Everquest - FAQs

[Detomah]

1.0 General questions.



1.1 What is a FAQ?
FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. FAQs are designed to cover the most common questions and answers regarding a product.



1.2 What is EverQuest?
EverQuest is a real-time 3-dimensional massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). [I wouldn't call it that, but I guess it depends where you're coming from - personally, graphical MUD calls to mind, for me, something that is chat-based with still pictures here and there.]



1.3 When was EverQuest released?
EverQuest was released March 16th, 1999.



1.4 What EverQuest Expansions have been released, and what further expansions can we expect?
EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark® expansion was released April 24, 2000. Since then it has become a part of the basic EverQuest package, and it provided more than twenty new zones, a new playable race of lizard men called the Iksar and raised the maximum player character level from fifty to sixty. EverQuest: The Scars of Velious® was released on December 5, 2000. It provides nineteen more zones of content designed for characters of about 30th level and over. For announcements about future expansions, head to: http://everquest.station.sony.com/.



1.5 What is an RPG?
RPG stands for Role-playing Game. People often debate what this really means, so we'll attempt to clarify what we mean. When you play EverQuest you'll first create a character. This creation of yours can be any one of twelve races and fourteen classes, male or female, and you even have the opportunity to adjust the character's attributes (for instance, how strong the character is, or how intelligent the character isn't). You'll then immerse this character of yours into our virtual world and make of him or her whatever you wish. You define your character's role in the lands of EverQuest, and how well you play that role it is up to you.



People also often assume that RPG means a certain theme or setting. Role-playing can take place in nearly any setting, from heroic fantasy to space adventure. EverQuest is a more traditional RPG. Our world is one of high fantasy, of sorcery and dragons, of great wizards and marauding hordes of orcs. There are quests and puzzles to solve aplenty, but it's up to you decide which ones, if any, to pursue. You might choose to become a warrior bent on wanton destruction, or perhaps a merchant making his profit selling goods from one land to another. Essentially, while we've defined the setting, you create the world.



1.6 What do you mean by 3D?
We realize that the term 3D is loosely used almost everywhere today. In reference to EverQuest, however, we mean it quite literally. Our engine is truly 3D - it is not a raycaster, nor does it use a pseudo-3D isometric view. You can walk completely around a house or any structure and then enter it, all the while adjusting the camera view between first person and any number of top-down or third person viewpoints.



1.7 What is a "massively multiplayer online game"?
While many modern computer games support multiplayer gaming, few are designed to support well over 1,000 simultaneous players. With EverQuest, you don't start the server program on a local network and invite a few of your friends over to play. Instead, you run the EverQuest client program and use the Internet to connect to our world servers. Call or email your friends and tell them what city or dungeon to meet you in or, better yet, log on and encounter hundreds of other people from all over the world and make a slew of new acquaintances.

That's EverQuest, and this is what massively multiplayer really means.



1.8 What's a MUD?
MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons/Dimensions) are online text-based RPGs that have been around for several years. EverQuest is similar to these MUDs, except it was designed from the ground up to depict our world using real-time 16-bit color fully texture mapped graphics, as opposed to merely a well written paragraph.



Also, while most of these MUDs are run by a couple of people as a hobby in their spare time, EverQuest is a professional and commercial product - our staff will be on hand to meet your needs both as a player and as a customer.



1.9 Who are you guys? Where did EverQuest come from?
989 Studios (formerly Sony Interactive Studios), responsible for PSX hits like Rally Cross and NFL Gameday, began development of EverQuest in March, 1996. In January, 1999 the 989 Studios PC and Online teams spun off and formed Verant Interactive, Inc., an independent online game development studio. During this period, Verant also developed Tanarus, an online tank warfare game. In 2000, Verant became part of Sony Online Entertainment. The massively multiplayer online first person shooter, PlanetSide, was released in 2003, as will the highly anticipated Star Wars Galaxies™, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the world of Star Wars.



1.10 What kinds of hardware and software are required to play EverQuest?

Standard EverQuest

Required:

Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
Pentium II 266 or greater
64MB RAM
Direct3D or Glide compliant video card with 8MB RAM
500MB Hard drive space
28.8k+ internet connection
DirectX compatible sound card
Mouse, Keyboard
2X speed CD-ROM
Recommended:

Pentium II 350 or greater
128MB RAM
Direct3D or Glide compliant accelerator card with 16MB RAM
4X speed CD-ROM
Note: DirectX 8.1 or greater is required for Windows 98 ,XP, ME, and 2k.

Shadows of Luclin

Required Specs:

Windows® 98/2000/ME/XP
Pentium® II 400Mhz or greater
256 MB RAM
16 MB Direct3D compliant video card
DirectX 8.0 compatible sound card
28.8k (or faster) Internet connection
4X speed CD-ROM
450 MB+ hard drive space
Note: Although technically below the minimum specs, players with 128 MB of RAM will still be able to run Luclin by turning off the new character models.

Recommended Specs:

Windows® 98/2000/ME/XP
Pentium® III or greater
512 MB RAM
32 MB Direct3D compliant video card and hardware T&L (i.e. ATI Radeon or Nvidia GeForce 2 or greater)
DirectX 8.0 compatible sound card
56.6k (or faster) Internet connection
16X speed CD-ROM
1.5 GB+ hard drive space
Note: DirectX 8.1 or greater is required for Windows 98 ,XP, ME, and 2k.

1.10.1 Can EverQuest run on NT or Windows 2000?
EverQuest should run under Windows 2000, however there are still problems with some 3D cards, their drivers, and Windows 2000. EverQuest will not run under older versions of NT.



1.10.2 Does EverQuest support operating systems other than Windows 9x?
At this time there are no plans to support platforms other than Win9x (and Windows 2000).



1.11 Which 3D cards do you support?
EverQuest uses both Direct 3D and Glide. Direct 3D is a 3d application program interface (API) from Microsoft that allows us to support most 3D cards currently on the market as well as future cards. Glide is a 3d API from 3DFX and works with their cards (Voodoo Graphics, Voodoo 2, etc.).



1.11.1 I am not a technical wizard - could you explain what D3D is?
Direct 3D (D3D) is part of DirectX, which is a software add-on to Windows 9x that most modern games use. Direct 3D is the part of DirectX that allows a game or other program to utilize the various 3D cards out on the market. If you would like to learn a bit more about DirectX or Direct 3D please visit the Microsoft site and read the documentation. The address is http://www.microsoft.com/directx/



1.11.2 Is a 3dfx card required to play the game?
A 3D card is required, however it doesn't necessarily have to be a 3dfx card. Your card needs to be a Direct 3D compliant card, and should be at least as fast as a 3dfx card. You may want to consult some of the many articles, both on the web and in printed magazines, that compare and contrast the features, performance, etc., of 3d cards.



1.11.3 What version of Direct X is be used?
EverQuest requires DirectX 8.1 or newer.



1.11.4 Does EverQuest support OpenGL?
EverQuest uses Glide (the native 3dfx API) and Direct 3D (Microsoft API that most modern 3d cards support). We do not support OpenGL (nothing against it, just with both Glide and D3D, there's no real need).



1.12 Is the game downloadable or is it on CD?
CD-ROM.



1.13 What kind of music is there in EverQuest? MIDI files, or music directly off the CD?
EverQuest uses MIDI files and supports most major sound cards, including those that use MIDI sound fonts.



1.13.1 Has any consideration been given to the use of 3D sound in EQ?
Yes - EverQuest supports 3D sound using Direct Sound 3D. We support both EAX and A3D.



1.14 Is game info saved on servers or on our hard drive?
Servers. We are very sensitive to the fact that hackers exist, and have implemented several plans, including maintaining important information on the server side, to guard against them.



1.15 How much of the world is actually on the client side?
Basically, like any other game, the graphics and world are on the client side but your critical data like characters are on the server side. Static information that isn't going to change is on the client side. And that typically is most of your graphics. You don't want to be downloading those all the time.



1.16 Do you have enough servers to meet demand?
We do our best to see to it that there are a sufficient number of servers available. We have been adding new servers at a fairly rapid pace to keep up with demand. We will continue to do so.



