That's a core issue with the good/evil choice in games anyway. You know you'll be rewarded regardless and usually the good guy option has the more interesting quest options and better rewards because evil is just kill guy and move on every time. If it is mechanically way more rewarding to be evil most people will just do that because it makes the game easier and they aren't real people. Even if you're being a good guy in something like Fallout you steal everything that isn't nailed down. That shit doesn't matter unless you get caught so everyone does it.
You have reputation, which can lead to problems if it's too low. At the low end the city guards will attack on sight, and I think merchants won't even trade with you, while if it's very high, some evil characters may refuse to be in the party.
Reputation, however, does not affect alignment, so in other words you can play as a psycopath who understands the benefit of pandering to the masses, while robbing, murdering and backstabbing when no one is looking. That is the proper way to be evil imo.
That's a good balance. I've found reputation systems to be better than good/evil scales. In New Vegas Karma means pretty much nothing but faction reputation is very important and it's much more immersive for it.
Or just being a raging asshole for no reason or clear benefit. That was like half the Renegade options in Mass Effect
That's a core issue with the good/evil choice in games anyway. You know you'll be rewarded regardless and usually the good guy option has the more interesting quest options and better rewards because evil is just kill guy and move on every time. If it is mechanically way more rewarding to be evil most people will just do that because it makes the game easier and they aren't real people. Even if you're being a good guy in something like Fallout you steal everything that isn't nailed down. That shit doesn't matter unless you get caught so everyone does it.
I think Baldur's Gate handled it well.
You have reputation, which can lead to problems if it's too low. At the low end the city guards will attack on sight, and I think merchants won't even trade with you, while if it's very high, some evil characters may refuse to be in the party.
Reputation, however, does not affect alignment, so in other words you can play as a psycopath who understands the benefit of pandering to the masses, while robbing, murdering and backstabbing when no one is looking. That is the proper way to be evil imo.
That's a good balance. I've found reputation systems to be better than good/evil scales. In New Vegas Karma means pretty much nothing but faction reputation is very important and it's much more immersive for it.
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