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just tried it because of F2P over the weekend, won't be playing it even if it is free
nariusseldon
Member EpicPosts: 27,775
Since EQ2 went free, i figure i will give it a try. Very disappointed. The restrictions on the free game is fine with me (developers have to make money somewhere) but the game itself is VERY dissappointing. I am playing WOW, LOTRO f2p beta and DDO so those will be used as point of comparison.
Graphics is horrible. I am talking about art design here. Animation, environmental design, character, mob .. none looks very good. WOW has MUCH better animation & art design, despite the low poly count, and LOTRO has much more detailed graphics. Even DDO, which is the weakest in graphics, look better than EQ2.
I played a Wiz for a few hours. I used to play a Wiz in EQ. I play wiz type toon in all my mmos (mage in wow, sorcerer in DDO, rune keeper in LOTRO). So i am familiar with that class. The mechanics and balance is horrible for teh EQ2 wiz at low level. Every mob is a one shot. I am sure someone will tell me it will be better at higher level. Well, i don't incline to "suffer" a game for the low levels before i get to the good parts.
Given more and more MMOs are free, i don't think i will spend any time at EQ2.
Comments
Fair enough. I have played all those too, and find EQ2 at max settings to be far prettier than any of them. Personal taste I guess.
"When people don't know much about something, they tend to fill in the blanks the way they want them to be filled in. They are almost always disappointed." - Will Wright
OMG did I read that right. Graphics and Animation...........Seriously wtf...
Core i5 13600KF, BeQuiet Pure Loop FX 360, 32gb DDR5-6000 XPG, WD SN850 NVMe ,PNY 3090 XLR8, Asus Prime Z790-A, Lian-Li O11 PCMR case (limited ed 1045/2000), 32" LG Ultragear 4k Monitor, Logitech G560 LightSync Sound, Razer Deathadder V2 and Razer Blackwidow V3 Keyboard
I played EQ2 for a year and a half when it first released (been thinking of trying the free version again sometime);
Art direction is a matter of opinion.
However, WoW's animations are very smooth and quite diverse, while EQ2's weren't; at least as a wizard, nearly every spell had the same animation and as a melee class, you'd often be swinging your weapon into clear air.
So unless they added more of those, I do agree.
EQ2 did have far more impressive effects though, but I heard they significantly nerfed those.
As for the mobs being 1 shotted, I did not experience that when I played back then, so I can't comment.
Feel free to use my referral link for SW:TOR if you want to test out the game. You'll get some special unlocks!
Some classes have very powerfull skills/spells so they may be able to 1 shot at low level, but you will find the casting times are longer for those spells, so for multiple mobs you will be getting hit before can get second off
Core i5 13600KF, BeQuiet Pure Loop FX 360, 32gb DDR5-6000 XPG, WD SN850 NVMe ,PNY 3090 XLR8, Asus Prime Z790-A, Lian-Li O11 PCMR case (limited ed 1045/2000), 32" LG Ultragear 4k Monitor, Logitech G560 LightSync Sound, Razer Deathadder V2 and Razer Blackwidow V3 Keyboard
Given a game with a similar design to WOW & LOTRO, of course graphics, art & animation are important. I *may* overlook bad graphics if it has superior gameplay but it does not.
In fact, the beginning quests are much worse design than LOTRO (with more story & instances).
We are playing VIDEO games here. Visual is important.
You don’t have to “suffer” long before you get to a point where you can’t one shot mobs anymore. It’s been awhile but I would say by level 10 as a wizard/warlock you are either rooting mobs or your dying a lot. I’m thinking your “few hours” was probably more like a hour. That’s especially so given the restrictions on the free accounts as far as spell quality wise and gear since you are limited to adept spells and treasured/crafted gear.
As for the graphics I guess it’s a matter of personal tastes. I never liked the color pallet of WOW much.
A hour or two isn’t enough time to play a game like EQ2 and come on here to complain about it. If you are going to go though the trouble to post on this site about how much it sucks at least commit to play it 10-15 hours first.
I have my issues with EQ2 and especially the new extended service but still.
I'll just stick with my EQ1emu :P
EQ2 has stunning graphics. You must have the settings down to minimum if its looking bad. I cant see how anyone could think it was "bad" otherwise.
"When people don't know much about something, they tend to fill in the blanks the way they want them to be filled in. They are almost always disappointed." - Will Wright
Umm, no. A lot of people think the EQ2 art style is horrible, including me. I've never played it at a setting lower then high quality. It could be set to maximum and the visual problems would still be there. The only people that could say EQ2 graphics are great lack artistic sense. Any EQ2 player with artistic sense just puts up with the graphical issues because they love the gameplay or history of the world. EQ1 obviously has even worse graphics because it's old now, and people still love that.
