Answer to Jim Salabim's explanation on range nerf

[_________Anisotropic]

After reading the the Complete article "Maxium Range" i have come away with the following conclusions.

1, AO is badly programmed, and their methods of Shifting playfields is badly implemented

2, People who at one point Bought tools that were sold in stores, ie range extenders, (Rifle or nano) and nano range increaser programs, and used them as they were properly supposed to be used, are Labeled as Expoliters, by the very programmers that implented the poorly done code.

whats funny is if you read their definition of an exploit
"An exploit in the game is a bug or design error that makes it possible for characters to fight monsters, solve quests and earn money that normally should be out of the reach of that character. Funcom is actively working to remove exploits from the game. "
it's rather vague at one point.. this definition is meaningless, in that the word "normally" is to be defined by the whims of funcom.

one can go out. .and "normally" by a range deck, and one can go out and "normally" use a range extending nano. but if one uses these to go kill something out of range .. it suddenly isn't "normal". sorry this is BS.. those that fought things out of range aren't expoliters, this to me just seems to be an attempt to further justify their legitimacy of reducing range, by calling and labeling people as expolitors. . be careful when you start labeling people. they don't take it well., in particulare when the problems are on the programming end. it isn't Our fault that mob's have a problem finding us. this btw wasn't really a problem except with plants. which dont' move anyway.

btw MP's and engineers can go attack flowers still.. guess they expolit too. you should take away their pets. it isn't "normaL" to have a pet.
when i had range on my NT. i never not once, hit something mobile, that was far enough away, that couldn't come attack me, everythign i hit was far. i barely could root in time to hit it again. as it stands now, the recharge rates are so absurdly high, and the range is so short. root and nuke is an ineffectual tatic. I really think funcom is blowing a lot of hot air at us, because they can't fix plants.
think of this. . when you make a NON mobile creature.. and then expect people to go melee it, rather then.. Goly GEE doing the Smart thing like standing out of range of it. AND THEN have the nerve, to call such people expolitors and NERF everyone's range, to give the plant a "FAIR" chance, and now everyone is suffering and enjoying the game LESS then before, all because you guys can't FIX these STUPID little Plants, tells me you dont' give a care about the people that play this game, so much as you care about having it played "your way". i would have MUCH rather seen you get rid of the plants(fix them on Test server). and cap at 80. there is NO way you could not have been aware of this "problem", as even a low level with a range deck can SHoot nano's waay past 40.

if i may grab another quote
"We are aware that certain people, and certain professions, might have felt "dependent" on using the exploit, most noticeably so the Nano-Technicians. We are investigating the seriousness of this claim, and also in what ways it might have changed their tactics and effectiveness. The results from our tests will suggest in what way we address that particular claim."

this . leaves such a bad taste in my mouth, it trivalizes Nano technicains, labeling the entire proffesion as expoliters. Shame on us for playing a smart breed. shame on us for using tactics. <gets whapped with Nerf bat>. this goes back to my whole punishing success post i made awhile back. we work to get our selves "uber" only to have our whole main tactic of shooting and rooting from afar to be wiped out AND get called exploiting to boot. . just insult to injury.
you want to HELP us address our Claims and fix them?
GET RID OF THE STUPID PLANTS, since you obvioulsy are too INCOMPENT TO FIX THEM, and bring back RANGE

sincerely
Anisotropic 131 NT. staying there till i get more tokens.
YES I CAN GET TOKENS AT LVL 131!! OBVIOUSLY I'm an EXPLOITER since it isn't NORMAL TO BE able to GET TOKENS as a 131 NT!!
by the time i get my tokens i figure all the NEW people who haven't LEFT YET due to the NERF bat might be able to group with me

[Spoonbender]

I'm not going to comment all this Funcom flaming in the above posts. Makes me so depressed... Not that people are flaming, but that they have a reason to do so...

But what I think is really amazingly stupid is that Funcom is going to lower range on other weapons, to make rifles seem better.

Since this only goes for the new weapons they're going to add, they (the non-rifle weapons) will have to be a lot more powerful than the old ones, to compensate for the shorter range, and make people actually want to use them.

Then we'll have rifles with a range around 40 as usual, but while agents are even now unable to do any decent damage, every other class will now get new, even better weapons, leaving agents behind once again... Yes, we'll have slightly better range, but only if people actually use the new weapons Funcom is going to implement, which have lower range than the old ones.

