From reading the new sub "interlude", coming in 2007 - I suspect that NC-soft have a secret project called Lineage 3 - running on the Unreal 3 engine, using Direct X 10 and due 2008! It will be set 500 years after the events in Lineage II - You will have more options, more crafting, sea combat, instancing and a robust PVP system. Immersion will be key and you will be able to own shops, houses and be able to do the small things like sit with friends and drink ale, taking all the good aspects from the latest MMO technology and removing the grind - it will be a reletivly bug free, smooth lag free addictive experience, where all existing subscribers will have thier existing characters - give birth to children of the new age!
These children will be what Lineage 3 is all about, a deep addictive RPG that encompasses aspects of RvR and amazing graphics, with photorealistic weather and water and an easy learning curve that protects new players from PKs until level 20. Excitment and adventure abound from the get go with many races and classes to choose from, the experience of a lifetime awaits!
L2 will not come out before earliest 2009 I'm sure., they started to code it this year, so eh MMO's is one of the hardest things to code and one of the most time consuming games to make.
They said that this spring they will give out more information about the project but it won't release any time soon, and specialy not in 2007.
-switched from the Unreal 3 engine to the Crytek engine
-will have epic sweeping cutscenes
-become a GOD!!!
-Level cap raised to 100 with Avatar-god options
-No instancing!
-No Grind!
-Motion-capture ragdoll PHSYX animation!!
Do they motion capture animate every part of body? :o
Motion Capture Specialist (MCS): Ok, now you're the model for the Dark Elf right?
DE Model: Yes
MCS: ok, I just need to make sure the "sensors" under these particular body parts are set correctly.
*five minutes later*
DE Model: is their a problem?
MCS: Not at all, these darn "sensors" are just tricky is all.
Edit: couldn't this be considered "imitating an NCSoft official" and be grounds for an ingame ban? :p
If it turns out anything like the original UO then they will have a winner that wont be beaten easily.
However I expect no matter how good their game creation skills their community management and intelligence surrounding a MMO community is still going to be poor :)