New player models are not a dead issue… as a matter of fact, we have new Elves being worked on right now!
Clint Worley aka Jourdian
Producer – EverQuest
Sony Online Entertainment
Posted by: SOE | February 14, 2008
New player models are not a dead issue… as a matter of fact, we have new Elves being worked on right now!
Clint Worley aka Jourdian
Producer – EverQuest
Sony Online Entertainment
Which elves?!
By: R on February 15, 2008
at 7:21 am
I wish you’d all just leave the player models alone… You ruined humans, and well iskar’s still look better in old world graphics…
I’d personally rather you spend time with making it so you could be on a mount in an LoN illusion, then waste time on something like the elves that aren’t broke…
It’s very upsetting to read this 8(.
By: Dewey on February 15, 2008
at 8:19 am
As a proponent of new models and animations since Luclin’s launch, I am very excited to hear that the project continues.
I’d ask first and foremost that you make sure to plan for multiple iterations of the models, with feedback from the community, and (dare we hope) some dialogue with the artists themselves. It’s impossible to make everyone happy, particularly where aesthetics are concerned, but the goal should be to make good looking models that perform better than the largely unoptimized Luclin models.
I am hoping to see a drastic improvement over both the Luclin models and the more recent drakkin (and drakkin/human test) models. Your artists have definitely demonstrated an ability to make good looking mob models… I’d like to see the same quality applied to the player models.
In addition to aesthetic improvements, one of the vital components of new models would be the capability of greater visual variety. Since Luclin, we’ve only had one look per armour type per race/gender combination. The drakkin raised this # all the way to TWO… only to make armour unisex, which pretty much negated any slight gains. True next generation models should not only have the ability to support multiple different armour looks, but launch with multiple sets in game, (4-5+ at least, if possible). I’m also a STRONG advocate of armour looking different on different genders, at the least, so we don’t end up with the ‘every caster is wearing a mumu’ reality.
To me, the final vital component of good player models would be the animations. Much like the lack of distinct armour textures, animations have been a weak point of the EQ player models ever since Luclin. The drakkin models have some good animations and many terrible, mistimed, or outright missing ones. Even if the new models are beautiful, even if they support dozens of different armour looks… they will be an outright failure if they all continue to stumble through Norrath like drunken, graceless dwarves.
By: skaal on February 15, 2008
at 8:46 am
Let’s see them!
By: Archaelin on February 15, 2008
at 12:51 pm
Since you brought it up I just want to put in my 2 cents regarding the last time proposed new models were unveiled. Playing a game like this, I like to see my characters as heroic, bigger than life, better looking than I am anyway, LOL. (or scarier in the case of an ogre) The new human models that were shown last year looked sad, tired and had little difference between the sexes. Not like heros at all. More importantly, not too many folks liked them. Please keep this in mind as you develop new art.
By: Sharrien on February 15, 2008
at 1:45 pm
If these models were done by the same artists as drakkins, “new” humans, or the ghosts in bloodmoon, you may as well send them back to the drawing board right now.
By: Lauren Duncan on February 15, 2008
at 2:01 pm
/cheer.
No knight likes to be impaled by their shield while on their mount.
By: terminat on February 15, 2008
at 2:47 pm
Promise to never lay a finger on my ripped gnomish features!
By: Noodles on February 15, 2008
at 3:19 pm
Any updates on the humans?
(I liked what I saw on beta/test, but not everyone does.)
By: Selerra on February 15, 2008
at 3:57 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing screenshots and animations/ vids of animation. To be totally honest, the last 2 player race attempts (well one released, with drakkin, and another attempt with humans) have most of the community VERY jaded about the prospect of new player models.
There are plenty of EXCELENT models in eq with very good animations etc, but unforutnately it’s come across from the forums that all the player favorites (werewolves, the new bixies, sirens, gnomeworks, etc) were either outsourced resources, or done by artists no longer on the EQ team, who have been slated for work elsewhere.
In addition the whole philosophy of ’saving memory’ by having one set of animations and one set of armor for both male and female models of each race will not fly with the players. Couple that with the inability to dye armor with the ‘new’ races, and you’re essentially removing all the individuality from the game. People are attached to their characters, and making everyone look the same, move the same, etc is really going to turn people off.
So, by all means, I certainly hope you can prove my fears unfounded, but unfortunately the recent track record has myself as well as most others who I’ve spoken with, quite dubious at best.
