After I implemented the Karma system, I was asked a question during the elevator speech: Since that’s the case, wouldn’t it be sufficient for me to make all the “good” choices? Why did I choose “evil”? Or, in other words, what kind of motivation would I have had to make such “evil” choices?
This once again prompted my reflection. This issue reminded me of a game I played not long ago called “Kingdom Come: Deliverance II”（KCD2）. In this game, there is also a similar reputation system. Its reputation does not directly judge good or evil, but it does affect the opening of side quests, the attitude of NPCs, and the difficulty of obtaining resources. Drawing on this, I separated reputation from Karma: Reputation affects the process experience, while Karma determines the judgment of the Seventh Day. Under this
KCD2 dialogue check with a guard. Response options carry EASY/MEDIUM/HARD tags governed by speech/charisma/persuasion and social standing—an example of a reputation-gated system.
framework, players do not always choose the good option because good comes at a cost, evil has short-term benefits, information is incomplete, relationships have conflicts, time is scarce, and public opinion exerts pressure – these real constraints make people hesitate and weigh options. For example: Returning the wallet will be late and miss the opportunity (reputation = cost), while pretending not to know can preserve one’s reputation (evil = short-term benefit). Therefore, the convenience or resistance in the process of the reputation system is created, while Karma silently records the true moral weight.
Let me give a simple example: In the game, there is such a plot where the character controlled by the player finds a wallet on the roadside. The player can choose to hand the wallet over to the police, which won’t happen immediately, but it will improve the reputation and Karma. On the contrary, the player can also choose to keep the wallet for themselves, which will reduce the player’s Karma, but will give the player a considerable amount of money. This money can be used to solve some subsequent events, and this method is very fast and may improve the player’s reputation.
In the final judgment, Karma is the only criterion for judgment. The player can be a popular evil person or a kind person who is ignored by others.
I will make Karma invisible and Reputation visible. So players won’t focus on the Karma progress bar to “score points”, but will shape the protagonist through exploration and self-judgment, and read the consequences from the light, color, and attitudes of others. The goal is to encourage role-playing and reflection, rather than numerical optimization.
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