Perks / Aptitudes (skills extension)

[Galileus]

Disclaimer: This is not "NOW ON NEVER!" idea nor "LEAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO EET!" one Moreover, all the numbers and balancing in this post was done while high and should not be taken with any at all measure of seriousness.

Idea: Expand current skills system by adding multitude of randomly gained perks and aptitudes (shooting/melee skills only); giving simple boosts or nerfs to certain actions.

Reasoning: It actually addresses many problems/lackings in game. Fist and foremost it boosts personalization of characters - they will be described by a bigger pool of different traits. This fleshes out pawns much more than anything currently present in game. By randomizing the perks gained we get a slightly RPG feel to the characters, giving them illusion of depth and in the same time not going into RPG territory. We add the build-in and automatically handled specializations systems - something that was mentioned few times on these forums. We enforce the feeling of being an overlord instead of alter-ego for colonists - while we have some control over them, we give them element of independence in personal growth. Lastly, we address often-mentioned argument of weapons specializations without adding a dozen new skills. This all also leads to deeper system, where player needs to take into account aptitudes and specializations when assigning tasks, not only a raw number.

Mechanics: Perks are additional traits gained on a set skill-levels. Aptitudes are general bonuses when using certain weapon and categories that define future perks gained in combat skills. They are chosen randomly or in case of aptitudes - if possible to implement - with a small amount of predisposition based on most used weapons types. In contradiction to typical perks in RPG, they should not be restricted to positive ones - in fact most of them should be neutral (adding bonus in one area for a nerf in another) and present changes to gameplay or strictly visual ones. At the same time addition of positive and negative perks will further flesh out characters and their specializations and weaknesses.
There should be a build-in restriction on how much specializations one colonist can gain. A natural, soft cap could be presented by forcing nerfs to XP gain on non-specialization skills every time pawn gains a perk. By balancing the amount we can reach -100% XP gain when player reaches a specific amount of perks - example:
Every perk gained nerfs XP gain on other skills by 25%. This sets the cap on 4 perks - this means 2 full specializations with -100% nerf on XP gains to non-specialization skills and -50% on specialization skills (each gets -25% per perk in the second specialization. It would be also possible to get 1 full and 2 semi-specializations (with -100%, -75% and -50% nerfs) or even 4 semi-specializations (with -75% on each).
There is a problem of control over who gets what specialization. There can be a necessity to send them to some kind of training program (a direct solution) or simply balancing the XP and skill levels so that you need to seriously overlook the specializations to get an unwanted one.

Complexity: Low to none. The whole system works behind the scenes and all attention it requires from player is to acknowledge it's existence and read the perks. Considering amount of goodies this system can produce, I daresay it's a win-win for everyone.

Implementation: While time-consuming, the system is very simple. Main problem here is time - inner workings of the perks and aptitudes are simple % modifications that work on same basis as existing skills (so can be considered +/- X to skill) and work very similarly to traits system. Adding of perks is a simple roll made during a level up and XP gain nerfs are - again - very simple % modifiers.

Examples:

PERKS

Cross-skills perks:

Workaholic - gets -10% to energy loss and little happiness boost when working in specialization.
Easily bored - +10% to energy loss when not working in specialization.
Short attention span - chance to give up on current work and search for another.
Socialite - works 10% faster when able to have a social chat while working.
Natural born leader - others work 10% faster if working in the same field as specialization and in range for social chat.

Construction perks:

Solid constructions - +10% bonus HP for constructions, but -10% work speed.
Shoddy builder - -10% starting HP, but 10% faster construction.
Selective attention - can construct and repair in the same time (if the second task is not reserved and in range)
Electrical engineering - +20% build speed for electrical devices, -20% build speed for all else
Duct tape engineering - +20% repair speed, -10% build speed

Growing:

Green thumb - +10% planting speed
Biologist - +10% to amount of food harvested
Vaccination - 10% chance to counter "Blight" event

Research:

Wide horizons - chance to add small bonus to different research when researching the current one
Proficient - -10% time needed to operate machines (with wheatherstation in mind )
By the book - +10% research speed on rediscovery projects, -10% on design/creation projects
Experimenter - -10% research speed, 10% chance of breakthrough at 50% completion
fading interest - +20% research speed when project is <50% completed, -20% otherwise

Mining:

Gold rush - +20% mining speed on blocks with resources, -20% on dull ones
Metallurgist - +10% ore reclaimed from mining, -10% mine speed
Petrographer - 5% chance to find a resource in a dull block
Mineralogist - chance to find $$$ (or a rare resource used only to sell for $ if that would be added at some point) in a dull block
Seasoned miner - counters "cramped environment" when not in air-tight room
Archaeologist - +5% chance to find artefacts in dull blocks (if added at some point)

