Momba, I'll have to agree with you - at least partially, because I still think that there is way too many items ingame at present.Well some argue that there are to many items. Some on the other hand would argue that the player base is to small. I tend to agree with the latter of the two. So with that being said why don't we try to be a little nicer to the new people and stop running them off. JLH isn't running them off. The game is an awesome game so I don't think that is it either. Alot of it has to do with peoples unwillingness to help others. Back in the day people made an honest effort at going out of thier way to help new players. It was not uncommon to see people sitting in the Boar's Tusk Inn to do just that.
Well we reap what you sow. So many are so compelled to be the best in the game. Beating down the little guy to do it. Well look around folks. You win!!! You beat the little guy so much he has lost his desire to fight anymore. So now all those shiney items you keep collecting are sitting there losing value each day. Because we ran the next generation of n00bs off. Sucks to be us.
I remember way back when there were whole clans with the stated purpose of helping n00bs...
/sigh just another reminder to me not to log on again...