When I first started using SEQ I finally realized just why zoning takes so bleeding long. It doesn't bother me anymore though since I know that that load time is letting SEQ do what it does best =) Since I've learned to make SEQ map transparent over a xine window, I've had a blast! Camping mobs, expert pulling (no unexpected adds) all while watching an epside of TNG or movie....well, god damn I love SEQ! =) And I have some additions to the maps (mostly kunark) that I'll add after I clean them up a bit.

The one thing I can't get out of my head, however, is that there will probably never be an SEQ2 for EQ2, or really for any other MMORPG. Why? Because of how EQ does zones. I mean, EQ proudly sends all the information about the zone to all the clients -- what mobs there are, what lvl they are, their velocity, etc. Which is absolutely sweet -- I love being able to hear a necro complaining "where's my pet???", zoom out, and see the lvl 36 pet ripping a new one against a ton of 27ish mobs on the other side of the zone. But remember that this only works because EQ sends all this data to the client -- the client just doesn't display it.

And I guess I can understand to some extent why this happens. Makes it easier for track to work, I s'pose (is track completely client-side then? Seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to give druids ranger-like track abilities).

But is there a technical reason for sending all this data? Maybe it reduces the ammount of data which needs to be sent since the server only needs to send minimal updates concerning velocity etc? Or was it just bad design on the part of EQ, done purely for convenience?

When EQ2 comes out I've heard that it will use an enhanced version of zones vs. the seemingly more modern and standard (and frickin annoying IMHO) "bubble system" where things coming in range of this "bubble" get loaded and then unloaded when they leave (and, I might add, leave computers thrashing with swap if you don't have a mass ammount of memory). So I'm sure EQ2 will use a zone method (based on what they said) that bare minimum loads all the models into memory it will need for that zone.

Question is, will it include the ubiquitous zone data we've all grown to love? =)