So what was meant to help the agents, by giving them better range, actually nerfs them once again, by letting every other class do increased damage....

[______________Mascot]

Not to mention how lowering range on new weapons will just make the entire game seem even more claustrophobic. I mean, we have vast forests and other landscapes. Yet we gotto get so close we can count lines on the opponents tattoos to fire off any weapon in the game?? Gimme a break. This is 30k years into the future. Weapons don't stop working beyond 40 meters. No freaking way.

[_______________chynn]

Short and sweet, gentlemen.

You, Funcom, asked for examples of NPC types that seem to break the "attack range" rules. So here is one for you ...

How can an Atrox NPC with a club, beam, pipe, or other melee type weapon, hit me when I am standing 20 meters away from it? I find it difficult to believe that clubs, pipes, and other melee type weapons are 18 meters long?

And, how can any aggro'd NPC in a mission area hit me from 60 meters distance and through walls too?

These atrox NPC types can and they do ... repeatedly ... and for large damage amounts.

As a medium level NT (54 and 76), these atrox enforcer and bully types are my bane. At level 76, a high green can kill me. I run from yellows or oranges because I cannot kill them unless I use a mission exit to heal myself faster than they can.

To add insult to injury, my 55sec root lasts for only 15sec (or less) against these atrox NPC types (if it is not countered). And no, I am not shooting my pistol at the NPC.

When I run a root nano on an atrox, this is what happens. I see the root nano effect showing on the atrox. 15 seconds (or less) later, the atrox charges with the "root" nano effect still displayed.

And there are some NPCs I cannot root at all, but an Adventurer or Fixer (I don't remember the profession) root nails the NPC every time.

As far as plants go, I agree that an immobile NPC needs a larger attack range but it should be less than 40 meters (39m?) so an NT or rifle user can attack the plant.

The 40 meter attack range cap would not be such a problem for my NT character IF the NPC attack ranges were set to something more reasonable.

I realize that this may be a game content rather than a game mechanics issue, which is handled by a different Funcom group.

If this be the case, may I suggest that the programming and content groups try to communicate with each other? After all, changes one group introduces could be having an adverse effect on the other group. The net effect being that we, the paying players, get the bad result of poor internal cooperation.

You can find me and my 76 NT on the Test server. My name is Chynn on both servers. I would be happy to demonstrate these atrox range and root problems to whomever wants to watch.

And I shall not bring up other NT issues like: black holes, fumbles and multiple, sequential, NPC counters, because this topic is about attack ranges.

Hope this helps ...

[______________Magron]

Seeing as this game costs 1/3 more than the going rate for such games i'm finding the continuing excuses lame at best.
Kindly put some of that extra money into hardware, bandwidth and the 'resources and time' you need to fix the game.

[________Nerfme2death]

RELEASED by DESIGN. It doesnt matter that funcom may say "we didnt INTEND this," its what they DESIGNED, PROGRAMMED, IMPLEMENTED and SOLD US. The range issue is just one among many. They all come back to the same problem, they have altered the game in so many ways since the release, the mechanics are not even close to what they are described as : on the box, in the "manual", in the guidebook, or any of funcom's own design outlays.

I am of the firm belief that the "4 year storey-line" (lets not get into how ineffectual it is in relation to a player) was what they intended. Since they released the game too early, too many bugs were available to exploit. And thus started the nerf bat to slow down the masses. Not becuase the masses had exploited yet, but because if they caught on and leveled to 200, funcom's planned four year income would be lost. This isn't some conspiracy theory rant, its sound administrative damage control of bad code in relation to the survival of their company.

With these thoughts in mind, if a funcom employee actually reads this, listen close... THE GAME IS SO PAINFULLY TEDIOUS, there is no way a lvl 100 player is going to feel level 200 is attainable before insanity sets in. They are just futzing around in the hopes that you figure out how to fix damage you have done. I for one dont have that hope. I continue to play out of stubborness and laziness, meaning as soon as I see your next patch, it had better be a magic wand. The software shop is just down the street.

These are the same people that took over half a year to fix a release date vehichle to just a POOR state of opeartion(carrier craft {among others}). Does the auto bug reporter that came with the game work yet?(I havent checked since month six)

I would like to thank those of you who made such valid efforts at elegent and inelegent suggestions. But I feel its wasted on funcom. I am almost positive now that the elegance doesnt translate to Norwegian.


