Skills are probably the single crucial hinge point in this game, because they serve as the primary task resolution mechanic, as well as gating the Perk system (which basically means you can't select something like the "Boom, Headshot" perk which lets you make called shots to the head until you have, say, Rifles skill at level 5). If the skill system isn't good, the rest of the game will have a much steeper slope to climb in order to be playable, balanced, and entertaining.
For RPGs which have skills as the primary resolution mechanic (which includes things like Shadowrun and the World of Darkness line, but not D&D), there are two major philosophies.
The first is to have lots of skills that each only do a single, (relatively) narrowly defined thing. Fly Starfighter and Pilot Capital Ship would be different from Fly Helicopter and Fly Hang-Glider. Conceptually, this makes sense because each of those things is relatively different, and it's easy to imagine that being good at one of them would not necessarily carry over to being good at the others. This generally leads to a huge list of skills to remember, with very little overlap between them, even when some skills should really be close enough that you could substitute one for another (Biology standing in for Anatomy in a pinch, for example).
The second is to have relatively few, very broad skills that cover quite a lot of different but related tasks. So, you might have one skill for Fly (that would cover pretty much any sort of air or space craft), and another for Shoot (any sort of ranged weapon), and one for Sorcery (that would cover any sort of magic). This leads to a much simplified, shorter skill list that is easier to remember but much more vague. There's also some potential conceptual disconnect, since Knowledge Arcana not only means you know about magic, but also about dragons, and golems, and other planes of existence. Knowledge Local means you know about wherever you happen to be, even if you've never been there before (in fact, even if you never knew the place existed). Knowledge Religion not only means you know about deities and religious holidays and practices, but also about undead.
One of the relatively common compromises between these two is the idea of skill groups, where several related skills can be trained together for a discounted price. In practice, this tends to end up looking very similar to the latter, where only a few broad skills (the groups) really ever get used. However, the drawback is that you're essentially stuck in the latter paradigm, if you want to learn how to drive a car, you either pay more than the marginal value of the skill, or you end up learning a whole bunch of other stuff you may not need or even want.
Some systems (like FATE) even allow you to define your own skills (which may not even really be skills in the traditional sense of the term). You could have "Disreputable Smuggler" 5, or "Ninja" 4, and those skills would substitute for anything you could think of that type of character (or someone who's good at that sort of thing) should be able to do. That's relatively fast and flavorful, but it's also easy to abuse, because there's no fixed definition for what the terms actually mean or what areas they cover. Some players are just more convincing when they try to finagle the GM into letting them use a skill for something it really shouldn't be able to do. Also, because these type of systems are based on concepts, some will naturally be "better" than others, in that they cover far more areas. "Special Forces" is necessarily going to be a better (broader) skill than "Soldier", but if they're equivalently priced then the system is flawed.
What all this leads to is the need for a hybrid system. My idea (which may not be original) is to have one "profession" per character, which is basically a player-defined skill group representing the handful of skills most essential to the character concept - those the character has been trained to do and uses most commonly. This would start out with probably 3 skills included, which should all be pretty easily related to the profession, and it could be expanded to encompass more individual skills as the character grows. In fact, if there's a way to add skills, there should probably be a way to remove skills (up to and including all of them, in effect becoming an entirely different profession) to reflect a character who changes their focus mid-game for whatever reason.
The profession group would have a single rating for all included skills, and would be advanced as a single group (at a slight discount from the cost of increasing them all individually, since they'd all be "in-theme" for the character, and we want to encourage character themes as a framework for roleplay opportunities). Naturally, given the cost discount, there should be at least a modicum of oversight by the GM as to which skills can fit a particular theme.
Now, even a focused professional has hobbies, interests outside the profession, or prior training (up to one or more prior professions, even). So, for skills the character needs but which do not conceptually relate to the chosen profession, those skills can be gained individually. This gives us a reason to have a large, diverse group of individually narrow skills - you can choose whatever seems relevant to your character's core concept as a custom group (so you're not stuck with just the ones the developers put together), and then anything you want to be good at but isn't really an intrinsic part of that concept you can get "a la carte".
These aspects basically add up to player-defined archetypes which are conceptually easy to understand and relate to in-play. Job titles are usually pretty intuitively connected to the sort of things those people are capable of, and it fits much better as a way to relate a character's abilities in-character.
As a side benefit, it promotes (well, can promote, if used well) interaction with NPCs, since there are almost certainly going to be things the party members cannot do well, and the most efficient course of action is to hire an expert in that field.
The skills themselves will not be tied to particular Attributes, nor gain any bonuses directly related to them.
So, to recap, each skill is a general measure of how well a character can perform a group of closely related tasks. Specific or uncommon abilities related to each skill are represented by Perks, which are gated to appropriate skill ranks (for example, the "Boom, Headshot" perk mentioned earlier that allows called shots to the head of a target, but requires a Rifles skill of at least 5 before it can be gained). Each character has a custom-chosen skill group that represents the character's profession or archetype, as well as some number of other individual skills to represent hobbies, outside interests, or simply training not directly related to the character's theme.