1.17 Are there hot keys or programmable macros in the game?
Yes.



1.18 Do you plan to continuously update the game even this long after its initial release?
Absolutely. The world of EverQuest will continue to be a constantly evolving and expanding universe.



1.18.1 Are the patches real time as you're playing the game?
The game checks your version when you log in and updates it then. If we're doing a major change, we will do our best to notify you in advance when we'll have the servers down for that purpose. Other, more minor changes, can be made within just a few minutes, sometimes only requiring certain zones to go down, instead of the entire server.



1.19 How much will EverQuest cost me in the stores?
The MSRP is currently $39.99, but it is up to the retail store to set retail pricing.





1.20 Is there a monthly fee to play this game? And if so, how much?
We currently have several pricing plans:

$14.99 per month



$41.97 for three months



$77.94 for six months



EQ included in Station Access Plan - $21.99 per month
All pricing plans (except for the 12 and 24 month extension plans) are recurring, meaning you will continue to be billed at the appropriate interval, until you cancel your subscription. Note that purchasers of the full game will receive their free month of game play after supplying valid billing information. If you cancel your subscription during the free month, no charges will be made to your credit card.

New York State and Texas residents will be charged sales tax.

All subscription fees will appear on your credit card statement under the heading "SOE*EverQuest". If the card is MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or JBC, Station Access Plan charges will appear on your credit card will show as "SOE*Station Access". If the card is Amex, it will show as "SOE Station Access".

Please note:

The subscription charges are in addition to the cost of the game. You will need to purchase a copy of the game from a retail store or online at the Station Store. The price of the game will vary depending upon the store.



In addition, you get a free month upon signing up.

In addition to the fees described above, if you are a resident of an European Union country, you will also be charged a VAT tax equal to 17.5% of the applicable fee.



1.21 Is there a manual with EQ?
Yes, a full manual is in the box. You will also find updates to the manual in your EverQuest folder in text and MS Word format, under the names eqmanual_supplement.txt and eqmanual_supplement.doc.



1.22 How does the EverQuest staff handle player complaints about lost equipment due to bugs?
Our GMs and Guides are available via the /petition command in-game. In the chat window type /petition , where the is a full description of your problem. These petitions go into a queue and are answered in the order they are received. When the bug is verified and the GMs are able to further verify that you actually lost something, they may be able to replace it.



1.23 Does the EverQuest team actually play the game or do they just take input from their "playing" designers?
When we assembled the team we made sure many of the artists, programmers, and world builders were into this genre. Since those early days, we have always placed high emphasis on ensuring that designers have an understanding of this game from personal experience. Accordingly, almost all of them play the game quite often. This is a game we've all wanted to make and play for many years.



1.24 How did you build an online cohesive society in EverQuest? What elements do you think will add to this environment?
We think the focus we have on this not just being a player vs. player game but rather also a very cooperative game has helped to build a sense of community. Allowing people to group, to talk to other party members, and to talk to people regardless of where they are is a great aid to finding and keeping friends in game. And the ability to split experience amongst members of a group adds to this as well, giving people a bonus for playing together. Also, keeping the server population down enables people to recognize names more easily.



1.25 Are you trying to create a "realistic" world for EverQuest? That is, are you attempting to create a living, breathing world "simulation" where non-player characters have their own daily schedules, the world has its own interactive "ecology" and there is an overall dynamic "economy"?
Yes, but only where it really adds to gameplay. EverQuest is not an experiment or a simulation, and our focus is on making the game world fun. Our emphasis is on adventure and exploration, and making sure the game mechanics are fair and enjoyable. Game balance definitely takes precedence over any attempt at creating a super realistic virtual world.





2.0 About the beta test.



2.1 What phase of beta testing are you at currently?
The EverQuest beta test is now over - the final, which was Phase 4, ended March 12th, 1999.












3.0 Features.



3.1 What's the screen resolution for the game and number of colors?
640x480 16bit color (that's 64,000 colors). 800x600 and 1024x768 modes are supported on some 3D cards. If you have EverQuest: The Scars of Velious® expansion, 1280x1024 and 1600x1200 modes are supported.



3.1.1 I absolutely love the graphics in the screenshots I've seen on the Internet. I have noticed, though, that most game designers who dedicate too much time to graphics lack good artificial intelligence (AI) in their monsters, etc.
Well, here's what one of our beta testers had to say on the subject of EverQuest's AI:

"I have seen many game companies striving toward a graphical work of art often overlook the basic AI of the opponents. This has not been the case in EverQuest. This game has the most advanced AI I've seen. Bar none. Even the little intricacies that make the game more believable were taken into account. As I am battling one creature (say a large bat for this purpose), I've seen a giant rat come up to me, stop, and watch the fight as if sizing me up. You really get the feeling that these things are looking you in the eye, and trying to decide if you are dinner, or something to be feared.

Some attack without warning, others circle in from behind. Still others will act like they are going to go right past you, and suddenly turn around and lay into you with swords, fists, or teeth. The AI definitely appears to be modeled on creature intelligence, some just fight smarter than others. The smart ones will even retreat from a fight and go get help. I have no doubt that the AI programmer is somewhat of a sadist. A sadist with a sense of humor.

You'll know that sense of humor when you see a hill giant way off in front of you in the distance, and 2 minutes later find that it has made a wide circle to sneak up on you from behind.

Add to this some truly impressive tracking and following code, and SPEED. These creatures are FAST. There just isn't any outrunning some, you better hope you have the strength or the speed to get away quickly, and they will follow you for a great distance. I have seen one gnoll retreat from a fight, go get helpers, and return on two different tangents to surround the intruders. I've seen groups split up, half appearing to have lost interest in the fight, only to turn and rush in.

I've really got to put my hats off to this AI programmer, I think he could give the ReaperBot guy pointers."



3.2 Can we run the game at higher resolution if we have the horsepower for it?
Yes, you can run at 800x600 and 1024x768 if your 3D card supports those resolutions. If you have EverQuest: The Scars of Velious® expansion, you can run 1280x1024 and 1600x1200 if your 3D card supports those resolutions.





3.2.1 Does high resolution cause more lag if I am only using a modem (assume a very fast machine and SLI Voodoo2)? Does more information need to cross the phone lines if in high-resolution?
The resolution you run EQ in has nothing to do with Internet lag -- the exact same amount of information is being passed between your client and the server. But a higher resolution might reduce your framerate (the number of times your picture updates in a given period of time). Better hardware will increase your framerate, so you need to balance your resolution and display options for the kind of hardware you have.



3.3 How big is the game world?
Huge. From the beginning, it took a very long time to walk from one end to the other. Our first expansion added an additional 40% (in terms of geography) to the existent world, and the most recent one has added about 20% of that. And, we plan to keep on making it bigger by filling in empty portions of existing continents as well as adding more lands and planes and such.



3.4 What kind of communication is there in the game? Can we send messages privately or broadcast to the entire server?
You'll be able to do the following:


Say things to people in your general area (use /say ).



Shout things across the zone you are in (use /shout , /ooc for out of character comments, or /auction for auctioning and bidding on items).



Tell someone a message privately (use /tell ).



Say things such that only people grouped with you can hear (use /group )



Say things such that only people in your guild (if you are in a guild) can hear (use /guild )


3.4.1 How exactly does communication work, i.e., when a character says something how will nearby characters see it?
If a character says something, any other players nearby see it displayed in their chat window.



3.4.2 Are chat programs like ICQ or IRC automatically disabled during the game?
EverQuest runs in full screen mode and doesn't allow task switching in order to deter the use of third party software that may be used to modify EverQuest gameplay.



3.4.3 What happens to the people who follow you around spamming you, etc.?
You can type /ignore , and then you won't see his spam anymore. If harassment persists, please use the /petition command to report the problem.



3.5 The game is server based - can I switch servers to go meet friends on another server?
Yes. But you will have unique characters on each server. So a player can play on any server he wishes, but characters can not travel between servers. There are times, however, when we give players the option to move their characters permanently to another server to help alleviate crowding.



3.6 Are there other ways to travel than walking? Horses, boats or teleport spells?
Ships and horses at this time, yes. Horses will be available in the Shadows of Luclin expansion pack.



