1. Horns of a Dilemma Tough Ethical Decisions through Game Design
Eric Todd
Founder, Orange Monkey Games

2. Discuss You chose to be here!
Why is ethical decision making in games interesting to you?

3. Definition
“An ethical dilemma is a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.”
- Wikipedia Entry for “Ethical Dilemma”

4. Goal Discover how to reliably create ethical dilemmas in games!
Play, Experimentation, Discussion, Bits of Theory
Catalog modes of failure
Discover conditions necessary for success

5. Discuss
What is a game you’ve played that tried to create an ethical dilemma but failed?

6. Discuss
What is a game you’ve played that tried to create an ethical dilemma but failed?
What is a game you’ve played that tried to create an ethical dilemma and succeeded?

7. Country Doctor™
As a new frontier doctor, treat your patients and keep your spouse alive!
Patient Deck - 20
This is a single player game
Take deck of patient cards, remove top for cards (rules, rules, stats, blank), shuffle
This gives <Click> 20 card deck of patient cards
Gather a set of dice, <Click> these are your available treatments
Now deal out 8 patient cards and 1 spouse card <click>
2d4
2d6
2d8
2d10
1d20
Available Treatments

8. Country Doctor™
As a new frontier doctor, treat your patients and keep your spouse alive!
Patient Deck - 11
Patients
Board should look something like this
Now, one at a time, turn over a patient card and treat them – or not
Spouse
2d4
2d6
2d8
2d10
1d20
Available Treatments

9. Country Doctor™
As a new frontier doctor, treat your patients and keep your spouse alive!
Patient Deck - 11
Dead Patients
Patients
Cured Patients
To treat, pick a die and SPEND IT. roll it, If you role HIGER than the number, the patient is cured
You can give up without treatment, or try multiple times
If you give up, the patient is dead. Put the card in the “cured” or “dead” pile, as appropriate 3
Spouse
2d4
2d6
2d8
2d10
1d20
Available Treatments

10. Country Doctor™
As a new frontier doctor, treat your patients and keep your spouse alive!
Patient Deck - 11
Dead Patients 3
Patients
Cured Patients
Repeat this until all the patients and your spouse are treated (or not)
If your spouse dies, you LOSE
Otherwise, score is number of treated patients
Rules are on the top cards in your deck, as is the distribution of cards. 6
Spouse
Available Treatments
Last
0d4
0d6
0d8
0d10
0d20

11. Play!
Two sets at each table
Everyone try to play once

12. Challenge 1 Care more about the patients and spouse Constraints
Decide what “care” means to you
Make one design change
Test early
20 minutes

13. Discuss
What did you try that didn’t work well?

14. Discuss What did you try that didn’t work well?
Why does the original game fail as a dilemma?

15. Theory Player must empathize with involved NPCs
Jeb Haven’s GRUVI model
Grateful
Relatable
Useful
Vulnerable
Investment
Players care about NPCs more if they are…

16. The GRUVI Model: Creating Attachment
Relatable
- Transparent
- Emotional
- Predictable
- Social
Grateful
- Thankful Reactions
- Attributes Happiness
- Humble
- Proactive
Useful
- Powerful
- Renewable
- Adaptable
- Resilient
Virtual Agents
Vulnerable
- Mortal
- Short Sighted
- Hunted
- Periodically Fragile
Investment
- Sacrifice
- Future Potential
- Support Structure
- Multiple Cycles
First little touch of theory. If you get stuck, look at this slide for inspiration.
This is Jeb Haven’s GRUVI model!

17. Challenge 2a Add a third horn to the dilemma Constraints
Multiple changes ok
Test early
20 minutes

18. Discuss What was your third horn?
What did you try that didn’t work well?
What did work?

19. Theory Primary ethical systems
Generalized structure of ethical dilemmas
Mechanical motivation vs Player values

20. Ethical Systems Virtue Ethics Deontological Ethics Consequentialism
One’s personal character and virtues define ethical behavior
Deontological Ethics
Ethical behavior is proper adherence to rules
Consequentialism
The consequences of action define ethical behavior
e.g. NPC calls you on lying in-game
e.g. I can’t do that, it’s against the rules
e.g. Ends justify the means.

21. Structure of Ethical Dilemmas
Conflict between ethics of action and ethics of outcome
Good action → bad outcome
Bad action → good outcome
Conflict between ethical systems
Good deontic action → bad consequential outcome
Good consequential action → Bad virtue outcome
Complicated by
Imperfect information
Omission vs Commission
Harm vs Help
Moral strictures and societal pressure

22. Mechanical Motivation vs Player Values
Consider the spouse in Country Doctor
Mechanics: Lose the spouse, lose the game
Personal values: Losing spouse is heartbreaking
Do mechanics help or hinder?
May reinforce personal values. Positive synergy!
May make decision to save her pragmatic
Better if (mechanically) she’s just another patient?

23. Challenge 2b Add a third horn to the dilemma
Increase emotional intensity
Constraints
Revision of earlier game
No constraints on design changes
Test early
30 minutes

24. Beta Test One volunteer from each group goes to another group
Teach the volunteer your game
Watch them play
Ask them to give feedback and LISTEN!
10 minutes

25. Discuss
What are the necessary conditions for success?

26. Necessary and Sufficient?
Empathize with subjects of dilemma
Use techniques to humanize NPCs
Clear choice between two or more options
Provide conflict between ethical systems, or
Show conflict within an ethical system
Show consequences of choices
Best to have some of randomness & predictability
Social reflection of choices, personal and social

27. Take Aways Tough ethical decisions can be intentionally created
Good dilemmas put two ethical systems in conflict or show inconsistences within one
Discovered some of the necessary conditions
Must empathize with subjects of dilemma
Must present clear, conflicting options
Must show consequences of player’s choice
Thank you all!!
Contact me at: Eric Todd
Please fill out your evaluations!
If you have ideas on how to make this elective stronger, talk to me or at least !!