Jedi Archive
Thread: The elephant in the room ( Free Monkey Love)
Richard Baker and Jon Davis: We decided to build a graphics engine that allows for realistic visuals in a fantasy world. One of our most important features is that we use hand-drawn normal maps for intricate surface detail on characters, creatures and the vast majority of all other geometry in the game world. This allows the use of normal maps in a more artistic sense than their typical usage to simply approximate a higher polygon model.
We wanted the engine to be visually competitive with the best games on the market at the time we launched. Since we know that EverQuest II will be played for many years to come, we designed an engine that would be scalable to future hardware while performing well and looking great on the current generation of PCs.
EverQuest II Impressions
By: Thierry Nguyen May 23, 2002 1:10 AM PDT
Unfortunately, Everquest 2 featured technology rather than gameplay. When asked questions about corpse runs and other gameplayer-related items, the team ducked and focused more on how great the game looks.
Using all sorts of graphical tricks, the game looks lightyears ahead of its predecessor. Using a totally new engine built from the ground up (not the same engine used for Star Wars Galaxies, even), the EQ2 team set out to make a beautiful upgrade worthy of the EQ name.
Orange-Lazarus wrote:
clicky
EverQuest II Impressions
By: Thierry Nguyen May 23, 2002 1:10 AM PDT
Unfortunately, Everquest 2 featured technology rather than gameplay. When asked questions about corpse runs and other gameplayer-related items, the team ducked and focused more on how great the game looks.
Using all sorts of graphical tricks, the game looks lightyears ahead of its predecessor. Using a totally new engine built from the ground up (not the same engine used for Star Wars Galaxies, even), the EQ2 team set out to make a beautiful upgrade worthy of the EQ name.
Orange-Lazarus wrote:
clicky
EverQuest II Impressions
By: Thierry Nguyen May 23, 2002 1:10 AM PDT
Unfortunately, Everquest 2 featured technology rather than gameplay. When asked questions about corpse runs and other gameplayer-related items, the team ducked and focused more on how great the game looks.
Using all sorts of graphical tricks, the game looks lightyears ahead of its predecessor. Using a totally new engine built from the ground up (not the same engine used for Star Wars Galaxies, even), the EQ2 team set out to make a beautiful upgrade worthy of the EQ name.
That is what I wanted to see. Thank you. Apparently I must have had a brain tumor and missed the part where they decided to go with a new custom engine. 
Grunzer wrote:
Orange-Lazarus wrote:
clicky
EverQuest II Impressions
By: Thierry Nguyen May 23, 2002 1:10 AM PDT
Unfortunately, Everquest 2 featured technology rather than gameplay. When asked questions about corpse runs and other gameplayer-related items, the team ducked and focused more on how great the game looks.
Using all sorts of graphical tricks, the game looks lightyears ahead of its predecessor. Using a totally new engine built from the ground up (not the same engine used for Star Wars Galaxies, even), the EQ2 team set out to make a beautiful upgrade worthy of the EQ name.
That is what I wanted to see. Thank you. Apparently I must have had a brain tumor and missed the part where they decided to go with a new custom engine.
nah they saw that this engine sucked total assso theymade there own lol
Orange-Lazarus wrote:
nah they saw that this engine sucked total assso theymade there own lol
Kamujin wrote:
7) IMPORTANT - What happened to the idea that your gear would need to be replaced? SWG should include ALOT of fighting for resources. This is obviously implied by the game design. Where is the resource scarcity? Where is the PvP role in resource scarcity?
Poor example bro. The Falcon was always breaking down. You did see the movies right? Han/Lando, "Watch this!" Leia,"Watch What?"
Ihareo wrote:
Kamujin wrote:
7) IMPORTANT - What happened to the idea that your gear would need to be replaced? SWG should include ALOT of fighting for resources. This is obviously implied by the game design. Where is the resource scarcity? Where is the PvP role in resource scarcity?
What fighting for resources? What replacing your gear?
I don't know if you know this, but in the Starwars universe, things LAST. You don't buy somthing expecting it to need replacing in two weeks.
The mellenium Falcon is older than Chewbacca, and he's 200 years old. Han's Blaster is the same blaster he's had since the start of his career, and he got it from somone else. R2-D2 was an old enough droid to have developed a personality and his own way of doing things in episode one, 32 years before a new hope.
