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3. Getting Started

This section takes you through installing the game, creating an account and starting and stopping EverQuest.

3.1. Installation Steps

Insert the EverQuest for the Macintosh CD into your CD-ROM drive. The installation should begin automatically within a minute. If it does not, you can start the installation by double clicking on the EverQuest disk icon to the right hand side of your desktop, then clicking on the "Install EverQuest" icon that appears. Follow the instructions within the setup program to complete the installation. After the game is fully installed, an EverQuest shortcut will be added to your desktop.

3.2. Creating an Account

Please make sure that you have your registration code and email address ready before creating an account.

After running the EverQuestLP icon, you will be taken to the EverQuest for the Macintosh front-end screen/ Welcome Screen. Select "New Account". You will be directed to a website to enter registration information.

Enter your name, address, e-mail address, and date of birth by left clicking in the field, then typing in the information. The TAB key may be used to move the cursor to the next field. Once all of the information on each registration screen has been filled out, click on the "I Accept the Terms of Service" key located at the bottom of the screen. Close your browser and select "Continue".

The next step, you will be asked to enter account key information. An account key is included with EverQuest for the Macintosh. The login name that you select will be used to connect to the EverQuest for the Macintosh server. Close your browser and select "Continue".

Lastly, you will be directed to our subscription webpage where you will be asked to select a method of payment and fill-in all required billing information. Your billing information will then be processed; this may take a few minutes. Once accepted, you may then return to the front-end screen and select "Continue" to begin playing EverQuest for the Macintosh.

If you encounter any problems with the billing process, please email The Station using an easy-to-use form from Account Services.

If you are still having problems after visiting this support section, you can contact our Technical Support Department through an email via our online form.

3.3. Subscription Plans

Subscription rates for EverQuest for Macintosh

All pricing 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 for Macintosh*"

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.

3.3.1. Credit Card Payment

Load EverQuest for Macintosh. Accept the EULA, and sign in with your Station Name and Password. In the lower left hand corner select the button titled BILLING.

A new window will open welcoming you to the subscription process. Here you will be given the option to choose a Credit Card for your subscription.

3.3.2. Changing Subscription Plans

Billing information can only be changed through the game interface. To do so, load EverQuest for Macintosh as you normally would to play. Accept the EULA, and sign in with your Station Name and Password. In the lower left hand corner select the button titled BILLING.

A new window will open welcoming you to the subscription process. Select EDIT ACCOUNT. The new screen will display your account information, and you will need to select the EDIT SUBSCRIPTION button.

3.3.3. Canceling Subscription

You may cancel your subscription by going into the EverQuest for Macintosh Launchpad. After logging in with your Station Name and password, click on "Billing", then click the "Edit Account" button. On the new screen select the "Cancel Subscription" option. You will be taken to a new screen asking you if you are sure you want to cancel the subscription. If you wish to continue with the cancellation click the "Submit" button.

All subscription cancellation requests become effective at the end of your current subscription cycle (i.e. at the end of your 3-Month subscription). You will still have access to EverQuest for Macintosh until your current subscription expires.

***NOTE: If you cancel within the free month, you will not be billed for your subscription and your EverQuest for Macintosh subscription will remain active until the end of the free month.

Our policy is that we do not give refunds for subscription you have already purchased after your free month is over.

If you cannot cancel your EverQuest for Macintosh subscription online or you are having problems canceling your account, you can contact Sony Online Entertainment Customer Service team at (858) 537-0898. Customer Service Representatives are available weekdays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST (12:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST), except holidays.

If you are not in the USA, or cannot call, email eqmac@soe.sony.com with the following pieces of information:

EverQuest for Macintosh Station Name
Account Key(s)
Billing Address
Date of Birth
Zip Code

3.4. LaunchPad Troubleshooting

Following are some solutions to possible problems you may encounter while starting EverQuest:

Solution: You are probably running an older version of OS X. EverQuest for the Macintosh requires OS X version 10.2.4 (Jaguar). To check your version, use the "About this Mac" command under the ? menu. If you have a version older than 10.2.4, please consider upgrading.

Solution: Click the "Patch Information" button to see a detailed log of the patch operation.

Solution: You may have installed onto a disk volume formatted for Unix ("UFS"), not Macintosh ("Mac OS Extended"). Some Macintosh applications, including EverQuest, cannot be run from a Unix disk volume. You can drag the entire EverQuestLP folder onto another disk volume and try it again.

Solution: Ignore it. This is a spurious error message from the OS.

3.5. Creating a Character

Once you log in and press PLAY to start the game, the Character Select screen appears. It lets you create, manage and delete characters. Each of the eight Create New Character slots can store a single character that you create. The rest of this section shows you how to create a character, step-by-step.

