Madmoon
09-26-2006, 08:21 PM
<DIV>The reason that this is being implemented is that they want more interaction between crafters and adventurers. Now, please, ignore the people who question "of all the issues out there facing crafters or adventurers, <EM>this</EM> is the one that was most pressing?!?" As an adventurer who crafts, I can tell you - categorically - this is a fantastic opportunity. If I give someone an order, I am now going to stand around and watch him/her "craft." No more placing an order and going on to other business, no sir, I've got a new thing to do with my precious few hours on Norrath - watching the crafter! Why would I send a tell and meet in the Sands to exchange items, when I can now go to Qeynos and, assuming the guards don't kill me - watch the crafters. Yes, though I can't talk to them (they're mashing buttons, after all,) the opportunities for comaraderie are boundless. I hope that the powers are going to give them crafting katas, to make it interesting to watch, or special dance routines, maybe a softshoe, to entertain me while I'm watching the fascinating crafting process ("He's lifting his arm..... and... YES! He poured it into the test tube successfully!) And I can't wait to run up to a horde of alchemists (assuming any crafters remain after this,) and start a bidding war on which lucky, lucky guy or gal gets to make me my Flaming Lunge, App4. Heck, I can see leaving my guild, just to hang out with the crafters, you know, talk shop, compare notes, talk about the new shipment of incense the crafting statue just got, and so on. Oh, by all means, bring on this treat.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>From a crafters perspective, it makes even more sense! Where before they where in Crafthalls honoring their particular skills, now they will be out in the elements, wind, rain whipping them on (alchemists may have to go flameless candles) while they watch the dogs, cats, rats and ducks wander around, as well as guards, other crafters and the odd resident cursing the lag on the way to his or her inn room (me, I'm packing up for MajDul.) Know what it's like, watching your screen paint in every charachter lovingly while you wait for the broker to appear in East Freeport? That's when there are only eight or nine people crowded around him. Well, lucky crafters get to watch that every time they go for filaments! Except Wintel alone knows how many characters, NPCs and other objects have to be drawn. But that's OK, they get to interact with adventurers, like me, who will be standing there, breath bated, in eager anticipation of their hex doll. Which will now require molasses as a primary ingredient, to simulate on-screen lag. Me, I'm keeping the conversation bubbles on, to really add in the excitement. I anticipate an entirely white screen, on good days. And imagine the joy when a freshly scrubbed young crafter runs up to the 70th jeweler and starts asking questions about the loom. Or when someone starts spamming the rawhide gloves he or she has for sale from their tailor's station. In /say. And speaking of loons, crafters have been bemoaning how easy it is to get a pristine, especially those weaponsmiths and armorers. Well, worry not! This new enhancement will allow you to lagfest your way to a failure every time. Why, your screen will show you still working on the first bit of progress, but underneath the durability is already down to tooled, with just crude to go! Meanwhile, timed writs will really challenge those with slower connections and/or machines, but hey, that's OK, because when all of us in Norrath thought about what was most lacking in our lives, we spoke with one clear voice and said: </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>interaction between adventuers and crafters.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well, I for one cannot wait for patchday! Please do join me and March Hare for some Oolong Tea?</DIV>