Rescinded. Read that wrong.
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Rescinded. Read that wrong.
Reputation systems without Negative Consequences are pointless. I agree that there needs to be protection against malicious defamation, but the solution should most certainly not be a complete removal of negative standing.
If the system is player based and your FC alienates the whole community, you should suffer the consequences.
If the system is NPC based, there should be in game negative repercussions, such as NPC that won't trade with you or Factions that will attack you on site, for negative actions.
I don't think the reputation is something that is manipulated by users, but rather something like Fame levels in FFXI. i.e. Doing quests in each of the home nations typically raised your fame/reputation with that city, lowering npc costs and opening up new quests which rewarded you with the Teleport scrolls, etc.
More current MMOs have a fame system where once you reach a certain level, you're able to purchase different items. Also in WoW, there were some factions that were directly opposing to each other (the Kurenai and Maghar (sp?) or the Centaur tribes in Kalimdor come to mind) where if you raise your reputation too far with one, the other one hates you and will attack you on sight.
SE might try to take the more modern approach and say, you raise your fame with a faction in Gridania (the Woodwailers from above example could be used) for clearing one of the leveling dungeons repeatedly. Raising your reputation with them allows you to purchase goods from a quartermaster.
Guess we'll have to wait and see. :)