I find myself visiting the Istaria forums every couple of months because I think that Istaria is one of the few games that really does offer something more than the "pull this lever and get a treat" paradigm that is so popular with more commercially successful games. I'd like to list the reasons I really like Istaria first, then I'll list what keeps me from coming back, and then I'll add a few suggestions that I would like to see. I'd be very curious to know if anyone agrees or disagrees with me and their reasons why!
First and foremost, Istaria is a game where the players can effect PERMANENT changes to the game world. That is huge! The Satyr and Dryad playable races are available because of world events, as are many structures and stories. There are very, very few MMOs out there that don't run on rails, and only Istaria (as far as I know) allows the kind of large scale changes that really make a player feel like they are part of a story whose outcome is not already set in stone.
Second is the crafting and the economy. I realize it is not perfect, but the dev team has tried to make a system where every player is not running around with a +14 battleSword of the rabid weasel and where crafting is an afterthought at best. Again, I know of few other games (EVE maybe) where this is the case. In Istaria, pure crafters are both viable and necessary to both the economy and the lore.
The Withered Aegis is another facet of this game that makes me want to come back. Again, the system needs work, but the idea of an enemy that takes over territory and attempts to hold it is far superior to theme parks full of static mobs and an "enemy" that doesn't actually pose a threat or even really interfere with you at all.
Plots, lairs and housing are another thing that really pulls me in. Again, Istaria has one of the best housing systems around, though a few isolated plots for those more inclined to solitude would be nice.
There are a lot of other things that make Istaria stand out from the rest, such as Dragons and the multi-class system, but these are the main things I really like and would love to see expanded upon. Now, here are the things that keep me from resubbing. None of them by themselves are deal breakers, but taken together they're just too much.
Lag, hitching, insta-pop and mobs that load while you're in the middle of them do not just break immersion, they can make the game more or less unplayable. I have had problems where the ground just stops and never loads at all. I have also been killed in an empty field while invisible wolves tore me to shreds.
Monsters that run through walls are a big barrier to making the Withered Aegis more of a threat and it destroys immersion and reduces the value of tactics in PvE. I seem to remember being told that this can't be fixed, but I really think it is essential that the client be updated so that mobs respect player made walls, otherwise the whole idea of player made defenses becomes pointless.
This may seem minor, but the lack of gravity and water really make the game feel less real. A flying dragon just isn't as cool if you know that you can't die (or even take damage) from falling. Ditto for water. Adding swimming and a breath meter to the game would literally open up tons of new possibilities for adventure and crafting alike.
Again, there are other minor issues. For instance, archers should not have infinite arrows, gnomes should move slower than giants, and plate armor should not look like a shiny leotard. :P However, none of this would really bother me much if the big stuff was out of the picture. Now I'd like to finish by suggesting a few things that I think would play to Istaria's strengths.
Obviously, more world events are needed, both long term and short term. Reclaiming areas from the Blight, destroying bastions of evil, unlocking new resource fields and permanently defeating iconic enemies makes Istaria feel more like a growing, changing world where the player is important. One of the nice things about the WA is you can introduce new enemies and kill them off without having to recycle them over and over. Having to defeat Grognarr the Unholy over and over again just reminds you that you're on a treadmill, but defeating Grognarr the Unholy knowing he is gone FOREVER makes you feel like you've done something worthwhile.
Use the WA as an army. In essence, make the game Player versus Dev. > If the WA is trying to take over Istaria, then do it! Stick Blight anchors in places where valuable resources are harvested and make the players destroy them. Make them suffer if they ignore the WA and they will feel that much more satisfied when they defeat an invasion or reclaim a town. Make crafters work together on devices and weapons to defend settlements and strategic locations, but make the devices vulnerable to attack so adventurers can defend them to retain the bonuses they provide. If you can, make walls and structures attackable so that the WA can destroy stuff players build, but make it so that the structures can be repaired by crafters. Making mobs "respect" walls and doors would make this whole thing even better because then crafters could construct physical defenses. One of my greatest MMO experiences was when the Devs took over a bunch of Ogres in Ultima Online and attacked a bunch of different towns. It was and is one of the my fondest gaming memories, even if I got very little sleep that night.
Add aerial monsters for Dragons to fight, and improve aerial combat in general. Someone suggested letting bipeds team up with dragons in the air and I think that is a great idea! Either let Dragons allow players to ride on their backs, or put in flying machines. Using the sky gives you a broader palette for new adventure and content without having to make a bunch of trees and rocks and buildings because it is air! Obviously, falling damage would be an important fix to make this work. Do the same thing with oceans, add content (and drowning) underwater! You could put ocean only resources (pearls?) and make underwater breathing potions and gnomish scuba gear. Heck, put some plots down there for Sealab fans.
One other minor suggestion would be to throw in dual wielding. I just love dual wielding for some reason, always have. Anyway, if anyone read this far, thanks! Like I said, I would be curious to know what you all think of these ideas. I wish Istaria well, because you really offer something different!
-Matt