Now, in regard to the weekly skill cap and the implications of it:

We acknowledge that the current implementation of the skill cap still isn't quite there yet. It doesn't quite allow people to choose when to play as freely as we would like, and it also adds some unnecessary complexity when it comes to using active boosters. This is why we are working our way towards a rollover SP system: instead having your pool of bonus SP being reset according to a fixed weekly cycle, you will steadily accumulate bonus SP to a pool over time that you can then empty through fighting in battles. As a result, everyone should be able to better choose when to come in and claim the available SP. Moving to such a system would have the added benefit of allowing us to make active boosters to give out a constant value over time by having them influence the rate at which SP accumulates into the pool instead of just multiplying SP received at the end of each battle.

I'm not using any more active boosters until this happens.

Or we could reduce the importance of SP by not having it unlock anything. Instead, SP can be applied specifically the groups of weapons (based on variants, perhaps) to enhance that specific group's effectiveness. For example, triage repair tools have a skill which increases repair rate to infantry, whilst axis repair tools have skills which increase effectiveness of repairing vehicles and installations. These skills would only apply to their specific items; there will be more skills and it'd be a little more fun to specialise, because you can go even further than a weapon: you can specialise into a variant.

Furthermore, because SP doesn't unlock anything, essentially no one can complain about an equipment gap due to SP. Now, many complain that there is no more 'progression' if everything was unlocked initially.

Well, okay. What if I told you advanced and prototype gear now cost the same as tanks do? There's your progression. Grinding for ISK. And this way, the gap between vets and newbs closes. Vets play longer, have more money, but use more expensive gear, and earn less profit from pubs. Newbies have less money, but earn more, because their gear is dirt cheap.

Furthermore, the new SP system means newbies can buy prototype weapons, but it'd still be weaker than the one veterans use because they haven't applied efficacy skills to it.

To me, at least, it makes more sense that ISK defines play more than SP. all these complaints about SP should be about ISK.

Interesting approach....but there may be some issues with the AUR gears. There's that whole paying to win aspect that would probably still come into play somewhat, so not sure if CCP look to hard at this approach.

i would prefer if the skill cap was removed altogether to be honest. for me i cap in one day then have to grind for the rest of the week. As for the newbies, it does not allow them to catch up but rather keeps them at the same difference. moving the sp cap system over to a rollover system does nothing to change this.

how is anyone meant ot catch up to the high level players if they can not progress through a certain mark? the usual method of 'well if i play more then them ill catch up' needs to be restored.

I've written and rewritten this post many times, and I've come to the conclusion that the present system should be maintained. Here is why.

1. Imagine the cap rollover was implemented. If this happens, the nature of active boosters would have to change. Because CCP wouldn't want someone accumulating 7 weeks worth of SP and hardcore grinding for 7 days, earning all that 1.5x boosted SP on a single 7-day active booster.

2. So active boosters are changed to increase the rate at which SP accumulates into the available pool. This is bad because short duration actives - 1-3 days - become worthless. If the 190,400 cap is maintained, that's 27200 SP daily, so the 1 day would grant 13600 extra SP, and the 3 day, 40800 SP. You would need to buy 30 day actives for the best value. Note that a strategically used 30 day active would still net more SP under the current system.

3. If the nature of active boosters are changed, then we lose the 1.5x bonus when WP = SP after hitting cap. It's not a significant amount unless you play excessively but it does represent lost SP.

4. The rollover system only benefits players who do not reach cap for whatever reason. It seems odd to give the system an overhaul which only benefits players who do not play regularly enough to cap (<11 hrs per week), while hurting those players who do grind and still play after reaching cap (11+ hrs per week).

Lol, your post is so one sided without any real justification.