The power of greed
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Warrior
Member # 5274
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written Wednesday, January 19 2005 18:59
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I just thought i'd post to ask people that if offered a choice in an avernum scenario between two sides what would it take for you to pick the morally evil one? It seems to me that in most scenarios along the lines of ASR its the 'rebel' side that is played through first and i need some ideas on how to maybe bribe a player to take the completely throughly evil and morally reprehensible side for a test drive. In particular say that I gave the party lavish financial rewards what are some ideas for creative ways that they could spend it?(like being able to buy Hawkes Manse in avernum 3) [ Thursday, January 20, 2005 03:45: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 148
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written Wednesday, January 19 2005 22:36
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Morally evil is a matter of perspective. Present a good case for the "evil" side and ask the party to join. I don't think I'd play the for the "evil" side any other way. -------------------- My ego is bigger than yours. Posts: 480 | Registered: Thursday, October 11 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 5274
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written Wednesday, January 19 2005 23:05
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Thats a good point actually and I probably shouldn't have phrased the question in terms of good versus evil. But speaking more along the lines of scenarios such as ASR where its more a question of the relative power of both sides (seeing as both Stalker and the Empire aren't so morally pure,) when you have the "the establishment" versus a rebel group, a lot of people (myself included) feel sympathy for the underdog and tend to give them a run through first, regardless of whether the more powerful side has a legitimate motive for their actions. I was kind of interested in finding out whether there are many players who do the opposite and play through the more powerful (and/or) less moral side first. [ Thursday, January 20, 2005 03:56: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 148
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written Wednesday, January 19 2005 23:55
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Hm. I usually play against the establishment. Usually because the designer has to give the rebels some edge else they quickly lose. -------------------- My ego is bigger than yours. Posts: 480 | Registered: Thursday, October 11 2001 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 01:09
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I've always sided with the Empire in ASR. The Empire may not be perfect, but the Hill Runners aren't exactly peace-loving hippies either, and historically, rebellions that are against something without being for anything tend to turn out very badly. I'm atypical, though. Most players do, as you say, seem to automatically side with the rebels. Which suggests a rather interesting potential answer to your original question; make the rebel side by far the more evil of the two, without making it obvious that that's the case until the party has already joined the rebels and well and truly burned their bridges with whoever they're rebelling against. [ Thursday, January 20, 2005 01:14: Message edited by: Thuryl ] -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 01:30
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I agree with Thuryl. I liked the Empire in ASR and I think that it's fun to play through as the unquestioning and righteous soldier. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 3480
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 02:03
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I always tend to pick the "evil" side, and when I can tend to kill both sides in the end anyway, which was why I liked the Geneforge games plx Posts: 169 | Registered: Wednesday, September 24 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 1425
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 05:36
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If given a choice I'll usually go down the more evil path. It's just more fun to be a baddy. Posts: 190 | Registered: Wednesday, July 3 2002 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2210
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 08:23
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I can think of several reasons: 1) More nifty items. 2) Better cut scenes with lots of praise-- they talk about your great contributions, etc. 3) More opportunity to kill things. There are more good guys to kill. 4) An opportunity to prove you are superior to the monsters. 5) You get to enslave or execute your enemies. 6) Nobody has done a pure raiding type of scenario in Blades of Avernum where the objective is piracy, looting, stealing religious artifacts, and enslaving enemies. You could be paid to do this against the enemies of the empire. Basically, the characters would initially act as mercenaries without morals until they find themselves in a morally ambiguous situation... 6) Also a bounty hunter type scenario could provide a wonderfully morally ambiguous start... -------------------- Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh. Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight. Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2820
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 09:05
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Playing on the side of evil is usually fun and different for people, since they generally must be morally good in real life. At least in the games they have a chance to do things over and again later. I like playing as the underdog the first time I play a scenario with such a choice, but I always develop annoying questions while playing about why that underdog side would be winning. I do not think it would require much to move a player to play the evil side of a scenario, unless you slam a foreshadowing into their face about how much more difficult it will be. -------------------- Thuryl: I mean, most of us don't go around consuming our own bodily fluids, no matter how delicious they are. ==== Alorael: War and violence would end if we all had each other's babies! ==== Drakefyre: Those are hideous mangos. Posts: 1415 | Registered: Thursday, March 27 2003 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 1425
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 10:01
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Being an evil, oppressive hand of the Empire could allow for some intersting oppertunites. Having people executed, arrested (as with the barkeep in Canopy), Commanding Empire troops through NPCs, and just generally being crual and sadistic. Posts: 190 | Registered: Wednesday, July 3 2002 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 5368
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written Thursday, January 20 2005 11:04
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If you stay with the Empire, you perform some duties that can be seen as very nasty. When you attack an enemy stronghold, you kill most of their fighters except for one that is to be used for information. You can either slaughter the noncombatants, haul them away as slaves, or leave them with this bitter lesson of what treachery brings. Other missions might include securing natural (and unnatural) resources for the empire. Clear out mines along with their inhabitants, report discoveries, and clear trade routes of brigands. Your iron fist will also be used to insure the loyalty of your own citizens as there may by a coup underfoot. Teach the traitors what happens when you mess with the crown or replace your superiors who are obviously weak. After sufficent loyalty is shown, an official of some sort will present you with a higher rank. This will give you ever increasing privledges and opens up new parts of the game. As a rebel, you still have to do nasty things. Its just that they will be different nasty things. While walking largely undetected through much of empire lands, you try your best to break their tyrannical back. Assasinate, poison a fortress water supply, get whatever they want first, and eventually take on armies. With a little help from several rebel groups, of course. There should be a way to play the game 'clean' while working for either the Empire or a rebel group. It should not be easy, however. It may mean ursurping your own leaders and putting a good guy in his shoes. [ Thursday, January 20, 2005 11:16: Message edited by: Hectonkhyres ] Posts: 43 | Registered: Friday, January 7 2005 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 5274
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written Friday, January 21 2005 22:18
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This is certainly food for thought, i'll make sure I consider these opinions when (or if) i ever overcome my natural ability for excessive procrastination and get around to finishing my scenario. Thanks to everyone who expressed an opinion -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00 |