EQ Never

Wolftoad_sl said:

I also don't get why SOE is making such a huge deal about their 'emergent ai'. What they've described doesn't sound anymore advanced than what we saw in Rift. Mobs can spawn in X, Y, Z location and will perform A, B, C actions against M, N, O locations. If successful different things happen. If defeated these other things happen. Now it does seem that SOE has taken that idea and taken it to the next level by creating better scenarios and employing a Left 4 Dead style 'dungeon master' behind the scenes for more variety but I just don't get their emphasis on the system. It's either something that's been done before or something that there is no way they've created in a year of development.

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On paper it's a lot more than what you've described. We'll see.

Wolftoad_sl said:

It's either something that's been done before or something that there is no way they've created in a year of development.

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Exactly. SoE didn't create the system. They hired on the guys fromStoryBricksto implement it into EverQuest Next.

The mobs are supposed to be acting based on their wants, needs, likes, and dislikes. We'll have to see for sure if that just ends up being mobs spawning at X and moving to Y, but SoE believes that it weill create a truly dynamic/living world.

Tad interviewed one of the designers from StoryBricks, and is supposed to have an article up in the next few days athttp://eqn.junkiesnation.com/.

Teekey_sl said:

Tad interviewed one of the designers from StoryBricks, and is supposed to have an article up in the next few days athttp://eqn.junkiesnation.com/.

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Maybe Weds. But not much there - they can't talk about much either (NDA with SOE). We'll probably have to wait for Beta to see what's what.

"Nearly everything in the world, from grass to goblins, has a purpose, and not just as cannon fodder either. The 'virtual ecology' affects nearly every aspect of the game world, from the very small to the very large. If the rabbit population suddenly drops (because some gung-ho adventurer was trying out his new mace) then wolves may have to find different food sources (e.g., deer). When the deer population drops as a result, the local dragon, unable to find the food he's accustomed to, may head into a local village and attack. Since all of this happens automatically, it generates numerous adventure possibilities."

-Starr Long, Associate Producer, Ultima Online, 1996.

Carl_sl said:

I can't wait to see how bad they look in this iteration with kerrans looking as crazy as they do.

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Ya know, with all the ripping the Kerran has gotten, I find myself wondering how much of what people dislike is actually part of the core design of the kerran race, and how much of it is of the character customization of that particular kerran.

It'd help to see screens of more kerrans, to find out just how robust the character customization is for them. It might be entirely possible that they can be un-Chester-Cheetah'd by just moving a few sliders around.

Big Flex_sl said:

1996.

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It's no longer 1996.

Some additional reveals coming at Gamescon and probably PAX.

Pretty much, whether this game is good or not comes down to Storybricks. A "horizontal" system usually blows in PvE because there is no sense of progression, due to how Horizontal systems work, and how easy mobs are to beat if they are designed, generally, at a players level (In terms of how they can be affected and their statistics). If orcs actually are a little dynamic in their combat, and if their camps move, and their numbers respond to player presences/interaction? It could make the experience pretty deep--like PvP elements normally are in a sandbox.

I have very little faith that will happen...BUT if it did? Would be cool. The storybricks CEO certainly seems confident from his posts. (I still think players will shit on whatever AI they can whip out though, unless the mobs have tons of abstracted advantages.)

I wonder if those SB guys had MMOs in mind or singe player games. It's going to be very interesting to see how any AI system they implement comes up against millions of players.

I also want to see if wall that wizard made blocks spells/projectiles. Would also love to see in a action game a debuff that slows projectiles themselves while the rest of the world still runs at full speed.

Teekey_sl said:

[Ratongas] were in the original EverQuest. They're really no more gimmicky then say, Kerrans.

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Were they? Are you referring to the Chetari/Paebala or something else?

Lenas_sl said:

Were they? Are you referring to the Chetari/Paebala or something else?

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Yeah, Chetari.

found the barbarians:

Simas_sl said:

I was excited about this because I hoped it would be Vanguard done right. Maybe DOTA the MMO will turn out ok, but I'm no longer excited.

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Nobody is going to try and make Vanguard done right ever!

Found a dracoliche guyz

What ever happened to this? I remember this image surfacing ~2011 with it being described as not only an example of the engine they're using, but the art direction. Would have preferred this greatly.

Too greedy on hardware specs?

I have to say, I'm really digging the environments. The character models are throwing me the fuck off though. Especially with the damn Kerran. Jesus.

The human chick doesnt look bad though, unless you get pissed that she looks right out of Bioshock

Wait a sec.....SHE HAS A HOOF!!!

Lemmiwinks_sl said:

What ever happened to this? I remember this image surfacing ~2011 with it being described as not only an example of the engine they're using, but the art direction. Would have preferred this greatly.

Too greedy on hardware specs?

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They exploded him when they announced the reboot at SOE Live 2012, but I think he was first show in 2011. Maybe that was the EQ3 version and I agree, I prefer that scowling mug to the human male we saw.

The people that are complaining about the art direction are the same people who would be whining for a graphics update 2 years after launch when the "realistic" models look like shit.

I don't like the Kerran either but I do like longevity of the overall look.

Yeah but that realistic male is gonna look like shit in a couple of years and the stylized characters will still look great.

Grumpus_sl said:

The people that are complaining about the art direction are the same people who would be whining for a graphics update 2 years after launch when the "realistic" models look like shit.

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lol same thought at the same time

would you guys really be disappointed if that was dracolich? he looks kinda cool

Also atleast shrek is a fat ogre!