Since to my understanding EFU is a world which responds to player action's what do people think of a scripted personal reputation system along the lines of this http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=scripts.detail&id=2400 which effects how NPC's react to players based on their actions in the world. As you can see this script's features are quite extensive and I could see some of them working quite well in EFU. Overall whether we use this script or one of our own I do feel a reputation system could add more depth to EFU and make player's actions seem more important than they already are.
A system like this is indeed pretty neat. I've played on servers with it before and found it to work pretty fluidly (not sure if they edited it or not).
One thing I'd point out thouth is that something like this is -very- nice and immersive on servers with an abundance of NPCs in towns and on the roads.
This server has -VERY- few NPCs. Almost none really depending on where you go. Even in mistlocke, there's only a handful of residents and npcs.
Bottom line? Might be cool, but would likely end up being more trouble than its worth for our devs.
Just my 2 Cents.
What would be the factual difference between a friendly and not friendly NPC?
Like Blackthorn says, there are very few NPCs on this server. In addition, most of the NPCs that can be interacted with are entirely functional. Merchants, quest givers, faction/association administration, etc.
Would it even mean something to have them react positively or negatively if we assume that their functionality should probably not be impaired?
Good feedback Blackthorn, I recently came up with an idea which I think is a lot more interesting than your standred reputation system and one that would fit EFU more accordingly. This system would be specific to Hbala in regards to making the the cost of actively opposing her much higher with character's "infamy" rising the more they hunt undead which in turn would lead to more numerous and tougher foes as way of recongizing the threat that character represents to her making their survival increasingly difficult. It would also make those who chose to crusade against her have even more renown. How do people like this idea?
That pretty much already happens though?
If you're known to bring crusades to H'bala, H'bala will bring crusades/Agony to you.
See: Tremarius, Tobias, a whole slew of VP PCs, etc.
There's some small reputation stuff already in-game that is very circumstancial, so you may not have seen it. Suggestions for more and variations are welcome.
Can you give some examples Talir so I can better formulate my suggestions for improvements in the future ? :)
No. I believe these kind of things have greater value in experiencing them, not gaming them.