New Update for the Week Ending 4/8/05

A death system is now in place and I believe it meets the requirements we discussed in the Death and Dying forum.
Levels 1 and 2 are not subject to the death penalty
The death penalty increases with character level
Death will not result in a loss of level
Dead players who are raised by a party member do not suffer an XP hit
Players respawn to designated areas.
Two temporary binding stones are available that a player can respawn too as
well as a location for players who are not bound to a stone. More binding
stones will be added in a later update and the current stones removed.
We decided to add graves to the system when a player respawns. Returning to
your grave after death will restore a percentage of your lost XP.
Party members can pray at a grave to have a player recalled to their location.
Death will also result in loosing a percentage of your gold. If you don't wish to
loose gold you should visit the bank before adventuring.

The crafting system is in place. Only a few of the available crafting skills are currently in the game. If you can find the tools needed to perform a certain craft, such as an anvil, then you should be able to find all the resources needed to work in that skill. Finding a particular resource does not mean that skill is available yet. Here are the skills I remember including in this update.
Fishing
Skinning/pelting
Farming
Armor
Weapons
Tanning
Leather working
Mining
Gemology
Herbology

Numerous merchants were added to Churberg.
Lots of scripting changes especially in the Gilded Lilly.

phew.... I'm taking the weekend off.