There is just a constant disconnect between anything static that moves and the environment, and it lacks a refined touch to any of the borders of visual objects, making them distinctly blocky, jagged, or interposed upon each other like cloaks that disappear behind armor or weapons. Climbing walls, running along the ground, or taking griffon flights looks so ridiculous the character might as well not even be animated - it's like they're just gliding along with no contact or equation in movement speed relative to visual queues. No amount of antialiasing or other graphical settings changes how poorly they designed the art of both characters and the world.
As mentioned before, WoW & Lotro have a much more refined art style, although the latter still has a similar disconnect between characters and environment. Even if WoW has 'cartoony' graphics, it has a distinct art style refined to match and fit within the environment, which also meshes incredibly well with all objects drawn within the world. Players can argue in Lotro or EQ2 that they either prefer the character design or environment design, but with WoW's art style, players typically like all or nothing because of the proper relationship of one to the other.
Edit: broke up the wall of text.
I'd only agree with the OP about WoW's graphics, art-style, and animations being better than EQ2's in my opinion. I am not a super-big fan of the cartoony aspect of WoW that Blizzard chose, though it's perfectly in keeping with their previous Warcraft games. I can respect what they've done with the game for the smoothness it runs at. If you have the graphics turned up and you zoom in to look at things, WoW is actually really detailed and beautifully rendered. By the way, does WoW still really have a lower poly count since they upgraded the graphics with WotLK?
I can't agree AT ALL with DDO and LotRO being better in those three departments. DDO and LotRO's character models are really not that good and there is far less customization available than in EQ2, even through F2A. Plus, the animations in both games were really sketchy, with LotRO's being worse. The way my characters ran and looked while doing combat really bothered me and one of the reasons why I can't get immersed into the game. I didn't care for the style and 'spell' effects either in LotRO in comparison to EQ2's. What DDO and LotRO have over EQ2 is nicer-looking environments, and yes LotRO's movie-like book missions are a nice touch.
Your comment about other 'free' MMOs surprises me a bit seeing that:
1) EQ2 is dated to 2004 and therefore one of the older games on the market by now. Maybe you're being a little harsh on the graphics? It's true that it could be updated, but why is it such a big deal for an older game? Speaking about older games, UO and AO are both older and have terrible graphics by today's standards, but does that mean you won't play them despite the fact they're both great games?
2) I've played a few F2A MMOs, even some in beta that people ranted and raved about. From what I can tell, though their graphics are more modern than EQ2's, they're by no means better! Most F2A MMOs have crappy graphics, animations and environments.
Playing MUDs and MMOs since 1994.
I dunno if I will keep playing EQ2, but mostly because of its somewhat archaic (IMHO) interface. For instance in order to loot bodies, you have to click, which brings up a menu, then you pick loot. That gets old, real, real quick, so basically I stopped looting (though conversely, I do like how it picks up quest items without looting).
The graphics don't seem bad at all. I can see the art direction being a problem, that's true of any game, if you don't like it, well, you don't like it. But IMHO, it looks better than any other F2P game I've tried, with the possible exception of Sword of the New World and that had very little character customization (and really awful textures in spots).
Lotro looks a lot better, but then it's 3 years newer and you don't have the number of mobs this game does. The starting area in that ice city basically has a little battlefield running constantly. And in lotro, basiclaly all characters look the same except for hair style and race. Heck, there are only like 4 NPC models for each race/sex combo, all the female human NPCs look like Patty Duke (which I guess makes a weird sort of logic, since on her show she played twins, but that was a kid, whereas the ones in game look middle aged)
As to one shotting mobs, well, I've been playing a wizard and while I have yet to encounter any difficulty (I'm up to level 15) I don't go one shotting anyone, either. Usually 2-3 whacks with my main spell (which I can't remember the name of, but it's on my 1 key so presumably the first one you get) plus 1-2 with the other spells.
But I'm still in the tutorial area. And I don't think single opponents in this game are meant to be a challenge, it's the ones that come in 3s that are.
R.I.P. City of Heroes and my 17 characters there
I agree to an extent with your other points although I think you have a knack for exaggeration. Which speaking of which is glaring here. All mmos start out with casters doing mobs in rather quickly since they don't have a ton of skills yet and to get new players adjusted to how the class will play.
It isn't any harder or easier in this game than any other, which since you always play a wiz/sorc type you should know all too well.
From your posts it seems like you planned on trashing this game regardless. Also, doesn't seem like you played long either.
I will say one thing. Unlike some other games such as WoW and LotR this game has not "aged well". It feels a hell of a lot more dated than other games in its era. SOE really hasn't done a lot to try and revamp the lower level zones at all unlike some of those other games and it really shows.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
So you are comparing EQ2 to games that came out either immediately after or years after? Oh wait, you are saying the graphics is horrible because YOUR computer can't handle it? You played for 5 minutes and mad because you one shot everything? I assure you that doesn't last long at all.
