TL;DR: RPG's Need a Player character who is a unique and verry werry special little snowflake.
This character system, as far as I can say right now, is very gameplay oriented. All the aptitudes and skills are, while they enable you to envision your character somewhat better, mainly a choice in the way you want to play the game. Which is most important.
But would't it be nice if, in addition to this, there would also be a possibility to individualize your character on a narrative level and make him/her more colorful? Many of the traits in the
3 skills suggestions thread would be suitable for that. They had to differ from the skills in the way they would influence you. Maybe they could change dialog options, have positive and negative effects, unlock special missions or lead to very different play stiles by adding /subtracting a game mechanic. Some traits might be chosen at character creation, some gained trough events /certain behavior during the campaign. They point of open world games like starfarer is to tell your own story after all, and this could really aid that, I think.
I already asked Alex it at the blogpost, here's his reply:
Maybe, we’ll see. Have to get the baseline down and working before considering anything fanciful
Which gives reason to hope
What do you guys think?
edit/ Some ideas from the 3 skills tread to make clearer what kind of traits I'm talking about:
Spoiler
Uncooperative Reduces your standing with factions larger than you, but increases their fear of you for every time you win a battle, which spreads to everyone else, boosting your renown and making it much more of a decision to declare you an enemy. Huge boost to conspicuousness however.
Honorable - Bonus in diplomacy, its easier to get escort and defend jobs, slight decrease in sell prices (you cant shortchange anybody), lower destroy/capture rate for fleeing opponents
Obsessive–compulsive disorder Meticulously pack everything in your cargo hold, everything takes 15% less space.
I'm Insured You're much more likely to Repair ships that have been disabled after battles, but you have to pay 50/100/350/1000 a week, per ship in your fleet, for the costs of insurance.
Cyborg You're part man, and mostly machine. Your higher brain functions are enhanced and you can manage much more than a normal human being. However, your crew can't stand the sight of you, and you've taken to locking yourself in your cabin during extended voyages. [+10 FP, -5 CP]
Terminal Illness After you learn about your terminal illness, you revise your rather dull live and decide to make for the stars. The ticking clock and the will to archive something within your remaining time lend you unmatched determination and conviction (interplanetary and interstellar speed +30%, CP +20%, Flagship OP + 20%, Flagship crew upgraded 1 level). Game will end after 1 -5 cycles with your death. Within that time a cure can be found that will remove the trait and all effects, but it's hard to find.
Odd. Very odd. A ship under control of this captain may raise and lower shields, fire or stop firing and generally partake in every action without anything quite so concrete as sanity. It's not all bad though, the crew have to make the best of every opportunity. Turret turn and shield raise speed +100%
Craven Your cowardice has a streak of the desperation of a cornered rat. Lack of respect from your fellow captains gives penalties to FP and CP, but you receive a stat bonus when engaged by a larger fleet, and a large fleetwide stat bonus when attempting to break through enemy lines
Meticulous - You check and re-check every detail and enforce strict maintenance rotas. This strict regimen doubles the efficiency of your supply usage for maintenance and repairs but the skeleton crew requirement for each ship is increased by 25% due to the greater work requirements.
We have Ping Pong Tables You get a bonus when Crew is generated at Stations, giving you a higher chance to see some Veterans and Elites, but you have to pay 25% more per Crew member and 5% more in wages (well, assuming we ever have to pay those galley slaves people).