Rivalwatch: EQ2 3D Screenies [Archive]

esion

01-08-2004, 05:21 PM

Check out these 3D screens. They might be a little old, but this was the first I have seen them. The character models, armor, and backgrounds look truly amazing. I was in awe of the backgrounds in each of them, they look so vibrant and real, especially the city. Then you see the detail in the armor...oh my, truely amazing. Mythica is going to have some tough competition upon release...

EQ 3D Screenies (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/media.jsp)

P.S. I think the system reqs are going to be 3GHz min, 512G Ram min, 128MB Graphics Card min...I see a computer upgrade coming my way :)

Azgorath

01-08-2004, 05:24 PM

Great graphics, but all next generation MMORPGs will suffer from lacking gameplay.

esion

01-08-2004, 05:31 PM

I lied about sys reqs...found this in the FAQ...
What are the game's requirements?
Operating System: Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
Processor: 1GHz or greater
RAM: 512 MB
Video Card: DirectX 9 compatible. Pixel shader and vertex shader compatible hardware with 64 MB of texture memory
Sound Card: DirectSound compatible audio hardware

I guess we will have to see what happens on release.

BTW, those screens were prolly taken on my sys reqs :)

JonnyG

01-08-2004, 06:03 PM

I think they look good, but I still think the Mythica ones look as good or better:

Compare these two. I tried to find ones with the same basic backdrops:

http://www.mythicahq.com/albums/album01/aab.thumb.jpg (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/december03/mythicarealms2/screenshots.shtml)

to

http://www.mythicahq.com/albums/hidden_uploads/abv.thumb.jpg (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/common/images/img_view.jsp?collection=EQ2_screenshots_new&name=Dark-Elf-on-Isle-of-Rufuge.jpg)

or

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2003/reviews/914711_20031208_thumb004.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/mythica/screens.html?page=52)

to

http://www.mythicahq.com/albums/hidden_uploads/abw.thumb.jpg (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/common/images/img_view.jsp?collection=EQ2_screenshots_new&name=Dark-Elf-Attitude.jpg)

IMO, I like the Mythica armor better, and the rest seems to be a wash. I like the look in the field better in Mythica than EQ2, especially the trees. I don't know about clouds in EQ2, but I know what they've said about clouds in Mythica and how they're volumetric, cast shadows, change the light streams from the sun. We'll really not know anything until we see the game in action though. Screenshots probably don't do either justice.

Yigg Yous

01-09-2004, 12:36 AM

EQs is too bland, I like ours because it gives more "life"

Azgorath

01-09-2004, 11:17 AM

That and the fact we very well know that all EQ2 has is graphics!

Midsummer

01-09-2004, 01:53 PM

uh oh... i like EQ2's best. It looks more, hmm, lived in.

Mythica's screenshots, whilst very good, have always been very bright and a little too clean for me :)

C_P_W

01-10-2004, 01:01 AM

I would love to show you sooo much different stuff. The everquest concern would quickly become moot. Unfortunately, it's entirely up to Matt or Corey, as to when I can release a shot of some of the other worlds, or even, just different eco-systems on a world that you do not know is there yet :)

I'll go out a limb here (don't hurt me Matt, I'm really really trying to hold back hahahaha)

An example being Midgard and its various islands:

Midgard contains numerous different eco- systems just on that world itself. From the nastiest swamps, to super dense overgrown forests, to snowy frozen peaks, to rolling grasslands, to sandy and rocky beaches, plus quite a few others...that I can't mention. There is so much, that sometimes I ask various other devs if they've found such and such place, while wandering around in a particular world ...and they look at me like "what are talking about?"......I just smile and go back to work...

That's usually where most games stop.

For us on the other hand....

We still have Jotunheim, Muspleheim, Asgard, Nidavelir, ect (each containing various unique eco-systems all over them also) and even a few surprise realms, that only half our dev team even knows about....... I don't even think matt knows about the one I'm currently working on hahaha

Thus you end up in my teams shoes, with an enomous amount of diverse lands and subsystems within those lands.

When I signed up for this job, I had no intention of making one big green world like many other games.....that would be to easy and boring.........I was excited because this game required a whole bunch of completely unique worlds. So......the poster of this message has a "right" to think he's not seen too much variety or lighting styles yet, or even something that might make his skin crawl <biting down hard on my tongue...to keep from saying more>....because he really hasn't.

