Just my 2 copper worth...great site Muse! I would prefer your maps over anything that SOE/VI does. I still have images of the maps in the Users Guide for the cities and zones that dont even exsist in the game. That was the most confusing part when I first started playing over 2 years ago. I would look at the cloth map then try to find the zone for The Hive off of Halas or Everfrost. Glad your here and dont change a thing!

locs > pretty pictues

Well I already posted once, and sure you can find it in this long list of support. I am glad to see the community gather around the idea of not buying this new book. I must state that the cost of making a binder of any use is going to be more than just a meager $20.00. In my post i mention that I had a binder and now am once again creating a binder. The binders are inexpensive and the clear page protectors not too expensive. The expensive part comes in the printing and the time you are going to put in. The ink alone is going to cost you $30.00. Once you factor that in some $20.00 book is not bad in cost comparrison.

The main point is by putting in the time to make a map book, and add facts, players are learning about the game that they love, and making a resource they can keep by the computer. This helps us all when you create a binder. Many a time I have answered shouted questions in game. In guild chat some ask me questions about all sorts of things. I have learned so much about this game making my binders, from npc names to where to buy baking goods.

YOU CAN NEVER GET THIS FEELING OR KNOWLEDGE FROM BUYING A BOOK.

Even if Eqatlas.com put a book out(that I would buy)you would still need to take the time and put in the effort to make the maps fully complete. The maps are great, and adding spawn and spawn times make them a resource. It might even help you if you document what drops off what. Then no more guild chat questions of where does that come from. The idea that you need to know where you are going in EQ and that is why you need a map is silly. The reason you need a map is to find the great spots for pulling and to make spawn points. If you need directions just take a left after entering the zone, eventually you will hit the next zone.


I am still pulling for muse to make an EQATLAS book, and hope that is gets done regardless of any legal worries. Now would be the time to put it out and shut em down.

Until then make mine Allakazam Premium.

Don't the various strategy guides use Muse's maps? i know that the one of Kunark has all his city maps, the "Brown Trilogy" guide has his maps from the "newbie zones" and sunnavagun if the strat guide for Luclin has his maps! These guides even have eqatlas.com as the definitive place to go to. i believe word of mouth will trump Verant's attempt to parasitize off of Muse's diligent and precise work.

Would have been nice had they hired Muse to do the Atlas.

I didn't read all these posts but this is my take on this:

EQAtlas.com
Binder $8.50
Clear Protector Sheets $8.75
Copy Paper $4.00
Not giving SOE another penny PRICELESS

Ok this won't be popular, but come on... Be honest, if you had built EQ and were the owner you would make money in any and every way you could. That's the purpose of a business. Furthermore, I do use a lot of the maps on EQAtlas, but you can hardly claim the name is a rip off of the site. They ARE "EQ" and it is an "ATLAS" after all. What else would they call it? If they called it EQ Maps they would irritate someone else. Also the idea of having copies of every map in the game is quite appealing. I dig the maps Muse has made, but to have EVERY map in one place is a good idea. I probably won't buy the book because VI's documentation is generally awful, but a lot of people will...It's just ridiculous to bag on a company for wanting to make money on a product they built. That IS capitalism...

So Allakhazam,

Have you considered linking to a site the sells 3 ring binders and paper protectors? From the sounds of it, that is where the real money is.

I, like those above, have my trusty file of Muse's maps. Tattered, crumpled and marked up. You couldn't pay me to give them up (ok you could, but it would cost a LOT.)

Personally, I think this is another example of some greedy corporate a**holes taking advantage of someone else's talents. Yes, it's Sony's game, and hey they need to keep coming up with more ways to make money off of it. But, I've been checking out EQ Atlas since I started playing EQ a couple years ago. It is by far the best EQ map site out there. I think it's pretty crappy for Sony to put out a book with the same name as the site in an obvious sttempt to confuse people who have come to trust and appreciate the work the Muse puts into his maps. I, for one, will NOT be buying Sony's book.
Keep up the great work, Muse. Most of us appreciate what you do.


Tryunn Tue`Imajynn
<Walkers>
Vazaelle

Hi!

Well, unfortunately, you are wrong there about Muse not being able to copyright his work. What is happening is two things, First, Sony never released a copy of a map, they released a zone in a 3D environment, a building for example would be an accurate desciption as it simulates a 3D environment. His maps are not derived works. His works are completely independent of the work done by Sony, since Sony never released any 2-D maps. So, his maps can not be considered to be derivative works. Also, to further rufute your copyright infringment idea Muse's works can be considered to be original artistic represenations. Artistic representations are the very core of copyright protection. For example, can an artist paint a picture of a building and then copyright that picture? Yes. Why? Because he can argue that where he put the line on the window is not where it actually is in space, and therefore represents an original idea. Which is irrelevant anyway as all painted pictures (By hand) are considered to be an artistic expression and therefore copyrightable under Internation Law. Which is exactly what Muse did in making the maps that can be found on EQAtlas.com. Muse took a representation and then added artistic expression as to where he put the lines on the pieces of paper that he calls a map. Those maps of an area are artistic expressions as they do not show the exact dimensions that Sony/Verant might have used. Also, Muse's works are copied from any existing Sony/Verant maps that have ever been released. Wholesale copying of a map by Muse or Sony without permission is considered to be a Violation of Copyright. A derivative work, in this example, would be using a photocopy of a Map by Sony (or Muse) and then adding new information (such as a zone loc, or spawn loc). As this is now a derivative work, the copyright holders would in fact control the copyright for this new work. But you should know this, but its obvious that you dont...