Some of my favorite computer role-playing games have some sort of visible reputation, morality, or alignment system. Ultima IV is the classic, of course, where your character needs to satisfy the rigid constraints of the virtues system to even proceed in the game. One could argue that the virtues are the entire point of the game (though I think that's overstating it; there's still a healthy slice of exploration and dungeon crawling). My beloved Baldur's Gate has both a reputation system, and a less-dynamic alignment system, that effects the behavior of NPCs towards your character.

I think systems like that are cool, and I've been mentally batting around the idea of instituting a system like that in "Untitled SENG Game". A rich morality mechanic, where your morality stats are determined by your actions, and shape the path of character development, is a tantalizing goal. Especially a complex, tiered system, like an Ultima, that extends beyond simple Good versus Evil.

However, a good reputation or alignment system needs to be baked thoroughly into the game. My experience with Neverwinter Nights was a bit different, such that your alignment in Neverwinter Nights seems to be pretty static, and doesn't have much effect on the game you play. There simply aren't enough guilds, or NPC interactions, for the designers to have made alignment have a big effect on the game. I don't want _my_ game to have a seemingly cool mechanic, that ultimately doesn't have much effect on the game. (No criticism of NWN is intended; there are certainly a lot of parts of that game that do work well).

With that in mind, I'm going purposefully avoid any formal alignment or reputation system in "Untitled SENG Game". On the one hand, I have plenty of game design goals and challenges already; good story, rich tactical combat, and satisfying, option-filled character development. And on the other hand, there's a non-trivial amount of coding for a formal system that I can avoid.

That said, I do still want your character's actions to have an effect on the world, and his path through the world. But this can be done through direct action, using the existing scripting and conversation systems. For instance, if you refuse to rescue the distressed princess, the Paladin's guild might not admit you into their ranks. Or, if you _do_ rescue her and the reward isn't satisfactory, Darke Golddigger the greedy dwarf might be inclined to leave your party.

Ultimately, making a game (as with any software) is a process of trading off features, content, and quality against time. At least for the first SENG game I make, I think this is a feature I will have to do without. Perhaps later I can make a game with a complex morality system woven into the very fabric of the game.