While checking the web the other day I spotted a post by EQ2 Producer Brenlo from a week or so ago where he details the expected content of the next game update for EQ2. The update is due in May and while it does contain Halas, there are a good amount of other changes scheduled. I guess larger updates are to be expected since EQ2 moved to the quarterly update cycle, so there’s plenty in this one for you to think about.
I will run through the juicy bits and my thought’s on them, maybe you can let me know what you think about this upcoming update.
Shader 3.0: Is going well. Yup this is taking a lot longer than we had planned. The reason? We had hoped to make performance gains for all Shader 3.0 cards, but as we continued to progress, we actually saw diminishing returns on all but the most high end cards. This lead to the Graphics Coder, reworking the lighting engine and other systems to try and get those performance gains back. We are starting to see some success and we should be pushing this live with the next update. In fact, I think it is already enabled on Test where we encourage you to give it a try.
Shader 3 is something that I think is due for EQ2 as even the 3 generation old nvidia card I just pulled out of my pc (8800GTX), supported sharder 4. There’s nothing much to say on this other than about time.
New Halas: We shifted around some of our priorities leading up to the expansion launch and this included shifting New Halas back one update. Frankly we needed more time. New player zones actually require a lot more work than a dungeon, overland, or raid zone. Significantly more work in fact, so rather than rush it, we moved it back. You will be pleased to know that it is progressing quite well. The zone art is amazing, as is the housing. I think a lot of players may be moving their homes in the near future. We have a team of designers working on the quests and population, along with a team of artists working on items. There has been a good deal of excitement from the team as they watch it all come together. New Halas is coming in the next update, barring some unforeseen event, like a comet smashing into the Earth or something. Oh and no, there will not be guild halls available in New Halas at launch. Sorry folks.
Now this bit I’m excited about. In the original EQ my main Yetian was as he is now, a Barbarian from Halas. I have fond memories of bashing hairy spiders and other mobs in the old Everfrost zone. My only problem with Halas is to be found here on EQ2 players, the lore preview sounds a bit… naff. I know we had the shattering but I’m a bit sick of islands whether they are in the sky or on the ground. I mean where are the Gnomes? Surely they should be stitching Norrath back together by now? Also, I know Everfrost is cold but blue Dwarves? Have they never heard of wearing multiple layers? I bet Mithaniel Marr’s followers are glad to know that their deity has only just spotted a race of Dwarves in Norrath? How long has he been around? Now I know that these are the Coldain who have been seen in EQ before now but the way that lore is written it’s like Mithaniel has only just discovered this shivering blue race.
Anyway enough whining, I am happy to see Halas back and I will be making a new alt. I’ve deleted my level 18 Beserker Bruenark and I’ll be making a new Halas character. This character will be another Beserker who I plan to level all the way and try my hand at serious tanking for the first time in EQ2. If you play on Splitpaw and find yourself grouped with my upcoming tank, be afraid!
Travel Revamp: As we look at the systems in the game, one of the most deficient and illogical, in our opinion, is our current travel system. We used many mixed systems which often do not make sense. Some zones have bells, some have spires, etc. . . So we are in the process of cleaning all of those up for our next update. Expect a more streamlined, logical system that makes a lot more sense, coming to Norrath in the near future. Expect more details on the forums as we get closer to May.
This is a strange one, I mean isn’t travel simple enough already? You can use druid portals if you harvest a bush from the various circles. You can be ported by Wizards, use a bell or boat and stand at spires for a bit to be ported. It’s not exactly rocket science now is it? I know that new players would have to learn those options, but surely it’s not that much to grasp as it stands? I hope they don’t remove the Wizard/Warlock/Druid abilities to port themselves. I wouldn’t be too happy about that as I have a Warlock and a Warden.
Storyteller System: Just in time for Halas, and hopefully an influx of new players, we will be adding the Storyteller system. A new UI element that tracks quests together, in a meaningful way, to tell a larger story. When you are sent out to kill ten rats, we hope to provide a deeper understanding of why and how it fits into a larger picture, as well as showing how far along you have progressed in the story. This is the system that will tie the Golden Path together, giving new players a guided experience, if they choose, through some of our best content.
Now here is an interesting feature. That’s about all I can say though as I have no idea how it will work. It is one I’m interested in seeing live, so you can be sure I’ll mention it at some point once I’ve tried this feature out in the pixel flesh.
The final parts pretty much read as blah blah blah to me. To the rest of you the rest is regarding changes to Itemization for Sentinel’s Fate items and improvements to Battlegrounds. I still havn’t tried Battlegrounds yet so I’m afraid I can’t comment on that.
The post also contained a few details about upcoming content so here’s the link for you all to read the full letter.
Brenlo’s Letter 29th March 2010
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The travel revamp sounds like a much needed feature, although I agree that there are more then enough ways to get around.
The biggest problem I believe is its like EQ2 has the full six pack of beer with the travel options, but just lacks the plasticy thing to hold it all together.
Personally I'd like to see the top level of the world map redone so that as you use/find/discover global travel routes they get added to it. It would be a great help for new players, as for in zone travel I'm not sure how to improve that, some zones like Sundered Frontier or the Moors of Ykesha seem to have perhaps too much but very polished travel systems.