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Thread: If WH40K got the Bioware Treatment...

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    Default Re: If WH40K got the Bioware Treatment...

    Yeah, I figured that game writers could allow for multiple endings allowing for an advance in power.

    I figured there would be ways to ensure a happy Inquisitor boss-man at the end of the first two: Your boss begins as a Radical. Ends justifies means. So long as the bad guy dies, you get your promotion. I figured they could refine the Mass Effect sorta thing, which I saw as refining the Baldur's Gate consequences thing. I wouldn't have him developing as a Radical, but you would become more aware of this as the game progressed. He'd already be there, and you'd slowly find out.

    With decent writers, either he'd promote you, or one of his rivals would when you ratted him out. Either that or he'd try to kill you. But yeah, with decent writers, with experience of similar in the past, this could be done.

    Don't we all remember running into previously dead characters with amnesia in Baldur's Gate 2? In modern games, dead characters from the previous games stay dead.

    Keeping it local like Baldur's Gate is a great idea, though. Space travel isn't easy or simple in 40K.

    Personally, I'd take the good parts from Mass Effect, and from other games too.

    So, yeah, I've played Mass Effect already too, and I don't want to play it again, true. I've also played Baldur's Gate, and I don't want to play that again. The best parts could be taken from both. It would be local, like Baldur's Gate, at least early on, but could incorporate the more modern consequences of actions in the writing, allowing for more complex story.

    Just so long as it isn't like Dragon Age, which was a crappy rehash of Baldur's Gate. Screw that.
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    Now, regarding alignment... I'd likely split it into multiple tracks. This would be difficult.

    I would have multiple alignments representing various ideologies, maybe split into the three main Ordos. I would also try to track how secretive you were at the same time. This, of course, is complicated, but possible to pull off.

    Hereticus: Puritan Hereticus-alignment types would tend toward Amalathian philosophies. Radicals will generally tend towards Recongregator ideals. Support rebels or engage in progressive actions and slide along the Radical path. Promote conformity to slide along the Puritan path.

    Malleus: Daemonology and sorcery will slide you along the Radical path. Refusal to compromise on such issues and relying on faith will make you more Puritan.

    Xenos: Simple enough. Kill aliens and smash their technology to get Puritan status. Show tolerance for Radicalism.

    Another option would be to have a massive list of 'issues' and track Puritanism vs. Radicalism for every issue. This would be better, but more awkward to implement.

    For a few examples,

    Government: Radicals on this track will want new institutions. Puritans will protect existing structures.

    Psykers: Radicals on this track will attempt to protect psykers at great risk, whereas Puritans will be ultra-conservative.

    Sorcery: Radicals will be less inclined to punish sorcerers and may use it themselves.

    Technology: Radicals will be progressive, possibly to the point of using sorcerous or Xenos technology. Puritans will toe the Mechanicus line.

    Xenos: Radicals on this track will be more tolerant of Xenos and their technology, or will at least use enemies of enemies as allies of convenience. Less tolerance from Puritans.

    ----

    Multiple tracks could help show characters that want to maintain the Imperium's current structures (philosophically Puritan regarding governmental structures) but do it with a daemon sword. Sure, they're unusual, but it happens.
    Last edited by bluntpencil; 2012-10-21 at 04:24 AM.