3.7 When traveling in the wilderness between towns, is the player's view first person throughout the entire period of travel, or is there an overhead view of the map of the region?
Traveling long distances is exactly the same as walking around a city or dungeon. The views themselves are the same throughout the game - you can choose from first person or from several third person viewpoints. But there are no overlay maps available to the player in EverQuest. You'll have to learn the landmarks for areas just like your character would, by going there and looking around.



3.8 How does combat work; is it real time or turned based?
Real time, but we must stress that this is not a 'twitch' game. It won't matter how quickly you can click that mouse button. Weapons have speeds, and they will 'go off' (e.g. swing, fire, etc.) at that speed. It's like playing the piano to a metronome - it's real time, but you can't exceed a set pace. Every weapon has a speed. A dagger attacks quickly with generally low damage, where a big two handed sword hits harder, but swings more slowly.



3.8.1 So EverQuest isn't a "twitch" game - does this mean there will be no advantage to having quick reactions (at least in melee combat)?
Well, you can't rule out the player's reactions completely - he or she does have to control the game either via the keyboard or mouse. But the emphasis is definitely on the character's statistics, items and class abilities, not the player himself. Weapons and spells have speeds, characters have attributes and skills, and these are the components of combat. The game is in real time, but not at the pace of a shooter like Quake or Unreal.



3.8.2 Does your sword or other weapon swing automatically?
Yes. We call it auto-attack, which allows you to concentrate on different skills and other combat options in the heat of battle. For instance, warriors can kick and monks have a lot of special attacks. It allows you to do those while you use your basic swing automatically.



3.9 Will someone with a better connection have an advantage over someone with a poor connection?
Not normally, no. Certainly having a better connection will reduce lag and some warping, but it typically won't put you at a disadvantage necessarily in terms of game play. The exception being some high level gameplay involving very large numbers of players in combat, where a lot of data is being transferred to your machine over the Internet. These cases are rare, and for normal gameplay as long as you are connecting to our servers with a 28.8 bps connection or better, your gameplay will be much the same as everyone else's. We have designed the game such that we aren't sending out more data than a 28.8 can handle. Also, we've done several things to reduce lag, including using very mature network code (descended from our Tanarus game), as well as keeping the number of people down per server, to reduce server lag.



3.10 Is there night and day and how long does an EverQuest day last in real time?
Yes, there is night and day - the entire cycle is approximately 72 minutes.



3.11 How dark is night? Do I need a spell or torch to see at night?
Well, many areas are lighted, but if you're talking about whether you can see with no torch or spells in the bottom of a cave, I'd say no. Unless your chosen race has infravision or some other form of special night sight.



3.12 Is there an active economy in the game?
Yes, there is an economy in EverQuest, primarily player-driven. Prices in the player-driven economy will change according to supply and demand - typically if an item is offered for sale more often than bought the price will go down.



3.13 Is there weather in the game?
Yes, it can rain, snow, and also be foggy.



3.13.1 Do you take damage from the elements without proper protection (e.g., frostbite and cold damage on Velious without proper clothing)?
Not exactly. Certainly there are specific spells that will do elemental-type damage to a character. Right now at least, there are no weather effects that cause harm to a character, however, there are certain 'elements' that can cause a character harm, such as lava.



3.14 How many cities and other zones are in the game?
EverQuest was launched with twelve cities and over seventy zones total in which to adventure. EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark® brought that total to over a hundred. Nineteen more zones were added in the EverQuest: The Scars of Velious® expansion, for a total of about 120 zones at this time. Some zones were added as free, downloadable add-ons, such as Paineel and the Hole.

3.15 EverQuest is playable from different viewpoints. Has any thought been put into ensuring that no one viewpoint has an undue advantage over another?
It's pretty hard to look down a hall or a tunnel or a street in the top down view. Also, there's a lot of information and detail in the background textures that you might miss if you're not in first-person mode. By their natures, different views have different advantages and disadvantages.



3.15.1 Has the EverQuest development team done what they can to ensure a player won't be unduly hampered (or favored) by his or her choice of view?
If a person were to stick to any one view they would be at a disadvantage. EverQuest features several different user definable camera views that a player can switch between depending on the situation. "Hmm, I can't tell whether or not I can jump across this ravine... (toggle to top down view) Oh man! That is ****her than it looked in first person view I better find another way." Or (in first person view) "Get ready! There is a band of orcs coming out of the forest!" (I would not have seen them if I were in top down view until they we almost upon me.) So yes, if you stick to one view, and only one view, you will probably be at a disadvantage when compared to someone who takes advantage of all the possible views.



3.16 How do we control our characters? Keyboard, mouse, joystick, or a combination?
Keyboard or mouse - we also support mouselook. Many players favor a combination of both mouse and keys.



3.17 Is there a screen capture utility in EverQuest?
Yes, just hit the '-' key on your numeric keypad and a .bmp file will be written to your EverQuest directory with a name that consists of EQ and a sequential number, beginning with zero.



3.18 On the creatures page there are deities. Is there some kind of religion in EQ?
There are many different religions, and deities who represent each. Actual "worship" is not really involved, but your character chooses a deity (in some cases you can choose to be agnostic)which can make gameplay slightly different, depending on the choice.



3.18.1 Do religions affect how I should role-play my character in some ways?
How you role-play your character is up to you. But non-player characters are very aware of your choice of deity, and some of them will react to the religion of your character. Some may be pleasant, and others might be willing to kill your character over it. So it is probably best to choose a religion that suits the nature of your character, and be ready to accept the reaction that this choice will cause in the citizens of Norrath.



3.18.2 Are there specific places of worship for each of the deities in the game?
Throughout the lands of Norrath you will find temples dedicated to the various gods of the pantheon..



3.19 Can you give us hints as to the story line? What will be one's purpose in the game?
There's no set story line as such, just a vast history and background to the world. The players make the stories by interacting with the world.



3.19.1 Is there a central plot or just mindless wandering and killing things?
There is a rich history, plenty of quests, and also the ability to mindlessly wander and kill things.- It's up to the player to determine how involved he wants to get.



3.19.2 Have all the religions/race histories been completely written by the EverQuest team? Do you accept submissions, maybe doing contests?
The religions and histories of the world before the player characters arrive has already been written, and since that time, more historical events have taken place. The historical (significantly affecting the world in some more or less permanent way) events are created by the Quest Masters in conjunction with the design team, and implemented by the Quest Team with the help of the Customer Service staff. There are, however, hundreds of other events that take place every day which are conceived, designed and put into place by and for players (such as bazaars, contests, weddings, guild events and much more) themselves.



3.20 Is mouselook supported in 1st person view?
Yes.



3.21 Are towns closed after dark, a la Daggerfall?
No.



3.22 When adventuring can we form parties?
Yes. You are encouraged to form parties, and many dangerous areas are more safely accessible when players form parties - in fact, some exotic places require several parties to survive.



3.22.1 What about people who prefer to play solo? Is the solo player "crippled" to the point of unplayability or are you just limited in where you can go and what you can do?
You are a bit limited in where you can go and what you can do (especially in more difficult areas), but definitely not 'crippled' - there are definitely race/class combos in EverQuest (troll shadowknights come to mind) that do fine as a solo character. But keep in mind that EverQuest has been built as a cooperative game, and grouping is encouraged and rewarded.



3.22.2 Is experience shared among party members? And how?
Yes. It is split up according to the level each character is at the time. The higher the level, the larger the share of experience split.



3.22.3 If I'm in a party and we kill a monster, is the experience shared the same way as if two people not in a party kill a monster together?
No, it's different. Only the party or individual that does the largest percentage of damage to the creature will gain experience upon its death. You will want to group up when fighting monsters. Consider this: a warrior makes the kill, but a cleric has been healing him - the cleric should get some experience too. If the two are not grouped, the cleric will not gain any experience for the kill.



3.22.4 Is there a limit to the number of players that can be in a group? If so, how many?
Groups are limited to six party members.



