Cyclopean - Interview @ RPG Codex

The first interview with Scott aka 'screeg' from Iron Tower's second team has been interviewed at RPG Codex about their recently announced Lovecraftian CRPG, Cyclopean:

Your mechanics seems to have quite an elaborate set of stats and traits. Could you describe it in a few sentences and give examples of more unusual traits?

Introducing what I call the S.E.D.I.W.P. system – the base stats are: Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Intelligence, Will, Perception. There are nine available Skills (Mechanics, Mind, Deceit, Medicine, Arcanum, Physique, Clubs, Blades, Guns). Skills will range in value from 1-100, and maybe slightly higher, over the course of the game. The player earns a fixed number of skill points to spend each level-up. With skill points, you may purchase straight Skill increases, or Traits, which are special augmentations or rules tweaks. A Trait requires at least 25 points in its parent Skill. More advanced Traits require a higher Skill and sometimes have other prerequisites. Traits that are learned through study, like Pick Locks, require the player to access a library to purchase.

Examples: With a prerequisite of 50 in Deceit, you can purchase Forgery. If the player has access to a writing desk and writing materials, he can forge signatures and other documents to forward his agenda. With a prerequisite of 50 in Mind, you can purchase Mesmerism. Mesmerism allows the player once a day to assist an NPC to recover lost Sanity, as well as opening up dialogue options in applicable situations.

Traits for Deceit, Mind, Arcanum and Physique have been revealed on the forum so far. I’ll add more from time to time.

I think readers will also be interested in my conception of optional Character Backgrounds.

Thanks Elwro and Scott.