EverQuest Roadmap 2023

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Accendo, Jan 11, 2023.

  1. Draggoone Journeyman


    From what I gather from the wording, is that the UI layout, design, etc isn't changing. Just the bit of software that runs it. It's like if you took the dashboard out of a broken down 2005 Honda Civic and put it in one that's only driven 10 miles. The thing the dashboard is connected to has changed, but the gauges all look and are used the same way. Plus the overall driving experience is probably better for it. There's probably a better analogy out there, sorry.

    If you use a custom UI, it depends. People have asked if the new engine will read the same UI files (XML), with no dev response. If the engine does indeed read the same files, then the previous paragraph holds. Otherwise, you'll have to hope the person who made your custom UI is still around to make a new version of it.
    Skuz and Meeko like this.
  2. Angeliana Senior Community Manager

    The current plan is DirectX 11.1. So people running Windows 7 64-bit SP1 or newer should be still supported.
  3. Valcron Elder

    No one should be playing video games and running Windows 7, that's the reality of it.
    Caell, Wdor, WFSBelaar and 2 others like this.
  4. ISmellLikeInnySwamp Augur

    I hope that the new UI allows us to chop up windows. Whenever I'm healing, I want a few group names and a few extended target names in a certain spot, while the rest of the group and extended target names can be pushed off to the corner somewhere. With the current UI, all of the group names are in one box, and all of the extended target names are in the other box. :(
  5. Lodestar The Undefeated

    Awesome, thank you for the followup Angeliana. Incredible work for such an archaically complex code and engine. Sounds like DX 11.1 is the best option for speed and compatibility both; and I'm glad to hear your focus is on the compatibility piece for now and the future.
    Skuz, Fanra and Angeliana like this.
  6. Angeliana Senior Community Manager

    You're ever so welcome!
    Caell, Corwyhn Lionheart and Fanra like this.
  7. strongbus Augur

    nice but where in there do us Vah Shir's get made rulers of the world?
    Rijacki likes this.
  8. Gidono https://everquest.allakhazam.com

    What markup language is the new UI based off? xaml? Also, will the schemas be available? This is so we can use lets say Visual Studio to edit custom pieces and actually see what it looks like without running the game.
    Caell, Wdor and Fanra like this.
  9. Ozlaar Journeyman

    So, I see 9 new raids. A new UI engine. A new server which IMHO we don't need. A move to DirectX11 for the whole year. Not much else for people who group and solo because of lack of people and time. I wonder which group of people spends more money on this game. Raiders? Progression servers? Or the people who group and solo? Please tell me! If it's the groupers and people who solo than please tell me why than do they put more time, money and effort into the other two groups. I for one would like to know!
  10. Jedis Arch Mage

    The facts are that the game is over two decades old. The sheer mention that they're planning on updating DirectX to a new version is huge for this game, and shows DBG's desire to keep the game around for the long haul.

    Which group is bringing in more money is irrelevant. Facts are that progression servers bring people back and require them to subscribe. And expansions cause people to spend money. And then there's the market. Whether you're a raider, grouper, or soloer, there's love for everyone in that roadmap.
    Wdor and Yinla like this.
  11. Veteran_BetaTester PIZZA!

    : )
  12. Twin Blade Gnome New Member


    Its about time for Daybreak to open a merch store. We want old school Everquest shirts and apparel. You really done know how much yall are missing out.
    Ileasa and Wdor like this.
  13. FrogTheToad New Member

    I think the UI is generally terrible and dated, severely needs an update. Because unlike other elements of Everquest where it being dated is it's more compelling aspect, the UI is just annoying, ugly, and decrepit.
    Caell and Orangemilk like this.
  14. Svann2 The Magnificent

    I just hope that before they break all the old mods they have something better in place. And it seems to me that this should be on test server (or even beta server) for more than one week.
    Metanis and Ileasa like this.
  15. Skuz I am become Wrath, the Destroyer of Worlds.


    And this is why you cannot trust Gnomes, or even people who use Gnome avatars, crazy-talk like this is what led to Meldrath the Malignant's awful behaviour.
    The only good Gnome is in a Kebab.
  16. Accendo Guest

    We've seen lots of questions about the New UI Engine. While we're not ready to answer all of them, here are some that we can answer now.

