I like those ideas! perhaps for fixed AI and such, or rather... to prevent them getting stuck on ledges and such.... they have a "pet path" system to help them figure out a better route... OR if they are trying to move forward for a certain period of time without gaining any ground... they will automatically teleport above any ground infront of them... so if they hit a ledge, they will teleport above the ground of the ledge, and drop down past the ledge... allowing them to avoid it... or some even simpler ways based on those ideas :P etc

or perhaps even giving mobs a "climb" sort of ability that if they move forward and don't gain any ground, like a ledge, they will then "move up slowly, along with moving forward" making it seem like they're climbing the ledge, etc.

ideas!! ^^ I like your ideas though SumDude... but honestly... first things first, fix the chat system and more importantly, private messaging in-game :P and then they need to fix the team window and team chat and such... and EA is in need of a mini-map that displays the locations of your team mates, or at least display their coordinates and area map name they're in... or how about, when you scroll over their name in the team window, it displays their coordinates and the zone they're in... that could be a good alternative to a mini-map as... honestly, I'd hate a mini-map! It'd be too easy if you can see your enemies, or your team mates, on a map that also shows the area around you... It would mess with dark mystery and cautiousness of terrain. But perhaps something could be done to that effect, I can't say I'd mind large entire area maps that you have to stop to check, and they show your location and your team mates location.. but NOT the enemy's location(s)... also another problem is, people can make third party programs that change the map in-game to display spawn points of mobs and bosses and such...
I dunno, in my opinion, I like having a map out side of the game... that doesn't show you your location or the enemies or your team mates... you have to actually look at your terrain and your surroundings, and then the map, and try to figure out where you are on the map... which also forces you to remember the paths you take so you don't get lost, etc... I really do like that, and that sort of "manual map checking" is something that suits EA quite well... afterall, EA may be an MMORPG, but it's also an intense FPS based highly on skill and quick thinking and problem solving.


I guess I'm just trying to say, don't go TOO far... I like the challenge, the complexity, the atmosphere... and the fact that everyone has to work for their goals too, rather than simply grind and grind until your brain creates a grinding rut >.< I like EA's darkness, darkness in atmosphere and how you play(like no map in-game) ... I like games that keep my brain working and challenging, EA is one of them! Please don't change EA into a game that becomes too easy, or too simple, or... well, like the standard stereotype of MMORPGs!

And of course, don't forget that when balancing... don't make it like stereotypical annoyances, like where you balance stats... or you get one class that is more powerful than the other, but people's belief in that may be based on that they aren't quite as "skilled" but needed an excuse to why they lost or "kept losing" etc...

I just feel that balance in a game like EA must be taken differently... it's not all about stats. And of course, before balancing/nerfing/etc. make sure that the reason for it isn't based on pure complaints, try to find the other side of the story from people who(lets say it was a complaint about a weapon, so other side of the story from people who were using the weapon that was complained about) because so many MMOGs have been incredibly unbalanced because the company felt pressured by the complaints of the players to balance/nerf/etc. that they did it too hastily and ended up making the game even more unbalanced! or making an already balanced game unbalanced.

((on a psychological note, I'll say that when someone starts a "complaint" about balance issues in an MMOG for PvP related things, they usually tell other people about it first... and then those people tell other people and everyone starts argueing with each other about whether or not anything really needs to be done... to the point that the one complaint, ends up influencing everyone to believe in it "known as anecdotal evidence" and it actually influences the behaviour of the players... or rather, they could normally be able to beat the person who was using "said weapon in need of balancing" but because of the complaints and arguements among the community, it causes a subconscious reaction that actually makes them feel they can't win, which unconsciously effects the performance of the player and "said skill" ... meaning, if you hear about something someone said needed to be nerfed, and you believe it, even if it's not true or really doesn't need to be nerfed, it will actually make you believe you won't win... so without even realizing it, you put less effort into a fight with "player using said weapon" which then DOES cause you to lose... which actually increases the belief that the weapon needs to be nerfed...

Hard to explain :P but it basically means that because EA is based on skill, a reason for nerfing could be completely based on every player's feelings towards the "reason for nerfing" which makes the reason seem viable... but only ends up unbalancing a "perhaps still balanced" game.))


Alright, sorry for such a long message, I'm terrible at explaining things so it tends to become quite long :P

- Alex "Hypno Pants" G.