Classic EQ with modern graphics

[TarukShmaruk]

Originally Posted by myriverse [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Luclin models were perfection. And ogres are supposed to look like monsters.

Originally Posted by myriverse [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Luclin models were perfection.

Originally Posted by myriverse [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

perfection.

what

A "modern" view of EQ graphics is already represented on the box art. For example:

No, this was just a rendition of a particular artist that they used and nothing more. This isn't/wasn't Blizzard where they had a unified art direction for the game.

The original in-game art direction of ogres/trolls was done that way for a reason - and it wasn't just because they were low poly. They had an animation for scratching their ass.

A huge chunk of people detest the Luclin models for a reason - they are devoid of personality. The trolls/ogres look ridiculous.

[t0lkien]

Originally Posted by TarukShmaruk [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

what



No, this was just a rendition of a particular artist that they used and nothing more. This isn't/wasn't Blizzard where they had a unified art direction for the game.

The original in-game art direction of ogres/trolls was done that way for a reason - and it wasn't just because they were low poly. They had an animation for scratching their ass.

A huge chunk of people detest the Luclin models for a reason - they are devoid of personality. The trolls/ogres look ridiculous.

I didn't like anything about Luclin art beyond the higher fidelity, including the models and animations. It was amateur (the attack animations were embarrassing), and without any feeling for what went before it. However, the box art on classic expansions represents a good example of what the game would have looked like had it been made on current/future tech. Nothing companies release artistically is "one person's rendition". Trust me on this. There would have been 5 different people sign off on those drawings, and there would have been several revisions of them at least before that point.

The box art is an example only. The main source is the game itself. I'm the last person you have to convince of the nastiness of what happened after Velious - both art and systems, which they broke beyond repair.

[TarukShmaruk]

Originally Posted by t0lkien [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I didn't like anything about Luclin art beyond the higher fidelity, including the models and animations. It was amateur (the attack animations were embarrassing), and without any feeling for what went before it. However, the box art on classic expansions represents a good example of what the game would have looked like had it been made on current/future tech. Nothing companies release artistically is "one person's rendition". Trust me on this. There would have been 5 different people sign off on those drawings, and there would have been several revisions of them at least before that point.

The box art is an example only. The main source is the game itself. I'm the last person you have to convince of the nastiness of what happened after Velious - both art and systems, which they broke beyond repair.

You're looking at how things are now, not how things were then.

Have you watched the documentary about EQ and how it was made? This was all experimental for them. Hell back in '97-'98 when this was in development games didn't have the massive studios that they do now.

It was literally a couple of dudes that got in touch with an artist and said "yeah that looks great" - and to be fair the box art was pretty good except for the ogres and trolls.

There is literally nothing in common with the art direction on the box for those two races and their implementation in the game - it wasn't just a technological limitation, there was a clear effort to make the trolls and ogres look goofy and cute, which doesn't match up with the box art at all.

The mentality of "Let's remake EQ, but better!" just puts you in Blizzard's position in like 2002-2003. Already been done.

May have been corrupted afterward, but it was done. The only thing left is to emulate original EQ and enjoy it for what it was.

This is a really silly point of view that has been proven wrong time and time again.

I'm sure someone said that about the original XCOM - and then firaxis came along and made XCOM:EU and it was fucking awesome.

That's the great thing about the medium of video games - remakes and sequels can improve so much on the original, yet maintain the fiber of what the original was all about.

Lastly, one thing EQ has gotten right that few MMOs do is how fluid the game feels. EQ plays very well and is very responsive - you'll notice the difference in the engine here with other MMOs like DAOC or SWTOR etc.

[t0lkien]

Originally Posted by TarukShmaruk [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You're looking at how things are now, not how things were then.

Have you watched the documentary about EQ and how it was made? This was all experimental for them. Hell back in '97-'98 when this was in development games didn't have the massive studios that they do now.

No but I'd love to! Do you have a link?

Originally Posted by TarukShmaruk [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It was literally a couple of dudes that got in touch with an artist and said "yeah that looks great" - and to be fair the box art was pretty good except for the ogres and trolls.

Everyone seems a little stuck on the ogres and trolls. I'm only referencing the box art as a style (because I was answering something someone said). I agree about the ogres and trolls, and the only way to do them would be to remain true to the pre-Luclin ingame versions. That's a given. Any modern revamp of graphics would have to look like the game now only with the detail suddenly dialed in. To do less would be a failure.

Originally Posted by TarukShmaruk [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Lastly, one thing EQ has gotten right that few MMOs do is how fluid the game feels. EQ plays very well and is very responsive - you'll notice the difference in the engine here with other MMOs like DAOC or SWTOR etc.

I'm actually happy someone else has noticed this. It's one of my "tent pegs" about EQ and what has happened to the genre since. People have raved about WoW's fluidity, and really top class animations aside, it feels slow and unresponsive compared to EQ. That has a lot to do with movement speed too. WoW's movement speed was always slow by design, and was the thing I disliked about it most (even when I was loving beta and vanilla). WoW set a lot of precedents that have been negative actually, and devs are still putting the tracing paper over it when they build a new game, even today.
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