I love the future possibilities this holds and am looking very much to seeing this through that's why I have gone from lurker to poster.
Now with that said...
Here's something to think about. Your kids tell you they lost something and you tell them to look for it. They stand in the middle of the room and look...and complain they did not find their favourite toy. Well they looked but they didn't actually search for it now did they. You know, moving pillows, looking under chairs, couches, behind the curtains, etc.
For me perception is about the senses, therein lies the difference, you can see, smell, feel, taste and hear. Searching is about accomodating those senses, using intelligence rather than senses.
For example (in gameplay): you need to find an ancient dwarven map: opening a any book (using touch) and searching (using sight)for the lost maps of some lost dwarven fortress, etc. is not enough, you need to think it through, you would want a dwarven book and searching for a map.
I do believe you may want to revisit Search and Perception.
From glancing at the Alpha this is what stood out for now. Now I need to play.
With that said thanks again for rekindling my love of DnD