3.22.5 Is there a command to divvy up the gold the group (party) collects?
Yes. Use /autosplit to automatically split monetary treasure as it is looted from the corpse of your fallen opponent. There is also a social key which can used for this purpose (just click on the "socials" button near the bottom right of your interface). When money is split, the coins the NPC carries are divided up as evenly as possible, with the leftovers going to the person doing the looting. If three people are in a party where an NPC carries four silver, for example, the two non-looters will get one silver each and the looter will get 2 silver. NPCs do not make change.



3.23 Are there huge underwater areas, sort of like an underwater continent?
Not an entire continent, but entire zones, yes. Underwater combat requires interesting strategies. And underwater zones are pretty exciting to explore as well.



3.24 Is there a notoriety system in which one can tell thieves and murderers apart and so they are punished by the law or a bounty system?
Yes, however we would hesitate to call it a notoriety system, because it works very differently than other systems you might have seen. In EverQuest there is a faction system. Certain NPCs are aligned with certain factions. Upsetting one member of that faction will upset all members of that faction, and pleasing one member of that faction pleases all members. If you murder an NPC who has a circle of friends, those friends will remember what you have done.



3.25 Are there any plans for special servers just for those players who role-play "properly"?
Probably not. The debate as to what constitutes "proper" role-playing is eternal, with few who agree with each other.



3.26 Are you able to see the names of others just by looking at them?
Yes, names and the guild to which a character belongs (if any) can be optionally displayed, appearing over characters' heads. In addition, there are some other indicators you may see, such as when a player is away from his keyboard and has used the /afk command, and when they have gone linkdead for some reason. If you choose not to see those names for whatever purpose, you can turn off the display of player names or non-player character names (individually) by using your display options.



3.27 Is there a "rent" system? Are there restrictions as to where you can rent, and will the items you rent with have upkeep?
You can camp anywhere, although it takes thirty seconds to do so. There is no upkeep on items. You can't rent space, such as apartments, in EverQuest, but each character does have an individual bank space, upon which no rent is paid.



3.28 Are there central meeting places like taverns or fountains to meet other people?
Yes. There are many landmarks players have come to use as meeting places, with taverns and banks among them.



3.29 Are there player owned vendors in the game, and do they have a weight and item limit?
We don't feel that there is a need to make merchants 'officially' for characters to be able to sell and trade items, nor do they require any additional abilities. Basically, anyone can be a merchant or a vendor.



3.30 How have you prevent the gaining of wealth by continually creating new characters for their starting items?
When you begin the game, your character starts out with items that are neither tradable nor droppable and are of no value. No coin is given to starting players - that is earned by selling items gathered from killed NPCs.





4.0 Characters.



4.1 How many characters can one person have on one account?
Eight per server.



4.2 If I have more than one character, can I have both online at the same time and trade between them?
No, you may only have one character online per account at any given time.



4.3 Will character improvement be skill based or level based?
Both skill and level based.



4.4 How many classes and races are there? And what are they?
There are thirteen races: barbarian, dark elf, dwarf, Erudite, gnome, half-elf, halfling, high elf, human, ogre, troll, wood elf, and Iksar (Note, if you never obtained an expansion after the original EverQuest came out, you will not have access to the Iksar lands or race.



There are fourteen classes: bard, cleric, druid, enchanter, magician, monk, necromancer, paladin, ranger, rogue, shadowknight, shaman, warrior, wizard.



4.4.1 Is there a possibility of adding new races/classes as the game expands?
Absolutely. As was mentioned before, the Iksar race was only "discovered" after adventurers found the continent of Kunark. We look forward to adding quite a bit to the game.



4.5 Can a character be multi-class like a warrior-mage?
There are some hybrid classes, like paladins (warrior-clerics), and shadowknights (warrior-necromancers) but there are no true multi-class characters a la AD&D.



4.6 Are certain classes reserved for certain races or can all races be of any class?
Yes, certain classes are reserved for certain races.



4.7 Will there be alignment in the game? And how much of an impact will it have on gameplay?
There is no alignment in EverQuest, but we do have a faction system. It is a complex system of allegiances that determine the reactions non-player characters have with each other and with player characters. It's not the same as an alignment in the classical role-playing sense. But the religion of characters and non-player characters is considered as a part of that system and the actions of a character will change their faction.



4.8 Can we play male or female characters?
Yes.



4.8.1 Are there inherent differences between male and female characters?
Choosing male or female only affects your appearance, and not necessarily your gameplay (other than the way you personally choose to role-play). There is no difference in the statistics or options given to male or female characters.



4.9 Are we able to select how our character looks? I mean eyes, hair and such?
There are currently eight faces per race/gender from which to choose.



4.10 Are clothes, armor and weapon visible to other players?
Yes. But due to some restrictions imposed by our decision to support as wide of a selection of computers as we can, we have chosen not to display some item types. For example, at this time cloaks are not displayed on characters, whereas breastplates and boots are displayed.



4.11 Can I have a shop or be a blacksmith like in Ultima Online?
There is no "blacksmith" class or official occupation per se, because we don't feel this is necessary. Any player at any time is welcome to sell or trade items, and there are in-game features to accommodate players who like to do this often. There are several trade skills in the game, however, including blacksmithing.



4.12 Is there a set of attributes we select at the creation process that will remain the same through the game like intellect, strength and so on?
Yes, there are basic statistics that cannot be changed after character creation, including strength, charisma, stamina, wisdom, intelligence, dexterity, and agility. These can only be increased or decreased with special items and spells.



4.13 Am I able to put a biography on my character for when people look at me?
Yes. In order to do so, use a camera angle which permits a view of your character, then right-click it as if to inspect yourself. When the inspection screen opens, you will be able to click in the black box in the lower right hand corner and type your description. Please remember that the player rules of conduct regarding language in Norrath apply here as well.



4.14 Does my character age? And if he does can he die of old age?
No.



4.15 Can my character eat and is it actually required to survive?
Yes, your character can and will need to eat. However, eating and drinking is not tedious, and one cannot actually starve to death although it will have an effect on his stamina. Food and water are automatically consumed from your inventory as they are needed. As long as your character has the supplies he needs in his backpack you don't need to worry about feeding him, he'll do it on his own.



4.16 Can my character sleep?
There are ways to rest in the game, but your character does not need to sleep.



4.16.1 Does resting replenish hit points?
Yes, but having a healer of some kind as a friend is more efficient.



4.17 Are we able to wear disguises?
You can alter what you wear, which will change your appearance, and some classes are capable of casting certain spells which change their apparent race, but, no, you really can't be disguised in such a way that a character standing in front of you will not know who you are. Unless the other player has the PC name display turned off, they will still see your name.



4.18 Is there a maximum level my character can attain?
Currently, the maximum level is 60, unless you have never purchased an expansion set for EverQuest.



4.19 How many items can I wear or have equipped?
There are twenty-one body locations in which to wear items, as well as general inventory in which you can hold containers that allow you to carry even more.



4.20 When our characters gain experience will they change forms or change into a higher form in the class, e.g. wizard-sorcerer, knight-paladin?
Above level 50, a player's class name will change based on what the former class was. Other than that, no.



4.21 Will there be a location available to a "medley" of races to begin their adventure in Norrath, or will all starting characters be "restricted" to geographic areas based on race?
Some of the races have more than one starting location, but there is no one starting point for all races.



4.22 What is the "name filter"?
The names you choose for your characters in EverQuest need to fit in a setting of high fantasy. Also, names must be unique - no two characters can have the same name on the same server. Please refer to our Naming Policies on (www.everquest.station.sony.com ).



4.22.1 What if I switch servers and some one has my name on the new server?
The person who was on that server first will get to keep the name - you will have to choose a new name on that server.



4.23 How will height affect combat?
Negligibly, though taller races may have to look down in order to see shorter opponents.



4.24 Does a character take any damage from high falls into water, or does the fact that the player lands in water negate damage from any height?
If you fall far enough, even into water, you will take damage.



4.25 Do races have bonuses associated with being in their preferred environment? And drawbacks relating to the environment as well (e.g. dark elves in sunlight)?
We don't have that particular sort of drawback, but there are some, yes. For example, humans have a tougher time seeing in dark areas because they don't have any special form of night vision.

