Everquest 2
Sony Online's sequel to the game that inspired a thousand followers comes under the spotlight.
The graphics engine is a new proprietary engine. It boasts such recent technological jargon as per pixel lighting, dynamic environment mapping, as well as a fully programmable surface shader. Check out the screenshots to have that explained more fully. To demonstrate further, at E3 there was on show a real time fly-by through one of EQ2’s dungeons, Befallen. For those of you in the know, this was an area that also featured in the original. The new dungeon was incredibly detailed, both architecturally, and in terms of its skeletal inhabitants. The new engine allows far more detailed environments, and the end result is dungeons that seem far more organic and atmospheric than before. Character models have also been brought kicking and screaming into the new millennium. As a rough idea, EQ2 plans to have character models equivalent in detail to the latest generation of unreleased shooters like Unreal 2. Good enough for me.
EQ2 also plans to have an expertly crafted economy this time round. In the original, there was something of an unhealthy dichotomy, with newbies always strapped for cash and with high-level players having nothing to spend their fortunes on. For the sequel, Verant will attempt to solve this by having an entire skill tree branch devoted to trade skills – skills that will allow you to produce items for other players. The economy in EQ2 will therefore be much more player driven, with less of the artificial interference prevalent in other online games.
It’s not all change, of course. EQ did a great many things right, and fans will be pleased to hear that Verant will retain its strengths. One of EQ’s major pluses was the world in which it took place – Norrath. This evolved to become an incredibly detailed and diverse fantasy world. Many of the locations in the original EQ will reappear in EQ2, but with changes to show the passage of time and events. Certain cities will return, others will not, but Verant hope to engender a feeling of skewed familiarity within EQ veterans. They have stated, however, that players will not be able to transfer characters from EQ over to the sequel – no doubt to avoid a glut of titans inhabiting neo-Norrath from day one. As a consolation, Verant are toying with the idea of allowing the descendents of long time EQ players to appear in the sequel. These descendents would have an illustrious ancestry – as the offspring of near-gods. It’s a very nice touch.
Also reappearing from the original is EQ’s zone system. Other MMORPG’s have tried to offer a more seamless environment, but Verant are convinced that the benefits of this are not all that great, and that a zone system makes design that much easier. I tend to agree. As long as the loading is short, a zone system makes the transitions between very different environment types very simple. Verant have said that zone’s will be larger than in the original, and they aim to make zone transition more of a choice than before – no more accidental stumbling across an in invisible line.
Comments
EQ2 will be an AWESOME game! I have a Paladin high Elf in EQ1 and i cant wait to make one in EQ2 :) By the way, to the guy who did the preview, you didnt speak about the fact that Banks will be regional. I mean by that that each city will have its own banks. 2nd, you will now be able to buy houses, boats, and some other stuff (ya i said BUY). Finally, you forgot to talk about the fact that everyone starts with the same basic character, except the Race. At Lvl 6, you choose a basic class, at Lvl 15 you choose a more advanced class branching from your lvl 6 one, and at 30 you choose your specialized class. Well, i cant wait! EQ2 4ever :)
Any news on whether EQ2 will have a Team PvP server like Vallon Zek? (Another too, but I didn't play on that other server, so can't remember the name)
They switched to USD12.95/month awhile ago.
As mentioned in the article, competition will be very stiff. Where at the start, there only were games like Ultima Online, Meridian 59 and Underlight, they'll now have to compete on the RPG field with Asheron's Call 2 (which has a -remarkably- similar system), World of Warcraft, Imperator, Verant's own Star Wars Galaxies, possibly the announced Matrix online, as well as a number of (currently) smaller Online RPGs. And let us not ignore the power of Neverwinter Nights, which may not be "Massive Multiplayer", but it's the best customizable RPG out there yet.
Great article can't wait for the drop date c yall ingame
-Chaos-
WHEN IS EVERQUEST COMING OUT?? DOES ANYONE KNOW AND HOW DO I BECOME A BETE TESTER?
Thanks for the omissions, Lanarchy. As for being a beta tester, first choice goes to EQ Legends subscribers, then to long term EQ players. The rest of us won't get a look in...Verant are strict believers in rewarding customer loyalty, and why not?
"As long as the loading is short, a zone system makes the transitions between very different environment types very simple"
Come on - you didn't actually fall for this transparent marketing gibberish did you ?
Think back to everquest - they went to insane lengths, including duplicating large sections of zones in some cases, to cover the transition areas between zones because of zoning. Think of the karanas, the desert, anywhere where the zone wall is large.
Zoning makes it HARDER to make transitions between different areas not easier.
I take your point, Velkarath, but I think you misrepresent mine slightly. The zoning in EQ wasn't perfect, but it was the easier and most obvious solution to certain server capacity problems, and the point which Verant try to make, which I largely agree with, is that the gameplay benefits gained from implementing a seamless zone system are negligible compared to the problems created. As long as the loads are short, I'm perfectly happy with that.
As for the duplication et al, I think much of this was down to inexperience - lessons will have been learned, and hopefully EQ2 will see more carefully tailored transition areas. The point about zoning allowing easier transitions is simply that some of the change of scenery can be left to the imagination, I think, rather than painstakingly mapped out.
One last point - part of the purpose of a preview is to generate interest, and as such a lot of company produced hype is taken at face value. It's not that I've been "taken in" by anything, just that the company's claims are taken to be true, until proven otherwise.
what is Warhammer Online? I have not heard of that MOG.
what is Warhammer Online? I have not heard of that MOG yet.
