Introducing The Dynamic Roleplaying System Morality and Reputation System
When we first started to put pen to paper with the DRS (Dynamic Roleplaying System) we decidedthat we wanted the focus of the game to sit with the players and how they were playing their characters.
One of the early challenges around this was the question of alignments and how they would sit within our game.
After taking part in several online discussions arguing for and against alignments in games it was decided that the DRS would not utilise a traditional alignment system but would instead use an original mechanic designed to complement the DRS.
It was with this in mind that we started work on what became known as the Morality Mechanic.
The Morality Mechanic was designed to reward or penalise the characters depending on their actions and how they interact with the people and places around them, with bonuses and penalties being awarded as an alternative form of advancement and reward.
In essence, all new characters will start with a Morality score of zero, though this can be influenced by taking certain perks and quirks.
From that stage onwards the storyteller can award or penalise the player for their character’s actions. So helping a village would in essence provide the player with a positive bonus, whereas robbing someone would provide a negative bonus.
This would allow the player’s actions to constantly affect their morality score as sometimes you will need to steal, lie or cheat for the greater good, allowing the true roguish player to balance their actions, such as stealing from the rich to feed the poor.
In addition to providing the characters with a moral compass, the morality system would also feed into a reputation system with their interactions, with the character earning their respect and potentially celebrity as they gain in popularity. This would allow the players to earn additional bonuses when dealing with people they meet.
However, the higher the players score, the bigger the penalty the player will have in dealing with the more unsavoury people of the world, which could lead to hostility; the same would apply to murderers and killers having a hard time with their dealings in communities where they are known.
All in all we are aiming for the Morality Mechanic to help storytellers drive forward their narratives and for players to feel that the decisions they make will have an impact on the games they play.
We will be covering how these mechanics will feature in the game over the coming months,
