[imported_IceCube]

Look, people aren't supposed to GM skills.
Harder skill gains = less people who are GMed @ those skills = more people in demand of let's say ARMORS, and then the people who wasted 30000 hours of there life GMing it will actually get a reward.
BUT here is a series of formulas :

Easy skill gain = everyone has GM all skills + no one needs anything = BAD BAD BAD

Harder skill gain = less people with GM skill = more people who need it = GOOD GOOD GOOD

They might find it hard to GM, but the people who GMed it, did they say a shit? NO cause they like it, if you don't wanna GM smithing, go hunt and buy your armor you monkeys!

Well I am not going to flame you...LIKE YOU DID ME. just going to state a valid point.

Making skill gains harder and easier is not the answer to the problem.... It is so far off not even in the same area.

You have to make it more Convenient for players to buy the goods (Items.. Armor, Nets, Tables, etc) then to actually macro it themselves. That will help the AFK Resourcing too... hell you might not need a rule against. Why macro it if you can get the benefits of the skill already... for the price of gold of course. Gold is a lot easier to come by then skill, that is always true.

Why macro fishing if i can just buy the nets and go get the treasure.