View Full Forums : New Graphics Engine


princess0fdiabl0
09-30-2003, 11:55 AM
www.monkly-business.com

few lines down

about damn time... supposedly cgw has an article about it, showing a new zone (supposedly gfay, but its really skarana with its aviak house, or so im told). id have pics but i cant find any yet!

new models... new graphics engine....just damn, that is a geeeewd thing.

edit: the monky thread= <a href="http://pub147.ezboard.com/fmonklybusiness43508frm1.showMessageRange?topicID= 41727.topic&start=1&stop=20" target="top">pub147.ezboard.com/fmonklybusiness43508frm1.showMessageRange?topicID= 41727.topic&start=1&stop=20</a>

Macnbaish
09-30-2003, 12:04 PM
Yeah I'd say the game engine in general needs a revamp.. I have a top of the line machine and I still stutter step every time I have to load a new PC model (they enter my view). And the LD implementation sucks... there's nothing more frustrating then going LD and just having to stare at a black screen until the program finally decides it wants to boot you back to wherever you are going.

Phew I feel better.

Gimli fan
09-30-2003, 01:47 PM
This is of course wonderful news.

Now I wonder what XMas they mean...it would be nice if they would put an accurate date on its realease.

I have my doubts that it is nothing more than a carrot or something that will be rolled into the next expansion. Baring that I can also claim its just a beta for EQ2.

Should it come out in a timely manner it will be wonderful, no not wonderful like the new spell effects...like really wonderful.

Cloudien
09-30-2003, 02:15 PM
Wonderful like the Luclin character models? ;)

Geddine
10-01-2003, 05:15 AM
I would love to see some screen shots. I'm just remembering the months of nightmares players had when the "Umbra" engine was emplyed. This will be the 3rd engine used (although I believe umbra was only a zone change not a model based change).

I know alot of people are saying that EQ engine is dated and looks old. I must admit though I still see games come out with equal or worse graphics than this today. It may look dated but so does every game 4.5 years old (older if you count dev time). I go back to games 5 years old and can't close my eyes to them, but EQ still continues to amaze me with its sights. Sony has done a brilliant job with the engine given to them and the stretching they have done to its capabilities.

I'm just wondering is it really worth Sony's effort to replace it all with something else and go through another 5 years of fixing doors or other things that do not work. I mean they finally got a square peg to fit into a round hole but pulled it straight out and now trying to fit a triangle in there?

The use of less memory is very appealing though, wonder if lower system specs would go hand in hand with that also. As Sony have always said they do need to keep in the guidelines of the specs printed on the box or is that being thrown away.

Kerech
10-01-2003, 05:57 AM
Is this article available online? I live in the sticks :(

Oryane
10-01-2003, 02:20 PM
Graphics really don't mean that much to me, but if they are using less memory then WOOHOO.

Tils
10-01-2003, 02:40 PM
I wonder when were going to see screenies


Tils

Panamah
10-01-2003, 02:40 PM
Yes! They're moving to ASCII graphics and your character will look like this: @

The map looks like this:


#######
#....@#
#..%..#
#######


Ok, the % is the stairway, the .'s are floor position and the #'s are walls.

This is going to vastly speed up the game and the number of systems that can run EQ!

Ianwen
10-01-2003, 02:41 PM
10 bucks says, only way you get upgraded graphic engine is to buy the next expansion: Land of the Almighty Platinum

:)

Panamah
10-01-2003, 02:45 PM
Doubt that's true because I don't think 1 game can support more than one graphics engine.

Cyns D'Vyne
10-01-2003, 02:55 PM
and supposedly they are going to actually optimize the models to be less memory intensive- I heard they are going to be less memory intensive than the old models from Original Eq are...

So I can ride my horsie again wif no lag? Yes, I'm on an older system, and already have plans for a new comp at the first of the year.. but less memory intensive is STILL less memory intensive!

Also, here's the snipet from Casters Realm.

RUMOR MILL: NEW GRAPHICS ENGINE

We spoke with SOE to discuss rumors related to a new graphics engine being the main focus of the next expansion for EverQuest.

In the course of our discussion we were told that the new graphics engine is 'hoped' to be something they can implement.

The new engine, according to Comptuer Gamers magazine, would replace all player models and significantly improve the visual appeal of the game.

SOE told us that at this stage they are still investigating just how much can be changed given the years of work with older zone art files. They also mentioned that they would prefer to avoid having to force EverQuest players to do major upgrading to their hardware to continue playing.

Ianwen
10-01-2003, 03:01 PM
was just a sarcastic joke.. hehehehe

Xitix
10-01-2003, 03:07 PM
Umbra isn't a graphics engine it's a third party toolkit to do occulusion culling for 3d environments. It does a better job than the original EQ code in skipping polygons that don't need to be drawn.

I seriously doubt any new models would use less memory than the original ones. The original models were a work of art in how small the textures were and how few polygons they had. It's like the trees in the original a lot of which used 6 polygons and 2 textures. Three for the trunk, and three for the leaves. Differences between trees with the same model being scalling, rotation and how far they were stuck into the ground. Textures were one for the trunk polygons and one for the leaves which was used double sided. Some trees had more but take a look at the ones in NRO, Commons, Sro etc to see what I mean.

Vowelumos
10-01-2003, 03:48 PM
Originally posted by Panamah
Doubt that's true because I don't think 1 game can support more than one graphics engine.

The hope is they do not lose the original models completely or raise the reuqirements for those people (Again) I know of several people who have systems that just will not support Luclin models.

