A Custom EQ2

[Eru]

If you've been following the live server, you'll know that EQ2 is starting to go down hill. With the recent need to go F2P+RMT, it's obvious that SOE is getting desperate; they're focusing on income more than the content. Looking about this project for a bit, I can see that catching up to the live servers is a major goal for this server. My question is: why?

EQ2 has made great content in the past, and, being a veteran since launch, I have enjoyed most of it, until recently. The content being released seems to be a result of rushing to quickly develop expansions, rake in money, and gain more content than the leading MMORPG, without focusing on the quality of content. The recent updates: they've been cutting the advanced mechanics that made this game fun and challenging, just to make it easier for everyone. Easier isn't necessarily fun, and many complain about how boring and easier MMORPGs are getting. If we try to catch up to that, we're just going to sink down the same hole.

As more people leave the servers of SOE, more people will look for ways to play the game without having to deal with SOE. This project will be the island of refuge that SOE has recently exiled from their game. As it exponentially gains popularity, it will be able to adapt to the needs of others, creating a far more better, and less corrupt game. Eventually, the developers of this project will be able to release content based on customization, and if they customize this game enough, this server could possibly spawn a brand new game entirely, releasing it from the chain in which SOE could pull at any time to crash this project, entirely.

So why are we going to copy a game that has grown flawed, when we can polish the less flawed side of it, and make a perfect game? For now, I believe that the game shouldn't be focusing on catching up to the latest content, as much as it should be looking for way to be compatible with the latest launcher. I would really want to play on this server, but I can't, because I have the latest version of the client. Perhaps a custom client should be made.

[ilythor]

There are a few main issues with your idea.

1) We don't have the content. We simply don't have access to all the old stuff, or all the new stuff, we have wiped so many times because they stopped using old stuff in live. All our information comes straight off their game servers. If they don't have it in-game right now, we can't get it.

2) We don't have the old data to revert too, we don't have items, stats, spawns, mobs, quests etc. Nothing! Without any old content, how do we recreate the old experience? We can't.

[Eru]

There are a few main issues with your idea.

1) We don't have the content. We simply don't have access to all the old stuff, or all the new stuff, we have wiped so many times because they stopped using old stuff in live. All our information comes straight off their game servers. If they don't have it in-game right now, we can't get it.

2) We don't have the old data to revert too, we don't have items, stats, spawns, mobs, quests etc. Nothing! Without any old content, how do we recreate the old experience? We can't.

1. Why not create you own content? ;3 Eventually you'll get more people interested inthis emulator with development skills as EQ2 live empties out. I'm sure you can throw in some hard work, a bit of memory, and some artwork to recreate many of the old things. If you were to go with my idea, you'd have to redirect your goals, and who knows? It could go off in the direction that it could have never gone before, considering the timing of SOE's decisions ;3.

2. The old experience was never launched. The potential of EQ2 was never realized. Let's take this time and chance to develop this potential, as the real potential of the game is a forbidden feeling of greatness, found nowhere else on this Earth. Without its potential, it was a pretty good game, but it will only get worse if you ignore this solemn event.

[ilythor]

1) We don't have the manpower to copy someone elses content, years of hard work, input, refinement of teams of hundreds of people. We don't have the manpower to copy all of this content, what makes you think we have the manpower for CREATE a entire new universe?!

Semantics!

2)We need a working engine for us to be able to do anything with content, we can't even support what's going on in live right now, and if that's easier, where's the foundation for the more complex old stuff?

[Eru]

1) We don't have the manpower to copy someone elses content, years of hard work, input, refinement of teams of hundreds of people. We don't have the manpower to copy all of this content, what makes you think we have the manpower for CREATE a entire new universe?!

Semantics!

2)We need a working engine for us to be able to do anything with content, we can't even support what's going on in live right now, and if that's easier, where's the foundation for the more complex old stuff?

1. Who knows, perhaps you will soon. And not copy, creating your own content is effort on a different spectrum; they're unrelatable until you try it. You'll never know how easy creating a universe is until you try it either ;3.

2. You'll only find it when you go searching for it ;3.

[ilythor]

Find us the manpower, and a working engine to create content.

Then I'll listen.

[John Adams]

You guys and your bullet points are killin me

1) Eru is 100% correct. I hate chasing live, but we have to because that's where we get our development data from to build the core server. The game evolves, we had (up until recently) 1 developer working on core mechanics, and since that effort was slow due to a lack of resources, LE could only implement things that were "current" in EQ2 Live... that, or make up his own version of how things USED to be (see below).

