A few people have asked if the Fusion Shaman will be at EG this year, since he was removed from access aboard the Firebird.

The short answer is yes, he'll be in Foxfire Manor where he was the last couple years. The off the shelf gear in the shop has updated descriptions, but will only have one fusion slot. The prices have been lowered on all gear.

Also, this will be the last year the Shaman will make an appearance in Feywrot Mire. He will be eventually moving to a new venue, which we will announce at that time.



~Liia
APM, Events & World Development



Elanthia's derpiest rolton bleats anxiously!
Speaking to Elanthia's derpiest rolton, you say, "Oh, shut it."

A few people have asked if the Fusion Shaman will be at EG this year, since he was removed from access aboard the Firebird.

The short answer is yes, he'll be in Foxfire Manor where he was the last couple years. The off the shelf gear in the shop has updated descriptions, but will only have one fusion slot. The prices have been lowered on all gear.

Also, this will be the last year the Shaman will make an appearance in Feywrot Mire. He will be eventually moving to a new venue, which we will announce at that time.

~Liia

APM, Events & World Development

This should have been communicated prior to everyone buying tickets. One of the main selling points for me to purchase a ticket was attending the fusion shaman, and buying fusion daggers. 1-slot fusion gear has never been sold to my knowledge, and changing it after I bought a ticket is highly disappointing.

I think the fusion gear should remain at 2-slots, as they have always been, and you can change it afterwards.

Changing it after tickets have been purchased seems very shady and bait-and-switch.

<The short answer is yes, he'll be in Foxfire Manor where he was the last couple years. The off the shelf gear in the shop has updated descriptions, but will only have one fusion slot. The prices have been lowered on all gear.>

You have got to be kidding? Only one slot? :-(

>>Changing it after tickets have been purchased seems very shady and bait-and-switch.

Shops, etc. are subject to change every year. This isn't a bait and switch. We didn't advertise anything about this gear in advance. We are giving you some info ahead of time like we do for other shops. Because there was a specific question about the shaman's presence, we wanted to let you know he'd be there. I offered some extra details about this shop, and I wanted you to know that he will not be at Feywrot next year, so you can come if that fact had you on the fence.

~Liia

APM, Events & World Development

I realize that shops are subject to change every year, but when year after year the shop is exactly the same. It sets expectations. You advertised (at Simucon) that the Fusion Shaman would be at Ebon Gate. You failed to mention then that there would be any changes to the shop, and instead waited until 1 day prior to the event opening to mention that fact. That seems very shady, considering 300+ people have already bought tickets.

You may have provided extra details about the shop, but it's more like you provided a huge shop nerf 1 day prior to an event opening after everyone had already bought tickets. Again, shady.

I wasn't on the fence, I bought a ticket with the expectation that the fusion shaman and shop, would be the same as it has always been. Changing it last minute is a bait-and-switch.

This was poorly announced, and it's very disappointing.

You should honor the same service (2-slot fusion gear) and change it after this event. Where we all assume it's going to some type of pay event, because, you know, grab all the cash you can right?

You could always just buy a 2 fusion slot dagger from a previous from someone else. No need to get uppity about the change. Things change, I'm sure they have a good reason.

You are overreacting in my opinion.

Saying that the main reason you bought an EG ticket is for a 2-slot dagger... seems disingenuous. You can buy those on the open market for much less than the price of an EG ticket.

There was no discount for early purchase, you can easily wait a few days after the gates open and see what's available before buying your tickets like I did last year.

All that said, that's a very weird approach considering you had 3 slot fusion in unlimited quantities earlier this year. (Which I missed and now are no longer available, argh!!!!)



Will the shaman be doing his normal orbing service? It was not mentioned, so I assume that to mean yes, but best to check.

You are overreacting in my opinion.

Saying that the main reason you bought an EG ticket is for a 2-slot dagger... seems disingenuous. You can buy those on the open market for much less than the price of an EG ticket.

There was no discount for early purchase, you can easily wait a few days after the gates open and see what's available before buying your tickets like I did last year.

All that said, that's a very weird approach considering you had 3 slot fusion in unlimited quantities earlier this year. (Which I missed and now are no longer available, argh!!!!)

Will the shaman be doing his normal orbing service? It was not mentioned, so I assume that to mean yes, but best to check.

You're free to have whatever opinion you like.