Click any Create a New Character slot to begin. This displays the Character Creation screen.

Follow the steps in the rest of this section to create a character. When you finish, you will return to this screen, and your character's name will appear in the slot you just chose. (In the future, you must select a server each time you log in, then click on a character slot to activate it.)

Then click Enter World to start playing.

Character Creation Screen

This screen lets you build your character through a series of steps:

Step 1 - Pick a Race
Norrath has fourteen playable races, each living in a specific region of Norrath. All have unique talents and professions. For example, Humans are relatively smart and can pursue nearly all professions, while Ogres have fewer options, but excel in physical strength.

Races of Norrath
BARBARIAN
: Warriors at heart, most of the Barbarians' history revolves around one war or another.

Starting city: Halas
Classes: Beastlord, Rogue Shaman, Warrior
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

DARK ELF: Dark Elves share the heritage and features of other elves in Norrath, but they are more evilly aligned. Home is almost always underground, so darkness poses no obstacle for Dark Elves.

Starting city: Neriak
Classes: Cleric, Enchanter, Magician, Necromancer, Rogue, Shadow Knight, Warrior, Wizard
Racial tensions: Barbarians, Erudites, Half Elves, High Elves, Humans, Iksar, Wood Elves

DWARF: Short but strong, Dwarves outperform Humans in nearly all physical tasks. Their prominent facial hair is their trademark, seconded by their dexterity.

Starting city: Kaladim
Classes: Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, Warrior
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

ERUDITE: Self-pride and intellect persuades most Erudites to forego physical activity in favor of mental challenges. Social grace is their forte, and they believe themselves to be the pinnacle of evolution.

Starting cities: Erudin or Paineel (determined by class)
Classes: Cleric, Enchanter, Magician, Necromancer, Paladin, Wizard, Shadow Knight
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

GNOME: Distant cousins to Dwarves, Gnomes tend to burrow in the hillsides in underground communities. A lack of surface light lends a pale hue to their skin tone, and they rarely emerge to mingle with other races.

Starting city: Ak'Anon
Classes: Cleric, Enchanter, Magician, Necromancer, Paladin, Rogue, Shadow Knight, Warrior, Wizard
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

HALF ELF: As Human-Elf hybrids, Half Elves share the prominent physical features of both races. Their intellect is a notch above most other races, though they suffer a lack of strength as compared to the other Norrathian races.

Starting cities: Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin
Classes: Bard, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warrior
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

HALFLING: Short and Human-like, Halflings are by far the most nimble and mobile race in the world. Outstanding dexterity and agility come naturally, and they're natural travelers. Because of this, Halflings have developed peaceful relations with most other races.

Starting city: Rivervale
Classes: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warrior
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

HIGH ELF: Though they have physical traits in common with Wood Elves, High Elves are far more developed in the ways of the mind. Pale and thin, they prefer to spend their time exercising the confines of the mind, and not the body.

Starting city: Felwithe
Classes: Cleric, Enchanter, Magician, Paladin, Wizard
Racial tensions: Iksar, Ogres, Trolls, Dark Elves

HUMAN: Humans epitomize the norm in Norrath.

Starting cities: Qeynos, Freeport
Classes: All but Shaman and Beastlord
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

IKSAR: A tribal race, these lizard-like warriors carry on a rich heritage of conquest, enslavement and destruction. Iksar are quite intelligent (despite their large size and warrior-like ways) and prefer to socialize within their own circles.

Starting city: New Sebilis (also known as Cabilis)
Classes: Beastlord, Monk, Necromancer, Shadow Knight, Shaman, Warrior
Racial Tensions: All other races

OGRE: Ogres spend as much time on the battlefield as Erudites and High Elves do exploring their intellect. With their gargantuan size and strength, they pass most of their days munching on available game and rarely give any thought to pursuing other interests.

Starting city: Oggok
Classes: Beastlord, Shadow Knight, Shaman, Warrior
Racial tensions: Everyone except Dark Elves and Trolls

TROLL: Despite a two-foot height difference, Trolls get along famously with Ogres, sharing similar likes, dislikes and pastimes. Outdoorsy and not quite bright, they're easily recognizable due to their skin's natural green tinge.

Starting city: Grobb
Classes: Beastlord, Shadow Knight, Shaman, Warrior
Racial tensions: Everyone except Dark Elves and Ogres

VAH SHIR: Tall, noble feline humanoids, Vah Shir are agile and strong. They have no written traditions and pass on their lore verbally. The Vah Shir are in tune with the world around them and choose to be part of the living cycle rather than worship a deity.

