Alt.Games.Everquest FAQ

Last Updated: April 30, 2008

Latest Changes:

Corrected system requirements to say that DirectX 9.0c must include updates from November 2007 or later.
Noted that in some areas you may be able to link your game account directly to your bank instead of using a credit card or prepaid game card.

This FAQ is the work of the community of the alt.games.everquest newsgroup. If you would like to visit this newsgroup but don't have usenet access, you can access it through this portal at the Erollisi Marr community forums:

http://www.erollisimarr.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=64

If you see any errors or invalid links in this FAQ, or if you want to submit content to be considered for inclusion, please contact the current Keeper of the FAQ, Don Woods, at age-faq@icynic.com. I will edit submissions as I see fit for correctness, size, or style. I will not add any in-document credit for any work submitted. This is not because I am ungrateful, but because this FAQ is the product of many different people, over a very long period of time, and I am simply unable to track them all down to provide proper credit. It just doesn't seem right to give credit to some people and not to others.

1. General Questions
2. Questions about EverQuest
3. Questions about How to Play
4. User Interface
5. Chat Channels
6. Posting in alt.games.everquest
7. EverQuest II
8. Miscellaneous Tips
9. Glossary
10. Useful Links
11. Comical Links and More

Note: In the web version of the FAQ, clicking on a question in the list of questions takes you to the answer, and clicking on the question in the answers section takes you back to that section of the questions list.

10. Useful Links

11. Comical Links and More

1. General Questions

1.1 Q: What is the FAQ for?

A: This FAQ is designed for a newcomer to the game and/or to this newsgroup, but long-time players may also find useful tips, particularly with regard to game features added after they learned how to play, as well as various tools and techniques they may not have happened to encounter. It attempts to answer some basic questions about the game, but owing to the complexity and depth of EverQuest, it is not possible to answer all queries. If you have a question that requires more detail, there is a list of URLs at the end of this document that you might like to visit. (Or, of course, you can post the question to the newsgroup.)

1.2 Q: What is the newsgroup for?

A: For the discussion of all things related to the game of EverQuest. Other online games are occasionally mentioned, but generally only in passing or for purposes of comparison. The particular "other game" called EverQuest II is best discussed in alt.games.everquest2, and this FAQ does not cover it; see section 7 for more on this.

1.3 Q: I think something in the FAQ is wrong. What should I do?

A: The current keeper of the FAQ is Don Woods, which is to say, me. I'm relatively new to the game (started in late 2003) and don't have any really high level characters yet, so I rely on community input to help me come up with answers. If you see something wrong in the FAQ (or just have a suggestion for an improvement), the best way to let me know about it is either to reply to the thread that FAQ was posted to, or to send mail to age-faq@icynic.com. If you send mail, please include FAQ or EQ or EverQuest in the subject so it'll be sure to get past my spam filters.

1.4 Q: Where can I find the FAQ?

A: A text version of the FAQ is posted to the newsgroup once a month; the subject will always be the date of posting, but the "Last Updated" line will show when significant changes were last made. The FAQ is also available as a web page (with active links to answers, etc.) at http://www.icynic.com/~don/EQ/age.faq.htm.

1.5 Q: Why do you repost the FAQ every month? Why not just post a link to the updated web site?

A: Though some people read this group through the EMarr forums or other web sites, a.g.e is actually part of a larger medium called "usenet". Usenet predates the web by over a decade, and as such there was originally no place to which to refer people for things like FAQs. Though things have evolved somewhat, it's still the case that some people reading usenet groups do not have access to a browser, and thus it remains the convention that FAQs are re-posted at regular intervals (commonly once per month). Posting the FAQ also ensures that archive sites such as "Google Groups" will have up-to-date copies on file in case the FAQ web site were to vanish suddenly.

If you're reading this in a web forum, you might bookmark the FAQ web site, and take the monthly post as a signal to check the site and see what's new. The web version generally has links from the "what's changed" section to the more significant actual changes.

2. Questions about EverQuest

2.1 Q: What is EverQuest?

A: EverQuest is a real-time 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) run by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE). Another equally accurate way of describing EverQuest is to call it a graphical MUD.

2.2 Q: What do I need to play the game?

A: Ideally you should check Sony's web site regarding system requirements, since they are subject to change as the game evolves. But here's what Sony said as of fairly recently:

Minimum Required Specs:

Windows� 98/2000/ME/XP
Pentium� II 400 equivalent or greater
256 MB RAM
Graphics card: ATI Radeon 7500 / NVidia GeForce 1 equivalent or greater
DirectX Compatible Sound Card
28.8k + Internet Connection
4X Speed CD-ROM
500 MB Hard Drive Space
DirectX 9.0c (November 2007 version or later)
EverQuest Classic and a valid EverQuest account
Note: Not all Direct 3D cards are supported. See site for list.

Recommended Specs:

Windows� 98/2000/ME/XP
Pentium� 4 equivalent or greater
512 MB RAM
NVidia GeForce 3 / ATI Radeon 8500 equivalent or greater
DirectX Compatible Sound Card
56.6k + Internet Connection
16X Speed CD-ROM
2.5+ GB Hard Drive Space
DirectX 9.0c (November 2007 version or later)
EverQuest Classic and a valid EverQuest account

Note that your graphics card and system need to support Direct X 9.0, and that Windows 95 is no longer supported at all.

You will also need a valid credit card, or a pre-paid game card. (In some countries you may be able to link your game account directly to a bank account.)

2.3 Q: What are these expansions I keep hearing about?

A: Expansions add new content to the game: new locations, new quests, new monsters, new skills, and also new user interface features. If you want access to the new stuff, you have to buy the expansion, but you can also keep playing the game without the new features. Like the original game, you only pay once for the expansion; your monthly fee doesn't change. Some boxed versions of EverQuest include many of the expansions as part of the package; the Anniversary Edition includes the original game and all the expansions to date.

There have been thirteen expansions to EverQuest so far: Ruins of Kunark, Scars of Velious, Shadows of Luclin, Planes of Power, Legacy of Ykesha, Lost Dungeons of Norrath, Gates of Discord, Omens of War, Dragons of Norrath, Depths of Darkhollow, Prophecy of Ro, The Serpent's Spine, and The Buried Sea. Lately there has been a new expansion every six months.

2.3.1 Q: What is Ruins of Kunark?

A: Commonly called Kunark, Ruins of Kunark was the first EverQuest expansion to be released. It included a new continent with many new zones to adventure in, with lots of new dungeons, items, mobs, quests, and spells, plus a new race that players could choose to play, the Iksar lizard-men. People with this expansion also were allowed to advance beyond level 50 (up to level 60), which was previously impossible.

2.3.2 Q: What is Scars of Velious?

A: Commonly called Velious, Scars of Velious is an expansion similar to The Ruins of Kunark, including another new continent with new zones, dungeons, items, mobs, quests, spells, level 60 cap, etc. However, it was geared towards higher level players (level 30+) and did not include a new playable race.

2.3.3 Q: What is Shadows of Luclin?

A: Commonly called SoL or Luclin, this expansion added new zones on the moon, including new hunting areas for all levels, and four new cities. It added the beastlord class and a new playable race, the Vah Shir cat people. It added Alternate Advancement abilities as a new way to spend experience (especially for characters who were already at the level cap and thus could not use experience to gain levels). It also added the Nexus spires to somewhat facilitate transportation, The Bazaar as a place to trade items with other players, and new, more detailed player character models.

2.3.4 Q: What is Planes of Power?

A: Commonly called PoP, this expansion raised the level cap to 65, greatly expanded the Alternate Advancement options available, added the ability to form raids of up to 72 people, and added a very efficient transportation system, with direct teleportation between the Plane of Knowledge and most major cities. It provided additional hunting grounds for levels 46 and up.

2.3.5 Q: What is Legacy of Ykesha?

A: Commonly called LoY, this expansion added expanded bank space, in-game maps, armor dyes for all slots that show a graphic, the story window, a log journal, Frogloks as a playable race, and a few new hunting zones for levels 40 and up.

2.3.6 Q: What is Lost Dungeons of Norrath?

A: Commonly called LDoN, this expansion provides "instanced" dungeons. An instanced dungeon can be accessed only by the group that activated it. To activate a dungeon, the group must have at least 3 members, and the members must all be within 10 levels of each other. (Originally the limit was seven levels.) Dungeons have missions that must be completed within 90 minutes, or 120 minutes for a lesser reward. A win or partial win grants each member a number of Adventure Points that can be spent in the Wayfarer camps (which is also where missions are assigned). LDoN also introduced the concept of "augmentations", which are items that can be combined with other gear to add stats or abilities.

2.3.7 Q: What is Gates of Discord?

A: Commonly called GoD, this expansion added a large tradeskill-oriented boat/city zone, as well as the berserker class, plus normal and instanced zones aimed at characters level 50 and higher. It added a "tribute" system where one can trade plat (game money) or items for buffs by talking to an NPC in the player's home city. It also added "Leadership Experience", wherein the leader of a group of three or more members, or the leader of a raid, can choose for 20% of the experience they earn to be diverted into Leadership Points, with which they then purchase various abilities that enhance the performance of people in their group, including later groups. (Only members who also have the GoD expansion get the direct benefits of the group leader's Leadership Abilities.)

2.3.8 Q: What is Omens of War?

A: Commonly called OoW, this expansion raised the level cap from 65 to 70, and added new zones for the high-end crowd. It added quests for upgraded "Epic weapons", voice macros, more Alternate Advancement skills (including one that will provide an extra spell slot, and ones that let players have more active buffs), new player titles, and a "task" system which is a series of specialized individual quests geared towards characters of most levels (with varying degrees of success). It also expands the tribute system from Gates of Discord to let tribute be shared by all players within a guild.

2.3.9 Q: What is Dragons of Norrath?

A: Commonly called DoN, this added new, mostly high-level content off the Lavastorm Mountains. Players can go on "missions" (sort of a cross between tasks and LDoN adventures) for crystals that can be traded among players and cashed in for special gear. It also added the Bandolier and Potion Belt for quick access to selected inventory items, Guild Halls (with guild banks and other useful features, including some available to non-guilded players via the Guild Lobby), the ability to set up a Buyer in the Bazaar, and cultural tradeskill-related quests at many levels. DoN also introduced in-game mailboxes, which are available to all players whether they've purchased the expansion or not.

