7. You Can't Ignore Politics
Rockstar's masterful postmodern western Red Dead Redemption proved above all else the importance of measuring how your character is perceived within the world which he inhabits, with Fame and Notoriety being indicators of how revered or reviled you were in the local community. It's a system that can operate quite comprehensively simply by analysing your actions throughout the game. Fame, of course, means that other characters would gladly start conversations with you, and knowing your good nature, they might even ask you to help run errands, or even take part in dangerous missions. Notoriety, on the other hand, incites a callous lack of respect from those around you; people might be inclined to grass you up for law-breaking, and of course, handing out bribes to the police in particular will prove more costly as a result. Additions like this help open the game up and make it more complex in interesting and useful ways; we care more about the way we conduct ourselves inside the world, and will think more carefully about running that red light or mowing down that policeman. As long as Rockstar are able to implement this without cutting down on the fun, then it is something well worth doing. As intelligent, ground-breaking developers, they should constantly be seeking to break the mould, and heightening choices and morality is a great way to do this.