Here, to answer a couple of your questions/wants.
For crafting, I'm sure they might have something they're working on for that. Right now, though, it's such a small matter it's not on top of the priorities for developement list, meaning it won't happen for a long time, if ever. It's just not that big of a deal.
For game maps....No. You don't have a big old map in real life floating to your immediate upper left corner, do you? Go out and purchase a home-made map from someone ingame, like you would in real life.
For Portals to other cities...Definite no. You can't just have your character going around and dying all over just so they can go around to whatever city they choose. The death realm is not meant to a mode of transportation. It's meant to be a place where you go when you die. Die. Dying is not a laughing matter in PlaneShift, in fact, alot of people's characters RP having a hard time getting out of the DR when they die, because that's how it would be.
For notifying when you level up. Come on now. We don't need to go all RuneScape here. You don't have fireworks explode over your head in real life when you get stronger because of working out, right? Think smart...PlaneShift is about roleplaying a real life experience in a fantasy setting. You're told that you leveled up in one of the chat tabs, what more do you need?
For capes/maximum skill, I don't even want to answer this one, but I will. If you're the best at something in real life, a magical genie doesn't grant you a 'skull cape' to wear, showing that your most badass. You go out and do things to show people that.
For capes...come on now. Get your head out of RuneScape and do some studying about PlaneShift. someday, there may be capes to wear, but right now we're still in developement stage. This game isn't near done yet, it's still Alpha testing. So, hold your horses, read the settings, and see if you can come up with suggestions that are relevant to PlaneShift, not RuneScape.
P.S.
I met your character ingame, and promptly ignored him because of your behavior. Take some pointers on RolePlay. With your imagination you should be good at it later on. You already know the commands, which is a good start. Just start using your character knowledgeably and respectfully, as well as learning about Yliakum in general, and you could be a respected PlaneShifter yet. However, godmodding, trolling, etc.. is not allowed, like it is in RuneScape. Treat this game more respectfully than any of the other li'l games you play, and you'll be a citizen yet. Best of luck.