11/8 Release

[Bawd]

Looks like its Nov 8th with a monthly fee of $15 - no details about multi month subscriptions as of yet.


Better news clip in the next post

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[Bawd]

I just confirmed it myself. From PR Newswire...

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-25-2004/0002308367&EDATE=

Sony Online Entertainment's Everquest(R) II Shipping November 8th

- The 800-Pound Gorilla of Online Gaming is Ready To Play -

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a
worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, today announced
that EverQuest II is scheduled to simultaneously ship to North American and
European retail stores on November 8, 2004. EverQuest II is the
highly-anticipated follow-up to Sony Online Entertainment's original
EverQuest, the most successful and longest-running 3D MMO role-playing game in
North America.
"After more than four years in development, the wait for EverQuest II is
almost over," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "We've
invested heavily on development of the game to ensure that EverQuest II has
the highest production values of any online game produced to date. We want to
deliver a game to our players that will provide an experience like nothing
they've ever seen."
Sony Online Entertainment is delivering a truly groundbreaking MMO game in
EverQuest II with pioneering firsts in advanced 3D graphics, story, voice,
production values, and gameplay. EverQuest II features the most realistic
graphics of any MMO game ever created with a next-generation 3D graphics
engine designed to keep pace with hardware developed over the next few years.
Players will hear more than 70,000 lines of spoken dialogue in EverQuest II as
non-player characters are given voiceover for the first time ever in an MMO
game bringing the story of EverQuest II to life. EverQuest II also features
gameplay innovations that make EverQuest II fun and exciting for all types of
players and play styles, from hardcore gamers, to new MMO players, to those
who play in groups, and solo players.
EverQuest II comes in three versions, all of which include a 30-day
subscription (excluding SOE All Access subscriptions) to the game's online
world. The CD version and DVD versions of the game carry an SRP of $49.99 and
include the game, an in-game item and an in-box item.
Limited quantities of the EverQuest II Collector's Edition (DVD) are
available at an SRP of $89.99. The Collector's Edition includes a number of
in-game items, including "paintings" of EverQuest II scenery to be hung on the
walls of a player's house, magical talking statues of Antonia and Lucan
(voiced by Hollywood talent Heather Graham and Christopher Lee), and an
exclusive pet baby dragon. The Collector's Edition also includes an exclusive
art book, bonus DVD with trailers, gameplay videos and behind-the-scenes
footage, a soundtrack CD, a collector's coin with a velvet pouch, a cloth map
of Norrath, and two posters.
EverQuest II carries a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 for continuing
access to the game world. Players can subscribe using a credit card, or
purchase SOE 30-day and 90-day Game Cards, which open the new world of Norrath
to those who choose not to use a credit card.

About EverQuest II
EverQuest II is the next generation of massively multiplayer gaming, a
huge online world where thousands of players come together for adventure and
community. Featuring breathtaking graphics and a vast, beautiful game world
to explore, as well as voices for almost all non-player characters, EverQuest
II sets new standards in gameplay and immersion. EverQuest II brings players
into its world with a powerful epic storyline and gives them the power to be
the hero or villain in their personal adventure. Players enter this world by
creating their own unique character, choosing from 16 races and 24 classes.
Players will encounter hundreds of creatures as they travel across majestic
landscapes of rolling hills, barren deserts, dense forests, and bustling
cities. Thousands of items, hundreds of spells, and unlimited adventure await
all who enter the world of EverQuest II. EverQuest II also features:

* A new, massive online world for thousands of players to explore,
filled with danger, adventure and mystery
* Voices for most non-player characters (NPCs) in the game, a huge
project encompassing more than 70,000 lines and 130 hours of dialog
* Unparalleled character customization capabilities. In addition to
thousands of armor, weapons and items users can equip, players will be
able to customize their character's facial appearance to an incredible
level of detail and personalization
* 16 races, dozens of levels and 24 classes with a branching system that
allows players to choose their class as they advance
* Player-owned real estate (such as apartments, homes, and guild houses)
* No race/class combination limitations, allowing players to truly
choose who they want to be in game
* New user friendly game mechanics with reduced learning curve for both
new and seasoned players
* More than 160 unique creature types, from Orcs and Goblins to huge
dragons and menacing Living Statues
* Incentives for current EverQuest subscribers
* A state-of-the-art, cinematic quality 3D graphics engine capable of
improving as hardware technology advances
* State-of-the art combat, spell and skill systems
* Trade skills available to all player classes

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures
Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online
games, with a subscriber base of over 750,000 active accounts around the
globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the
personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its
blockbuster franchises, EverQuest(R) and PlanetSide(R), as well as for
developing Star Wars Galaxies(TM): An Empire Divided(TM), SOE continues to
redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player
communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms.
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with an additional development studio in
Austin, TX, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development.

EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America
Inc. SOE, the SOE logo and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony
Online Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are properties
of their respective owners.



SOURCE Sony Online Entertainment Inc.

[Ramsus]

Another case of SOE rushing to release an unfinished product. Same as EQ expansions, same as Star Wars.

Personally I'm tired of that mentality and really doubt I will be purchasing eq2.

I already have a game that requires a lot of time (EQ) and can't see myself getting involved with another one like that.

On the other hand, wow is much more relaxed as far as that goes (you can log in for an hour and accomplish something), and will probably be a game i pick up for just the fun of it.

I will be staying with EQ until my friends are all gone, and then, I guess I'll see when / if it happens.

[Bawd]

I totally respect that. 3/4ths of my deaths in EQ2 are because of the game still. Server-side lag in larger zones is a huge issue. There has been as much as 15 seconds beween hitting [enter] on an /ooc, and it appearing in the zone's /ooc channel. That's really rough in combat, especially when combat is based on executing special attacks rapidly over and over.

Anyway, I love the game warts and all. If it were my product, it would not be releasing 11/8.

[Kalymar]

What are the system requirements/recommendations for the game? From what I have seen it looks pretty intense graphically and I'm not sure my p3 650mhz 1GB of ram could take it and I certainly can't justify buying a new system just to play eq2. I agree with rams, I've got too much time in EQ to split for a similar game made by the same company. I'm holding out for Sigil's game whenever that launches. By then I'll be out of grad school and able to devote some more time to starting over. Post some screenshots of yourself in EQ2 Bawd, if you can, I'd be interested in seeing what your new self looks like :)

[Bawd]

What are the system requirements/recommendations for the game? From what I have seen it looks pretty intense graphically and I'm not sure my p3 650mhz 1GB of ram could take it and I certainly can't justify buying a new system just to play eq2. I agree with rams, I've got too much time in EQ to split for a similar game made by the same company. I'm holding out for Sigil's game whenever that launches. By then I'll be out of grad school and able to devote some more time to starting over. Post some screenshots of yourself in EQ2 Bawd, if you can, I'd be interested in seeing what your new self looks like :)

Let me put it this way. My PC consists of:
- AMD's fastest uni-processor
- Motherboard with fastest available buses (except PCI Express which I don't think would do much in my case)
- 1.5GB of the fastest available RAM
- The second fastest EQ2 graphics card on the market, nvidia 5950 Ultra
- SATA raid disk (not really raided yet, just one fairly fast disk)
- A 3.0Mbps ISP connection that has a great sustained rate and averages about 20ms lag to EQ servers (until it disconnects me of course)

... and as I posted above, 75% of my deaths are from some lag or bottleneck. I think it's mostly server-side performance issues, but even so the game does not yet perform well on my comp, and that's a bit shocking to me.

Also, they have 7-levels of graphics "quality" -- they are kind of like profiles that control all the graphics options together. Set it to "minimum" and all options are nerfed in favor of better performance in game and lower graphics quality. Set it to "balanced" and it balances all the options. Set it to "maximum" --
well, if you do THAT, it pops up a message informing you that "on the fastest available hardware on the market today, the game will be unplayable". That's almost a direct quote. It then asks "are you sure you want to set maximum graphics?" ...

Coming soon (11/8) to a screen near you! :oink:

And yes, it's still fun despite all that. I think I've been assimilated :borg:

PS-- here's Sony's answer...

Hardware Requirements FAQ


What are the minimum hardware requirements for running EverQuest II?

Operating System: Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
Processor: 1 GHz
RAM: 512 MB
Video Card: DirectX 9 compatible; pixel shader and vertex shader compatible hardware with 64 MB of texture memory
Sound Card: DirectSound compatible audio hardware



What are the reccomended hardware specifications for the game?

