This thread is to discuss the broad direction we all think such a  mod should take (more heads are better than one).

May I start by tossing some ideas out there...

1. There are working examples already of skills unlocking from other skills (built-in to GUTS) and skills unlocking from stat investments (developed by gyt specifically for a classless char idea).  I propose we start with skills unlocking from stat investments only, because that would (imo) make the stat investments more important and require more planning (also in the interest of  keeping it simple, at least to start; we can always try fancier stat-&-skill combo requirements later).

2.  I agree with gytfunke's idea that you'd need a "short forest" of skills to make this concept viable/fun.  So I propose early on we try to make a "system" for stat-based skills - some set of file templates, maybe a custom skill-tree .layout, etc. which are specifically meant to make adding skills easy enough to crowd-source.  Let's face it; there are so few of us here, so lack-of-time and burn-out are very real. 

3.  I propose we start with just the four current stats (str, dex, vit & foc) again to keep it simple.  But we might design it to allow for more stats in the future and I think it'd be important to design it so it's easy to tweak for different stat-mechanics like RnF's stat overhaul mod (where gyt was also a major contributor, incidentally). A personal dream combo of mine would be a stable classless skill system working off of RnF's stat set-up.

Hoping I've caught you guys' fancy with all this!

Oh before you do any tutorials , I just wanted to throw this out there... I get how the skilltree could control the unlocking, but doesn't that mean what you're unlocking is the skill position on the tree, not the skill itself?

Wouldn't it be simpler (assuming it's possible) to control unlocking of skill levels inside the skill .DAT, same way as like LEVEL_REQUIRED?  So in this stat-based project, a skill level would need a certain Stat Counter to be at a certain level before it would become available?

Okay, it took me just a couple minutes to do this vid.  Then I realized you said you didn't need it, but here it is anyways:



So, are you thinking you want separate stat requirements per level of a skill?

E.g.:
Flamehammer
Lv 1 requires 15 Str
Lv 2 requires 20 Str
lv 3 requires 30, etc?

Yeah, we could probably do that.  It would just take a little extra logicking.

Okay, it took me just a couple minutes to do this vid.  Then I realized you said you didn't need it, but here it is anyways:

Thanks so much gyt! Oh and I didn't mean that I don't need it - I just didn't want you to go thru the trouble of making one, IF the other way I was asking about was easier to do (which it turns out, won't work for what we need).

I've downloaded the vid to be able to play/replay easily (also the sound aint too good so I'll probably augment that).  I aim to proceed something like...

1. Learn how to plug skills into your modified tree system first,
2. Modify some of the existing TL2 skills to plug those into your tree,
3. Eventually learn how to "maintain" the tree system itself (like if we ever want to add more skill-slots)

In line with number 3, I see that using a slider gives you much more freedom than using tabs.  But is there a limit to how "wide" the skill slider can be?

Quote from: gytfunke

So, are you thinking you want separate stat requirements per level of a skill?

        E.g.:
        Flamehammer
        Lv 1 requires 15 Str
        Lv 2 requires 20 Str
        lv 3 requires 30, etc?

        Yeah, we could probably do that.  It would just take a little extra logicking.

    Maybe do it as tier-bonuses?
    Lv 1-4 requires 15 Str

    lv 5 requires 20 Str (for tier1-bonus)
    Lv 5-9 requires 20 Str

    lv 10 requires 30 (for tier2-bonus)
    lv 10-14 requires 30

    lv 15 requires 40 (for tier3-bonus)

    It looks easier and there is some additional incentive. But it must be bound to the base Stat value (to avoid tricks with items +Stat)

Yes this is what I'm thinking. @Kva3imoda  , your suggestion is fine if the skills will have that many levels, but with this "classless character" concept the idea with the skills is to have "fewer skill levels, but many many more skills", so the player can build their char with any skills they want; they just have to build their stats to meet the requirements of the skill.  By fewer skill levels, maybe the maximum is 5 levels.

@gytfunke when you say "more logicking" is that hard to do?

*************

((SORRY I edited your post, Phanjam, I was trying to Quote it!))

Lol no problem, uh... gyt? Kva?

Ahem.  Not much logicking.  I'll figure it out when I have time.

Hey Phanjam,

Yes.  It's really easy to add extra stat requirements to a skill.  I'll do that, too.

Here's an alternative layout.  I got 6 skills onto the tab.  Progression thru the skill's 4 levels is represented by boxed numerals which light up as you invest...

Sorry for the long silence- it's been a rough week 

I had planned on getting all the logic for stat-based skills down pat in my head this weekend, so I could try making a first sample skill tree.  But RL just wasn't cooperative.

But I'm going to keep at this.  It's really caught my fancy