I know we have the Chaos Descending zones, but it would be cool to see an underwater area in Norrath itself. Anyone agree?
+1 fully agree. I'm actually just filming a few new vids and started thinking about that again. Feel free to join us with your ideas: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...more-underwater-wildlife.606297/#post-6704223 Maybe someone can share some EQ1 screenshots of a few beautiful aquatic zones?
Back in EverQuest there exists Kedge Keep -- basically Norrath's version of Atlantis, located underneath Dagnor's Cauldron off of Butcherblock Mountains. The zone is entirely underwater, and was a mechanical nightmare to navigate, position yourself to use melee attacks on enemies, and just exist in general. Underwater zones have always been the bane of a game developer's existence. Even in EQ2, pulling creatures underwater has often shown strange pathing issues. I want to think that the reason they didn't put the effort into reintroducing Kedge Keep or any other completely underwater zone in EQ2 is because of the mechanical problems with pathing and all that stuff. I'm not against the idea. I mean, there's no mention that Kedge Keep was actually destroyed in the cataclysms, so it's possible it could be unburied and reintroduced. It's possible that Phinigel Autropos is still living as the last existing Kedge after 500 years (but EQ2's lore has confirmed that the Kedge species has been extinct for thousands of years). I just completely understand if the devs aren't going to give themselves a massive headache by trying to make it work.
I see. I know in ff14 they have that little bubble area underwater. And I suppose it would be a pain to always have to have water breathing totems on hand. But the idea is just fun to think about. Like kingdom of sky was with the air. I always pictured the idea based on that zone in the first (canon) Star Wars movie.
Mentioned this in the other thread, gonna say it again here. I remember that a similar discussion was held when we were talking about doing water related stuff in dcuo, and it was deemed too difficult to realise with the Unreal 3 engine back then, but somehow they actually pulled it off. And now even Planetside 2 has beautiful underwater levels, my Zod, makes you wanna jump right in and join the fun. I'm actually more of Battlefield player myself, but seeing that makes me wanna login just to do that water stuff. If Planetside 2 had the same level of destruction that the Battlefield series has = would never touch Battlefield again. But that's a different topic. Anyway, what Cus mentioned sounds awesome to me tbh. Actually kinda mindblown that she knows the lore so well, lol. Can ANYONE here go to those places in EQ1 and make a few beautiful screenshots, showcasing the zones mentioned by Cus? Maybe our little hamster AT can do it? Seeing something is often super motivating and allows ppl to see the bigger picture much easier.
WAAAATER EVERYWHERE, SMELLS LIKE SALTY CORALS IN HERE Anyone wanna join me for a relaxing virtual swim next weekend? ;D
Blood of Luclin had a dungeon that would completely flood after the second boss was killed. The third boss was fought underwater. It had a buff that would increases its defenses the closer to the surface it was, taking no damage at all if you pulled him to the one above water location. There were bubbles around the room that you could stand in, completely removing the buff from the boss, but the bubbles would move around and spawn adds. Most groups hit water breathing and pulled him to the floor. Lots of line-of-sight issues, and usually a death or two on pull as you had to drag him quite a ways. It wasn't anybody's favorite zone.
WHAT? Oh man, in addition to the stuff that Cus mentioned, can anyone show what Ben just posted? Why in the world hasn't anyone filmed it yet? Just hearing how a dungeon floods with water etc. reminds me of Bioshock or Hydrophobia (both on Steam). Almost sounds too good to be true. I posted a YT video here: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...more-underwater-wildlife.606297/#post-6704223 Where the Pantheon devs are talking about something similar, and now Ben comes along and pretty much tells us that something like that already exists? The Pantheon dev didn't go that much into detail when it comes to water dungeons, but he indicated that an underwater world or dungeon should be more than just a normal dungeon under water, if you get what I mean. For example, if the water refraction bug gets fixed, see link in my signature below, and if the devs were to add more water physics to EQ2, you could add a lot of water related puzzles, mini games and things that are tied to physics or something that is simple and yet fun to adventure in. Hm, how to best showcase what I mean. Ah, here, this is a game that I absolutely loved as a kid, and still love as a man today: That game was SO simple and yet SO entertaining. It used the element water in a way that is timeless. It stands the test of time for the very fact that the gameplay and water interaction is so much fun.