Starting city: Shar Vahl
Classes: Bard, Beastlord, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior
Racial tensions: None

WOOD ELF: Yet another variation on the Elven-Human theme, Wood Elves are slightly weaker than Humans, but highly dexterous and agile. Despite their tendencies to be wild and secretive, they are very dedicated to the good of society.

Starting city: Kelethin
Classes: Bard, Druid, Ranger, Rogue, Warrior
Racial tensions: Dark Elves, Iksar, Ogres, Trolls

Step 2 - Pick a Class
Your class (your character's occupation) describes your career goal in the game. You can pursue any life you choose in EverQuest, so long as your race permits it.

BARD: The Bard has the unusual ability to play magical songs whose supernatural effects last as long as the Bard continues to sing. She has some passing knowledge of the Warrior ways (self-defense), but her main focus is always her art.
Modifiers: +5 Strength, +10 Dexterity, +10 Charisma

BEASTLORD: Beastlords are the spiritual warriors of the primitive cultures of Norrath and Luclin. Like the Shaman, the Beastlords have a close relationship with the spirit world. The Beastlord's fighting style is derived from tactics used by wild beasts, thus they prefer to fight unarmed or with only small piercing weapons. But the Beastlord is best known for his life-long animal companion.
Modifiers: +10 Stamina, +5 Agility, +10 Wisdom, +5 Charisma

CLERIC: A Cleric is a holy woman born with the power to heal, and, to a lesser extent, call upon the wrath of her deity to smite her foes. Prayer is how the Cleric gains her ability.
Modifiers: +5 Strength, +5 Stamina, +10 Wisdom

DRUID: A Druid is the master of the outdoors and befriends all flora and fauna. Creatures rarely ever attack him unless he attacks first. He is a clerical spell-caster who focuses on all things natural, allowing him to call upon Nature for aid and defense.
Modifiers: +10 Stamina, +10 Wisdom

ENCHANTER: The primary focus of this art can be summed up by the name of the arcane order to which it belongs: enchantment. Spells are crafted to enchant people, places and things. An Enchanter can charm beings and make them fight for a new master, or magically enhance the capabilities of a sword-wielding warrior. She even has some proficiency in offensive spells.
Modifiers: +10 Intelligence, +10 Charisma

MAGICIAN: The Magician is the summoner of the arcane arts, and can conjure up everything from a loaf of bread to a huge Fire Elemental to fight on his behalf. While not as offensively adept as a Wizard, a Magician still possesses considerable spell power.
Modifiers: +10 Stamina, +10 Intelligence

MONK: The Monk is dedicated to honing her body into a pure weapon, shunning most weapons and forms of armor. She's very religious as well, and the gods are known to bless Monks by magically enhancing their attacks.
Modifiers: +5 Strength, +5 Stamina, +10 Agility, +10 Dexterity

NECROMANCER: The Necromancer belongs to the dark brotherhood of the arcane arts, dabbling in death. Through evil spells, he can animate dead bodies and skeletons to do his bidding, as well as cast spells to leach life from his victims.
Modifiers: +10 Dexterity, +10 Intelligence

PALADIN: A Paladin is a holy knight, fighting for the cause of good in all aspects of life. She shares some Clerical powers and fights nearly as well as a Warrior, and also possesses the innate ability to heal simply by Laying on Hands.
Modifiers: +10 Strength, +5 Stamina, +5 Wisdom, +10 Charisma

RANGER: The Ranger is a hybrid mix between a Warrior and a Druid, sharing the skills of both. He's most at home in the great outdoors. Modifiers: +5 Strength, +10 Stamina, +10 Agility, +5 Wisdom

ROGUE: Falling somewhere between an assassin and a thief, the Rogue belongs to the secretive class of Norrath. She's quite skilled in weaponry, but prefers to make sudden attacks from behind. Shadier skills include Pick Lock and Pick Pockets.
Modifiers: +10 Agility, +10 Dexterity

SHADOW KNIGHT: The antithesis of a Paladin, a Shadow Knight derives power from the evil gods he serves. He's part Warrior, part Necromancer and has the innate ability to damage flesh with his Harm Touch.
Modifiers: +10 Strength, +5 Stamina, +10 Intelligence, +5 Charisma

SHAMAN: Similar to a Cleric, but closer to a tribal witch doctor, the Shaman can be found amongst the more primitive races. Her primary focus is healing, but she can employ many augmentation and offensive spells as well.
Modifiers: +5 Stamina, +10 Wisdom, +5 Charisma

WARRIOR: A Warrior is a master of armed combat, in all of its forms. He's at home on the battlefield, and is trained to take as much punishment as he doles out. By nature, Warriors have more health points than any other class.
Modifiers: +10 Strength, +10 Stamina, +5 Agility

WIZARD: The Wizard is a seeker of knowledge, and her life is spent focusing on this goal. She uses powerful spells to see things from afar and transport them between places. A thirst for arcane knowledge has made her a master of magical translocation, as well as an offensive force of destruction.
Modifiers: +10 Stamina, +10 Intelligence

Step 3 - Allocate Ability Points
Your character has primary and secondary statistics. Primary ones are bright green, and represent abilities most beneficial to your chosen class. The others are secondary, which means they still affect you, but aren't quite as important.

