With the big difference that i /had/ to do it to level up. I like it more to do whatever i want and spend the points into the attributes i need at a specific time to make my character "smarter", "stronger", "more perceptive" etc and then choose which perks i want to level. So i like the current system more than LBD. More freedom to shape your character without having to "craft 1000 stone axes" or "stand on a cactus". It just feels better.
Cheers
Those LBD activites were never things you had to go do exclusively. You could "stand on a cactus" while gathering aloe and making bandages for science/medicine and searching birdsnests and trash for scavenging, and crafting them into arrows for weaponsmithing. They intermingled well with each other imo.
When playing on extreme difficulties it was nice to have something to do at your base when you didnt feel like risking being out in the wild. (stone axes, anvils, mining ect.) It gave additional incentive do a variety of activities with a purpose no matter where you were or what you were doing.
With the current system, it gives you incentive only get xp and reach the next unlock. Sorry but to me that is bland in comparison. But, ya its in, its probably not gonna change. I am more hoping that TFP's hear all the complaints and manage to bring back the flavor the game had before, rather than hoping they bring back LBD. (somehow, if possible...)
Simply because the I think the task would be too monumental to actually change back when you consider the other stuff they changed.
Couple that with the fact we dont have to chase "loot only" items much anymore (crafting all guns and power tools) makes me feel like everything is going in the wrong direction. Finding awesome stuff you couldnt get anywhere else was such a good aspect of looting in this game.
Now, there is not much incentive to do anything but farm XP. Hopefully that will change when have more pieces of paper to loot for mods, legendary items ect. (but that hope is wearing thin the more I think about it)