I did not say however, that the main reason I bought a ticket is for fusion gear. It was just something I was very much looking forward to buying in addition to the other benefits of attending. Hence me being upset about it being changed at the last minute. Had it been communicated in advance of tickets actually going on sale, to where I wouldn't be looking forward to it, after buying a ticket, I would have been much less upset. Because I would have been making an informed decision. As it sits, I made a decision based upon what has always been offered, every single year, which was changed, again, at the last minute. I feel as if I lose some of the value that my ticket provided.

<You can spin the change any way you like, but the event hasn't even started and I have a bad taste in mouth about the whole thing already. I think it's shady and a last minute bait and switch, you can call it whatever you like.>

I wish we could get through one event without someone whining about bait and switches, unfairness and leaving bad tastes in peoples mouth, just put on your big boy pants and act it...I would understand whining over digging has now been changed to one prize at the end of EG based on what you spent, but really a fusion slot, you're bothered by an enhancive slot...if it makes that much of a difference to you I am sure you can find two slot fusion items in shops or advertise on the unofficials

Now everyone else get ready to DIG DIG DIG

You also see the Shilarra disk etched with the image of a Vathor

You mean like when people complained about bait-and-switch when self-recharging idols were sold off the shelf, and then nerfed? Or when large amount belt worns were sold off the shelf, and then nerfed?

You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine. As I stated above, I was looking forward to cheap 2-slot fusion gear, now I'm forced to pay someone who wants to price gouge due to this announcement. I guess I should be thrilled about that.


It still makes no sense, when Wyrom stated himself, there are hundreds of thousands of fusion gear out there. Does it really matter if it's sold one last time and then changed? All this change does is punish people who wanted gear, while rewarding those who hoarded.

I found nine 2 slot fusion daggers for sale in player shops without any deep searching including 4 for less than 100k. You could buy them all as well as the hundreds of other cheap 2 slot fusion items for sale and then you too could be a dastardly member of the fusion bait and switch price gouging conspiracy.

Vhorg Emberskald

I found nine 2 slot fusion daggers for sale in player shops without any deep searching including 4 for less than 100k. You could buy them all as well as the hundreds of other cheap 2 slot fusion items for sale and then you too could be a dastardly member of the fusion bait and switch price gouging conspiracy.

Vhorg Emberskald

I see 5 daggers, so you must know a description I'm not familiar with. But when were those player shops updated?
Because the daggers you see for 100k or less?

Djinn's is sold. (50k)
Whorten = listed for 75k, has been repriced at 500k (Shop has not been updated)
Tinker = shop closed (He stated he was going to reprice at 2 million)
Ungerd = 250k
Varucca = 450k


So please, try again.

Any chance uac gloves and shoes are going to be offered fusion style this year (or eventually)?

My question is when was the decision to change the shop made? Was it before or after tickets went on sale? If it was before, why wait? Not being able to see this might irk people is either lack of understanding of your customers, or a lack of caring. Fusion gear is likely one of the most popular items at EG year-to-year.

Further, if people want a refund to a pay event for any reason, they should be able to get one so long as the event has not yet started. If they were able to cram microtransactions into the aging Jenga puzzle that is Simutronics, i'm sure they can fit refunds in there as well.

>The 1-slot fusion arms for sale this year are not a global change to all fusion gear. You can still buy the hundreds of thousands of items that were sold since fusion came to be, which was at Feywrot Mire. Prior to that for over 15 years of EG, there was no fusion.

>This isn't shady or a bait and switch. We're just answering a question that got lost with us getting EG operational. This is the last year fusion will be at EG, as Liia mentioned.

I have no real horse in this race since I'm have little interest in attending a mostly fluff paid event, but I still think it's really bad form to announce a change to something that's been in place for years after tickets went on sale instead of beforehand, despite the whole "subject to change" line.

It's just good business to keep people informed of things like that before they hand over their money, not after, and you (or whoever it was that made the call) know better than this, or at least should.

~ Methais

I'm with Krakii on this one much different when an item you already bought is changed, and when a shop that you have been warned is "Subject to change" is surprise surprise... changed.

I do think if this was a decision made before tickets went on sale it would have been nice to have heard of before, but that would have been GMs going out of their way to be courteous which is always appreciated.

I am also very curious about why? Seems strange to change at this point, it will likely keep me from using most fusion gear for a while now. (Not that I was vastly invested in that game but still odd.)

