EverQuest Producer's Letter Fall 2021

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Accendo, Nov 2, 2021.

  1. yepmetoo Abazzagorath

    One of my laptops is 32 bit and runs things just fine. Who cares about security liability on a 4th or 5th box used only for eq =P
  2. Numiko Augur

    They are not talking about merging normal servers, a few of the TLP servers have caught up to live and are sitting there idling with a minimal population still playing on them, these will be the servers that will get merged into a live servers.
    Shindius likes this.
  3. Jebasiz Journeyman

    Maybe larger debuff caps on raid content?
    PatCleric likes this.
  4. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    To be fair, we were warned a while ago in one of the dev streams, that 64bit was coming. The news this time, is that we have a timeframe. :)
    Coagagin, Shindius and Keella like this.
  5. Uoman New Member

    You can still slap together a pc capable of running EQ for the cost of an annual subscription or less due to the used parts market. Even brand new or restored parts can be had for about $150 for the whole set up. You don't need a bleeding edge pc and it will cost you less than a single bleeding edge component to rebuild your entire set of boxes.

    Even if you're physically incapable of working, you can still take on a gig job for a couple hours a day and be able to average a rig per week. Meaning you could have all of your boxes replaced before the update rolls out, even if it were to roll out January 5th.
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  6. Skrab East Cabilis #1 Realtor


    Unaffiliated Twitch stream with only 20-30 regular viewers. Nobody is going to pay attention that.
  7. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    True, but I think a lot more people heard the news, than just the regular viewers. I doubt that there are more than 20-30 players, who don't own at least one 64bit computer. That is just a guess, Im sure DBG knows the real score though.

    They might want to update this page soon: https://help.daybreakgames.com/hc/e...minimum-system-requirements-to-run-EverQuest-
    Shindius, Keella and PatCleric like this.
  8. Slasher Augur


    And that laptop can likely use a 64bit OS even if you want to keep using an older windows you can find 64bit versions of them. 64bit OS does not mean it requires more memory to use or a better CPU it will run the same as your 32bit one does.
    Shindius and code-zero like this.
  9. Gherig Addicted since Aug 1st, 1998

    32 bit is a big problem today, if your still using it, do or save whatever you can to get into a 64 bit machine and asap.

    Even Windows 11 wont run on older 64bit capable processors now, 64 bit is already that old. My oldest computer is a i7 - 2600k Intel, great box to run EQ on, but Microsoft wont even let you load Windows 11 on it.

    So if your still locked behind a 32 bit machine, like I said before, start saving a few dollars here and there and move into something newer as soon as you can.
    Shindius and Coagagin like this.
  10. Qelil Augur

    32 bit supports 4 GB of addressable memory assuming the appropriate flag is set to enable it, not 2.

    Having more addressable memory is not a cure for memory leaks and the problems they cause. Fixing them is the cure for that. If you have a memory leak eating up what remains of ram, it will continue to eat up what remains of ram when there is more of it. So to imply that crashes due to memory leaks may not happen at all if you just have lots more memory is not feature to tout by any means and it isn't even true other than perhaps in edge case scenarios. It of course depends on how significant the memory leak is to begin with.

    I think people would do well to simply understand that the move to 64 bit code ensures ongoing operating system compatibility for the foreseeable future and it solves the problems developers have been running into related to memory constraints working within what I am sure is currently a 4 GB addressable memory space.

    That said, this is great news and I am glad to hear it. Again though, I think it is good to manage a set of reasonable initial expectations before getting into conversations about what is going to change, etc.
  11. Qelil Augur

    Microsoft is doing this anyway. Windows 11 requires a dual core 64 bit CPU at the minimum although it does still support running 32 bit apps for the time being.

    I can tell you if you don't already have it that EverQuest 32 bit runs just fine on Windows 11 in case you have not heard that elsewhere already.

    A 64 bit EverQuest client is going to require a 64 bit version of Windows.
  12. Slasher Augur


    32bit applications will always be supported when using a 64bit OS.
    Shindius likes this.
  13. Metanis Bad Company

    I'm very disappointed she didn't mention the lag problems. It's like she's all pumped up about the audio system in her '73 Gremlin while the rods are knocking and the blue smoke is pouring out the tailpipe.

    /sadface
    Shindius likes this.
  14. Qelil Augur

    I doubt that very much. Microsoft has long been very good about backwards compatibility in the interest of keeping major business customers with legacy applications happy. Home users are the beneficiaries of this more than the drivers of it. However, this will not continue forever.

    Just as 16 bit compatibility eventually was deprecated you can be sure that 32 bit will be as well in the future.

    The way you worded what you said leads me to wonder if you understand that the only reason 32 bit apps run on 64 bit Windows is something called WOW64 which you can look up rather than trust me on. Remove that feature and that's the end of 32 bit support in Windows. Fortunately, they kept it in Windows 11. On the other hand, Windows 11 has other security oriented requirements that mean anyone wanting to install it needs a relatively recent system for Windows 11 to even install. You can read about those and get a utility to test your system at the Microsoft web site.
  15. Qelil Augur

    By the way, remember the uproar when we had to have a whopping 512 megabytes of system memory to enable the new character models years ago? I remember reading about how ridiculous that was having to have so much memory and the expense of it and more.

    People got over it. They will get over this. I know that is harsh but it is the truth.

    You gotta love old audio gear though! It keeps going and going and going! Well, it mostly does and when it don't you can still fix it or get it fixed. My brother's original Victrola works like a charm! The freaking thing won't play CDs though.
  16. Arctodus Elder

    Well I hope a new graphic engine is on its way as well. Hopefully some class changes and the removal having to macro everything would be a bonus.
  17. Keella Journeyman

    They've been doing that to one degree or another since at least PoP and have partnered with multiple other companies over the years for various assets.

    That said I think the website was very nicely done and if that's the kind of quality product that they want to iterate on within EQ itself too then it bodes well for the future.
    From what I have seen of the ToL content so far it does look really well done even though it is still using an old DX9 engine.

    My mind reels at the thought of what the talented folks could create if the shackles of the existing engine were taken off and their creativity was unleashed by a more modern graphics engine.

    Especially if the animation system was improved enough to let TTobey really get freaky with the limbs and tentacles!!

    Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
    Shindius, MasterMagnus and Qelil like this.
  18. Waring_McMarrin Augur


    You should ask Apple users how that is working out for them. 32 bit apps have been depreciated on iOS/iPadOS for a while now and recently in MacOS as well. It is just a matter of time before Microsoft stops supporting them as well.
    Keella likes this.
  19. Smokezz The Bane Crew

    A lot of Linux distros have dropped 32 bit support completely as well. 32bit is on the way out. The last 32 bit AMD processor was made in 2005. The last desktop Intel processor was the early Pentium 4's, mobile was the Core Duo/Solo's in 2006.
    Shindius and Keella like this.
  20. Nennius Curmudgeon

    Off topic a bit I suppose, but what is the current thinking as to new PC prices and/or parts for same? Lots of folks have systems that won't meet the upcoming specs for Win 11 and there are a few folks I know who still have 32 bit systems. I have a couple of friends I am trying to talk into returning to the EQ fold and upgrading their systems for now looks a bit pricey. So, what are your guesses as to when prices will start to fall a bit?