Coming back need to know a few things

[DUN]

What's the whole new ap thing?
and how high is lvl cap now

[Anduril]

Cap is 180. AP are points that you can use to get character and class upgrades, like increasing your class's PA cap or increasing the elemental attribute of all of your weapons (in the future you will also be able to increase your base stats). Each AP costs 500,000 AEXP; AEXP is gained in /R missions or automatically by capped characters.

[DUN]

I also heard something about special skills they are used for is that true?

and do you have to be capped to earn ap points?

[Anduril]

Yes, there are special skills. Here's the article on PSUPedia: http://psupedia.info/GAS
And non-capped characters can only gain AEXP in /R missions.

[DUN]

kk ty you have been a huge help ^^