Here's the current list of skills, grouped by (very broad) category. Some of these skills will have a bit of overlap. Any suggestions for consolidations and additions are welcome. Many skills require at least one perk to function, these give one specialty perk for free at rank 1 of the skill, and more can be purchased individually at any time. This is meant to represent skills that would otherwise be mostly overlap and very little distinction, such as Survival in Forest vs Mountain terrain, or Sports concerning Football vs Basketball, or the various vehicle types sharing a single piloting skill.
Athletics skills are those which consist mainly of non-combat physical activity.
- Athletics: Gymnastics - covers activities such as vaulting walls, Parkour, traversing obstacles
Athletics: Mountaineering - covers climbing, rope use, equipment maintenance
Athletics: Running - sprinting, distance running, terrain navigation (not stepping in holes)
Athletics: Sports - requires specialty perk for one or more sports (including things that aren't "game" sports, like skydiving). Covers equipment, rules, game history, technique.
Athletics: Survival - requires specialty perk for each terrain / environment. Covers food sources, shelter construction and location, navigation.
Athletics: Swimming - covers technique, as well as terrain-related information such as the effects of undertow and current.
Combat skills consist of anything used in direct combat.
- Combat: Melee - requires specialty perk for each weapon. Covers use and maintenance, identification.
Combat: Ranged - requires specialty perk for each weapon type. Covers use and maintenance, identification.
Combat: Thrown - requires specialty perk for each weapon type. Covers use and maintenance, identification.
Combat: Unarmed - requires specialty perk for style (Brawling is free, Echani or Teras Kasi would need to be bought). Covers techniques, identification of movements, practice regimens, etc.
Engineering is the "craft" skill block, covering primarily practical applications of sciences and equipment.
- Engineering: Aerospace - aircraft/spacecraft (but not starship) design and maintenance, modification
Engineering: Audio / Video - sound and light systems, mixing/mastering, media editing
Engineering: Civil - buildings, earthworks, utility systems
Engineering: Cybernetics - cybernetic augments / implants; design, maintenance (external), modification
Engineering: Demolitions - setting and removing explosive charges, structural weakness analysis
Engineering: Electrical - electrical power (generators, transmission lines, house wiring) and signal systems (network cabling and infrastructure)
Engineering: Electronics - design, manufacture, repair and maintenance of circuitry and portable electrical equipment
Engineering: Electronic Warfare - design, use, and maintenance of sensor and countermeasure systems; used for drone, droid, vehicle, and emplacement systems
Engineering: Energy Shields - design, use, maintenance, repair of shield generator systems
Engineering: Energy Weapons - design, use, maintenance, repair of blaster and other energy-based weapon systems (including tractor beams, etc)
Engineering: Environmental - life support, food growing/storage, artificial gravity
Engineering: Fluid - liquid handling systems such as irrigation, liquid waste, or industrial / manufacturing chemical handling
Engineering: Genetic - mapping, isolation, and modification of genetic structures
Engineering: Machinist - using mills, lathes, drills, and other machine shop equipment to produce, modify, or repair non-electronic parts (including non-energy weapon components)
Engineering: Mechanical - systems involving mostly physical motion, such as trash compactors, cranes, blast doors, missile launchers and ammo storage/loading systems
Engineering: Mining - design, use, maintenance of systems and equipment for extraction of mineral resources (including space-based)
Engineering: Nuclear - systems designed to generate nuclear power (includes fusion devices such as starship drive cores)
Engineering: Primitive - covers things like building (simple) wooden buildings, simple earthworks, leatherworking
Engineering: Software - programming, debugging, interface design, data design, algorithms. Includes modification of existing programs
Engineering: Starship - structural and environmental design of starship hulls
Engineering: Vehicle Repair - general troubleshooting and repair of vehicle (including starship/drone/droid) systems, on a modular basis (ie, identify the bad part and replace it - not actual refurbishment of the part itself)
Engineering: Weapon Repair - general troubleshooting and repair of weapon systems on a modular basis
Force skills are those enabling the conscious control of the mystical energy field that surrounds and binds all things.
- Force: Alchemy - altering physical substances directly using the Force (Sith Alchemy, lightsaber crystal attunement, etc)
Force: Focus Design - understanding and creating objects attuned to the Force which can alter the flow of Force energy (Sith talismans, Force infused locations)
Force: Knowledge - understanding of Force traditions, theoretical knowledge of Force powers, identification of Force signatures ("magical" residue from power use). This is intended to be largely flavored as "intuitive" knowledge, provided by the Force itself, rather than academic "taught" knowledge.
