EQ2 vs WoW Armor and Weapons

[Boophead]

Which type of graphic style do you prefer in regards to armor and weapon appearance/graphics? I am not talking about the character models. EQ2 has very detailed, intricate armor. The weapons seem to lean towards realism. WoW has some over the top, but still very cool looking armor in regards to shoulders, robes, and head items. They have a lot of weapons that are very large and also have a lot of special effect type stuff on them. Which do you prefer and why?

[Melkaba]

IMO it's kind of an apples and oranges situation.  They are soooo graphically different that it's hard to say that one is better than the other, so I guess its a matter of personal preference.  I definately prefer EQ2's armor models (I think WOW's are way too over the top), character models (I like the SOGA), and NPC models.  Up until yesterday I would have said I liked WOW's weapons better, as I feel that a lot of EQ2's are rather bland, but with the addition of those awesome looking epic weapons I'm gonna have to hand that to EQ2 as well.

[Melodee]

Well, since I don't play WoW I really can't make any comparisons. All I can say is, this is EQ2, not WoW, and that's all that matters to me <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Sapphirius]

<p>They are right, this is EQ2 not WoW, and trying to compare armors is like comparing apples to oranges. Sure they're both round and fruits and both grow on trees, but that's about where the similarities end.</p><p>However, I think I get what the basic gist of your question is, and so I'll give a very honest and serious answer. In EQ2, all the armor looks pretty much the same. You have 5 basic molds that all armor is based off (<i>not</i> counting gis). From there, the devs change the colors and textures, and voila! You've got EQ2 armor. They say that variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to armor, EQ2 is definitely lacking in variety. WoW armor, on the other hand, is very creative in its wide range of armor styles and molds. It's not just 5 molds in 50 thousand textures and colors. There are differences in cut, fit, and how it lays on the body. For variety in armor styles and appearances, WoW has definitely got this cat in the bag. What's more is that you don't have to wear the so-called "slutty" WoW armor if you don't want to. There is armor just as good as other armor in its tier with different appearances so that, if you want to be all covered up, you can be.</p><p>Here's some WoW screenies for an idea of the variety of armor out there from risque to conservative and from realiztic to outlandish.</p><p><a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/BlossomTheEngineer.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robe1</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/Moonbrook.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robe2</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/Worgen.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robe3</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/WoWScrnShot_052907_182340.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robe4</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/WoWScrnShot_013107_152903.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Infamous Black Mageweave</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/CrawlerHunting.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leather</a>, Erm... <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/BB_Ball2.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a cross-faction new Year's party</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/DemonSlaying.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shorts</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/Sapphirius_Azuremyst.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The robe top used as a vest with nice pants</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/Landscape2.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Different style gloves</a> (WoW had at lest 8 different styles of gloves that I counted, whereas EQ2 gloves only come in 3 different styles.), <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/SkimpyClothes.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Really</i> skimpy armor</a>, <a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/InterestingMoments.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fun with fluff </a>(He'd so kill me if he knew I posted this one.)</p><p>Yeah, as you can see, it's a totally different style from EQ2. As I said, WoW has the variety thing going for it. EQ2 still seems to be lacking in this department, but they are getting better at it.</p>

[Melkaba]

I also thought I'd add that I don't like the spell effects in either one as much as I liked the spell effects in original EQ (before they ruined them).  I think that WOW's buffs and heals look lame for the most part, as do EQ2's.  I also think EQ2's nukes (the bolts being lobbed) are very lame and copy/pasted from class to class.  I was upset when they changed the spell effects in EQ, and I haven't seen anything I like near as much since.

[Sasandra]

Definitly WoW, WoW has very cool fantasy style armor and weapons while EQ2 for the most part has very boring mundane looking weapons and armor, unfortunatly WoW is like playing an MMo on super-dupper-easy mode and thus not fun since you run out of stuff to do so quickly, honestly gameplay is the only good thing about EQ2, graphics wise I actualy prefer EQ1 over EQ2 as EQ1 actualy had cool fantasy style armor.

[Kursa]

<p>While I do like EQ2s' realistic armor a LOT more, I do love the variety a HECK of a lot more with WoW.</p><p>With EQ2, when you seen one robe you've seen em all. Very boring to look at with about 12 designes in three different cuts.  WoW isn't afraid to go out of the box to actually design stuff.</p><p>I know, I know <i>but wait until the skeletal revamp comes out then EQ2 armor will be the bestest their ever is.</i> Fine and dandy. But after playing since beta 2 in this game, I do find the armor designs to be much better in WoW...even if it is pixelated and cartoony.</p>

[Wyrmypops]

<p>I've only ever witnessed WoW through screenies and fraps videos, but, it's the way the game looks that prevents me touching it with a bargepole. It doesn't so much speak to me, as tries to vomit in my ear. The abandonment of an attempt at realism bothers me. The argument "it's fantasy" is so short sighted, there's still humans, gravity and other physical laws, an arms race between arms and armour, and we that look upon it are still human with a brain intuitive to know (<i>without an engineering degree</i>) when something couldn't work. And the colours, it's like Fisher Price fantasy. Though, all that merely means it ain't for me, doesn't for a second suggest it's bad, just, not my thing.</p><p>Whereas the look and feel of EQ2 does something entirely more postive for me. Less vomit in my ear. The understanding of anatomy (<i>in original models, not SOGA of course</i>), the way that armour is depicted it'd generally work as armour. Certainly, variety being the spice of life means our armour diet could use some paprika, limited as we are to very few armours, but what we have does look good to me. Generally anyway, the central skirt plate on plate armour bothers me, as it'd prevent a person moving, and those weird bits on plate shoulders would catch and steer a blow in rather than fulfil the armous purpose in deflecting the blow, but generally, works for me.</p>

