I'm not an expert programmer, so I can't give a complete and descriptive analysis on how to approach this. I can only give my opinion as an RPG fan and not a programmer. Agree or disagree, this is what I will probably do with Dark Realms eventually.
The main trouble with my concept is that I think it's really unbalanced ATM, and it's still a very fresh concept that needs more work, so we can cast it aside for either a long time or forever. But I think it's interesting nonetheless.
From what I've seen, many RPG stat schemes tend to borrow extentively from the classic D&D tradition: gain experience points in enough stats, usually many, then level up. It would be a breath of fresh air to do away with experience points, and levels, and instead focus on the player's progress on the stat fields themselves.
What I mean is, do away with Level 3 Rogue who has 4000 experience points. Instead, just have a rogue and his abilities will evolve and enhance independently, regardless of his skill in others (although if he has good strength, that will work wonders when learning hammer). So let's say, for instance, we have these stats (I'll just use very basic ones for now: strength, agility, intelligence, and stamina. We'd all know that a fighter would have high strength and stamina, maybe morderate agility, but little intelligence (:P). Then a more magical player would have poor strength, moderate stamina and agility, but really good intelligence. So if you spend the whole game using only a fireball spell, intelligence will go up, and eventually, so will agility, because it takes speed to get those hands up ready to cast the spell. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->
Anyway, so instead of having EXP represent the player's skill in the field, focus on how long the player fully dedicates to that field, and also how often the player uses it, and then the player will eventually get better and better in that field. Of course, this is simply just a more descriptive way of saying EXP, so I'm probably contradicting myself here.
O well, it was just a running concept, I'll have to give it much for thought. But what do you think of the ground basics so far? I think that doing away with EXP and levels may add an interesting change to how the stats are handled, but then again, EXP and levels are virtually universal in RPGs, which in itself is a good method, just a very dated and cliche one. In the meantime, I'll come up with come really good stat fields later, but it's really late and I have to go to bed, so I'll give them to you tomorrow. <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->