FYI about the Asgard pic in this thread.....some people may not know, that in the mythology of Asgard, it's perpetual Summer / Fall and is suppose to be a very eden-esque glowing type of "Home" for the gods. This offsets the more dark and evil worlds that also exist, but have yet to be shown publically.

Like I said at the beginning.......when Corey and Matt decide that the flood gates can come down.......you're in for serious visual diversity. I practically go nuts, just trying to keep track of it all.

Cheers

Michael Cahill

esion

01-10-2004, 01:14 AM

Thanks for the info Michael...I am glad that you stopped by the let us in on how its coming together...I hope that the enviornment will really host an array of different seasons and climates...from icey to desert, from forest to open seas...

There are a few things I have noticed in most mmorpgs coming out...Fog/morning mist/dust with lighting affects really seem to be the new in thing to show off engine abilities...are we going to see anything along those lines in mythica? (Like this from Guild Wars (http://www.mmorpg.com/images/screenshots/1101.jpg) ) Since you are only a enviornment designer I might post this question to Scooter...

A question I might pose to you would be something along the lines of...are we going to see giant monoliths, temples, buildings and such? Maybe even some statues of Gods that people are worshipping? I know that there have been some concept art of temple type buildings...have you modeled them yet?

Leoghan

01-10-2004, 01:28 AM

Thank you so much Michael. That is some titilating information and like everything else just makes me want to learn more about Mythica.

JonnyG

01-10-2004, 01:32 AM

Thanks much for the neat info Celtic Pagan Warrior. :)

I repeat my question from your previous thread. It relates well to Esion's question. Have you modeled the insides of buildings? temples? monoliths?

Thanks again for stopping by.

C_P_W

01-10-2004, 02:13 AM

A question I might pose to you would be something along the lines of...are we going to see giant monoliths, temples, buildings and such? Maybe even some statues of Gods that people are worshipping? I know that there have been some concept art of temple type buildings...have you modeled them yet?

There are more giant monoliths, grand temples, ports, statues, and a bazillion buildings ranging from great Viking halls, to little farmhouses, to patron halls etc etc then we can barely even keep track of at this point. Rob Johnson and Deane McGahan have been handling this area exclusively on my team. They have hundreds of structures already completely done, and the designers are rapidly beginning to fill the continents with them.

I feel like a member of the Lewis and Clark team, who originally explored (in my case, created) an untouched, uncivilized wilderness, and now that that part is done, or being refined, I'm watching the expansionist / pioneer period of history happening to my once untamed sprawl.

I'm going to have to make my own personal sanctuarys somewhere in this game, to escape the populace that is moving in all over my lands hahaha...noisy neighbors...(actually, I already have made a number of very special places, in many worlds, that no one has ever found yet ;) )

So, there are noooo worries about us making buildings. We've been doing that for a long time.

Fog/morning mist/dust with lighting affects really seem to be the new in thing to show off engine abilities...are we going to see anything along those lines in mythica?

o yes.....those were some of the first things I begged our programmers for, once the worlds started to meld into their various personalities. I love environmental effects. I can't live without them

Cheers, I can't say anymore tonight, otherwise I might slip and say something that would get me thrown into the dungeons...oops 8o

Michael Cahill

esion

01-10-2004, 02:18 AM

Very nice, thanks for answering the landmark question. I am really excited to know that there are lots of buildings, monoliths, statues, etc. out there...that means there are more things to see in the game and go "ooooo ahhhhh" to. I always hated just running around and seeing trees and rocks...if people live there they will make art and things to amuse themselves too. Very nice to know that they are being worked on and such.

As for the fog question I am glad that they are working on it. It seems to be something that all new mmorpgs are going to have. I would live to see a screenshot of something like that, maybe next to a giant temple (hint hint).

And I hope you dont get thrown into the dungeons...tell them we coerced it out of you and inquiring minds need to know :)

Moloch

01-10-2004, 02:23 AM

Michael,

while surprise is good, I'm not sure about compartmentalisation.

How does the team ensure that there's a coherent aesthetic style to the game? Ie. animal mobs have colouration that would hide them in their natural terrain; buildings and manmade objects that have consistent architectural, engineering and decorative features suited to or reflective of their environment; weather patterns that are consistent with vegetation types; mob spawns are geographically sensible etc.

Who or how is it all pulled together?

