Why was the Secret Shop removed?
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The secret shop is a years-old vestige of what was formerly a positional requirement to buy items. With the advent of flying couriers, any tactical gameplay depth to the secret shop's location was effectively diminished to a mere inconvenience to players. While we do acknowledge that the secret shop served a unique purpose, we ultimately weighed the advantages of such a mechanic with the disadvantages. In this case, the marginal addition to the gameplay depth was far outweighed by the inconvenience of being forced to buy component items in two different locations, as well as the inherent learning difficulties presented to newer players. It is important to not misconstrue our intent as making the game easier to play, but rather, that we show a critical eye to obsolete mechanics that no longer serve a defined purpose. The Observatory is the result of these changes, and while it may seem sparse for now, rest assured that we have further, exciting plans for the building with the intended result of adding overall gameplay options, ultimately resulting in a richer, more strategic experience.