@Ryan
I too am concerned about the alignment system and the flag system.
It might be because it sounds very complex, a lot of different flags each having their own set of triggers and consequences. Perhaps it will all be very straight forward once we start playing the game.
The few concerns I have about the system as I understand it:
-Combative/pvp minded players will feel they are forced to be evil, even though they like to play as good but also enjoy a healthy portion of pvp.
-Good settlements will mainly hold crafters and non-combative people. Making it easy targets.
-A paladin will mainly be a pve content player. As it is hard to do pvp and stay within the alignment requirements.
-players not affiliated to a player settlement/organization (and therefor not able to be pulled in a war) will be able to target LG settlements players in the settlement hex and not be punished if they do hit and runs. Making the LG settlement a prison for it's villagers. (possible solution later on). Depends a lot on how quick a combative player can kill a non-combative or low geared player. It could take several minutes before anyone gets to where you are to help.
-for each crafter going out of the settlement hex to gather resources you would need several people protecting the crafter and mining expedition and still be overwhelmed by the evil players. Because in my opinion there will be a lot more evil players than good due to the alignment system. (this is just how it feels from reading the blog and the posts here)
Possible solution for point 4:
One of the buildings a Lawful settlement can make is a courthouse, where players that attack the lawful settlement or it's players unprovoked (from now on I'll reference to that player as the thief) more than X amount of times will be flagged as a criminal to that village(for a long time).
When a player from the settlement encounters the thief in the settlement hex or in neutral territory, that player can query the thief to willingly be arrested or pay a fee, the thief can choose to pay the fee(this should be a rather large sum,especially if he killed), be arrested or resist arrest.
If the thief resists arrest he gets some sort of flag and the player from the settlement can kill him with no alignment hits or when the thief falls to 1% health is arrested.
Being arrested would i.e. block skill training and/or movement for as many hours or days as unprovoked attacks done to the settlement (double if resisting arrest). Kind of like being sent to jail, or being shot in the leg or killed when resisting arrest.
This is a rough explanation, I am sure a lot of people will have problems with it or want to modify the idea. I just mainly put it here to give the Lawful Good (or any lawful) settlement the chance to not be sitting ducks. Up to Ryan & his team to look into lawful handling of criminal activity.