Waiting for the magic wand... oh yeah this is a sci-fi game,
or...is.....it? Maybe not for long,
Nerfme2death

[_______________chynn]

Last night, on the Test server (patch 13.45), I ran a range test on a plant in Andromeda (a sylvabane) which was medium green to my 76 NT character.

I attacked it and began backing away to see what my range would be versus the plant.

The upshot was that as I approached the 40 meter range cap, the plant disappeared from my view; I could not attack the plant, but the aggro'd plant was still attacking me.

There are two things that really upset me about this situation ...

1. This is the exact opposite of the so-called "NT exploit" that you, Funcom, said caused the 40 meter range nerf in the first place. Only this time it is the NPC attacking the player from outside the player's view distance.

2. MY VIEW DISTANCE IS SET TO 80 METERS, DAMMIT!! Since all my view settings are maxxed, how in the heck can a plant disappear from my view when my distance is set to twice the range cap ... or do plants now respond to attacks for 80 meters or more?

Either way, plant attack ranges are hosed (a nicer term for FUBAR'd) at the present time.

May I suggest you fix plant ranges and the atrox melee range problems I mentioned in another post under this topic?

Hope this helps ...

[________________Miir]

2, People who at one point Bought tools that were sold in stores, ie range extenders, (Rifle or nano) and nano range increaser programs, and used them as they were properly supposed to be used, are Labeled as Expoliters, by the very programmers that implented the poorly done code.

Nuking/Shooting a stationary mob with a 40m range when the creature cannot attack back is an exploit.
The mob is unable to inflict damage on the player attacking.

This equates to risk-free XP.

This is an exploit.


btw MP's and engineers can go attack flowers still.. guess they expolit too. you should take away their pets. it isn't "normaL" to have a pet.

Those same stationary creatures are inflicting damage to the pets.

This is not risk-free XP.
This is not an exploit.



A level 20 pet profession could, theoretically, kill a level 60 Sylvanbane with little risk. They would have to chain cast pets and continually run out of range.

A level 20 Nanotech could have, theoretically, killed any level stationary mob with zero risk. Nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke, sit/recharge, nuke, nuke....


when i had range on my NT. i never not once, hit something mobile, that was far enough away, that couldn't come attack me

Perhaps you didn't, but many (most?) Nanotechs relied on using risk-free encounters to be effective. The same NTs who whined about incredibly low HP (one whined that he only had 950HP at level 100) because they rarely every got hit by mobs.


this . leaves such a bad taste in my mouth, it trivalizes Nano technicains, labeling the entire proffesion as expoliters

I'm going to go out on a limb and state that, before the range nerf, most level 100+ Nanotechs were exploiters. I would get invites to groups doing the lockers and static missions in Mort. I would zone in with them and watch the NTs nuking mobs halway across the mission using pathing and range exploits. This happened on no less than 15 times with 15 different groups. I usually left those groups after 3-4 minutes of sitting on my duff, doing nothing, waiting for these NTs to finish exploiting.
I also witnessed constant exploitation of enigmas.
I'd see groups of NTs camping plants that were 4-5 times their level.

Before the nerf, NTs outnumbered every other profession in AO at level 100+.

Most of the exploiters have started other characters now.
Most of the high level NTs that still play are the ones who never relied on range exploits to be viable.


Shame on us for playing a smart breed. shame on us for using tactics

Using a shortcoming of the game engine or a bug in game code to advance your character and create risk-free encounters is not playing smart. It's an exploit.

A rose by any other name.....

[__________Lucid Flow]

Originally posted by Miir
Nuking/Shooting a stationary mob with a 40m range when the creature cannot attack back is an exploit.
The mob is unable to inflict damage on the player attacking.

This equates to risk-free XP.

This is an exploit.

I suppose sending Meatball #1 79m from your mob target *without them having the ability to attack back* is an exploit as well. It Entails the same exploit. Using your main form of damage beyond the 40m range of monsters perception.

Miir you are not stupid. When you send your Meatball 79m from your current postion to kill a mob, does the mob sometimes turn aggro on you and run 79m just to get a whack at you? The Answer is yes and Jim Salsa-spin doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.

Those same stationary creatures are inflicting damage to the pets.

This is not risk-free XP.
This is not an exploit.

Of course it is. According to Jim Salami-Head if you are 41m from the plant and you send Meatball #1 to attack your plant, when and if the plant kills your meatball, you sit high and dry because you are out of the mobs perception.