-Tharkis
By: Tharkis on February 15, 2008
at 4:30 pm
Bring Back The STICKMEN GRAPHICS!!!
By: Email on February 15, 2008
at 5:19 pm
Screen shots please!
By: Manos on February 15, 2008
at 5:44 pm
I am trying to keep an open mind but it is difficult. I personally very much dislike the Drakin models and would be most sincerely disappointed to find my Teir’Dal looking anything like a blue Drakin trying to kick off dung from my sandle. (I guess that is what the Drakins are trying to do with that foot thing…)
For a good example of what the new models should NOT look like, I would recommend paying EQ2 a visit. There the dark elves look like little grape Pillsbury Doughboys, not evil at all. And PLEASE don’t give me ANY of the goofy hair-dos from that game either. Sheesh….
I know there are supposed to be performance issues with the Luclin models and that not everyone is wild about those looks either, but we are used to them. I would strongly recommend starting with the current model and working to improve on what is already there, rather than introducing significant changes in that look.
On a positive closing note, I am looking forward to mounting a horse and not finding my shield reversed and my arm protruding through the center of the thing!
Please be careful. Please solicite feedback.
Vinge
By: Vinge on February 15, 2008
at 6:09 pm
Please get player feedback on the new models as soon as possible.
I personally dislike the Drakin look – to me they look androgynous and very unappealing, un-heroic and not a race I would select to be my avatar. Even more then that I would object to the models doing that silly head duck the zombies and sand-elves in PoR did – how the heck can they see me to attack when they are staring at the ground all the time?
I would agree with the poster above and strongly suggest working with what you have to fix the animations and reduce the lag. If you must make major changes please, please consider that with an 8-year-old game many of your players are well past their collage years and have mature tastes and preferences – we are not all 14-year-old males (indeed I personally am an over 40 female)! It will be a fine line you have to walk between under-differentiated and over-developed – in my opinion you would be best served by taking into account what the general American population (not just a small demographic) consider to be ‘beautiful’
Thanks again to the EQ development and coding teams for their hard work
Have Fun!
Ardnasc
By: Ardnasc on February 15, 2008
at 7:12 pm
First of all… Why shouldn’t men and women essentially look alike in the identical armor?
As a RL woman who plays a female toon (wood elf) I frankly am sick and tired of looking like I should fall over on my face from the weight on my chest, and feeling like I should be trying to find something to cover my chest before my breasts fall out of that thing that is supposed to be armor.
I know it’s a “fantasy” game, but are the only fantasies to be acknowledged those of males who are still in their adolescence so far as women’s bodies are concerned?
And then the chests on famale gnomes, dwarves and halflings… SHEESH! I don’t know which is worse, the elves and taller females being Dolly-Partonized or the little folk being cartooned.
(Oh and other than the oddly effeminate look to the male drakkin I think it’s a reasonably attractive model.)
By: Wolana on February 15, 2008
at 11:50 pm
i’d like to see some new halfling models , fix their feet so they dont look like blocks, and could ya make the gnomes eyebrows match their hair is silly brown hair , white eybrows?
By: Samwitch on February 16, 2008
at 10:07 pm
My two cp’s worth on this subject.
1) Roll out the new models on test with all of the animations for gamers to vote on.
2) Customization. Please! It’s been asked for before. Either more options when creating the character or the ability to effect change on the character through gear etc.
3) Please don’t make all of our toons look alike as you did with drakkin and the new human models. I cannot tell if my toon is a male/female and I created it. Other then selecting the gender there’s no obvious difference. If you intend to make the characters all genderless unappealing looking creatures, then you may as well make us vegetables.
By: Vylexyn on February 17, 2008
at 12:01 pm
I agree to make sure to get lots of feedback on the elves before launch. I would also like to see more variety in the elf models than there is now. Right now the HIE is pretty good. A bit stockier than the other elves (more human proportions), but still with a tall elegance. Other than pointy ears and skin color, however the other 2 elfin races just look like shorter humans.
By: Zanderon on February 17, 2008
at 1:52 pm
While I enjoy the Drakkin models I would not want to see any of the other races with their general appearance.
Personally I’m a fan of the character models in Vanguard and would not mind the EQ races moving in that direction.
For those who complain about change, take the same path you did with Luclin and leave the older models in as an option.
