I have some thoughts on Alignment. As the game evolves, we will be getting more and more into being a faction-based game. At that point, to me, the old mordor system of good/evil/neutral will eventually wind up being superfluous. For example, where now a Gradius cleric has to keep neutral, in the future, they will just have to keep their "Priesthood of Gradius" faction in line.

SO...this begs the question: What to do with Alignment?

I'd like to see all the aspects of alignment brought into this game, where players choose
their actual alignment when they make their character:

Quote:

Lawful Good -Always good, always in an organized manner. Unorganized and good is not good. -Enoch Paladins and Enoch Clerics are this way. Lawful Neutral -Ordered. Doesn't matter good/evil so long as it's organized! -Eye for an Eye! Justice is blind! -Jakar Clerics. Defense lawywers. Anal bankers. Merchants who follow contracts to the letter! Lawful Evil -Always organized on paper, but use ANY means you can to get ahead. Any loophole. -Might makes right. The weak should naturally be ruled by the strong. -Devils in Hell, Death Knights, most orcs, kobolds, and defense lawyers for mob bosses! Neutral Good -Always good, no matter if it's organized or not! Good no matter what! -Relieve suffering at all costs. Protect the weak. -Ceris clerics, Mara Clerics, hippies! Neutral -All must be in balance: Law/Chaos and Good/Evil. -If it is found unbalanced, it must be put in balance as quickly as possible! -Druids, Elemental Spirits, Ocelot!! Neutral Evil -Always evil, no matter organized or not. Evil no matter what. -Cause as much suffering and misery as possible. FEED on the weak. -Arachnus clerics, mass murderers, daemons (not demons..there's a difference) Chaotic Good -Always for the greater good, no matter how. Organized behavior shunned/feared. -Free the oppressed at all costs; unorthodox is best! -Barbarian tribesmen, Kamira clerics, good thieves, Linothan Clerics, most rangers, most wood elves, Dominus!!! Chaotic Neutral -Always chaotic. Always unexpected. Good/evil doesn't matter. Insane. -Societal rules/tradition are bad. Organization is to be thwarted at all costs in any way. -The Mad Hatter, Copper Dragons, quicklings, Igmoo the Mad, Bane!!!!!! Chaotic Evil -Always evil in the most unorganized and insane way possible. -The strong eat the weak! But often the weak are stronger than they appear! -Aramon clerics, almost all trolls, hill giants, frost giants, red dragons, demons

The above of course isn't all-inclusive..just what I threw together off the top of my head.
I propose we have people choose one of these to begin with (or be locked depending on what class they pick...i.e. druids always are neutral and paladins of Enoch always are Lawful Good)..and have it adjust initial factions accordingly.

We'd get rid of chaos/law for as far as pkilling goes and make it into pvp or pve (or something similar - protected/unprotected? it's more a game mechanics thing anyway than RP)

What else could alignment do? Would a chaotic player need to pkill more than a lawful player?
Could players change alignment? How? Also, alignment-specific items/quests could be put in.

Bring on the ideas...

Bump.

Quote:

We'd get rid of chaos/law for as far as pkilling goes and make it into pvp or pve (or something similar - protected/unprotected? it's more a game mechanics thing anyway than RP)

The problem i see with protect/unprotect is that most ppl prolly just put them self on protect and never pvp and only unprotect whent hey want to kill someone. Maybe u can add in this system, but put in a switch limit per day/ or game month cycle, or something of the sort like: (just an idea)

(386hp, 93939393mp)
clear protect
You are now unprotected
set protect
You can not set protect mode for xxxx time

Quote:

I'd like to see all the aspects of alignment brought into this game, where players choose their actual alignment when they make their character: What else could alignment do? Would a chaotic player need to pkill more than a lawful player? Could players change alignment? How? Also, alignment-specific items/quests could be put in.

Maybe with the new quest system in, chars can choose which action they want to choose in quest. i.e. A perm tells you of 2 opposing sides that are in conflict with each other. One side is evil while the other is good, You get to go and choose which side u want to assist, based on your char's alignment type. if your chaotic evil you would most likely go kill off the good side. By following your alignment for quest, chars should be given a better item and maybe more xp for following their role/alignment instead of doing the opposite. If they do the opposite of what their alignment should be, then i suggest they be offer crap xp for the quest, and maybe some consequences. Also (not sure if this is a good idea or not, but room for discusion) maybe, making chars having to take on certain quest every x amount of game time to keep their alignment in check. I.e. A palidin has to help the innocent, or dispose of evil every so often.


Well these are just random ideas off the top of my head, feel free to add in more or suggest better ideas

Oh...you will still be able to be killed or not killed all the time..the same as it is now..I was only talking about possibly changing it from Lawful and Chaotic and naming it something different

Using the quest system and offering alternative quests based on alignment is an EXCELLENT idea, Zerk.

Ocelot wrote:

Oh...you will still be able to be killed or not killed all the time..the same as it is now..I was only talking about possibly changing it from Lawful and Chaotic and naming it something different

ahh i thought u ment something else. I played tried a few mmopg in the past where u can only pk ppl who have it unproteced.. thought u ment that hehe.

That is an old alignment system that D&D has dropped. It's now something like Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, , Nothing, and Chaotic or something.

I like the idea I change alignment as I play. The more good deeds I do I get bluer, and when I info my character is will say someting like chaotic/good.

It also keeps players from sitting in one spot all day, which is the best reason to leave it in.

To be honest I just don't like the idea of chosing alignment at creation, it's something that should grow with the character and change. It should be a reactionary feature.

I think a good way to do it would be by leaving good and evil. But having it change based on faction/race. For instance, if I made an orc, he would see elves at -50, and other orcs at +50. Same would go for an Aramon seeing an Enoch, if one were and elf and the other an orc it would be -100. Or some other way to work out a sliding scale for alignment.