Is it true? No

A level 20 pet profession could, theoretically, kill a level 60 Sylvanbane with little risk. They would have to chain cast pets and continually run out of range.

A level 20 Nanotech could have, theoretically, killed any level stationary mob with zero risk. Nuke, nuke, nuke, nuke, sit/recharge, nuke, nuke.....

Then technically, any NT with a root could go kill Aces as long as they Root, Nuke, Root, Nuke, Calm, sit, recharge.

Was it that way before? No.

People who tried to kill Plants usually died, and the ones that didn't were very lucky of very good. In the same amount of time it takes to kill 1 plant solo with a lowbie NT, you could have killed a number of Yellows in a full team for much much MUCH more exp.

Was it cheap? Yes
But it was HARDLY exploitable.

Perhaps you didn't, but many (most?) Nanotechs relied on using risk-free encounters to be effective. The same NTs who whined about incredibly low HP (one whined that he only had 950HP at level 100) because they rarely every got hit by mobs.

You love that statment "risk free" don't you. You should know better then that, you are one of 3 professions left that has a range of 80m+. Test it for yourself.

I'm going to go out on a limb and state that, before the range nerf, most level 100+ Nanotechs were exploiters. I would get invites to groups doing the lockers and static missions in Mort. I would zone in with them and watch the NTs nuking mobs halway across the mission using pathing and range exploits. This happened on no less than 15 times with 15 different groups. I usually left those groups after 3-4 minutes of sitting on my duff, doing nothing, waiting for these NTs to finish exploiting.
I also witnessed constant exploitation of enigmas.
I'd see groups of NTs camping plants that were 4-5 times their level.

4-5 times their level? That's hardly POSSIBLE in this game.

Your limb snapped.

Most level 100+ NTs before this patch did exploit, but not really their range. They exploited things like nuking through walls, on top of water, in planes and such since there was a lot of problems with Nuking when they released this game.

All NTs 100+ exploiters? No, thats a horrible overstatment. The idea behind played a Mage class is to have high damage with low AC/HP and to use your skill so you don't die, not just sit there and take damage. Most people who play NTs want that challenge and most did not exploit.

It was too hard to use the range you had to exploit it in any way worth your time. I joined a team before the range cap not knowing their intentions, and they led me to a field of plants. They told me all I had to do was nuke the plants out of their range and 2 docs would heal me and they would get mad exp.... you realize that 2 docs couldn't keep me alive?

Before the nerf, NTs outnumbered every other profession in AO at level 100+.

Most of the exploiters have started other characters now.
Most of the high level NTs that still play are the ones who never relied on range exploits to be viable.

What a crude false statment. Most of the high level Soldiers use Mirror Shield to gain their levels so insanly easily. Does that make them exploiters? No, Mirror Shield was DESIGNED to reflect damage back at mobs. Was it too good? Yes.

If NFs weren't intended to go beyond 40m and there really is this moronic cover-up of the 40m perception range on mobs, why is it a mere q75 Deck Range increaser increases your NF range over 115m? What idiot designed something for NTs to use that would make it SO EASY to exploit? Think about that for awhile.

Using a shortcoming of the game engine or a bug in game code to advance your character and create risk-free encounters is not playing smart. It's an exploit.

A rose by any other name.....

If you are such an advocate, why don't I gather all non-pet professions to petition to see Meatballs range reduced to 40m? Would you like that since it's such a "risk free" way of gaining exp?

If your meatball dies to a mob 79m away from your current position, does that mob turn and run to attack you? This bullsh.. 40m mob perception dookie is a lie and everybody knows it.

Next you will say a team of 4 NTs, 1 Doc and 1 Enforcer is an exploit because 4 NTs AOE nuking can kill the same mobs faster then ANY other team configuration.

[_________Anisotropic]

Thanks luccid, i dont' check back here too often, but you pretty much have it covered, and have saved me the trouble of replying

[_________Anisotropic]

Btw, miir I never engaged in wall nuking, nor did i Go after plants TOO often, i did kill a few. but not enough to gain even one level, it was too slow of a way to gain xp, you seemed to have missed the point thou, in that the Problem should have been fixed by fixing the PLANTS, not by nerfing the heck out of everyones range.
i did NOT exploit to level 100 nor did a great many of my NT friends. i didn't even DO missions, i never liked em, thou i'm doing them now, gaining tokens, .. token missions are still buggy, sometimes i can kill all mobs, . ANY lvl mission, and i don't get a token,, but i digress.... i think btw this has something to do with adding team members . mid mission... doesn't seem to like it.

