I was thinking about this a couple weeks ago, in relation to the game and setting I'm running now.

I use LotFP which isn't about combat much, as everything is going to probably be stronger and more deadly than the PCs. At the same time, experience is tied mainly towards treasure, and specifically, spending that treasure.

So I have been thinking about adding a new system of experience to it based on Palladium's old system, that gives large rewards for roleplaying and heroism and thoughtful action, giving tiny rewards for killing stuff, and no rewards at all for treasure.

I haven't tried using it in actual play yet, (been playing Pathfinder and Savage Worlds this year) but I'd like to try it out and see what my players think.

Quote from: Ravenswing;770713On abortion, on capital punishment, on same-sex marriage, on the slaughter of whales, on any number of sectarian and nationalist issues, there are sincere and honest people on both sides who consider their POV the only conceivable right-thinking way, and the other side to be wrong and misguided at best and sick and perverted at worst ...

In general I'd agree with you.  I think it's a fantastic idea to try and understand the 'opposition' as best as you can without demonizing them.  That's how you have any kind of useful discussion.

There are some people, however, who have such a complete inability to feel empathy or view the world from anything other than their own perspective that they inevitably harm everyone and everything about them.

It's not about being on Team Red or Team Blue.  It's about a certain set of personality disorders.

If you haven't had the experience of dealing with someone like that, well, I envy you.

Quote from: robiswrong;770757There are some people, however, who have such a complete inability to feel empathy or view the world from anything other than their own perspective that they inevitably harm everyone and everything about them.

Again, I wouldn't call that 'evil'... as in some sort of metaphysical quantity. To me 'evil' depends completely on the point of view... like 'left or right'. Malicious actions against me and mine I might consider 'evil' but someone few degrees off that mark might call it 'business' or 'justice' or 'fate' (same qualifiers go for 'good').
Sure, there are people who are only going to think in terms of themselves, act on any impulse that suits them. Brutal and vicious and predatory and probably not capable of living in civilization. Most everyone is going to feel that person is inimical to their own well-being. Still not 'evil' to me... maybe closer to 'animal'... but then we're all animals, so that doesn't say much. We've all got those qualities to greater/lesser degrees, depending on circumstances.

As for games, I just find it more interesting to have a vast continuum of gray... with no absolutes on either end.

Quote from: Doctor Jest;769880Sounds like narcissism. I read an article recently on how narcissists are difficult to treat because they generally don't recognize that they're narcissists or that there is anything wrong with them.

Actually, the most recent studies have shown just the opposite.  Narcissists consistently answer positively to the statement "I am a narcissist" in psychological questionnaires.  

What they don't recognize is what's BAD about being a narcissist; they think that it's an absolute moral good that everything revolve around their whims.

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