I know things have been discussed like this before but how about a container you can stick old weapons into and produce an ornament that looks like the old weapon, I would have no problem spending SC on something like this.
This is what I was going to recommend. This way those that want the updates can pay for them and get them. Those that don't can choose to not pay for them or turn them off even after they've paid for them. Hopefully, stuff like this will be an option down the road in the Player's Studio.
Although possible, it's been discussed before and they have said that it would take a lot of work because they would have to make an entirely new item for each weapon look in the game.
a) character models should be redone (I'm in the game industry, I know it's expensive), but then Sony should charge per race, etc. in the shop if you want them. I think they would make bank. I am willing to bet you could charge $15 to $20 per race, and people would pay it, even if they just upgrade here and there. b) Elidroth, this is more for you... Are the textures something that fans could work on, create, and inject? I know this might break the game and updates, but I am just curious if this is even possible. I am sure there are many of us who would give our time to update the game (just as has been done with Morrowind, Skyrim, etc.) Hell, if Sony wanted to use them in game, I'm sure none of us would mind working on that in our spare time.
The problem is they did try to update things a few times. Toxxulia, Ro, the Commonlands, Freeport, Nektulos. Turned out nobody liked that. EQ is a creaking, old game. Any attempt at updating the graphics that doesn't involve completely re-doing the entire game will slow down content and just make things ugly thanks to the jarring contrast between new and old. A lot of the enjoyment of EQ is a combination of nostalgia and the fact that those ancient graphics will run on pretty much any machine under the sun. If you really want updated graphics, wait for EQn to come out.
The art team constantly amazes me with how far they push the engine each expansion. I'm sure some of the cool effects we see require some pretty crazy artistic work-arounds.
For me a large graphics upgrade would be better animations on the players or more variety, or how they just stand around on terrian and move and walk. Something always seems off with it to me. Also heros forge for OLD models. Dwarf and Halfings just look so much better old school.
I am also against redoing the graphics, I like the old look, definately some serious nostalgia involved here I will admit. I also appreciate the better graphics in newer content, and I *really* appreciate how the Heros Forge armor is looking after the reforge. So I am glad that they are tackling some of the other longstanding complaints about graphics(lack of armor options and such).. I will admit that there is an odd contrast when you see my Heros Forge-decked out Troll standing in the background of a severely washed out grass texture (see pic) but I am fine with it. And I am not fine with what they did to some of the revamped zones........ I think only Nektulos Forest held true to its original design. Nektulos Forest 2.0 that is, the first rework was a true abomination.
Many of the old weapons have recipes now to create an ornamentation. If there's others you want to see, I'm sure Jansan would be happy to consider them.
In regards to the comments made about character model redo's. With hero's forge now if they just keep expanding on that avenue character models don't really need to be redone, giving as many unique armor designs will make up for that.
In some ways, I agree with you Cak, but it's just frustrating for folks who weren't around back in the day that 90% of the mobs in the game are fine, and some just as good as say Wow (yes I said it), but then the character models are just ug. I was playing yesterday and one of the mercenaries I saw was as good as anything in any other game for the most part (not sure what it was, but it was a cool looking humanoid), but the character models standing around it just stood out like sore thumbs, and they run like they have a corn cob in their butt.
I am all for great looking new zones and monsters. I think the newer zones in Everquest look great and hold up incredibly well with other MMOs. But changing old zones has historically gone very poorly with the player base and I agree that it's a waste of time for the developers to focus on. As for character models, I am split on them. I happen to really like the way my character looks now. Heroes forge gives me options. I use heroes forge for my boots, gloves and bracers only and think I look fantastic lol.
Until EQ gets a much better graphics engine it won't be able to support even remotely modern graphics to begin with. And then all the people with 10+ year old computers with windows xp will stop playing because honestly that's all a 10 year old computer is good for.
Keep in mind that some people prefer the pre-Luclin character models, the ones that have polygon counts... maybe in the double digits and elementals that look like floating turds. Terrible graphics in a still-running mmorpg have become something of a selling point with a very niche crowd.
This, and it will not happen. Be glad we get variety and if you really don't like it, they probably will not update models that use the Drakkin framework ever. Which I think is fine now with hero forge.