Social:

Bed-side manners - adds a happiness bonus to prisoners that person tends to
Potty mouth - Adds a happiness nerf to prisoners that person tends to
Optimist - slightly higher bonuses from social chat for others talking to that person
Intimidating presence - bonus to fear when mistreating prisoners
Equal chances - slight negation to slaves working speed when around

APTITUDES (add +10% to weapon types handling if 2 present, +6% when three present)

Shock trooper (shotguns, smgs, thrown)
Assault (assault rifles, heavy weapons, pistols)
Enforcer (pistols, shotguns, melee)
Sniper (rifles, pistols)
Marksman (assault rifles, rifles)
Field medic (pistols, smgs, medical)
Black-ops (pistols, smgs, thrown)
Support (pistols, shotguns, thrown)
Commando (smgs, heavy weapons, thrown)
Guard (assault rifles, pistols, melee)

Better approach would be to make a list of sets first and get names later, but this will come in time

COMBAT PERKS

These would be acquired only if said person has said weapon in it's aptitude

Pistols:

Fast draw - -50% aim time and precision on first bullet after reload
Akimbo - x2 fire speed, /2 aim
Double tap - two fast shots on each fire, -20% aim

Shotguns:

Double barrels - fires both barrels at once when >70% hit chance
Run&Gun - -70% aim time if closer than 2 tiles to enemy

SMGs:

Double tap - as above
Round the corner - -20% aim time if fireing from solid cover
Burst fire - fires 3 shots in each burst, +20% aim time

Assault rifles:

Fully automatic - +2 bullets to salvo, -20% aim
Duct-tape mags - -50% reload time
Steady fire - -50% aim time, +10% aim, shoots single shots
Blind fire - +20% defence in cover, -20% aim

Rifles:

Pin-point accuracy - +20% aim, +20% aim time
Light trigger - -20% aim, -20% aim time
Aims for the head - +30% aim time, 30% chance for one-hit-kill

Heavy weapons:

?

Melee:

Strong - +10% chance to stun enemy
Light on feet - -10% aim for enemies when character is in melee combat
Martial specialist - +10% defence against melee

Thrown:

Strong arm - +2 tiles range on throwables
Rebound - +1 tile of randomized bounce for throwables
Pitcher - chance to hit and stun an enemy with thrown item

[Ozog]

Great suggestions, has there been any talk of how Aptitudes/Perks and the like will be implemented (if at all)?

[Galileus]

Seeing how I just made this thread, nope... what do you mean, exactly? I've described proposed mechanics, is there something missing?

[theSovietConnection]

I like this idea, would add a lot to how the characters feel, and maybe even flesh out their backstory a bit without even having to say anything, it'd all be implied through what their various aptitudes tell us.

Edit: I got to thinking, if you really wanted, you could include little Easter Egg perks that act more as pop culture references, if you'd like it to go that way. I have a couple ideas on that front.

[majesty]

what about antiperks or debuffs? you cant have all these bonuses without some kind of drawback.

[Workload]

Awesome post like the detail. But maybe have some drawbacks like majesty said.

Also will raiders have these as well?

[majesty]

Awesome post like the detail. But maybe have some drawbacks like majesty said.

Also will raiders have these as well?

they should, consdering they can get captured. raids should also have a leader, with some pretty rare buffs and little no no debuffs, so capturing him could be a big priority.

[Galileus]

what about antiperks or debuffs? you cant have all these bonuses without some kind of drawback.

In contradiction to typical perks in RPG, they should not be restricted to positive ones - in fact most of them should be neutral (adding bonus in one area for a nerf in another) and present changes to gameplay or strictly visual ones. At the same time addition of positive and negative perks will further flesh out characters and their specializations and weaknesses.

As you can see, I tried to present the way of neutral perk creation - something in exchange for something. Better aim but longer aim time. Faster mine of ore, but slower of dull blocks - and so on. And keep in mind, that these perks are examples of what can be done with the system - not a straight-into-game proposal.

Moreover, you can't have too much negative perks or even "anti-perks". The background of the system is character progression, and while there can be some strictly negative perk from time to time player needs to want to see these perks coming. Oh, and add collectibles effect to the mechanic, too

Also will raiders have these as well?

Raiders are nothing else than randomly generated colonists on a different team. I see no reason why they wouldn't have them.