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[Silverionmox]

Just bringing this article under attention:

Character attributes in role-playing games
http://hiddenway.tripod.com/articles/attrib.html

It will be very useful when reconsidering the attribute system. For the reluctant readers: there is a list of common attributes at the bottom of the article.

[Granite26]

Mind if I steal for the attributes managed list?

Edit:  Good info, although this is 10 years old and completely skips the developement of the non-hacknslash genres.

[LegacyCWAL]

The opening analysis might be handy, but it also might not.

The system he came up with at the end got REAL convoluted REAL fast, and the Storyteller system (what White Wolf uses) would do what I think he's trying to accomplish, only a hell of a lot easier.

[Silverionmox]

Sure, it's far from the final word, but at least he has done the grunt work of compiling lots of stat sets. I like WW's system too.

Additionally, DF being a computer game means that it more and non-integer computations are possible. That will have its repercussions. Nevertheless, the attributes must be presented to the player as meaningful concepts.

[Granite26]

I'm crazy pro-WW (hence the 'non-hacknslash' jab) myself.

with the PC we've got the advantage to make characters in this game extremely complicated conglamorations of stats, with any number of algebraic, geometric, and logarythmic scales being combined in any number of ways, with each action simulating perfect symetry.  All of this could be concealed by a number of simple UI devices.

(Imagine if swinging a sword was 20% arm power, 10% leg power, 10% visual acuity, 5% anatomical knowledge, 10% sword skill, 10% short sword skill, 5% familiarity with iron swords, 5% familiarity with this sword, 10% bravery, etc, etc, etc, all tied up into a 'Urist is an expert swordsman' package)

[Draco18s]

Additionally, DF being a computer game means that it more and non-integer computations are possible. That will have its repercussions. Nevertheless, the attributes must be presented to the payer as meaningful concepts.

As well as crazy and bizarre systems of calculating initial stats. "2d6+1d7+1d8 take highest 1 and lowest 2, then subtract 1.3" is perfectly reasonable.

[korora]

(Imagine if swinging a sword was 20% arm power, 10% leg power, 10% visual acuity, 5% anatomical knowledge, 10% sword skill, 10% short sword skill, 5% familiarity with iron swords, 5% familiarity with this sword, 10% bravery, etc, etc, etc, all tied up into a 'Urist is an expert swordsman' package)

Amen.

[Muz]

Hmm... I'm going to consider that attributes article for my game After I read it... damn, I have a lot of things stacking up on my to-read pile.

But on crazy computations, while it's possible, it's going to screw up game balance. Lol, carp's attack was already screwed up enough with a simple computation.  I'd stick with the standard 3d6 style, because it produces a nice normal curve that makes it easy to cause 9 damage, but very rare to score 3 or 18.

You don't need algebraic, geometric, and logarithmic scales... just use basic statistics to get what you like

[Align]

(Imagine if swinging a sword was 20% arm power, 10% leg power, 10% visual acuity, 5% anatomical knowledge, 10% sword skill, 10% short sword skill, 5% familiarity with iron swords, 5% familiarity with this sword, 10% bravery, etc, etc, etc, all tied up into a 'Urist is an expert swordsman' package)

Stop it, I'm drooling.
(although this might be a pain to grind in adventurer mode where you cant just tell your guy to "go train")

[Neonivek]

I am not sure we should split skills that much... or if we do... it should be hidden or represented by Talents such as: Iron Affinity, Short Sword Affinity, or Hatred of Goblins. (In fact I like the idea I just came up with that I may just make a new suggestion based on it... If no one else wants to)

I mean I can understand using one peice of equipment so much that he becomes so skilled in using just that... (which could be added in the description of the weapon)

However I don't want to go and check out my Adventurers combat skills and see a list longer then my arm... I mean Imagine if punching someone required five different kinds of finger skills plus another for using 5 fingers at once...