Browserice --
Because there wasn't the developer/artist base to do that? If Nevrax hadn't gone under then there probably would have been improvements in that direction eventually. With Ryzom Forge there may now be that ability, but having several levels of client code would be a nightmare to maintain, not to mention the probability that offering options to increase poly count would mean that the download of the client and data (which is already massive) would double in size.
Improving the bump maps and such would be nice, but that's a lot of design work for small benefit.
Can you point me to a game that demonstrates the "much higher quality graphics" of modern MMORPGs? The stuff I've seen doesn't particularly impress me.
Because there wasn't the developer/artist base to do that? If Nevrax hadn't gone under then there probably would have been improvements in that direction eventually. With Ryzom Forge there may now be that ability, but having several levels of client code would be a nightmare to maintain, not to mention the probability that offering options to increase poly count would mean that the download of the client and data (which is already massive) would double in size.
Improving the bump maps and such would be nice, but that's a lot of design work for small benefit.
Can you point me to a game that demonstrates the "much higher quality graphics" of modern MMORPGs? The stuff I've seen doesn't particularly impress me.
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Remembering Tyneetryk
Phaedreas Tears - 15 years old and first(*) of true neutral guilds in Atys.
(*) This statement is contested, but we are certainly the longest lasting.
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