MMORPG.com Managing Editor Jon Wood updates the official staff blog with some of this own thoughts on the microtransactions / F2P controversy.
In the last article "Disciplines and Tests", I covered the seven disciplines in general. In this article I will cover the tests and discipline of Architect in more detail.
Architect can be a very competitive discipline. Architects are always about building bigger, better, or unique. Every Architect, at heart, wishes to build that one building that will be unique and be their legacy to greatness. In ATITD, this is no different. The discipline of Architect is quite resource intensive, and also usually requires working with groups, or subcontracting help. Some of the tests of Architect require outbuilding your competition, directing large groups for huge projects, or building bigger than your competition. The later tests can sometimes require large groups of 50 or more, all requiring coordination and direction. Disciplines of Architect compete to build bigger and better buildings.
Read Architect Discipline
In paragraph four, sentance five, Clarence states that players must visit a University of Architecture to collect the Initiation of Architecture. This is correct for Tests, however as this is an Initiation into a disicpline, you are also able to visit a School of Architecture.
As a mentor, I often times get a new player to create 400 Bricks (which they tend to think is a big challenge if they have never been off the island before!) and give them 200 boards. This provides them the skill Compound Construction (needed for the Initation Test of Architecture, send them off to School (of Architecture), learn Compound Construction and pick up the Test in one sweet run.