I realise I'm probably going to regret even making the topic given the nature of the internet, but I've been having ideas again now that I managed to get a properly working inventory up and running which really is the hardest part of doing an RPG code wise. To amuse myself I've been looking specifically at skill points and how they work as well as the 'skilling up' process. I always find myself drawn to the RPGs that are about skill points rather than levels purely because of the sheer variety they offer in terms of gameplay and it's not as limiting as class based gameplay. Although I think that class based gameplay can be fun if it's designed correctly.
I've been mainly looking at Morrowind for the moment, I tried looking at Fallout, but it's filled with normie shit thanks to youtube. I don't know if I should check out stuff like Ultima Online perhaps and older RPGs because that was from a time when gamers were allowed to be autistic with the maths on paper without having to hide everything behind code.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2GNNLz1pUU
This is the sort of thing I've been looking at, I'm just interested in learning the maths properly and checking out different systems. Obviously Fallout's SPECIAL stats are fairly iconic, but in the end their formulae isn't that out there. I'm not looking for sperging about skills generally, but specific mathematical formulae. In the video for example it details how much the experience points rate increases based on what type of skill you've put in a misc./minor/major category.
Your post reminds me of Kenshi and the fact that I should really get back to the grind. I understand that your interest is more in the nuts and bolts of design, but that's where my mind went.
What are you looking to take from TES's major/minor/misc system? If you're looking to 'break' from class as a unified system, what does that mean for the game world you're building?
Are you looking at having a screen or tab that 'lifts the hood?' For instance, there's a whole tab in Last Epoch dedicated to all of your modifiers, so you can track what your gear does and where your stand in terms of 'crunch' as far as your build goes. Maybe you can implement something similar?
The other game that's worth looking at would be Dwarf Fortress, where everything character is governed by discrete skills, ruled by math. The player has little/no direct control, but the system is probably worth examining in detail from a design standpoint.
It's mainly the maths formulae that I'm interested in, inventory is easy enough to figure out. You have a base damage an unarmed character poops out as a random range number and then when you add a weapon with stats it either erases that or adds to it and depending on the type of game it is character attributes will increase or decrease a multiplier based on what type of weapon it is.
I'm pondering the skill points because it's a bit more involved and want to know the exact maths behind it. I guess I'll write a bit of a formulae of what I'm thinking of with regards to this.
SwordDMG x STR x SwordSkill perhaps? That's the sort of thing I'm pondering or maybe just SwordDMG x SwordSkill or have SwordDMG + 1 x SwordSkill as a multiplier. I guess simply experimenting with print would be the way to go and have the engine poop stuff out I tend to work better that way.
I would ask whether the SwordSkill is capped or modified by your Misc/Minor/Major choice as well. TES was mostly about xp gain, with the level you got based on your skills moderating your gamestate.
I find myself wondering if there should be a hard coded 'edge' to your prioritized skills beyond that. Even a flat "10% better if it's a major skill, 10% less if for misc skill" creates a mathematically meaningful choice at character creation, representing the hard edge specialization might give.
Just my two cents