2.3.10 Q: What is Depths of Darkhollow?

A: Commonly called DoD (or DoDH), this added new, mostly high-level content (for levels 45+) off Nektulos Forest. Players with this expansion can also form groups that, regardless of their character levels, can take on "monster missions", where they take the role of monsters in an instanced event (such as a dragon defending its lair); success in these missions yields rewards for the "real" characters. Characters can also get "spirit shrouds" that let them take on "monster" forms with different abilities (e.g., a cleric could play as a warrior-type monster, or vice versa). The expansion also added "evolving items" that become more powerful as their owner gains experience.

2.3.11 Q: What is Prophecy of Ro?

A: Commonly called PoR, this expansion added new, mostly high-level content (levels 60+) in zones and missions accessed from Freeport and the Desert of Ro (both of which were revamped as part of the release of PoR). It also added player-settable traps and "auras" (spells that set up an area-effect buff), the ability to destroy certain walls and other objects in the new zones, increased bank space, and some new tradeskill quests.

2.3.12 Q: What is The Serpent's Spine?

A: Commonly called TSS or just SS, this expansion added the Drakkin race and their starting city, Crescent Reach (which can also be used as a starting city for new characters of other races), plus other new zones off of Highhold Pass. The level cap was raised to 75, and the new zones have content for all levels 1 through 75. Many other changes were made at the same time as TSS but are available without buying the expansion, such as reduced downtime when out-of-combat and faster accumulation of Alternate Advancement points. This is also when the color system for identifying monster levels changed to include gray. (TSS is also the first EQ expansion without "of" in its name!)

2.3.13 Q: What is The Buried Sea?

A: Commonly called TBS, this expansion added new content off Toxxulia Forest for levels 70-75. It added "guild banners" that guilds can use to let members teleport quickly from the guild hall to wherever the guild is raiding, and a similar mechanism called "campfires" that can be used by "fellowships" of up to nine players. The Buried Sea also added an inventory slot for a new "Energeian power source" that affects all Energeian-based gear you have on.

2.3.14 Q: What is Shadows of Faydwer?

A: Commonly called SoF, this expansion raised the level cap to 80 and added new clockwork-themed content off the Steamfont Mountains, aimed almost solely at levels 75-80. SoF introduced items that bestow "heroic" stats, which automatically raise the corresponding stat caps to allow increases beyond the normal caps, as well as granting various additional benefits.

2.4 Q: What is EQ Macros and where can I get it?

A: EQMacros was a program whose purpose was to provide a way for users to circumvent some of the more tedious aspects of the game. It also dispensed with some character disadvantages, such as night blindness. Third-party macro programs, such as EQMacros, tend to be frowned upon by both SOE and a large number of players. Therefore, they will not be discussed in detail in the FAQ. This is a controversial subject in this newsgroup, and has been argued to death. Posting questions on this subject is generally discouraged.

2.5 Q: Where are the EverQuest servers located?

A: The entire EverQuest universe (at present, about 25 separate worlds) is run on approximately 1,000 servers. These are located in an onsite datacenter and at AT&T CERFnet (in San Diego). The Antonius Bayle server is located in the UK. The servers Venril Sathir, Kael Drakkel, and Sebilis are located in Europe.

2.6 Q: There are so many servers! Which server should I choose?

A: For the most part it doesn't matter; the game is the same on all of them, except for a few special servers. Characters generally stay on whichever server they start on (moving them costs real money), so if you have friends who are already playing, you may want to play on the same server they're on. All the servers, wherever they are located, tend to have players from all parts of the (real) world, but depending on where you are you may find that some servers have more or fewer people playing at the same times you do. (More is usually better!) The most recently added server tends to have a slightly higher concentration of novice players and somewhat fewer top-level characters, which has both good and bad points.

In early 2005, various pairs of servers were merged, presumably with the goal of making it easier for players to find other people to group with. Each merger came with a one-time opportunity for players on the affected servers to move their characters for free to another server, so this was an opportunity for friends on different servers to bring their characters together.

Incidentally, the servers tend to be named after deities and other major characters from the game.

2.7 Q: What is the newest server?

A: The last regular server added was Morden Rasp in February, 2004. This server allowed transfers from other servers from the very start, so never really had a "virgin" economy, and was merged with the Povar server in 2005. The last server added that did not allow transfers is Stromm, added in May, 2003. While this server's economy was not "contaminated" by an influx of transfers, it has had enough time to be considered mature.

The newest servers overall are currently the Progression servers.

2.8 Q: What are the special servers all about?

A: The special servers include EverQuest Legends (now defunct), Test, Zek, Firiona Vie, and the Progression servers. These have different rulesets or conditions that change the gaming experience to varying degrees from the regular servers. In general, all the special servers except Progression have lower server populations. Your regular subscription fee lets you keep characters on all of the current servers, regular or special.

2.8.1 Q: What was EverQuest Legends?

A: EverQuest Legends refers to the now-defunct Stormhammer server, a premium service server. Players had to pay extra to be able to create characters on Stormhammer, where the game included various bonus features and increased dynamic content and customer service via GM-driven events. The Legends server was shut down in early 2006, with existing characters being offered a chance to transfer for free to regular servers. Note that the Legends server is not related to the collectible trading card game, Legends of Norrath, which was introduced in late 2007.

2.8.2 Q: What is the Test Server?

A: This server is designed to be a place where the developers can see how potential changes to the game will work when regular players interact with them. Players on Test often get to see new developments to EQ before people on production servers do (if the changes get implemented at all). They also play on the most unstable server available. The Test server is frequently taken off line, with and without warning, and there can be small rollbacks where minutes or hours of gameplay may be undone. Also there is a chance that SOE might elect to do a total character or equipment wipe. To date, there has never been a character wipe, and there was one total equipment wipe. To access the Test server you must go into your EverQuest folder and run the application TestEverQuest.

2.8.3 Q: What is the Zek Server?

A: This is a server on which all players are subject to Player versus Player (PvP) gameplay as well as the Player versus Environment gameplay. There used to be four such servers (Sullon Zek, Rallos Zek, Tallon Zek, and Vallon Zek) with varying PvP rules, but due to declining population they were merged in early 2005 to form a single server, Zek, using the Rallos Zek ruleset. Many people love the PvP experience, while others hate it and consider the Zek inhabitants to be among the worst "griefers" that EQ has to offer. While it is up to the new player to decide their feelings on this matter, many would consider it a good idea for truly new EQ players to get a handle on the PvE aspects of the game before having to deal with the added challenges of PvP.

2.8.4 Q: What is the Firiona Vie Server?

A: Firiona Vie is a "roleplaying preferred" server. This server has several special rules including a limit of one character per account (when people say they have more than one character on FV this means they have more than one account), Trivial Loot Code (TLC) where if a mob is gray to anyone in the party that killed it then any loot tagged Lore or Magic disappears (poof!), a lack of No Trade items that extends to nearly everything in the game save for certain high end keys, most Grandmaster Trophies, and Epics and Epic drops, and a lack of Common Tongue (each race starts with their own racial language, and Common is replaced with Human). The old rules about alignment grouping restrictions and language learning have been lifted. SOE doesn't enforce any roleplaying rules, though several members of the server do with varying degrees of commitment.

2.8.5 Q: What is the Progression Server?

A: Two Progression Servers, called The Combine and The Sleeper, were opened in mid-2006 as a way of recreating some of the experience of playing the game as it evolved. These servers used the same rules as the regular servers, but most of the content (zones and quests) was not available until players on the server accomplished certain key events, such as defeating top encounters from the earlier content. This is based mostly on the expansions that have been added over the years; thus, no content from Ruins of Kunark or later expansions (and especially the easy travel and other amenities offered by the Plane of Knowledge) was initially available. Many long-time players returned to give these servers a try, and they were also an interesting way for new players to start out on a more equal footing. As more advanced content was unlocked, populations apparently waned, and characters on The Sleeper were merged into The Combine server in March 2007 (by which date the servers had advanced past Lost Dungeons of Norrath into Gates of Discord).

2.9 Q: I bought a set of EQ disks and created an account. Can I give the disks to someone else so they can create an account, too?

A: No. The disks let you install the game on any number of computers, but to play the game you need an account (the station name and password you use when you log in). To create a new account you need a special "code", a string of letters and numbers that came with the disks. Each code can be used to create only one account. You can use the account from more than one computer (though only one at a time), so if you go to a friend's house you can bring your disks, install EverQuest, and log in and play using the same characters you play at home. But to create a separate account, with a new set of characters, you must pay for a new account creation code (e.g., by buying another set of disks).

2.10 Q: What are "veteran rewards" and how do I get them and use them?

A: Veteran rewards were added in May 2005 to reward long-time players, but newer players may also reap some benefits. However many years your account has been active, you can claim the rewards on that many characters, and each of those characters will get as many rewards as the number of years. Thus, if your account has been active three years, then each of three characters can claim the first three veteran rewards. The rewards are things like double experience for half an hour once per day, recover full hit points and mana once per three days, etc. You can read full details at http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/news_article.vm?id=50003&month=042005.

To claim the rewards on a particular character, log in as that character and type /veteran. You'll be asked to confirm, because the choice is permanent, counting toward your limit of characters eligible to claim the rewards. To use the rewards, go to the Alternative Advancement window (via the button in the bottom left of the Inventory window) and select the Veteran tab. Select a reward and click the Hotkey button to make a hotkey that you can use to activate the reward. (If you find the names confusing, you can create your own hotkeys and use /alt activate ### to invoke them. Do "/alt list" to get a list of activated AAs, including the veteran rewards.)

When activated, some vet rewards show up in your buff window (and presumably count toward the maximum number of buffs you can have active). However, they are immune to being dispelled, and their timers continue to count down even when you're in the Guild Hall.

