Introducing: EQ2 Relaxation video series

Discussion in 'General Gameplay Discussion' started by Sturmlocke, Jul 26, 2022.

  1. Aterskia Active Member

    heres be's pace inna Great Divide(815, 569, -188) dat be veri PEACEFUL, top-most peak near Thurgadin.
    Ohnee gots delicate wind wif occasional snow flurry, great to sleeps by!:cool:
    [IMG]
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  2. Dockter Well-Known Member

    New Tunare Music Please....
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  3. Jaden Well-Known Member

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    This is outstanding! Personally using certain parts as I work remotely ^-^. Great for literally relaxing anytime, plus nostalgia warm fuzzies. I am so happy you took the time to create this; much appreciated!
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  4. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Will do :) Thx for commenting guys! So interesting, my wife literally told me to do Tunare the other day and now I read this, lol. @At: I think I actually recorded this very same spot when I was doing the Hold of Rime video, which has been uploaded to YT too btw, just totally forgot to edit and upload. Will check tonight.

    You are very welcome mate. Thank YOU guys for watching and taking the time to comment. Will be doing much more ofc, just finished editing The Estate of Unrest for the upcoming Halloween vibes:



    Been a bit busy lately, but I do have a few more vids in the pipe before we go into Halloween mode :)
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  5. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Will be uploading New Tunaria this weekend. Uploading the first video right now actually. Three versions in total, V1 and V2 fixed viewpoints with lots of ambience and music, V3 will be a walking relaxation session :)
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  6. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    V1 is up with new soundtracks for an enhanced relaxation session. This one has lots of ambience and music in it and I made it extra long (12h) so you get different types of relaxing moments:


    Edit: V2 is up too now. This one is nice mix of both ambience sounds and music too. Not as long as the first one, gotta reserve a bit of energy for V3.


    V3 placeholder - uploading tomorrow.

    I tweaked my settings a bit, played around with Gamescope, AMD FSR, Nvidia Image Sharpening and upscaling techniques on Linux and Proton, which should make the video look much more detailed and sharper even if it's just rendering in 1080p resolution. Walking Relaxation will be in 4k though. Will do the snowy part At suggested after this. Last but not least, will be adding timestamps to all of my videos this weekend in order to make it a bit easier to navigate and jump to specific parts of a video.

    Enjoy!
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  7. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.


    Here it is, V3 Walking Relaxation of New Tunaria. HD version is being processed by YT right now. Sorry for the delay folks, been spending a lot of time with my fam. Also uploaded a few other vids, feel free to check out the most recent uploads on my channel. Next up: Great Divide and Antonica.

    New Tunaria Exploration: You'll find a nice mix of ambience and nature sounds combined with a few calming soundtracks filled with beautiful piano tunes. In addition, dunno if my mind has been playing tricks on me or not, but I could have sworn that New Tunaria used to have randomized rain in the past. I tried to catch it when the sky turned grey, to no avail, so I added a few visual and acoustic rain effects into the mix myself, which you should be able to see and hear at some point halfway through the video. Before the video ends, I take you to the waterfall and bathing area of a thousand youths in order to wash off all of the raindrops we got hit by earlier (called it that way because the water there is of magical and reenergizing nature which helps you stay young/er longer). Last but not least, I decided to record NT mostly at night, mainly bc my wife asked for a few night videos for our kids. Bright videos at night = makes it harder for kids to fall asleep. Will be doing upcoming Great Divide, Antonica and Qeynos videos at night too. Updated thumbnails for all EQ2 videos + also started adding timestamps, will add more as time goes on.

    Enjoy!
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  8. Breanna Well-Known Member

    Nice!!!! I always loved New Tunaria
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  9. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Same here B :) Gotta say, the entire Greater and lower Faydark zone + NT are some of the most beautiful places in all of Norrath. You can really tell the ppl working on these zones gave it everything they had back then when the battle Warcraft vs EQ2 was still red hot. I keep coming back to these places just to relax and take in all the atmosphere. I can see myself playing a few tunes there (if we get musician jobs, see sig) or fishing at the GF beach while drinking a cold beer (if fishing gets made more interactive, also see sig).

