[Preview] EverQuest Next: Landmark: Hands On with EverQuest Next Landmark

SBFord

EverQuest Next Landmark has received a lot of attention with its world building abilities and much more. We recently had the opportunity to check out Landmark first hand and have an exclusive report to share. Read on and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

This past week we finally got to play with EverQuest Next Landmark in a hands on session. The client was in an early state, but we got the chance to make some buildings and more importantly use some of the tools the team at SOE has been developing. The one thing we took away from Landmark was that it can become very addictive. Just like Minecraft, there is something fun about building your own world and living in it as well.

Read more of Garrett Fuller's EverQuest Next Landmark: Hands On with EverQuest Next Landmark.

marz.at.play

I am confused. What is the difference between Everquest Next and Everquest Next: Landmark. Are these the same game or two different games? By buying the founders packs do I also get perks for Everquest Next or only Everquest Next: Landmark...I want to purchase but confused. Someone help!

BillMurphy

Two different games, with Landmark being the creative MMO and Next being a more story driven MMO. These founders packs get you access to Landmark, but not Next it seems.

Maldach

Looks fun. I have two concerns:

The Blizzard  color palette needs to go. Blue and yellow aren't the only colors in the spectrum.

How will player-made structures be 'controlled' on live servers? We all know the average human is a moron. Expect forests of giant dongs if ctrl + c is that easy to work with. Are constructed areas purged by mobs/players? Or will we be saturated with fields full of failed test buildings as we adventure across Norrath?

marz.at.play

Originally posted by BillMurphy
Two different games, with Landmark being the creative MMO and Next being a more story driven MMO. These founders packs get you access to Landmark, but not Next it seems.

Thx.

Razeekster

The graphics are borderline weird. I don't know if it isn't possible to not have graphics like this for what they are trying to do, but I wouldn't be bothered by cartoony graphics or anything... These just look somehow... Plastic? I'm having a hard time describing them.

 

I just think they look really weird, and not the good kind of weird that sets them apart from other MMOs.

 

Xanzo

So, are they going to have a founders pack assortment for just Everquest Next also?

Wizardry

There is no question the Minecraft idea is addictive,however i have been doing it for years,MANY years like at least 15 years always for FREE.

Unreal has been offering this and now a days in the UDK package for free,so how SOE figures it is worth giving them free money to sue is beyond me,i guess no harm in asking.Better yet is in the Unreal version for FREE,you can export,import and do a heck of a lot MORE than what SOE is allowing you to do.

This is not even SOE's work/effort,this is Voxels is it not?You might actually say that SOE is getting gamer's to pay for the Voxel licensing.

I posted a game on here the other day Planet Explorers,they are also using Voxel and doing quite a few unique things and you can get in and play around as well.Basically the same thing SOE is doing but without the 100 dollar founder pack and instead of hiding they are sharing everything about the game.

Wizardry

Originally posted by Razeekster

The graphics are borderline weird. I don't know if it isn't possible to not have graphics like this for what they are trying to do, but I wouldn't be bothered by cartoony graphics or anything... These just look somehow... Plastic? I'm having a hard time describing them.

 

I just think they look really weird, and not the good kind of weird that sets them apart from other MMOs.

 

I am not sure what you are seeing but what is probably making them look weird is that everything is more like a block just like Minecraft rather than a full modeled object.Full 3d models would take a ton of power especially when a terrain is littered with it.Now imagine trying to add shaders,animated textures it is quite doable but SOE is going the less costly route so not giving you their best effort.

I would assume you could still mimic a full model by stretching a block mesh to a really large surface and molding it, like a 1024x1024 or bigger instead of a small 64x64 or 128x128 blocks.Problem is if you have to stretch everything that is when it begins to look bad or worse.

MindTrigger

Originally posted by Wizardry

There is no question the Minecraft idea is addictive,however i have been doing it for years,MANY years like at least 15 years always for FREE.

Unreal has been offering this and now a days in the UDK package for free,so how SOE figures it is worth giving them free money to sue is beyond me,i guess no harm in asking.Better yet is in the Unreal version for FREE,you can export,import and do a heck of a lot MORE than what SOE is allowing you to do.

This is not even SOE's work/effort,this is Voxels is it not?You might actually say that SOE is getting gamer's to pay for the Voxel licensing.

I posted a game on here the other day Planet Explorers,they are also using Voxel and doing quite a few unique things and you can get in and play around as well.Basically the same thing SOE is doing but without the 100 dollar founder pack and instead of hiding they are sharing everything about the game.