Yigg Yous

01-10-2004, 02:27 AM

from now on you are C to me (easier to spell out hehe)

but anyways, nice work C, I cant wait to see that new stuff. I wanna get a glimpse at those buildings you guys are working on, im really into art for games and 3D animation (I know C++, so thats a backup hehehe) and wanna look at the waves in the grass and wind effects etc.

Elvis

01-10-2004, 03:29 AM

For me, a good world builder is someone that makes me stop in the middle of a run somewhere or causes me to break from the hectic pace of a hunt and go:

O M F G

Your descriptions and zeal for the work you do have made me hopefull of many such pauses and descriptive acronyms. Cheers.

Leoghan

01-10-2004, 04:15 AM

Originally posted by C_P_W
I'm going to have to make my own personal sanctuarys somewhere in this game, to escape the populace that is moving in all over my lands hahaha...noisy neighbors...(actually, I already have made a number of very special places, in many worlds, that no one has ever found yet ;) )

You are a designer after my own heart. Thank you again for sharing your work with us.

Midsummer

01-10-2004, 05:57 AM

I think I'd change my mind about preferring EQ2's screenshots if I saw more new Mythica ones *grin*

;)

Halsy

01-10-2004, 09:45 AM

Will there be lots of hidden places to explore? One thing I always loved in MUDs was finding some really out of the way place that no one (or maybe a few hardcore explorers had stumbled across).

It would be sweet to be walking through a forest, as you move down into a ravine you notice what looks like growth covering over a hole that's just big enough for you squeeze through. It takes you into a small cave with a tunnel that leads on down into the darkness...and as you follow the path the cave would narrow or open up massively at certain points with all kinds of weird beasties, and underground fantastical things (think Journey to the Center of the Earth).

Now, after something like that was discovered it would get crowded pretty quickly if word got out, so would it be possible to assign the entrance and exit a (semi) random script to change their entrance and exit to a different location in the gameworld after someone/group as explored it? That way it would always keep people seeking. :)

Flechette

01-10-2004, 11:12 AM

Originally posted by Elvis
For me, a good world builder is someone that makes me stop in the middle of a run somewhere or causes me to break from the hectic pace of a hunt and go:

O M F G

ROTFLMAO - because I do just that- much to the irritation of the group I might be in. When Arramorra in AC2 was introduced I must have spent 20-30 min going over the remains of Greenspire

My husband is in the habit of writing down co-ordinates so we can go back and explore whatever caught my eye at our leisure and not slow down the group we may be in - tho thats been hard in AC2 lately- no one wants to group with a clawbearer AND a ranger <sigh>

thank you for the tease C-P-W! I'm looking forward to more screenshots soon!:up:

Yigg Yous

01-10-2004, 12:59 PM

yo C do you think you will be able to have holes or something (not like a dungeon) that we could investigate? or perhaps a secret cave behind a waterfall (oldest trick in the book mind you) that we can only enter from one way?

I would love to see something like that, those are more immersion facters that keep me hooked after I lvled up to the max lvl and have done my share of PvP and am awaiting the expansion that would probaly come out around then hehehe.

Elvis

01-10-2004, 11:02 PM

I feel your clawbearer woes. My main is a CB'er as well and gets the shaft. Too bad we can root a group of PKers and AoE them to death :)

Last night was a stellar fight. Had this Enchanter running for his life and I sporked him with Hailstorm. He was pimp-walking to his funeral.

Oh... sorry, off topic. ;)

Yes, stunning visuals. Most of my time is spent paying attention to things in long-focus. Awesome textures and bump-mapping on an avatar are great, but I would rather keep returning to an amazing little cove or hidden waterfall than stare at my shiny, plate-metaled butt.

Flechette

01-11-2004, 09:51 AM

Hmm off the thread topic but related to Mythica, when they look at a missle class (Is Hunter the only Known missle friendly class?) the AC2 clawbearer is worth a serious look at.

regretfully I don't play one, yet. but my husband does (switched from healer to CB as he doesn't have a support character mentality) everything I have ever wanted my archer to do in AC1 and 2 the ClawBearer can beautiful.

