Randomly decided to check in after years and see talk of Doordie and Amel. Lots of fun memories! Arguably my first long time character, Narwyn, ended up closely aligned with Amel as his protege.
Doordie was one of the best RP's I ever played with. His stories, with his character Amel, were amazing. Rich, deep, complex. I hope Doordie is doing well! You have a really great Uncle!
Registered Member #1029
Joined: 11:45:04 am GMT 04/18/07
Posts: 732
On consideration, I think a question I posed in the technical thread probably belongs here, so I'll put it to the wider audience.
Alignment is probably more important on an RP server than on an action server and has a greater impact on players. Determining a character's alignment may have big implications in game. So, would it be permissible to use mechanics to find and declare a character's alignment?
I'm obviously not thinking of going around smiting evil here by the way, though sometimes that would be very tempting.
Would the presence of characters willing and able to determine if another character was evil just get in the way of RP or help promote it?
Tempting as it was, I decided not to go round hitting people with a crowbar. Registered Member #650
Joined: 1:17:12 pm GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 8758
My personal oppinion. Detect Evil and Detect Alignment is, as with everything, by consent of the opposing player(s) only and by option with the right skill rolls.
I think it has a place and a time where it can promote RP, but should be used in moderation.
Registered Member #157
Joined: 5:18:57 pm GMT 06/25/04
Posts: 15510
I don't really understand how alignment is handled on Thain, most times when I tried to figure it out by asking folks they seemed as confused as me, and then seemed to say ignore alignment and play a character.
So I'd suggest just ignoring alignments? Not sure if that helps you much
Registered Member #1029
Joined: 11:45:04 am GMT 04/18/07
Posts: 732
Just to clarify I'm not talking about RPing such things as "Detect Evil" and "Detect Alignment" which aren't implemented in NWN or Thain. I'm more interested in views on using existing mechanics to determine alignment in a way which would prove the point one way or another.
The problem for me seems to be that alignment has been integrated into the rules and lore of the world and certain things don't make sense without it, and to that extent it can't just be ignored.
Registered Member #820
Joined: 2:59:44 pm GMT 07/25/06
Posts: 1305
I'm desperately trying to avoid getting into an alignment discussion again, but because we're trying to play characters, I'll just say again that alignment is internally a very complex thing. As with talking to anyone on the street, I think it's more enjoyable if you have to guess at their internal reasonings and motivations, lest you lose the flavour of interaction. As Ren said, sure, detect alignment and detect evil are by choice, but I'd personally never use them on a PC.
I'd much rather my best friend of X years stabbed me in the back and took over Steinkreis for the sheer shock value of it rather than saying "Hey Jerry, I'm going to cast detect evil on you now just to see if this scroll works." "Uhhh...please don't?" "Holy crap! You're actually evil! But you paid for our drinks and everything!" "Aw.." Think of the difference in RP drama! A perfect example of this is the Gorav reveal, for those who know/remember. There were signs, sure, but had it been spoiled by an errant detect evil, it would have been far less surprising and cool.
*edit after reading Twirl's unfortunately timed reply*
No, I don't think you should bother factoring in mechanics to an RPed world. Yes, some spells and things use alignment, but these are spells designed into a system designed into a computer game. I can't imagine the creators would have tried to alter the system to account for a persistant world with meaningful character development.
[ Edited 12:13:49 PM 12/03/08 ]
Registered Member #157
Joined: 5:18:57 pm GMT 06/25/04
Posts: 15510
Yep twirlip, that's the sticking point I always come to when I try to hold "play the character" mode but I just don't know how alignment works otherwise
What mechanic were you talking about, if not RPed use of detect-evil?
Iguana-on-a-stick Registered Member #1079
Joined: 8:18:48 am GMT 06/21/07
Posts: 2061
I personally dislike the alignment mechanic, as it is very easy to start thinking of characters as the stereotype of their alignment rather than their actual personalities. Alignments are too simplistic, too abstract, and people argue too much over what they actually mean. If you want to know if someone is a baddie or a goodie... well, it'd show from his actual in-game actions, hopefully. Or not, if the character in question is a sneaky one, but that only adds extra layers of roleplaying.
To me, a paladin shouting "Detect Evil" and then letting the results of this determine his reactions to other PCs/NPCs is a copout, a shortcut that eliminates quantities of RP. I would personally much prefer it if stuff like "alignment" were limited to planar creatures and the like, like angels and devils. (okay, and chaos frogs...)
Yeah, I know. That's not how D&D works. So I still use alignment, but only by selecting the most appropriate one for my characters. The alignment follows from the personality though, and never the other way around. I determine actions based on the character's personality, and never stop to consider whether such actions would be "good," "evil," "lawful" or 'chaotic." I only determine if they're "Edgary" or "Alessanny."
So my answer would be, the ability to determine alignment ICly would only hamper RP, and if any paladin player wanted his character to use "detect evil" on mine, I would politely opt out.
Edit: the "this topic is not about detect evil" reply came whilst writing this, so that part of the post is sort-of irrellevant.
But to name another example:
Take a weapon that can only be used by an "evil" aligned character. I certainly wouldn't want to use that to determine my RP towards such characters either. "Hey, you can equip this, you must be evil!" I'd try to find other explanations or leave it vague. Or at least I'd try to put it in other terms mechanically. "I can sense the corruption magics in that sword you hold... why would you use such a weapon?" There at least one could still make replies like "A weapon is a weapon, swords don't kill people, people do." It wouldn't lock up RP as much as accusations of "evilness."
[ Edited 12:24:55 PM 12/03/08 ]
Registered Member #1205
Joined: 6:06:34 pm GMT 11/13/07
Posts: 1136
Going off of what set this off, I think Twirlip is talking about stuff like Smite Good/Evil and the like....
The way I see it:
I only have one character with either (Galeshi with Smite Good). Anyone going to fight him has the chance of getting hit with it. Even if I OOCly know that his attacker is Evil/Neutral, I might still use it for effect.
I hope that's what Twirlip was talking about and that my opinion is coherent enough to portray what I mean.
Registered Member #1029
Joined: 11:45:04 am GMT 04/18/07
Posts: 732
To answer Feai's question, I meant those and some other mechanics involving various spells and item use such as Iguana has already mentioned.
I tend to agree with Iguana's take on this, but to act as devil's advocate for a moment, if you wish for alignment to be ignored and to concentrate entirely on the character's personality and deeds, then do I get to play a bunny hugging assassin / blackguard that will be welcomed with open arms by Team Good?
[ The Island of Thain ]
Determining a character's alignment
but I just don't know how alignment works otherwise 