    What's your fav zone?
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  10. Breanna Well-Known Member

    Don't really have a favorite per se but the last expansion I really liked was the one with Sundered Frontier and Stonebrunt. Once they reached Maldura and Thumbria (sp) they went totally down hill. I always liked the lower level zones and I still mentor down and go back for quest and shinies. The newer zones are eh! And no quest to speak of, after you do a few quest you're done with the expansion. Tunaria was beautiful though. I also like some of the zones (I forget expansion names) but the one's on the moon. The main city there was beautiful. And the palace from Stonebrunt. and, and, and LOL So many to pick from it's hard to pick a favorite.
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  11. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Yeah, there is such a huge variety of awesome places, it really is hard to pick a fav. Tbh, I really liked Karuupa Jungle in VoV, and I hope to see this zone get bigger over time. It's one of the most beautiful and immersive places out there. In fact, for me it's all the way up there with Sinking Sands and Greater Faydark, really well done. Also agree on the mentoring down for vanilla zones part; totally worth it! Now imagine how all of these zones and places would look like with a small facelift, enhanced weather system, better flora and fixed water, bigger worlds without loading times, free roam ship sailing, enhanced char models and more :D



    Take our underwater worlds for example. We have so many beautiful sea creatures, but our underwater worlds are a bit small by comparison and are missing flora and underwater deco like coral reef, sea plants and better fx effects like bubbles and particles. EQ2 engine is suuuper nice when it comes to the particle system, still top notch even today after nearly two decades. I added some particle effects to the two videos that you see above. IMO small details like these drastically increase the overall immersion and atmosphere just by being there - no user interaction necessary (although some form player interaction would be nice, like moving flora that reacts to player movement and collision etc. -> a feature we used to have in EQ2, sadly a feature that got removed due to performance and oom issues back in the old days). Noteworthy that EQ1 does have nice looking underwater flora despite it's age -> https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/buried-sea.607176/#post-6710889

    Ah, the potential for so much more is there. It's right in front of us haha!
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  12. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Promised this one some time ago, a bit late, better late than never:

    FROSTFELL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EDITION 2k / 60 fps (HD v. ready soon)

    Had to do it on test before it goes live, bc December = family time and I probably won't have that much time for vids this month. I'll probably do two or three more before calling it for this month. New viewpoint every five minutes. Last 15 - 20 minutes of this vid is flying around and showcasing the zone. Lots of beautiful, relaxing christmas chimes and music in this one too! I'm sure you'll recognize some of the tunes. If you're reading this when the event goes live or when Christmas is here - - - MERRY FROSTFELL TO ALL OF NORRATH. Ho, ho, ho!

    A few things to note:
    • I had to use my main Optiplex PC bc my SFF machine that I usually use is having hardware issues
    • Bigger and more powerful Optiplex used for this video, more powerful in terms of fps, but no hardware encoding when recording, everything done via CPU H264 and I forgot to switch to a more appropriate rec-profile before recording = one or two minor stutters, everything else smooth 60fps. Can hopefully upgrade my machine by the end of next year, haha
    • A few jaggies here and there since the removal of Anti Aliasing options in EQ2, will work around this soon
    Enjoy! :)
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  13. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Relaxing half naked in GF both above and underwater:


    Uuuuuh. Healing increased by +51.


    Relax to the beautiful visuals of this zone, the magical music and sounds purchased and licensed by myself exclusively for this single video, the ambience and nature sounds, the raindrops surrounding you as they gently massage your entire body and ofc the warm ocean water touching your legs and feet. Don't forget to feed the crabs, fish and turtles while you're here though! Animals are hungry too ya know. SAVE THE WHALES. That said, this is also the perfect spot for some fishing. I hear the crab meat is delicious down here!

    Ah yes, GF is the perfect zone to let it all go...

    And now imagine an entire underwater zone filled with sea life, coral reef, sunken ships, dungeons, ruins and refurbished plus enhanced underwater regions for all of Norrath (see signature). It could be so... beautiful. Enhanced rainfall, weather and clouds for all zones = immersion +92.
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  14. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.


