The 'Classic' client for EVE Online lets old rust bucket PCs enjoy the MMO with low graphics and effects, but will now cease this March.
'Premium Lite' will replace it with a mandatory requirement for ShaderModel 2 compatible cards being installed. It takes "too much time and resources" to support the 'Classic' client.
"One of EVE's unique features (along with being an awesome game on a single server) is that it can run on pretty much any computer built after 1998. The minimum spec for graphics card and CPU has always been very reasonable to say the least, so the barrier for entry into EVE has been relatively low compared to other games," blogs CCP Zulupark.
"It requires us to downtune our graphics engine quite a bit, for one, as well as maintain the "Classic" client version of EVE along with the Premium one. That means creating two versions of each art asset we want to put into the game."
"It complicates build and patching processes considerably and, for the most part, it simply doesn't allow us to make EVE look as beautiful as we want."
The new premium lite client isn't the most demanding of beasts and should easily accommodate the fans. Besides if you’re really still working a ShaderModel 1 card in that machine of yours I think it's time you joined the modern gaming world.
Low end compatible cards really aren't going to be breaking the bank, since they were introduced back in 2003.
"In Apocrypha, March 10th, we discontinue support for ShaderModel 1, making ShaderModel 2 (GeForce FX (5 series) or ATi R300 series cards or compatible) the minimum requirement and discontinue the "Classic client" version of EVE, replacing it with "Premium Lite"," explained dev Zulupark.
Source: Eurogamer
