I'm not going to be too upset with its omission given the hurdles of implementing it in a way that wouldn't limit player agency. I will say however that the Forgotten Realms isn't a world with true moral relevance. Take this part of the Player's Handbook:
"Alignment is an essential part of the nature of
celestials and fiends. A devil does not choose to be
lawful evil, and it doesn't tend toward lawful evil, but
rather it is lawful evil in its essence. If it somehow
ceased to be lawful evil, it would cease to be a devil."
Good, Evil, Law, Chaos aren't as abstract concepts as they are in the real world. Implementing alignment would have to involve adding just enough moral relativism to keep it intersting while honouring canon lore
Funny how even in a forum about a CRPG game Godwin´s law still applies.
"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1"
I really don't think that Godwin's law applies here as I was using the "Go back in time and kill Hitler" thought experiment as an example of doing an "evil" act for a "good" goal rather than comparing an individual or idea to Hitler/Nazism to win an argument. Hitler, being almost universally associated with evil, just made for an easier example than writing "Evil person who is completely evil and devoid of any goodness". Plus I would think most people have encountered the go back in time and kill Hitler idea and are familiar with it and I was hoping it would not illicit a debate on the example itself but the ideas of doing evil for an ultimately good goal and how an act itself can be good or evil (or both) depending on the individual and their intent and how that would translate into in-game alignment. (Just to clarify I don't feel like you were attacking my ideas or anything like that and I hope you don't think I am doing it likewise. I just feel that Godwin's law is thrown out too often and used as a "You said Hitler, I win now, discussion over.")
That´s fair, I concede your point.
I think a dynamic point based alignment score could work if done correctly. I would even be content even if the didn't call it good/evil law/chaos (Although that would be my preferance). They could use a colored "aura" or "spirit" or maybe adjust the expression/appearance of your character sort of like how the force did in KOTOR (All be it to a much much more subtle degree, more like a sour expression or aggressive body language).
Yeah, that was a game mechanics flaw that comes from the beginning of D&D, and I do not think it´s going to change since BG3 will use D&D5e rules and WoTC are closely advising the development of the game.
Also, if you touch the alignment axis you will have to create new spells. You will have protection from chaos but also "protection from moral relativism, communal", "Zone of grey moral ground", and besides holy and unholy word, you will have "Cultural and society-related accepted behavior word". =D
I'm not going to be too upset with its omission given the hurdles of implementing it in a way that wouldn't limit player agency. I will say however that the Forgotten Realms isn't a world with true moral relevance. Take this part of the Player's Handbook:
"Alignment is an essential part of the nature of
celestials and fiends. A devil does not choose to be
lawful evil, and it doesn't tend toward lawful evil, but
rather it is lawful evil in its essence. If it somehow
ceased to be lawful evil, it would cease to be a devil."
Good, Evil, Law, Chaos aren't as abstract concepts as they are in the real world. Implementing alignment would have to involve adding just enough moral relativism to keep it intersting while honouring canon lore which I fully admit may be better off not being addressed at all.
Or we just have a 10 hour prolouge with the player discussing Sartre's "Being and Nothingness" with a npc in front of a fireplace and then just standing still for the next 50 hours of gameplay due to the existential ramnifications of taking a single step.
GOTY 2020!
