonored, a game published by Bethesda (I forgot who developed it :o ). In Dishonored, you play an elite bodyguard who becomes, well, dishonored by being framed for the murder of the royalty he was assigned to protect. You then hook up with a resistance organization to clear your name and take out the usurper who's claimed the throne.

When you come across most enemies in Dishonored, you have two options for taking them out - lethally, or non-lethally (through sleep darts, knocking them out, etc.). In most games of this nature, admittedly it's easier to kill enemies than not kill them; if a non-lethally subdued enemy wakes up later and sounds the alarm, it can be a source of frustration. However, in Dishonored, even though in the short run killing enemies may be the safest way to proceed, in the long run it can make things quite difficult for the player.

There's a brilliant play mechanic that assures this: the rat plague.

The rat plague is quite literal in this case - it's no bubonic plague, it's quite worse. Instead of rats merely being the spreaders of germs, they actually have acquired a taste for human flesh, and are working in groups to eat people...even those who are still alive! In Dishonored, the rat plague gains strength every time you kill someone, because the rats eat the corpse. Kill enough people in this game, and the rats eventually come after you.

This to me is symbolic of karmic buildup. It's not a perfect analogy, but it has parallels to the concept of karma in Hinduism - not just "what goes around comes around," but the accumulation of negative energies, and how a sin for short-term gain can result in misery later down the line.

What do you people think of this? Am I onto something, or am I just seeing things that aren't there?

philosoraptor
11 February 2013, 06:29 PM
I think that if you want to play video games, you might as well just play video games and stop rationalizing it as an exercise in understanding Hinduism.

I also think that if you want to get serious about learning Hinduism, you would be better served reading Hindu scriptures rather than playing video games.

regards,

Believer
11 February 2013, 09:02 PM
Namaste WI,

I think that if you want to play video games, you might as well just play video games and stop rationalizing it as an exercise in understanding Hinduism.
Yeah, stop rationalizing video games, and that is a direct order from the RaptorMan.:)


I also think that if you want to get serious about learning Hinduism, you would be better served reading Hindu scriptures rather than playing video games.
And don't learn Hinduism from video games either.;)

Pranam.

McKitty
12 February 2013, 02:31 AM
Namaste all,
What do you people think of this? Am I onto something, or am I just seeing things that aren't there?

Vanakkam,

I am so sorry Raptor sama I'm going to answer to WebImpulse and talk about videogames ! Forgive me for doing this instead of reading scriptures all day

Anyway

I never though about that WebImpulse, but unfortunately I don't think this was intended to be in the game. I know the main guy that made this game (BTW, Arkane Studio, French ;)) And it wasn't his intention to give spiritual or even food for though in this game. That's more the kind of "becuz it's kewl" thing
However if you liked Dishonored I can advice you to play Thief ! It's an old pc game of course, but you'll be surprised to see that Dishnonred kind of...Rip some things off Thief, gameplay speaking. Hell, even the teaser of Dishonored was a ripoff of Thief's animation technique ! xD
Thief also have a more deep meaning/spiritual background that can be interesting for you. But again, it's kind of an old game, so.
In some countries it's called Dark Project too...Or Thief Dark Project ? Can't remember... :( Well I'll check this out when I'm fully awake

Aum Namah Shivaya