Information On PS's Alignment System

[Sangwa]

Yes, you haven\'t seen the last of this.

Anyway, I\'ve made this new post because I have rethinked my Wish and I no longer think we need any kind of alignment system.
My wish now is about having people informed about PS\'s choice towards the existence, lack or inovation towards this issue.

I recommend that the Developers of this beautiful game find a place to inform people about PS\'s Developers Team option towards the existence, or lack, of any kind of Alignment/Reputation System.
I think we should have the information on the Website or in the Client itself (under /help, or at Character Generation.)

\"WHY?\"
First, because it\'s my opinion that most roleplayers are used to alignment systems and upon joining a MMORPG each player refers to the alignment system it has been used to and the interpretation it makes of said system. This usually spawns conflicts and pointless discussions about Alignments. We\'re all familiar to them.

Second, new players might be encouraged to claim they\'re evil or good, disregarding whatever player constructed perspectives there might exist, since they see other players already discussing and giving importance to words such as \"Good\" and \"Evil\".
This goes against one of PS\'s objectives: to be \"realistic.\" In a realistic set you don\'t go around saying that you\'re Good or Evil and considering that everyone has to fall into this description. If the humanoids have a psyche similar to ours, then the need for self indulgence spawns more than two sides, and battles aren\'t fought for the sake of Good or Evil, but for the sake of these self indulgences.

Third, having players informed is rarely a bad option, since it instructs towards a better interaction between themselves and the enviroment created.

[Draklar]

Why would you address devs with something they have no control of?

Also, might be just me, but I didn\'t really encounter people yelling that they\'re good or evil in-game...

[Sangwa]

It must be you then ^^.

The devs have no control of it? Bah, why did I waste my time.
<_<

[Draklar]

Oh well, I suppose I\'m helluva lucky then. Or maybe staying away from plaza helped.

[dfryer]

If we construct a more extensive introduction to the world of Planeshift (which we should, maybe somehow integrated into the process of name-choosing and character-building), we should definitely discuss the multitude of informal alignments and factions that should exist in a world like planeshift.  I think we want to escape the bipolar \"good\" and \"evil\", since they are nebulous, endlessly debatable, and (as played by most people) rather stock and boring.  Alignment is measured by loyalty to the ideals and purposes of a particular group of people, whether that is based on religion, a guild, the government of Hydlaa or some other ideals, and this definitely needs to be explained to people who are used to a more structured \"Alignment System\"

[Draklar]

I have a feeling that if Planeshift came up with its own alignment system, it would be as \"fun\" as the current leveling system.

[dfryer]

Why does everyone have to have such a low tolerance for pain and emotional abuse?   X(  

[Thoronador]

Originally posted by Draklar
I have a feeling that if Planeshift came up with its own alignment system, it would be as \"fun\" as the current leveling system.

Why are some people afraid of leaving a well-trodden trail?
No risk, no fun. Or in this case: no innovation, no fun.

[Draklar]

Originally posted by Thoronador
Why are some people afraid of leaving a well-trodden trail?

Because in case of Planeshift it\'s walking a well-trodden trail surrounded by swamps :P

[Sangwa]

I\'ve come to think that there\'s little need for alignments in a realistic MMORPG. I really don\'t care much about how Sangwa\'s labbeled, it\'ll end in world domination anyway
But that\'s not what this topic\'s about.

Anyway, I like dfryer\'s idea, to have this information covered in a more extensive introduction to Planeshift.

[Draklar]

Originally posted by Sangwa
I\'ve come to think that there\'s little need for alignments in a realistic MMORPG.

I shall dare to ask: What do ooc titles have to do with in-game world? :P

Alignments are tools used to help with the role-play. They\'re supposed to make certain decissions easier. And give a stable structure, without which you\'d be much more fragile to being yourself and not your character. As in you do whatever you want your char to do. But then are you doing what you would do or what your char would?

If you think it\'s not needed in RP Game, you\'re mistaken :P

It\'s not needed only for experienced role-players.

[Zan]

Making decisions based on alignment also tends to make a character unrealistic and as has the risk of turning it in yet another stereotypical hero or villain. In my opinion decisions should be made at the time itself and loose from any kind of alignment. If my character is having a bad day and doesn\'t even feel like helping a little girl getting her cat out of a tree, he is free to do so. The next day he might very well be handing out trias to the poor though.

I do understand that for some people who are rather new to roleplay it could be hard to stick in their role without the help of a sort of alignment. Still I agree that the good, evil, chaotic, lawful and neutral are better replaced by a well built character morality and more importantly setting certain goals. Set a goal for yourself and try to achieve them without breaking your characters moral code. If there aren\'t any morals ... do anything that needs to be done If helping is the fastest way, help .. if killing is then slit their throats!

[Draklar]

Originally posted by Zan
Making decisions based on alignment also tends to make a character unrealistic and as has the risk of turning it in yet another stereotypical hero or villain.

Those are results of not using alignments. For example, hero. You have no alignment on your mind, but go around solving quests. You help here then there and so on. Alignments help in deciding what kind of job char should take and what not.
Villain is similar. Someone decides to be a villain and there you have it, a stereotypical one. If you seriously think about alignment and actually follow it, there\'s certain set of rules for each, which give examples of behaviour. That requires you to think about your character. instead of just, \"Ok, I\'m going to be bad\".

I\'ve never actually seen stereotypical villains or heroes among players I played tabletops with...

[derwoodly]

I was under the impresion that   in PS all races are considered to be on the side of \"good\" or at least they are civil to each other.  The \"evil\" is played by the creatures.  Yes, I am aware of the angst between the Talad and  Laanx (blah, why not Lanax), but I have yet too see serious in game conflict based on this lore.  Given this background an alignment system with good and evil as its base would not help much in the way of roleplay.

[Father Sengus]

Couldn\'t it be that people react differently to alignments? In alignment discussions it\'s too often Black or White...
I mean, I completely agree with Zan that your alignment shouldn\'t decide your actions but rather your actions decide your alignment. Then again, what Draklar says (and has said since the alignment discussions started [no flame]) sounds logical too. Some people might actually have to know how people of different alignments behave, in order to know how to behave themselves.
If the devs would create an alignment system, or use an existing one, people could choose whether to live by it or not. Those who find alignments stupid and believe they can RP well without them, can just continue RP:ing like they always have. And maybe those who don\'t know how to behave, can make use of them, like Draklar suggested.

So I completely agree with Sangwa\'s first post. The best thing to do is for the devs to provide information on an alignment system, whatever it may be. There should definetely be one...

EDIT: dfryer, is this something you are working on or do you save it for later?