ALSO miir, my comment about Nerfing pets was sarcasm, your reply wasn't really sensical, ... also you must realize that killing plants as an NT certainly was NOT risk free, in fact it had more risk to it then going to one of the camps.. when you go kill those plants in EFP, there are TONS of evil things roaming around , all aggro, all deep red, it took planning to kill plants, it took someone to run around and lead off the bad aggro's, it was by no means risk free, and many an NT died trying this,. choose your words more carefully.

Thank you for insulting the 100+ NT population, by labeling us as exploiters, i'm sure that will make you look good to all the legit players

[Noe]

x-Posting cuz there are two relavent strings on this topic...one in Offical News, and this one that was the link carried from Jim's article

*****

See, this is depressing...more people come to the game, but at the same time, some old stalwarts are leaving...and Funcom should pay attention.......people are leaving again......

You cant just announce that you are doing better, announce that you will try harder....you have to deliver.

This is so sad. We arent just making this stuff up folks.

Things are broken, and to stay on topic, the things that are broken are broken because you nerfed range and then attempted to fix range...

Are plants really that integral to the storyline that if they suddenly disappeared that anyone would be distraught?

You finally fix range extending nanos, that are A LINE OF NANOS SOLELY IN THE REALM OF NT's, and then you take away range, because your game cant handle the newly found range ability...

Quick fix...

Here it is, Ive listed it so many times ad nauseum I cant believe Im doing this again.

How to fix mobs 101:

If you think that nuke a mob Plant or otherwise is an "exploit", then dont change mechanics that affect other aspects of the game.

if player x is > 80m {

allow NanoDamage==0; (you can call this super nanoresist)

elseif

player x is < 80 AND > 40m

allow NanoDamage = (place complicated formula here);

( allow only % chance of hitting based upon the nearness of the MobY and the MC of Player x vs. Nano Resist of Mob Y modify % for the NanoResist)

elseif < 40m

allow NanoDamage==1; (all other coded modifiers for interupts, fumbles, resist, etc would now apply)

}

Also you do the same algoritm for attacking based upon what the attacked mob's ability "range" is, or add that as the modifier in the "between" case.

This is not rocket science here guys...but with your convoluted explanation you are attempting to make it seem so. If you have MADE it rocket science based upon your perception zones A, B and freaking C and D, bla bla...go back and fix it.

Also, I heard a rumor, probably in this or the other thread, that the short term solution would be to shorten the range of all other classes abilities/guns.

I cannot think of a MORE STUPID thing to do, than go and nerf other people.

For now, LEAVE IT AS IS except FIX the MOBS attack RANGE.

It has been proven that the MOB CAN ATTACK > 40m

GO FIX IT.

[_________Anisotropic]

Originally posted by Noe
[Also, I heard a rumor, probably in this or the other thread, that the short term solution would be to shorten the range of all other classes abilities/guns.

I cannot think of a MORE STUPID thing to do, than go and nerf other people. [/B]

It's no rumor, Jim suggested that in order for agents to have the maxium range, they would LOWER the range of all the other non rifle guns.... some people misunderstood this but i sure didn't..

he means the cap at 40 will remain, and non rifles and so such would have LESS range then they do now, and then Spinning it to seem like agents now have super range <gets shovel out>

he said he would introduce more guns. . i get this feeling they are going to do something stupid like introduce Short range high power guns, while rifle stay at current power, basically forcing people to get the short ranged guns, instead of doing the right thing, and properly balancing mobs (at high end).
if they "fix" the over equipping problems like they have mentioned, in other articles, they will HAVE to fix mob's as well, but if they Fix mobs, by introducing high powered low ranged guns, they are shooting themselves in the foot again

[Noe]

and if they decrease a soldiers range...or a fixer, or anyone else....if they are at their max range...how many meters away will that be from a melee player or a melee NPC (the super 18-20 I-beam)

and how many meters will that be from an NT?

Ill just refer funcom above....

DONT MESS WITH ANYTHING ELSE except MOBS, until you FIND A SOLUTION IN CODE TO .....here it is folks....GIVE BACK the range to THE NT's and the AGENTS or anyone w/ a LONG RANGE rifle or nano's that can mathematically reach longer distance, as was origninally

INTENDED
CODED
DESCRIBED in the descriptions of items

ETC ETC ETC.