PS: If I make a char in EQ1, can anyone get me to the places that Cus and Ben just mentioned? I'd love to film them for YT, if I can be protected. I don't have access to my old toon, so I'd have to start fresh at lvl 1. Either that or someone else can film it or take some screenshots and share them here. Sounds like too much fun to ignore tbh. PS2: Ben you mentioned that the water dungeon wasn't anyones fav. The same was said about Vashjir in WoW, but let me tell the world here one thing: I LOVE WATER ZONES AND DUNGEONS, and I enjoy the challenge that they introduce. Bring it on! Not water shy in RL, not water shy in this virtual world. In fact, I invision myself riding completely naked on a dolphin directly into the warm and orange sunset while drinking a cold beer.
Gonna go to bed now, but lemme throw a few more examples into the mix: For the dungeon part, what Ben mentioned + this: And then couple that with a beautiful underwater world filled with sea life like Vashjir: Final boss could be a megalodon: And a few interactive mini games or physics based water challenges like in Wave Race 64. = A water journey that only the mightiest and bravest in all of Norrath will survive. I will survive this water challenge. Can you? Kk, gn8 everyone, before I go completely crazy thinking about this water world or water park in EQ2.
Kedge Keep was a level 45 zone upon the game's initial level 50 cap. Butcherblock Mountains was the starting newbie zone for Dwarves, Dagnor's Cauldron is level 20-ish, and the Estate of Unrest found there was level 30-ish. Kedge Keep required Enduring Breath just to zone into, and all the creatures inside are agro on sight. I suppose a high level player could probably explore around it without too much issue. Here's some screenshots though. https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/zones.html?zstrat=64
The dungeon I mentioned is in EQ2. It's called The Venom of Ssraeshza, it has a solo version, and it's intended for level 120 characters. Progress in (or maybe completion of?) the Blood of Luclin signature line is required to zone in.
K, I asked At if he'd help me to get to a few of the zones you mentioned, and we might be able to give it a try this coming weekend, if everything goes according to plan. Will keep you guys posted, let's see how it goes, lol. Last time I logged into EQ1 was eons ago, this is gonna be one heck of a trip down memory lane for sure. Oooohh, must have misread something in my tiredness then, lol. You're right, this is the dungeon that you're talking about, I assume: That's a good start tbh. The water filling part reminds me of Hydrophobia, Bioshock AND Ocarina of Time (water temple). This is what I invision, in addition to what I wrote above: Stage 1: Imagine starting off a prequest in any major city close to the water (Qeynos, Freeport, you name it). Pre-quests start here. Stage 2: Questing leads us to an underground train station, which we must board by foot, no fast travel or porting. This underground train station goes underwater via a glassy tube system. Like sea world basically: Step 2b: While we travel this train to our new destination, which we don't know of as of yet, we get to see all sorts of animals and creatures under water through the glass: sharks, orcas, dolphics, sea stars, corals, fish, octopus, crabs and much more. Our way to the unknown destination should take a few minutes - - - do not rush it. Train travel should be accompanied by a relaxing water theme. I suggest taking inspiration from Ecco the Dolphin, defender of future (Dreamcast). Step 2c: During our travel to our destination a megalodon shark hits the glassy tube we're traveling in, much like in Jaws 3d, which causes water to flow in. This is our first introduction to the main villain and final boss: the megalodon. The train must accelerate in order to escape from the water wave following behind us. This is were you could somehow make the player interact with the situation and make them get nervous. I have a few ideas on how this could look like, ask if you need more info. Step 3: We somehow survive the incident and arrive at our destination. Destination: An underground water tempel, much like the one you find in Ocarina of Time. The water dungeon has to make our chin drop open when we first arrive. There are lots of way on how to do this, but Sirens Grotto, Conservatory and Awuidor are good examples, but we would need to step it up a bit. After entering said dungeon, I see us alias our group sliding down a huge water slide once we get there, making us crash at high speed into a huge mass of beautiful water (water physics and water refraction should be working, see bug report in my sig below). Step 4: We travel through a series of glassy tunnels filled with water, much like the transparent water tubes found in Awuidor. Step 4b: Take inspiration from Ocarina of Time - make us go from room to room, going deeper into the dungeon or temple, solving riddles and puzzles to proceed. Riddles and puzzles could include playing with the water. For example, changing the flow of the water in one room and filling it up