Yeah and those examples are still horrible. Some NPCs swimming in the small water pools in Aalishai and being unable to aggro them until you jump in and forced to swim. Water is just not well designed in this game. The movement is awkward and pretty much forces you to play in first person - which is horrible enough - and other various mechanics are too disruptive to gameplay to be enjoyable. Shallow pools where you randomly don't go swimming are nice and all, but anything other than that is just terrible.
I like water zones. Also, forced mid-event platforming on ice platforms was a missed opportunity in the Velketor's Labyrinth raid. I guess ToFS1 makes up for that. I once seriously considered trying Cactiikii on the ocean floor to ensure nothing would be in the line of sight of the sproutings. (I wasn't silly enough to not realize the water movement would be far worse for most players.)
I like water zones because most people avoid them like the plague. Fewer camp issues. But then again, I'm a pure melee. What I don't like are water zone mazes (Kedge Keep). Siren's Grotto is fine save for one little section.
It used to be a lot worse. The melee push from mobs was horrendous. Also, didn't you slowly sink originally? Seems like you had to have lev on. I don't hate water as much as I hate fighting on steep hills. Edit: Oh, and what's up with water's magical properties to stop spells from penetrating it? Unless you're in the water of course. Then it's the other way around.
Nothing magic, just a «simple» refraction issue due to the air-water interface. So when you're trying to aim from the land, ... it looks like you're drunk And no, it doesn't help to be dwarf, and drunk all day long. You just fail even more, it's not a good countermeasure. I'm just kdding btw.
