Setting aside the issue of Everquest's game design (which I personally
think is horrible) it has shown that excellent 3D graphics can be done
in a massively multiplayer online game. And I know at least four people
on this mailing list like myself that would like to produce this type of
game.
A big question is "Can Java 3D be used to match or beat Everquest's
graphics?" And to that so far I'm favorably inclined, so far I would
say Java 3D is definitely up to the task.
A key to why Everquest's graphics are so effective is that they have
very low polygon count creatures with well painted textures. That
certainly can be done in Java 3D. One thing I don't see a way to do is
to match their lighting effects. EQ has some good lighting effects
(setting aside the point that "humans" can't see at all at night and are
unplayable).
As a community another key goal we might want to help each other with is
some standard character animations. Java 3D needs an "example" for how
to animate a character walking.
Also there has been some bashing of the flaws and glitches in Java 3D.
We seem easily able to overlook the flaws in a smash success like
Everquest (have you ever seen the face texture for a creature applied to
it's butt?). I'd like to see "perfection" as much or more than anyone,
but let's face it the industry we are functioning in is FULL of bugs.
Windows has thousands of bugs, even hardware can be very tricky to get
just right. Damn I hate to sound like I'm saying bugs are ok, but let's
not trash Java 3D when it's no worse than the rest of the industry.
- John Wright
Starfire Research
Steve Pietrowicz wrote:
>
> Man, I *wish* Everquest had clouds like that. Phew....that's a really
> cool URL.
>
> The clouds in Everquest are actually just texture maps, done in some paint
> program. I'm not sure which they use. It could have been generated by 3D
> Studio Ma. You can turn the clouds off completely (I think), or have one
> layer or two layer clouds. It's been a while since I've had one layer
> going, but I think they have clouds painted on a blue background. The two
> layer effect is using the one layer texture in conjunction with a second
> layer of clouds in a texture map with transparency turned on. The texture
> maps move at different rates, and you get a nice looking cloud
> effect. ...At least as nice as current Everquest technology can do. I
> would expect EQ2 and other games will have even nicer effects.
>
> Anyway, the cloud textures appear to me to be thrown onto the inside of a
> giant sphere that encapsulates the whole outdoor zone that you're in. The
> best place to see this effect is on the "good" boat to Kunark, right after
> you zone into the Finora Vie area. If you face away from where the boat
> will dock, you can see how the sky curves towards the edge of the zone.
>
> I believe they change the tint of the background on the textures as day
> progresses to night.
>
> It's a pretty simple technique, but fairly effective.
>
> ....At least, that's my guess on how they do it, based solely on
> observation. :-)
>
> If anyone here wants to try Everquest, I highly recommend the game. The
> graphics aren't state of the art by today's standards (They have to deal
> with system requirements for systems that are a year or two old, since
> that's when they started it), but the game itself is very
> compelling. Pretty addictive too. I saw someone's quote on a message
> board once... "Everquest makes Crack look like Diet Coke". Man, that's
> the truth.... :-)
>
> Steve
>
> At 04:02 PM 9/29/2000 -0700, Paul Byrne wrote:
> >Hi Dave,
> >
> >Check out http://vterrain.org/Atmosphere/clouds.html
> >
> >Rgds
> >
> >Paul
> >
> >
> > >MIME-Version: 1.0
> > >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> > >X-Priority: 3
> > >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> > >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200
> > >Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 18:51:07 -0400
> > >From: David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >Subject: [JAVA3D] Clouds
> > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >
> > >Hi all:
> > >
> > >I have scoured the web looking for techniques for generating clouds ala
> > >Asheron's call and Everquest. Even came up blank on Gamasutra. Can anyone
> > >toss me a hint? In particular I am looking for moving clouds. Should I be
> > >using a multi-texture for highlighting a plasma function?
> > >
> > >Dave Yazel
> > >
> >
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