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I'm beginning to elaborate on the skill system, the end result should be a skeletal skill tree that we can fill out with new abilities as the project continues.  This thread is open to brainstorming, and hopefully we'll be ready to start coding the skill system in the near future.


So, anyways, food for discussion:

The skill tree will be broken down into three domains; combat, finesse, and spellcraft (the classic fighter/rogue/wizard divisions).  For the most part (there will be many exceptions) skills will require prerequisits only from their own domain.  Each domain will also have (slightly more informal) specializations.  These specializations are essentially groups of skills that share common prerequisits and cost synergies; elemental magic might be an example of such a specialization.

Each skill will have a level associated with it.  Unless explicitly stated otherwise, a skill's performance and cost are proportional to that level.  A skill's level is based on its prerequisits.  There are three cases:
One prerequisit (or all prerequisits the same level):
 - the skill's level is one higher than its prerequisit
Multiple mandatory prerequisits (different levels):
 - the skill's level is one higher than the highest level prerequisit
Multiple optional prerequisits (different levels):
 - the skill's level is one higher than the lowest level prerequisit combination
That is, if a skill requires two of three skills which are levels 3, 5, and 7 respectively, it is a level 6 skill, since the lowest combination is 3 and 5.  Ordinarily, a skill might require a specific level 2 skill, making it level 3.

point prerequisits:  this is designed to prevent people from "rushing" for one very high level skill by following the prerequisits with that one high end skill in mind.  A point prerequisit requires a certain number of skills in the specific domain in order to access it (at this point, I'm not certain if higher level skills should count for more than low level ones).  Generally, only higher level skills will even have a point prerequisit, but not all.

Prerequisits:  these are the specific skills you must have knowledge of before you can pick the skill in question.  Some prerequisits are optional, where you require just some out of the set.  Some are mandatory.  In some cases, you may have one mandatory skill and several optional skills. 

cost synergies:  this is an important aspect of the system.  Cost synergies make certain skills reduce each others' cost.  Cost synergies are mutual; if skill A gives skill B a discount, then skill B gives skill A exactly the same discount.  The order in which they are purchased does not affect their net cost.  Cost synergies fulfill two important purposes.  The first is encourage versitility; if two skills have similar roles, a player will not feel the need to pursue both.  In an effort to provide a fairer range of choice, such skills will decrease each others cost, making choosing several similar skills a more reasonable course of action.  The second is to limit versitility.  In this case, the idea is to prevent the master-of-all-trades, while still supporting the jack-of-all-trades.  It is forseeable that someone will attempt to pick the "best" skills from several specializations.  However, such a character could not expect to have many cost synergies working for them, so these skills will be exhorbitantly expensive, limiting their total repitoire significantly.

As mentioned, each domain will have several specializations.  At the lowest level of the domain are the level 0 skills with no prerequisits.  At this time, my only plans for level 0 skills are the ridiculously expensive "training" skills that will define these specializations.  These absurdly expensive skills do nothing except provide cost synergies and prerequisits to a huge number of other skills.  These skills will be your primary consideration when selecting your character's packages, since they are very expensive to pick up later on, and can offer you access to a wide range of abilities.
Characters who choose not to select a training package will face higher costs in that field and more difficult prerequisits.  Characters who choose the training package will have forked over a significant amount of experience for the privilege of accessing these abilities easily.

Cost multiplier:  I'm considering adding a "cost multiplier" algorithm which would increase the cost of all skills for every one you purchase.  The idea here is that as the number of skills remaining approaches zero, the cost of the remaining skills approaches infinity.  This multiplier would work in such a way that it wouldn't even be felt.  The important thing here is that the total cost still be independant of the order in which you picked the skills.  This would, of course, be independant of specific skills.

[Combat Domain]

Hmmm, no feedback?  So, then, how about specializations?  These are what I have written down so far:

Combat Domain

Chivalry Training:
The classic western knight; focusses on heavy melee combat, and gives access to pseudo-magic abilities within the combat domain, but offers little versitility.

Martial Training:
A generic "soldier" training in the combat domain.  It gives a wide range of development options to the character, but has very few exclusive skills to its specialization (just lots of discounts).

Ranger Training:
A light combat specialist, ranger training gives early access to the finesse domain, making it a perfect choice for hybrid characters.  As it implies, rangers have strong aptitude for ranged combat, but also make excellent use of light weapons in melee combat.


Finesse Domain

Acrobat Training:
Movement and precision is the focus of an acrobat's training.  They have some of the best for evading enemy attacks.  Acrobats don't have much in terms of weapon skills, and will need to rely on speed or cross-specialties to diversify their offensive capabilities.

Thief Training:
A jack of all trades within its own domain, the thief makes a balanced training selection.  The thief's greatest aptitude is with deception, both concealing his own movements and deceiving the enemy as to his movements.  Thieves focus on versitility, both offensively and defensively.


Spellcraft Domain

Alchemy Training:
Focussing on transmutation, alchemy is a low energy cost form of spellcasting.  Alchemy often has serious preparation time, but can be some of the most devastating magic.  Alchemy is usually quite defensive, and its long preparation time makes it easy to disrupt.

Elemental Training:
Controlling the natural magic of the earth is the focus on elemental training.  Elemental training focusses on shaping energy into natural forms.  Elemental magic is usually destructive in nature, and due to its basic form it's difficult to resist the magic directly.  Elemental magic's second discipline is controlling those energies passively.

Necromacy Training:
Sometimes called "entropic magic", necromacy focusses on controlling, and even reversing, the natural processes of the world.  Like all magic, this can be used for good or evil.  Necromacy is inherently constructive, restoring life and repairing damage.  Healing magic is in fact a sub-sect necromacy.  However, the "darker" side of necromacy - such as raising the dead - has also given it and all associated arts the title of black magic, regardless of how it used.

Hmmm, no feedback?

my experience with RPG games (at least this kind, i do have experience with stuff like pokemon, zelda, paper mario, kingdom hearts, but that's entirely different) is not sufficient enough to give any constructive feedback to most of your posts in this subforum