Beyond Choices

"Sicart looks at games in many manifestations: toys, analog games, computer and video games, interactive fictions, commercial entertainments, and independent releases. Drawing on philosophy, design theory, literary studies, aesthetics, and interviews with game developers, Sicart provides a systematic account of how games can be designed to challenge and enrich our moral lives. After discussing such topics as definition of ethical gameplay and the structure of the game as a designed object, Sicart offers a theory of the design of ethical game play. He also analyzes the ethical aspects of game play in a number of current games, including 'Spec Ops: The Line', 'Beautiful Escape: Dungeoneer', 'Fallout New Vegas', and Anna Anthropy's 'Dys4ia'. Games are designed to evoke specific emotions; games that engage players ethically, Sicart artgues, enable us to explore and express our values through play."