While the idea of "picking as you go" is a great, and fundamental, idea to RPGWO, RPGWO isn't/hasn't gone anywhere the way it is now.
Before I go into more spiel, Darkness and Dravien, you guys are really, really dumb. Why do you have to just say "ostrich JORD WAH WAH" instead of helping out and retuning his ideas to the way you'd see fit? See, when you do this, you put your two cents into the pot, and at the end, we shake 'em all up and see what we get in the end. By taking away two cents from the pot, you're doing tiger all.
Now. The main problem with RPGWO has and is the fact that there's NO OBJECTIVE. Look at WoW for example. The end-raids take dedication and teamwork to the fullest. RPGWO has none of that. The way it is now is just what Jord says - you can be all by yourself and get to the "end-game" of RPGWO in a week, ie. souls. Now, whether or not you fix this by a class system, reworking the skill (X+Y)/Z's or what have you, the game will STILL need an objective. I don't even know how long I've been working for a huge quest, one that challenges all, yet provides entertainment for all likewise. Make an "end-raid" for RPGWO, but don't just make it 40x40 with mega drakes. Make players think, interact, and cooperate to "win" the game. Make it hard enough, and you'll get people who want a challenge flock to the game like never before. I've already e-mailed Mickey willing to do this for the newb world, up to him if he bites.
Now, changing the (X+Y)/Z isn't necessarily a bad idea. The best idea? Maybe not. Jord's idea is right though, that there's a need for more interaction in this game. The "experiment" of lowering the starting attribute and skill points should prove interesting to see if anything changes, or if melee/missle fighters just take that extra X (16 Mick said?) levels to get the same path. If it does, great, if not, it'll just be more of the same.
Also, Jord you said that you didn't want a class system because you're restricted. I agree - which is why I put in the clause that for "X amount of in-game gold" you can choose a second class. This is ideal for a player. You choose your original class, and perfect it to get X gold, from other players, from whoever. After you "master" that skill set, you then go into another one. This would keep it perfect for players who get bored quick by just taking a fighter and leveling to level 60 or whatever in a week, because they'd have a challenge to "master" all the classes, something that would take some serious time (likely the length of what a normal server/noob world lasts - a year or two at most) and keep everyone interested. Start out as a trader on your first noob world and get to say 400 attack/defenses with that character on your first world? Maybe start out as a fighter and try it reverse, getting to 400 tradeskills, or keep with a trader and see if you can get to 600 attack/defenses, etc. This, all while keeping an "end-game raid" in place to help influence the choices. If there's too many traders, then the demand for fighters/rangers will go up. Too many fighters/rangers, the demand for traders will go up, and vica versa for mages and so on. That way, a new person (who may be biased to pick a fighter/ranger as some/most just don't like being a measly "trader") balances the game out everytime a new one signs up.