64-Bit Servers and Clients Arriving Soon!

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Accendo, Nov 3, 2021.

  1. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    DBG actually planned to update the player-models around SoD, using the same tools as the drakkin model(there is a new female human model near small bank in pok, if you look closely). The fact that they didn't follow that plan has nothing to to with 32bit.

    A lot of vocal nostalgic players wanted to keep the old models and complained a lot, which scared DBG away from that plan.

    I hope DBG will reconsider, I also want updated models. :)
    Shui and I_Love_My_Bandwidth like this.
  2. I_Love_My_Bandwidth Mercslayer

    Me to the old player character model holdouts:

    Let it go...Let it go...
    Treage_Imminent and Shui like this.
  3. Yinla Ye Ol' Dragon

    I seem to recall humans were going to be the TBS model, but lots of comments about their movements looked like they had a broom up their bum. :rolleyes:
    MasterMagnus likes this.
  4. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh

    New character models is a terrible idea for this game, given the state it's in.

    -Making new models is a huge expense and time-sink.

    -Just because they are 'new' higher resolution, does not mean they will be accepted as 'better' by the players.

    -The most influential segment of the players (raiders) aren't even shooting for high graphics, they have to turn things down for performance.

    -There are already two options (actually lots of boxes to click to choose which models and textures). Would this be yet a third option? Would you get rid of the existing options? A decision fraught with peril.

    -Once you've made it past all those previous hurdles are you actually making more money because the graphics look incrementally/subjectively 'better'?

    Textures maybe Models please no. So many more important and impactful things to be done.
  5. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    Personally, I would update the 3d-render first, so that people wouldn't need to turn things down for performance.
    Then I would update the models, the current ones clashes with all the other graphics in the game(post PoP), because they are made in a different visual style. It looks weird and out of place imo.

    Lots of the new monster models are beautifully done, Im sure DBG are skilled enough to also make new player models. :)
  6. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh


    The problem there is their '3d-render' is hand-rolled code. They would need to add some (or possibly add more than they already have) modern day Graphics 'Middleware' (big money). Or move to a development engine with integrated graphics rendering (big time-sink).

    The most recent hire was Art staff (as I understand it). I'm not sure how many Coders/Devs they have that are graphics engine savvy.

    On a side note, they are capable of coding 'Shaders'. But I think the effort spent on the Ice Shader would have been better spent elsewhere. I never thought as a hobbyist I would delve into coding shaders, but I have. It's not that complicated, certainly compared to actually coding graphics rendering.

    So they can do 'things' with the graphics, but a Render code update is another 'Tech Debt' thing for them.
  7. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    Im sure they could use parts from one of their in-house engines from other DBG-projects for free. I would even expect their other engines to be somewhat "modular"(I know software is not Lego, but you get the idea. "Low coupling" is a thing in modern software architecture). The problem as I see it, is that the EQ1 engine might not be a good fit currently.

    After the UI upgrade, I would think preparing EQ1 for a render update to be the next most needed "big project".

    Getting rid of "tech debt" is a great investment.
    MasterMagnus likes this.
  8. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh


    You added this as an edit so I didn't reply to this part.

    I have every confidence there are wonderful. Monster models (anything new) are TTobey and Covic, they are fantastic.

    I think some new marketplace items that rolled around recently may be some of the new hires work.

    But to be frank, the art team's ability is not even a consideration, I didn't state one. And I don't think that is something they would consider either.

    It's a business decision, about what makes more money. If you decide it's going to make money, and you commit to update art resources, if your team isn't up to the task you hire new/more people or outsource it. If the money you plan to make is worth it you commit the resources.

    When I do the math, I arrive at the same conclusion they have, for years now.
  9. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh


    Agreed. (except about it being the next thing. They must meaningfully address lag or graphics aren't going to matter long term.)

    Yes, Forgelight does have a significant amount of middleware. They have said as much in a statement "we could never release the code (PS2) to the public, it has too much middleware".

    And no, EQ1 ain't no snap to fit ;)
  10. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh


    That being said, they DID make Landmark in Forgelight.

    But it would seem to me, also, they know they can do it, and Forgelight has been laying around available and still used (PlanetSide2 and variants, H1Z1 and variants).

    But maybe they are just waiting for the 'breathing room' and resources to do it. /shrug
    Jumbur likes this.
  11. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    My pessimistic take, is that DX9 compatibility is seen as "tech debt" by the gpu-manufactures, they are currently only supporting DX9 to get whql-certified(I think), but I doubt it is a priority for them.
    It is a low-effort afterthought because they have have an unified drivermodel. but if they get driver bug reports that only concerns abandonware(or EQ1), then I think they would ignore it, if it was hard to fix.

    EQ1 is living on borrowed time, if they gamble on DX9 being supported forever.
    MasterMagnus likes this.
  12. Kazint Augur

    The forums do have a PM feature you know.
    MasterMagnus likes this.
  13. I_Love_My_Bandwidth Mercslayer

    By that measure, no one is going to be happy and spend money on EVERY decision. But I believe you underestimate the number of people who would like new models. You may not like the idea of new models, but there is support out there for them. I agree with you that that a cost/benefit evaluation on ANYTHING connected to graphics in EverQuest requires careful consideration. I do maintain that a graphics overhaul and a soft "relaunch" of EverQuest could swing the pendulum.

    I digress. It will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever happen. Not even in my wildest wet MMO dream. EG7, Daybreak, and Darkpaw don't have the bankroll or intestinal fortitude to invest in EverQuest like I believe any of us would prefer. We'll have to settle for the table scraps we get.
    Juicewrld and MasterMagnus like this.
  14. Tygart Lorekeeper

    P

    Personally, I don't mind new models, just let us keep which ones we want to use. I love the paper doll version, lol.
  15. Niskin Clockwork Arguer

    Just an FYI for those interested in testing, the Test server was recently patched to true-up with live. This removed the 64-bit client and returned it to the 32-bit client. I'm sure we'll see it back in the near future though, it was pretty solid from what I saw.

    Oops, I had bad info.
  16. theonepercent Augur

    Test is still 64 bit. live on top vs test on bottom.
    edit: picture wont post but you can see it in task manager. 32 bit apps will say (32 bit) next to them.
  17. Waring_McMarrin Augur

    As has been said test is still on 64 bit as they did not change how the code running test is compiled just the changes that happened between the test patch and the live patch.
  18. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    I assume 64bit is just a "compiler-setting" currently, so you can have the same "version"(patch-wise) in both 32bit and 64bit. I would expect Test to be a "64bit edition" of the same version of the game, as the one we see on Live servers.

    In theory, 32bit and 64bit "editions"(of the same version) should be indistinguishable(except for minor performance differences).


    Right now, Live is the "control group".;)
  19. Treage_Imminent Elder

    Luclin era High Elves have always had the broom handle run animation.
  20. Niskin Clockwork Arguer

    I could have sworn one of my groupmates checked it, but maybe I just assumed the patch to match live was all-encompassing. It definitely is still 64-bit, which explains why the guild hall and teleporter bugs are still around. Sorry for the confusion.