"Obtaining a platinum soft isn't necessarily hard to do, it's definitely expensive but I doubt people are doing entire arcs around getting a platinum soft. I believe characters who have been built around a skill should have priority for that RP instead of people using skillsofts, that's what the load time is intended to force."
In terms of financial investment for most people it is difficult to obtain one.
I think the idea that characters with native skills should have priority for that RP is where we fundamentally disagree. Investing UE into a skill should give you an advantage in performing that skill, not necessarily priority over the RP associated with it. A native specialist already has higher proficiency, the corresponding stats, and likely years of experience and relationships that someone purchasing a skillsoft doesn’t have. They’re also considerably cheaper to hire than spending on a platinum soft.
Someone at the platinum level likely has a huge advantage over a skill softer in terms of experience and knowing how to leverage that skill, hiring the native UEer already is the best choice, but this is not really about making the best choice either. The load time for the platinum, Imo, and I stand by this, kills a lot of RP opportunity for the person trying to use it due to the need to knowingly or even unknowingly plan whatever amount of weeks ahead for something that may have a tighter window, none of which strictly denies a person with native skill an opportunity. It just means the RP is not going to happen. Protecting some other players UE investment shouldn't necessarily come at the expense of another characters ability to create opportunities of their own.
