[Omnirizon]

If there's still interest in this, I've started to map a skills system, impacted significantly by comments here and my own research.

since the act of learning is central to my system ( I think that's a more accurate and fulfilling skill model ), I have three types of learning: self taught, tutored/coached, schooled. Basically, what is available from each type is largely dependent on where you are and who you are. Self taught has the lowest returns, but the most flexibility. Tutors in a specific skill may be hard to find, and can only train an individual to a certain level. Schools have the largest returns in "skills" for investment of "skill points", but should require a large chunk (a large investment) of skill points to get anything. There are also a very limited number of schools and what they teach is just what they teach, and they may teach things that from a player's point of view aren't necessary; thus there is limited flexibility, but some min-maxing control. Further, only noble or artisian characters would be able to go to a school.

The prevalence of schools and tutors and what kind of schools and tutors there are will be the main difference between east and west. This can work out to be very significant though... in my world (and I think this reflects history pretty well) the west is feudal and in a constant state of internal warfare and show. in the east there are periods of civil strife followed by periods of internal peace, but always a constant external "barbarian" threat. Further the east is more centralized and not nearly as feudal. This of course is reproducing some Western stereotypes regarding the east, but damnit it works! I'm working out exactly how this will impact skill-set lineups and availability, but it should be pretty diverse.

Lastly, "skills" and experience are two different things. Most systems are a sort of 2d outlay having skills and stats, where experience is just sort of a magnitude of those things, or a flat bonus to them. I envision my system as a 3d system with stats, skills, and experience all being three different things that must be taken in account in relation to each other. So a character can spend a lot of "karma" on skills, but never temper their usage through experience (I can imagine an army grunt who knows everything there is to know about everything in the army, and all the training possible; but has no battlefield experience). Of course, the Shadowrun style of fluid character building blocks is inspiring this system to a degree. How my so-called 3d character building system can be implemented without becoming a de facto 2d one is yet to be seen. However I think by doing things through interaction (or multiplicatively, mathematically speaking) may be key; this will require some fine tuning.