Shadow Point System

Lorebackground:DeathwasnottheonlydarkendonecouldfaceduringwaroftheRing.
CharactersrepeatedlydiscussthecorruptivenatureofSauronandhiscreationsliketheRing
itself(+theotherringsturningpeopleintowraiths,numerouscharactersalsofollowtheirfate
intoshadowaftertheycommitashadowact.Hatecorrupts,itsabitliketheDarksideofthe
ForceinStarWars.).SomepeoplearesaidtohavefallenintotheShadow,manyothershave
highandlowpoints.FrodohimselfisdrivenonwardsbyLightacoupleoftimes(Galadrielslight,
callingonElbereth,seeingthestartwinkleinthecloudedsky...),therearebeingsofDarkness
andbeingsofLightpushingandpullingothers.ShadowandLightareboththesidesofthe
struggle(whatwecallTwilightofManandDawnofaNewEra)andtwoendsofamental
spectrumcharactersmoveacross.Forthegood,Lightbringshope,strength,resolve.Asthey
fallunderthedarkcloudofShadow,theywaver,doubt,betrayandeventuallyfall.
Darkcharacterscouldbeseenasshiftingonthesamescale,onlyshadowbeingtheultimate
goaloftheirside.(f.e.:Gollumhashighandlowpoints,hisLightactsaidingFrodoindestroying
theRingandthustheShadowitself)

Reasonforit:Ididntrealizehowmuchtheherodeathandsettlementrazingenhancedplayer
immersion.Butittotallymakessense,thesecharactersandplacescangoawayanditmakes
youcaremore.LOTRislargelyaboutthisthemeoflosingwhatyoucareabout,whatyoucando
topreventthatfromhappening.
Thisfeaturewouldhavebothstrongmechanicalconsequences(armycommandersbeinglost,
orperformingbetter)andimmersionsupportiveeffectfromlore/flavourtext.

Possibleimplementation(?):ItsabitlikemoraleforNPCs,exceptwithLOTRflavour.Atthe
moment,charactersdieveryrarelyandthatsahittotheplayeraswell.Youcanreacttothis
already,throughswearingoathsandsoon,thisshadowpointsystemwouldbeanatural
extensionofplayerinvolvement.(orjustimmersion)
a)NPCshaveanewstatshadowscale(needagoodname).Theyaccumulateorloseshadow
pointsbasedonwhattheydoandwhathappenstothem.

Iwonderifthiswouldbetoocostly,aswerealreadytrackingfactionstrength,whichisapretty
similarstat.AllthisforalltheNPCs?Toomuch?

Ideasforeventsinfluencingthis:
losingorwinningbattles(10battleslost/wonpershadowpoint?Wouldbegoodtomakea
table,sowecanbalanceiteasier)
losingalliedNPCs(deathofafriend/ally/relativedefinitelypushesoneintotheShadow)
alliedfactionfalling?(weneedtobecarefulnottohavetoostronganegativefeedback,itcould
chainreact)
killingvs.freeingprisoners?(hah,NPCsdontdothis,butweusedtohaveorcseating
prisoners.Dotheystilldothat?)
(addmore)

Whatdoesitdo?Theultimateeffectofreachingthenegativeendofthescaleisprobablythe
easiesttoimplementNPCdeath.GoodNPCsgomadwithgrief,runawayintothehills,burn
themselvesintheirownhouse,settledownandrefusetotakeuptheswordeveragain,elves
sailtotheWest,dwarveswanderoffdeepundertheearthorhavetheirservantsencasethemin
preciousmetalsandburythemalive...etc.
EvilcharactersarenotendedbyShadow,theyreremovedbecauseofpoisonousLight
thoughtsandacts.TheydoubtandfearSauron/Saruman,EasterlingsproudlybreakSaurons
shacklesandreturntotheirsteppes,CorsairsdefectandsailtoGondorindisguise.Haradrim
disappearintheendlesssouthernjungles,orsuccumbtosicknesscausedbycoldnorthern
climate.OrcstakeupbanditryandsettleintheMistymountains,orslowlyperishwalkingoutside
andstaringlonginglyatthesun.
Imthinkingatleastthreetofiverace/factionspecificnegativeoutcomes.

Thepositiveeffectcouldgivetemporarystatboosts,moraleboostfortheentirearmyetc.Evil
charactersmightbecomewraiths?(mightbefun,butalsorequireawraithmodel)

ItdbecoolifthisstateinfluencedhowaggressiveNPCcommandersareonthemap(avoiding
battleetc.),butImnotsurehowmuchoftheAIwehaveaccesstoandhowdifficultthatwould
be.

Whatdoestheplayerdo?ItdbesupercoolifanNPCsmentalstategotreflectedintheir
dialog,butthatwouldmeanwritingtonsofadditionaltext,whichdoesntsoundfeasible.

Basically,IdlikeifIcouldaskanNPCabouttheirfeelings(inalesssissysoundingway)and
possiblytalkthemoutofcommittingsuicideifnecessary.:)Theplayercouldtryreasoningwith
them(anINTcheck?)orpersuadingthem(Persuasioncheck).Maybethiswouldbenecessary
onlyiftheNPCsapproachingtheendoftheShadowpointscale?Ifthathappensforsomeonein
yourfaction,yougetamessagelikeAfastriderapproachesyouwithillnews.Xhasnearly
givenintotheShadow!Willyouhelpbeforeitstoolatetosavehim/her?.

IdontwanttheplayertobecomeapsychologistorababysitterforNPCs,Iwanttoshowthat
waragainstultimateevilistakingitstoll,notjustinphysicaldanger,butofthemindaswell.Ifyou
actuallyseeelvesleavingMiddleEarth,itsnotastory,yourelosingalliesintheNorth.If
Denethorburnshimself...ohwait.:D

ThepointisfortheNPCstobecomelessrobotic,itdbeniceiftheplayerreallycaredabout
themmore,iftheyseemedmorealive.