Reputation

[Nezur]

What would you think about a reputation score for each faction or any community in JADE? Reputation could affect shop prices, quest rewards, the availability of quests, the quests itself, the general attitude... and so on.

The initial repution score would depend on the community type, eg. a human PC in a human town would be initially classified as "Neutral". An orc in the same town could start out as "Unfriendly" or even worse.
There could be warring towns which would mean that the repution gained for one town decreases the reputation score of the other.

I'm aware that the alignment system already acts a bit like reputation and the reputation system could limit the freedom and the (initial) possibilities of the PC somewhat so I'm not sure how this would work out. Anyway I've had this thing in my personal list of features for some time.

[spectre]

Good idea. Fallout had it (Karma + in-town reputation), Arcanum had it, and it's proven to work.

I thik it doesn't conflict with te alignment system, quite the opposite, it complements it nicely.
Because the alignment system will most likely be re-worked to behave more like it does in d&d, I think some sort of reputation counters are a must.

Even if it's just a little bit expanded over the thives guild from ADOM, it stil has potential.

[Plausible]

All for this. Darklands had this too, though I don't remember if your reputation in one town affected that in the other - I think maybe they were just independent. It's obviously more complex to program if one has to keep track of ties between towns/factions/persons, and have a proper rationale for those. I don't think doing a small good deed in a lawful town should automatically give you a negative starting reputation in a chaotic town on the other side of the map - they wouldn't have heard of you. But if you destroyed an Army of Chaos they might have picked up on it. Programming-wise this sounds like modifying the 'friendship matrix' using weights and delays... not too obvious.

I also hope there'd be a "plead" or "appease" action, with the result depending on Charisma/Appearance/Willpower/Intelligence. For those frustrating times when you make a mistake by accident and get the whole town angry (Dwarftown, anyone?). Of course for the less honestly disposed it could also be used to commit crimes (whatever these may be in a particular moral community) and later claim they were an accident.

[Grey]

I do like the idea, but I've seen it done so badly before. In Morrowind for instance, where getting a global reputation is fairly easy and you can bribe anyone into being your best buddy. Reputation should only be a local thing, have only subtle effects, and be difficult to modify. It also shouldn't be a blanket thing that effects every NPC equally.

Notably JADE does have Diplomacy and Intimidation skills, so evidently social elements are going to feature more in the game.

[Nezur]

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It's obviously more complex to program if one has to keep track of ties between towns/factions/persons, and have a proper rationale for those.
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True, although you shouldn't think too much about the actual programming work and if it's possible. It may cripple creativity.

I also hope there'd be a "plead" or "appease" action, with the result depending on Charisma/Appearance/Willpower/Intelligence. For those frustrating times when you make a mistake by accident and get the whole town angry (Dwarftown, anyone?). Of course for the less honestly disposed it could also be used to commit crimes (whatever these may be in a particular moral community) and later claim they were an accident.

Well, you could donate some money to the temple or fund a construction project. I wouldn't like the idea of the whole town becoming hostile. Maybe that could happen in chaotic evil settlement, but they wouldn't become *permanently* hostile. Cities could feature prisons where the town militia puts you should you misbehave. In an evil town you could have a taste of cat o' nine tails and experience the stocks.

I do like the idea, but I've seen it done so badly before. In Morrowind for instance, where getting a global reputation is fairly easy and you can bribe anyone into being your best buddy. Reputation should only be a local thing, have only subtle effects, and be difficult to modify. It also shouldn't be a blanket thing that effects every NPC equally.

I agree with you. Reputation should affect things only locally and it shouldn't be too easy to raise. In reality people don't tend to notice little achievements. Things would also get too easy if every chap started to practically worship an exalted character. Hmm... an interesting situation though... primitive people starting to think an advanced PC in a shiny armour coming to the village is a god...

Notably JADE does have Diplomacy and Intimidation skills, so evidently social elements are going to feature more in the game.

Yep. I hope Charisma will be more of benefit in JADE.

[F50]

In an evil town you could have a taste of cat o' nine tails and experience the stocks.

Why would it have to be an evil town?

...primitive people starting to think an advanced PC in a shiny armour coming to the village is a god...

Good idea

[Nezur]

Why would it have to be an evil town?

Yeah, it doesn't have to be an evil town. Just some thoughts I made up spontaneously. (Lawful) evil communities could have crueler ways to punish criminals.

[Chaine]

I like the idea, I've liked it ever since The Elder Scrolls. Befriending the richer people to get better quests, the merchants for better prices or the beggars for hints and hiding has always been a great idea but few to no games have anything like it.