>I was just talking about "the good old days" of CF with a
>friend of mine that doesn't play anymore. Honestly, I don't
>know how we even played back in the day, so many of the things
>that were normal then sound HORRIBLE now. Feel free to post
>your own revised list if you like. So, here's my top ten list
>of the Most Significant Changes in the History of CF:
>
>10. Changes to preps. Specifically I'm thinking of
>the removal of the glorious "purple potions". What was it,
>like five steps off the eastern road, free sanc potion? The
>new changes with a/b/s have obviously had some significant
>affects as well, though it's lowest on my list because I think
>the large majority of players can play without worrying about
>them.
>
>9. CF becomes 99% unique. I think it's good to have
>all the assorted references to Jordan, Eddings, Toliken, etc
>gone. It allows us to further our own CF "brand" of fantasy.
>In fact the only one that's left that comes to mind off hand
>is the whitecloak encampment. All in all it's not an
>earth-shattering change, but it's worth a mention.

Its ok. There was also something cool about taking a trip to Moria to beat down the Balrog.

>8. Changes to practice. It really feels like there's
>very little need to sit around and spam practice your skills
>now days. Back when everyone was doing it, you basically had
>to do it or get beat up by those that did. Special honorable
>note to the skill bonuses at every ranking. Also, I trust
>everyone remembers the pyranthian boxing gloves!
>
>7. Recent expansion of built-in quests, and the new "sayto"
>ability. Having little quests all over the place really
>adds a lot of depth to the world. I hope we'll see more sayto
>usage in the near future, as it spreads throught our areas.

Gimme a break. This just makes everyone waste time. Sayto 'random mob' something. No response, west. Sayto 'random mob' something, no response, north. Yawn, exciting as watching grass grow. How you could include "sayto" quests in a top ten boggles me.

>6. Newbie protections. Namely, moving the pk range up
>from level 5 and taking away bash and enhanced damage at level
>1 from giant warriors. How many of you remember being pked
>for your first time while INSIDE THE NEWBIE ACADEMY. Bleh.
>
>5. Changes to invokers, transmuters; addition of conjurers
>and shifters. Makes actual distinctions between the
>schools of magic, rather then everyone having the same spells
>with no particular rhyme or reason (more or less). Old
>transmuters were so overpowered. Gate, duo, prismatic, color
>spray, hold, charm. Beauty.
>
>4. Communers actually "commune". Makes the clerical
>classes more then just "mages in priest suits". Also,
>honorable mention to spheres here for the way they helped
>define religion and communers.
>
>3. The gradual stricter enforcement of roleplay. Back
>in the day we did things interspersed with OOC stuff, and that
>has gradually become unacceptable. And I think that's a good
>thing that really sets CF apart from the crowed.
>
>2. Lengthening of the roads of Thera. Five rooms from
>Galadon to New Thalos! And the forest south of Galadon and
>the Eastern Road were the same area, so you could summon
>between them. Great for splitting up groups! Few things have
>changed the face of Thera and the way we play more then that.
>
>
>And Aarn's number one most significant change:
>
>1. The "new" cabal raiding system. I remember the days
>of having to spam the altar to get the item as you unlocked
>it, because if you didn't one of the lowbies would grab the
>item and your raid would be for nothing. Also, remember
>standing "guard duty" over the item, and trying to be fast
>enough to grab the item before someone could flee past the
>guardian and get it? I sudder at the thought. Cabals and
>cabal raiding is one of the key parts to CF gameplay in my
>opinion, and it's far, far surperior today then it was back
>then. Also let me just say, the Battle cabal was 100%
>no-magic. Imagine raiding in that today! If anything is a
>testament to how buff Masters were, it's that. Cabals are
>MUCH more balanced today.