(see screenshot)
Saturday well spent. I put together the basics for the grid -based upgrade system. None of the upgrades do anything yet, but all the rules and limitations for using the grid are in place, so the next step is to start putting the bonuses and skill points in effect.
The empty space on the right side pane will contain much of the numerical character data, and the main inventory window will only contain the essentials.
A few of the bonuses/specials don't exist yet, or don't have an icon, but much of what you see here was already in place in some form in the proficiency system, so I'll just be switching variables all over the code for most of these.
This is how the grid works:
- It can be accessed at any time, from the inventory.
- Skill upgrades cost skill points (SP), which you'll gain mostly from level ups.
- Skills can be upgraded up to five times, and each level costs 1 SP more than the previous.
- First three columns are common skills, available at any time. They affect mostly loot, resistances and basic movement.
- Fourth column is talents. They mostly increase damage for weapons. You can pick up to two, and also upgrade them up to five times.
- Last three columns are talent specific skills that open up only if you've unlocked the talent on that row. Many of these skills provide powerful bonuses, such as regeneration of HP/MP or faster casting of spells.
- The little yellow dots below the icons represent the current level of the upgrade. (They might be changed to stars or plus signs at some point.)
The screenshot shows a mockup of one possible character build, with Mage talent unlocked and focus on elemental spells, but the Guardian talent is also unlocked, to get access to HP regeneration bonus, which is one of Guardian's specialties. Presumably the player wants to use spells as primary offensive tool, and HP regeneration as defensive backup, while also allowing access to two-handed weapons for melee combat, when spells might not work against an opponent.
Ideally any combination of talents should be a viable choice, but that'll require some heavy balancing work down the line. For now this is where the system is heading. Weapon proficiencies will still exist, but they won't be the source of any skill upgrades, just weapon damage and main attribute increases.
Hopefully by next weekend I'll have at least part of the system working in actual gameplay. 
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HitmanN 
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