EverQuest Engine Update

IGN PC has put together a new article that details the upcoming graphics engine update that EverQuest players will soon be enjoying. Here’s a little something to get you started:

Lots of players have already seen the new sky system but, for them that haven’t, here’s the deal: rather than being composed of static, scripted layers, the sky system is now completely data-driven and changes gradually over time. The various cloud layers move independently of one another and even contain different cloud types to simulate different weather conditions. Cooler still, the sun and moon textures differ based on what the weather is like. Rain will now cast a filter over the sun and moon, for instance, giving them an entirely unique appearance based on context.

Since they don’t want to alienate their players, Sony is committed to keeping system specs as reasonable as possible. As a result, most of the new features will depend more heavily on your graphics card than raw processing power or system memory. The new features make extensive use of Shader 2.0, so you’ll need to have either a 9800 or a GeForce 3 or equivalent to enjoy the new visuals. Naturally, the better your card, the better the graphics.