3. Questions about How to Play

3.1 Q: What do all these acronyms and jargon mean?

A: There are various glossaries online that can help you understand some of the odd terms you'll see both in the game and in the newsgroup. Here is one, though it's considerably out of date: http://tinyurl.com/2qnmb

On the other hand, if you just want a short list of terms that are most commonly seen, try section 9 of this FAQ.

3.2 Q: What is the best race/class combo to play?

A: To answer this question you have to ask yourself what is important to you. If you're familiar with other RPGs and games of this nature, you probably know that each character will have his or her strengths and weaknesses, and that no single class/race combo will give you all the good with none of the bad. The question to ask is not what race/class combo is the best, but which is best for YOU. The best way to answer this question is to learn about all of the classes and races, and make your decision based on that knowledge.

The biggest factor will be your choice of class, since that determines most (but not all) of your abilities and thus your typical role in a group. Your character's race mostly determines your starting city (not a big deal these days since it's fairly easy to travel), and some abilities (seeing in the dark, sneaking, more initial agility or strength or intelligence, etc.), and may affect how some NPCs react to you, but its main effect is that each class can only be played by certain races, so again your biggest decision will be which class to play. In section 3.20, grouping, there is a brief description of the roles of many classes.

3.3 Q: Can I change which deity I worship, or become Agnostic?

A: No, sorry. The only way you can "change" your deity is to delete your character and start over. Even that may not help, because some races have a limited choice of deities. What you see on the character selection screen is what you get.

3.4 Q: What are the Priests of Discord for? Can I become a PK on regular servers?

A: The Priests of Discord (PoD) will give you a Tome of Discord if you talk to them and follow their prompts. If you return the Tome to them, you will become a "player killer" (PK) and your name will now show in red. Becoming a player killer has grave consequences that you may not understand completely from reading the tome. A player killer can engage in combat with other player killers, but cannot kill or be killed by non-PK players (except in a duel). More importantly, if you are a player killer, you will NOT be able to receive most forms of aid from other players, nor will you be able to aid them. This means that you cannot be healed or "buffed" by anybody who is not a player killer. Since more than 99% of the players on normal servers are not player killers this totally ruins your ability to get in a group beyond level 15 or so. If you want to be a player killer, play on a PvP server. If you do turn in a Tome and later change your mind, there is no guarantee that you will be able to change back to normal status, so only do it if you are certain that you want your character to live a solitary life.

With the release of the Omens of War expansion, the Priests of Discord also provide the means to access the new OOW zones. Hail one to learn more.

3.5 Q: Can I transfer a character from one EverQuest account to another?

A: Yes, you can, but it will cost you real money. You can also move your character to a different server, though not all servers can be transferred to/from. Full details can be found at SOE's web site:
https://store.station.sony.com/eq_char_moves/index.jsp

3.6 Q: It would really be helpful if I could use Notepad or the web while I'm playing. How can I switch out of EverQuest to a different window (Alt+Tab) and return to the game?

A: EverQuest can run in either full-screen mode, or in a window. To switch modes, press Alt+Enter. Alternatively, open the Options window (Alt+O) and click "Switch to Windowed" or "Switch to Fullscreen" in the Display options. (If you use both methods, you may find that the Options window shows the wrong setting, but the button there will still switch modes. You may have to wait a few moments for the screen to settle down, so be patient, and don't switch modes in the middle of combat!) In Windowed mode, you can minimize the window EQ is in, or use Alt+Tab to switch to other windows and run other tasks, surf the web, or even open another instance of EQ if your machine can hadle that and you have another account on which to play.

It used to be, after switching to Windowed, you had to type Alt+Shift+R to make EQ relinquish control of the mouse pointer, but that is no longer true.

3.6.1 Q: How do I get Alt+Tab to work for Windows XP?

A: (From the EQ Live FAQ, with some modifications owing to the dead link they provide): Windows XP keeps a list of program compatibility information. Up until recently, EverQuest was not built to allow Alt+Tab, and so our executable ended up in this list explicitly preventing the Alt+Tab functionality. Obviously that has changed. We are working on getting that changed. But in the meantime, if you are using Windows XP and you would like to enable Alt+Tab, there is a way to get it to work.

First, you'll need the Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/appcompatibility/toolkit.mspx
(if that URL wraps around, try http://tinyurl.com/9bf1).

You'll need to download and install the toolkit. Then:

Open the Compatibility Administration Tool.
At the top go to Search - Query.
Search for EverQuest.
Double click the item the search finds.
Right-Click the EQGame.exe entry and choose Disable.

3.7 Q: What is a hotkey?

A: A key that is customized to perform an in-game function. Most often this refers to the keys 1234567890, because typing one of those keys will perform the action(s) associated with the corresponding button on your "Hot Buttons" window. (If your Hot Buttons aren't displayed, type Alt+H to show them.) There are actually 100 hot buttons, in ten sets of ten. You can change which set of ten is active (and thus what will happen if you type a number) by hitting shift-1, shift-2, etc., or using the little arrows in the Hot Buttons window. Often you'll tie a hotkey to a "social" (see Q3.10), but you can also make hotkeys for spell gems, skills, and inventory items (but not items inside containers).

For those who find it awkward switching between sets of 10 hotkeys (or, more likely, who forget to switch back and later invoke the wrong hotkey!), the game added three more banks of hotkeys in late 2005, so now you can have up to 400 separate hotkeys, with up to 40 of them "available" at any time. If you want to use Hotkey windows 2-4, however, you must either use the mouse to click on them, or use the Keys tab in the Options window to set up for yourself what keys (or combinations of keys, such as shift-alt-#) you wish to use to invoke the additional hotkeys.

3.8 Q: How do I make a hotkey?

A: Refer to the in game help section, which can be found by clicking on the question mark on the Window Selector. But the short answer is, press and hold down the left mouse button on the spell gem, ability, or item that you want to make into a hotkey. After a few seconds you should get a hotkey button on your cursor. Click on the desired hotkey box to place it. (If there was already a hotkey there, it'll pop onto your cursor. You can place it in another hotkey box or click on the ground to discard it.) Some windows (for instance, some of the skills in the Skills window that you can get to from the Inventory window) let you click a button to create a hotkey, which again you then place by clicking on a slot in the Hot Buttons window.

3.9 Q: How do I make a spell a hotkey?

A: Left-click and hold down the button over the spell gem until the spell icon appears on your cursor. Then drag that icon to your hotkey window and left click to drop it into the slot that you want. (See section 3.8.) Note that if you change which spell is in that gem, it'll change the hotkey. (The same is true when you make an inventory item a hotkey; the hotkey will invoke whatever item is in that inventory slot, not the item that was there when you made the hotkey.)

If you want to invoke a spell as part of a more complex hotkey, for instance to have a key that announces the spell being cast, you must create a "social". Within the social, the command to cast a spell is /cast 1, /cast 2, etc., with the spell gems being numbered from the top down.

You can also cast a spell by pressing the corresponding gem number while holding down the ALT key (alt-1, alt-2, etc.).

3.10 Q: What is a social?

A: A social is a way of doing up to five typed commands with a single press of a button. Typical commands include casting spells or using skills (via the /cast and /doability commands) and saying predefined phrases. Socials are often made into hotkeys to make them easier to invoke.

One important thing to know about socials is that you can't invoke a social if you already have one that hasn't finished. So if a social takes a long time to do its thing (e.g., because it includes a slow action such as casting or fishing) you won't be able to invoke other socials until it's done.

3.11 Q: How do I make a social?

A: In the Actions window, press the rightmost tab; or just type ctrl-O. Either will get you the Socials window, which has several buttons with pre-made sets of commands. You can modify a social by right-clicking it. To edit a line of a social, just click it and start typing. You can edit the name of the social in the same manner, and can also select what color the name shows up as. Note that there are actually 120 socials available; you can find blank ones by clicking on the arrows in the Socials window.

When you finish (press Accept), you can invoke your social by clicking on it, or you can make it into a hotkey by pressing and holding down the left mouse button on it. When you activate the social, it executes whatever you typed in on the lines of the social key. For example, you can make a social that looks like this:

/afk
/groupsay I'm going away from keyboard for a sec, guys.

If you activated this social key, it would flag you AFK, and you'd tell your group "I'm going away from keyboard for a sec, guys." Any "line command" (command that starts with a slash) can be used in a social. There are even a few commands that are specifically intended for use in socials. For more information on these commands and others, read eqmanual_supplement.doc in your EverQuest directory.

You can also create a new social by typing /ho somename /blah blah. (The /ho is short for /hotbutton.) This particular example would create a social named "somename" that invokes the nonsense command "/blah blah". The social is left attached to your cursor so you can drop it right into your hotkeys. If you want to include a space in the button name, put the name in quotes. (But note that the name can't be very long since it has to fit on a button.) When a hotkey is tied to a social (either using /ho or by dragging it from the Socials window), you can right-click on the hotkey to modify the social, just as though you were in the Socials window.

3.12 Q: Where can I get an up-to-date list of commands and/or emotes?

A: Type /help to get a list of commands. You can also try the eqmanual_supplement.doc file in your EverQuest directory, though it tends to be out of date. Also, if you visit http://everquest.allakhazam.com/ and scroll down for the links to "Commands & Terms..." you will find 3 links: Emotes, Game Commands, and Chat Terms. These are again not necessarily up to date, but will give you a good base to work from. Another site that seems to be more current is http://www.jaburt.com/eq/eq_commands.htm.

If you want to put an Alternate Ability into a social (to make it part of a more complex hotkey, or just to give it a more meaningful name), you can use "/alt activate ###", where ### comes from the list generated by "/alt list". (Veteran reward AAs are listed only if your character has claimed them.) Similarly, melee disciplines can be invoked via "/disc blah" where blah is the first part of the name of the discipline, e.g. "/disc Fearless".

3.13 Q: Where should I hunt given my level/class/race?

A: The following sites have good level-based charts on this:

http://www.eqatlas.com/huntguidelevel.html
http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/zlvlchart.html

Race tends not to matter too much, unless you're kill-on-sight to high level guards (e.g., at Highpass Keep). Some classes prefer fighting vs. undead, or prefer fighting in spacious outdoor zones, etc., so you might use class considerations as a way to choose among the level-appropriate zones listed.