More over I can't see why a CB is not welcome in a group:Even with my pet up (pitiful thing he is)my husband can blow me away dmg wise, has a ranged stun, has a noticable run speed slow down (and darn if posion arrow is half as noticable as a combat speed slow down) and now has knockback. <sigh>

I am just praying that all classes are welcome in fellows in Mythica, I love missle class best of all but I'm getting real tired of being left out:(

on thread topic :D I'm looking very forward to finding some of these hidden spots and exploring <g> one of my better qualities in a game is knowing some good, unpopulated areas to hunt in;) tho Private Modules will be available I'm guessing if you just want to hunt and not quest you'll be doing that in the public realms

JonnyG

01-14-2004, 04:21 PM

http://www.aeginfo.com/mythica/terrain_s.jpg (http://www.mythicarealms.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1917&hl=)Midsummer,
After seeing pics like these, whats your opinion?

Michael,

Are these some of the environments that you're talking about? These are the kind of vista's that I'm talking about. I sure want to see those waterfalls too, and check out those mountains. Wow.

esion

01-14-2004, 07:54 PM

The one thing that seems to be missing in those pics are clouds/lighting affects...I know in all the previously released screenshots we have seen really fluffy clouds that look painted on, but in all of these they are in a cloudless environment...I wonder why?

I would also like to know if they have several types of clouds and if the color on the clouds are affected by the lighting, such as dusk/dawn/mid-day.

Overall great pics...but im still not sure if they compete with EQ2...gimme more info and pictures Michael!!!!

Flechette

01-14-2004, 08:04 PM

Actually at least 3 of the pics do have clouds in them, when you make the image as large as possible:

Top left - very hazy clouds over the horizon
Top Right: clouds over the mountaintop

2nd lvl both of them: iffy kinda sorta maybe on the clouds

3rd row left: definitely clouds there, highlighting a sunset or a raging fire <g>

final row right: clouds around the mountain again.

esion

01-14-2004, 08:08 PM

Okay yeah I see what you mean....but I meant like closer to the ground. Like this this one. (http://www.mythicahq.com/gallery/early_shots/aab) I guess it could be the camera angle, but this shot shows the clouds really close to the ground, even pushing through the mountains.

Yigg Yous

01-14-2004, 11:53 PM

woooooooooooo!

that looks insane. If u check the pic with the moutain and lake you see the reflection perfectly, like it was perfectly symetrical. Insane, AMAZING job Mythica team.

JonnyG

01-15-2004, 09:40 AM

Okay, now we just need them to post a pic showing one of these vista's in game. Then perhaps we can convince Midsummer.

esion

01-20-2004, 02:28 PM

5 more new EQ2 Screenies just went up yesterday...check them out here. (http://db.eq2vault.ign.com/screenshots/?page=1)

From these screens there are some things I really like, and other things that bother me. I think their human face is really detailed but it looks a little tweaked. I really like the giant orc looking things though...As for backgrounds they look kinda blah, but overall I still am really enthused about this game.

Scarne

01-21-2004, 12:09 AM

I can't put my finger on it, but something bugs me about all the EQ2 shots. Its something on the lines of either the detail level of the characters don't match the terrain or the detail levels of different characters don't match or something. Maybe the lighting is handled differently on different models, I dunno, somethign is just off.

JonnyG

01-30-2004, 06:13 PM

I noticed a new batch of pictures (http://www.gamespy.com/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/) on Gamespy (http://www.gamespy.com) for EQ2. My first thought was cool, I'll use them to drag Michael out of hiding again. Unfortunately they're kind of blah so I'm not sure it will. Can someone else look at them and see if they like them better than Mythica's. If so, post that you like them better please, we'd love to see Michael emerge from his cave.

http://www.gamespy.com/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/03s.jpg (http://www.gamespy.com/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/)

esion

01-30-2004, 06:24 PM

I think there is a huge difference between Mythica's character models and EQ2's. It seems that EQ2 is going for a more "plastic" human model, but more emphasis on detail in the armor area (and maybe facial expressions), whereas Mythica has a more "realistic" human model, with veins, and definition. That is really easy to see in this pic here (http://www.gamespy.com/asp/image.asp?platform=PC&genre=RPG&image=/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/01.jpg) and most all pics. Or compare Mythica's Odin (http://mythica.com/gallery/screenshots/odin-large.htm) with EQ2's Dwarf. (http://www.gamespy.com/asp/image.asp?platform=PC&genre=RPG&image=/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/10.jpg)

As for the backgrounds, they dont seem to be as visually stunning as thier previous releases, but they still have lots of definition in the backgrounds that Mythica is lacking at the moment. But since Mythica really hasnt worked on thier trees or landscaping I cant hold it against them.

