The game used to warn you when your letters were too long, and place a marker where it would cut off. Now, it just chops your text without warning. And if you noticed it did so, you can't get the lost text back.
Could 1) the warning be brought back, please, and 2) the text cap doubled, if not tripled?
Absolutely 1. If it doesn't exist, file a bug report to have this fixed.
2) Quite possibly. Too busy to decide right now. Discuss until then.
I believe this fix is in the message system update I am working feverishly on expunging the last bugs from so it can go live.
If it's not, it will come very shortly thereafter.
I've tested and it is not.
The only thing the text cap ever did was force people to send MULTIPLE letters. It serves no purpose.
I'm not aware of anyone having intentionally spammed the game, and multiple medium sized letters is no worse than one long letter. Besides, spamming could be titan-punishable.
Writing long letters has always been part of the game, people frequently need to cut their messages into chunks. Either very long RPs, or history lessons, or negotiations in which treaties are found and many cases are to be addressed, just to name a few. I think doubling the limit would be very practical. I don't think more than triple would be useful.
Correction. I've now noticed during testing that there is indeed a small notice below the message dialog that has '0/5000 chars', updates dynamically as you type, and turns red if it goes above 5000.
However, there is still not a 'catch' page showing you where your message would be cutoff if its too long when you sent it and saving your message content from annihilation. Which should be fixed.