3.14 Q: How can I make money to buy spells and armor and stuff?

A: Kill things, loot them, sell the proceeds, repeat. Some of the items found on "newbie yard" critters sell for a few gold to NPC merchants (the famous Plague Rat Tails used to sell for 2 plat, but got nerfed in mid-2006), but the best way to raise money at low levels is to find items you can sell to other players in the Bazaar. Many items whose information windows show "This item can be used in tradeskills" are needed in large quantities, and higher-level characters are happy to pay you for them rather than spend their time "farming" the stuff. Spiderling silks, spider silks, bone chips, and various pelts can all be sold to players for considerably more than merchants will pay for them. Check the prices these are going for in the Bazaar and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Before you set out on low-level hunting with a level one character, however, you should consider going through the Tutorial. You might not want to hunt there, but you should at least get the Kobold Skull Charm and fully activate it (by visiting all of the Tutorial NPCs). If you do skip that, you can get the charm later by doing the first assignment from either the elven or dark elven "Armor Quests" NPC in PoK. It's a very nice item for many levels, and you can't beat the price!

Also, if your character has the Forage skill, you can forage many things to sell in the Bazaar that higher level players need for trade skills. Even common forages like vegetables may sell for a few plat each, depending on what new trade skill recipes people are trying out.

3.14.1 Q: That's taking too long! How about I just beg some money?

A: Sure, there are tons of fabulously wealthy people walking past you. And if you beg from them, there is a fairly good chance that some of them might give you something. But DON'T do this. Many people get angry at beggars, considering them to be the lowest form of life in the EQ universe. You will damage your reputation, end up on ignore lists, and stand a good chance of being insulted with varying degrees of venom. Also, if someone is trying to beg from you, feel free to ignore them. Not giving them money does not mean that you're a bad person, any more than not making an effort to feed cockroaches makes you an animal hater.

In contrast, it's not unusual to see people asking for spells to be cast on them (such as SOW -- Spirit of the Wolf -- which makes you run faster, or Temp -- Temperance -- which makes you tougher to kill). Though some spells do cost money to cast (because of physical components being used up), many cost "only" time and mana, so people are often willing to cast them for you. Even so, the people able to cast such spells are often deluged with requests, and they may prefer to get on with their own business, so always be polite, even if nobody will cast the spells for you. Also if it's within your means, it's common practice to offer a few plat to the caster (who may decline to take your money, in which case you should be especially grateful).

3.14.2 Q: Well, how about just buying plat then?

A: You've seen the banners and advertisements at various EQ sites, and it does seem to be a quick way to get the plat/item you're lacking. Should you do it? Well, there are a few different schools of thought on this matter.

First is hell yes, we need your business and all your friends are doing it and you can't play without it and give us your freaking credit card number already!

Second is more laid back. Some people think that buying plat is a personal decision, and if someone has enough real life money to spend it this way there's no harm done.

Third is perhaps the most common, or at least has the most vocal proponents. They feel that EQ plat buyers/sellers are doing a Very Bad Thing, and they have several reasons for this that many find to be compelling:

It is against the End User License Agreement (EULA). You know, that thing you click past every time you play EQ. When you do that, you are in effect agreeing to what is written there. One of the things it says is that you won't do this. You're not a scummy liar, are you?
That plat and those items are "farmed", and farmers hurt the honest folk who are trying to play the game. Are you trying to earn your very own Shiny Doodad of Awesome Wowzer, but some guy named Eqpharmer always seems to be at the camp where the Enraged Snow Pea that drops it spawns? You pay the same money to play EQ that he does, so you should have a chance to earn the item same as he, instead of being shut out because he has to sell it to support his on-line porn habit. Same thing for good money camps.
People that buy their equipment/plat/characters are not really learning how to play the game, and thus are more likely to hurt the poor saps that have the misfortune of being in the same zone (or group) as them when they blunder through, causing trains and mayhem.

Soooo.... should you do it? That is up to you, of course. Just know that, if you do, a great many of your fellow EQ players -- including many who frequent alt.games.everquest -- will think less of you because of it.

3.15 Q: Why can mobs hit through walls?

A: You were happily trading inside a vendor's shop, when suddenly you got smacked by a Griffon for 300 points... Loading, please wait... WTF? Mobs and other NPCs in EQ are controlled by a computer AI, which is no substitute for a (supposedly) intelligent human being controlling an avatar. Monsters all behave according to strict rules on pathing, aggro-range, etc., and don't really employ sophisticated tactics and strategy in the same way a human player would. To avoid unbalancing the game, mobs are given some "unfair" advantages: they can hit through walls, they ignore the z-axis of 3D space to hit from a long way above or below a player, and generally have the ability to hit back from seemingly unreachable locations. This is to avoid exploits like getting easy experience by raining down spells or arrows on a mob from a location which that mob (because of its programmed pathing) cannot reach. Pet-using classes may gain some satisfaction from knowing that their pets have the same unfair advantages as other mobs, and can hit back at that pesky monster whacking you from under the ground.

There are other things NPC monsters are immune to that would be good for you to know: NPCs and monsters can't drown, take falling environment damage, or be burned by environment lava. They can also "warp" (teleport instantly) to you if they get stuck in the world geometry.

3.16 Q: Hey, I can't even play at all! The servers are down! What gives?

A: SOE is ripping you off, the sons of bitches. Well, that's the sarcastic answer. Actually, EverQuest is an evolving game, and it requires periodic maintenance known as patches. Patch time is also when various changes to gameplay are made. SOE does not promise you'll be able to play 24/7/365. SOE will not compensate you the 40 cents per day or whatever it is for the time you could not play. Also, SOE will bring down the servers with little or no notice if they learn of a bug or exploit they consider to be major. You can check on network status and scheduled downtime by going to:
http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/network_status.vm (though the information on that page is notoriously slow to update).

Scheduled downtime is usually accompanied by an estimate from SOE as to when the servers will be available again, e.g., "Going down at 4am PST, estimated downtime is 8 hours." If you try connecting shortly after the servers are due back up, you might not succeed. This could mean the downtime is taking longer than they expected, but it could also mean that the servers are back up and are trying to handle the flood of players all trying to reconnect at the same time. Patience, grasshopper!

3.17 Q: Why did I get chewed out for inspecting someone?

A: Many people feel it is very rude to inspect someone without asking first, akin to walking up to a woman and pulling down her pants to read the label on her underwear. Others feel it's no big deal, and that people who make a big deal out of it need counseling, or a long flame session, or something equally useful. Regardless of how you feel about the matter, if you want to do your best to get along with your fellow EQ players, it is best simply to ask before you inspect.

If you find you keep inspecting people by mistake (e.g., because they're standing too close to the banker you meant to click on), you can turn off your ability to click-inspect players by typing "/toggleinspect off". (To re-enable it, use "/toggleinspect on". And even with it turned off, you can examine someone's gear by targetting them and typing "/inspect".)

3.18 Q: How can I send a message to my friend on another server?

A: ";tell servername.friendname message". For example, to send to your friend Giggals on the Karana server while you are playing on The Seventh Hammer, you would simply type: ;tell karana.giggals Tag! You're it! Note that you must NOT include a forward slash ("/") when you do this; start the command with a semicolon (";") instead of the customary slash.

3.19 Q: Can I ignore someone on another server?

A: You betcha. If it turns out that Giggals simply hates tag and is now threatening to kill you, over and over again, type /ignore karana.giggals. This also can be used to stifle people who are being pests in any serverwide channels you might be in.

3.20 Q: What is grouping about? What am I supposed to do in a group?

A: This question warrants a rather detailed answer, so it's being put into a separate document, which you can find at
http://www.icynic.com/~don/EQ/grouping101.htm
It talks about some of the different types of group, the various roles that group members must fill, and which classes are better suited to each of those roles. It also discusses some typical group tactics and etiquette.

3.21 Q: All those expansions, plus regular free patches that have tweaked the game... I've heard that EverQuest's game balance has changed a lot since it first came out. Is that true, and if so, how so?

A: Yes, definitely. EQ has been adjusted fairly continuously from the get-go, in ways big and small. The developers have always said that the game would never be frozen in time, and they've meant it. Here is a very brief summary picture.

The initial learning curve has been eased, a lot. It's easier and quicker to get a character up to level 10, and the game has a lot more helpful hints and more obvious directions on what to do.

The developers have regularly adjusted the powers of the various classes, trying to keep them balanced. Several classes are now significantly more or less powerful relative to each other than they were at various times in the past. As of mid 2004 there isn't any particular class that is really widely seen as in need of being "nerfed" (reduced in power) or boosted, but the game is dynamic and that will undoubtedly change.

The consequences of dying in EQ have been made much less severe, though once you hit level 6 death does cost you experience. (And for a while there was no experience loss on death until level 11.) The dreaded "corpse run" to reclaim your gear is now much easier than back in the day, and it's easier to get "resurrected" by another player (which gets you back some of the experience you lost by getting killed). Dying in EQ is still annoying, but it's not much more than that except in a few unusual circumstances.

Traveling around in Norrath is far easier and quicker than was originally true (even though the game world is much larger). One side effect of that is that racial faction is less of a factor now -- being a dark elf or troll used to have a pretty severe downside in terms of moving around the world without NPCs attacking you on sight. They added an in-game player market (the Bazaar) which made the in-game player-to-player market of gear and items much more efficient and therefore more ubiquitous.

While the developers have drastically eased the game for newbies (old-school players call it "training wheels EQ"), they've also repeatedly extended and broadened the endgame. In any game there is a point at which a player character has seen it all, done it all, and advanced in power to the point of there being no challenges left. EQ began with a level cap of 50, that jumped to 60, 65, 70, and now 75; "alternate advancement" levels were added, then deepened; "leadership abilities" were added as yet another way for characters to advance. More high-end zones have been added, many with big tough "boss" mobs that can be killed only by large parties of high-end players (called "raids"). Entire tiers of such zones, called the "Planes", now have a complex lengthy "trials" process for which reaching the level cap is just the start. In general, hard-core players now tend to view the level cap as just the first step towards becoming "uber".

