KARMA ================
Karma. It's an extremely simple measurement on how NPCs (Non-Playable Chracters) that your Overseer control see you. Imagine for a second that you caused deeds that'll question your Karma Rating (e.g. Joe detonates the town of Megaton, giving a negative Karma Rating, and thus adding that rating towards his total Karma).
This is how Karma works in the long run, but it's not perfect without the Reputation Score. Below are example Karma Ratings for your Overseer to modify if needed.
Deed Type ------ Karma Rating
Extremly Good ------- 20
Greater Good -------- 15
Minor Good ---------- 10
Lesser Good --------- 5
Neutral --------------- 0
Lesser Evil ----------- -5
Minor Evil ------------ -10
Greater Evil ----------- -15
Extremly Evil ---------- -20
Note: Your base Karma Rating is 0, for no one is supposed to know you (unless your Overseer tells you otherwise).
REPUTATION=========
Reputation is the value of how someone sees you, mening that it's in conjunction with Karma. Reputation is harder to manage based upon the factor of how many factions your Overseer impliments into his/her game. Imagine how a Reputation Score works in the following example: Building upon earlier in the example of Karma, maybe Joe was practically a superstar in Megaton, and possibly accidentually detonated the bomb in the center of town. If there were any survivors from the explosion (which is highly unlikely), Joe's reputation in surrounding settlements will give him a penalty in thier reputations. That's how reputation works, but it all depends on how your Overseer applies it. There are many ways to impliment it, but refrain from going to extremes (like making every NPC have a Reputation Score for the characters, making it too overwhelming, nor should you make an entire continent have a Reputation Score on characters for the reason of feeling too bland). It cannot be expressed enough: JUST MIX IT IT UP, OVERSEER!
Below is an example of reputation levels:
Rep "title" ------------- Reputation Score
Beloved ------------ 50
Worshipped -------- 40
Loved ------------- 30
Friendly ---------- 20
Curious ---------- 10
Untouched ------------ 0
Struck -------------- -10
Angered ----------- -20
Hated ------------- -30
Feared ------------ -40
Villanized ------------- -50
Note: Reputation Scores should always be 0 for starting characters, for the characters are either unknown or have not done enough to affect his/her community.
Note: It should be possible to be a good person when villafied by a community, and vice versa. The world works in mysterious ways. Be reasonable with Reputation, for it makes a much better adventure in the long run.