I've already seen the price changes change greatly in response to this news. Any word on if the 1 slot will be standard (As currently planned) going forward or will we see 2-slots make a reappearance somewhere?

>I really want to go to EG. Wyrom, please postpone the nerf until after EG. Please stop giving us reasons to quit.


You're going to quit GS over a set of armor? Really? Stop trying to strong arm the GM's with threats of leaving the game just to save a bit of silver. They made the change. I'm sure with good reason even if none of us know why at this point. Suck it up, pay a million (oh gosh, a whole million silver!) for your 2 slot full leathers and move on.

Takes all her toys and goes home If you are going to quit over a enhancive slot do it, don't bash the gm's the company, the game, just because YOU perceive there was a bait and switch.
Things change all the time, just because the collective YOU are not happy with it or perceive you have been duped does not make it wrong, or a bait and switch as it's been called. As I stated before stop whining over every little thing, and I am not calling ONE person a whiner I am calling on all whiners that seem to think that because something they perceived as a must have is a no more, grow up, grow a pair and move on or take your toys and go.
You also see the Shilarra disk etched with the image of a Vathor

>Why are posts like 9007 and 9017 not pulled? 9007 clearly is mocking and calling Erykk2 a whiner and 9017 is insulting people by saying they are throwing "tantrums" simply because they are voicing an opinion.

I see we have very different definitions of mocking and insulting.

You and everyone else has the right to post your opinion. Everyone else has the right to post their counter opinion. Just because they point out that they think your opinion is just complaining in a petulant way, does not mean they are insulting or mocking you. The world does not use kid gloves most of the time.

I love you, Wyrom, but I really have to disagree here. The vast majority of players don't tend to buy a lot of gear beyond what they are actually going to use themselves, and some varieties of 2 slot items were already very hard to find if not impossible. For your average player looking for that stuff and especially any newer players, the price bump you've just caused will probably also be an issue. No matter what people think of this change, the timing is extremely poor. If it was going to be implemented before EG, it should have been done and announced ahead of time, not when the fest is about to start. Even the recent free fest had some 2 slot shields.

I also have to question the why. Fusion gear is extremely time consuming and expensive to take to 7x and find the best orbs for, and takes up the script slot on items which can be extremely useful. Was it suddenly decided after years that the bonuses from even 2 slots can be too high? Regardless, the actual problem here isn't fusion if the stat/skill bonuses one can get are the reason you're changing fusion. The actual issue is just how high the bonuses to skills and stats can go in general with enhancives. Fusion is only one way to get closer to the caps. Great as the uproar would probably be, if you want to deal with that, you're going to have to lower the ceiling on skill and stat bonus caps from the massive numbers they currently are.

So, it's bait and switch if they adjust anything that you came to expect from past EGs?

No more T1-T3 prizes!? BAIT-AND-SWIIIIIIIITCH! I wanted 50 more bacon scented lamp oil! I wanted 347 more weapon hilt-wraps of varying styles!

You're not allowed to change things! The state of balance in the game is of no concern to me, and I expect any edits you've made to EG as a whole from year to year to be released in a sort of 'patch notes' so that I won't be tempted to overreact over something minor that I find disappointing because it's easy to forget that the staff is excitedly working on things they genuinely think will make us happy. And I swear if you recognize the humanity of the staff I'll make suck-up comments like it'll prove you wrong!

For the t1-t3 prize thing. It was announced and made known well before tickets were made available for purchase.

>I don't use fusion items so this doesn't impact me. But I can certainly understand why people are upset. If something has been available every year at a particular event and assumed available. You'd think that there would be a bit more notice. Why scale it back now after years of it being available? Why do it with such a lack of notice after tickets were already purchased?

They (GM's) stated that fusion was under review quite a while ago. This would imply there would be changes.

>Why not just make it available one last time due to the short notice and then make the change next time?

Because they are changing fusion, and need to start somewhere. Again, there are thousands of 2 slot fusion items in the game, they can be bought from other players. They did not remove fusion. They made it harder to get 2 slot fusion by a small margin.

>Again this doesn't impact my purchase but it will impact me when people quit over something like this. I'd rather not see people leave Gemstone.

If someone quits the game over a 2 slot fusion item or the extra silver it costs to get it...then I guess good riddance? If you can't handle the ever changing aspect of the game, you really should not be playing it.