This is heaps like Warhammeronline, they both look realyl great!! but as i play warhammer im gona have to keep up my loyalties.
and i think the warhammer races would be better
Um, do you have to buy this game or how does that all work??
Does this game have forums and stuff aswell cos the warhammer one does and weve set up guilds and stuff already, u konw so when the game comes out you can group up and help each other out and stuff.
LOl will spells be cheapeer in EQ2 lol just wonderin??
I played Eq for 3 years now, and they did a great job expanding the game. Then whoops..back to beginning again..why not improve eq 1 further?
i play a lvl 51 shaman in everquest and i thort the same if u look on the everquest sites on the net u will find sites for all you needs from trade skills to spell listings its all the you just need to know where to look.
Im a AD&D fan i dont see why u like warhammer cuz it is a ripoff from AD&D so all i can say is that everquest 2 will be 300% better than warhammer so mate just get over it cuz WARHAMMER IS A LOAD OFF CRAP :0)
they will still keep everqust 1 up to scratch they will not let one the games go down cuz they have another one up its not how it works aslong as peeps play everquest 1 they will keep upgradeing it so u dont need to be conserned about that
i know im not
Im sure EQ-2 is going to rock everones world in the near 2003 to 2004. But my main concern is about everquest 2 going on the playstaion system. I know it's coming out in the spring of 2003, but then again i cant find anything on it, anywere. I look and look and look but all i get is everquest 2 for the pc. I can tell everyone all about the pc version but is it going to be the same for playstaion? Im not sure were to find this out, if you know the answer please post it. All on EQ2 you can get the nice lvl 100, i think thats really nice but then dont forget there are new things like your wep's can and will break in the game at some put and for all the twinkers out there remember that your's will forsure. Hehehehe i think this no twinking way's. With all my humble hand the Ranger from Tunare is happy to help all the pleople of the new world.
I think you should make all the weapons look really awesome too because some of the ones in EQ (original) look kinda boring. so add a sweet little touch to the weps for me and ill be happy! oh and mabey like for dungeons that are kinda scary have like different music for it like a scary type music but like an orcistra type you know, and do the same for other zones but have different music for like certain types of zones and diff music for every town. that way you dont get bord with just listening to yourself run or walk.
Ok I think everquest 2 is gonna be the worst thing in my life... why? well its still about a year or two away (face it people we know what game designers are like) and I'm already addicted, (there goes my social life again) anyway I think the no twinking mod is a nice touch oh and the graphics look nice! (time for a new computer)
my two cents, make that three
ps. I hope they have different types of poison
how much will EQ2 cost every month
Come on peoples as with "Legends", EQ2 is just another way for Verant/Sony to suck your money out of your wallets. I hope you dont think EQ1 will be supported after the EQ2 general release. Well it wont and after a while as seen by Sony/Verant in the past once they have your money they forget about you, be it Technical Support, Ingame Support or even a simple Hello From a wandering GM. So hey take it at face value and pay your $40 a month (Oh you thought they would leave it at $12.95?) And as more glitches an bugs arise in EQ1 more and more time will be spent in EQ2 to fix these very problems. (BTW I was stuck underneith JPF for nearly 3 days before a Guide helped me out.) So hey lets see what they offer and hope it wont break us all
I would relly like to no how to become a bete tester to EQ 2 if any one has this info post it.
were are the frogloks?
splinter caell is a cool game
does any 1 no who to cill bowzer on
Luigi's mansion pliase reply
Is The Game out yet????
when is everquest 2 comin out man
this rules im going to buy thisno matter what i got a lvl 23 wizzad and he rocks imgoing to make a wizaard and hope hes as kewl
as this .
hey iv relly never played this game but right away when i saw it i knew it was a great game .
For you people who dont know what everquest 2 will be like i would consider playing DAOC( dark age of camelot). It has the same leveling system, the same weapon system(as getting worn and stuff). It will be more of an upgrade of DAOC then an upgrade of everquest.
And if you arent going to play everquest 2 because you have a mid level character and dont want to have to start over again, think of it this way: You arent starting over again you will be in a whole new game and you will be the one in the uber guild. sticking with everquest will do nothing for you besides procrastination. soon you will come to eq2 to try it out and you will be blown away. and you wont be in that uber guild because of your commitment to the mid-level character you had on everquest. EQ2 will be a great game.
Also lets talk about why there SHOULD be zones. If there werent zones you would be lagging 24/7... also lets say there is a lvl 50 zone next to a lvl 1 zone. take plane of hate and the ogre newb zone... you would most likely accidently attack something(or get close enough for something to attack you) that was a very high level. it would also be a harder game to make, and would also screw you over if you had to zone to get away from something you had a second though about after attacking.
Just saying to you procrastinators out there: you will eventually come to EQ2, coming earlier will grant you a higher level faster, coming later... well you wont do so great... dont miss your chance to start over and be that awesome character with PoT gear that cant sit anywhere without being inspected at least 100 times! ... its sorta funny after awhile. - PEACE! ^^
Hey, in EQ2 willl Items be like levek based like EQ onb PS2 or will items be like they were on EQ1 on PC???
I cant wait to get the game i know its going to be so cool.
Dose anyone know if we are going to be able to transefer 1 or 2 items from our EQ1 Toon to our EQ2 Toon, through the hertiage system.
Say, how do I go about finding a job as the receiver a GM on a server of Everquest?
thank u!
can u get everquest free? and how?
can u get everquest free? and how?
is eq2 gonna be a fun game if it is tell me peace out hommi