    • There's some confusion around the new UI engine and if we're doing a port or a revamp of the UI / UX. We are performing a port which means we're replacing the engine (the part the runs the UI) and not planning to do any changes to the look or flow of any of the existing windows in this phase.
    • Once we have completed porting all the windows in the default UI to the new UI engine, we have plans to discuss a revamp of the UI / UX.
    • For people who use the default UI, we're trying to make it as much like the current UI as possible. That means that ideally, in this phase, it should look and behave like the current UI except for the new features.
    • Some of the new features that will be there when we do the initial launch are:
      • Window scaling - there will be a slider that controls the scaling of all the windows that have already been ported. This means if you want to make your UI larger (or smaller) you can use this and not have to use a custom UI to change the size of the text and images. This would be like the scaling of the "Button Size" on hot bars right now or /chatfontsize in the Chat window, but it would apply to the entire UI all at once.
      • Window docking - each window in the UI can "snap" to the edges of the entire game window and other windows within the UI when moving around the window.
      • Do note that the features will not apply to windows that haven't yet been ported and will apply as soon as the window is ported.
    • The initial launch will only have a part of all the windows in the UI ported. We will continue to port windows throughout the rest of the year. This means some windows will be using the new engine and its features, and others will not.
    • For people that use or develop custom UIs, this next part is for you.
      • While we cannot port your custom UI for you, we will be supplying a converter tool. The goal with the tool is to help aid with the porting of your custom UI. We can't guarantee that it will cleanly port everything for you, but it should automate some of the parts to help you get converted.
      • The language that the new engine will use is HTML5 based. So, if you're comfortable with building web sites or pages, you should already be comfortable with the new language. It isn't fully HTML5 compliant, but a large portion of the language is supported in the new engine.
      • The specific details of how new custom UIs will mix with the new default UI and the old default and custom UIs will be supplied as we get closer to release on the Test server.
    • We plan on launching the new engine and some ported windows to Live with the April Update. The plan is to put the new engine on the Test server in March. Depending on how things work out internally it may go to Test with the March Test Update or soon after the March Live update completes. If we can launch the new UI engine to the Test server earlier, we will try to do so.
  17. Emilari UI Designer

    Thanks for the info Accendo, most appreciated!
    Fanra, Sturmlocke and Accendo like this.
  18. Kibeth415 New Member

    Thank you for making an explanation here, i think I speak for a lot of people when I say this doesn't sound that damaging to our 90 day raid attendance as we initially feared.
    Sturmlocke likes this.
  19. sforzando New Member


    Why HTML5 and not something like Lua (i.e. like WoW's UI)? Is the new UI engine going to have a documented API that UI designers can interact with? As a dumb example, will I be able to say sort the extended target window by con or HP%? Or when targeting a mob, will I be able to sort the debuffs to display mine first? Or better yet have the option to filter things out? Imo, players shouldn't need third party software to track when their dots or debuffs fall off a target. ElvUI's modularity

    In short, is this new engine going to result in an increase to player agency? When I think of good UIs I think of ElvUI in WoW (for the sheer amount of modularity/granular control over ever aspect) and FFXIV's UI HUD (for minimal and simple controls and presentation). I hope the team is taking inspiration from things that work and isn't wasting time trying to reinvent the wheel in terms of good UI/UX.

    p.s. If you're introducing window snapping, can you also introduce a toggle-able grid so we can align things? In an ideal world I would want to /uigrid and then snap things like hotbars and windows to the same vertical/horizontal coordinates without having to eyeball it or manually edit an .ini file.
    baby-iksar and Gloomfall like this.
  20. Sturmlocke Apprentice

    Hey Accendo, just stopped by to say that I'm really liking what I'm reading so far. Thanks for taking the time. Instead typing something fresh, I'll just copy and paste what I posted on Nathan's most recent EQP99 video:

    Just my two cents on the subject. Btw, Nathan and folks have been discussing this topic in the last two or three EQ1 videos, and the initial reaction to this news is mostly positive from what I have been seeing so far. Ppl are already exchanging ideas and thoughts on what they would like to see from a new UI, and visual upgrade for that matter. Ignore the tape worm discussions if you like, the rest is good and solid feedback, lol (I have never had a tape worm):

    Ileasa likes this.