Capping Player Power/Utility vs Skill Points

[Vinadil]

It seems that during the recent playtest we ran into a rather unexpected "feature" that caps certain skill gains at around 1,100 total points per character. Now just to keep this discussion from devolving into things we all already know and agree with let me say that I understand that we:

1. Want players to interact
2. Want player choices to matter
3. Want to make it "real so that people aren't all powerful demigods"
4. Name the argument here that could also be stated "Want to keep player power and utility in check"

And let me repeat, I understand these things and agree with the outcome. The question I have is why the decision was made to use skill caps as a way to accomplish these things when multiple games in this genre have given us much more elegant solutions without severely limiting the player experience arbitrarily? Here are just two options (among many I assure you if any Dev actually wants to take a look at options here):

1. Use the globally limited resource that we ALL share called TIME to limit player power/utility through exponentially increased learning times. IE - I can become an apprentice electrician in a few hundred hours, a master in 10,000. EVE Online, Albion and other games have shown us how this system works. No need for arbitrary skill caps because TIME is the cap when you design exponentially.
2. Create gear/stance/career requirements for certain skills such that if you aren't wearing certain gear you don't have access to certain skills. OR, if you aren't in "mage stance" you don't get the benefit of all of those magic support skills. This speaks directly to power in that it gives me ZERO advantage have 10 weapons mastered if I can only use 1 in any given battle. What it gives me is a deeper gaming experience across time and more utility for my group.

This same reasoning can apply across harvesting, crafting, etc. The fact is our group has enjoyed this game and will likely continue to invest in its creation these next few months. As we move forward my request is that you take some time to re-consider using skill caps to address player power/interaction/utility issues and let us consider some other solutions that do not randomly restrict player choice but still create the interdependence you are looking for.