Force: Manipulate Energy - using the Force to affect the flow of energy around you (Force Lightning perk)
Force: Manipulate Matter - using the Force to affect the physical world around you on a macro scale (Move Object perk)
Force: Manipulate Mind - using the Force to affect the perceptions and thoughts of living beings (Affect Mind perk)
Force: Ritual - using the Force to create greater effects drawing power from sources outside the self - sentient sacrifice, focusing implements, drugs, Dark Side tainted locations, cooperative power usage
Force: Sense - sensing potential of Force users, using the Force to extend or supplement existing senses, precognition (perk)
Medical skills deal with the life processes of living beings
- Medical: Anatomy - requires specialty perk for each race, understanding location and function of major biological components
Medical: Cybernetics - installation, maintenance, (safe) removal of cybernetic components such as implants and replacement limbs. Requires Surgery skill, Anatomy skill, and anatomy perk for patient race.
Medical: Diagnose - observation of symptoms and deduction of likely biological cause
Medical: First Aid - minor direct medical treatment, such as bandaging wounds, CPR,
Medical: Pharmacology - understanding the effects of medical and recreational compounds on living beings, as well as interactions between compounds, or between compounds and patient conditions
Medical: Surgery - major medical treatment requiring significant incisions, organ alteration, or recovery time
Medical: Toxicology - use and effects of poisons on living beings
Science skills are the replacement for most systems' Knowledge skills, but including an active component for the application of that knowledge. These should be pretty self explanatory, no real description needed.
- Science: Aerodynamics
Science: Anthropology
Science: Archaeology
Science: Architecture
Science: Artificial Intelligence
Science: Astrophysics
Science: Astrophysics
Science: Biology
Science: Biowarfare
Science: Botany
Science: Chemistry
Science: Computing
Science: Criminology
Science: Cryptology
Science: Cybernetics
Science: Entomology
Science: Epidemiology
Science: Ethics
Science: Finance
Science: Forensics
Science: Genetics
Science: Geology
Science: History
Science: Law
Science: Linguistics
Science: Logistics
Science: Mathematics
Science: Metallurgy
Science: Optics
Science: Physics
Science: Psychiatry
Science: Psychology
Science: Statistics
Science: Tactics
Science: Theology
Science: Trivia
Science: Zoology
Social skills handle the majority of interpersonal interaction, whether one on one or when trying to sway a crowd.
- Social: Debate - usually used as a type of performance, where you interact directly with one or a few people, but the object of the interaction is to convince the audience, as opposed to the other participants.
Social: Interrogate - gathering information from unwilling (likely physically restrained) subjects, usually through violence
Social: Intimidate - a type of bluff, usually used to avoid direct physical conflict or to gain information by convincing the target you're a bigger threat than they can reasonably handle
Social: Leadership - encouraging, cajoling, inspiring your subordinates (or anyone who trusts you enough to follow your directions)
Social: Negotiate - working out a deal by which both participants benefit
Social: Perform / Entertain - requires specialty perk for specific mode (dance, sing, musical instrument)
Social: Persuade - convincing someone that something you say is true
Social: Seduction - gaining a favorable reaction (not necessarily intimacy) from someone who is already non-hostile towards you
Social: Streetwise - discovering and fitting into "non-official" power structures, finding sources to obtain restricted goods, etc.
Stealth skills include anything to do with not being detected
- Stealth: Disguise - pretending to be someone (or something) else by means of playing dress-up
Stealth: Observation -
Stealth: Security Systems - use and methods of overcoming security systems such as cameras, motion detectors, thermal and pressure sensors, maglocks, and physical (tumbler) locks
Stealth: Sleight of Hand - pickpocketing, concealing small objects, secretly passing objects to others
Stealth: Sneak - moving unobserved
Stealth: Surveillance - monitoring a target (ideally) without being noticed
Stealth: Track / Pursue - tracking a target through varying terrain and conditions, pursuit driving and foot chases, obscuring your own trail to make tracking difficult
Vehicle skills allow a character to pilot/drive, navigate, and maintain the specified vehicle type.
- Vehicle: Aerospace - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Atmospheric and transatmospheric small craft (hang glider, Cessna, Airbus, F-22, helicopter, atmosphere-capable starfighters). Does not cover space travel (for those vehicles capable of it).
Vehicle: Ground - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Bicycle, motorcycle, car, APC, bus, etc.
Vehicle: Heavy Machinery - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Bulldozer, crane, backhoe, tank, etc.
Vehicle: Repulsor - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Sled, speederbike, airspeeder, transport, repulsortank, etc.
Vehicle: Starship - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Starfighter, transport, gunship, freighter, capital ship. Does not cover atmospheric maneuvering (for those vehicles capable of it).
Vehicle: Watercraft - requires specialty perk for each specific type of vehicle. Sailboat, motorboat, submarine, warship, freighter, hydrofoil, etc.