The best probable system is still going to have to track the two elements (black/white) and then tabulate a sort of net balance. Maybe the game could assign certain power strengths within certain ranges.
I know the PS3 exclusive inFamous had a somewhat dynamic Morality scale, and your powers developed, looked, and acted very different based on how you used them. The further you slide different directions the more powerful different powers became. However, the best balance of powers, the most capable hero, pretty much results from making regular choices from both sides of that spectrum.
Those games also offer interesting choices, some even akin to that healing while stealing energy thing.
A game to watch for, as it is not yet out, is DISHONORED. The game promises a very robust morality system, plus a dynamic arc that plays out very differently based on the moment by moment decisions a player makes. Game Informer did a big spot on it a while back, that featured a 2 part talk on Morality in the game, and a niffty little text "choose your own adventure" sample of that game, that you should really check out. I'll link the GameInformer hub.
In KOTOR, they had a morality scale on the character page. It starts in the middle and goes up or down based on your choices. Why not develop a mix of abilities for people that stay within the middle block? I.e. cancel out good choices by making evil ones to stay in the middle.
Formerly Mat Bloody Cauthon on Wotmania, blessed be its name
My companions! Lend me thine vast expertise
20/09/2011 03:56:19 PM
- 967 Views
I don't think I know anything that matches what you want.
20/09/2011 04:39:22 PM
- 578 Views
You are a horrible human being. *NM*
20/09/2011 08:24:05 PM
- 255 Views
I'm morally grey! Women love me, and men want to be like me. *NM*
20/09/2011 09:15:31 PM
- 281 Views
It'd be pretty difficult to specifically reward you for being a 'gray' character. (Two games)
20/09/2011 05:02:28 PM
- 707 Views
Take Knights of the Old Republic, for example
20/09/2011 05:08:04 PM
- 624 Views
That's not so much an alignment as just metagaming the system.
20/09/2011 09:27:49 PM
- 564 Views
Maybe I didn't explain right
20/09/2011 11:19:51 PM
- 526 Views
I'd say that's evil.
21/09/2011 03:00:32 AM
- 694 Views
of course, then you get into question of whether actions like that example are evil
21/09/2011 04:03:03 AM
- 578 Views
That's actually a pretty narrow view of Neutral when it comes to Alignment or Morality.
21/09/2011 02:19:34 PM
- 558 Views
You might want to try The Witcher series.
21/09/2011 05:16:05 AM
- 545 Views
Grey decisions are good but...
21/09/2011 06:19:04 PM
- 636 Views
they don't reward it because, for the most part, they don't want you taking a middle ground.
21/09/2011 07:10:48 PM
- 520 Views
Well that's just stupid. Tired of picking the 2 sides over and over *NM*
21/09/2011 08:02:11 PM
- 289 Views
Neutrality is often boring or selfish. Good stories seldom have truly neutral protagonists. *NM*
22/09/2011 06:27:05 PM
- 270 Views
Are you kidding?
22/09/2011 06:54:19 PM
- 595 Views
There's a difference between doing "bad" things for a good purpose, and being neutral. *NM*
22/09/2011 09:12:16 PM
- 239 Views
I have an on-topic comment as well as a general rant on game morality systems.
21/09/2011 06:43:21 PM
- 734 Views
if they wanted to make the conversation mechanics more complicated...
21/09/2011 07:14:21 PM
- 641 Views