From an interview on GameSpy:
GameSpy: Final Question: what's the one thing you want our readers to know about this expansion?
Robert: Well, you should know (if you don't already) that PoP will have:
Thousands of new weapons and items
20 new zones
More than 70 new NPC models
100s of new trade skills and recipes
New multi-grouping system (raids) that allows up to 60 players to team together New quest system that allows unprecedented depths of gameplay
A huge quest that ties the entire expansion together
In game MP3 music
Planar hub for easy travel between areas of Norrath More than 100 new Alternate
Advancements More than 100 new spells
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I emboldened that one point of interest so you would notice it. Aparently verant is being EXTREMELY cryptic about this for some reason. You'll note that nowhere in the patch messages or features lists of PoP, on the official website or otherwise, is this "in game mp3" smidgeon found. Only a few other things hint at it:
-For those of you lucky bastages who preordered PoP early enough to get the special offer to buy the "everquest CD soundtrack" for $5 before the supplies ran out (And really, who didn't see that coming?
), you're probably clever enough to know that mp3s are the format of choice on CDs. I don't know what's on the disk, because practically all information about it anywhere on the official site has dissapeared.
-The file (mp3index.txt), as you pointed out, is a simple listing. It is a listing of the mp3 filenames EQ is allowed to load. It is as follows:
bothunder.mp3
codecay.mp3
combattheme1.mp3
combattheme2.mp3
deaththeme.mp3
eqtheme.mp3
hohonor.mp3
poair.mp3
podisease.mp3
poearth.mp3
pofire.mp3
poinnovation.mp3
pojustice.mp3
poknowledge.mp3
ponightmare.mp3
postorms.mp3
potactics.mp3
potime.mp3
potorment.mp3
potranquility.mp3
povalor.mp3
powar.mp3
powater.mp3
solrotower.mp3
You'll notice, if you're minutely clever, that those all have to do with PoP zones. Nothing else. SO, my comrades, it looks like, for now at least, the only place you'll be hearing snazzy non-crappy format mp3 music is in the PoP zones. Will they be adding more? Is that "Everquest Soundtrack CD" what contains the mp3 versions of the already existing musical tracs (which, by the way, is quite nice if they were in a good format)?
You'll notice that it's just a text file, brought by the patcher into the *main directory*. Not only does that mean we cannot legally edit it, but it will be overwritten by the patcher if we do. So you can't replace, say, "powar.mp3" with, say, "Everlast - Who Got the Hooch.mp3" and expect it to let you slide. Even if you edit it after the patcher, or if you're crafty and rename one of your favorite .mp3's to one of the ones on the list, I'm guessing it has some kind of checker--since the music files will likely be in the main directory also, because there's no new folder--for the date edited, or file size, or what have you.
My speculation: The folks at veran..err, sorry, Sony Online Entertainment have put some time into making brand-spankin'-new mp3 format music for their new expansion, and these files will be included with the rest of the expansion on the disk. The other songs, however, are either not finished yet, or not ready for the public by whatever devious schemes verant is planning, OR are
already included on the "Everquest Soundtrack CD" that some of you lucky bastages will be getting, and the rest of us will have to wait for verant to restock it and PAY THEM to get the new music files. Which kind of makes sence, in a backwards sort of way. I won't know more to speculate on untill i've actually installed PoP and my sexzay Firiona Vie collector's edition figurine is firmly in my grip. I'm guessing a lot of you will be doing the same thing.
-Casa out.
Edit: Glancing at my patcher, i noticed this file: eqtheme.mp3
When the servers come back on, you all will be treated to a masterpiece. It is awe inspiring. It nearly brought me to tears.
Okay, it wasn't
that amazing, but after 4 years of listening to old junk midi format sound batches, it was extrememly pleasing to the ears.
You will all go, immediatly, into your patches folder, arrange the files by date, find and run eqtheme.mp3. Now! Go and be pleased! I cannot wait until i get my PoP disk now. Have fun, kids.