4.26 Are players able to save their player info at any time to avoid crash losses?
No, however, the servers save character data whenever anything significant changes about them, to reduce the chance of a server crash causing losses.



4.27 Can GMs address problems caused by the game? If I lose skills/stats/items from bugs, can a GM restore me?
GMs are able to fix problems resulting from bugs if that bug is verifiable. And we feel it is important that we are able to verify the vast majority of bugs and address (i.e. fix) how negative effects on the game and gameplay. Please refer to the GM/Guide FAQ on ( www.everquest.station.sony.com ).



4.28 Is aiming at specific parts of the body a part of combat? What about special attacks such as tripping your opponent or impaling him with a pole arm? Or is it just stick-the-pointy-bit-into-the-soft-bit?
There is more to combat than just swinging your weapon - there are many combat related skills that can come into play during combat, but aiming for specific locations is not part of EverQuest's combat system.



4.29 Is there a kind of "super class" (e.g. If you are a high enough level necromancer, could you complete a special quest and become a lich)?
EverQuest has always been about "balance" and whenever we make changes in game, they are intended to balance classes as well as possible without homogenizing them completely. If we ever create this sort of possibility (and who knows what may happen in future?), we can assure you that the new class will have both advantages and disadvantages and would not be properly classified as a "super" class.



4.30 Do races have different languages and if there are can we have spells to translate ?
There are languages and skills associated with understanding those languages; there are currently no spells that translate languages in the game.



4.31 In the case of a paladin are there certain acts that, if committed, would strip the paladin of his bonuses, thus becoming a fighter?
No. The worst that might happen is that his guild or members thereof would change how they feel about him based on negative factions.



4.32 Are certain armor/weapons off limits to mages (e.g., no mages in full plates wielding 400 lb halberds)?
There are race and class restrictions to items.



4.32.1 Can paladins and shadowknights (both hybrid classes that can fight well and use magic) cast spells while wearing plate or other heavy armor?
Both classes may cast in full plate, and even pure magic-users can still hold staffs and such while casting (no, they can't wear plate). Why? Because it becomes very tedious, regardless of 'realism,' swapping items in and out all the time before casting.



4.33 Can clerics wield weapons?
Yes, they can wield blunt weapons such as maces.



4.34 Trolls traditionally have innate regeneration - do they in EverQuest and what does it do?
Yes, trolls heal (get their hit points back) more quickly than do other races.



4.35 What exactly are shadowknights? Are they similar to paladins (warrior/clerics) or more like the traditional anti-paladin?
Shadowknights are warrior/necromancers, not warrior/necromancer/clerics (that would be too powerful). Nor are they warrior/evil clerics because we didn't want them to just be stereotypical anti-paladins - we wanted them to be something new and different.



4.36 After looking at all of the exotic races one can play in the game, why would someone want to play a human?
There are several reasons, the significance of which will depend on what one wants out of a character, of course. Among the best of these is that innate ability in one more areas is offset by deficiencies in other areas; for example, if a player's priorities lie in the area of brute force, then s/he is likely to play a troll or an ogre, but with the drawback of a very low intelligence. Dark elves, who can see in the dark and who tend to make excellent magic-users, are generally despised by many of Norrath's inhabitants, which makes it more difficult for them to find merchants who will sell them anything, or even purchase any goods they might have to offer.



Humans, on the other hand, are probably the most well-rounded race in the game. While it is possible for a human to excel at and specialize in some class or trade, they are comparatively neutral in their inborn statistics, so while they don't have the strength of an ogre or the enhanced senses of an elf, they don't suffer any special drawbacks, either (comparatively speaking).










5.0 Skills.



5.1 Are all skills available to all classes or races, or are some race or class specific?
Some skills are available to all races and classes, such as swimming. Some, however, are available to only certain races and classes; for instance, sneak is only available to the rogue class.



5.2 Can you tell us some of the skills in the game?
The skills are listed in the manual as well as on the web site (www.everquest.station.sony.com). The manual is available on the web site in Acrobat Reader's .pdf format, but it is also available in text and MS Word 97 formats for printing. Chapter four, which you can get to by a link from the manual table of contents, contains all the skill information.



5.3 Do I have all the skills available to my character at the beginning or do I need to learn them?
You start with some and you earn others as your character progresses.



5.4 How do I learn new skills? From NPCs or can other players teach me?
To learn new skills and improve on old ones, you must find a trainer in your class, or practice the skill as much as possible. Some skills you must train in, at least once, before you are able to use it at all.



5.5 Do skills deteriorate when not used?
No.



5.6 Is dual weapon combat available?
Dual wielding is a skill some classes get.



5.7 How will skills be raised? Will it be on a level/distribute points scale or more along the lines of practice a lot while you level?
Your skills go up as you use them, but they can only go up so much per level, and certain skills aren't available to the player until he reaches certain levels.



5.8 What miscellaneous skills are there? Are there other arts like bandaging?
There are a lot of skills, many related to combat, and many non-combat related skills as well, including the binding of wounds. Please see the skill listing on the web site (www.everquest.station.sony.com) for a complete listing (answer 5.2 has more details about the location of this information).



5.9 Is swimming available to all races or is it limited?
All races can start out with swimming as a skill.



5.10 How are skills activated? Are they automatic or do I have to use them manually?
Some skills trigger automatically, while others are activated manually.



5.10.1 If some are manually activated, how will I access them? Buttons, quick slots, hot keys, or what?
In your interface you have quick slots which can be used for any sort of skill by creating a hotkey out of a button found elsewhere, or by typing in a command.





6.0 Magic.



6.1 How many types of magic are there?
There are five primary types of magic.



6.2 Can you tell us some of the spells?
Sure: levitate, water breathing, healing, Shock of Frost and other offensive spells.



6.2.1 Why haven't you released an in-depth listing of all of the spells and their effects for each class?
Many of the spells are listed in the manual that comes with the game, however, we do not plan on officially releasing a full list. We would consider that a spoiler, in that many of the spells are hidden and must be quested for in-game. And some of the fun of discovery comes with using a spell for the first time to discover exactly what it does.



6.3 Is magic mana-based, or do you use reagents or spell books?
The magic system is primarily mana-based, however some spells require components (both consumable components and non-consumable components, depending on the spell). Spells are stored in spell books, from which the caster memorizes them. All of a caster's spells can be kept in the spell book, but only eight of them can be memorized at one time.



6.4 Do I have all the spells available to my character at the beginning or do I need to learn them?
You start with some; you earn others as your character progresses.



6.5 How do I learn new spells? From NPCs or can other players teach me?
You can find or purchase spell scrolls and then inscribe that scroll into your spell book.



6.6 Do spells deteriorate when not used?
No.



6.7 Can I create new spells?
Research is a skill available to certain classes, which may result in a "new" spell, but there is not an unlimited ability to create spells that do not currently exist in game.



6.8 Can I enchant weapons?
No, although we'd like to add that ability to the enchanter class in the future. Enchanters can, however, enchant/create jewelry. And magicians can summon temporary magical weapons.



6.8.1 Is that all the enchanter is good for, enchanting magic items?
No. The enchanter class is a very valuable member of any party.



6.9 Area of effect spells - will PKers be able to kill non-PKers with them?
No, PvP area of affect spells will only affect other PvPers and NPCs.



6.9.1 How are area of effect spells handled? Are my group members immune from my area of effect spells?
Yes, they are immune from offensive area spells cast by a caster in their group, unless you and your party members are PvP enabled.



6.10 Can you elaborate on how balanced magic and non-magic attacks are?
No one class has an inherent advantage over the other. A mage might beat a warrior under certain conditions, and vice versa.



6.11 I hear that you have tried to emphasize the use of ships for long distance travel, instead of making a transport type of spell commonly accessible?
Teleport spells exist, but they are fairly high level, somewhat hard to come by, and a bit expensive to cast.



6.12 Concerning spell targeting, do spells automatically hit the target or is some actual aiming required in order to hit your target with a spell?
They will automatically target, however, that doesn't necessarily mean they always successfully hit the target. Line of sight and distance are important factors in the casting of targeted spells.