    Your wish is my command. Bit late, but better late than never. Will be recording the requested Gallium of Dreams next. Edit, added the promised vids:
    Sidenote: I updated my EQ2R YT channel logo and I will be using the upgraded logo for all of my relaxation series from now on (dcuo, eq1, eq2, etc.). Initially I had one seperate logo per game, mainly bc I originally had the intention of creating one Youtube channel per game, but all of those were just quick and dirty creations just to get started and actually meant as a placeholder while I find the time and peace of mind to create something better. Now that I'm slowly but steadily reaching the 100 video and subscriber mark on YT, I made the decision to simplify and unify all games under a single and easily identifiable banner while keeping it elegant. In other words, effective immediately, no matter the game, they will all be introduced with this new logo. This should save me some time and make things a bit easier for me in terms of content creation. Hope you like it! Intro post on page 1 updated. Last but not least, I just purchased a few more interesting soundtracks for upcoming videos. :)

    [IMG]
    Inspired by Greater Faydark (image background) and the original golden EQ logo. Open Source font to keep things simple yet elegant. In addition, this logo was also inspired by the colors of our sons Penaten baby creme.
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  15. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Uploaded the promised vids and pasted the links in the post above.

    In addition, someone on Steam once told me that he enjoyed relaxing to the colors and overall water spa feeling of Awuidor, so I just made another vid similar to that one.

    Enter Kingdom of Wind

    Relaxation

    Highly recommended paying this seemless endless void of lonliness a visit; let its magical tunes and water mist heal your soul. In addition, don't forget to pay our highly respected queen bee a short visit in her magnificent bee hive. I hear she's selling her honey at a discounted price nowadays, mainly due to the inflated plat prices our economy currently suffers from. Even a queen bee has to feed her kids one way or the other.

    Exploration
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  16. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Hail and well met folks, just wanted to post a few of the new vids I have been recording lately bc I feel these regions are so well done that they deserve some form of recognition. Their colors, structures, sounds and overall atmosphere are beautiful to say the least.

    The newest entry: Castle High hold





    And this one is also important to me bc I really enjoy music in mmos and there is lots of untapped potential here: https://youtu.be/1lXrazxQ1tg

    More vids already in the works or on my channel :) Enjoy, and above all, relaaaax!

    Cheers
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  17. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    100 subs Milestone Special:


    As a small tribute to the new milestone but also for everything that is EQ2: From the community to our devs and the powers that be. EQ2, where adventure comes alive. Also a small wink at the upcoming swag store. Falcor the owl has spoken.

    And ofc a few new event, exploration and relaxation vids too. Enjoy! :)
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  18. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Howdy folks, just wanted to let ya'll know that I am still working on more relaxing content for all of the titles mentioned in my opening post, and DCUO is the one getting some love currently:

    Sightseeing in Metropolis

    Check out the playlists on my channel hub for more videos, and feel free to let me know which type of video you would like to see next. Things have been slowing down a bit lately, mainly due to the summer time break that I enjoy spending with my family, but I expect things to kick up back to full speed during the colder days of the year.

    Quoting my own comment in the video above:

    If there ever was a game that made my teen self believe that a man can fly, then it is most certainly DCUO. Another game from the ppl in charge of the likes of Everquest and more. You guys just don't get enough credit for the beautiful worlds you have been giving us over all these years.

    Cheers
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  19. Yummyjummy Member

    I just found your channel on YouTube and I love it! I hope you make many more videos.
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  20. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Hello Yummyjummy, I just found your post. It went completely under the radar for some reason... but thank you for the kind words! More videos have already been uploaded and more to come! The last few weeks I have been looking over to our teammate, DC Universe Online. Copy and paste from the DCUO forums:

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    DC Universe Online, The Fortress of Solitude: A Relaxing Tribute.


    Hello again everyone,

    a few days ago I said that I was working on two or three different projects for DCUO, and this is the first batch of results that is coming out of this collaboration. While I was finishing work on this project I checked the news and noticed that we have been through some layoffs and that allegedly Mepps is gone too now? First of all: I'm going to have to let this one sink in for a while, but I'll try to remain in a neutral / unbiased position until I know what this change really means and until I can see the full picture. I hope DC can recover and come out stronger after these unexpected turn of events, because I just started playing it with my 4yo son again, and we want more! My utter most respect and condolences to everyone who lost their job. Wishing ya'll the best! Stay strong, dear ladies and gentlemen. Maybe now is actually the time to stop and look back at what has been achieved thus far, and what can still be achieved in due time. The potential for more is most certainly there, it just lacks the light to show the way. In other words, this one is for you too @ DC-Team & Devs!

