As a look at the example pages shows at once the book is no competition to the online EQ Atlas. The rather strange way EQ has to determine your loc is meant to make it impossible for you to guess where you are in a zone and how large the zone really is. The new book gives you an overview of the zone, but you have no mean to determine your position in it. In short: Without loc information it is useless for the real game. It is a collectors item meant to make money from the huge fan group of EQ players - which is their right to do or better to try to do.

I agree...it's just another attempt for Verant/Sony to score more cash. Ever since the name change service and the character swap service EQ has felt more like the GAP then a role playing game.....stupid capitalistic pigs....

Rissus De'Vir
Druid of 30 Autumns
E Marr
Forever the Wanderer!

EQ Atlas is a generic term. They aren't capitalizing on his hard work and name, but selling a legitimate product that yeah will probably be out of date quite quickly but still a useful reference to many.

Before you all go nuts, I pay for both Alks and Eqatlas so na na na. I think they are good resources but the EQ Atlas is not stealing from Mr. Atlas. In fact, lamely enough, the law is probably on Verants side if they ever were to decide his reprinting of their intellectual property was unacceptable. His product solely derives from their content.

Absor et al,

Why?

I've been playing Everquest since it went live. I have no less than four accounts I pay for every month. I've been a huge proponent of the game, having converted more than a few people to "EverCrack" in my time, and I had no intention of ever stopping.

But I will say it now, because it's become undeniable - SOE/Verant really, really need to pay better attention to their community sites.

The class specific sites, as well as Caster's Realm, Allakhazam, and others have been a huge reason many of us still play, showing us the content there is to seek, helping us when we're stuck in quests, and generally offering a place to share strategies with outer Everquest players.

Verant/SOE has always called these "cheat sites" or "spoiler sites", and has always inferred a sense of disdain with these websites, as if there very existence was to the detriment of the Everquest community. I hope, internally, this opinion has changed, because honeslty, I don't know how much of a playerbase you'd have without these sights to offer the help, cohesion, and sense of community that surrounds Everquest.

This brings me to EQAtlas.

If you were to set up a poll, right now - "Have you ever visited www.eqatlas.com". on the Login screen, I'd bet well over 80% would say "yes". It has been around almost as long as EQ has, and has very much been *the* place to go for maps, zone info, as well as details on the lore of specific zones.

Muse, the site's creator and maintainer, has repeatedly suggested that he has had trouble financially maintaining the site, as well as justofying his time spent on creating one of the most visited sites in Norrath.

So, that leaves me with tho burning questions:

1 - When you created your paper atlas, why did you not either use Muse's maps, or at least offer him the oppertunity to produce "print-quality" maps for you?

2 - *why* advertise it with the name "EQ Atlas", or "Everquest Atlas"??? Why not pick one of the 50 other combinations that would suggest something *other* than Muse's site?

To this day, while I haven't understood *why* SOE/Verant chose to treat the community with disdain, I haven't ever seen them try to *exploit* it either. That's a low blow, and may be the nail in the coffin for me. I've advocated Norrath a long time, but I won't put up with this any longer. Please, offer me (and the lurkers out there with the same questions), some answers to those above. Why, Absor?

Well i think it is crappy we should do something.

Perhaps someone (or we all) can post a review within this book's description on the Amazon.com and let people know the Everquest Atlas book is not the same as the contents from EQ Atlas.

I suspect some people will buy the book thinking the stuff is from the Muse's site because Muse has done such a tremendously good job, so a review or two should give people ample warnings.

all i can say is that i have been using EQ atlas for almost 3 years and have probably printed out all the maps and info muse has put up so to me there is no point and buying a book when i can just continue to use the site, like they say stick with what works why fix anything that isn't broke i am perfectly happy with the way i get my info from he sites i use.

We don't need no stinkin books.

Braken, 41 druid of Karana
Tumelce, 11 beastlord of the Tribunal
Vzinn, 22 necro of Cazic-Thule

Wow, SoE is gonna print out their own maps of EQ Worlds. Now, why dont they use the best maps this side of the www? . I swear, sure they may have the original blueprints of the zones, (And let's hope they'll get a map of Vex), but Muse draws them so well, well.... I cant think of anything ...... but he draws them so kik **** and with fine detail. So SoE, tell me, why the heck wont you ask a poor site with kik **** maps to create maps for you and give Muse a chance to add extra maps to his site, hmm? Flame if you want, this is Mah opinion

Just my

PS: And yes, I like to brag about being a premium member so I use smileys !

It is true that it is there game and I do Love it, However it does kind of stink that they would use this name knowing that muse has had it for 3 years. I have no clue on the copy right laws or anything My complant is based on profesional respect as if there is any of that left in the world.

Just my 2cp worth

51 seasoned Baroness pally

From my intial glance at their sample pdf, it seems to be a cheap imitation of the real thing (EQAtlas.com). They even stole the basic layout with level ranges, dangers, benefits, and notable NPCs but without all the important information like locs, spawn points, and useful links to the Bestiary, Quests, and Equipment lists.

Muse pwns, Sony/VI suxxors

I am a fellow bard. I am with you. BARD POWER

A Song CAN change the World
Nocturnum Darksinger
Bard of Many Songs