Just an idea. Release eq1 again with EQnext graphics or better than they were going to be You will have loads of fans join in. Need something fresh.
EQNext's graphics were rather... cartoonish. But so was WoW and look who popular that was at the beginning. Its worth looking into, I suppose.
I have to be honest and say I loathe those WoW/EQNext graphics - I'd like more realism if anything, on a par with Skyrim graphics perhaps.
When it comes to the graphics, IDGAF. I lean more toward realism over cartoonish, but i understand that cartoonish/simplified graphics on an optimized engine allows for having dozens to hundreds of characters on screen at the same time with little drop in FPS/Performance. What matters to me is well thought out systems and mechanics, with plans mapped out for the long haul, which would eliminate absurd stat-flation. How "pretty" a game looks means nothing the base systems and mechanics are trash.
The one big turn-off for me was that feline with the 8-foot wide shoulderpads. It ruined the whole atmosphere. Everything else was visually reasonable to me.
They'd very likely have to completely rebuild the game engine. The old skeletons won't have enough bones or the right bones for the existing animations. EQ2 has 37 different character model bone-sets, Ttobey said the other day. You get smoother animation with more articulation in the bones. Life would probably be much easier for the art team if they had the time and funding to go back and do a complete overhaul of the character models/skeletons so they could be more consistent where possible... but time and money aren't plentiful for them.
A game could have the best mechanics ever, but if I don't like the look of its artwork & characters? I wouldn't play it.
WoW may have been, may still be popular, even though it still has a much more limited FtP model than EQ2 does, but Blizzard outspent SOE dollar for dollar on advertising by a minimum of 1000%. It doesn't matter if you build it, they will not come if they do not know about it.
Realistic graphics feel much more belonging and intensive in Everquests art style moreso than cartoonish work. I definitely think EQ was always known for having a state of modernized and over-the-wall detail and presentation. I mean look at eq1, giant beautiful 3d mmo and one of the first. Look at eq2, it looks impeccable for it's time!
I don't mind "cartoon" look of EQNext or any other games but I don't like "childish" looking character/world models/aesthetics. You can do realistic/mature looking aesthetics even with cartoon style. Have look at french and/or studio ghibli animation.
I'd be surprised if they weren't working on something to continue the EQ franchise. There have been rumors that they are/were. If they weren't, it would be an unfortunate waste of what is a fairly popular and well-liked IP. I'm with the "graphics aren't a huge deal" crowd - I would rather have decent game mechanics, challenging content, and lots of lore. The ForgeLight engine seems to do a decent enough job of handling graphics and networking. No need to load it with gimmicks (Wildstar, I'm looking at you) to try to artificially appeal to a crowd that doesn't really exist anymore.
Considering I started the online MMORPG Genre with UO which was top down view all the time, I love the EQ2 graphics. I did try WoW for a considerable time, it was not for me, the only thing I really liked in any way was the crafting and that was only a small bit in the like department. I played Horizons now Istaria for a very long time, loved the crafting, still do. I played EQ, loved the variety of crafting, that was about it, even became one of their guides for a bit, but didn't like it enough to stop UO. Tried Rift, hated everything about it, same with DAoC. Played LoTRO loved it for the most part although I did not like the books or the movies, the Spousal Unit glares at me for this and believes me to be a pod, this was prior to any free to play model. Tried AC, only game I can ever remember using the CDs as coasters. Tried Runescape way, way back in time, loved the number of different crafts you could learn. Tried a couple of the Final Fantasy Onlines, did not like them, that franchise lost a lost when it went from Nintendo to PlayStation and then to online, but my oldest kid still loves it. Played Vanguard for quite some time, loved most of it, except Diplomacy. Snarky and Diplomacy do not work well together. Played Wizard101 and Pirate101 and believe it or not, even though they were both considered "kids" games, they were very well done, there were more polite players and more players with manners and who knew how to behave in a public social setting than in other MMORPGs. I think overall, I have run the gamut of MMORPG offerings, different graphics styles, et al. For me, its the crafting, the housing, the questing, and the lore/story and stability. I would prefer nice looking graphics, but its not the be all end all.
For me, the game has to look good alongside mechanics etc. I was spoilt - my first MMO was Matrix Online. Fantastic look and feel to both characters and world environment. Did a 2 week trial of Wow, hated the cartoonish look and have never been back. Tried EQ1 and never made it out of the starter caves - could not stand looking at my character or the horrible movements it made. Love the music though. EQ2 is the best I found after MO sunsetted. SWToR was ok, but I have rediscovered the sheer beauty and environmental complexity of GW2 in recent weeks. Really enjoying exploring and still have a long way to go for map exploration completion. EQNext was several steps too far over the anime or cartoon line for me.
I tried WOW for the 2 week trial too and just could not get into it. Played RIFT for a bit wasn't too bad, but I couldn't stand the crafting and the broker system in that game. Played Final Fantasy a lot but never got into it when it went to PC. And Diablo me and my honey used to spend hours on that game when you could do a network thing and play together. Never really played it on line though. Tried Dark Age of Camelot lasted maybe 2 hours (yea the cd made a great coaster) Vanguard had great graphics crafting wasn't too bad, but didn't care for the way you leveled your spells and what not. EQ2 is by far the best of any game I've played and that even counts all the Nintendo although Super Mario did kind of rock, and so did Zelda LOL
I still think the best MMO was EQOA on the PS2, despite the EQ1 graphics and only having 10 active abilities. The UI was very basic, so you had to actually have some skill to defeat the harder mobs, and there was no ACT telling you what to do and when. You actually had to look at the mob when in combat and not a bunch of overblown UI information.
I think that if they open up a community run server, there are a lot of talented people out there who, given the tools, have a lot of free time and ideas for shaping the game content, designing and tuning etc. I know there are emulator projects flying about, but having an official community run server would not only be able to keep the player base under the DayBreak umbrella and subscription model, but if the community ever came up with some interesting concepts, tweaks, designs, quests etc.. then DayBreak could cherry-pick what content they wanted to bring into the live game, which would benefit both community server population and live population. Players are getting a more flexible world that they want to play in, and DayBreak suddenly gains a constantly evolving server of content, ideas and possibly some useful insight data about the community which could help them shape their own future developments. As an example of how non-programmers / designers could help on a community server... Itemisation which constantly seems to be an issue on any server. Instead of relying on doing blind global stat changes, maybe players on a community server who are actually looting the items at the time could update the item's stats in the item window (within a stat range to avoid abuse) into a voting system. This wouldn't instantly change the item of course but the item voting system will periodically globally update that item's stats to the community average vote. I'm not a programmer but I know there's already a voting system in game which gets used for other things, and an item slider system that i've seen from the old reforging windows so i'm imagining plugging those two together with a vote button. - I'm thinking start with small things, and build up with more areas in what the community is allowed to do. The same could work for exp levels, timers, rewards, drop rates, hp levels and a whole host of other things. It may or may not work or be viable, but if it is a possibility then I wouldn't see the harm in trying it. Some of my favourite past games that I keep revisiting have player made content and mod packs with new stories and gear that the original game didn't have.
Loved the entire Zelda series and the entire Mario Brothers series. Another good series is Harvest Moon. Try finding a copy of Ogre Battle that isn't more than $300 that was an outstanding game and Final Fantasy Tactics. Can't forget Azure Dreams either. I was the cool mom. I had more video game systems then any kid and video games, computers, computer games, you name it, I had it. 72' TV with surround sound, this was in the 1990s.