The strangest things about posts like these, is that some people seem to believe SOE should only exist so that they can make completely free games for people who don't want to pay for anything.  They seem to believe that the the money to run the SOE business and pay the employees, etc., manifests out of thin air like magic.

You don't NEED to buy a Founder's pack at all, and this will be a F2P game when it releases.  It is a choice whether or not you support the game with your money, so you can get in early and play around.  If not, wait until the game releases in 2014.

Meanwhile, it sounds like you have lots of "free" alternatives at your disposal. 

SpottyGekko

Hmmmm.... Not entirely sure if this is my "thing"...

 

It looks very bright and oversaturated and the chunkiness of everything keeps it squarely in cartoon territory. Could be fun I suppose, but I'd have to try it first.

MindTrigger

Originally posted by Wizardry

Originally posted by Razeekster

The graphics are borderline weird. I don't know if it isn't possible to not have graphics like this for what they are trying to do, but I wouldn't be bothered by cartoony graphics or anything... These just look somehow... Plastic? I'm having a hard time describing them.

 

I just think they look really weird, and not the good kind of weird that sets them apart from other MMOs.

 

I am not sure what you are seeing but what is probably making them look weird is that everything is more like a block just like Minecraft rather than a full modeled object.Full 3d models would take a ton of power especially when a terrain is littered with it.Now imagine trying to add shaders,animated textures it is quite doable but SOE is going the less costly route so not giving you their best effort.

I would assume you could still mimic a full model by stretching a block mesh to a really large surface and molding it, like a 1024x1024 or bigger instead of a small 64x64 or 128x128 blocks.Problem is if you have to stretch everything that is when it begins to look bad or worse.

I've tried to explain this to people too, but they just can't understand it.  They want EQ: Next to look like ESO, and still have the building tools.  That's not going to happen.  The graphics are cartoony, because that is the state of voxel and procedurally generated art/content.  This stuff is done using algorithms, and is not hand-created (and completely static) like it is in most games.  Maybe in another five years, we will have both, but right now, EQ:NEXT is state of the art voxel and procedural tech.  Planet Explorers looks very similar because they are using similar concepts.

For the record though, I would like to see the color palette change as well.  I hope there is a full range of coloring available, because the use of what looks like bright primary colors is a choice, and is not mandated by the state of their technology like the shapes and cartoonish look are.

saker

I was feeling optimistic about this till this announcement, $oE back to it's usual... charging for a alpha... no shame at all.

Unknown

Okay gameplay > graphics but how come that can be 2014 game with those poor graphics?

Ice-Queen

I'll wait til it goes live to try it, I'm not paying for a game in alpha.

Nadia

Originally posted by Wizardry

I posted a game on here the other day Planet Explorers,they are also using Voxel and doing quite a few unique things and you can get in and play around as well.Basically the same thing SOE is doing but without the 100 dollar founder pack and instead of hiding they are sharing everything about the game.

Astral Terra has forthcoming Voxel rpg too

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/399246/kickstarter-Astral-Terra-Voxel-sandbox-rpg.html

Ender4

Looks good to me. Also since i've since this a couple times now, EQL is going to be free. They aren't making you pay money for something already available for free. You only pay money if you simply must play before it is even released.

Solar_Prophet

Looks fun to me. Liking the art style; it makes me think of watercolor paintings for some reason.

EndoRoboto

^ so is there private building or is this only public with the need to buy the plots and all...?

ElRenmazuo

I remember them saying EQ Landmark will be released winter 2013 at the SoE event, and now its still only in alpha.

EndoRoboto

^ i remember this also. My guess is that was Smedley putting an artificial deadline out tho with no basis in reality lol

Gaeluian

Looks horrible. I really hate this art style.

asmkm22

Why are they splitting the game into two "modes" (regular and landmark)?  This makes no sense to me.

WereLlama

Question:

Was there a way to tell if the building changes you made on your Avatar, were immediately visible to other players nearby or only to yourself?

I'm trying to determine the nature of the Landmark game to be a solo only experience or multi-player.

-WL

 

feena750

Landmark is a full MMO so everyone can see your stuff.  They mentioned in a round table discussion that they are investigating a private mode after landmark's release in case you want to develop something in secret.

Lahuzer

I don't get it. Isn't EQN suppose to be THE sandbox-game. But if EQNL holds all these sandbox tools like building houses etc. What sand does EQN hold? And what else can you do in EQNL besides building houses and shit? Quite confusing this...