Joe Krow
Erudite
We were told that there are no dice rolls that work in the background to determine the player's skill, only their ability and whatever bonuses that the skill system has unlocked for them. For example, as Mike draws a bead on an enemy, the reticle starts to shrink, indicating that his aim won't swing as wide. With improvements, it might not take him as long to focus on his mark the next time.
Battling through the train yard revealed opportunities for Mike's covert abilities. At one point, he found a computer terminal that he could hack into, revealing a timed panel of shifting numbers and letters; the player has to match two sequences of digits within that mess. Another electronic puzzle displays several panels of circuits, each with a numbered node linked via twisting paths to a tab at the bottom. This puzzle is also timed, meaning that the player had to choose the correct tab linked to the right path in order to quickly solve each part. With improved skills, the number of nodes would decrease.
Even without significant training, the player can still try solving the puzzles. It was emphasized that none of the puzzles will simply be "unavailable" to the player because of how he had developed his skills, but they would be a lot more difficult to overcome, depending on whether or not they had invested anything into them. For example, the circuit puzzle might have 10 nodes to sort through, as opposed to just three.
So no dice rolls will occur in the foreground or background. Ability enhancements (is that what passes for stats in these days?) might make things easier for the player but the character will be determinative of absolutely nothing. Can anyone tell me what, aside from the marketing campaign and the side of the box, would make this an rpg?