I don't see any point in converting file formats. The point is to not use any SOE content at all, and at the very least a file conversion utility could be construed as tacit approval of it. I really think it's best to have a clean break with regards to content. I don't even think it's wise to use their new file format -- we're far better off just designing one. It's not like it's that hard -- we need an octree, structures for texture lists, a structure that holds polygon/texture/color/etc. information that also has bounding box and bounding sphere data, etc. It doesn't seem to me that it should take any more than a week to arrive at a consensus on an extensible format. For that matter, are there any open formats that already exist?
A widget set can take some time, but there are engines out there already. The best solution might be to take something like OGRE, CrystalSpace, or some other engine (there's at least one other open one out there but it's name escapes me right now) and simply use that. Right now, though, I recommend just getting something working, with a minimal effort spent on the interface. You can always clean up the UI later on or design skinnable widgets (they tend to be just subclasses of basic ones, really). The trick will be designing it such that it's easy to get it to use a different file format and protocol.
I still say, content, content, content. The rest will fall into place if we have plenty of free content. My suggestions:
1. A texture repository, immediately available to anyone who wants to build zones.
2. A repository for people to submit zones.
3. A repository for people to submit UI skins.
4. A repository for people to submit other 2D content (like item icons)
5. A repository for miscellaneous 3D content (items, models, etc.)
All of these things can be in one place, they're more a suggestion of categories than anything else. There's no reason why the first two can't start immediately.
P.S. I recommend ditching the letters "E" and "Q" when placed next to each other :P Remember what happened to the FreeCraft project. All of their stuff was original, but they were closed down because their name was construed as a trademark violation. I'm surprised that EQEmu didn't undergo an immediate name change at that point.
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