Hostile/Passive Creatures on each Continent

[Nephilimuk]

OK let me start again in a balanced and less tongue in cheek way.

I think it is a nice idea and I love your enthusiasm. One thing I love about these forums is the passion in generates in posts like yours and constant stream of new ideas. I guess it just shows how much we all love Planetside.

however

Adding something which is none essential to the core mechanics of the game detracts from its core focus which is large scale battle. Introducing AI fluff will have a load on the servers and reduce the amount of physical resources available for the core function and pulling power of the game which is large battles. These battles have to be playable so why add another variable.

Also time spent of coding producing these elements will also detract from polishing the key elements of game play. Sure if there is infinite resources and the goal was to create eco systems all well and good. But the core element of the game and its unique selling point is the large battles. If time and resource were no object then go nuts. Having worked on project teams I know were I would be focusing resources and it would have nothing to do with nice to haves which don't actually improve the core functionality of a game, they just provide a novelty. Everything would be done to get the basics delivered then polish the end user experience to the point of being perfect.

So I guess it boils down to time money and available resources. I would love a working game as quickly as possible and to do that in the best way possible with the maximum numbers of players in a lag free fight as possible. I am an advocate of keep it simple.

In reference to Tabular Rasa it was a Richard Garriott's big thing with NC Soft. There a lot of common parallels regarding fluffy things to shoot or spikey things to kick and dull repetitive game play. I want an MMOFPS PVP all the way.