Graphic limitations?

[maverick3n1]

There are many different levels of graphics in EQ, depending on what expansion of zones you are in. While EQ has some nice looking zones, any screen shots I have seen of zones people have made with OpenZone appear to be original EQ and even lower quality. Is this a limitation of OpenZone, or are people just using really poor textures for their maps?

[Scorpious2k]

Probably a little of both.

I assume you've checked out the zones we did at http://scorpious2k.info

[GeorgeS]

Ok, this may be true, but not a limitation of OZ. Most people are not 3D artists, and if their source material is not up to EQ standards, then it goes down hill from there.

I've got some decent .x models for my world editor you can use. I made these and are low poly. I coded the world editor a few years ago...

http://66.159.225.58/uwe/uwe.html

GeorgeS

[Runeblade]

I've been wondering myself.

I've just learned about all the basic controls for OZ and have been testing just for alittle bit with opensource models/textures. I haven't found the best there is so far but these 2 models aren't looking to bad.

Building
http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/sk8er754/?action=view&current=EQ000408.jpg
http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/sk8er754/?action=view&current=EQ000407.jpg
Npc
http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/sk8er754/?action=view&current=EQ000409.jpg

Castle
http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/sk8er754/?action=view&current=Showcase4.jpg
- For a qeynos type feel, never finished but have a moat built around on a diff file with a textured courtyard and dirtroad to entrance. Drawbridge and gate are animated, was hoping for maybe a lever to activate them.

All textures/models are opensource and not made by me except for my little castle pic, which I just made the models.

[Windcatcher]

Most people are probably using the textures that I created, and I never claimed to be the best texturer in the world :D

If you use OpenZone exclusively rather than in combination with an external 3D tool then you'll have some more limitations because OpenZone isn't a full-blown 3D tool in its own right but more of a zone construction set. In making OpenZone I decided to sacrifice some raw power for an easier learning curve, though OpenZone can import .3DS and .AN8 models so you can still benefit from the power of real 3D tools. You actually can make some very nice zones in OpenZone however, and my experience from seeing others' work is that results tend to improve with time and more learning.

OpenZone's generation capabilities are designed around zones up to the level of perhaps Velious, though you can do much better if you create your ground areas in another 3D tool and import from there. I've been mulling over upgrading OpenZone's ground handling for some release point before 8.0, but the work on client mob models has taken a higher priority for the time being. Still, if you're interested in making zones, I think it's better to learn all the ins and outs of OpenZone now as it can do a lot more than most people tend to use and is more complex than most people think.

WC