posted 16 November 2002 11:00 AM EDT (US)
Remember that the gamesettings.bar file does not only affect zoom levels and other visual things, it also actaully affects gameplay (stuff like hydra growth rate for example). So it's perfectly understandable that ES prevented people from changing the gamesettings.bar file and using those changes in multiplayer, because sooner or later someone would try something else. However, I do agree that altering the max zoom levels should be an in-game option.