accordingly = makes the water rise or go further down = we wipe or proceed, depending on what we do. This is the part where the inspiration from Hydrophobia and Bioshock comes in play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxUL3-CzZos This is our challenge, this is how it should look and feel to us. Some might crap their pants due to anxiety, but we have adult diapers for that. Step 5: We reach the main room, which should look a bit like the underwater lab and library that we all love and know: Screenshot stolen from Aterskia while he was afk doing hamster business. Step 5b: We battle some sort of aquatic under water lord. We beat him one hp point before death, which triggers him to go mad and sommon his megalodon shark. Again, take inspiration by the Bioshock video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxUL3-CzZos&feature=emb_imp_woyt Summoning the beast via flute melody that can be heard by all group members: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXm6aMtpGTo THE BEAST ARRIVES: The shark comes along, breaks the huge glass in front of us, see At screenshot above, and the entire room is flooded with water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arsAllZIa1Y Step 5c: The shark is too big to fully fit into the room we're in, take inspiration from Jaws 3d and Dino Crisis 1, but he manages to grab the underwater overlord and take him outside to eat him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp-59rTKNi4 Step 6: This is our chance! While the megalodon is eating, burp, we must use this distraction to swim outside of said chamber / dungeon room. Step 7: We lose the shark, for now, and we swim along underwater as a group, trying to find our way. Step 8: When we are suddenly presented by this huge and beautiful underwater world. Again, taking inspiration from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBE6ZHcLbNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZ30sfjdLY Step 9: We somehow get water breathing. Forgot to say this, up until now, it has been our own effort to survive underwater via totem, earring or any other underwater breathing means. Step 10: We get to explore this huge and beautiful underwater world. Lots of open questing and grouping here. Step 11: Our questing leads us to above the water, where we must board a huge ship and drive it in a combined effort as a group. Questing makes us drive Megalodons attention, he must be stopped as the creature has been killing all of the underwater sea life in masses. One group member "steers" the ship, the others are called to arms and must defend the ship against other big creatures at high sea, like a huge octopus etc. A single group member must throw dead and bloody fish into the water in order to get the Megalodon to appear. Step 12: le grand finale: After we complete the full sig or quest line - - - > > > We meet again, MEGALODON. Final boss, huge RAID or group effort, battle on the ship. We defeate Megalodon in a huge explosion, which takes down our ship too. We're now in the water and must swim back to the nearest island in order to take a ride back home via sea ray, dolphin or orca. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMmD9_zYiMI Images found via Google. No clue where they are from. The end.
Good or no? PS: Some Youtube vids are just links above. Forum doesn't allow so many YT windows in a single post. Click the YT links to see what I mean. In addition to my other EQ2 water videos further above, use this to get into the mood and see the huge glass and underwater city plus shark:
There was an expansion in EQ1 that came out many years after EQ2 that introduced a hidden Combine Empire city deep under Norrath's oceans. It's basically a domed city like how you imagine it. Humans and other members of the Combine Empire still live down there, but also along with a faction of Shissar who had distanced themselves from Emperor Ssraeshza's rule, as well as the remaining members of the Kedge race who were not rendered extinct by Phinigel's immortality spell-- He just ended just wiping out all of them from a certain radius from Kedge Keep, which was still the majority of the planet. Its canonicity to EQ2 has yet to be proven one way or another.
I would rather have the german Language back on Thurgadin Server hoping it would bring back some of the gamers who left because they dont understand english. Thurgadin seems to be on a dying path
I would find it very good if that were in German, then there would certainly be more players, a lot of people stopped just because of English and with new things, if you don't speak English, it's very bad, you can get used to other gameschoosing which language to play it in
Servus Leute, you're right. Only one way to find out how many in EU / Ger players actually miss the EU local. See here and let everyone in our german community know - if you care that is. https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/an-unsere-deutsche-community.606551/ Cheers
This sounds like a great idea tbh. Lore wise, you're absolutely on top Cus, kudos! How powerful is that Phingel's spell? Holy crap...