2) Ilythor is 100% correct. Due to a lack of interest in this project by the community in general, there is no "from memory" development going on here. Sure, you can take our core server and put any spawns you want in them. You do not need OUR database at all (aside from core data required by the server to function). You can take our core engine, and put any spawns, items, quests, spells or whatever... and it's your own server - even if your own server is emulating the grand concept that was EQ2 2004.


Below:
It has always been our intention to build EQ2 Emulator to the best possible emulation of the current EQ2 Live up through the BETA phase of the emulator (previously, rev 0.8.0). Once we finished what we thought was 95% core functionality, we would spend the next 2 revs before release tidying up code, fixing bugs, and adding features that used to exist in EQ2 "when it was fun", like language options, city vs city like it was in the old days, and etc.

The simple fact is, there are NO C++ developers on EQ2Emu at the moment. LE is gone, Scatman is taking a break, and the couple others we have also have busy lives and are not 100% up to speed on how to deal with packets and such - tho they will be, once they have time to focus on it.

The solution: Find 10 solid, dedicated C++ developers to slam out the rest of this code, and the data can be anything you want. OUR emulator DB (the one we deliver) will emulate EQ2 Live, what you choose to build with our engine is completely up to you.

[John Adams]

And now the slam

You'll never know how easy creating a universe is until you try it either ;3.

Until you join our team as a Content Designer, don't preach to us how easy building this universe is. Building a zone with SOE-provided data is far simpler than building a zone with /spawn create. As the DB Designer/Developer for 3+ years, you can take my word for it.

[Eru]

The simple fact is, there are NO C++ developers on EQ2Emu at the moment. LE is gone, Scatman is taking a break, and the couple others we have also have busy lives and are not 100% up to speed on how to deal with packets and such - tho they will be, once they have time to focus on it.

The solution: Find 10 solid, dedicated C++ developers to slam out the rest of this code, and the data can be anything you want. OUR emulator DB (the one we deliver) will emulate EQ2 Live, what you choose to build with our engine is completely up to you.

I'm just pointing out the fact that people are going to leave SOE, and are going to look for a place to go. It's entirely possible that you'll have a handful of people, if not more, with development experience, specifically in this area of knowledge (hint, hint).

And now the slam ;)

You'll never know how easy creating a universe is until you try it either ;3.

Until you join our team as a Content Designer, don't preach to us how easy building this universe is. Building a zone with SOE-provided data is far simpler than building a zone with /spawn create. As the DB Designer/Developer for 3+ years, you can take my word for it.

You are only limited by the time and difficulty you give yourself. Difficult =/= tedious. As each individual code is applied, a simplistic motion of hands, a repetitive action of muscle, and with each piece comes a time in which a concept is applied. Where each concept is applied to a physical root of understanding, there is a spark of predetermination amongst impatience. This will be the only time you will say it was difficult. Patience will only lessen the difficulty, if any difficulty is alloted by yourself. ;)

[John Adams]

WTF?

[Eru]

WTF?

Philosophical understanding is but the bridge to intuition and logic. Think too logically, and you'll miss major concepts. No need to get off topic here.

By custom, I don't mean flying baby heads everywhere, I mean custom, as where EQ2 started going down the drain. A good one is the class system; they decided to make decisions that set everything off balance. There are key points on where and when each event occurred, and ways to unbalance each class. They won't listen nowadays, as they are focusing on their income, and focusing on making stuff to distract us from their confusion.

[John Adams]

Flying baby heads would kick ass!

[Eru]

Flying baby heads would kick ass!

As long as they are balanced, and provide an in-depth contribution to the surrounding situation and a smooth proliferation of the main emulation. ;P

[Sylaei]

Doom 3 had flying baby heads. Scared the crap outa me. Good thing I had a shotgun.

[Eru]

Doom 3 had flying baby heads. Scared the crap outa me. :o Good thing I had a shotgun. :shock:

Perhaps a shotgun could be implemented :P. Though it's not likely, considering it would take a lot more time balancing something created out of the concept of a perfect game. Still, perhaps a shotgun could inspire something else, like an AoE stun for the Monk, to provide some point of usefulness before level 50. Those baby heads wouldn't stand a chance against this version of the Monk ;P.