Wired_Irony said:
1. Can you explain a little about how skill checks within dialogue works? Is it rolled or is your skill checked against a set number?
Set numbers, no rolling. Two checks.
The first check is to see if you are "skilled" enough to come up with a good line. That's where the line is displayed as one of the available dialogue options. The second check is to compare your skill vs that of your "opponent".
Here is a short sequence in a "save a hostage" quest.
PC: Lord Antidas will certainly appreciate your kindness, but 1,000 coins is too much.
Raider: Who can put a price on the life of a kin?
PC: That depends on a kin, doesn't it? This particular kin is hardly worth more then 200 coins.
Raider: I paid more for my dog. 900 coins, and only as a token of my respect.
PC: A good dog is hard to find. Useless relatives are not. 300 coins is a good price for one.
Raider: If he's so useless, why pay anything at all? 800 coins
PC: What can I say? Lord Antidas is a kind man. 400 coins.
Raider: Kind enough to pay 500 coins?
PC: That should be acceptable, I'll be back with the money
So, for example, the min skill to start the conversation is 20 (trading). However, the raider will refuse to consider the "discount" if your skill is less than 25, and it takes 40 points in trading to actually get him to agree to take only 500. Then you go to Antidas and convince him to pay 1,500 and pocket the difference.
2. Outside of locations, it is a map, right? Is there random encounters and all that fun stuff?
Yes.
@ Elhoim: more like Fallout at this point (I'm considering switching)