The Lost Dungeons of Norrath ("LDoN") expansion added a fundamentally new way to play the game. That expansion's "instanced" zones are timed quests, where a single group must accomplish a certain mission within 90 minutes in order to get certain rewards. A group can have only 6 players and group line-ups vary based on who's available, and once they enter the dungeon the group can't get help from any other players. A single group cannot possibly include the top specialist class of every group function (tanking, healing, offensive spellcasting, crowd control, etc.); that forces some creativity in tactics and makes versatile classes more useful (some other aspects of EQ tend to reward specialization). The time limit focuses players' attention -- many veteran players say that LDoN adventuring "makes people really learn how to play their class." Unlike the planes and some other content, LDoN adventuring is available from quite early in a character's lifespan, level 20 (or even level 15 if you're daring). The rewards for these adventures are in addition to earning regular experience, and provided a way to get fairly high-end equipment without joining Planes raids for 10-hour sessions. Subsequent expansions have similarly tended to include more single-group content in addition to encounters designed for larger raids.

3.22 Q: What is a "guild"?

A: The word "guild" is used two different ways in EQ and they have nothing to do with each other. In the game's cities there are buildings called class guilds (the warrior guild in Kaladim, say); not every city has a guild for every class. In each guild are NPCs you interact with: one or more guildmasters where you train your character's skills, and vendors where you can buy your spells and some other stuff.

The other form of guild is player guilds, which are voluntary associations formed and managed by players themselves on each server. The name of the guild displays in the game under the character's name, and guilds get their own private chat channels in-game and access to the Guild Hall, a special zone with amenities suited to guild-related activities. Many guilds have websites with discussion forums and schedules of group outings in the game.

3.23 Q: What is being in a player guild like?

A: It's like being a member of any other self-directed voluntary association: as good as the people in it. The best way to find a guild is to chat with players you've grouped with repeatedly in the game and enjoyed playing with, and at some point mention that you've thought about joining a guild. If they're enjoying playing with you, you may receive an invitation. Guilds that run around randomly inviting players they haven't even met tend to end up about as cohesive and enjoyable as any other group of complete strangers thrown together.

Player guilds fall into about three categories at the moment, these being completely unofficial but widely recognized. First, each server has some high-end "raiding guilds", which can include hundreds of players, focus on lengthy well-planned raids of the Planes and other high-end zones, and have increasingly stiff prerequisites for membership (you must have reached a certain level in the game). Most servers now have unofficial schedules that the top few raiding guilds agree on for raids of the very top zones, where it can take hours or even days for targets to reappear.

Next, there are newer/smaller guilds that aspire to become raiding guilds; at any given moment most servers have several of these. Such a guild might have anywhere from 30 to 60 active members, and be recruiting players who either have reached the top levels or appear serious about getting there quickly. Since serious raiding requires playing for 8 or 10 hours at a stretch, such guilds tend to include mostly people who are single, not raising kids, don't have jobs that require a lot of travel, etc. These guilds are trying to build up their strength (numbers of top-level seriously-equipped players of enough classes) so they can join the top-end raiding rotation of their server; some make it and some don't.

Finally, there are "family guilds". This phrase isn't literal; it refers to guilds of more casual players who aren't strongly aspiring to the high-end raiding. In practice this often means players who are married with children, etc. These guilds tend to have fewer than 50 active members (maybe a lot fewer), though they can be much larger. They may do some entry-level Planes raiding now and then; two family guilds may band together for the occasional joint raid. Mostly these guilds do regular "experience grouping", single-group missions in LDON, DoN, and later expansions, and usually some small raids for each other's "epic" quests. Some family guilds were started by longtime EQ players who had been in raiding guilds but burned out on that or found that it wasn't actually how they most enjoyed the game.

All guilds, even the raiding guilds, act as a ready source of friends to help each other out in various ways: finding people to fill out a group, casting buffs or resurrection spells, doing high-level trade skill combinations, etc.

3.24 Q: What is autosplit and why is it unfair?

A: This question is the source of much angst, and isn't as simple as it might seem on the surface. Autosplit is something each person turns on or off (using the /autosplit command, or /au for short). If the person looting a corpse has it turned on, any cash found is split evenly among all players in the group (even those who have it turned off). (This doesn't apply when a player loots their own body, of course.) Sounds fair, doesn't it?

The catch is, it's implemented in a logical way in a roleplaying environment, which is to say it splits the COINS you get, instead of splitting the CASH VALUE of those coins. It doesn't make change. And it does this separately for each type of coin. If, as is often the case, the coins can't be divided evenly, the game gives any left over coins to the looter. So suppose a mob drops 5pp. In a two-player group, the looter gets 3pp and the other player gets 2pp. In a three-player group, the looter still gets 3pp and the others each get 1pp. In a six-player group, none of the 5pp can be divided evenly, so the looter keeps all of it! Even when there are some coins given out to the rest of the group by this method, the looter is more often than not getting twice or three times as many coins as the rest.

The innocent (such as yourself) will loot freely, thinking they are being fair. They will also happily allow others to loot, thinking that they are getting a fair share. The unscrupulous will arrange to do most of the looting while allowing the uninitiated (such as yourself) to think they are getting a fair share. And of course, if someone in your group is looting with autosplit on, you can't know if they're innocent or unscrupulous, which can lead to some bad feelings. What's worse, if you try to work around the problem by looting with autosplit OFF, planning to split the money later (preferably after selling off any vendor trash items as well), the innocent may get upset because they think you're planning to abscond with all the money (which has, alas, been known to happen also).

The best compromise seems to be to have the group choose one person to be "main looter" (ML), and that person is responsible for selling the items and splitting all the cash when the group is ready to break up. This still gets awkward if some people leave the group early and/or other people join partway through, but it's still a lot more fair. Another approach that is sometimes used is "open looting" (also called FFA, or free-for-all), where everybody is free to loot (usually with autosplit ON), which works well if the group is killing lots of mobs so everyone gets lots of opportunities to loot some.

3.25 Q: What is "stat food" and how do I use it?

A: Stat food is food that adds to your character's stats, such as HP, MANA, or STR. There's also stat drink. Most stat food/drink items are crafted by players using the Baking and Brewing skills. If you don't feel like making your own, you can usually find stat food for sale in the Bazaar.

The trick to using stat food is that you don't actually want to eat it. You get the benefits of the food if it is the first food in your inventory, and thus is the food that will get eaten if the game decides you're hungry enough to need to eat something. You can see if it's in the correct place as soon as you put it in, by seeing if your stat(s) change.

Since stat food can be expensive, some players are careful to munch ordinary food and drink often enough that the game never has them "automatically" eat or drink the stat items. (Note that explicitly eating/drinking means the items consumed stave off hunger and thirst for only half as long as they normally would.)

3.26 Q: What are the different languages used for in the game, and how do I learn them?

A: EverQuest includes at least 25 different "in game" languages, ranging from player race tongues (Halfling, Iksar, Troll, etc.) to monster languages (Gnoll, Dragon, etc.) and languages used in ancient writings or other specialty tongues (Dark Speech, Thieves Cant). You can learn to speak (and presumably read) any of these, but doing so has almost no effect within the game, except on the role-playing server, Firiona Vie. It appears there used to be quests that required learning languages, e.g. to translate bits of writing, but those writings can now be read by anyone.

Unless you are playing on Firiona Vie, you normally speak Common; a language everyone in the world can speak and understand perfectly. If you want to speak another language, the command is something like "/lang 4", after which everything you /say, /groupsay, /tell, /guildsay, /ooc, or /shout will all be in that language. If you don't speak that language very well, it will be garbled so nobody will ever read it perfectly (but depending on your actual skill and their ability to puzzle things out, they might be able to work out what you mean). Similarly, if they don't speak that language well, they might not understand you even if you are flawless at it. Maximum skill in any language is 100; until you reach 25 in a language it will be described as "an unknown tongue" when someone speaks it to you.

To see which languages you know (even one point of skill will do), type "/lang help". This will list all the languages you know, and tell you their numbers so you can use the /lang # command to switch to them. Common is always /lang 1 for everyone, so using that to switch back to the universal tongue always works. Alternatively, you can right-click on the title bar or type-in area of a chat window, and near the bottom of the pop-up menu is a "Language" item with a submenu of choices.

Note that, if you have multiple chat windows, the /lang # command affects only the window you type it in. You can click on a chat window to make typed commands (such as /lang, /say etc.) go to that window. Each window can have a different language selected. Commands that speak text as part of a hotkey will use the language of your "Main Chat" window. This can be tricky to keep track of, because you always see your own speech ungarbled, with no indication what language it's in. (Just as your speech always looks clear even if you're intoxicated, or if you use a term that gets garbled by the "bad word" filter.) You can type just "/lang" by itself in a window to see which language you've currently selected for it. Be warned, however, that the response telling you what language that window is using, may itself show up in a different window! What matters is which chat window you are typing into, not where the response appears.

Few people bother to learn other languages, and they are of little practical use in most situations, although it can be amusing to chatter away, say gnome to gnome in a party of big people for instance. There are still some reasons to learn languages; for instance, the Tainted Heartstone is a charm that gives rather nice stat boosts if you master several uncommon languages.

On Firiona Vie, there is no "Common", and you'll have trouble communicating with anyone outside your own race at first. Few people ever learn the more obscure languages like Gnome, so you'll need to learn Elvish at a minimum, and Dark Elvish will also help a lot. Oddly, Human is rarely spoken. Even there, on a "role-playing" server with no official common language, few bother learning more than the minimum; you'll see everyone from Trolls to Iksar to Vah Shir all speaking blithely in Elvish . . . because if they don't, half the people in their group, guild, or zone (depending on which sort of chat they are using) won't be able to understand them.

You can learn languages from your NPC trainers (guildmasters), but that's an inefficient use of training points (and plat), plus the trainers won't even offer to teach you certain languages until your character has reached a high enough level. So most language training is done with other players.

