Strongholds usually turn into a sim game though. Housing is a good idea but at the end of the day it's either used to store extra loot or it's a time consuming pain in the ass that requires you to do a lot of things for it without many results.
Bad game design won't be turned around by a minor setting change, no. I think it's easier making you feel compelled to help yourself than it is to write locations and people compelling enough to want to help them however. It's been easily years since an RPG made me give a fuck about anyone. It's hard to erode apathy and self-interest.
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