The box in the top right corner of the screen shows your bonus ability points. The amount differs by race and/or class. You can add these points to any ability; but you should probably add most of them to your green "primary" abilities.

Agility: Physical agility; affects your probability of being hit in combat, how much damage you take per hit, and how fast you learn some skills.

Charisma: How various factions react to you; affects prices for some merchants. Also affects spell effects for Enchanters and Bards, and helps Bards successfully play more notes.

Dexterity: Coordination; affects how much damage you deliver with a bow/thrown weapon, time between attacks, how fast you learn certain skills, and how often certain spells and weapons hit their mark. Also affects some skills and Bard songs.

Wisdom: Affects how fast you learn specific skills. For a Ranger, Paladin, Cleric, Shaman or Druid, it also affects maximum mana at each level.

Intelligence: Affects how fast you learn many skills. For a Necromancer, Wizard, Magician, Enchanter, Shadow Knight or Bard, it also affects maximum mana at each level.

Stamina: Health and constitution; affects your maximum number of hit points at each level.

Strength: Physical strength; affects how much you can carry, how much melee damage you deliver to a target, and how fast you learn some skills.

Step 4 - Pick a Facial Appearance
To change your character's face, click Set Face just above the picture of your character. Click the arrows to cycle through different facial appearances. To return to the full view of your character, click Accept.

Step 5 - Pick a Name
Either type in a name, or click Get Name to let the computer pick a name for you. You can't use spaces, dashes or special characters (#, ?, etc.). Use only one Capital at the beginning of the name.

Step 6 - Pick a Deity
The Deity Selection screen displays once you click Next from the Character Creation screen. Depending on your race and class, you can either choose from several of 18 specific deities, or remain agnostic (not a follower of any one god, perhaps unwilling to acknowledge their power).

Here are some generalizations about the followers of each of the available gods:

Bertoxxulous: Lovers of decay and disease; dedicated to spreading both.

Brell Serilis: Choose to inhabit the underground; generally a bit solitary.

Bristlebane Fizzlethorpe: True believers of fun and mischief; doctrine disregards trust and honesty.

Cazic-Thule: Followers are ruled by fear; hate, cruelty and torture abound.

Erolissi Marr: Defend justice and innocence; love always overcomes hate.

Innoruuk: Fervid proponents of hate; no loyalty exists between followers, and all that is Good is weak.

Karana: Disciples of rain; respectful of the power of weather in the woodlands.

Mithaniel Marr: Seek courage, honor and good; leave frivolousness to others.

Prexus: Watchguards of the water; doctrine upholds that this deity will one day wash away all of Norrath.

Quellious: Masters of inner peace and enlightenment; knowing one's true self will help bring peace to Norrath.

Rallos Zek: Warriors to the end; emphasizes survival of the strong and the true value of conflict.

Rodcet Nife: Selfless servants to the weak and diseased; preaches healing and cleansing as one's life work.

Solusek Ro: Devoted followers of all things aflame; aggressive and purposeful in all that they do.

The Tribunal: Bringers of justice; the world is black-and-white, and all wrongs deserve an even revenge.

Tunare: Trustees of Nature; the land Norrath is to be protected at all costs.

Veeshan: Worshippers and servants of all Dragonkind; doctrine calls for sacrifice and dedication.

Step 7 - Pick a Starting City
The world of Norrath is populated with many cities, but not all are friendly to all races, occupations and beliefs. Race is the primary factor that determines your starting city. You'll always be able to start in at least one of the cities listed in Race. However, choosing a certain deity or occupation may affect your starting city.

You can start from any city with a yellow or white name. (You may be able to choose between two or more cities, or you might only have a single option.) The currently selected city's name is yellow; cities you cannot start from are faded out.

Tip: If you're planning on playing with your friends in a new city, make sure everyone has a compatible race, class and deity.

3.6. Exiting the Game

Your character does not require food, drink or rest whenever you're not playing. The next time you start the game, your character's previous condition is restored. (For example, if you were tired and hungry, you'll still be tired and hungry when you resume playing.)

To exit the game, sit down and set up camp in a safe area. Click Sit on the Main tab in the Actions window, then Camp (this takes approximately 30 seconds).

Or:

When you return to the game later your character will be where you left him. Keep that in mind when choosing your campsite.

 

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