We haven't gotten to the skills selection portion of chargen, but I'm working ahead on the database objects for it and I could use some input.

Active skills are laid out in the book, so those aren't a problem. Knowledge skills, however, are a different story. Other than being portioned into three different categories, they are not identified specifically. I've had three options offered to me so far for their development, and I'd like people's input on them.

1. Let players fill in whatever they like for know skills.

2. Use (with updates) the know skills offered in the current game.

3. Offer a small, but highly generalized, selection of knowskills.

As you consider these, or other options, please keep one thing in mind. What works for TT, when you're working with a single GM who has a clear understanding of exactly what each player thinks each skill entails, is rather different when you're playing a larger game with multple GMs who may not always share an interpretation. And yes, I realize that leads to a whole other debate, which I invite people to make a new thread to discuss

While dealing with the soul-crushing, migraine-inducing nightmare of character creation, I became curious as to whether or not the old Rumours knowskill system will still be in use. Any decisions made on this, yet?

And as for the original topic, I prefer the third option! A thorough list of general skills with freedom for specialisations would be ideal, in my oh-so-very-humble opinion.

Yes, we were planning on keeping the ones in place that there is code connected to. But anything is still possible at this point, if there are good arguments for them.

 *hisses and sighs* Can I have more BP... Pweeeeeeeease?!

All kidding aside, guess I'll have to buy skills after ike the first time I went through chargen, though I alway's thought it should be a little more general. Or skill based like, on etiquette, or  a 'rumor' mongering skill or something.

Also, I'd wonder about a system that would mabye put rumor's under other related knowledge skills Military Rumors might go under the Military Knowskill. Street Rumor's might be varied between 'rumor' skills, between Politics or BTL Dealers (An argument to make such street rumor skills more general).  I like the idea of a bunch of general skills, but I would advocate some degeree of customization, or an option to add a customized knowskill incase its not like, added. I seriously doubt "Detective Fiction" would be a general knowskill.

I vote for using the more popular SR3 Knowledge Skills as the general list in CG. Most GMs and players know how to use these in their current plots/runs.

For everything not on the list, allow players to submit it for approval.

-Hades, taking Everything with a specialization in Everything Else.

Ok. This topic is getting way off track. I'm moving it to a New Thread.

http://shadowrun.dnaco.net/forum/index.php/topic,195.0.html

Future posts stick to suggestions, not lengthy discussions or comments on others suggestions.

-Hades

I would have to go for option three as it not only allows for specialization if needed but it also helps people who don't know what skills specifically that they want.  But it also allows for those individuals that know which specific skills that they want and will allow them to specialize whatever skills if needed.

My two nuYen.

Heh, the length and complexity of my post got my opinion deleted from this particular thread. Oops ;p

I'll reiterate here that I think knowskills should be freeform, otherwise it'll be a restriction placed on your PC by the admins.  Ambiguity is just one of those things we'll have to deal with, it's a part of life.

Not deleted, moved. Since the conversation appeared to one of the moderators to be veering off topic.

Yes, I wasn't accusing anyone I'm saying it's gone from here, and that I wanted to put it back in a more concise form, is all.

I kind of like what we have now, a list of skills and the option of creating your own.  It gives those who are out of ideas something to pick from plus it lets the creative make their own. 

Of course, that's in Chargen.  Like now, when we have someone who wants to start a new knowledge skill that isn't on the list while on the grid, someone has to get it added and all that jazz.  If we are planning a KSR, could the free form be added to that?  But, that's off topic.  It doesn't seem too big a deal to have a skill added to the database after CG.

My thoughts.

Ok, having weighed the opinions, this is what we're going to do. We'll try to give you a 'best of both worlds' option.

There will be a list of Street Knowledge Skills and a list of Professional/Academic Knowledge Skills that players can choose from if they wish. They are pretty much the same selections we had on the old grid, with the Sixth World choices split between the two of them.

We will also provide an area for players to customize and specialize their know skills any way they like. If a player wants to customize all skills, that's fine too, as long as they aren't too broad. PH staff will work with those who are unsure. Any Interest or 'color' Skills that a player wants can be added in this area.

I'm going to go ahead and lock this thread, since the decision has been made (I'm making the object right now, as a matter of fact). If you want to continue the discussion, see the Knowledge Skills Discussion thread.