Operating System: Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
Processor: 2 GHz or greater
RAM: 1 GB
Video Card: DirectX 9 compatible; pixel shader and vertex shader compatible hardware with 128 MB or more of texture memory
Sound Card: DirectSound compatible audio hardware



What type of video card will I need for EQII?

You will need a card that supports DirectX 9 features, such as pixel and vertex shaders.



Does that include the Nvidia GeForce MX line of cards?

Unfortunately the GeForce 4 MX cards are not supported because they do not have pixel and vertex shaders.



Will having a graphics card with 256MB be worthwhile?

Yes, having 256MB of RAM on the card does make a difference. Basically, more memory lets you run higher-quality textures without swapping them, thus increasing performance.



How will I know what option settings to run the game with?

When you install the game, it examines your hardware configuration and sets the graphic options for you to balance visual quality with performance.



What components should I use to build the "perfect" EQII machine?

The simple answer is to use the best components you can afford. Keep in mind that we've designed our game with the future in mind. It will take CPUs and video cards that aren't on the market yet to be able to play our game with all options cranked up to full. The idea is that as computers get faster and faster, our game will look better and better without needing an engine overhaul.



That said, you will be able to run EQII on current hardware and have a very pleasing framerate with excellent image quality.



Will I be able to play EQII on 56K dialup?

Yes, the lessons learned from the original EverQuest in terms of bandwidth optimization should allow 56K users to get along just fine in EQII.



The system requirements for EQII seem to be raising the bar quite a bit. Is that a wise move?

Back in 1999, some people thought we were crazy for releasing an online multiplayer game that required a 3D card, but the gamble paid off.



Likewise, we make no apologies about designing a game that awaits a future generation of hardware to see its full potential. We intend for our game to be around for years to come, and as processors and graphics cards get more powerful you'll see EQII take advantage of that technology.

Message Edited by Moorgard on 04-29-2004 10:23 AM

[Kalymar]

Wow, thanks for the update Bawd. Glad I haven't decided to switch to eq.2. I doubt I would get much enjoyment from it running on my current system which barely meets the min requirements. I'm stilling having lots of fun in norrath and i'm really enjoying the new expansion. Hope we still see you around at raids though.

peace

[Bawd]

Yep. Still havin fun with the Beta, but 11/8 is way too soon unless Sony has about 2 dozen major bug fixes in their pocket that they are holding back from us (yeah, right).

[Viccar]

SOE has never listened to the beta testers when it comes to a release date. I was in the SWG beta and I remember the shock most of us experienced when SOE announced the release date. If SOE holds to their pattern, it will probably be three months before EQ2's major bugs are truely addressed and fixed.

[Catweazel]

I have done lots of work for software companies, and not a single one of them releases software that is bug free. They don't do it intentionally, it is all about cash flow, return on investment and stuff that has zero to do with the customer experience. Assuming that the average player base takes a few months to get where the aggressive beta players have reached in the game, SOE has that much time to continue working on fixes. Thinking that beta testers can influence shipping dates is not going to happen. Software development costs too much for that.

Sounds to me like they want to ship before WoW, before Christmas.

[Bawd]

Yeah, Cat. Most of us in the beta predicted that. They will make more money and get more customers overall releasing a mostly-done product before Christmas, than by releasing a solid one after.

I'm probably going to vote with my dollars. I'm going to wait to see the production game on someone else's PC and may not buy it myself if it's exactly the same state as the beta.

[Warrl]

hehe I can let ya know Bawd as we had preoder it before I got into Beta LOL.

[Kalthanan]

Well, EQ2 is officially out. Well, at least, that's what I hear.

I had a preorder from Gamestop, but they didn't reserve my copy. /shrug.. not real excited about getting in today anyway, especially with the inevitable problems the first week will have.

Good luck, those of you that did get your copies...

[Bawd]

My retailer didn't preorder for me either, though they were supposed to. They say it will be on shelves Thursday.

*BOO* Best Buy :fuse:

[Kharmen]

Hence why I don't preorder games...

[Warrl]

seems no one pre-ordered for anyone our copies from EB games just got shipped today if I remember correctly.