[Guy De Alsace]

<p>When I came to decide on whether I was going to try WoW or EQ2 as my first stab at an MMO, I took one look at WoW screenshots and immediately went for EQ2. Over time I've come to see the very real limitations EQ2 has in this department which are really now beginning to be a major detraction. </p><p>Since the skeletal revamp seems to be taking longer than actually designing the game in the first place, I dont really hold out much hope for any kind of renaissance in the armour department to be honest.</p><p>I think WoW was already dated on release looks-wise and several years after looks positively archaic. I rate EQ2 over WoW but both are getting creaky in their old age. </p>

[TaleraRis]

I play WoW and I still keep expecting Spongebob to come wandering over a hill someday <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />   What people have to remember is that that cartoony look is based on the established Warcraft universe of strategy games. So it really does fit. And having a tailor and a leatherworker in WoW, as well as a tailor and baby armorsmith here, I can say I definitely like the flexibility and variety in clothing of WoW as compared to EQ2. I used to play SWG and WoW's variety is much more akin to there, where you could dress yourself up virtually however you wanted. The only thing WoW lacks is an appearance slot, an idea they could benefit by borrowing from EQ2.

[Qandor]

Basically, if you play EQ2 for 30 levels, you will have seen all the armor there is to see. Yes they may change the color and texture somewhat but it is the same armor. If you really want to see how pitiful it is, take a look at shield models on the broker sometime. Those, they do not even bother re-coloring or re-texturing. They just pull up that level 20 shield graphic and plop it on level 70/80 piece without batting an eye. They've undoubtedly have the lowest armor art budget of any game since Pong.

[Nurvus]

The one thing EQ2 has going for it is the lighting effects on the armour. However, without it the armour looks pretty bad. I personally like the WoW approach to armour/weapons, which is pretty much the same as many other MMORPGs. I prefer nice textures to fancy lighting I guess.

[Besual]

I can't stand WoW's out-of proportion armor / weapons. They look just silly. If you turn your graphic settings quite high EQ2's armor / weapons look much better but could need a bit more variance (but <b>not</b> SOGA style please).

[Jhanos]

<p>I played Wow from beta until a few months ago.  As a rogue, I loathed the non dagger weapons as they kept getting bigger and more cartoony.  a 1h sword that is 5 feet long, hammers with heads the size of my thigh, all bad for immersion.</p><p>EQ2 needs a image overhall, and I really hope that a new skeletal system, and a top to bottom armor and weapons overhall are part of it.  Keep the current more realistic look, but focus on the following:</p><p> More variety in armor (have studded or ringmail looks for chain as an example)</p><p>Fix the helmets, some of them are almost as bad as the EQ 1 helms</p><p>Less impotent looking weapons (maces come to mind, my berserker looked like he had a pair of feather dusters sans feathers).  </p>

[Kursa]

<cite>Besual wrote:</cite><blockquote>I can't stand WoW's out-of proportion armor / weapons. They look just silly. If you turn your graphic settings quite high EQ2's armor / weapons look much better but could need a bit more variance (but <b>not</b> SOGA style please).</blockquote><p>Id take out of proportion armor anyday versus wearing the same ones for the life of your character but with a different smidgen of texture design.</p><p>I'd rather take a glowing sword anyday versus an old fabled lvl 74 rusty longsword that irionically has the same look as a lvl 1 Paladin Starter sword.</p><p>I'd rather take the oversized mystical glowing shield over the 8 different ones we have now that repeat the same designs every 13 levels.</p><p>Now, I do agree...if EQ2 can make fantastic armor then that would be awesome.  Remember...we're fighting undead creatures, dragons, fairies, and speak to talking frogs.  I think a slightly oversized glowing sword isn't going to get a weird look amongst it's people</p>

[Freydinessa]

<cite>Melkaba wrote:</cite><blockquote>IMO it's kind of an apples and oranges situation.</blockquote>Whoa, no one take such an analogy, or indeed, a step further before reading [<a href="http://improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i3/air-1-3-apples.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THIS</a>]. It dispells not only such a foundational myth, but also will send shock waves through this thread - undoubtedly <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i3/air-1-3-apples1.gif" alt="" border="0" /></div>

[Sapphirius]

<p>Wha? I was just talkin bout armor. EQ2 has plenty of unrealistic looking weapons... and the swords below aren't even from the Claymore or Swords of Destiny questlines. Heck, my bruiser runs around beating things up with a giant flaming colander. I tell people that she's going to toss and then toast a salad for them.</p><p><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/Sapphirius/Random%20Screenshots/BigSwords.jpg" alt="" width="364" height="618" border="0" /></p>

[Arkinon]

Its funny I have brought this same subject up in threads before and have gotten flamed each time for it. I have played WoW off and on since Beta and I do have to say that EQ2 has finally started to get the picture... (see Epics) A lot of the new armor in the expansion while they are the same models are now filled with design. However when it comes to styles SOE still lack in that department. As far as a choice I would have to put WoW in the better than category simply because of originality. they have a few original pieces pre ROK but we are really talking a handful. The thing that bugs me more then the armor however are some of the simple details.... For instance you ride your mount up a hill and rather than the mount bounding at the same angle ... the mount stays horizontal in relation to the hill... then there are the armor clipping issues where shields and stick through the back of your head and plate helms look ginormous. It took them how long to fix the carpets in SS and its been over a week now and the flying mounts still takeoff upside down or sideways. There are a lot more issues then even these but this isnt the thread for them. Despite all this im still going to hope beyond hope that SOE will keep up some momentum and add in the variety department.<div></div><div>WoW = Variety & creativity FTW </div><div></div><div>EQ2 = Rusty Sword & Wooden shield FTL</div><div></div>