Doesn't feel like original?
 

Is it me, or is the UI not at all what it was back in 1999?

it's the best that can be done to replicate it. The original client can't be used anymore.

Also, most people didn't press F10, so they didn't know about the "alternate UI" (which is what the Green UI is based on).

Now, that being said, some intrepid modders have re-created the stone UI, so if you're particularly hardcore/masochistic you can load that up for the non-F10 UI (or something closer to it at least).

F for respect

F10 for non casual UI in 1999

/viewport makes me feel classic.

Many things in P99 aren't original, or close. But still lot more enjoyable than playing Live TLP server.

make a 4:3 viewport for better view and also more classic.

I run a standard aspect ratio screen, don't like living room ratios.

https://i.imgur.com/sPhejGx.jpg

It's not perfection but it is pretty darn good.

Can't lie, I still go around eqclassic.org every year to see if they've made any progress on the classic client. I am only reminded of this because you bring up the UI. :)

I remember a time when it was p99 vs eqclassic which would use that old client, but alas I think eqclassic is vaporware.

But yeah the UI being different was due to widescreen monitors, 16:9 aspect ratio aka the living room ratio, becoming standard. Everquest was designed during the era on the left side of this photo, for a standard aspect ratio (4:3/5:4 CRT Monitor) while P99 runs on hardware from the right side of the photo.

Windows Vista, Widescreen TVs/Monitors, Smart Phones, Vista/360 Standards, STEAM taking over. It was the end of the desktop era but it still lives on in RGB-lit racer chair dreams.

https://i.imgur.com/oGFzam8.jpg

edit: Some might not get the photo.

Left: The founders of Looking Glass Studio back in the 90s, one of them is talking with Chuck Yeager. They were from the MIT-Hacker
ethos of "just making cool stuff" but were not a financially minded group.

Right: Kevin Levin, founder of 2k studios. He was a member of Looking Glass during their dying days. He expresses his love of being there, getting to experience making something just because you thought it was cool. But he was also nervous there and afraid of where his career was going with a company that didn't pay so much attention to the dollars.

He founded the Bioshock series (2K Studios), which was the supposed continuance of the System Shock series (Looking Glass). The series remains the poster-boy of the downgrade experienced during the shift over to the Vista/360 standards being imposed on Windows Desktop Computers. Everything has a price as they say.