# Opposite pair variables vs. single percent variables **URL:** \ **Category:** Game Development\ **Created:** [December 8, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/opposite-pair-variables-vs-single-percent-variables/22429 "2016-12-08T13:06:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 4
**Author:** ![ParrotWatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/choiceofgames/user_avatar/forum.choiceofgames.com/parrotwatcher/32/49963_2.png) [@ParrotWatcher](https://forum.choiceofgames.com/u/ParrotWatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/opposite-pair-variables-vs-single-percent-variables/22429/4 "2016-12-08T14:23:15Z")
I think my feelings on the matter are probably mostly in agreement with a lot of those I’ve seen on the _Cannonfire_ and earlier _Empyrean_ threads. Basically, an opposed pair of stats is fine for a personality or morality pair of stats, **as long as** those stats are truly opposed (at least for the purposes of the game). A second point is that I feel such stats should generally be used for flavour text, not for success vs failure. Example: a “selfish” character might feel contempt for the struggles of others, but they should be just as capable of helping people as a “selfless” character. Sure, a selfish character would probably not help for nothing, but maybe they believe that they’ll be rewarded; likewise a selfless character may choose **not** to help for completely unselfish reasons. The only times it should be used as a success vs failure would either relate to mind reading (or similar), or potentially due to NPC reactions if the MC is famed for their selfishness/selflessness. Finally, there should also not just be a cut-off at 50, but rather a band of grey (maybe 40–60?), over which the character is balanced between the two (again, almost purely for flavour text purposes). That said, I feel that there can be exceptions to this, for example in the WIP _[Through Broken Lenses](https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/through-broken-lenses-wip-demo-posted/15318)_ by @Interestedparty, in which (for example), “combat” is paired off against “friendliness”. This works because of the style of the game, which is all about trying to find a balance between being an amoral killer with no friends and a social butterfly who can’t protect the friends they now have. --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/opposite-pair-variables-vs-single-percent-variables/22429)._