So far...

There's a picture of Lap's work on locational damage using the engine. The team has been separated up into different groups, each focusing on their own part of the work. Currently, we're using Piratepad to organize maps, descriptions, and sprites, and as progress is made, it's possible we'll get an SVN repository and the such to organize such teamwork on a massive scale. In the meantime, the B12 thread, found here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=64931.0, and the Piratepads, plus the Sourceforge and Google code, will try to keep things organized. Right now, Lap is working on making a character generation system, setting up the brainstormed attributes and skills system, and hotkeying TE4's talents system to traditional keys for things like shooting and using tools. Lap has so far coded in locational damage, with a rudimentary graphical display of damage. Limbs can take damage, and be healed. They can't be chopped off yet, though.

Less code-savvy members are brainstorming the experience system, and are figuring out skills and attributes necessary to the game. In the meantime, there are many sprites and other creations being worked on, for the graphical side of things.

Rough draft of the attributes follows:

Muscle - your strength, your melee damage, lifting objects, carrying capacity
Health - your resistance to damage, keeps you alive
Agility - ability to move, largescale. Jumping, dodging, running, climbing.
Dexterity - ability to perform precise motions. Picking locks, medical aid, aiming a weapon.
Intelligence - how much your character knows, uses this to help clean up after crime and see evidence
Charisma - affects your interaction with others, persuasion, seduction, conning
Willpower - mental resilience, possibly factors into resisting trauma and severe pain (?)

Rough draft of the skills: See posts: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=64931.msg1527081#msg1527081 and  http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=64931.195

Following is a rough idea of how we want the attribute system to show up. Instead of using numbers, it'll choose a line from each 'level' of skill, and put that line in your character's description.

MUSCLE

Very low: Bob looks extremely feeble. // Bob looks pathetically weak.
low: Bob is scrawny, and his arms lack muscle. // Bob is built like a toothpick.
below average: Bob doesn't look very strong. // Bob looks somewhat weak.
average: Bob is of average strength. 
above average: Bob looks kind of strong. // Bob seems to be somewhat strong.
high: Bob looks fairly strong. // Bob appears somewhat muscular.
very high: Bob has noticeably muscular arms. // Bob is well-built and looks tough.
extremely high: Bob looks extremely muscular. // Bob appears ridiculously tough.



Health
Very low: Bob has immense difficulties breathing. // Bob looks infirm and pale. 
Low: Bob looks distinctly unhealthy. // Bob appears to be sickly and greenish.
below average: Bob is a bit sickly. // Bob looks unhealthful.
average: Bob has average health. 
above average: Bob looks like a healthy person. // Bob looks quite hardy.
high: Bob looks hale and hardy. // Bob looks good and healthy. 
very high: Bob looks very healthy. // Bob seems like he rarely gets sick.
extremely high: Bob looks extremely robust. // Bob looks vigorously healthy.

Intelligence:

very low: Bob has a mind as quick as sludge. // Bob is an infantile fool.
low: Bob takes a long time to think. // Bob has a lack of comprehension.
below average: Bob is stupid. // Bob isn't the sharpest mind out there. 
average: Bob is of average intelligence, like you. 
above average: Bob is fairly smart. // Bob finished college.
high: Bob is a cunning person. // Bob is pretty damn smart.
very high: Bob has a mind that runs like a cheetah. // Bob has a mind that could cut steel.
extremely high: Bob is of unearthly intelligence. // Bob is an utter genius. //Bob is a mastermind.