To learn a language from another player, you must be in the same group. If someone in your group talks to the group in that language (which means they must have at least one skill point in it so it shows up in their /lang list), your skill will gradually improve, even if you start with zero skill in that language. High INT (and possibly WIS) seems to help you learn faster. Even if your skill is higher than theirs, your skill can go up (to the max of 100) from listening to them! If you're in different zones, though, then only the speaker's skill can improve (and it seems like the speaker's skill must be at least 2 to get any skillups from cross-zone group chat). So you can train up your language skills by grouping with friends who are AFK in the Bazaar!

3.27 Q: What is "Fabled" all about?

EverQuest originally launched in March 1999. On its five-year anniversary, Sony held a month-long celebration during which, among other things, certain named mobs from the original game were beefed up as Fabled versions. For example, in Najena, where Drelzna used to drop JBoots, the Fabled Drelzna would occasionally appear in place of regular Drelzna, and dropped Fabled JBoots. Fabled mobs are usually far tougher than the non-Fabled versions, and the drops are correspondingly better. The term "Fabled" is often used by itself to mean "Fabled mob(s)".

As EverQuest has celebrated its 6th and later anniversaries, Sony has added Fabled versions of mobs from whichever expansion is turning 5 years old; thus Kunark mobs in 2006, Velious in 2007, etc. Many Fabled from earlier anniversaries have reappeared in later years. Fabled exist over a wide range of levels, from Fabled Fippy Darkpaw to what were once end-game raid mobs (and, with the Fabled beefing up, are again).

The Fabled mobs are only in the game during each anniversary month, which runs from mid-March to mid-April.

3.28 Q: The game keeps crashing! How can I fix it?

If your EverQuest window keeps crashing -- going away completely -- chances are some of your files have gotten corrupted somehow, e.g. if something went wrong the last time the game was trying to update them. Sometimes you can fix the problem by telling the launcher to do a "full file check", which means it checks more thoroughly for errors in those files that are normally left unchanged once downloaded. Often, though, the problem is with a file that does get modified as you play the game, and a full file check doesn't cover those.

If you crash only when logging into a particular character, try renaming the UI files for that character (charactername_servername.ini and UI_charactername_servername.ini) and see if that fixes it. You'll lose your hotkeys, window layout, and other settings for the character, but you can then try copying back parts of the files to see where the problem was.

If that doesn't fix it, or if the problem happens for multiple characters, the problem could be with the zone those characters are in. Pull the map files for that zone out of your EverQuest\Maps folder, do a full file check to restore the default map files, and see if that does the trick. Again, if it works, you can then examine the map files to try to locate the part that was confusing the game client.

Finally, if you are using any custom UI elements, try switching to the default UI (by removing the mention of your custom UI folder in your characters' UI_charactername_servername.ini files). Sometimes when new UI elements are added, custom UIs need to be modified.

4. User Interface (UI)

4.1 Q: How can I increase my frame rate to make the picture move more smoothly?

A: Add this to the file EQCLIENT.INI in your EverQuest folder, under the [Default] section:

UseTnL=False
VideoModeBitsPerPixel=16

Note: This may not help all systems. Use at your own discretion.

Other things you can try: In the game under Options (Alt-O pop-up window), choose lower settings for spell and environment particles, and/or lower the setting for the far clip plane (how far away you can see). The less the game has to draw, the better it can keep up. Paradoxically, it may even help to LOWER the frame rate Options setting, because the game may keep up better if it's not trying to generate as many frames. You may also want to turn off Luclin character Models, which you do from the main startup menu (before you log in) under Options. This can help in raid situations where lots of characters are around. See section 8.1 for more tips on improving system performance for raids.

As Sony adds more complex graphics to the EQ world, older machines may have trouble keeping up. Sometimes there are new options in the Display tab of the Options window (or the "Advanced" subwindow off the Display options) that let you reduce or turn off the new graphics. If you're seeing a lot of lag in areas that used to be okay for you, try turning off some of these: Sky Type Complex, Use Advanced Lighting, Radial Flora, Shadows.

Also, the /shownames command has several different levels to hide/show parts of names such as titles, last names, and guild names. Showing less of each name helps frame rate in crowded situations. Some people like /shownames 1, which shows just the first names of characters. Type /shownames alone to get a list of the levels, and then try /shownames 1, /shownames 2, etc. to see what each level does.

Finally, if you're having trouble in a crowded area such as the Bazaar or Plane of Knowledge, it may help to change your camera angle so you're not trying to see as much. Use "Page Down" to angle the camera slightly toward the ground, or use F9 to find an overhead view.

4.2 Q: How do I change the colors of the text?

A: To do this while in the game, bring up the Options pop-up (Alt-O) and go to the Colors tab. Click on the button of the text type you'd like to change, then adjust the color to your liking. (You may have to scroll a bit to find all the text types.)

4.3 Q: How can I see where I'm going when my map window fills so much of my screen?

A: The map window, and in fact any window, can be made transparent by right-clicking on its title bar to open its menu, then hovering the cursor above the first option, "Window". This will show another drop down menu. Move the cursor over "Alpha" and left-click on "Faded Level". (This is for making the window transparent a few seconds after the mouse moves out of the window. To make it transparent always, select "Normal Level".) You'll get a box in which to enter a value from 0 to 100. 0 will make the window frame and control elements, but not the contents, completely transparent, 100 will make it completely opaque, and 50 will make it semi-transparent. Note that you cannot generally click on or target things through a transparent window. You can also obtain smaller map windows from the eqinterface site, http://www.eqinterface.com/.

4.4 Q: What's the key that opens the such-and-such window? Or whatever? And can I change it?

A: To start with the last part, yes, if there's a key to do something, you can almost certainly change which key it is. To find out what key does something, or to change it, you start by opening the Options window, either via the EQ button or by typing alt-O. One of the top-level tabs in that window is "Keys", under which you select a category of keys. For example, in the UI category you'll find that "Alt U" toggles (opens and closes) the Tribute Window. Each action can be invoked by up to two different keys, and keys can be "modified" by any combination of Shift, Ctrl, and Alt.

To change the key(s) that invoke any given game function, find the entry you want in the Options/Keys list and left-click in that row under the Keypress or Alternate column. The next key you press, together with Shift/Ctrl/Alt keys that you hold down while pressing it, will become one of the two ways to do that function. (To avoid making any change, type the Esc key, which thus cannot itself be assigned as the key to invoke anything else.) Some actions do not have any keys assigned by default, but you can set up keys for them in the Options window in the same way.

If the Options window shows a key in red, it means the same key (including any Shift/Ctrl/Alt shown) is also being used to perform some other function. This can work; tying the left arrow key to both "turn left" and a hotkey is a traditional way to improve one's skill in tracking, foraging, etc. But if it shows in red and you don't know why, look through the other key settings.

It is a good idea to periodically take a few minutes and just cruise through the key assignments to see what's available. Not only does it change from time to time, but you may find something that seemed useless in the past, but that you now find important enough to assign a key to it. You might also want to remove some key assignments, to make it harder to accidentally turn off essential UI elements.

One last caution: Changes made in the Options Keys tab, like many other Options tabs, affect all characters played on that computer, even using multiple accounts. And if you go to a different computer, your key settings won't be there.

4.5 Q: What else can I change about the User Interface, and how?

A: Quite a bit, depending on how much you're willing to fiddle with. Note: All of the things listed in this section and the next are changes that get stored on your computer, so if you go to a friend's house and log onto your EQ account from there, your changes won't be there.

Within the game, you can rearrange the size and locations of the windows, and can set their "alpha" levels to make them become more transparent. (But be aware that you generally cannot click to target things that are covered by a transparent window.) You can split up your chat messages across multiple windows (per question 5.7) so the important stuff is easier to notice and doesn't get pushed off the top of the window too quickly. The Options window (accessed via Alt-O) has many settings you can adjust; the Keys options in particular let you change which keys invoke various functions. Browsing the rather long list of available functions may give you some ideas of ways to make the game play more smoothly for you, e.g. by making shift-F9 and control-F9 switch directly to certain camera angles rather than having to hit F9 repeatedly to cycle through all the cameras. (Note: Changing which keys do each function will affect ALL characters played on that computer.)

If you're a bit braver, you can edit various files in your EverQuest folder. This can be an easier way to fine-tune window locations, alpha settings, etc., or to copy your favorite socials from one character to another. Be careful to save a copy of the file before changing it, in case you screw up and need to change it back. Also, changes might not take effect until the character involved changes zones. The files most likely to be worth looking at are:

eqclient.ini: stuff that affects all characters played on that computer, including key mappings and text colors, as well as pre-login stuff such as whether to use more detailed character models and whether it's time to bug you again about buying the latest expansion
charactername_servername.ini: friends/ignore lists, hot buttons and socials, action/skill/combat buttons, and the text people see when they "inspect" you
UI_charactername_servername.ini: everything else specific to the character, including window positions and alpha levels, chat filters and autojoin list (and lots more, but those are the main things you might fiddle with)

If you want to make more sweeping changes to the UI, see question 4.6.

4.6 Q: I've heard I can use a different User Interface (UI) from the one that comes with EverQuest. How do I do that?

A: The UI that comes with EverQuest has evolved over the years to reflect in-game changes. Thousands of players use the default user interface, or make small changes using the Options window, but many have chosen either to write their own or to use the clever UIs written by other people.

The largest collection of UIs for EverQuest is at http://www.eqinterface.com/. You will have to register to get the new UIs but doing so is free.

Once on the site you will see that there are a number of complete UIs that change all of the parts of your EverQuest world to a specific theme. Other areas give you the ability to load smaller map windows, tailored items for specific classes, maps for zones and even the ability to view recipes and spell lists in your storyline window (via alt-N).

4.7 Q: How do I get the UI I have downloaded to work in EverQuest?

A: In your EverQuest folder (which can be seen in Windows Explorer) there are a number of sub-folders. If you are changing your complete UI, go to the "uifiles" folder. You will see one folder there called "default". This contains the stock standard interface you see on the screen if you have no other UI loaded. LEAVE THIS FOLDER ALONE AND MAKE NO CHANGES TO IT. In the "uifiles" folder create a new folder named "me". (It can be called anything, but simple is good in this case. If you're going to use different UIs for each of your characters, name each folder after the character.) Unload your downloaded new UI files into the "me" folder. In the game you will start out with the stock standard UI provided by SOE. In your chat window, type "/loadskin me" and hit Enter. For a few seconds your screen will stop, then it will reappear with your new UI loaded. You will have to rearrange the screen to suit your style of play.

