Do people play Skyrim governed by their real life moral values?

I don't steal, murder, etc etc in Skyrim and that is because it goes against my real life moral values.

But is everyone like that to a varying degree?

Do people who murder in the game (and I'm not saying they are murderers in real life) question the act they just carried out or is it 'just a game' to them and therefore they feel no guilt?

Do the people who think 'its just a game' (and it is just a game don't get me wrong) have any pangs of remorce afterwards and if they don't do they worry that they don't?

Does this point to what people are subconciously capable of or am I just weird?

I'm not saying if you steal in Skyrim that you would do it in real life or anything but does your feelings in a role playing game towards the actions you undertake hint at your real life personality traits? Given that this is a role playing game and does have a certain element of realism in it.

I reckon this would be an interesting study to do.

Personally if I just killed a village of people in this game I would feel bad about it (even though its just a game). But we all know there are Goodies and Baddies in real life and varying shades in between. Do your actions in Skyrim reveal an underlying trait?

it's the people that cannot distinguish between real life and a game that have a problem. in a game, if you are role playing you should be able to play any role you can think up. however, if the line between that fantasy game world and real life blurs....you need help.

i see where you are coming from, you are role playing and it can be seen in 2 ways, either your chance to be "something out the ordinary" or what your saying.

It could be on some level you in real life, but in a game you have to do what you have to do.

Depends on if I feel like role-playing in that moment, but I do occasionally go on killing sprees. If I go on a killing spree as a werewolf, I don't have to feel so bad about it. Plus, a lot of NPC's are bastards, so you basically have to kill nice ones to feel bad. Sometimes I would, sometimes I wouldn't.

"it's the people that cannot distinguish between real life and a game that have a problem. in a game, if you are role playing you should be able to play any role you can think up. however, if the line between that fantasy game world and real life blurs....you need help. "

^If everyone in the world played Skyrim for 3 hours, some people would not kill anything and some people would kill everything. Others would just play the game. The psychology of it is interesting, it's not that actions in the game have to reflect actions in the real world. Ie, don't expect a peta member to kill animals but expect them to murder any hunters they come across.

Yeah, I'm not saying it makes you a bad person if you go on a killing spree, but I think it does point to a personality trait because its not like Super Mario where you are killing mushrooms. You are presented with an artificial villaage full of artificial people with a set of artificial weapons. Its not about bluring reality with unreality, its about what would you do.

Reminds me of the scene in Bladerunner where the Replicant is being tested and the theory of the turtle on its back in the sun is used.

When I delve into that world with my mind, my feelings and morals follow. So I would never kill a kid or murder a citizen for no reason.

Specificaly a Dragon attacked Riverwood and killed Avron's wife (ok she tried to kill him with a dagger lol) while I could have acted more quick and save her. I felt bad about it and used a console command to revive her cause I could not stand the misery of her kid and husband. Actually seeing her girl crying over her body really made me feel awfull. Good work Bethesda.

Pretty much this. I also show mercy to my enemies whenever the game allows it.

I feel protective over the innocent citizens of Skyrim. I am dreading the Dark Brotherhood missions. I just hope they pick evil NPC's for me to bump off.

I go against everything I was taught in video games. I don't want to play to be myself, I want turn on my xbox and go crazy for a couple of hours before I go back to real life.

I go against everything I was taught in video games. I don't want to play to be myself, I want turn on my xbox and go crazy for a couple of hours before I go back to real life where having morals and stuff actually matter.

This makes sense. I suppose it depends on the frame of mind you go into the game with.

A true roleplayer would be able to be pure evil in the game if he wished or someone who can easily detatch and just play the game as it was meant... as just a game.

I think I must be more casual and therefore find my moral guidance comes heavily into play.