Isn't that the way RMC is now?
For the most part, yes, but in a more clearly defined manner, and with more attention paid to the actual choices available and how they interact.
I don't like the idea of separating stats from DPs, although I'd be happy if there were different stats involved in providing DPs (and maybe emphasise Memory and Reasoning plus make Intuition a development stat in place of Agility); I'd prefer the game power variable to be reflected in a multiplier.
How about:
Development Points per level = 50+[(RE+ME+SD)/6]
I don't really like Co and AG as development stats, so I just dropped them. I do like different characters having different amounts of DPs per level to reflect different capacities to learn ("50 + x" gives a bit of a safety net for the barbarians) .
I know this little formula doesn't look easy and elegant, but it does the trick (for me anyway).
The actual number of DPs should be determined by the number of skills that are being used. And if we go to a three tier skill system, then we would have to be able to adjust the number of DP accordingly.
One of the main problems with RM2 was that when RoCoII went and doubled the number of skills, it did not increase the number of DPs available and it wasn't absolutely clear that a GM should add only those skills that were needed, so the general thought was that ALL the skills were to be used.
Also, among the many things that we will have to keep in mind is how easy or hard something is, and how it will appear to those who don't know Rolemaster (i.e. potential customers!!). Smug wants DPs that are based on stats, that can go in as an option in the toolkit. Give a static base with about 1/3 of the total being determined by stats (thus you can also never get a NPC who gets no DPs)
For the ICE House Rules (the setting-less version of which would likely look something like RMX) we can use a clean static value, since we will only be including a static number of skills in it as well. (as each tier of skills will still need to be vetted by the GM and the whole list for a tier may not be used)
There are a lot of variables and options and methods and concepts that need to be fully considered and tested. When ICE begins working on the revision, there is going to be a lot of things that have to be taken into account before any final decisions are made on anything...