Ubiq’s a Classy Guy
I tend to agree with him… if anything I even come down harder against advocates of skill systems. In my view, skill systems are simply class-based systems where the players design the classes. This both adds a needless level of complexity more hostile to new players and makes game balancing even more of a difficult exercise than it already is. There are ways to allow character build customization within a class-based hierarchy that don’t completely suck (and Damion listed a few). I’m partial to the skill specialization system of DAOC, for example, and was so even before they let me break it…er, work on it.
All this of course assumes a D&D style game where you hit things until candy pops out, which regrettably apparently is all we know how to make, and is also the game you guys seem to buy the most. (Enough blame to go around!)
At any rate, I suspect the discussion there will be interesting (which is why I blocked it here… go mess up his yard, you wacky UO veterans with your insistance on use-based skill systems!)