Morality of the game

[x Princess Leliana x]

So, how evilk is the game, is it normal "morally good" "morally bad" decisions, or is it more "bad" and "really bad"?

[Undead Rufus]

The "bad guys" have already won when the game starts, and you're one of them. From what little I've played so far, the decisions have been split between being a ruthless sociopath who will enforce compliance with blood at every turn, or a sympathetic thug trying to be reasonable toward the conquered people. You can play a series of "text adventures" during character creation that supposely alter the world significantly, as well as the options at your disposal.

[x Princess Leliana x]

Originally posted by Undead Rufus:

The "bad guys" have already won when the game starts, and you're one of them. From what little I've played so far, the decisions have been split between being a ruthless sociopath who will enforce compliance with blood at every turn, or a sympathetic thug trying to be reasonable toward the conquered people. You can play a series of "text adventures" during character creation that supposely alter the world significantly, as well as the options at your disposal.

So theres no "hardcore good guy" option?

[Morphic]

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

So theres no "hardcore good guy" option?

No, not that I've seen. Granted I've only played ~6 hours so far thanks to the Free Weekend.

Basically the most "good guy" options you have are the "grey" choices. Things like making people slaves to do manual labor so they live or simply killing them so they die free. There's also a few bit of "compromise" type choices you can make, like making sure one side doesn't get more power than the other or punishing people for trying to bribe you/others.

To put it simply the most you can be is Lawful Neutral. Everything else is basically Lawful Evil or Choatic Evil. You are playing as the bad guys after all.

[ModerateOsprey]

I too am playing for the free weekend..going to buy it..am enjoying it tremendously.

I have nearly completed the first part of the game and tho' there appears to be no shining paragon of virtue path...you can try and make the best of bad situation.

Your character is basically caught between a rock and a hard place...its an interesting premise.

[x Princess Leliana x]

Originally posted by Setzway:

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

So theres no "hardcore good guy" option?

No, not that I've seen. Granted I've only played ~6 hours so far thanks to the Free Weekend.

Basically the most "good guy" options you have are the "grey" choices. Things like making people slaves to do manual labor so they live or simply killing them so they die free. There's also a few bit of "compromise" type choices you can make, like making sure one side doesn't get more power than the other or punishing people for trying to bribe you/others.

To put it simply the most you can be is Lawful Neutral. Everything else is basically Lawful Evil or Choatic Evil. You are playing as the bad guys after all.

Yeah not gonna be a game for me then. I hate being evil in any way.

[probo_]

Compared to other rpg's I would have to say you can be at least neutral. It's not sadistic evil that you are being a part of necessarily, it is a lot of "necessary" evil. In war there is costs to humanity, that is a very realistic position to have. Unlike the fairytale that everyone can always be saved and there is no cost of war, I will just dispatch every "evil" character and save every moral one, making everything absolutely right.

I have only played it for like 2 hours and I usually hate playing evil characters and I have no problem with it at all. It's also free atm so just test it out.

[Batbro]

There is a path through the game in which you unite the various factions of the land in a rebellion against the Overlord. It's not easy to find though, and requires showing a LOT of mercy towards the rebels, at the cost of your good standing with your allies.

[SnugSnug]

Being playing the free weekend, evil doesn't really come into it. It's more a choice between chaos and order while overseeing the assimilation of a conquered people(s) through the usual choices of annhilation, integration, oppression and corruption while trying to uphold certain (questionably absolute) ideals.

[x Princess Leliana x]

Originally posted by Edward Carnby:

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

Yeah not gonna be a game for me then. I hate being evil in any way.

I feel the same way. I understand them wanting to try something different, but it makes it kind of hard to enjoy the game when you're evil. It's different when it's done in a humorous way, but I'm really not into making choices between putting people into slavery or skinning them alive.

Yeah... That's not what I'm a fan of. If it's "skin alive - slavery - really long difficult path but they live" then thats okay, but if its just the first two, nah

[Swagmaster Love 🇪🇺]

Originally posted by Edward Carnby:

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

Yeah not gonna be a game for me then. I hate being evil in any way.

