I taught this process about 10 years ago back when we were using the Burkholder method with Epson K2 inks. Our platinum prints using the pictorico film were very nice. The biggest variable I found at that time was the paper. When I started using the Platine paper made for platinum the prints looked much nicer than anything else I tried. It is expensive, but everything about this process is expensive and labor intensive and you get what you pay for.
If I were doing this today I'd probably set up an Epson 3880 and use the Cone system out of QTR and the Pictorico film. I think you are going to end up with the best smoothness and sharpness with that inkset and printing them 16 bit 2880. Sometimes I really with I could play around with it, but just don't have a darkroom anymore.
john
Dan Burkholder's method is now very long in the tooth, there are better methods available today than his though I have a lot of respect for Dan's work.
As for the Cone system it is very inflexible and leaves the user with little flexibility, in the end the prints start looking the same. Additionally his contrast ranges were calculated using white light densitometers rather than UV which means they are not as accurate as one might wish.
Mark Nelson's Precision Digital Negative system is probably the most approachable system for the beginner and if you are using a Mac his Curve Calculator II Hybrid Curve software is extremely flexible providing easy manipulation of contrast ranges allowing for more expressive approaches for alternative process(UV) printing not just palladium printing. For example it can be easily used for Cyanotypes, Van Dyke Brown, Agyrotype and so on.
QTR is certainly a very viable system but it does have a learning curve (as well as Nelson's PDN system).
Which ever system the user chooses, they will all require effort implementing them. The process one chooses also needs to be understood to enable trouble shooting. Choice of paper as you mention is very important. These days Berger Cot 320 is a fairly easy paper to adopt and can provide excellent results. Other papers may have to be coaxed with a presoak of Oxalic acid or Sulfamic acid to have the optimum pH.
A darkroom is not required for most processes such as palladium, cyanotype or gum for example. Room illumination without UV light sources such as sunlight streaming through windows and strong fluorescent lighting will suffice. Kallitype and Agyrotype are sensitive to white light and can fog somewhat easily.
And BTW, platinum is rarely used except in small amounts to alter contrast or color of a print. In fact, pure platinum prints are difficult to make and are quite expensive.
I strongly recommend Dick Arentz's book or Weese and Sullivan's book as good references. Arentz's book tends to be very technical and maybe off putting for the beginner. Carl Weese's video found on the net gives the user a good idea of the basic steps of processing.
It maybe worth while for a beginner to consider a workshop to get the basic foundation. Kerik Kouklis has workshops at the Photographers formulary which explains the process and how to create digital negatives using QTR. Check his website for specific information:
http://www.kerik.com/workshops/ Don Bryant