Can we just remove shards from the game?

[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.