For a person who has been away from PlaneShift for a significant amount of time. it is so nice to come back and experience the progress. I logged in for the first time in months with the new client and was treated to a few very nice new features.

I'd like to congratulate the development team on their immense achievement over the last few months. You talent and hard work never ceases to amaze me. I'm hoping to re-re-rejoin the GM team and if my luck holds out this time, maybe I'll be around for more than just a couple of weeks.

Kudos PS!

As a Game Master it is always nice to see players take initiative and run their own events for the good of the game and the players. Especially when the event is as unique as the pet show, organised by members of the Warriors guild. Sure there were times when the pets decided they weren't going to do anything, but fun was nonetheless had by all.

Congrats to those who organised it and I hope to see many more such initiatives in the future.

The players are what make PlaneShift worth playing. So I ask that when you play, you make the most of it and get as much fun out of it as you can without taking the fun away from others.

The other topic I wanted to discuss was the help channel. First off I'd like to thank all of you who contribute as advisors, your efforts and seen and noted. I think the help channel is a wonderful way for players to give back to the game. New players are easily confused when they first enter the game and it's nice to know that there's someone on the line willing to help. Things that seem common sense to us are completely new to some players. For some, this might be their first ever online game (It was my first, which is one of the reasons I've stuck by it so long.)

So to advisors and event organisers... I salute you!

Ok, we all know the arena. The place almost everyone goes to buff up there weapon or magic skills. Now I know that when you go to the arena you don't want to be bothered by those pesky RPers right? Fact is, if you forget about RP, things can get ugly.

Let me explain. There is this term "Kill Stealing" among players that we tend to like to throw around a lot. If someone gets to an NPC first and happens to strike before you, you shout kill steal. Lets think in terms of a real arena, the best equivalent is ancient rome with their gladiators. I doubt very much that the guards who battled the gladiators fought over who got which gladiator. They went in, slaughtered everyone and/or got slaughtered themselves.

Sure, this isn't ancient rome, and so I think the best way to solve this is to use basic manners and ASK someone if you can join them in slaying the gladiator or rogue or whatever, by using RP. You don't have to, no rule specifies that if a person is standing by an NPC no one else is allowed to attack it. But we do encourage players to be courteous.

Now... on another note. I'm at the moment preparing to release a few more Silent H comics for those who are interested... watch the forums in the next few days.

It's been an adventure, being accepted onto the GM team and slowly learning how things are done, the different commands etc. I never really realised what went on behind the scenes until I got involved. I've now started this blog to document my adventures within the world of PlaneShift

Anyway as you all know, Kerol resigned as GM leader and its kind of left a gap. Kerol was the type of leader you could always depend on, the type you could go with a problem, confident he will find a solution. The team will miss you Kerol, your shoes will be difficult to fill. I personally wish you well in whatever you're going to be doing, and I hope that you'll be able to use whatever you have learnt from your time on the GM team.

When you become involved with PlaneShift, whether as a player or as a team member, you're not just another avatar as you are in the mindless MMORPGs you have on the internet today. You become part of a community, a community that tries its best to welcome new players everyday.

I've been with PlaneShift for a little over three years now, and I can't see myself leaving anytime soon.