rdr2 honor had a bar you could look at, which meant people played to the bar instead of playing the game
if the criminal profile is a number on a screen everyone is going to optimise it. if it is invisible and you only find out through how the world treats you, that is a completely different and much better system. has anything shown a meter
You would still find out within a week because someone will datamine it, but the first playthrough would work as intended and that is what matters.
Nothing has shown a meter. The system has been described in terms of what feeds it rather than how it is displayed, which is at least consistent with it being invisible.
The litter detail argues for invisible. Nobody puts rubbish disposal on a visible meter, it only makes sense as one small input into something you never see directly.
Your point about honor is the correct criticism of that system. A visible bar turns a characterisation tool into a score, and people optimise scores.
First playthrough working as intended is the only thing any of these design decisions are for.
oh thats a really good argument. the stupidest input is the proof its not a scoreboard