Things DON'T BREAK DOWN in Star Wars, unless YOU break them, like Han Solo overloading the hell out of his ship, things last for HUNDREDS of years.
As far as resource scarcity, what are you talking about? There's an entire galaxy's worth of resources in Star Wars. There's so much resources, that the only recycling effort in all the galaxy is the Ithorian craftworlds, and that's because resource management and environmental protection is part of their religion.
Basically what I am saying is that SWGs crafting, resource and item decay systems have nothing to do with starwars, and everything to do with modern american consumerism.
Message Edited by Kamujin on 09-26-2005 05:36 PM
Kamujin wrote:
Poor example bro. The Falcon was always breaking down. You did see the movies right? Han/Lando, "Watch this!" Leia,"Watch What?"
Ihareo wrote:
Kamujin wrote:
7) IMPORTANT - What happened to the idea that your gear would need to be replaced? SWG should include ALOT of fighting for resources. This is obviously implied by the game design. Where is the resource scarcity? Where is the PvP role in resource scarcity?
What fighting for resources? What replacing your gear?
I don't know if you know this, but in the Starwars universe, things LAST. You don't buy somthing expecting it to need replacing in two weeks.
The mellenium Falcon is older than Chewbacca, and he's 200 years old. Han's Blaster is the same blaster he's had since the start of his career, and he got it from somone else. R2-D2 was an old enough droid to have developed a personality and his own way of doing things in episode one, 32 years before a new hope.
Things DON'T BREAK DOWN in Star Wars, unless YOU break them, like Han Solo overloading the hell out of his ship, things last for HUNDREDS of years.
As far as resource scarcity, what are you talking about? There's an entire galaxy's worth of resources in Star Wars. There's so much resources, that the only recycling effort in all the galaxy is the Ithorian craftworlds, and that's because resource management and environmental protection is part of their religion.
Basically what I am saying is that SWGs crafting, resource and item decay systems have nothing to do with starwars, and everything to do with modern american consumerism.
A) My point is still the same
B) I covered that with "YOU break them, like Han Solo overloading the hell out of his ship, things last for HUNDREDS of years.". It is a well known and documented fact that the only reason the falcombroke down was because Han pushed it well past it's limits by constantly tweaking it to get the maximum possible performance, and that it was in perfect working order when he won it from Lando. Therefore it IS a good example. AFterall, more than 200 years of good running from it andwith a little modification it was the fastest ship in the Alliance fleet, INCLUDING the A-Wings!
C) The Falcon 'alwase breaking down' is an exaggeration. It only broke down on Hoth, where the freezing condition were breaking down most of the other equipment as well, and it worked just fine after he got it to a repair station.
Ihareo wrote:
Kamujin wrote:
Poor example bro. The Falcon was always breaking down. You did see the movies right? Han/Lando, "Watch this!" Leia,"Watch What?"
Ihareo wrote:
Kamujin wrote:
7) IMPORTANT - What happened to the idea that your gear would need to be replaced? SWG should include ALOT of fighting for resources. This is obviously implied by the game design. Where is the resource scarcity? Where is the PvP role in resource scarcity?
What fighting for resources? What replacing your gear?
I don't know if you know this, but in the Starwars universe, things LAST. You don't buy somthing expecting it to need replacing in two weeks.
The mellenium Falcon is older than Chewbacca, and he's 200 years old. Han's Blaster is the same blaster he's had since the start of his career, and he got it from somone else. R2-D2 was an old enough droid to have developed a personality and his own way of doing things in episode one, 32 years before a new hope.
Things DON'T BREAK DOWN in Star Wars, unless YOU break them, like Han Solo overloading the hell out of his ship, things last for HUNDREDS of years.
As far as resource scarcity, what are you talking about? There's an entire galaxy's worth of resources in Star Wars. There's so much resources, that the only recycling effort in all the galaxy is the Ithorian craftworlds, and that's because resource management and environmental protection is part of their religion.
Basically what I am saying is that SWGs crafting, resource and item decay systems have nothing to do with starwars, and everything to do with modern american consumerism.
