For CRPGs I much prefer the way Pillars of Eternity did it with your dialogue and plot choices informing your reputations with different groups and unlocking other dialogue options later.
So, like if you get to Brutal 1, then later dialogues might give you more Brutal options, which adds to your rep and unlocks yet more Brutal options so that it becomes a rather realistic slippery slope. (Though my character went headlong into Benevolent on that)
On tabletop, Alignment is too vague and indistinct, covering way too much space to be useful RP guides. Chaotic is personal determination and Evil is selfishness, both of which are wildly broad distinctions. Chaotic Evil covers everything from the pickpocket or con artist who balks at torture or murder but doesn't care if something they steal indirectly ruins one or more person's life. All the way to the raving bloody minded killer slaughtering everything in their path.
Likewise, Lawful Good ranges from the mildly helpful person who puts others first when asked, but doesn't really go out of their way to do anything, all the way to the proactive champion and protector of the people.
I much prefer the Personality traits from the PHB with the backgrounds: Traits x2, Ideal, Bond, and Flaw... maybe with a quirk or two from classes or background. It's a much more detailed and defined set of pillars around which to plan your character's actions and behaviors. Especially with a live GM and players.
For a computer, you can put a lot into the background and use a much more detailed simulated system (reference again Pillars of Eternity) since I recognize a CRPG lacks the flexibility and capability of a GM to manage the wide range of possibilities and contextual shifts that would come from the Personality/Background system. Granted they are doing something with backgrounds, but it's by necessity a very generalized and pre-planned interpretation of those backgrounds.
Last edited by Thrythlind; 08/09/21 03:04 PM.
