>If you would like to include one example of why,
>what aspect of the Vah Shir model requires DirectX
>8.1 I would be happy to accept your line of
>reasoning. In fact other then the fact that each
>model requires a more capable video card to handle,
>what aspect of them requires anything other then
>DirectX 7. Sorry don't buy your argument.
The info that i'd been getting on everquest.com and
other sites seemed to indicate that the improved
graphics engine was only a feature of the expansion,
and that even then virtually all of the features could
be turned off. The notable exception being the Vah
Shir model due to a lack of an "old" version. For
non-expansion users, it would stand to reason that the
major (if not sole) barrier between them and DirectX
7+ play would be the Vah Shir model.
>To say a company need to continue to provide support
>for an OS that is no longer supported by its own
>creator (especially in the gaming world) is somewhat
>laughable. If you can come up with one game out
>there that supports concurrent multiple version of
>DirectX other then downward compatibility, list one
>for me.
I think you're misreading my arguments, I don't in any
way feel that it's necessary for Verant to offer
backward compatability for expansion users. What I
take issue with is the patches making the game
unplayable for the segment of the population who has
no interest in the expansion and wants to continue
playing "EQ Classic".
>Could you sight anywhere that says people don't want
>new graphics, and player models that update their
>characters to those comparable, if not better then
>those found in any other graphics based MMORPG.
If it came at no significant cost, everyone would want
the improved graphics (except that silly new troll
model ;) but there is a cost involved, and one that a
significant portion of people are unwilling to pay.
Just look thru message boards at the uproar when
Verant originally changed the system requirements for
Luclin? Again though, this is addressing people who
intend to install the expansion pack, not the group of
users i've been talking about. :)
>If you like MUDDs fine stick with them... However
>everyone here that has Luclin and its new graphic
>enhancements by far have been impressed and think
>their great. Sorry I find it hard to believe in your
>argument.
Bah, that was just a way of expressing that to myself
and more than a few others, RPGs are more about
content and depth than pretty pictures. If you want
stylish graphics, go play Quake or something. The
graphics on most first person shooters are far
superior to even the new Luclin models.
>And your reference to ORIGIN.. Origin started out
>good. Then they created a boatload of crappy games,
>and released a total bomb of a film to the theater.
>They alienated their customers with poor games and
bad
>investments. I don't know how many millions of
>dollars they spend on the last Wing Commander.
The third Wing Commander was the initial game that
signaled the fall of Origin. The big problem there was
less that it was a poor game, and more that a large
chunk of their customer base had computers below the
minimum requirements or close enough that performance
was painfully bad. Ultima VIII was a combination of
both, a poor game with ludicriously high system
requirements for it's time. As things moved on, their
games got worse and worse, but it was their pushing
graphical boundaries initially that started their
decline. (notice that Sierra who put out just as many
horrid games, if not more, but at least stuck to
reasonable requirements, is still around and
successful today)
>Again.. What aspect of the new cat model requires
>DX8. You seem to forget the whole world engine was
>updated. That goes beyond the added looks the
>player models and world landscape. It's the
>underlining graphical programming interface. The
>engine runs so much faster now ( apart from a
The impression i've gotten repeatedly is that the
improved graphical engine was a feature of the
expansion, not something added via patches. I'd
imagine if it were added via patches i'd have spent
more than just 3-4 minutes downloading the patch... If
i'm mistaken on this, then I concede the point that
the Vah Shir model is the significant difference. Of
course, then we're creeping into the realm of "why
force this 'improvement' onto devout longterm
customers who don't want it?".
>I'm a gamer and enjoy innovations/imaginations of
>those that create them.
I'm a roleplayer in all of their forms, as such I have
priorities aside from hardware purchases. (as quite a
few people do, most people have *gasp* multiple
hobbies ;) Fortunately aside from the RAM, the system
requirements for Luclin were no problem for me, and
the RAM I happen to have the cash at the moment to
remedy. It's unfortunate though, that the dedicated
users to whom computer hardware is not a priority are
going to be lost. (again, referring to people who
cannot play EQ Classic due to the patches, not people
who are unable to run Luclin)
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