Re: CF: Race, Reputation and other suggestions

[Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com>]

John Cater wrote:

> Also, as far as reputation is concerned, why don't we implement the old D&D concept of alignment?
> With perhaps 9 or so different levels.

 I have enough trouble determining alignment in real life games.  Having the
game try to figure this out and enforce it would be really diffult.

 Good people should not do 'evil' acts.  But what is an evil act?  Killing a
townsperson probably is, but not killing goblins or whatever.

 I see no reason to add that complexity to the game.  If we are going to do a
reputation, lets do it on reputation alone, with various modifiers.  Complete
the old city quest?  Reputation goes up.  Complete some other quest that is bad
for the city (but maybe good for you)?  reputation goes down.

 Much simpler to deal with (IMO), but also doesn't limit the players in any way.

> 
> Then maps (or NPC's) could also have alignment set. This would allow all sorts of cool things. For
> example a chaotically inclined thief could refuse to talk to a super sweet knight. Maps could
> exclude or change the responses for differently aligned characters too. Areas of the world should
> benifit/hinder a character of the wrong alignmnent - perhaps shop prices are different. Maybe a
> "good" character gets a better price and an "evil" one has a greater chance of getting away with
> theft etc..

 How do people know what someones alignment is?  This seems very unrealistic. 
Certainly, you could add know alignment type spells, but I don't see shop
keepers or people sitting in bars knowing this information.


> Even better, monsters of different alignments should really attack each other as well.

 This should more likely be done by races.  Which works just as good, as if you
are going to set up default alignments, you can just as easily set up default
races.

> 
> Perhaps each god has a 'base' alignment you get by joining the cult, that can be modified by
> praying, doing quests etc.

 If needed, adjust reputation depending on the god worshipped.  But once again,
this relies on the town people know this.

> 
> I realise this sort of infringes of charisma, but I do envisage that they could be seperated...

 Charisma should go away since it is too easy to manipulate/use a character with
a high charisma when needed (and the only thing it affects is shops.)

 But my main thought on this is that if reputation/alignment/whatever is used,
it should be something that is somewhat observable.  Alignment is not (although,
I guess you could argue that townspeople may have heard about the person that
killed all the townpeople).   But at best, if an alignment system is done, then
the alignment is dynamic, and you try to adjust it by various actions (if you
try to enforce alignment, how do you prevent that good person from casting a
fireball in the tavern?).  So if alignment is adjustable based on various
actions, I think you may as well go the reputation route.  Otherwise, you are
likely to open things up as players know 'oh - I cast this spell on this person
and my alignment becomes more good, and so on'.  AT least with quests, some real
amount of effort needs to be done.

 The idea of keys/tags/whatever so track quests completed has been suggested,
and probably makes sense.  Allow a player to repeat quests, but if that tag is
set, don't give them an increase in reputation and/or other quest items.
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