A) My point is still the same
B) I covered that with "YOU break them, like Han Solo overloading the hell out of his ship, things last for HUNDREDS of years.". It is a well known and documented fact that the only reason the falcombroke down was because Han pushed it well past it's limits by constantly tweaking it to get the maximum possible performance, and that it was in perfect working order when he won it from Lando. Therefore it IS a good example. AFterall, more than 200 years of good running from it andwith a little modification it was the fastest ship in the Alliance fleet, INCLUDING the A-Wings!
C) The Falcon 'alwase breaking down' is an exaggeration. It only broke down on Hoth, where the freezing condition were breaking down most of the other equipment as well, and it worked just fine after he got it to a repair station.
D) you ignored the R2's example.
a) I get your point. When I speak of resource competition, I am refering to the original design of the game. While I respect your desire to conform to the story as closely as possible, this has its own problems, such as Jedi essentially being god mode. Resource competition could add a cool element to the GCW if properly applied. Think along the lines that the best equipt "armies" have secured the best supply routes. I think the idea of resource hunting expeditions could really breathe some new life intoprofessions such as ranger.
b) One of the great draws of star wars is the "dirtyness" of it. Things did break and things needed to be fixed. Han couldn't take a speeder to look for Luke because they were having trouble adapting them to the cold. Anakin broke the shifter on the swoop that he borrows to find his mom.
c) The falcon's malfunction is a comedic element used many times in the movie.
Kamujin wrote:
a) I get your point. When I speak of resource competition, I am refering to the original design of the game. While I respect your desire to conform to the story as closely as possible, this has its own problems, such as Jedi essentially being god mode. Resource competition could add a cool element to the GCW if properly applied. Think along the lines that the best equipt "armies" have secured the best supply routes. I think the idea of resource hunting expeditions could really breathe some new life intoprofessions such as ranger.
Actually, if we followed the movies, There would be no alpha class at all, even if it WAS only "1.5x". What made Jedi ultimate badasses in the movies was that they were the main characters. I've said it over and over but han solo, princes leia, Amidala and the Jedi characters ALL one hit-killed everything they shot at (exept other main characters), wheras the background and second fiddle Jedi (like Ki'adi Mundi)died just as easily as droids and clone troopers.
As for supplies and resources breathing new life into the GCW, you're wrong. It would sure bring new life to a vietnam or world war 2 game, but resources are simply not an issue in star wars (exept things like water on tatooine). Such a minigame would only take SWG even further from the movies. Physical resources were never an issue to the rebelliopn, it was the man power and keeping up the will to fight against a galaxy spanning empire.
b) One of the great draws of star wars is the "dirtyness" of it. Things did break and things needed to be fixed. Han couldn't take a speeder to look for Luke because they were having trouble adapting them to the cold. Anakin broke the shifter on the swoop that he borrows to find his mom.
Hey I'm all for needing to repair stuff. What I'm against is having to replace things every time I turn around. It's rediculous. Yah Anakin broke the shifter by misusing it, but they didn't need a whole new swoop. You never saw Han need to pull out a spare blaster in the middle of a fight because it just wore out.
The only reason we need to replace our stuff all the time os so that the crafters can keep gouging the rest of us.
c) The falcon's malfunction is a comedic element used many times in the movie.
Yes but it never needed to be REPLACED, only repaied. And it's breaking down was only used for comedic effect in one movie. In Ep.4 that was limited to two one line cracks about how it looks like a piece of junk, and in Ep.6 there wasn't even that. The only time it ever broke down was on Hoth. And as soon as they were no longer in such harsh conditions and repaired ONCE, the Falcon was fine again.
People like to take the running gag and exaggerate it, but the fact is the falcon only broke down once in the entire series.
d) I didn't ignore your R2-D2 example, it was just extraneous information. R2-D2 has to be repaired many times in the movies BTW. He didn't just "get better" after a few minutes.
Again, I have no problem with the need to repair our stuff. I don't even have a problem with our stuff breaking down in the middle of a fight. I have a problem with needing to replace our stuff frequently. In Star Wars, things are built to last. Not the 21st century 'disposable future'. That's Star Trek.
Message Edited by Ihareo on 09-29-2005 10:26 PM