Everquest II

I have seen posts over and over again about EQ2’s graphic and animations. I hear how crappy and dated they are and wonder if those who say that are actually playing the same game. First I want to say LOTRO is a great game with good graphics. WoW is a great game with good graphics. I am not an EQ2 fanboi. I just find it really odd the EQ2’s graphics are constantly put down.

A few things must be said about EQ2. It takes a really good system, even though the game is a few years old, to really enjoy the graphics. This has nothing to do with how you feel about SOE. I do not want to get into the same old arguments about SOE, their customer service, or what SOE did to SWG. You do have to have your ducks in a row for this game no doubt about that. Getting to that point takes more effort then both LOTRO and WoW. However if you do have the system and setup EQ2 is fantastic.

Recently I posted a few screenshots to illustrate my point but was accused of not showing any close ups to hide the poor graphic. I was told I did not understand graphics or lighting effects (I am a college art instructor and work in an art and gaming program). Basically my thoughts were dismissed because it was said I simply do not get it. This was due to the fact I said I enjoy EQ2’s graphic over LOTRO. I just want to figure out why so many find EQ2’s graphic crappy. The shots I am posting are game play shots not maxed graphics. They are on pretty high setting but not maxed. When I play I get between 45 and 65 fps at the resolution of 1920 x 1080 with anti-aliasing set to x4. I would love to see if anyone else has some screens of EQ2. I would like to quiet the myth that EQ2 has crappy dated graphics. I am sure a few will post here about how I do not understand graphic etc. so here a few shot of the crappy graphics in EQ2. I guess I like crappy looking games.

Thougt I would start with a closeup since I was told it was a good thing I did not post closeups in another thread.

I think what people are referring to when they say that EQ2 has inferior graphics compared to LoTRO (or whatever MMO people play these days), is really the art style of EQ2. EQ2 aims for high polygon count and quite detailed,high-res textures to make the game look spectacular.

The problem is, that - although the engine itself is very capable in terms of visual quality, it lacks a good artistic direction. You have all these individual aspects that make the graphics of a game - polygons, lightning, textures, bump map, but in EQ2 looks rather sterile and "plastic". One may want to say "soulless", but bottom line is that the artists at work simply didnt understand how to make the game look "good", high resolution and other bells and whistles arent everyhting, as for example WOW has shown.

 ...the last sentence being a matter of taste and personal opinion...

The above poster got it right, it has to do with art, not the engine being good. EQ's art director just needs to be fired that's all, he sucks.

You actually think these pics you posted look good?

They are anything but good, if anything they show the bland art style that EQ2 uses.

EQ2's graphics engine is fine, the art used in game is garbage therefore making everything look like garbage.

EQ2 isn't even in the same ballpark when compared to games with true artistic and visual style.

Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons Online, WoW, EvE, soon to be Anarchy Online ( when new engine is installed ) hell even DAoC all murder EQ2 in artistic style and looks.

EQ2 has a better engine than half the games I just named, but look crappier than all of them.

I blame the artist.

*Edit - Just look at that bear in your pic.... it looks like a HUGE brown cotton ball.... with a mouth and ears...  Horrid I tell you.... just horrid.

*Edit2 - and what the hell is THAT!? A velocicowraptor? Also known as the "Cow Raptor"? I mean come on it's HORRIBLE!

Originally posted by Lasastard

I think what people are referring to when they say that EQ2 has inferior graphics compared to LoTRO (or whatever MMO people play these days), is really the art style of EQ2. EQ2 aims for high polygon count and quite detailed,high-res textures to make the game look spectacular.

The problem is, that - although the engine itself is very capable in terms of visual quality, it lacks a good artistic direction. You have all these individual aspects that make the graphics of a game - polygons, lightning, textures, bump map, but in EQ2 looks rather sterile and "plastic". One may want to say "soulless", but bottom line is that the artists at work simply didnt understand how to make the game look "good", high resolution and other bells and whistles arent everyhting, as for example WOW has shown.

 ...the last sentence being a matter of taste and personal opinion...

 

I would have to disagree totally with the sterile, souless, plastic remarks. One of the reasons I like EQ2 is that it seems alive to me. Because of the art direction EQ2 comes alive in a way that LOTRO and WoW do not for me. My avatars in EQ2 seem alive to me. In LOTRO and WoW they are just vehicles to move around the game enviroment this is due more to the art style then game play. There is a weight and physics to the characters in EQ2 that does not happen in LOTRO or WoW. I see the plastic thing in LOTRO not in EQ2. I feel the artist did an outstanding job in creating a living world.

Originally posted by neonaka

The above poster got it right, it has to do with art, not the engine being good. EQ's art director just needs to be fired that's all, he sucks.

You actually think these pics you posted look good?

They are anything but good, if anything they show the bland art style that EQ2 uses.

 

Umm do I think they look good? YES! That was the reason I started this post. I think EQ2 looks great.

Originally posted by Lasastard

The problem is, that - although the engine itself is very capable in terms of visual quality, it lacks a good artistic direction. You have all these individual aspects that make the graphics of a game - polygons, lightning, textures, bump map, but in EQ2 looks rather sterile and "plastic". One may want to say "soulless", but bottom line is that the artists at work simply didnt understand how to make the game look "good", high resolution and other bells and whistles arent everyhting, as for example WOW has shown.

 

This was very well articulated.  I'd played Everquest for years and EQ2 a bit and formulated the same impression.  If EQ 1 & 2 were the only game on the market, I have no doubt they'd have marketshare (which is not to say the same number of subscribers WoW has).  I think the gamer is tending to 'feel' whether or not the authors of the game care or not.  In World of Warcraft, it just seems the details are better thought out.  I can picture at Blizz one person or group who is in charge of only costuming, like in a theatrical or movie product.  Another is in charge of architectural design, and so forth...then they came together to figure out how best to integrate.  For Everquest 2, it looks like one person is solo'ing all the projects...so while they may have great lighting effects...the costuming and archetecture is lacking.  This is the impression that I get, not saying this is literally the case.  My reasons for not liking the game lean more towards Customer Service, EverExpansions, and so forth moreso than graphics, but it is an important consideration in a game.  I still play Dragon Warrior on Nintendo.  By today's standards the graphics are terrible...but it is a lot of fun ;-)  Eve, on the other hand, has cryingly beautiful graphics and is one of its feature charms.

Originally posted by eccoton

Originally posted by neonaka

The above poster got it right, it has to do with art, not the engine being good. EQ's art director just needs to be fired that's all, he sucks.

You actually think these pics you posted look good?

They are anything but good, if anything they show the bland art style that EQ2 uses.

 

Umm do I think they look good? YES! That was the reason I started this post. I think EQ2 looks great.

LOL ok.

You are not alone as I think EQ2 still has over 100k subs, so that means 100 thousand people on planet earth also think it looks good.

That would be 100 thousand people on earth needing glasses and or contacts in my opinion. <-- Notice I said opinion, as I think EQ2's art style is garbage.

I played EQ2 for a long time on Everfrost. I played EQ2 for it's depth and complex world. I did not play for it's graphics as there are MANY MANY games on the market that demolish EQ2 in graphics.

I have an amd 6000, 2gb ram and an 8800 gts - I can make 30 fps on extreme, it's pretty nice.

Imho what EQ2 need is a better art direction but the engine is awesome. And I like EQ2 graphics I love how smooth it runs on my comp. But i understand the art direction is, sometimes, weird or just too personal, so a lot of people dont like it.