Kineada
10-01-2003, 04:11 PM
The map looks like this:

code:

#######
#....@...#
#..%.....#
#######



Ok, the % is the stairway, the .'s are floor position and the #'s are walls.

Woohoo! EQ is going Nethack! Best ... game ... ever!!!

Patofnaud
10-01-2003, 04:11 PM
And I hear they are changing the encounter engine also to be less compute intensive.. Those boss mob AE blasts are bringing folks to their knees... In the next incarnation:

A_Bertoxxolous hits you for 1350 damage!
(F)ight, (C)ast or (E)scape?
>

Wyte
10-01-2003, 04:58 PM
If they do roll out a new 3d engine I sure hope they optimize the crap out of it.

Wyte

Vowelumos
10-01-2003, 05:11 PM
Do we dare to dream of visible capes...

*slaps himself for thinking it*

Stewwy
10-01-2003, 05:48 PM
One of hte last threads on the Monkley Biz forum said it was all a screw up by the gaming magazine and that the SS was just a test of the EQ2 engine on an old EQ zone and nothing more.

Sounds like a big red herring to me.

Nathan
10-01-2003, 05:59 PM
Im hoping they will adopt DaoC like combat styles with the new engine and use that to do their melee balancing. The downside is, its several months away :(

Panamah
10-01-2003, 06:06 PM
SOE told us that at this stage they are still investigating just how much can be changed given the years of work with older zone art files. They also mentioned that they would prefer to avoid having to force EverQuest players to do major upgrading to their hardware to continue playing.


Ugh! This doesn't sound good to me. Only change the engine at this point if you can make more efficient for the existing technology.

Kerech
10-01-2003, 10:17 PM
I found a sneak preview of the new engine. They are apparently designing it for every computer ever made:

This screenshot was taken in West Karana:

"You are standing in an open field west of a house.

A mailbox is here."


:)


/em wonders how many people will get this...

King Burgundy
10-01-2003, 10:56 PM
...white house, with a boarded front door! ;)

Ianwen
10-02-2003, 12:22 AM
ZORK!

Oldoak
10-02-2003, 12:38 AM
Quote:

Woohoo! EQ is going Nethack! Best ... game ... ever!!!


Oldoak has slain a small cat named Bait!

You hear the howling of the banshee....

Oldoak's corpse has been brought to you today by Capital T, Capital W, and the Capital U!

Patofnaud
10-02-2003, 11:25 AM
"You are standing in an open field west of a house.

A mailbox is here."

> Look in the mailbox.
I don't understand that.
> Look in mailbox.
The mailbox is closed.
> Open mailbox.
The mailbox opens.
> Look in mailbox.
There is a letter.
> Take letter.
You take the letter.
>Read letter.
You begin to read the letter. It tells you to remember to steal another 50lb box of form feed paper from work tommorow so you can navigate the 'twistly little maze, all passages look alike'. ;)

Jarilon
10-02-2003, 02:12 PM
You begin to read the letter. It tells you to remember to steal another 50lb box of form feed paper from work tommorow so you can navigate the 'twistly little maze, all passages look alike'.

/ROFL!

Talanon
10-02-2003, 03:47 PM
sooo, just got around to stoping by the new board, have screenies been release? scanned immages? what mag did it? I checked CGWorld but they didn't have anything on it.

Patofnaud
10-02-2003, 03:51 PM
Word has it, the screenies are actually pre-release EQ2 shots and not even of Kelethin, they are of South Karana Aviaks.

Kineada
10-02-2003, 07:58 PM
Quote for the Concert Hall:

Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey BB don't you already owe Absor an apology from pre-LDoN, eh?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How about double or nothing?

If the majority of folks here like the new engine, Backbeat (and Magister) just stop posting on any EQ forum, anywhere.

I think we deserve to have our community back.

A

Although not an outright admission, Absor got trolled enough to let slip a hint that a new graphics engine is in the works.

While it doesn't guarantee a December release, it should raise the speculation meter a couple of notches.

Telaman
10-03-2003, 10:43 AM
Nice work Sherlock ;)

Darlyn
10-03-2003, 11:35 AM
At the Fan Faire this weekend, we were all given November 2003 ComputerGames and there is an article on the new engine (page 58) has the picture.

Telaman
10-03-2003, 11:56 AM
Hehe scan it! :D

Darlyn
10-03-2003, 01:53 PM
Well I can't seem to get my darn scanner to work.. IF you can wait a few hours till hubby gets home, I will try and post a screen shot.

Darlyn
10-06-2003, 08:17 AM
Hubby cannot get the scanner to work either! Sorry!

Ladred
10-06-2003, 09:08 AM
This is a scan of the article in computer games magazine. The magazine made several mistakes in the write up about Everquest and all it's inceptions, and appears to have made a mistake in the picture. The top screenshot is the aviak roost in south karana, and the bottom picture looks to be the Wood Elf city Kelethin.

Vowelumos
10-06-2003, 09:39 AM
Definately looks like a mistake, But Wow anyway :)

Cantatus
10-06-2003, 11:37 AM
Looks nice, but that looks more than just a revamp in the graphics engine to me. That looks like the entire zone was redone.

Oldoak
10-06-2003, 12:49 PM
Here...

She does really nice work ; ).

http://home.comcast.net/~jerry654/Cels1.htm

Nimchip
10-06-2003, 11:05 PM
that's definately eq2 lol... no way that is the "new engine"

Telaman
10-07-2003, 11:18 AM
Hehe aye that would be one heck of a new engine! lol :)