The problem is too often in regards to good and evil, too many companies fail to consider the idea of rewards being a way to entice them either direction. They think that good should be rewarded and evil should be punished immediately. By separating rewards into types, you can better recognize the drawbacks and benefits of being good OR evil.
Rewards, in general, fall into these two categories.
Physical Rewards (Gold, Gear, Spells)
Social Rewards (access to areas, people willing to work with you, specific vendors)
Since Good characters aren't expecting rewards, you grant them more social rewards early on, then physical rewards later on. This can of course make things difficult, but you also have a lot of doors (pun fully intended) that are opened to you. So it should hopefully balance out as a result.
Since Evil characters are expecting rewards for what they do, you give it to them. If they want access to special services or the like, they have to do more to gain access to them. This lack of specialized services early on will also make things harder for them as they don't have any doors opened for them. They want a door opened, they have to find a key, steal a key, bribe or intimidate their way through. Again, this should hopefully balance out in the long run.
GOOD: Earlier Social Rewards, Delayed Physical Rewards
EVIL: Earlier Physical Rewards, Delayed Social Rewards
That way you're being rewarded no matter how you play, but both sides come with challenges due to your choices. Your choices should of course have consequences. Access to rewards (and the type of rewards) should be affected by what you're doing. Good characters won't be getting gear more inclined to do evil actions. Evil characters won't be getting gear more inclined to good actions. There are lots of ways to make both sides rewarding and punishing at the same time.
We're still probably early enough they could use this for ways to make both sides rewarding, just in different ways.
Last edited by KentDA; 29/10/20 08:14 AM. Reason: grammar
