OK, after a little play as a wizard, I find that I'm getting poor FPS and stuttery performance with hitches. I have the game set on the recommended graphic options. Any idea what the issue is?
OK, after a little play as a wizard, I find that I'm getting poor FPS and stuttery performance with hitches. I have the game set on the recommended graphic options. Any idea what the issue is?
Thank you!
The important questions: how much RAM do you have, and how fast is your CPU?
With EQ2, SOE made a bad call (faster and faster single-core CPUs) on the future of gaming tech. The game depends much more on the CPU than on the graphics card. So having a rig that can run high graphics on much newer games does not mean that it will work so well on EQ2.
I did not intend to bring the wrath of the forum warriors with my statement that the game is effectively dead.
I loved EQ2 - and played EQ1 from 2000 until 2006.
But the game will never pick back up, it will never be properly supported - they will never implement an appropriate render so modern hardware capable of eating Skyrim can play at proper FPS without half the graphics options disabled or turned down low.
It's a good game - they have a wonderful design team, even the graphics are "okay" to impressive - terrain design is wonderful, quests are good, tradeskills, itemization - even the dungeons (real ones, not player crap) are wonderful. (I'm a huge collection addict.)
But it became so much too late into it's lifespan to invest serious time or money into now.
Though I probably would if I had someone to play with or they would give us a new engine. (SM3 was good for me, but not on all hardware which was what they were aiming for I think.)
OK, after a little play as a wizard, I find that I'm getting poor FPS and stuttery performance with hitches. I have the game set on the recommended graphic options. Any idea what the issue is?
Thank you!
The important questions: how much RAM do you have, and how fast is your CPU?
With EQ2, SOE made a bad call (faster and faster single-core CPUs) on the future of gaming tech. The game depends much more on the CPU than on the graphics card. So having a rig that can run high graphics on much newer games does not mean that it will work so well on EQ2.
A while ago IIRC the game had an update that introduced GPU rendering. It's in advanced options, and makes a huge difference to framerate while also looking much better (bar the occasional visual glitch here and there).
With full-on GPU lighting, shaders, shadows, ambient occlusion, etc., the game holds up very well graphically nowadays. Fully maxed-out on a modern comp (which is possible now with the GPU rendering) it actually looks better than the recent SWTOR.
You do still need a decent CPU though, as some of it's still done on CPU (e.g. point shadows).
(For reference, I'm running an old E7200 Core2Duo chip o/c'd to 3.8GHz, and a Radeon HD5770 graphics card.)
In general in relation to the OP, hell yes the game is worth playing if you enjoy a somewhat "old skool" MMO experience. It feels like a virtual world with tons to do other than combat - it's a proper place for a "second life", unlike most new MMOs, in which the sense of virtual world is almost vestigial.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that EQ2 and Vanguard are the only "real" MMOs left (that are still graphically appealing enough to play).
Comments
This isn't something you can tell for yourself by reading the costing matrix?
I think SOE's cash shop model is heavy handed and greedy, but they don't hide the information.
Did I say they hid it? I logged in, tried to make a conjuror, and it said it was pay only.
OK, after a little play as a wizard, I find that I'm getting poor FPS and stuttery performance with hitches. I have the game set on the recommended graphic options. Any idea what the issue is?
Thank you!
Yes, I get that.
But you asked how restricted is the game.
I recommended reading the pricing matrix that they don't hide.
The important questions: how much RAM do you have, and how fast is your CPU?
With EQ2, SOE made a bad call (faster and faster single-core CPUs) on the future of gaming tech. The game depends much more on the CPU than on the graphics card. So having a rig that can run high graphics on much newer games does not mean that it will work so well on EQ2.
I did not intend to bring the wrath of the forum warriors with my statement that the game is effectively dead.
I loved EQ2 - and played EQ1 from 2000 until 2006.
But the game will never pick back up, it will never be properly supported - they will never implement an appropriate render so modern hardware capable of eating Skyrim can play at proper FPS without half the graphics options disabled or turned down low.
It's a good game - they have a wonderful design team, even the graphics are "okay" to impressive - terrain design is wonderful, quests are good, tradeskills, itemization - even the dungeons (real ones, not player crap) are wonderful. (I'm a huge collection addict.)
But it became so much too late into it's lifespan to invest serious time or money into now.
Though I probably would if I had someone to play with or they would give us a new engine. (SM3 was good for me, but not on all hardware which was what they were aiming for I think.)
A while ago IIRC the game had an update that introduced GPU rendering. It's in advanced options, and makes a huge difference to framerate while also looking much better (bar the occasional visual glitch here and there).
With full-on GPU lighting, shaders, shadows, ambient occlusion, etc., the game holds up very well graphically nowadays. Fully maxed-out on a modern comp (which is possible now with the GPU rendering) it actually looks better than the recent SWTOR.
You do still need a decent CPU though, as some of it's still done on CPU (e.g. point shadows).
(For reference, I'm running an old E7200 Core2Duo chip o/c'd to 3.8GHz, and a Radeon HD5770 graphics card.)
In general in relation to the OP, hell yes the game is worth playing if you enjoy a somewhat "old skool" MMO experience. It feels like a virtual world with tons to do other than combat - it's a proper place for a "second life", unlike most new MMOs, in which the sense of virtual world is almost vestigial.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that EQ2 and Vanguard are the only "real" MMOs left (that are still graphically appealing enough to play).
Can we say it's 75% dead? How about 65%?
I love EQ2 as much as anyone, but its best days are behind it. I doubt the game will ever see ar full retail expansion again.
There's plenty of content for the first time player, but it's not the most supported MMORPG out there. You could do worse though.
the Freeport server was launched 2 years ago
Ive been playing on the Freeport server since it opened
-- it never had huge dips in population loss and remains among the most popular servers in EQ2
most old mmos face the same issue, they are OLD and people move on after a few years
EQ2 fan sites