It's always easier to blame someone else, isn't it.
On the character models themsleves EQ2 wins out. Even if the models seem like plastic molded dolls. Now pre-spell animation revamp WoW would have had it. But I think SoE did a good job making all the spells feel and look unique and actually look pretty good. So both are pretty even on that aspect. Terrain and world..well both have their good points and bad, and has been said before characters seem..separeted from the enviroment. Plus I have seen more of WoW then EQ2 so I can't compare on a climate zone to zone basis.
This is where WoW edges out though..smoothness. Characters at a 100 yard distance or so appear to move like a movie that is missing frames. Many times approaching robed characters will appear gray and wearing pants till I get within 30? yards of them. Armor also has issues with not rendering till I am not ontop of the person as well. That breaks it for me..might feel like nitpicking but even after setting stuff to max and raising the amount of characters to be rendered at max..it appeared to have little to no effect..
Keep in mind that the graphics in EQ2 were built to be "future proof". Soe did not want to be forced to do a graphics update to the game like they did in EQ, so they built graphics that were well ahead of their time in terms of specifications.
In other words, the engine is capable of delivering graphics that feel up to date and in some aspects it really does. The art direction feels more at cause for the aged feel than anything else.
WOW was released around the same time and it looks 10x better just because of art direction (polygon-wise, it is about the same, or lower than EQ2).
Plus, so what if it is old? I pick a game to play because i like it (and that includes gameplay AND graphics), NOT because it is fair. There is a reason why I don't play older games.
Exactly, I won't play UO (well that is a bad game anyway ... ganging, clicking rocks to level up mining is boring, everyone a tank mage ...) and AO because of their terribly graphics. Games move forward. There is no reason to be stuck in the past. For those which age well (WOW, Diablo ....), success can be long lived. For those which don't .. well .. too bad for them.
(Actually i tried AO and can't get pass the really really dated graphics/interface)
Cool. You should definitely stick to what you love most.
If WoW / Diablo is what you love, then take care, and thanks for popping in.
"When people don't know much about something, they tend to fill in the blanks the way they want them to be filled in. They are almost always disappointed." - Will Wright
Graphics are just an opinion friend. myself i think eq2s are far superior, but again, just an opinion.
On another note eq2 is an old game now friend and if graphics are so important,.....didnt you notice that before you jumped in?
-on high graphics the game looks great. With the huge zones and cool enviroments later in the game makes it all c ome together.. you will have to lvl further than lvl 15 though hehe... (theres alot of graphic/performance settings to play around with, like display cloaks
)
- one shot mobs in low lvls wont happen uless your fightin greys or whatever, they might feel as powerful as bugs, but really all mobs up to lvl 20 be very gimp "its tutorial"... but if u think its to easy you should go solo heroics (much stronger and more a mob for groups or partners, but soloable) Greater Fey is a good starting zone with heroics in the keep.
- if just standing around castin fireworks bores you, you should try playin a scout class, with abit more run in the legs. still mobs before lvl 20 doesnt present much of a fight ( unless u pull enough of them )
- get a group, newb! go do something dangerous instead of running around in newb zones and kill rats by orders of the local drunk!
- go do whatever, no need to follow the questlines if u dont want to. (can always mentor down and do them later )
Pretty much in agreement here, SOE has horrible art design to me I have never loved the look of any game they made other than Star Wars and that had much more to do with the things that were "Star Warsy" and "iconic" as they love to put it than it had to do with anything they actually did from a design standpoint. I liked the armors, and colors but other than that I would have much rather seen that game with better art direction. Same thing with both of the Everquests which I tried later but EQ2 was especially bad to me I just could not get into the graphics of that game at all.
SOE's business practices and lack of anything truly groundbreaking or overtly fun is why I don't play any of the games they make hopefully though DCU can change that because I like Sony all around with the exception of the online division it is just horrible in comparison to what they have the resources to be in the industry.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
Everquest 2 has much better graphics than any game you mentioned. I wish I was at home to go to my screenshot folder and post some. Your must be playing on a cheap pc that can handle the higher settings.
Yea please do, I have never seen a Eq2 screenshot or video that show that it has good graphics. My computer manages to play LotrO and AoC with great graphics yet Eq2 looks and runs horrible. And thats not even considering that awfull art style that Eq2 have.
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
I gave it a try and I have to agree. The game looks horrible and I had it cranked up to max.
It just hasn't aged well in my opinion, but to each his own.
Ask and you shall recieve. This is Balanced settings with some tweaks.
OP LEFT SHADER 1.0 ON!!!!! almost sure that is what happened here.
that is why it looked bad, go in settings and put on extreme and you won't say the graphics are bad believe me.
GAME TIL YOU DIE!!!!