STOP MAKING CHANGES....JUST STOP!!!!

Look, Listen

Look and Listen and again....THEN Test, and then test again....and dont do any more goddamn quick fixes.

Jesus Jiminy crickets!!!!!

[____________Maitrize]

Originally posted by Anisotropic
he means the cap at 40 will remain, and non rifles and so such would have LESS range then they do now, and then Spinning it to seem like agents now have super range <gets shovel out>

he said he would introduce more guns. . i get this feeling they are going to do something stupid like introduce Short range high power guns, while rifle stay at current power, basically forcing people to get the short ranged guns, instead of doing the right thing, and properly balancing mobs (at high end).

ROTFLMAO!! THIS IS ABSURD!!

Me: *bang bang* [bullet falls short]
Mob: You missed me!
Me: [glares at gun, looks at mob, standing 10 feet away, scratching her ankle with his toenail] *heals person standing next to mob* [shakes the gun in a confused manner] *shoots at mob again*
Mob: *casts nano debuffing me, kills me, group dies*

Way to go funcom! ^_^

Okay. Me and the plays in my head...

I'm so glad this is just a game because physics just aren't observed. :P

I just have to add:
Funcom are you TRYING to piss people off? Let's face it, AO wasn't launched just yesterday. The majority of the people that will remain with this game throughout it's duration are already INTO the game now, and have been a couple of months, ne? Jacking things up, nerfing everyone and everything, does not denote satisfied customers. If this keeps up the only feasible playable classes will be the pet prof's, and goddamnit I don't want to play MP! (Nothing against MP's, I just don't want to play one. -_-)

[megaram]

Examples of mobs not having any range cap:

Example 1

I had gotten buffed with grid runner and went into a mission and ran into trouble, i ran way to to ther side of the map in the dungeon and at blazing fast speed.

My marker for the mob had dissappeared and I tried to sit and heal (my intention was not to exit and loose my map trail) was not able to... I took about 1 minute and then I got the "attacked by -NONE" again and then the mob showed up about 15 seconds later.

Example 2
The omni forest cyborg when attacked sometimes does the "add buddy run" and goes way out of my viewing and map range and then after a lil bit (about 5-10) seconds comes back into range and starts attacking. If the cap were really in affect the cyborg would lose the aggro against me, once it took off and I was not in sight for a lil bit, no?

-Mega

[____________Claybats]

Originally posted by Anisotropic

if i may grab another quote:
"We are aware that certain people, and certain professions, might have felt "dependent" on using the exploit, most noticeably so the Nano-Technicians. We are investigating the seriousness of this claim, and also in what ways it might have changed their tactics and effectiveness. The results from our tests will suggest in what way we address that particular claim."

This leaves such a bad taste in my mouth...

Um, yup
Idahoe lvl54 nanotech - never used the "range exploit"

[___________Zeroshift]

Bad idea #1

Removing a valued feature of the game (range increasers for nanos and rifles) because your ****ty programming can't handle it.

Bad idea #2

Nerfing all other guns range to make rifle range seem better.
Anyone with a gun will become useless because if they are shooting at 10-20m then they might as well use melee weapons.

Funcom is truely incompetent

Sigh...

Such a good graphics engine gone to waste... They should have given this game to mythic or turbine, they know how to run a MMORPG.

[______________Mascot]

Also notice how this thread is now on FC's unofficial "happily overlooked" list

[_____________Shylara]

There is a fundamental problem with the range nerf. It should be removed. Most people agree with this.

What we need are good suggestions as to how to deal with the issues it creates.

Stationary mobs. If I put a rabbit in a steel cage, set it on the ground, step back 10 feet, and start shooting it with a 7.62 rifle, should it be able to attack back? OF COURSE NOT! But should I get a bunch of XP for nuking an essentially helpless target? Once again, OF COURSE NOT! Have each mob track the damage it INFLICTS in a combat as well as how much it recieves. If it never inflicts any damage, then it is worth ZERO XP. This could be done with ALL mobs. XP would be strictly rated on the danger of the actual combat and not just comparing levels.

Rather than examine the crux of the issue (helpless mobs with high XP return) they simply nerfed ranges and let mobs attack at higher ranges.

BUMP.

Look it over, FC. Think about realism first, then gameplay, and finally implementation. Don't jump to the last one just for the sake of an 'easy fix'.....