Similar to Harry discovering his Prophecy Record in the Department of Mysteries in Order of the Phoenix, YouTuber GrandTheftDiamonds uncovered Hogwarts Legacy scrapped a morality system.
First reported by PC Gamer, during YouTuber GrandTheftDiamonds datamining of Hogwarts Legacy SQL files, the YouTuber discovered a PhoenixGameData SQL file consisting of Avalanche Game’s scrapped “hidden morality system.”
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According to GrandTheftDiamonds, the system would penalize players for casting the forbidden curses with the Killing Curse Avada Kedavra being assigned the maximum penalty of -100 House points followed by the mind control curse Imperius at -50 House points.
Avalanche Games even planned to penalize players for “extorting and bullying (-50 and -25 House points respectively).” Under the scrapped morality system, players would also be been able earn 10 House points for studying in class and 5 House points for club participation.
According to the YouTuber, players might have also been lectured or chided by professors if discovered. One action titled “TabooGameOver” even implies players might have seen their game ended with an expulsion from the school.
The developer also appeared to scrap a reputation system that would see NPCs view the player on a scale from Hate to Companion. Meaning that player’s actions might have had greater effect on the NPCs they interacted with in the game.
Earlier this year, Hogwarts Legacy lead designer Kelly Murphy explained to GamesRadar this system was ultimately scrapped because Avalanche Game’s did not feel like it was their place as game creator’s to judge a player’s actions.
Murphy said, “Characters will react visually and audibly to seeing the player cast an Unforgivable, but we don’t have a morality system that punishes them for doing so—this would be too judgemental on the game maker’s part.”
“It was important for us to give players who sought out to be a Dark Witch or Wizard an opportunity to do so,” she added. “This is the ultimate embodiment of role-playing: allowing the player to be evil. Additionally, this was important because it comes from a place of non-judgment by the game creators. If you want to be evil, be evil.”
