News: New Grab Bag

Q: Now that subclassing allows casters to use slash weapons, can I start looking for the Malice Axe & scrolls?

A: Even though Darkness Rising will allow casters to spec in weapon types, it does not follow that those weapons have to be artifacts. We decided a while back that we would not widen the access to artifacts (artifacts having quite enough impact on the game, if you know what I'm saying), and that includes this new expansion. If you didn't have access to an artifact before DR, you still don't have access. That includes weapons and shields.

Q: (Insert question about cross cluster guilding)

A: It is in the works. I haven't been saying much about it publicly because I don't know when or how, but the reason it wasn't on the poll was because it's already scheduled. There's always a chance we won't be able to implement cross cluster guilding, but it's one of the most popular requests we have, so we're trying to make it happen. Just watch the patch notes and cross your fingers along with me.

Q: What are your thoughts on buying Plat?

A: Well, as it happens, my opinion is unprintable, but may be loosely translated as "it is lame." I think the people who have a vested, i.e. million dollar, interest in convincing you that you can't compete without purchased gold are slime. Most importantly, I think it's against our EULA for many excellent reasons, and that we have banned for it whenever possible. Account trading is acceptable, but item selling (which includes game currency) is… lame. Game currency derived from encounters by a gold farmer (instead of someone playing for, you know, "fun") represents an opportunity denied to a real player to enjoy that encounter, and perhaps convinces a player to buy gold because he could not get it in the game because of gold farmers! And that's why gold farmers get banned. Because of a certain unmistakable resemblance to roaches, they just keep on coming in the face of everything including nuclear assault, but we try.

But hey, those are just my thoughts. All that's really important is that it's against the EULA because it harms the game.