[2008-10-29] Introduction ------------ Every action has a skill level associated with it. Many actions would have a default level if no skill was explicitly specified. Some skills would improve as you use them. Others would be static, and remained locked to some base value. Actions where rules come into play ---------------------------------- Player is trying to... * use a weapon to hit an opponent * use a fist to hit an opponent (same as above, really) * defend against an attack * break through and disable an opponents defenses * pick a lock or solve a mechanical puzzle * craft an item (the rules would depends on the item) * lift something heavy * out run an opponent * tackle an opponent * tie a knot to secure something/someone * jump Can we boil down the above into a few categories? ------------------------------------------------- 1. Applying an effective skill level to a difficulty rating 2. A contest between two skills 3. ?? what else ?? What can happen in combat, either automatically or through action? ------------------------------------------------------------------ Character can... 1. dodge an attack 2. deflect a blow 3. absorb a blow, due to skill or an immunity 4. take damage - this might be represented better as resisting damage 5. be healed - this scales the effectiveness of healing Can we define (almost) everything in terms of a skill? ------------------------------------------------------ * A skill represents an ability/probability of performing an action under certain circumstances. * Certain skills would not "level", they would be immutable. * Character stats would be used for configuring the base level of a skill. * We are only interested in the ability of a character to perform some action, therefor character stats would not be used directly. * Some skills could have a level based off another skill. This could allow for spcial exceptions of scaling in special circumstances. Examples of skills ------------------ * Underwater fighting - if fighting underwater use this skill in conjuction with normal fighting, else apply some universal scaling factor to those without the skill. Problems I see with this system ------------------------------- * Not all stats are created equal. Depending on what skills use what stats, it would change the value of that stat to a character. A modern world might find physical strength less value than a medieval one. * Balacing skill leveling can be difficult. A simple model would be to balance based on how it can improve the survivability of a character. This could be quantified in average damage that can be dealt or taken. Skill that multiply another skill would have a cost proportional to that multiplication. Very specific list of actions ----------------------------- craft a belt craft a pair of shoes taste food/drink for poison use a melee weapon (general) use a sword (general) use a broadsword use a shortsword use a polearm (general) use a bardiche use a spear fire a gun (general) fire an autopistol fire a sub-machine gun fire a rifle fire an energy weapon (general) fire a laser pistol fire a pulse rifle load a gun (general) load an autopistol load a sub-machine gun load a rifle load an energy weapon (general) load a laser pistol load a pulse rifle unjam a gun (general) - base would be related to "load a gun" use a shield wear armor wear chainmail armor wear leather armor jump (general) jump over an object jump to reach higher climb (general) climb a wall climb a ladder tracking (general) track an animal track a person skinning an animal (general) fishing (general) net fishing oyster diving deep sea fishing line and lure fishing A specific skill overrides a general skill ------------------------------------------ A general skill (like "guns") might be used as a default when a more specific skill is not specified. The bonuses for general skills must be much lower than a specific skill. (Question?) If a general skill is higher than a specific skill, which one do you use? (Answer) The specific skill's level should be partially based on the general skill's level. It should be impossible to have a general skill that is more powerful than the specific one. Balancing the system -------------------- Exchange rates must be established for Hit Point, Gold, Experience, and any other commodities valuable to the advancement and survival of a player character. A system could be operated with dynamic exchange rates, based on the decisions made by all players in the world. Or a fixed system can be defined where experience gained in one skill would be equally valuable as experience gained in another. Skills that don't create wealth, cause damage and prevent damage would be easy to level because their value for power gaming is lower. If a skill can create items, it is automatically valuable because those items can be sold (at a profit) and often those items can be used. A skill for creating healing potitions should take a great deal of effort to acquire and level, because it is so valuable. Another example is playing a musical instrument. Directly it might not be of much value in terms of wealth and survival. But if the game world allows it, a player could use their musical talents to earn money. Because the money earned would take some continous effort on the player's part, the skill should still be relatively easy to acquire. But if the world is a magical one, where a musical instrument can grant super natural powers, the skill would be a much more valuable one and therefor more difficult to acquire. While it may not be entirely realistic that valuable skills are harder to obtain than less valuable skills, it should work as a mechanism to restrict the effectiveness of power leveling.