[Leanthar]

".....Will the skills be set on skill trees, where one skill may require another skill as a prerequisite, or is each skill meant to stand alone? Some of one and some of the other?....."

As it stands now every skill stands on its own. There are no skill trees. With that said, every skill gets better as you use it. There may be sub-skills that are opened under that given skill that can be further improved upon. So for instance there are refined combat skills (as it stands now) that fall under specific weapon skills, but it is not really a skill tree as they are thought of most of the time; it is just access to another skill for that given weapon. And that new skill can be improved upon with use, just like all other skills (as it stands now).

"....Will skills have skill levels, with more focus in a skill granting a greater benefit, or will skills be more or less like D&D and NWN feats, either on or off, you have it or you don't? Or, again, some of one and some of the other?...."

All skills can be improved upon and improving that skills means you will be better at it. They are not just "on" or "off". As you use a skill it improves. If you don't use a skill it does not improve. To add to this, your attributes modify all skills so it will be important to improve the proper attributes when "leveling up" in order to fit a "class" that one is trying to become better at over time.

".....These questions came to mind while I was considering specialization, and how the cost for specialization should be a penalty in broader areas (unlike the simple method of D&D where a Fighter automatically knows how to use pretty much every weapon, melee or ranged, with a high degree of competence). Using D&D and NWN terms, I was thinking of how focused Weapon Masters are on one, single weapon, how they mentally become one with their weapon of choice. They are truly specialized, so much so that while such a combatant would surely be dangerous at any time, a Weapon Master using a different weapon that his weapon of choice should be kind of awkward. In mechanical terms, he should have traded or eschewed skill with many weapons in order to become the most skilled warrior possible with his chosen weapon, leaving little or no skill with short swords, longswords, maces, axes, lances, spears, halberds, bows, or anything other than his chosen great sword, for example..."

We are on the same page. Every weapon requires a skill to use it and improving that skill will give you more refined combat skills to use with that weapon, but it is not really a skill tree as most think of it. It is more or less just opening another skill for use with that weapon that can be improved upon by using that new skill. To use a skill the proper object must be equipped (specific weapons or specific armor for instance).

One of the really cool things about a skill system, and something I am seeing more clearly as we get further along is just how cool it can become. You are no longer limited by a "class" and what that class should be "good at". Any character can use any skill at any time, but they need to use it a lot in order to become good at it. What is neat about the system is that it fits a world quite well because as new game systems are brought in you don't have to force the system in to a class (and balance all of those classes), you just create skills around that system that supports it (and balance the skill line and new system). Then players that want their characters to be involved in that system use those skills, those that don't want to be involved with that system don't use those skills at all (crafting for instance). But you could take it even further to other systems, vehicles, sieges, scholary, rulership etc. (and I am not saying we have those systems--they are examples only). Some players will want to be involved in some (or all) of those systems and some willl not, but because the systems would have skills to support them it is the players choice at what to do. This makes for a wide open game world and allows the players play as they desire, which increases the immersiveness and the feeling of it being a world, and the replayability (amoungst other things).

The added bonus is that it makes the job for a developer a little easier in that we can roll out systems over time and not force them in to something (a class for instance) and destroy the class balance, we create the skills for that system as it is being developed (keeping all other systems and skills in mind of course). Which in my opinion is also much better for the player base.

/* I just want to point out that things can change during development and testing, just understand that please.