6.12.1 From how far away can I cast a spell on a target?
It depends on the spell.



6.13 Can a necromancer summon, command, or create undead?
Yes.



6.13.1 Is there a limit as to the number of undead a single necromancer can create/control at one time, and if so, does greater experience allow you to create/control more?
Yes, characters are limited to one 'pet' at any given time. The higher the level, the more powerful the undead - it's not the quantity here, but rather the quality.



6.14 Do spells cast instantly or do they have a casting time?
Different spells have different casting times. There is also a recovery time for every spell, so that you may have to wait a little while before starting to cast the same spell again.



6.15 Are clerics just traveling healers?
No. Clerics are pretty formidable fighters who can wear armor and wield maces.





7.0 NPCs and creatures.



7.1 How much interaction is there with the NPCs? Do they just sell and buy stuff?
They do a lot more than that, including providing in-game information and quests.



7.2 Can you kill NPCs?
Yes, and that's fairly integral to the game.



7.2.1 If an NPC dies, will it be replaced by another, or will it just return?
The NPC may or may not return right away, nor will he necessarily be in the same place.



7.3 Do monsters all act the same during combat? Do some retreat when hurt, or follow you until either they are dead or you are?
The latter, depending upon the intelligence and type of monster you are fighting.



7.3.1 Is there a change in monsters and NPCs depending on time of day?
It depends on location. Some places have daytime guards and nighttime guards, while one notorious forest has a completely different (and much more dangerous) set of monsters during the night hours. So there may very well be lots of changes. Some NPCs move around, too, so it would be difficult not to perceive some difference in how areas are populated.



7.3.2 Do NPCs treat different members of a group differently, depending upon the level of the party member or for other reasons?
Again, it really depends on their intelligence. Certain NPCs will always go after spell casters or clerics. Certain NPCs will go after the last one to hit them really hard. Certain NPCs, like an animal, will attack whatever is closest since they don't know any better. Certain ones will flee at certain times while others will fight to the death - it all depends on the NPC. While levels aren't always factors in the differing behavior, they may be at times. When you are several levels higher than some NPCs, they won't attack you any more at all (no doubt out of fear), so if you are sufficiently high but have a lower level player in your group, that same NPC who ignores you might attack the other guy.



7.4 Do NPCs use magic?
Some, yes. If they do, you can certainly expect them to have some combat related magic as well.



7.5 Are some of the creatures/monsters the same races and classes as our characters? I mean can I fight a human mage NPC?
Yes.



7.6 How many types of monsters are there in the game?
There are currently over 250 non-player characters (NPCs) -- see the Bestiary in the almanac on www.everquest.station.sony.com section for a partial listing.



7.6.1 Is that 250 NPCs or 20 types with palette swaps?
That's over 250 different character figures. There are things like a lion body with two different head models (for lion with mane or lioness without), and there are many more with different size or textures. Most of these have multiple texture sets, creating hundreds of different NPCs.



7.7 Can I hire an NPC to protect me?
Magicians can summon elementals, and necromancers can raise the dead - these creatures can be instructed to protect their master from harm. But, no, NPCs are not for hire, in general.



7.8 Are there animals, and if so, maybe a taming skill?
There are animals, and other monsters, and these animals may be charmed. (please read the description of enchanters)



7.9 Traditionally orcs, goblins, and the like have a hierarchy of leaders. What most fantasy games lack is the portrayal of this system. In EQ, do beasts travel in packs with obvious leaders and obvious goals (e.g. to acquire gold, hunt for food, etc.)?
The more intelligent the monster, the more intelligently it will act. We have put a lot of effort into our NPC AI system. We may not have achieved a level of AI that makes it completely obvious which orc is the leader and what his motivations are, but there is certainly a feel for which is the most powerful and most dangerous.



7.10 Do "evil" races such as trolls, ogres, and dark elves, have towns and cities that reflect their general alignment? Like killing members of other "hated" races on sight? Or perhaps some other method to discourage unwelcome tourists?
There are definitely hatreds between some of the races on the world of Norrath, and those races would not allow each other to enter their cities and other areas they control. While the guards of any given city are extremely loyal, the more money-conscious merchants may be a little more tolerant.



7.11 Is it possible for a member of an unwelcome race to sneak into another race's city and stay out of sight to spy or something?
Yes, it certainly is possible under the right circumstances for an unwelcome race to sneak into another race's city.



7.12 Are there outside GMs (in other words, GMs that don't work for Verant)?
In a way, yes. The Guide Program began early in beta and at the time consisted almost completely of volunteer customer service representatives. Early on, Game Masters were assigned to each server to work with the volunteers. The program has been extremely successful thus far, and is a very important part of our customer service infrastructure. There are no plans to have actual Game Masters who are not located onsite.



7.13 Can a player flee from guards if they're fast enough? If guards are not invincible, will they team up (call for back up) if they are losing?
It is possible that you could flee successfully from a guard, and yes, they will team up on you if they can.



7.14 If someone is attacked by an NPC and runs to town to obtain help from the guards, will a guard kill the monster with one hit?
That would depend on how powerful the monster is and how powerful that particular guard is. But in most cases the city guards do their best to defend their citizens.



7.15 Do guards "spawn" like they do in UO, or can a group kill off the guards of a city and effectively fend off the other guards by, for example, sinking their ship when they attempt to retake the city?
For the most part, guards do 'spawn' back into the city, they don't come back in from the outside (so 'defending' a city from the guards isn't exactly as you describe it). But it might also be possible to take a city and defend it from the guards as they spawn.



8.0 Items and properties.



8.1 Are there some magic items in the game?
Not just some, but literally thousands.



8.2 Are some items unique, where there is only one in the game?
Yes, we call them artifacts. They will be awarded rarely to characters who do remarkable things, often as a result of some historical quest.



8.3 Are there some weapons or armor that are the best in the game? Will everyone be wearing the same armor or using the same weapon because it's the best there is? Or will armor and weapons have advantages and disadvantages?
'Best' is subjective and relative to what the player wants for his character. It is also situational. If one item gives you fire protection, it may be essential in the volcano level, but useless in the underwater zone. In addition, there are some classes who can't wear all types of armor. Our races come in three sizes, as well, and armor may not always be available in every size.



8.4 Are all items useable by all races and classes?
Some are, some aren't. Weapons can be set to be usable by only particular races, classes or chosen religion.



8.5 Do weapons, armor and other items wear out with use? If so, do we have a blacksmith skill or a spell to repair them, or will some NPCs be able to do it?
There is no item decay in EverQuest, but there is a blacksmithing skill. You will be able to create items, but will have no need to repair them.



8.6 Is there player owned housing in EverQuest?
No.



8.7 Do a long sword, broad sword, and short sword all look the same or do they each have their own look?
Many items have different appearances, both in the 3D world and as icons in the inventory screens.



8.8 Is there ship-to-ship combat? If so, are there projectile weapons and spells for crew members, or do ships have their own methods of attack (e.g. cannons)?
No, there is no ship to ship combat in EverQuest. The emphasis in EverQuest is on interacting with your character and other characters, not on vehicles.



8.9 Are we able to interact extensively with our environment?
We are very happy with how interactive the world is, and just how many places you can go. But if you are asking whether you can burn down buildings or defoliate the landscape, no.



8.10 Can people purchase 'safety deposit' boxes or some such in order to store items and other valuables?
One can store items and money in banks, which are typically found in the various cities of Norrath. The bank vaults are free and the use of each is limited to the single character who owns it, but there are no rentable storage spaces.



8.11 Are boats hollow? Will things be able to be stowed away below deck, and will you be able to go down into the boat?
The larger ships can be explored and have rooms and such, but you cannot store items on ships.



8.12 Are rivers barriers to travel without swim skill? If so, how do bridges/ferries come into play (as strategic chokepoints)?
There will be ferries and bridges and you can swim. But, for the most part, only bodies of water as large as oceans and some lakes are truly barriers to travel without a boat.



8.13 Is there an upkeep associated with owning a house?
You can not own housing in EverQuest.



8.14 How does the money system work? i.e. just gold, or gold, silver, and copper, all of certain worth?
Platinum, gold, silver, and copper. Also, some gems and such. There is a ten to one ratio of value between successive currency. So ten copper have the value of one silver, ten silver have the value of one gold, etc.



