[Pap Renvela]

They seem rather pointless since you don't get a break for taking them and most of them have things I wouldn't take.

Looking at:
SDF ONE YEAR WONDER
(11 SKILL POINTS)
Serving for one year in the SDF will not make you an elite
killer, but it provides training in a range of skills that could
prove very handy in fighting a war from the shadows.
Active Skill
Automatics 3 (Assault Rifles +2)
Demolitions 1 (Improvised Explosives +2)
Disguise 1 (Camouflage +2)
Sneaking 1
Unarmed Combat 2

Would a combat character of mine start with this as a base to his skill(remembering you can add further points to each skill to improve it): yes but not any of those specializations- normally I start with SMG spec for automatics and if I would pick something else for the other two.

I think a 1 skill point reduction for x-10 point  or 2 for 11-20 point or 3 for the one 25 point skill packages would be appropriate...

What do you guys think of that idea?

And they should have worked these into life module equivalents for players who use that chargen system.

[Glyph]

I don't have that book, but it looks kind of like the skill equivalent of PACKS - you don't get a discount, just them figuring out what skills go with a certain background snippet.  I would probably find it a more useful resource for quick NPCs than for PCs, though.

[Dinendae]

I don't have that book, but it looks kind of like the skill equivalent of PACKS - you don't get a discount, just them figuring out what skills go with a certain background snippet.  I would probably find it a more useful resource for quick NPCs than for PCs, though.

Yep, it's more of a RP/Flavor thing with those skill packages: Handy for NPCs, or if you want an idea what kinds of skills that background would be looking at.