(03-22-2016, 10:28 PM)Sev Wrote: I find death, stress and the act of killing another areoften overlooked in writing and roleplaying in general, especially the long-term effects it can have on the mind. Killing in particular.I have to agree wholeheartedly - I cannot think of a time, in any game in which I've roleplayed - in which any single character I've interacted with over the years took a moment to reflect on the significance of the act of taking a life, or examined the consequences on the psyche. You're absolutely right - the vast majority seem to just shrug their shoulders at the prospect, war torn Eorzea or not.Â
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I feel that we are somewhat desensitised to killing as roleplayers due to the medium most of us here use, where it is indeed a game which rewards us for killing mindless AI over and over, however should Hydaelyn be a living, breathing world as seen through the eyes of our characters, things would be much different when mindless NPC becomes a living person with their own needs, goals and fears.
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Killing another being is a hell of a thing, even in a worldwhere death is commonplace. Using now not-so-random NPC as an example in death, our characters take away all they ever were and ever will be, often seeing the looks on their faces and in their eyes whilst doing so owing to the often up close and personal combat of the setting.
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To most that is bound to have some kind of effect as veryfew people are capable of killing another being and forgetting about it the next day as if nothing ever happened, even the most justified & lawful Paladin-type.
Unfortunately my main is an omnicidal nihilist who looks at the world with the most pragmatic of mindsets, so it isn't best expressed through him the reactions of taking a life, my alt is more suited to it, given he reacts with genuine regret and compassion well after giving the order to one of his lackeys to see someone dead, despite never once pulling the trigger himself. He forces himself to rationalize that it was for the best and to his own benefit at the end of the day, but the guilt is there, and it is swelling.