More theory and conjecture than rant...More theory and conjecture than rant...
EQ, and the current graphical technology, has opened the doors to the first truly persistent online world that is genuinely believable and deceives the senses to a high degree. EQ has 3 of the 5 senses represented (4 of 6 if you count the 'sixth', as no barriers could stop it). Through EQ and the eyes of the bodies we choose there, we can see marvels most of us never thought possible. The "older" crowd nearly, or actually, coming to tears at the sights and sounds they see...
A Griffin in flight, a Pegasus hovering along, a Unicorn trotting by, Minotaurs, a Nightmare tearing its way through the lava filled land... all things some of us never thought we'd ever see.
Probably most of the younger generation take these things for granted. Never having the comparison of an industry that never existed. Never knowing what joy it was to draw on a cardboard box, sit inside it, and pretend it was a spaceship. Not all of us who play EQ had such nice toys when we were young.
(For those who don't know, approximately 20 years ago computers in your home did not even exist. Color in television was still even new. If you recall how bored you were before EQ existed, think what it would be like with no computer or video games at all, and not being able to leave your house to get to one.)
Hence the questions.
Those of us who have grown up with the industry have seen previous patterns of popularity and worlds who continued and evolved. Zork, Ultima, Wizardry, Bards Tale, Gold Box AD&D games, Kings Quest, Zelda, all series that until EverQuest were all independent adventures in the same universes. They often continued to evolve and change their worlds. But with each new version, the world had grown and changed so much graphically and in program size, that it was virtually impossible to continue from previous lives. An example I personally recall, is that Ultima 4 was approximately 8x the size of Ultima 1.
Very few, if any allowed character transfer. (I heard some did, but they were not ones I played.)
How many of the EverQuest crowd expect to continue in this life indefinitely?
For those of us who own Dreamcast's, and Soul Calibur, we see the characters of Siegfried, Nightmare, Sophitia, etc. and think 'The number of polygons, facial expression, clothing and armor is fabulous here. How long will it be before EQ looks like this?'
The answer; not long. The EQ expansion due in March will, I think, come somewhere between the two. The Dreamcast (and PS2) has graphical potential as high, if not higher, than the high end PC graphics cards of today. However 6 months, maybe a year from now, this will not be the case.
It used to be that PCs exceeded console games potential. With the recent news from Sony predicting 800,000,000 polygons a second with PS3 within the next 5 years (compared to the probably 1,000,000-2,000,000 that EQ is running in the average PC), it won't be long before EQ can look that good.
Zork used to be a text only adventure. Ultimia 1 was very different than Ultima IX, or Ultima UO. What are the odds that EQ will continue to simply upgrade as opposed to scrapping Norrath in favor of an entirely new world as games have done over the years previously?
How many of us hope to see the day when our character looks closer to those in Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast? What are the chances that will happen?
I'd say chances are extremely good it will happen. And I'll bet that day will come somewhere within the next 2 years. In fact I'd put bets that somewhere in the offices of Verant, EQ 2 is already in the works with such possible graphics and concepts, even if just on paper.
What are the chances we will have to start a new life? I my opinion fairly high. I'd bet that the new world would be so different, that current equipment would be entirely invalid. That the myriad of choices between faces and looks would be too high to pick and simply upgrade your character.
Then again, it's all in the perception. It's entirely possible to change your surroundings and still have the basic stats you do. It may be they offer a transfer program that would transfer as much of the equipment you have that still exists and indeed let your life continue in the new form.
Is life in a virtual world permanent now with the entrance of EQ into the market? Has EQ evolved the CRPG genre enough that players can be bought for life so to speak?
Close, but I don't think were quite there yet. Sadly I think when EQ does upgrade to the standards that the Dreamcast is already proving can be done, or ones even higher still, I think we will all need to start the adventure of life all over again.
But then...
The adventure is in the journey, not the arrival.
Summary / Solution / Truth
The truth of things is corporations are greedy. I'm currently going to school for a Major in Psychology (specializing in Sex & Relationships), and a Minor in On-Line Sociology.
The world needs to wize up. With things like EQ we are building new worlds, with new social interaction which could help, or scar, the youth of today permanently.
Being allowed to continue in one life is certainly not essential, certainly not good business sense (as they would loose all that playtime of the new life).
But the real questions we need to ask ourselves is - What Psychological and Sociological impact with the living of other lives in a realistic fashion have on the youth of today and tomorrow?
Sadly at this point in time, I don't think the corporations care or are even considering it. With the graphical potentials that began with PSX and N64, we need to start asking ourselves as a Society; should we make something, not can we make it.
Mind you I'm all for limitless exploration, including the horrors it has to offer, just so long as we watch where were going with it, and remember to clearly mark things as such. I personally love things dark and horrific, but with imaginations like mine, and graphics like the Dreamcast and beyond, we can scar some people permanently.
Tread carefully... as time moves on, all things are possible, beautiful and terrible.