Skill System Problems

[toon]

What does everyone find wrong with the current skill system (not including combat because combat is a whole different problem)? I would just like to know what all everyone has problems with so I know what kind of proposals for it would work with people.

[SekoETC]

I think it's a problem that newspawns can spawn skillful or expert, while someone who spawned with a lower skill level could spend years training and still not reach that high. I think it would be good if talents were separate from skills. Newspawns would start with low skill levels but could have hidden talents, which would mean they would gain skill points faster when working on something they're talented at. I think it would be good if it revealed it after a while, saying something like "you're learning fast" or "you're finding it easy to learn this skill".

It would make sense that skills would get rusty when not used, but they should also be recovered faster than what it originally took to reach that level.

[Henkie]

Meh, I'm okay with the current system. I think the 'problems' are very overrated.

[SumBum]

I have no problem with newspawns being expert at something.

The issue I have with the current system is that it is basically meaningless for everything except hunting and fighting. Those are the only two skills where you can actually see the impact of the various levels.

All other skills are mere bragging rights. There's no chance for specialization when everyone can do everything even if they're awkward at it. You can't say "Bob, don't cook because you suck at it" or "Don't use a sword made by Joe because he's talentless as a blacksmith" because Bob's food is just as nutritious as any super chef and Joe's sword works just as well as an expert weaponsmith. The only difference is that it might take Bob or Joe a little longer to craft things. Appointed jobs and specialties are meaningless and it's harder to establish an economy around those specialties because anyone can come along and start cooking their own gourmet food, etc.

[Sunni Daez]

Well said SumBum

[toon]

So Pick any that might apply to your ideal skill system and I might try to suggest it if we can agree on something.

1. Everyone starts at skillful(or efficient) or lower randomly, but has to work up the rest of the way. This way, to be considered an expert at something, a person has to have plenty of experience in it.

2. Everyone starts at level 0 in all skills and awkward through expert applies to how fast a person advances in that skill. So an awkward person might have to spend 2 years practicing to advance a level while an expert might only have to spend 10 days to advance.

3. Levels would actually determine what you can do with a skill. A awkward tailor should only be able to craft simple hide/fur clothes and an expert should be able to handle silk. Being a better skill level would actually have a tangible use.


Feel free to make any suggestions to these ideas.

[Doug R.]

The system under discussion in the GAB has everyone starting at the same level, and the higher your skill, the slower it increases, so experts would have to put a lot of effort into one skill. It would mean a lot more than it currently means in terms of effort made.

3. Levels would actually determine what you can do with a skill. A awkward tailor should only be able to craft simple hide/fur clothes and an expert should be able to handle silk. Being a better skill level would actually have a tangible use.

The biggest problem with this, and it's a huge, huge problem, is that you'd have people everywhere making useless objects just to boost their skills so they can make the more advanced things that they want. So, if you need to be an expert to make a crossbow, you'll have blacksmiths making piles of crap weapons just to get enough skill to make the crossbow. It's meaningless busy work. Other than that, yes, it would be a good idea.

[SumBum]

It would mean a lot more than it currently means in terms of effort made.

But would still only make a difference in the amount of time people spend doing something. It's still minimal impact.

The biggest problem with this, and it's a huge, huge problem, is that you'd have people everywhere making useless objects just to boost their skills so they can make the more advanced things that they want. So, if you need to be an expert to make a crossbow, you'll have blacksmiths making piles of crap weapons just to get enough skill to make the crossbow. It's meaningless busy work. Other than that, yes, it would be a good idea.

If we're going to do that big of an overhaul then it shouldn't be too much more of a problem to create training projects of some sort. Something people would have to put effort into, would be a lower skill gain than creating actual things, but wouldn't require as much in the way of tools/resources. That way someone without vast amounts of resources wouldn't have to waste them on crappy items to train but skill gain would still be feasible.

[toon]

Maybe make a small chance for the person to make something from a better level. Awkward tailor would have a 30% chance to make cotton clothing? And if they do it could help them to get to a new skill level faster?

Edit: I agree with Sum Bum too.

[SumBum]

That's a good point, toon. A lot of games with crafting involve a percentage risk. It would definitely make things more complicated but would still give some small chance to create things that are above a char's skillset.

[toon]

Alright so which parts should I suggest? Do you want 1 and 3 or 2 and 3 or just 1 or 2?

[Cdls]

I am guessing (hoping) that this is for any newly created characters and not those who are already made, with established skill sets?

[Oasis]

It would have to be, Cdls, many current characters have their livelihoods already established around their current skills.

No matter what ends up being implemented, I would like to see skill levels increase much quicker than they do now.....right now, I'm not sure if they even do increase or if we're just told they do. I've never seen it happen, though since no event is created, very easy to miss, so not even worthwhile if the character doesn't realize it.

[Cdls]

I know fighting and hunting increase for sure as I have seen the increases happen within the same Cantr day for each.

The others...have no clue as I have never noticed one of them increase at all.

[toon]

Yeah, I would like the skill progression to speed up a bit too. And maybe some kind of notification when you reach the next level.