That RPG with the ideals thing...

I'd like to begin this setting as a series of rants, so I can receive some feedback before writing an actual book. This idea has been around my mind for some time, and I'll use the discovery of this site as an excuse to plasm it somewhere ^_^.

The idea is creating an RPG where the rewards come not for what the players do, but how and why they do it. The game has 8 ideals (subject to feedback), which are opposed by pairs:

Light: represents all that is honest, open and truthful. A "Light" action would be uncovering a con, telling your enemy of your plans before using against them, or telling a person that he has cancer without roundabouts. Opposed to Shadow.

Shadow: represents the lies, covers and hiding. A "Shadow" action would be posing as someone else, denying access to some place or putting a trap (even a hunting one). Opposed to Light.

Ego: represents all that benefits oneself over the surroundings. A "Ego" action would be using makeover, stealing for the own benefit or competing to win. Opposed to Pan.

Pan: represents things that take into account all the surroundings and other people. A "Pan" action would be doing charity, taking care of the ecology or partaking in a community activity. Opposed to Ego.

Stasis: represents all the things that are static, formal and rigid. A "Stasis" action would be establishing a routine, building a static structure or forging something durable. Opposed to Flow.

Flow: represents the changes, the flexibility and the mutability. A "Flow" action would be hitch-hiking, getting divorced or learning something new instead of train harder on the known things. Opposed to Stasis.

Prudence: represents planning, thinking about consequences and waiting for the right time. A "Prudence" action would be to look both sides before crossing the street, spy on the enemy before launching an attack and keeping your stuff in a safe. Opposed to Rush.

Rush: represents the acting before thinking, not letting for tomorrow what can be done today, and leaving things to luck. A "Rush" action would be gambling, driving fast or jumping head-first to the action. Opposed to Rush.

All players would have those ideals, on a -10 to 10 scale, where the opposed have inverted values. If the player has 4 on Prudence, he will have -4 on Rush. Actions that favor one or other ideal would change that value gradually (GM discretion). Also, each ideal grade would have an expected behavior, and if not accomplished, the value would tend to neutrality.

The benefit for the players on getting extreme on their ideals go hand by hand with special (and obviously awesome techniques) that can only be achieved by people with a certain amount of score on an Ideal. For example, "Hide in plain sight" can only be achieved with Shadow 8, and "Reading Thougths" requires Pan 7.

Besides, any time a check is performed (checks are explained later, as they have nothing to do with the setting) a d8 is rolled, each value representing an ideal. For example,

1: Light
2: Ego
3: Stasis
4: Prudence
5: Rush
6: Flow
7: Pan
8: Shadow

And the player adds his score on that ideal to the roll. It also affects the way the thing happens. For example, picking a lock with a modifier with a prudence roll of the d8 would mean that "you take your time and analyze the lock before opening it on the first try" while the rush roll would result in "you bash the lock until it yields".

Comments are welcome.