In a rational world, yes. But in LCS, wisdom dictates how Conservative you are, and heart determines how Liberal you are. This is basically a play on this STUPID quote I read on a bathroom wall in the basement of the math building: "When we are young, we are liberal, because we have heart. When we grow older, we become conservative, because we have grown wisdom." Tell that to my grandmother. But since wisdom is a DND stat from Oubliette, it works out fine.
Wisdom determines starting skills now simply because I need to provide an incentive for people to indoctrinate high wisdom characters. Money doesn't work: I don't think it would be a sufficient motivator unless it were a lot of money, but that would defeat the indoctrination procedure pricing (since it costs only money and volunteers).
Actually, all attributes should govern starting skills... I don't think intelligence makes people all that much better at using a rifle or knife fighting. Not as much as one's physical gifts in any case. Education would determine some of them... and random chance... and job history...
Attributes give bonuses to skills anyway. Huge bonuses. For instance, computer hacking:
When you try to hack a computer, you roll a number from 0 to 10, and then add Computer Skill + Intelligence to it. Intelligence actually has a large impact. You could have a computer skill of one, but an Int of 10, roll a 9 or 10, and hack the CIA computer (which takes a 20). If you aren't as bright or lucky, you have to compensate with computer skills. But you can't hack the computer if you have no computer skill, or eyes.
[ March 25, 2003: Message edited by: Toady One ]