10-24-2003, 06:58 PM
Quote:Probably the big thing with AC2 is the central battlegroundGrumples means DAOC.
Shrouded Isles(the first DAOC expansion) had improved graphics engine code. The water looks better and models, textures, and animation were beefed up. Atlantis will have further graphics improvements, including a redesign to the whole water/swimming thing, as right now you just swim across the surface like in SWG, but atlantis will allow underwater exploration, as the oceans are deep and there are entire underwater dungeons/towns/etc.
Like Grumples said, the game handles large-scale PvP better than just about anything else out there. 30 vs 30 and my machine has no problem, and my system is 3 years old. Running one of those new Alienware machines that few of these guys picked up and I'm sure the 50 v 50 fights wont be bad either. I've been involved in relic wars involving numbers in the area of 150+ participants, and while I do have some framerate problems, its not even as bad as a 20v20 in EQ, or just plain running through coronet without anyone dueling.
Part of what you see as dated graphics could be due to just the way the models are designed. Leprechauns, Firbolgs, Trolls, Kobolds, etc. are always gonna probably have a cartoonish look to them since they aren't humans. In-game, the graphics are prety nice, animation is smooth, and the spell efects blow away even the best single-player games released in the past month.