Massively^™

Don't forget SWG space PvP. That is very skill based. No auto attacks there, just good old fashioned dog fighting.

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In current-technology MMO's, player "skill" is most likely to be found as a sense for good timing. Hitting the right attack at just the right instant can make a huge difference either in the arena or in an endgame raid. It's also important to have a good sense of distance in an MMO, to be able to accurately tell how far away something is. No depth perception makes this very tricky for some players.

In most FPS games, it's quick and precise mouse aiming. In some games with flying vehicles or ground vehicles, it's the ability to envision the curves that vehicles are traveling through so you can know when to shoot or when to run.

Personally I wish we could get some measure of physical skill into the game. I'm not physically gifted myself, but I think it would be nice to be able to admire a successful team or player on some basis other than raw persistence.

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I think you've missed an important component of acquiring game
knowledge - actual observation and experience in-game. How did the
people you talk to outside the game discover things in the first
place? At some point, someone learnt it via the hard facts of virtual
life or did some intensive datamining or experiments.

It's interesting to reflect on this as I'm taking a bunch of friends
through their first experience with City of Heroes. They get killed a
lot more often than a veteran does. Lack of "skill" comes into play.

CoX is not a very gear-based game, only comparative level and
enhancements would fall under the 'character gear and advancement'
category. We're all mostly equal in that respect because we're
playing same level characters currently.

Player knowledge is key. They just don't know yet how to -not- run
through red and purple-con spawns while getting to a mission. They
don't recognize some other player's powers or know what they do, ergo
they cannot position themselves to take advantage.

And I suppose player skill would be how quick (or slow) they are at
switching targets, hitting the appropriate power buttons, and
generally reacting and hopping around and moving...

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