Hey everyone, I hope this is in the right section.
I've played this periodically, stopping I think about six months ago. Can anyone tell me how the game is now with pets and the forge and everything? What does it mean when people say they removed CE from crafting? Are pets significantly powerful, and if so, is there one I should definitely pick? Why are people saying CE is useless now?
Thanks for your time guys.
The CE in crafting has been replaced with "Orbs of Alchemy". The Orbs can be found rarely in the clockworks, or can be bought with energy from the supply depot. So energy is still involved in crafting, just less directly.
The number of things to get with CE has decreased, namely crafting and elevators, so some people say it's useless. It's not really. It's still used to buy slots, the above mentioned orbs, or fire crystals (also needed for crafting), and sparks of life (for reving), among other things. It's just different now.
Pets are quite helpful when used right. They are quite new so there is no "best" one yet, and hopefully their won't be. Try them each out and pick whatever one you like. You can read about their skills on the wiki.
Welcome back as well!