I must say I do enjoy Istaria. And I thought about some updates. Some may be cosmetics, some may require complete revamp, but it's up to the Virtrium to decide (or delete this topic...).
Battle
1. Double-weapons option. Present situation: if I am warrior, I may wield melee weapon and shield (or no shield). Suggestion: let me wield two melee weapons. If player choose to wield two melee weapons, pros are: bonus to melee attack avoidance, additional chance to hit, any special attack done automatically by the best weapon; cons are: no range attack blocking/dodging, since you can't hit arrow with your sword, no magic attack blocking/dodging (since you can't hit magic with the sword) and problems with magic use (either temporaly unequip both weapons or be unable to use it). Such situation may be good if player fights melee-attacking mobs that typically do not use magic.
2. Battlestaff. Well, that's something taken from old "Master of Magic" PC game. The idea is there may exist staves loaded with certain combat spells. Of course, usable by magic users (druids, mages, clerics...) only (i.e. warrior could not use it). After using all "charged" spells player would be forced to recharge.
3.[warning:may be my wrong opinion]: revamp monsters. So far, I am having...difficulties while fighting some monster who is even a bit lower than me. Example: level 61 Cleric with up-to-date armor and weapon (jewellery only is out-dated) versus level 56-57 wolf. If one to one, Cleric has a little chance; if 2:1 - dead Cleric. Another example: fighting one-to-one with level 48 Granite golem and level 37-38 Automatron. Both does the same amount of damage to level 61 player. I do realise there may be random numbers etc., but it's a bit...unfair, I think.
4. No dead harvesting: if player is harvesting resources from fallen monster, the nearest monster would always come to deal with "tomb raider".
5. Assault on towns. Saw this concept in another (Russian one) MMORPG. The idea is: sometimes monster decide to attack town. The level of monsters correspond to the town level (i.e. town where all quests are for 20-30 lvls, would be attacked by a mix of 20-30 level monsters).If players defend their town - it's ok, gained xp, trophies. If not - random building is destroyed and players have to contribute resources to it.
Quests
1. Named monster means quest. Starting from Pebble, ending with SoG. It is no very difficult to write some lines and offer some reward.
2.Quest line. That's what I would encourage to do. I do like Vandus line quests (which is repeated by me third time...), they are different from boring grinding (kill 50 flies, kill 150 Tomb Guards, kill 100 skulks, kill 90 automatrons...). Please, make quest lines so that player would have to visit different towns and do some actions: you finish one phase, you are given second and so untill the last.
3. Player's choice. I have said in post before and would repeat it again. I think it is a good idea to let player choose. Example: player (P) arrives at camp. He mets NPCs, call them A and B (presuming player talks to them first):
A: Oh brave [adventure], you have arrived in time! Evil Chickens are besieging us, please kill their leader and bring his CHicken King Ring so [NPC in Dalimond] could make a magic barrier!
B: Do not listen to him, [adventure], the magic of the ring is need for [region] Milita! Bring the ring to me!
The player sees in his quest window:
-Slain Evil Chicken King 0/1
-Bring Evil Chicken King's Ring to [NPC in Dalimond] 0/1
OR
-Bring Evil Chicken King's Ring to [B]
If player chooses first option, he may be given another quest line, say, "Investigate Chicken ring", this time without choices, but would be ignored by that region's militia. If player choose second option, he may be given quest line "Supply militia with magic crystals", but NPC in Dalimond will ignore him. Therefore, player may choose: for example, option 1 is more for crafting experience, while option 2 is more for combat experience. Alternatively, choice may dictate different rewards. Example: players finds Ring and is offered to give to Mage, to Sergeant or to Oddities Broker. Mage will give crafting xp, Sergeant - combat xp, and Broker - money only. Example 2: while killing Golems, player finds "very rare Golem crown" and message: if you deliver this Crown to NPC in Tazoon within 10 minutes, you will get a reward, otherwise the crown will disappear (and could not be sold within these 10 minutes).
4. Medium-level crafting quests. So far, I found them to be lacking. Exception - Valley of repose where player may choose between Crafting and Battle. What if some such quests are introduced? Some may be for formulas, like "To get Journeyman Big Bloody All-Killing Axe formula,craft 200 Cobalt bars for me", some may be for techniques or experience points.
5. Lost NPCs. Some NPCs are lost as player overgrows the level and - goodbye NPC. I suggest (in case multi-choice is approved) that all NPCs would be re-usable. Example with that Chicken Ring, if player chooses to go to Dalimond. Player is sent to...New trismus to ask local militia for advice and they may send to some encampment near Kion. It is just a way to make these NPCs usable again.
6. Things visible when they should be. Example: I was searching for Gregory the Traitor and (my hurry to blame!) missed one camp. Run into gregory Camp instead, killed Gregory...and found quest is not over. Surprise...Therefore, suggestion: if quest A requires player to ask 5 guards and only the fifth guard would reveal Gregory's location - Gregory's location should not be visible to player untill he talks to 5 guards.
Crafting
No serious complaints there as almost everything is ok. Some notes:
1. Please make some resources less-guarded (like granite that is guarded by Nickel or Granite golems, or Cobalt that is guarded by Cobalt or Mithrill golems). I do not ask to remove protection, just to make a bit safier...
2. Please allow jewellery (rings etc) to be socketed. Now only necklace (if I am not wring) may be socketed, but in reality I can wear crystal in a ring etc.
3. The main: please, make adding resources to the building easier! Now it is a pain - I have to calculate where there is a corner for the building? What if it would enough to just come near to the building and add resources without calculating corners? I was thinking on alternative - some 'magic gateway' at some corner of the plot so that anyone could put resources for structure without even seing a structure. As for me, any of these improvements would oe of great help.
That's for the begining. Please do not criticise too harsh...