Some UI elements such as spell lists or maps (which can be downloaded from http://www.mapfiend.net/) require their own folders or can be downloaded straight into existing folders. For example, the maps mentioned above are downloaded straight into your "maps" folder inside the "EverQuest" folder. Spells and trade skill notes normally appear under the storyline button in game and (you guessed it) will be under the "storyline" folder in your "EverQuest" main folder.

Each of the UIs normally carries instructions for its use, either on the web site or in "readme" files.

4.8 Q: I play a warrior and do not need a caster or mana bar with my character. How can I change this?

A: Most of the complete UI sets include modifications for specific classes. Warriors can reclaim the space taken up by their blank mana bar, druids and rangers can find new tracking interfaces, and so on. If you are happy with the general theme you are using, make another folder in the "uifiles" folder, call it "warrior" or something else appropriate, and copy all the files from your "me" folder into the "warrior" folder. Then copy any additional class-specific files from the http://www.eqinterface.com/ site. In game, playing your warrior, at the chat window type "/loadskin warrior" and your new UI should appear without the mana and casting bars. You can have as many UI folders as you need to outfit the different classes you play; just ensure that they have all the base files in them first, and then add/replace the class-specific files.

4.9 Q: My UI does not work after the last patch. What happened?

A: Sometimes SOE changes the files for the way their own interface operates. Sites such as eqinterface will normally have files to add to your custom UI after a patch. Download the new file(s) and overwrite the versions in each of your custom UI folders.

4.10 Q: I want to design and code my own UI. How do I go about it?

A: Sites such as http://www.eqinterface.com/ give you the necessary tools to do so. Their forum area is also very good for picking up hints on where to go.

4.11 Q: Sony changed the default UI and I liked the old one better. Can I change it back?

A: As mentioned above, SOE sometimes changes parts of the default interface. Sometimes (though far less often) they make sweeping changes to the whole UI. In the latter case, the old UI generally remains available for a while, so you can copy some or all of it into a custom UI folder if you liked the old UI better. SOE does not maintain the old UI, however, so over time as new features get added to the game, the old UI will fall out of date and not support those features. Still, if you're selective about which parts you copy, you can probably keep using parts of an old UI for quite a while.

In early 2006, SOE introduced another overhaul to the UI, and many people disliked some of the new features, particularly the new spell gem and buff window icons. When the PoR expansion came out soon afterward, the new features caused more of the old UI elements (e.g., the bank window) to stop working, so it became harder (though not impossible) to continue to use the old UI as is. If you're using the new default UI but want to continue to use the old spell icons, you should copy the following files from your uifiles\default_old folder to a custom UI folder: gemicons01.tga through gemicons03.tga, spells01.tga through spells07.tga, and window_pieces02.tga (so the gem icons fit better in the spell bar). Note that if SOE adds new spells with totally new icons, those icons are unlikely to be added to the old UI.

Another part of the same UI change was that hotbutton windows are now 1-by-10 (or 10-by-1) instead of 2-by-5. If the longer, skinnier hotbars don't suit your playing style, you can keep the old ones by copying EQUI_HotButtonWnd.xml from the uifiles\default_old folder to your custom UI.

4.12 Q: What are audio triggers and how do I use them?

A: Audio triggers were added as part of the UI introduced in Fall 2005. They let you set up sounds to alert you when certain events appear in your chat windows. For example, you might want to be warned when mobs enrage, or cast Gate, or when you lose auto-follow, or . . . . For many more ideas on how audio triggers can be useful, try http://www.icynic.com/~don/EQ/triggers/. That page includes a link to a tutorial covering the basics of how to set up audio triggers, including adding your own custom sounds.

5. Chat Channels

5.1 Q: What are chat channels?

A: Chat channels are like chat rooms that everyone on your server can access. Unlike /shout and /ooc, which can be read only by people in the same zone with you, chat channels can be read by everyone on the server, if they choose. (Some channels require a password, but you can think of the password as being just part of the channel name, since you need to know the name to be able to join it, too.) There are also established chat channels that can be joined by everyone on EVERY EverQuest server, if they so desire.

5.2 Q: How do I join/start a chat channel?

A: Type /join channelname. For example, if you wanted to join the market channel on your server, you would type /join market. (Most servers do have a market channel of some sort, though they might be named something else like auction, bazaar, or whatever. If you want to find out, ask around or experiment.) If you want to join a channel that has a password, type /join channel:password. For example, to join a market channel with the password of shop, you would type /join market:shop. To create a new channel, type /join followed by the name of the channel you want to create, and a password if you think it should have one.

To join a channel on another server, type /join servername.channel:password. For example, if you wanted to join the market on the Drinal server, you would type /join drinal.market. There are also channels that are not associated with any one server; these are named serverwide.channelname. For instance, the channel for alt.games.everquest readers is serverwide.age:age.

In all cases, when you join you'll see a message in which the number to the right of the channel name tells you how many people are in that channel at the time you joined. The number to the left of the channel name is what you use to talk in that channel: use /1 to talk to channel 1, etc.

In mid-2005, several special chat channels were added, and all players are automatically joined to some of them. Characters level 20 and under are put in the NewPlayer channel, while levels 21 and up are placed in the General channel as well as in class-specific and continent-specific channels. These channels can be a great source of information, but can also be distracting. If you decide you don't want to be in those channels, there's a button in the Options window to disable them; however, as with most Options settings, your choice affects all characters played on that machine. If you want some of your characters to join one or more of the special channels, you can have those characters "autojoin" those channels, as described below.

5.3 Q: How do I leave a channel I have joined?

A: Type /leave Channel#. For example, if you have only joined the drinal market channel, it will be channel 1. To leave it, you would type /leave 1 . In general, the channel number is the number shown to the left of the channel name when you joined.

5.4 Q: Can I automatically join a channel every time I log in?

A: Yes; this is called "autojoining". If you know that you want to participate in a certain chat channel every time you are online, type /autojoin channelname (or /autojoin channelname:password if there's a password). If you want to autojoin more than one channel, then type it like this: /autojoin channelname:password, nextchannel:nextpassword, and so on. For example, to autojoin both the NewPlayer channel and the serverwide alt.games.everquest chat, type "/autojoin NewPlayer, serverwide.age:age". Note: autojoining channels sets them to be joined the next time you log in, not for the session you are in. If you want to be in the channels you have set in your autojoin list that session, you must join the channels manually by using the /join command.

5.5 Q: How do I stop automatically joining a channel?

A: You have to type the /autojoin command again, leaving out the channels you no longer want to include (but listing all the ones you want to keep). (Some people claim you can just type /autojoin for a channel that's already on your list, and it'll un-autojoin you, but experiments show this not to be the case. In fact, that will un-autojoin all the OTHER channels and leave you autojoining only the one you were trying to remove!) If you don't want to be in any channels, you can either type "/autojoin , " (slash, autojoin, space, comma, enter) or go into the file UI_charactername_servername.ini in your EverQuest folder and edit down the autojoin list as it is shown there.

5.6 Q: What are some current serverwide channels?

A: Here are a few. Others will be added as they are discovered.

serverwide.age:age (chat channel for this newsgroup)
serverwide.beastlords:beastlords
serverwide.bards:bards
serverwide.cleric:cleric
serverwide.druidsgrove:password (main druid's chat channel)
serverwide.eqlive:tnz (The Newbie Zone; official Sony EQlive Forum)
serverwide.enchanter:enchanter
serverwide.eqdruids:eqdruids
serverwide.eqtraders:eqtraders (trade skills, not character trades!)
serverwide.magicians:fluffy
serverwide.paladins:paladins
serverwide.ranger:ranger
serverwide.rangersglade:glade
serverwide.sk:sk (shadowknights)

5.7 Q: I've joined too many channels and now the text is flying by too fast! What should I do? Can I have separate chat windows?

A: Chat windows allow a player to use separate windows for specific chat tasks. For example, if you are on a guild raid you can have all your say and guild text in one window, and your raid and battle spam in another. You can create as many windows as you like, but most players opt for at most two or three, as the screen gets too busy.

Right click on the black title bar of your main chat window where it says "Main Chat". The second option down on the list is "New Chat Window". Left click on that to bring up your new chat window. The new window will appear over the top of the main chat window, and can then be dragged to another location and re-sized if you wish.

In the new chat window, right click on the title bar and choose "Filters". Another menu opens which allows you to choose which types of messages go into the new window. You can continue customizing these windows with the filters to split the different types of chat among the windows.

5.8 Q: How do I find out how many people are in a channel and who?

A: Type /list #, where # is the number of the channel. For example, if you are in serverwide.age:age and it's the only channel you joined, type /list 1. Typing /list with no number lists all the channels you're in.

5.9 Q: Can I send text to a channel without knowing the channel number?

A: Yes. This can be useful for hotkeys. E.g., suppose your guild uses channel "uberraid" for communicating during a raid. (There's also /rsay, of course, but often a raid wants to have one channel for essential orders, and another for chat, or healing messages, etc.) The channel number will vary depending on how many other channels you had open when you joined the raid. If you have a hotkey that includes sending a message to the channel, you'd rather not have to modify the channel number each time you raid. To send to the channel by name, regardless of number, use "/chat #uberraid blahblah". That's a real number sign (#) before the name. You must have joined the channel for this to work.

Similarly, you can make a channel be the default place for text typed into a chat window (the place a message goes if you type ENTER, blahblah, ENTER). The command for changing the destination for messages typed in that manner is /channel; direct it to a chat channel using, e.g., "/channel chat uberraid" or "/channel chat serverwide.age". (You can also set the default channel for a window using the chat window's menu, under "Channel".)