I still think the depth that EQ2's enviornments have is stunning and I really like all the pics I have seen. But I also like alot of the Mythica screenshots they have released too (except the leaves :))

JonnyG

01-30-2004, 06:43 PM

Okay I was going for Michael, but if you want to drag Gene or Leigh into it thats fine too.

I actually don't like the look of the EQ2 armor, looks like its drawn on. Doesn't look like it has any mass. I think in this picture of the warrior the armor looks tons more real than what you posted.

http://www.mythicahq.com/albums/early_shots/aae.thumb.jpg (http://www.mythicahq.com/gallery/early_shots/aae)

http://www.gamespy.com/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/10s.jpg (http://www.gamespy.com/asp/image.asp?platform=PC&genre=RPG&image=/screenshots/pc/eq2/january04/10.jpg)

Of course I'm not furthering my cause, but oh well, my opinion is my opinion.

esion

01-30-2004, 08:48 PM

I dunno to me they look about equal, I just think Mythica has more "realism" to it. Plus I dont know how the graphics engine in EQ2 works, so I cant really compare the two.

My main point was the differentiation between the actual "skin" on the models..Mythica is more realistic than EQ2.

esion

01-30-2004, 09:11 PM

Okay I know this is kicking a dead horse...but observe Guild Wars' new screenie... (http://www.guildwars.com/gallery/gwscreenshots/gw023.html)

Once again, leaves, branchs, vegitation...and it looks amazing :)

C'mon Mythica fulfill my leavey dreams!!!

Don't make me bust out my Maya skillz and make some trees :P

Leoghan

01-30-2004, 09:16 PM

That screenshot is very pretty, but sort of surreal.

esion

01-30-2004, 09:27 PM

all thier screenshots are..the game has a very vibrant feel...its cartoony+surrealism...it looks to be a cool game.

Scarne

01-30-2004, 09:33 PM

The human (and all the other PC races) skins in EQ2 don't look like the fit with the rest of the game. Its fine if they are somewhat plasticy for something like WoW's look. But with all the detail in armor, terrain, monsters, etc., the skin is just jarring.

The Guild Wars pic looks pretty average except maybe the trees. Pretty standard terrain skinning. A bit noticable polygon nature of the terrain itself. Normal grass and rocks on the ground. Water is reflective like just about anything coming out nowadays. Sky looks pretty 'flat' (but you can't really tell from just one shot).

Yigg Yous

01-31-2004, 12:00 AM

There is no doubt, that is a nice screenie of Guildwars. But in all honesty I really dont think it competes with the screenshot of Mythica:

Warrior in the Hills (http://www.mythicarealms.com/gallery/data/media/1/07.jpg)

personally, I think that pic looks much more realistic than the guildwars pic. I dunno, but I agree with the sureality effect that Leoghan said.

If you guys at Mythica are working on the tree leaves, like you said you were in some post... (think it was the IGN one in the News section) then might we see the new leaves?

The other games are churning out photos....mabye you guys should follow the trend ehehehehe;)

BigJonno

01-31-2004, 06:47 AM

I hate the EQ2 graphics. I'm not sure why, but they don't look "right".

Cassandra

01-31-2004, 08:06 AM

I think EQ2s graphics looks great. The armour on some of the models looks like a skin tight suit yes, but I do like the faces alot and the hair.

Jotun

01-31-2004, 11:52 AM

Originally posted by Cassandra
I think EQ2s graphics looks great. The armour on some of the models looks like a skin tight suit yes, but I do like the faces alot and the hair.

Yes, the armor just looks like alternate textures applied directly to the regular character model shape...weird. Then again, chainmail skin would be kinda cool...

The Guildwars shot is just gorgeous.

esion

02-04-2004, 11:55 PM

OMG this is so a dead horse, but 8 new EQ2 screens (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/media.jsp) just got put up...and they are beautiful.

The detail on the Iskar's scales (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/screenshots/010504/190EQ2_1023_001.jpg) blows me away, again with the foliage, it looks so good...and this screen right here seals the deal.
http://everquest2.station.sony.com/screenshots/010504/197EQ2_1023_014.jpg

LOL, I going to keep harping about the landscaping, trees, leaves, and foliage until someone shows me a new pic with some better Mythica foliage :) Devs, that means you!