8.15 Can we log off safely on ships?
No, sailing is a very dangerous method of transportation and it is not uncommon for a monster to attack a ship at sea, or for the ship to lose passengers in various deep waters. Actually, in most situations if you log off on a ship, your character should end up back on the dock. If you die on the ship, however, the corpse will drop to the bottom of the ocean as soon as the ship hits a zone line because a corpse is limited to the zone in which it was created.



8.16 Are there public ships/caravans that can take you safely from city to city or continent to continent?
Not as such. In a few places there are guards who travel routes the player characters take, and traveling with them makes your journey much safer. At this time there are no 'caravans' per sebut there are large public boats that take characters from continent to continent and you can always round up a party of players to go with you.





9.0 Quests.



9.1 What kind of quests can we expect in EverQuest? Simple quests, like go fetch something for an NPC, or more complex quests that will require either teamwork or finding clues as to how to accomplish the quests?
Both.



9.2 Are the quests generated automatically or are there GM-run major quests once in a while?
Both.



9.3 How are the quests reset? I mean can I do the same quest over and over?
You can some repeat quests to some extent, however, others are restricted by level. GM-run quests are sometimes historical and in such a case, will only ever be run once per server.



9.4 Are quests be reserved for larger guilds, or are there NPC dictated adventure for those who opt for a party-based system?
There are be plenty of quests for all sorts of people, whether individual, or in parties, or members of large guilds. On each server is a representative who schedules and organizes various non-historical quests, usually from three to five a week. Historical quests are done less often, by members of a special Quest Troupe with the assistance of the server GM and Guides. In order to prevent favoritism, there will never be quests designed specifically for any guild or person(s) other than those minor quests run on some servers for players who wish to change back from PVP to non-PVP status.



9.5 You mention that GM's are able to provide quests/adventures for any player at any time. However, how do you actually accomplish the feat of having GM's provide quests for 1500 + players per server?
Our GMs are not providing custom quests for players. They have a pool of quests (containing hundreds of quests that can be run at varying intervals) which have been written by GMs, guides, and other customer service representatives and which have all been approved by the Quest Masters. Each server has a Quest Coordinator among its volunteer customer service staff who arranges for quests to be done on a regular basis. They try to spread them out throughout the day, in order to accommodate our players from around the world.

9.6 Are there bulletin boards in the towns that tell of quests and things that are occurring?
There are bulletin boards in some towns, but these are for players to use, our quests are not announced using them. For the most part, in fact, events and quests are rarely 'announced'. Spontaneity is important, and crowding caused by announcing such things tends to make them far too unwieldy. More often than not, there will be a few "actors" running around emoting or shouting to get some attention when a quest is beginning.



9.7 Are there raids/bands of orcs, or whatever type of monster or race? If so, are they real raids as in attacking towns and such?
Yes.



9.8 Where can I report QUEST problems?
Email us! eqtesting@soe.sony.com. This email is for quest problems only, no HINTS will be given out. Use this address to report anything from bugs to spelling errors that occurred while following or completing quests. When reporting bugs, please include the following information (when applicable)(the more, the better):


What server this occurred on.



Your character's name/level/deity/and starting city.



Your character's dialogs and the NPC's responses.



The NPC's exact response when turning in quest items (for each item, if more than one).



Your email address so that we may contact you if we need more information.



The exact names of any items used.



Screenshots of what happened (if possible).
Please be aware that we may not reply to your email. We often get hundreds of emails reporting the same problem, and just don't have the time to reply to them all personally.



9.9 Can I stack items and turn them in for a quest?
No. Items should NEVER be stacked when giving them to an NPC for a quest. Also, items should NOT be stacked in containers that "COMBINE". One example, Brin Stolunger of the Qeynos warriors guild asks players to get 5 Snake Scales and 5 Bat Wings. There must only be ONE of an item per slot, filling up the container, THEN 'combined' to make a new item that Brin will accept as a quest item. Always read the quest VERY carefully before attempting to turn in the items.



9.10 Should I give all my quest items at the same time?
Yes. Do NOT give an NPC a quest item, then go adventuring for a few hours and come back with another quest item. NPCs do not remember who gave them what item, and reward the player who turned in the last item to complete a quest. If you give three quest items to an NPC, and another player gives the fourth, then that player will get credit for completing the quest that you worked so hard on. When doing a quest, store items in the bank until you have gathered them all, and then give them to the NPC.



9.11 Why does the NPC say, "Thank you very much" when I turn in a quest item?
When give an NPC an item and he/she gives the generic "Thank You" text, this means that the item was NOT a quest item OR the NPC ALREADY has this quest item and is waiting for the others to complete a quest (see previous question)



9.12 If the NPC asks for a Large Snake Rattle, will any snake rattle work?
NO. "Large Snake Rattles" are NOT the same as "Giant Snake Rattles," a "Ruined Blackburrow Gnoll Pelt" is NOT the same as a "Blackburrow Gnoll Pelt," yet, people often make this mistake. Writing down the exact item(s) needed by an NPC for a quest is good idea.





10.0 Guilds.



10.1 Are there guilds in the game? Are they game-operated guilds like a thieves' guild or just player run guilds?
Both.



10.2 Are there special guild functions? Like ranks or the ability to buy a guildhall?
There are ranks and special guild communication commands, but there are no guildhalls.



10.3 Can guilds have special clothes or uniforms, or a logo on their shield?
No. They do, however, have the option of showing their guild name behind their player character name, above their heads.



10.4 If my guild becomes very big and active, will there be special quests for it?
No, although there may be static quests that exist in game, or dynamic quests you may run across in which your guild may be involved. Designing and holding quests for specific guilds, and then awarding special items for completion of that quest would not be fair to all players.



10.5 What is the government like in EQ? Are there company rulers (Like Lord British and Blackthorn), or could players start their own government? If so, do you support them in some way, give them tools or such?
There is no overall ruler of the lands of Norrath - there are many kings, dukes, lords, etc. ruling different parts of the land. As for players starting their own government, they could take over an area, and attempt to hold it and enforce their own laws should they choose to do so (as long as they do not interfere with the player rules of conduct, of course).



10.6 Can guilds declare war and fight without interruption or penalty?
It depends where they choose to conduct their battles. A guild war in the streets of Qeynos will not be tolerated by the guards.



10.7 Is there some way that newbies are introduced in-game to other newer players to adventure together, or is everyone just be thrown into the common "town center" to fend for themselves?
EverQuest is a game with an emphasis on cooperation and group play, however we don't feel we can force players, new or otherwise, to interact with others. We can only provide the tools to make it easier for them to do so (the fact that you can send a "tell" to a person anywhere in the world, "gsay" to people in your group, sharing experience with people in your group, etc). The fact that new characters all start in town, where other new characters start, at least gives them a good chance to find each other, if they choose to do so. You can also use other commands to find players of your class, like - /who who all enchanter - which will give you all enchanters on your server. You can narrow it down by typing a level number, such as 5, like so - /who all enchanter 5 - which will give you all level 5 enchanters in game. Most newbies just use /shout in their newbie zone to ask for hints.



10.8 Are guilds officially recognized in some way in the game?
Yes - you can see the guild name displayed next to the player name.



10.9 Do you work along with famous, very dedicated guilds or players? Perhaps honor them with a role of a villain for players to battle against, or give the guild special privileges?
Again, this goes along with our need to be fair to all players and groups. We try never to do for one player or group what we would not try to do for all players or groups. The unfortunate part of doing such things is that all too often it allows for the perception of favoritism and even that can be very disheartening to those who are on the outside looking in.



10.10 Is there a way for players to declare their own quests in game through a sort of world wide notice?
We encourage the use of player run web sites for this purpose.



10.11 Is there be a limit to the number of official guilds on the game?
There is a limit, yes. This is created by the fact that guild data is data that the servers need to use, that needs to be passed to the client, and that needs to be searched and modified. The more data, the longer it takes to do these things. Guilds are created on a first-come, first-served basis, and must meet certain requirements (see our Guild Page in the Customer Service section for more details). If guilds fail to maintain their membership requirements, they will be removed from the system and they no longer count against the limit.



