i was wondering if i did a 2d top view of my 3d world make this grid based, would it be easy for my ai to decide where to go from this, and just convert the points it decides into 3d points and move the npc using this method?..... ive look at a* but it doesnt stick with me just any ideas anyone? Who hasent lived in a previous form, a previous life

Well, if your game uses multiple levels in 3d (like Quake - ie, you can have passages above other passages which aren''t connected), then it will be difficult to do. But if you just have maybe some terrain with buildings represented by rectangular prisms, then it shouldn''t be too hard.
What''s wrong with A*?

And depending on the complexity of the paths you are finding, maybe you could even get away with something like going in a straight line until you hit an object, then trace the object for a bit, then go in a straight line again.

hth

Trying is the first step towards failure.