May be I cannot fully open my mind.I don't know.. [#-o]
OBJ material editing settings is added to give feels like a Normal material editor requirement.

many other features are more important / awaited

I don't get you. [:-?]

The current settings render objects too shiny very often

In the current photo render settings pre defined samples affect scene that produce the white spot. Adding more samples or choosing a different shader instead of mirror shader (or somthing) can reduse it. (:Affect the rendering time. But now users required quality, time is compromisable becuse of advaned technologies in graphics).
I forgot the exact setting someware I solved similar issue [8-}] . May be the samples settings is not defined in image settings
image {
resolution x y
aa 0 2
samples 12
filter blackman-harris
}
or in sunsky or IBL settings. [#-o]

But I should rather start inverting in Yafaray, shouldn't I?

Sorry, complicated English. I don't understant..