Learner

Even a small change of only listing the categories in depost/withdraw whar can actually be used would be helpfull. Specially for making withdrawls. Just by not distplaying the text for Ores for example during withdrawl would let you know that you have no ores stored, or not showing animal items during deposit helps unclutter that as well.

I'm willing to setup a mirror of EL for the downloads, but since there are five mirros already I don't know if it is needed.

The Linux version of the Client is not multi-user friendly for allowing it to be installed in a directory for which you don't have write permissions (like /usr/local/games/eternal-lands). There are several logs and config files that get written in that directory. Without write permission for those files, the game crashes. Those files should probably go to a ~/.eternal-lands directory. You could have it read the default config from the home directory if it doesn't exist in a users directory. Similarly I expect similar problems under Windows XP for users that are flagged as having 'limited access'.

If 2000 isn't open, it would take running thru an external proxy listening on a permitted port (like 80). But, only one person could use that proxy at a time or it would look like a multi-play by the same person to EL.

No problems with no installers, for a Beta that is expected.

I find that not having a text cursor in the login screen fields makes it harder to edit when I make one of my frequent Typos. I'm not bothered by not having full editting, but getting feedback as to which field I'm in and where would be usefull.

I like the idea of the cost for items going up exponentially. That would help in taking into account the rarity of the item and the complexity of making it. If you think about it, making something a +4 should be more then four times harder and there should be many fewer people that have the skills and materials needed in order to make it. And then then next step up would be even harder. It's also like how experience works. To get to the next level is always harder then the level before it.

That was one reason why I was thinking that it should discourage them, but not totally rule out the possibility. With the discouragement factor, I could still see a hungry gargoyle going into newbie territory following a rabbit/newbie that had wandered out near the edge. But, hopefully after it gets away or is killed, the gargoyle will tend to wander away from the newbie area since there isn't anything to attract it any more. It is always a balancing act with realism, risk, playability, and fun. Warning: I've always preferred that have general rules affect things (with randoms as well) rather then preventing or causing specific things to happen. Having the unexpected happen can add to the fun :twisted: If you took it to the extreme, you'd even have to allow monsters to migrate from one map to another if their internal drives needing something they were missing. But all that is very different balancing act!

Snader's is a good suggestion ... I was just looking at it from a overall general rule for what could be used to keep tough monsters out of weaker areas. That way you don't have to keep revisiting this issue with each new monster.

How about coding the different areas of maps with a 'level' indicator and monsters are biased to wander out of area lower then them unless in 'pursuit'. Don't make it an absolute line they can't cross, but something that makes them want to go a different direction, and the farther in they are they more it 'pushes' them out or to the side. Instead of coding the map in detail, it may be enough to mark specific locations with a level & a strength and the calculate everything based on that and distance squared.