I feel the same way. I understand them wanting to try something different, but it makes it kind of hard to enjoy the game when you're evil. It's different when it's done in a humorous way, but I'm really not into making choices between putting people into slavery or skinning them alive.

Well, it's something different and I like this a lot.
Always felt like almost every single RPG out there is completely lacking on the more barbaric and devious side of things.

I wouldnt play it if it was another boring "good guy, bad guy" thing.
I find those game to be extremely childish, uncreative - really basic fairy-tale storytelling.
I also like having a depth in the ways I can interact with the world.
Which is also why I despise the Star Wars franchise f.e.. It's a nice movie for children, but really, I dont get how people suddenly got upset when Disney bought that franchise, as if it wasn't a simplistic 2d fairytale. Morality, ethics and whatever never come into play in that kind of storytelling.
The "evil" guys are simply "evil" completely randomly and clearly on the "wrong side."

Spoileralert: In the next 5 Star Wars movies the evil guys just want to kill everyone and the good guys, who try to save everyone, will win.

[ModerateOsprey]

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

Originally posted by Edward Carnby:

I feel the same way. I understand them wanting to try something different, but it makes it kind of hard to enjoy the game when you're evil. It's different when it's done in a humorous way, but I'm really not into making choices between putting people into slavery or skinning them alive.

Yeah... That's not what I'm a fan of. If it's "skin alive - slavery - really long difficult path but they live" then thats okay, but if its just the first two, nah

I am wary of spoilers, but I have chosen the noble background and RPing as such. I certainly wouldn't call my character evil. She is in an almost impossible situation - almost.

I ignored the game when it came out because I had no interest in playing an evil character, so thought I would have a look while it was free to play and I am really impressed at how nuanced I can make my character and the way she gets responded to as result.

If anyone is worried about having to be evil, I would really encourage you to try it while its free and you will know very quickly know if it is something you can play - yes, the atmosphere is dark and there are hard choices to make - you do have lots of opportunity to be merciful.

[x Princess Leliana x]

Originally posted by ModerateOsprey:

Originally posted by x Princess Leliana x:

Yeah... That's not what I'm a fan of. If it's "skin alive - slavery - really long difficult path but they live" then thats okay, but if its just the first two, nah

I am wary of spoilers, but I have chosen the noble background and RPing as such. I certainly wouldn't call my character evil. She is in an almost impossible situation - almost.

I ignored the game when it came out because I had no interest in playing an evil character, so thought I would have a look while it was free to play and I am really impressed at how nuanced I can make my character and the way she gets responded to as result.

If anyone is worried about having to be evil, I would really encourage you to try it while its free and you will know very quickly know if it is something you can play - yes, the atmosphere is dark and there are hard choices to make - you do have lots of opportunity to be merciful.

I don't want hard choices :c

[Belle Delphine Targaryen!]

If you truly want to be evil, or unicorn 'taste the rainbow' good, you can in Dragon Age: Origins or Pillars of Eternity. I'm playing the latter ATM and supposedly people have compared it with Tyranny. Plan to get this after completion.

[Brian (The Schmaltzy Cynic)]

There is a "good/moral" side to many choices, whether for your own purposes, the Emperor Kyros, or for the rebelious faction, so there are plenty of ways to play a "good guy" character. The moral shades of gray only make that distinction harder to define.

In terms of DND morality, you can be a Chaotically Evil villian or a Chaotically Good hero, or you can take the intended Lawful Evil path.

[x Princess Leliana x]

Originally posted by Brian (The Schmaltzy Cynic):

There is a "good/moral" side to many choices, whether for your own purposes, the Emperor Kyros, or for the rebelious faction, so there are plenty of ways to play a "good guy" character. The moral shades of gray only make that distinction harder to define.

In terms of DND morality, you can be a Chaotically Evil villian or a Chaotically Good hero, or you can take the intended Lawful Evil path.

I wanna be lawful good