    I worked together with professional musicians in order to record and fully recreate the music that you hear throughout this tribute video series, which is an inspirational callback to the original Superman movie from my time and era (Superman: The Movie from 1978, Richard Donner, Christopher Reeves, John Williams). In other words, this music was created and recorded as a cover version inspired by the original source material specifically for this tribute series. This project took a lot of time and effort to create, because not only did I have to clear FOS several times due to technical issues during recording, but there was also a lot of back and forth involved to find the right musicians for this very special project of mine. No joke, I spent an entire week probing the different tunes and samples. Several hundred bucks and many sleepless nights later, we finally managed to find the sweet spot, so here we are. Spared no time or expense at all. DCUO has given us a lot of entertainment over the years, and now we're giving a little bit back to you @DCUO community. This video is also meant as a callout to better times and it can also be seen as feedback to what I personally love about this game while also shedding some light on what I feel has been missing or lacking thus far.

    I love how well done some areas and "dungeons" are such as Smallville, Moon Hive Base, Atlantis and FOS! In simple words: These places are all drop dead gorgeous. That said, I can only sit here and wonder how beautiful these worlds could look and sound with strongly upgraded visuals, animations, bigger and better open areas, a more sleek and modern interface and last but certainly not least: better fitting music. Some ppl in our playerbase have been talking about DCUO 2, and while I wouldn't mind an entirely new game made from scratch, you never know how a successor will be received by both the existing fanbase and also by potential new players. A successor can go both ways, that is whether you like it or not, but the original will always hold a special place in our gamer hearts. Whatever the case, DCUO absolutely deserves a next-gen upgrade on all fronts. Final Fantasy 14 launched on PS3 too, and it is getting a tremendous graphical upgrade later this year.

    When it comes to the music, a lot of places in DC remind me of the good old movies from the past, and this relaxing tribute series of mine is completely inspired by the very same nostalgic feeling of the golden days. Unfortunately, a lot of zones in dcuo don't have the proper music to back them up in a meaningful and noteworthy manner, which downgrades the overall good and solid experience that they can actually offer. Take Atlantis for example, there is no original aquatic soundtrack to be heard when visiting this very well crafted area. The only track that I hear in Atlantis is recylced music from the Watchtower and another track that is way too bombastic in nature for such a beautiful yet relaxing zone. Atlantis needs Dire, Dire Docks (Mario64) or Donkey Kong Country (SNES) vibes in order to let players feel and hear the water all around them. You already have super interesting whale sound effects, some bubble and flowing water sounds here and there too, but that isn't enough. The very same thing can be said for the Fortress of Solitude. I went into FOS again the other day, and I didn't hear any music at all - aside from the bombastic fighting sounds ofc. FOS should be tapping into the power of the past in order to truly make this a unique experience for all gamers alike whether you're young or old. My video is what I imagine to hear when I enter this magnificent fortress. Also, I want to explore more of FOS too! Surely there are yet to be discovered areas. Anyway, I'll be posting some more feedback on some things that have caught my eye and attention throughout the many years. So to answer the survey: Yes, I highly recommend DCUO to everyone who likes DC, Marvel and even DBZ, but I also think that it has to be taken more serious again especially when it comes to the things mentioned above (and more ofc).

    PLEASE ENJOY THIS NOSTALGIC RIDE DOWN MEMORY LANE! SPARED NO EXPENSE (worked on it within a limited budget though). Please note: This is meant as a relaxing TRIBUTE to the best superhero/villain mmo of all time, which includes an intro and outro etc. This video series will consist of three versions:
    • Version 1: 1 hour alternate ambience soundtrack inspired by the original Superman music from Superman: The Movie (1978)
    • Version 2: same as V1 but with a different ambience soundtrack, also 1 hour long
    • Version 3: a short and cut down version with a beautiful piano soundtrack created just for this shorter edition
    I'd love to hear what ya'll think about this series after the first video has gone live. Feedback appreciated and very much welcomed!

    Thank you. Be well everyone. Read you all soon!
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    In addition, I have been updating ALL of my Youtube thumbnails with more professional looking pictures. See community post here: https://www.youtube.com/@eq2relaxation549/community

    Preview:
    [IMG]
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