Can we just remove shards from the game?

[gornotck]

...I can't imagine buying shards at less than 1000 in a stack. Though I tend to gather them myself, anyway, and only buy when the thought of running in a circle for two hours for 500 or so shards is too much.
Still, I think removing shards wouldn't help anyway. I think changing crafting leves to being like they were, requiring no materials, would. DoH jobs are the only ones who have to pay out the nose to complete. DoL and both DoW and DoM jobs just show up and get paid.

[Odd]

Still, I think removing shards wouldn't help anyway. I think changing crafting leves to being like they were, requiring no materials, would.

Could you elaborate on this? I didn't do much crafting at all in 1.0, and I don't remember doing any crafting leves.

[gornotck]

Could you elaborate on this? I didn't do much crafting at all in 1.0, and I don't remember doing any crafting leves.

Obviously it's been awhile, but as I recall it was along the lines of 'make 5 canvas shirts' or whatever. You hit 'Initiate' and made the shirts, but they weren't 'real' shirts and didn't involve 'real' materials. You then turned them in to the final point.
Now, it's 'make five spun-gold threnody whimsical wallets' and you have to have all the crystals and fourteen different materials, the made items take up your limited inventory, and it's all money out of pocket. Up to three times.

That, at least, is how I recall it being and how it has become.

[Galliano]

Obviously it's been awhile, but as I recall it was along the lines of 'make 5 canvas shirts' or whatever. You hit 'Initiate' and made the shirts, but they weren't 'real' shirts and didn't involve 'real' materials. You then turned them in to the final point.
Now, it's 'make five spun-gold threnody whimsical wallets' and you have to have all the crystals and fourteen different materials, the made items take up your limited inventory, and it's all money out of pocket. Up to three times.

That, at least, is how I recall it being and how it has become.

Yeah that's right, the old leve npc would send you to a customer who wanted things making, they would give you the mats to craft the item and you would return the finished products to them. I would love this to come back!