1) The shields etc are directly related to the number of posts you have and are an automatic function. If you want to see a wider selection, go have a look in General Discussions or one of the other forums here.
Beware however that "spamming for ranks" is actively discouraged [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img]
2) Multiplayer is fun, provided you can actually find someone to play with
. First off, read the manual to get a general idea of the mechanics of setting up a multiplayer game. I would also recommend you visit
here and
here for more information. Gamespy Arcade also supports multiplayer Darkstone.
Have fun [img]graemlins/wavey.gif[/img]