DirectX 11 API Port is on Test Server!

I run 7 on desktop and 10 and 11 on laptops, I find the laptop with 10 on it the slowest of the 3.

10 and 11 annoy me, they want to do things I don't want them to! Laptops pretty much are only used for EQ, though the new one has more stuff on it for when I'm away from home.

I just want an opperating system, I don't want all the other garbage that goes with it. Which is likely why I prefer 7 over 10 and 11.

Its not fear of upgrading. Many players have the older windows programs that are running just fine. For the game right now, and whatever else they use it for. Things like Firefox will no longer work on older windows soon but there are alternatives.

And that is the problem with EQ. If there is no way to use the older windows then players are going to drop like flies because there is no alternative.

Not all of them can afford a new or even a used computer. Sure there are post links to "refurbished" ones for $400 but even that can be too much money. Its hard to imagine that when your not poor. Or buy this video card etc but how are they supposed to put the video card into the computer if its not set up to be upgraded? Many of them have a built in video cards.

Others will crash their system (as one player posted) trying to upgrade just for EQ and now they have a computer that no longer will even do candy crush.

So the powers that be will shake their heads and say oh, well those players just need to get with the program and get a decent new computer that will run EQ and Nasa.

I empathize with those folks who are struggling to make ends meet and rely on EQ as their entertainment. It's a tough situation to be in. I've been there before, may one day be there again. Who knows.

This will sound harsh, but EQ is entertainment. It's not a need. If someone truly needs EQ, they'll find a way to play.

Look, Darkpaw wants to stay in business. In order to do that they decided they have to, among other things, upgrade EQ so it can continue running. This, sadly, causes a hardship for some. Darkpaw recognizes that as evidenced by their support of Win7. They are threading a needle here trying to keep as many people playing as possible, and I applaud them for that.

Truthfully, the new hardware requirements are not that steep. Historically computers have never been cheaper. Computers and their OSs have never been more reliable. For argument's sake, the inflation-adjusted price of one of those old used computers (Today's money $174 shipped) in 1999 was $95.38. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a pretty great value. I know I paid a LOT more than that back in 2000 to play EverQuest (somewhere around $1200).

Offering up my services again to anyone that wants assistance choosing an upgrade.

Words to remember. It is easy for some to lose focus on what really matters in life. This IS a game and a very enjoyable one for me, but it is not my life. Anyway, I hope that when the DX upgrade hits the Live servers most of the issues have been ironed out. In truth, I expect that some will remain and patience will be called for both on the side of the players and devs.

I'm guessing some of these Win7 boxes are on hardware from the WinXP days. An early-2000 system could do the XP->7 upgrade, but the hardware is too old to run Win10. Unfortunately, Win7 boxes that connect to the internet will need to be upgraded or replaced at some time anyway regardless of what EQ does. The browser will stop working, programs which require update will no longer work on Win7, no security updates, etc.

It takes resources to support different operating systems. If EQ supports Win7, that's extra resource they have to spend on testing and fixing any problems. It may be a justified financial business decision to accept the loss of the Win7 customers since it would cost more to support them than they lose if those customers stop playing.

And if Win 7 isn't going to work with the DX upgrade, Darkpaw should say that. Leaving players hanging on this isn't a good thing.

For me its not being afraid. Ive actually had the hard drives and OS for almost a year now. My main reason for not upgrading is a program I use for my business doenst work on 10 and the third party one that will is double the cost every time I use it.

What I am saying is many of you are lathering on empty meaningless platitudes by repeating the same old rhetoric. These players know all the excuses, reasons but they can still be sad and bitter the game is ending for them. And they really don't want to hear it all repeated.

Its just irritating when others fail to walk a mile in someone else's shoes and instead post stuff like "omg becky its only $$$ for that" or "you would spend more on beer than you would this game" Or "well its time to put ole yeller down, son"

They are working on it!

Complaining about probably needing to upgrade to Windows 10 is not going to change much. If Darkpaw can keep supporting it, neat, if not, it is hardly a decision they get to make while trying to improve the game players want to see improved. If they cannot make it work, you STILL have low cost options. They may be time consuming and difficult to figure out but that is the nature of trying to keep old things working.

