...That does not make sense.



The aim of the skill cap is to ensure players progress through the skill tree at a steady pace, to dis-incentivize 24/7 grinding and to maintain a manageable gap between casual and hardcore players.

naughty. Playing with my calcs.

For those going urmmmmm here is the rough calc

Cap 1 mil SP
With booster - 1.5 mil SP per week
52 weeks = 78 mil SP

282 divided by 78 = 3.61 years.

My calc was based on changing the SP Cap to 1 mil SP (or 1.5 mil SP with booster) per week. It is not based on the existing cap.

CCP said it would take 7 years to max all skills not max one character. If you are a closed beta tester and maxed out since the beginning you probably have 1 character with skills maxed out or nearly so. That is in 6 or so months of grind

I am comparing the current cap with what CCP intended was to be the length to *max all skills* I wasnt calling you out or anything on your calculations

By maxing out a character I mean you have a specialty pretty much leveled plus the basic skills. For example my main character specialization is an Amarr logi. If I had Amarr logistics drop suit to level 5, Dropsuit core upgrades level 5, Shield and armor upgrades all level 5, Nanocircutry 5, Uplink 5, repair tool level 5, and all the skills associated with the 2 main weapons I use leveled to 5. That would be a maxed specialty.

Note I would still have no skills in vehicles, other dropsuits, other weaposn, etc...

My bad on poor terminology usage

I'd just like to say that I'm glad this thread is staying constructive and we are all having a legitimate discussion about the topic at hand and have not resorted to trolling or flaming.

I commend you all.

Furthermore I do think there should be someway of adequately influencing sp to give an advantage to a player that plays more casually vs a hardcore player. Like in WoW you got a bonus to experience if you hadn't played in awhile.

It doesn't matter what system is in place, there will always be a large gap between the new and the old.

The only way to change that is to have all the items static like COD... which takes all the RPG and strategy out of the game.

The best way to fix the overall problem is to make it fun for players at all levels of gameplay. This is where PvE will come in, or loyalty points rewards. Each player needs to feel like they are making a positive impact on the game/match or its not fun.

.....

my vote would be to take active SP out all together... like eve everyone will progress at the same speed depending on implants and such.

On the SP cap CCP is trying to have the system set so that to fully max out all character skills should take 5 to 6 years as it currently does in Eve.

New players not being able to catch up to vets... Really? Maximum skill level on any skill is 5. Saying that new players can't catch up to vets is like saying that if I start walking a set distance of 100 feet before you do, then you will never be able to catch up to me though I have to stop at the end of that 100 feet. An inability to "catch up" would only apply in a situation where skill level progression is infinite. The newer players will eventually catch up if they stick with it. Really, they will.

Pay to Win. This is a difficult one. Some things in dust appear to be pay to win true. But the advantage is relatively small in the few cases where it does exist. I have experienced actual pay to win and it's not pleasant for someone like me who isn't able to throw money at a game to get gold armor, gold ammo, gold guns, gold vehicles, even double or triple XP boosters, that don't have equivalents for the non-paying player. See Pirate Galaxy or Dark Orbit for a good examples of true pay to win games.

Honestly, the real issue is that it the value of ISK is somewhat null and void...skilling up should be something that takes a long time...but it shouldn't really be the end goal. The end goal needs to be the market, the isk, value that ebbs and flows with the player metagame of warfare and conquest...not SP.

This is truly the direction I believe needs more love. There is virtually nothing we can manipulate in the skill cap or SP numbers that will satisfy everyone. The current system is the result of player feedback and the same comments you're all making now. Nothing has changed gentlemen, the system itself is fine, it's the context of the game it exists in which is the problem...instead of SP gap, empower the new players with more things he can do to help his team...That, gentlemen, is how we grow a game.

I think the whole community is becoming a little timid. Don't give up on the numbers, but let's not lose sight of the game as a whole. The question is not how do we make things 'fair' for everyone, but how do we give everyone the ability to fulfill a role for a group or friends without the need of SP or vast game experience?