The problem is that it could lead to heavy plot based consequences and the best I can think of is have like a sort of tree of NPC social structure (like a web I suppose) and the consequences could shift around the relationships between NPCs and the PC but I haven''t come up with much more than that. Like for instance if you were to shoot the daughter of some drug smuggler then who would most likely get blamed for the incident and what happens to everything from there?

These changes could also take place over time as more people get informed and people that are less informed in the NPC world might make a decision that would''ve been good a while ago but isn''t now - thus either getting killed and allowing for many fun scenarios.

Hmmm - I like that idea.

A web of relationships ( enmity and friendship might be enough! ) and a way of placing the blame on someone when something bad happens. That would already make for a game with a LOT of intruige, a mobster-like game where any crime gets blamed on whoever''s most likely to have done it! ( And the goal of the game is to make as much money as possible without them ever getting onto you ).


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Yeah it is an interesting thought, but I''m stil ltrying to think of a more backwards system that can be worked using statistics to some extent. I need something more solid that I can use to build up a convincing environment without the restrictions placed on by the stats system. For instance, instead of restricting, more like discouraging, so that any playing style can be fitted in however there will be varying results for whichever.

In this sense I think the system will have to take into account the pathway taken for each action and see where that kind of road leads and generate a suitable alteration in the environment to represent the consquence. For instance, slaying someone with a sword is a violent approach and thus violence is brought back onto the palyer (some kind of karma system?) in the sense that the focus of the game will be the revenge of that person''s death or something, or on a smaller scale, the person might curse you and you will be inhibited for a while, or poisoned or something - so it doesn''t have to be massive global plot changes either (cause those should be left for better circumstances)

"you reap what you sow".
That would make for a brilliant consequence system!
You need to categorize actions, or simply track each action. You''ve been attacking a lot? People will be attacking you a lot. You''ve been talking a lot? Guess what happens .

It could be more vague - like "violence" and "helpfulness", but it doesn''t have to be.



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Actually - this could be used really successfully in a MMORPG. For instance, a Pker obviously wants more and more gratification by the killing of others or something, so he gets more ffrequent challenges the bloodthirstier he gets, and the good character that just want to sow jumpers can do that with little problems and "good" things will come from that (if you consider an increase in the selling price for jumpers good - actually I think jumpers is an Australian term, you american ppl probably say "sweaters" or something).

Still, the system hardly replaces stats, or takes the focus of the game away, ultimately the stats drive what the player does and that''s something that I''m trying to minimalise.

That''s the hardest thing... you yourself are driven to do things for different reasons
- You''re good at it ( translates to high stat, high skill )
- It''s very rewarding ( I think this might be a bit ignored in games so far, there aren''t many rewards )
- It seems easy enough to do.

I think the second one is important, finding interesting rewards to make people do things..


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Actually - I guess a consequence could be some kind of twisted reward as well.

Very true Maitrek. The system would have to have something to keep the bloodthirsty player from racking up kills all day long. A very cruel punishment for PKing would be to have monsters attack the player at night (but I am 100% against computer cheating, it is about the most frustrating thing in games. You know you''re awesome, but the computer cheats. Arrgh!)

Also think about the poor farmer. If he plants plants all of his life, he still should be able to pick a fight with a monster if he wants to. Don''t make it impossible or even difficult for the character to engage in any task just because s/he doesn''t do it often.

I do think it is a worthwhile idea and would make each gaming experience more tailored to the player who is playing it. Games that have this sort of replay value are high on my list, as I would think they would be on most other people''s list.

Is it cheating if the PKer goes into battle with a large daemon... And then gets swarmed by 20 more? I think not. Seves the bastard right eh?

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Hehe "biting off more than you can chew".

"What do you mean, you''re the LITTLE brother??"

It''ll take a bit of balancing, but I''m sure giving the player "more of the same" might work to entertain repetitive players, and let varied players still enjoy the experience ( because for them the world will just be a very varied place. )


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