Space Siege - Interview @ GameSpot

Space Siege lead designer Mike Marr has been interviewed at GameSpot.  Here's a bit on the RPG systems, including something I didn't know about the leveling system:

GS: Philosophers have been struggling with the question for ages, but how do you define humanity?

MM: In Space Siege, humanity is a rating of how pure you are. Giving up your humanity is a slippery slope. A cybernetic eye or hand doesn't cost much, but the more powerful cybernetics, like the spine or the brain, will cost you your identity. However, sometimes that's just the cost of doing business if you're fighting an alien menace bent on genocide.

GS: What other RPG elements will we see besides cybernetic upgrades?

MM: There are a number of RPG elements in Space Siege. We have the traditional skill tree that not only makes your character more powerful, but it also grants Seth new abilities based on his cybernetic layout and level of humanity.

Additionally, we have an upgrade system for both Seth and his robotic companion, HR-V, or as we like to call him, Harvey. In designing the RPG elements of Space Siege, we aimed for taking a twist on the traditional RPG leveling scheme. Your standard RPG uses an experience curve that is exponential, and time between levels grows larger over time. We instead use an incremental scheme that lets the player enhance their character, their weapons, and HR-V every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the course of the game.