Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watrose.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!rtummers1 From: rtummers1@watrose.UUCP (Richard Tummers) Newsgroups: net.games.frp Subject: re: a new idea for alignments Message-ID: <7714@watrose.UUCP> Date: Thu, 5-Dec-85 11:11:53 EST Article-I.D.: watrose.7714 Posted: Thu Dec 5 11:11:53 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 6-Dec-85 06:33:03 EST References: <2271@iddic.UUCP> <6700007@uiucdcsp> <2301@iddic.UUCP> <172@mck-csc.UUCP> <2318@iddic.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 44 I myself am a RuneQuest player, which has no real parallel with the D&D concept of alignment. This means that players can do as they please... Do as they please MOSTLY anyway. The concept of character behavior patterns are based on the situation you are in. If you do constantly steal, cheat and lie, then no one will trust you. It will become more difficult to have people believe that you are NOT stealing, cheating and lieing. As well, you may be caught stealing (or whatever) by some 'higher authority'. In my game, set in a civilized mileau, I have a well developed legal system that punishes people that break the laws of society. (One or two very tense adventures took place in a courtroom where the party was (correctly) accused of Grand Theft and Fraud; They were exonerated of the charges). Thus, character behavior is dictated not by an abstract concept like 'alignment', but by concrete and definable system of police, bounty hunters, judges and laws. Other mileaus have similar 'higher authorities' that can affect game play in many ways. If you worship a god, and perform deeds the god deems unsuitable - you will be punished by the god or your fellow worshippers. If you are a member of a barbarian clan, and murder a tribesman, then the clan head or his supporters, or even the tribesmans family may be free - by tribal custom - to kill you, or perhaps demand weregeld. Historically, each society has had ways to punish those it felt were wrong: Be it our system of law, an eye for an eye, the strongest person makes the rules, etc. Another example from my game is that different areas use different 'higher authorities'. In many uncivilized areas, the philosophy that the strongest person makes the rules prevails. If you worship a god, then the god will punish you. (These punishments range from withholding the full power of the spells that the god grants, to the biblical 7 good years and 7 bad years of crops). For me, this 'responsibility to your environment' is more meaningful than alignment. I can understand loyalty to god, king and country. I cannot easily understand and explain the concept of alignment. In this way the 'punishment' for acting out of societies views are well defined: be they arrest, loss of friends, starting a feud, excommunication, etc. The effects are much more easily explained in a logical manner. Richard Tummers. Hey man, ain't no disclaimers here. I actually believe this stuff!