6. Posting in alt.games.everquest

6.1 Q: I posted one innocent little question, and got flamed. Why?

A: alt.games.everquest has an established community, and several long-time residents have strong personalities. We also have a steady influx of new readers here, many of whom make no effort to do any research at all before they ask questions. This combination seems to bring out the flame-throwers on a regular basis. We also have several here who enjoy long, repetitious, self-imploding discussions laced with personal attacks and expletives. If you do find yourself getting flamed, probably the best reaction would be just to shrug it off, and not reply in kind. It is very useful to have a thick skin in AGE, and a little common sense and perspective aren't a bad idea, either.

6.2 Q: So does that mean that I can't ask any questions here at all?

A: Not at all. There are many people here who are very knowledgeable about EQ and are happy to share what they know. It would be helpful if you were to do some basic research before you ask questions that may have been asked many times before. The fact that you're reading this FAQ is a good sign, but the FAQ can't cover every recurring question. One thing you might try is going to http://groups.google.com/groups?q=alt.games.everquest and checking the "Search only in alt.games.everquest" radio button, then typing in some key words from your question. But if that doesn't help, by all means fire away. If you get flamed for it, refer to question 6.1.

6.3 Q: What is top posting, and why is it so hated here?

A: Top posting is the act of posting your reply on top of quoted material, that is, ahead of the text to which you are responding, rather than placing your response either at the bottom of quoted material or interspersed throughout it. AGE is a newsgroup that on the whole feels strongly about top posting, and the feelings are not warm and fuzzy. The discussions in AGE are often complex and wandering, and having to scroll to the bottom of a post to see what the heck a person is replying to is awkward and annoying, and breaks the flow of the post. You might prefer top posting and that is your prerogative, but if you insist on using it here you can expect to be flamed and to land on a lot of folks' Kill Files. And please don't try to skirt the issue by just not quoting anything at all, either. People are not going to go back through the thread playing detective to try to figure out what the heck you're responding to. Similarly, if you're responding to a long post, don't quote the whole post; try to quote just the part relevant to your response, or the first part if you're making an overall response to the entire post. In other words, when someone reads your post from top to bottom, they should first see enough of the older post to remind them what the context is, and then see your response.

6.4 Q: I've noticed a lot of unfriendly posts coming from the same people. This newsgroup sure has its share of jerks, eh?

A: It would be hard to find an active newsgroup that doesn't. However, many of the more virulent posters we have are basically right in what they say, once you look past the rudeness of manner of their presentation. They may be enthusiastic in going after people who post facts or opinions that they dispute. But if you can get past that, you might find that they can teach a lot about EQ. If you can't get past it, no worries. Just ignore them or place them in your Kill File. Endless arguing with them will not generally make anyone think you are especially clever, or put them in their place, or do whatever it is you are hoping to do. Also, if you make some clever misspelling of a regular's posting name in an effort to win an argument, you automatically lose that argument. /nod

6.5 Q: Will everyone hate me if I make an off topic comment or post?

A: No, not everyone. Almost every active newsgroup out there experiences some degree of topic drift; you have about as good a chance of stopping it as you do of stopping continental drift. AGE is a fairly active group, and the drift is quite noticeable at times. If this annoys you then it is best just to start ignoring a thread when it goes from talking about the best offhand weapon for a halfling ranger to the best way to make nachos. If you are starting a new thread that is clearly not related to EQ, it is a good idea to give it a subject starting with the letters OT (off topic) so that those who want to avoid such threads can do so from the start.

6.6 Q: I posted something I heard was true, and then some guy jumped all over me for being wrong! Why did he make such a big deal over it?

A: Because that's something that is important to several posters here. In this place, a.g.e., we do check facts. We will google while we post, and we will google and research other people's assertions if we feel they are in error. And we do ask for and expect cited sources. This might be viewed as both good and bad. Bad, because we can come across as niggling, harsh, and overly intolerant to dubious statements. But also good, because if you read a fact here about some aspect of EQ, you can be fairly certain that if it isn't correct at the start, it will almost certainly be corrected quickly. Of course, in many instances the "facts" aren't really available, and it might even be questionable whether anyone at SOE knows the answer. Then you will get a long, drawn out discussion, usually with flaming, where people will discuss their opinions on the matter at hand. Once you get used to the place, and learn the standards to which we hold ourselves and others, you might find that it is well worth the effort.

6.7 Q: What else should I know about newsgroup etiquette?

The following are a couple web sites regarding common etiquette techniques for newsgroups. (Note that, in case it's not obvious, the "emily" page is written tongue-in-cheek, giving exaggerated examples of what NOT to do.)

Quoting Style in Newsgroup Postings:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~wijnands/nnq/nquote.html

General Net Etiquette:
http://www.templetons.com/brad/emily.html

Here is a brief, generic Netiquette guide. You can take most of this to almost any newsgroup you go to.

Newsgroups are like self-governing communities; there are no "Newsgroup Cops." Instead, posters regulate themselves. Below are some simple rules of newsgroup etiquette to understand before you venture into a newsgroup. Think of these as a set of guidelines that will keep you from making mistakes and will make you look and sound like a veteran newsgroup poster.
This is not a "binary" newsgroup, please do not post binaries (images, programs, etc.).
Do not post in HTML. Many people still read newsgroups as "plain text". Posting links to web sites is fine.
Lurk. Read the newsgroup without posting for a few weeks. This is known as "lurking," and it will give you the flavor of the newsgroup.
Read the FAQ. Find and read the newsgroup's FAQ (list of Frequently Asked Questions and other important information). It can answer questions you didn't know you had, and is the quickest way to learn about a newsgroup.
Stay on-topic. Know what's on-topic and what's off-limits. Every newsgroup is a little different in what it talks about, and how it does the talking.
DON'T SHOUT. TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. It's easier to read a mix of upper- and lower-case letters.
Never, ever post "MAKE MONEY FAST." It doesn't work, it gets people really mad, and no matter what it says, it's probably illegal.
Everyone hates commercials. Don't post advertisements or commercial messages. They also get people really mad.
Ignore "trolls." Some people get a thrill from posting "flames" (really obnoxious messages) just to get a rise out of people. Sad, isn't it? Such people are called "trolls". (No relationship to the troll race in EverQuest!) Don't feed the trolls. Witty responses can sometimes be amusing, but they are really aimed at other readers and are not attempting to reply to the troll.
Don't "spam." Spam is posting the same message to dozens, even hundreds or thousands of unrelated newsgroups. No matter how important you think your message may be, it's not worth it. Think about it: If everyone posted about every topic, and posted copies everywhere, no one would be able to find anything.
Be Original. Don't over quote: Copying a long post (more than 20 lines) just to add "I agree" or "me too" is considered bad form. Make clear who and what you are replying to.
The Golden Rule: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Remember, every expert was a newbie once.

7. EverQuest II

7.1 Q: What is this EverQuest II game that I hear about?

A: EverQuest II is another MMORPG by SOE, released in November 2004. It is set in the world of Norrath, several hundred years in the future, after the planet has suffered some major cataclysm that destroys much of the known world. The two games have some superficial similarities (some shared geography, races, etc.) but quite different rules and user interfaces.

7.2 Q: Does this mean that the EverQuest I am playing is ending?

A: EverQuest II is not meant to be a replacement for EverQuest Live. The two games have different development teams (the Dragons of Norrath and later expansions for EQ Live came out after EQ II launched), and SOE steadily maintains that it means to maintain both games for as long as there is enough of a demand to keep them both going. EverQuest is currently a very popular title, and it has managed to remain so despite challenges from other MMORPG's that people were certain would mean its decline. That said, few things in life are guaranteed, and if EQ drops in popularity for whatever reason to the point that is no longer profitable, it is unrealistic to expect that SOE will continue it. Still, the day when they do pull the plug on EverQuest Live seems to be remote at this time.

7.3 Q: Can I post about EQ II on alt.games.everquest?

A: If the post pertains only to EQ II, it would be better to post it on alt.games.everquest2, or on Sony's EQ2 forums. Posts comparing EQ II to EQ Live are fair game, just like comparisons to any other MMORPG. If you do post here about EQ II, it's considered polite to include EQ2 somewhere in the subject to make sure people know which game you're talking about. If you don't, you should accept your inevitable chastisement. For a while, some folks marked posts about EverQuest Live (the "original" EverQuest) with "EQ1", but this practice dropped off once most EQ2 traffic moved elsewhere.

Note: If you do put "EQ2" (or "EQ1") in your subject, don't immediately follow it with a colon (as in, Subject: EQ2: Newbie questions). It seems some news-reading tools (e.g., Outlook) assume anything in front of the colon must be the equivalent of "Re:" in some foreign language, so the EQ2 part might get discarded from the subject when people reply to your post.

7.4 Q: How can I find out more about EverQuest II?

A: This FAQ does not include anything about how to play EverQuest II. There is a section in the links portion at the bottom of this document that will lead you to EQII websites.

8. Miscellaneous Tips

8.1 Performance / Raid settings

Here are some tips for helping your computer keep up during a raid or in other situations where there's lots of stuff going on on the screen. See also section 4.1.

"/showgrass off" reduces lag in newer zones with moving tree branches.
"/showspelleffects off" removes most of the pretty spell effects. To remove the rest, go to the Display Options and turn off particle effects.
"/shownames off" turns all names off so you don't get lag from all the names. "/shownames 1" shows just everyone's first name.
"/hidecorpses all" or "/hidecorpses allbutgroup" gets rid of dead bodies that you don't need to loot and that interfere with targeting. "/hidecorpses looted" hides NPC bodies that you've personally looted, even if you've left stuff on them.
Ctrl - (minus) lowers the clip plane (so you don't see as far) without having to open the Options window. Ctrl + (plus) moves it back out.
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Contents

1. General Questions

2. Questions about EverQuest

3. Questions about How to Play

4. User Interface (UI)

5. Chat Channels

6. Posting in alt.games.everquest

7. EverQuest II

8. Miscellaneous Tips

9. Glossary

10. Useful Links

11. Comical Links and More

1. General Questions

2. Questions about EverQuest

3. Questions about How to Play

4. User Interface (UI)

5. Chat Channels

6. Posting in alt.games.everquest

7. EverQuest II

8. Miscellaneous Tips