Does 'general' karma (the first number at the top of the Karma tab with an associated title) have any in-game effect?
Upon joining the Raiders faction, I noticed that I got 2000 karma and I am now considered 'Saviour of the Damned'? Apparently being a raider makes you a saint :S
Edit:
I think it might have something to do with the way I did the Cooper quest to get in? I let him go (got bonus 2500xp) but initially panicked thinking I would fail the quest and the raiders would hunt my ass down, so I shot him right after. The quest completed anyways with a huge karma boon?
Thanks