Windows had to move off the "backwards compatible even if it hurts" model with security and stability moving front and center. For Darkpaw, their software depends on other software they did not create, their choices got limited.

If your entertainment budget cannot take the hit of a $400 - $1500, maybe every 10 years, to upgrade to newer hardware, that sucks, but it sounds like you are already sacrificing a lot just to play EQ. If you had a legit copy of Windows 7, Microsoft gave you for free (as in beer) a copy of Windows 10 then Windows 11. If it would not work on your machine, you could be budgeting out getting your hardware up to date at some point. The obsolecence is preordained.

If you just do not want to upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11 for reasons beyond your machine cannot run it then you also have to accept the reality that comes with that choice just like for every other version of Windows prior.

That is understandable but as 7 is no longer supported by microsoft you are going to find more and more things don't support it as well.

EQ came out when Win98SE was a thing. there's no one complaining about wahhh i cant run win98se anymore!!! it's not fair that THIS COMPANY WON'T BOW TO MY CHOICES!!! Technology evolves. if you CHOOSE not to evolve, you have to live with that choice. As for this:

User error, nothing more. You can install win10 without the garbage. You're either dealing with bloatware from whatever company you bought the device, or you're running an under powered machine for what you need, IE: Win10 64 with 4gb of ram, etc. regardless, it's not a win10 issue. If your win10 is slower than your win7, you need to understand why, and don't vomit the nonsense of "win10 is am r teh snxx! Win7 > ALL!i!i"...

DBG isn't ruining your ability to play. choosing not to upgrade is ruining your ability to play. stop being a victim.

Why worry about getting windows 10 - it only has a life span of 3 years. MS will stop support for it in 2025.

This can happen sure but it is pretty rare.

You don't need a new computer either. Nobody is saying that. Most 10 year old computers should be fine with Windows 10 installed.

That is annoying. I guess that application doesn't work in compatibility mode? You may also want to consider install Windows 7 in a VM just for that application if it's the only thing holding you back.

With Test currently only requiring 11_0, do you imagine that 11_1 will be required in the short term? Within the next year? For example, when the DirectX 11 transition is complete or in the new expansion?
I'm not expecting this to be a firm answer that you're held to, instead something given and taken in good faith.

I currently play on an Intel 2500K (iGPU: HD 3000 [10_1]) which will not work on the Test server.
My motherboard supports the following generation of CPUs which are available at a reasonable cost second hand, so upgrading to an Intel 3x70K (iGPU: HD 4000 [11_0]) would solve my problem in the immediate term based on the current Test server requirements.

To upgrade to 11_1 would require buying either an entirely new computer or a graphics card, neither of which I particularly want to buy at this point in time.

If the implementation of 11_1 isn't being planned in the immediate future getting a cheap CPU upgrade will be my way forward, however if 11_1 is going to be required soon that will be a complete waste of money.

Thank you.

I'm wondering how many of these people still running Windows 7 are paying for extended support through Microsoft or 0patch? I'm guessing approximately 0.001%. Which means their machines have patching disabled.

Which means their OS installation is in some unique state of installed Windows and other patches current only to the date at which they disabled patching.

Which means that DBG has no reasonable method to emulate their computer's unique OS state.

Which makes supporting Windows 7 like a blind man throwing darts after someone spun him in a circle.

Who's playing the victim?

I have options, desktop will likely stay as is until I get around to replacing it in a year or so, hopefully Win12 will be more to my likeing than 10 or 11. I know sweet FA about computors so I don't mess with any settings it came with. Same with EQ if I can't change a setting in game with a command or a click box it doesn't get changed. I don't mess with any files other than my logs to archive and maps to add new ones. My superpower is breaking computor software by looking at it.

Lap top with win11 on is capable of running multi EQ sessions, just need them to sort the crash issues out when tabbing back and forth. For now how I play works, how that translates to beta who knows as only the PC has a beta client set up.

Extended support ended at the start of the year as far as I am aware.

Actually in process of dual OS. One Machine done so far