social status/non combat related activities

And in fact, as others indicated above, reputation system as a safety barrier is not critically a must, even though it won’t harm the system and can actually bring positive effects on it, still it is not a necessary factor for controlling voilence in game. The good example is Mortal Online. The game doesn’t provide automatic-easy safety method for non-pvp players but it still works with harmony. The fundamental reason is of course players entering MO are prepared for the risk. But the society adjusts violence by the “invisible hand” is more important factor.
In other word, it just works as it is.
Of course there are differences in every person in how to adapt in this world. Some people adapt by becoming one of voilence factor obviously, some adapt by joining a guild, some adapt by dwelling in safe areas most of time, some adapt with better escaping skill, and so on. And it works really nice.

I am not saying I disagree to have controlling methods against excessive violence, but saying it must be done very carefully if there is gonna be any. If game ends up with no risk or too low risk factors, it loses the most important factor of playing a ‘game’, that is, the ‘ADVENTURE’. There are thousands of mmorpg games out there offering us the FAKE adventures that are totally safe from any risks, which is why we don’t play them.

Personally, I’d suggest to control the ‘aftermath’ rather than to control the voilence itself.
For example, disable emote or ban behaviors like mockery for certain duration after a pvp contact, like 15 min or 30 min.
I think those kind of childish behaviors are what disintegrate the game society, not the pvp contact itself.
Let players to play a game like merciless reality, but also force players to play it like a sport.

See, kinda liking those ideas, in AC I went PK not to be a PK, but to increase the danger level therefore the immersion and fun factor, was not against the danger level for anyone, more so for the PK then anything. (If your good enough to be the in the top 50 most wanted, that says something to the players skill and ferocity). I also though about PKK’s and PK’s killing and dying. Getting killed as a PK, I should expect to lose some negative reputation. However that system is open to abuse, a PK housing his junk and has others line up to kill him so he can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. My solution is to separate the two “alignments”

You mentioned WoW, I’m familier with it. Bloodsail Pirates and Steamweedle cartal are enemies, pure and simple. Kill Bloodsail, you get Steamweedle faction. If a PK were to get killed, by anyone to collect on the bounty, make it to where he loses his “Murderer” reputation, without gain to the other side. However if a PK does want to retire, he can start positively contributing to the community (the ol settle down and start a farm routine) to start building his good alignment.

Also another way to accomplish this is keep this “alignment” system internal with a tracking bar for the player in regards to NPC’s attitude towards them, and use something like list of crimes wanted for. As well as general character titles like by your system +600 = Citizen, then Law-abiding citizen, Respected, Venerated and Exalted for example and on the negative side starting at say Example, Thug, Brigade, Outlaw, Ruthless, and Warlord or Tyrant or something.

Player 1: Outlaw
Wanted: 54 Counts of Murder
172 counts of robbery
6 Counts of Treason (something like leaving a battle before it was over and other people reported it)

62% chance to attack players.
76% to Rob Players
100% chance of leaving a player to Die.

Player 2: Venerated
Wanted: 16 Counts of Murder
23 Counts of Robbery

2% chace to attack players.
13% chance to rob players.

This way a player will always be held accountable, or most likely, have a badge of honor, they may be Venerated, but hundreds of unsanctioned kills and robbery, this man is a bad man, even though he spent the last two years hunting PKK’s, running a successful armory and trade company, and leads the armies against whatever. This gives inspecting players an idea where the player stands, does nothing to lessen danger, especially if tradesman decides to go bad, and even gives PK’s pause before attacking someone. Again, spitballing ideas and thats probably far to complicated of a system. At the very least used your rating system internally and maybe a bar just for the player to see where he stands if he wants to grind it out, but for everyone else, just a title.

not really, like the non-PK’s, this system is intended to encourage PK’s to band together, and by providing not only factional havens, but NPC havens as well, where you would be far more accepted as a murderer. Not to mention yes, being a PK is painful, but so is being an innocent crafter. All this is doing and increasing the danger level for the PK, further honing the players skills, but also ensuring the sheep have bears to help defend them from the wolves. In essence we are trying to create an equality system so you have people just wanting to craft or PVE, and you have PK’s who want to rob the fruits of their labors share the same level of danger. By having something like this, “Sheep” wont run away because they have nothing to defend themselves, while keeping things interesting for “Wolves” and encouraging community even for them while not encouraging anti-social behavior. Besides, who says a band of bandits and pirates can’t sack an entire town?

I don’t know man, alignment system with trading? you are mixing apples and oranges IMHO.

Should be 500 = Neutral alignment, if you kill someone you go to 400(-100) this will mean you turn gray, meaning you can get attacked by anyone but if you get killed as a grey then you won’t lose XP loss.

To turn ungrey it takes 2-3 days and your alignment will go back up to 500.

Lets say you kill another player when you are at 400 alignment, you go to 300. NOW you are red, meaning you take Xp loss when you die ( and/or you could perhaps pay a lot of gold for your crimes but when you die you will return backto neutral, but the conseqeunces should be HARSH, perhaps harsher if killed by bounty hunters or something)

Ok so you killed 2 people, you are at 300 alignment, every kill takes lets say 2-3 days to wear off or your alignment turns back UNLESS you kill 5 people that would mean your alignment is at 0.00 or perhaps even options of going negative as well.

This would mean you would have to do some type of Quest or something and THEN waiting 2-3/days per kill count you have.

Being red should be HARD, no going in towns without getting attacked, Xp loss upon death or pay a lot of gold to killer depending on how many kill counts you have. Chaos towns to house the reds but very dangerous( no guards or anything).

Pks get the ability to sneak attack unaware targets, penalties should be harsh!

But for gods sake do not remove the open pvp ffa full loot system from this game, it makes a true sandbox and adds A LOT!

I believe there should be harsh consequences for PK’s, I really do, and yes, I’m saying this from a stand point of disagreeing with FFA Full Loot. HOWEVER, it makes no sense realistically for a PK to lose skill XP, if anything a PK would get (and I hate borrowing anything from WoW) a pvp expertise rating because they would theoretically get really good at killing people. As far as death is concerned, I’d say the consequences (looted) are pretty steep, especially to a professional PK, only that should be lost would be their PK reputation and maybe their expertise rating.

Also, you can have alignment rot, but I think the purpose of this social alignment system that is only a suggestion at this conjuncture anyway is character accountability. The idea is for people to see this players past actions and let the HUMAN make the decision whether to fight, flee, or socialize. The consequences I referred to is having something to protect the NPK’s. Reason for this suggestion is in line with protecting “sheep” so it is not an all wolves party.

Too many games die or are dying because massive influx on players on launch, then PK’s kill, loot rinse and repeat, eventually driving all the and I quote “Sheep” from the game, then it turns into an FFA between all the PK’s, til all that is left are the best PK’s. If we want this to be an FFA Full Loot PVP Sandbox game, let it be just one aspect of this great game, as long as this one feature does not dominate crafting, sailing, PVE, Trade, etc etc. We are golden. The danger is exciting, being a PK takes it to palpable levels. If anything, the world is hunting you (which is kinda being realistic), not knowing who to trust outside your closest confidants (faction and friends), and chasing your dreams of riches, infamy and power, I’d say this is enhancing, not attacking PK’s. More you do it, the harder it gets. However greater the reputation, greater the rewards, it be a pirates life for me! :D