10.12 Is it okay to have a multi-race guild?
Sure, you are welcome to make a multi-race guild.





11.0 Pkilling and other player vs. player issues.



(note that in this section two new terms are used: +pvp and -pvp (pvp stands for player vs. player). Previous FAQs have used the term PK and non-PK. Essentially, +pvp means PK, and -pvp means non-PK).



11.1 Is player killing (PK) allowed in the game?
Player killing is a subject that is debated constantly on the net, and both sides to this eternal argument have great points. We want to accommodate both gameplay styles (player killing and non-player killing. So, soon after a player creates a character, he or she can choose whether they want to participate in player killing or not. If they choose not to, then they will be immune to other player's assaults, and can only die in battle against NPCs. But those who like the added danger of player vs. player competition can simply create their character with player killing switched to on and then do battle with those who have chosen similarly.



There has been some concern that this feature could limit freedom and role playing, but if you really think about it, the bottom line is that the only thing you can't do in EverQuest because of the PK switch is kill another player who doesn't want to be killed. And while this will purposely curtail the few who can only have fun at the expense of others' enjoyment, the rest of us can go ahead and have a great time playing the game, regardless of whether our personal definition of role-playing includes player vs. player or not.



We also have created PvP servers. On these servers all player characters are PvP enabled, and there is no option to switch to non-PvP status. Be aware of this when choosing which server to start your new character on.



11.2 I've heard about this PK switch. How does this work? Is it something you select at the beginning when creating your character or is it something one can toggle on and off at will?
Shortly after creating your character, you have the option of becoming +PvP (by completing a very simple quest). If you choose not to PK, only NPCs can kill you. If you choose PvP and change your mind later, it may be possible to switch back, but it will require a long and hard series of tasks to switch back to -PvP. These quests can only be granted by a GM.



11.3 If I have my PK switch set to -PvP, can I heal a friend while he fights another player?
No. But a PvP player can heal and cast beneficial spells on any character, regardless of his or her PvP status.



11.4 Can I steal items, or pickpocket, with a -PvP character? Wouldn't that make it impossible for people to retaliate?
You may not steal from another player if you are -PvP. You can, however, steal from NPCs. If you are +PvP, you may steal from both +PvP players and NPCs.



11.5 Are there negative consequences to Pkilling? Like getting arrested in cities, not being able to shop, and other similar deterrents?
Only if you are caught in the act by a city guard or some other NPC who objects to the killing.



11.6 Are some areas safe-zones or can you be killed anywhere - even in shops?
No safe-zones, but there will be consequences if you do it in civilized areas.



11.7 Are there any environments where a -PvP player can challenge another -PvP player?
Yes, there will be arenas and other locations where -PvP characters can fight one another, but generally the victor will be unable to loot the loser's corpse. Also, a -PvP character can challenge another -PvP character to a duel, and if both consent, they can fight to the death just as if they were +PvP.



11.7.1 Can someone I'm dueling have his or her friends heal them during the fight?
No, no one else may interfere in any way.



11.7.2 Is there the possibility of allowing multiple people to participate in duels?
Guildwars allow multiple people to fight one another under the same sorts of regulations that govern dueling.



11.7.3 Isn't dueling technically PKilling? Why should someone who is -PvP be allowed to duel?
The -PvP option is designed to allow adventuring without the necessity of dealing with non-role-playing attacks from PKs. The dueling option is meant to further player interaction in a role-playing context. If someone you've never met or heard of challenges you to a duel, and you think it is out of context, you have a right to refuse the challenge. If, however, a particular player has really started to bug you (or vice versa) in a way that makes sense within the gaming parameters, you can interact with that player in an aggressive manner without having to relinquish your -PvP status.



11.7.4 Given the dueling option, could not EverQuest just eliminate PKilling completely?
Well, we could, but this method allows players who get a thrill of living dangerously the opportunity to do just that with other like-minded individuals. +PvP players don't need to request a duel with each other - they can just start swinging.



11.8 Is there an in-game explanation provided for the PK switch(e.g., the blessing of a god of peace, or something like that)?
Yes - there is a force (or forces) of Discord in the world, and its Priests grant powers to some, with the inherent drawbacks included.



11.9 Are EverQuest GMs biased against pkillers, and do they interfere with a player's game play?
We really don't have pkillers on any of our regular servers. Those players who enjoy being able to fight one another have all signified that choice and it is obvious by the color of their names. The customer service representatives have no reason to favor or neglect either type of player.



11.10 Is there a reward for killing staff people?



Customer service representatives are prohibited by their own policies from being involved in combat alongside or against players while in their GM/Guide personae. Only in the presentation of a dynamic (either historic or non-historic) quest would they be permitted to do so.



11.11 What are the consequences if you PK a lot, randomly?
You must live with whatever reputation you earn in EverQuest. Considering the group nature of gameplay, being unable to make friends is a very big penalty all by itself.



11.12 Is there an option to enable a player to tell if another character is +PvP or -PvP?
Yes, a +PvP character will have his name displayed in red.



11.13 Any chance of there being a way for +PvP players to kill -PvP players, maybe by contract or something?
No.



11.14 Are races balanced such that one race is not that much stronger than the others in player vs. player combat?
Well, balancing the races and classes doesn't necessarily mean that each race/class combo should be able to go toe to toe with each other and be about even. Our idea of balance is that each race/class has a compelling reason for playing it, such that they will all be needed in adventuring and questing. There will undoubtedly be some race/class combos that do better one on one, especially in a PK situation (note, that's one on one - some of these 'weaker' race/class combos might be extremely deadly when they work together, which adds another dimension to the whole PK environment).



11.15 Which race is the most interesting for player-killing?
That's rather subjective, and we encourage everyone playing the game to try them all out and come to their own conclusions and preferences.



11.16 Do you receive experience points for killing another player?
No. In EverQuest, if you want experience, go quest and adventure. If you want to PK somebody, go ahead, and if you win, loot him (you can get his cash on hand and one item), but you won't receive experience, nor will your skills go up in PK combat. This is to avoid inherent potential abuse - such as two players sparring with one another to increase their skills.



11.17 What are the "Team" PvP servers?
Team PvP servers consist of four teams. A member of a given team may freely attack any member of another team, but not their own. Note that this does not rule out the possibility of traitors or alliances between teams. The names of the servers are Tallon Zek and Vallon Zek.



The four teams are:



The Humans - Barbarians, Erudites, Humans;

The Elves - Half Elves, High Elves, Wood Elves;

The "Shorties" - Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings;

and The Dark Races - Dark Elves, Ogres, Trolls, and Iksar.





12.0 Character Death



12.1 How do you deal with death? Is it permanent or do you just lose some stats, skills, and items?
It is not permanent, however, there are serious penalties. You will want to carefully avoid death, but if you do make an error, it doesn't mean that the character you've worked hard on for six months is gone. The "statistical" cost of death is a loss of experience, but there are other associated costs, such as the task of recovering your corpse.



12.2 Is there a limit to the number of times you can die?
No official limit, but given the penalties, you won't want to do it often.



12.3 When monsters die, will they remain as sprites or fade away slowly like in Quake?
Corpses deteriorate over time.



12.4 When you die, do you resurrect with penalties? Must you run off to a temple in "ghost" mode, or what?
You do come back with penalties - but not as a ghost, nor where you died, but rather at your 'bind' point.



12.5 Can you fall from great heights and will it kill you?
You can fall, you will take damage, and that damage can kill you.



12.6 Can I log off from a fight to survive?
No, if you log off, your character will still be in the game for a few minutes. He will defend himself, but I'd say it's certainly not without significant risk.



12.6.1 In Tanarus, if you hit the ALT-Q, you actually send a signal to the server indicating you want to willingly leave the game. But if you lose your connection (local brownout, blackout, rodent chews through power cord, etc.) this signal is not sent. In this situation, couldn't you simply be listed as "XXXXX has been disconnected" without any penalty and without your character remaining in the game for a few minutes?
We handle both cases in the same manner to avoid abuse by the less than honorable who would intentionally drop signal (ctrl-alt-del, reset, etc.) to avoid defeat.





13.0 Security Notice.
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