So, do you think the switch from morality meters of past games like KOTOR and Mass Effect to the approval based system of DAO was worth it? I"m still iffy about it. I think I like that they did away with the morality meter, now instead of losing some arbitrary numbers when you make a morally bad decision you actually feel guilt, at least that's how it is for me. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I like the new approval system, just like the morality systems of the past, the approval system feels arbitrary. I wonder how many points of approval my mom has for me. Will certain dialogue trees close if I make her too happy? I wonder which gifts would make her happy and which ones will trigger a cutscene. I'm glad they did away with the morality meter but I"m not sure I like the approval meter any better. The best moments in the game for me happened when I had to make a moral decision without worrying about whether or not my party would approve of it. To this day I still feel guilty about getting that Blood Magic spec. 
 
Well, at least that's my take on it, what's yours?

The approval meter is one of my favorite things about DAO. 
 
When you are faced with a choice and two of your party members say "doing A is wrong" and the third says "doing B is wrong", that really makes me feel like I'm a world where everything is not black and white. 

although i haven't played the game, i would agree the morality metre is bull. Everyone's just going to stick to one end of the line so in the end, you're either the perfect saint or the evil bastard. Too often that loot is given according to which side of the spectrum. I'm glad developers are finally taking away this horrible idea.

I like being able to create a character that sometimes can use a situation for monetary gain but is generally a "good" character.  In games with any sort of morality meter, it's almost always beneficial to either be all evil or all good.
 
On the other hand, sometimes it feels as though there isn't enough consequence for doing things.  Why be a saint and let these people keep the money they clearly need when I can accept the quest reward and lose nothing?  The only thing I might lose is a few approval points from a character that can easily be bought back with gifts.
 
Surprisingly, Fable II could probably teach most RPGs a lesson or two about that.

" I like being able to create a character that sometimes can use a situation for monetary gain but is generally a "good" character.  In games with any sort of morality meter, it's almost always beneficial to either be all evil or all good.  On the other hand, sometimes it feels as though there isn't enough consequence for doing things.  Why be a saint and let these people keep the money they clearly need when I can accept the quest reward and lose nothing?  The only thing I might lose is a few approval points from a character that can easily be bought back with gifts.  Surprisingly, Fable II could probably teach most RPGs a lesson or two about that. "

"The Asunder quest really exemplifies your issue though, SPOILER: you can fight the dude and receive next to nothing or you can accept a reward of 25g and only get a note in your journal talking about how someone else will suffer because of you and your party doesn't seem to care either way."

" Morality meters are stupid as hell and can take a hike for all I care. And it's alo stupid to feel guilt over something you did in a game, seeing how it's NOT REAL.  I like it when the game isnt just black and white, it forces you to try making a decision based on what you think or who your character is for once instead of simply thinking "i'ma good guy so i'ma SAVE that guy insteada KILL 'im!" "

The morality meter worked fine in KOTOR but I really disliked how they used it in Mass Effect. One example comes to mind:
 
I reached Peak 15 and had to make this huge good/evil choice. My natural response would've been to kill off the Rachni queen. But because that was the "Renegade" option, and I'm trying to go for a full "Paragon" playthrough, I had to pick the other option, which was letting them go.

Because seriously, trying to get the most Paragon points was the only reason I picked that option to let this queen insect go. The Rachni are basically giant space bugs that once almost conquered the galaxy. They're governed by a hive mind, come out of eggs laid by queens... just your standard Alien ripoffs. And here I had the chance to wipe out the last queen. Somehow that was deemed the "evil" choice though.

It's just hard to believe that any rational person in that situation would've been Jesus-like and let that bug go free. Now, this one queen in particular did telepathically communicate with me and say that of course she wasn't going to be like that, she would teach her offspring to exist peacefully, mend their ways, etc. But really, who would just accept the word of this thing? I doubt even Gandhi himself would've been so understanding and trusting of a large space insect. Ya know what, it really reminds me of the TNG episode "I, Borg." Didn't buy Picard's decision in that episode and I don't buy the Paragon choice here.

It was sooo tempting to just hit the Renegade dialogue option and fry the Queen. But BioWare just decided that would be evil and I'd be punished with Renegade points. Seems to me they shouldn't be making judgements in really gray areas like that. I guess I just don't like BioWare pushing their non-genocidal agenda in their games. 

Yes through away morality, morality is so vague anyway, this way decisions can pan out in many ways due to the nature of judging morality from a perspective rather than there being one right answer.

I believe both concepts of morality and approval meters are too simplistic, personally, I don't like a game judging my morality, if I think an action is good, or for the greater good I don't want to be told it was wrong, or evil, or immoral; I have similar feelings about approval, I don't want to be told that something I've said or done has pleased or displeased other characters by a certain amount, I think the player should be left to judge (or misjudge) other character's reactions to them, their actions and each other. Having said all that I do think that morality, purity/corruption, and approval meters are a step towards a more dynamic time in videogames where every action a player makes can have an unknown effect on the game's events and relationships, and is therefore a step in the right direction which I can live with.