YOU don't anything about EQ2 graphics with that commentary...at all.
Environmental bump mapping in EQ2 is made via polys. It's not done by textures. Point blank. Rocks to the sand to the filigree pattern even on my status armor is carved/extruded....
http://s970.photobucket.com/albums/a...=EQ2_Glare.png
That's not a slapped on textures, materiasl and diffuse map tricks. You can clearly see the grooves on the elbows. Can see the indention on the tree behind him. Can see how the cheekbones are formed, let alone the facial lines on the forehead. All carved. All Extruded. All indented.
It's why it takes a very decent computer to play the game (let alone it's CPU rendered, not GPU).