There won't be multiple servers here. While I would love a super detailed, physics filled environment, that's quite an endeavor. I don't know much about video game creation but 1,000+ players on one server seems pretty hard to manage.
I'm not suggesting the Dev's need to achieve photo-realism or a "step through the screen" quality of graphics, nor am I sugesting that the challenges of creating a single server based sandbox game are trivial. What I am saying though is the concepts of single server sandbox MMO's have been around for over 7yrs, many have been tried with limited success and theres even a few that have suceeded in maintaining player base for a few years. The crux of my (and I admit it seems only mine) interest in this thread is the ongoing development of other production houses/technology. Things like "moore's law" that shows computer chips double in power every 12-18mnths, studies that show the average shelf-life of an MMO is between 1-5yrs, the problems of dealing with a client/player base that spans 3 generations (GenX, GenY and with a release date in 2015 probably GenZ as well). The computer hardware your using right now (unless its brand new) will probably be for most purposes considered obselete by 2015 if it isnt already (my PC's already 3yrs old and despite having used what was over-specced components at the time of its build is probably already becoming dated). The standards of gameplay and graphics your used to from the games you've played or are playing are constantly rising as games and technology evolve. Most games that were around between 2005 and 2010 have either died from player migration and game competition, or undergone large scale updates in both gameplay/graphics. Assuming a trickle-down effect of such factors as systems rise through the evolution is I believe natural and to be expected. What was possible in offline games becomes possible for online small server games, then becomes possible for large server/multiple server...and so on through to single server large world MMO's. The rates at which this becomes feasible increases every year, so to expect great strides forward in gameplay/graphics from the EC Dev's is both fair and realistic.
You're welcome to have an opinion, but that does not make it valid, saying pre-alpha is not good enough is like saying an infant is not worth keeping alive because it lacks skills in brain surgery. Please don't say ridiculous things... based on this 1st statement alone, I'm going to dismiss anything further you have to say equally; as the ludicrous delirium of a person with broken cognitive faculties and poor personal hygiene.
Uhm, I really don't think this will push its graphical boundaries beyond SM. MMO's can rarely use as many bells and whistles as singleplayer games so expect EC to have less cool stuff than SM not more, especially since they plan to have 1000's of people fighting near eachother
After watching those 13 min of pre alpha gameplay I must point out few things that seriously irk me even though it is pre alpha. - Chainswords look way too big compared to the SM models! As someone who passionately hates everything manga/anime I can not stand even slightest flirt with jrpg crap so I may over react a bit but still. I know kids today like that aesthetics but cmon can we at least have 40K non japanized. - SM feel too lively on their feet, I didnt get that heavy power armor vibe at all from model movement. Combined with obvious hack n slash close combat mechanics I get unsettling sense of mindless rushfest geared toward 12 yo whiners. No tactics, no strategy, just hundreds of people in endless, mindless, rapid rush-die-spawn cycle, not my idea of fun. Anyway as it is pre alpha I hope Im wrong.
