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Hi,
I am hoping that you guys can recommend a couple of games with interesting alignment systems. Like the chaos/lawful system in the Ogre battle for instance, where chaos is not necessarily evil.
I just have not seen many games where your actions/play style really affected the way the game played out.
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wy4786: Hi,
I am hoping that you guys can recommend a couple of games with interesting alignment systems. Like the chaos/lawful system in the Ogre battle for instance, where chaos is not necessarily evil.
I just have not seen many games where your actions/play style really affected the way the game played out.
I would recommend the Shin Megami Tensi series (but not Persona) for this kind of thing.
Black and White

I know I should be able to think of more, but that's all that comes to mind right now.
You can rule out BioWare games. They either follow the D&D alignment system like Baldur's Gate or the good/evil system seen in KOTOR and Mass Effect. Dragon Age: Origins was unusual in that respect as there was no alignment, choices just mattered to your companions.

Fallout: New Vegas has an interesting system. It has Karma but it doesn't really have an effect. Factions treat you how you treat them so you can be the most evil bastard in the wasteland but as long as you were helpful to the NCR (for example) they were Bro's.
Post edited April 21, 2011 by Delixe
Might and Magic 7 has an alignment system that is affected by what choices you make, and you pick halfway through the game whether to permanently align yourself with the good or evil side - but in both cases you're still trying to save the world, just pissing off the other side while doing so, if I recall.

You get access to a different spell school (light vs dark magic), quests/areas (the bad side gets to invade "heaven", the good side invades "hell", for several story quests), different class promotion (archmage vs lich as the final tier wizard class), etc.
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Delixe: You can rule out BioWare games. They either follow the D&D alignment system like Baldur's Gate or the good/evil system seen in KOTOR and Mass Effect. Dragon Age: Origins was unusual in that respect as there was no alignment, choices just mattered to your companions.

Fallout: New Vegas has an interesting system. It has Karma but it doesn't really have an effect. Factions treat you how you treat them so you can be the most evil bastard in the wasteland but as long as you were helpful to the NCR (for example) they were Bro's.
Fallout stuff bugs me, I get losing a metaphysical morality when doing evil where no one can see me, but if no one sees me cap a NCR patrol (and no one survives) why do they dislike me more? We know they aren't in radio contact because they loose their damn patrols all the time and their radios are the size of a desk.
Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines measures Humanity. By violating the Masquerade (feeding in the open is one example), your character's Humanity will drop, resulting in gameplay consequences.
Arcanum uses a Good/Evil gauge that changes throughout the game, based on your actions. Some NPCs will only deal with you if you're Good (which is common in gaming), but there are some that will only deal with you if you're Evil. And your choice of "Character Background" can also effect your G/E gauge...there's one called "Sold Your Soul" iirc, where you get bonuses to start with but your alignment can never get more "Good" than 20% Evil.

Of course, I can't recommend Arcanum highly enough in general. Its an awesome game all around.
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Grimdango: Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines measures Humanity. By violating the Masquerade (feeding in the open is one example), your character's Humanity will drop, resulting in gameplay consequences.
And to regain humanity, ya just gotta dance at a night club! Best. System. Ever!

Yeah yeah, you could regain it other ways too, but the dancing was the best part. :)
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Delixe: Fallout: New Vegas has an interesting system. It has Karma but it doesn't really have an effect. Factions treat you how you treat them so you can be the most evil bastard in the wasteland but as long as you were helpful to the NCR (for example) they were Bro's.
I love a food faction system, that's much better than an alignment system if you ask me. New Vegas is probably the best game in a long, long time when it comes to your choices changing how the game world treats you.
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Grimdango: Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines measures Humanity.
Redemption does too (featured on this site).
Planescape: Torment also has a lawful-chaotic system in addition to the usual good-evil counter.
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Grimdango: Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines measures Humanity. By violating the Masquerade (feeding in the open is one example), your character's Humanity will drop, resulting in gameplay consequences.
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Krypsyn: And to regain humanity, ya just gotta dance at a night club! Best. System. Ever!

Yeah yeah, you could regain it other ways too, but the dancing was the best part. :)
Indeed! Just a shame my computer had a habit of crashing while I was dancing :(
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orcishgamer: Fallout stuff bugs me, I get losing a metaphysical morality when doing evil where no one can see me, but if no one sees me cap a NCR patrol (and no one survives) why do they dislike me more? We know they aren't in radio contact because they loose their damn patrols all the time and their radios are the size of a desk.
You are doing it wrong. If you want to go killing NCR or any other faction without a hit to reputation you need a Stealth Boy and a silenced weapon. Brock Flower cave south of Novac and near a Legion camp has the unique Varmit Rifle Ratslayer which is scoped and silenced. If they can't see you and cant hear the gunshot you can kill as many as you like. Headshot one then wait till caution is gone and repeat.

Also the NCR do in fact have radios, they even give you one when you have done enough missions for them.
Thanks for the responses.
I guess I'll do a little more research on the new fallout games.
I've tried planescape torment, but sadly found it a bit too slow-paced for my liking.
Arcanum was fun though.

@StingingVelvet;
I agree. That's why the tactics ogre series has always been my favorite.
Post edited April 22, 2011 by wy4786