By: Nightbringer on February 18, 2008
at 1:21 am
Well keep up the work on the new models. Some of us want to see the new models, however lets make sure we satisfy the “old dogs” and make sure they can turn them off if they don’t want to see them =)
By: Michael Wells on February 18, 2008
at 2:09 pm
I’m excited about the new models. I just want to see everything related to them, like sketches and modeling (that inclides hair and faces). Do not just settle on one idea either, lets us see all of them. Let us vote, if it comes to that
By: Rulashi on February 18, 2008
at 11:28 pm
Glad to hear this. Can’t wait to see the screenshots. I’ll add my voice to the chorus in support of variety and customization in armor appearance. Also, I’d like to point out the obvious and say that animations are crucial. Improved running, attacking and kicking animations in particular.
Speaking of running, what ever happened to the old ability to make your character walk instead of sprint everywhere? I know I’m probably dating myself here, but I miss being able to meander through the streets and take in the sights. Helped with the immersion.
By: Tariq on February 19, 2008
at 3:05 pm
You can walk. Turn on the Actions Window. There it is on the first tab. Run/Walk. Also Sit/Stand, Camp.. and others. I love using the Actions Window hotbutton tab along with the other 4 hotbutton toolbars.
By: Tekara Grimmhealer-CT on February 20, 2008
at 8:18 am
I am glad to hear about new player models. I *personally* like the Drakkin look and the new NPCs in newer zones.
Make the chars sexy (male and female)!
And drop all other models (Luclin and Preluclin). The old NPC models meanwhile are *really* awfull and no more uptodate.
By: Tilluan AB on February 20, 2008
at 9:48 am
I wouldn’t mind new player models.
BUT whatever you do… DONT make them the same as Drakkins. I HATE the Drakkin model. The movements are so slow and out of time with the game. You get like 9 attacks/spellcasts/whatever, for the price of one. The luclin models’ motions are so much faster and less dramatic. It’s like you guys worked too hard to make Drakkins look cool and move cool, and it backfired.
By: Ssrath on February 20, 2008
at 8:50 pm
I’m going to put in a request before you get to barbarian’s please.
Right now my barb female beastlord can shelter a small village from the rain under her boobs, please don’t make them any bigger.
The last time she went out she nearly fell over two drunk gnomes and some halflings that had set up a tent near her feet.
By: Flaumigehexe on February 21, 2008
at 1:14 am
For the love of Norrath, bring the beastlords to EQII
By: Paws on February 25, 2008
at 8:31 pm
I have to say that while i did not enjoy the experience of the huge number of Bugs in Vanguard
However the Customization and Race models in Vanguard were excellent. The issue is going to be that they used a totaly different Graphics Engine. I do feel tht this could be a real good idea to improve the functionality and differences of the various NPC and MOB Models. However i suspect that this is unlikely due to the huge developement issues that are likely.
By: Foniel on February 28, 2008
at 6:49 pm
Ideally the new player models should be completely changeable scale down the graphics to use less memory than origonal models up to omg sweet looking models.
oh and to a poster above its ok for males to look RIPPED but its not ok for females to have dds?
personaly that should be up to theplayer if u want to be fat let em be or as ripped as u want
ANYWAY, can we PLEASE see some screenshots even if they are not near finished preety please with gnome crunchies on top? Or are you guys trying to spring them on us by surprise and force us to take the next models ?
By: aaron richard smith on April 10, 2008
at 10:22 pm
It’s somewhat humorous seeing everyone lining up to complain about the new models, if only because everyone whined and complained in the same manner back when the Luclin models debuted (”Horse-faced”, “club-footed”, and “just plain ugly” were some of the adjectives I remember being tossed about. The Erudite model,in particular, was compared with a certain part of the male anatomy.)
Ah well, change will come kicking and screaming to Norrath, as it always does. Personally if they could just give everyone the Drakkin’s armor texture and cloth animations I’d be happy.
By: antelech on July 16, 2008
at 9:15 pm
Can’t wait!
I think the drakkin, human, katta models are exceptionally done. I would’ve actually considering rolling a human. Its better than the dweeby-looking luclin version of a human.
Keep up the good work!
My only suggestion would be to add several armor textures upon the armor models for variety.
By: Skoz on August 9, 2008
at 10:23 pm
Oh and don’t mind the small percentage of the EQ community that shunned and hissed about the human models last year, they’ve just been whatching too much anime.
By: Skoz on August 12, 2008
at 6:36 am