If any of this is helpful, please utilize it! If not, then ignore it. Please dont flame me for trying to help the community. Your thanks is always nice! ^_^
Last Revised December 30th, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Scope 6
Mission Statement 6
Changes to the Document 6
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always A Professional (last revised 02/20/06) 6
1.0.0 General Behavior (last revised 08/09/06) 7
1.0.5 On Duty (last revised 6/4/06) 9
1.0.10 On Server Interaction (last revised 02/20/06) 11
1.0.15 Privacy and Security (last revised 2/27/03) 12
1.0.15.0 Requesting Information (last revised 2/27/03) 12
1.0.15.5 Communication (last revised 06/04/06) 13
1.0.15.10 SOE Requests (last revised 11/18/03) 13
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Team Members (last revised 2/27/03) 13
1.5.0 Website (last revised 12/05/05) 13
1.5.5 Message Boards (last revised 02/20/06) 14
1.5.10 Guide Guilds (last revised 3/1/05) 17
1.5.15 Supplemental Communication (last revised 02/20/06) 17
1.5.20 In-game Communication (last revised 3/6/03) 17
1.5.25 Playing with Guides (last revised 4/8/03) 17
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring (last revised 10/23/02) 18
1.10.0 Choosing your name (last revised 02/20/06) 18
1.10.0.0 Changing your name (last revised 4/26/04) 18
1.10.5 New Apprentice (last revised 2/5/05) 19
1.10.5.0 Guide Account (last revised 02/20/06) 19
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide (last revised 02/20/06) 19
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona (last revised 02/20/06) 20
1.15 Absences and Returns (last revised 4/8/04) 21
1.15.0 Guide Absences (last revised 4/8/04) 21
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence (last revised 4/8/03) 21
1.15.5.0 Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return (last revised 02/20/06) 21
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return (last revised 04/06/06) 22
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More (last revised 06/04/06) 23
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases (last revised 02/20/06) 23
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures (last revised 12/30/06) 24
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release (last revised 12/30/06) 25
1.20 Transfers (last revised 02/20/06) 25
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05) 25
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.0 Transfer to a new server (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.5 Transfer to a specific server (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.10 Transfer without specific server chosen (last revised 02/20/06) 27
1.20.5.15 Add or transfer to another game (last revised 02/20/06) 27
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests (last revised 12/30/05) 27
1.25 Program Obligations (last revised 10/23/02) 28
1.25.0 Account Security (last revised 12/30/06) 28
1.25.5 Information Dissemination (last revised 02/20/06) 28
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Players (last revised 02/20/06) 29
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards (last revised 02/20/06) 29
1.25.20 DSR's (last revised 12/30/06) 30
1.25.25 WSR's (last revised 4/26/04) 31
1.25.30 MSR's (last revised 5/25/04) 32
1.30 Avatars - Levels and Descriptions (last revised 10/23/02) 32
1.30.0 Avatar Changes (last revised 12/30/06) 32
1.30.5 Avatar Levels (last revised 5/24/04) 33
1.30.10 Candidates (last revised 02/20/06) 33
1.30.15 Apprentices (last revised 4/8/04) 34
1.30.15.0 Responsibilities of the Apprentice Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 34
1.30.20 Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 35
1.30.20.0 Responsibilities of a Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 35
1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 35
1.30.30 Senior Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 36
1.30.30.0 Responsibilities of a Senior Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 37
1.30.30.5 Becoming a Senior Guide (last revised 12/05/05) 38
1.30.35 Elder Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 39
1.30.40 SOE CSRs (last revised 02/20/06) 41
1.30.45 The Server Management Team (SMT) (last revised 02/20/06) 41
1.35 Is a Team for YOU? (last revised 04/12/06) 41
1.35.0 Communications Team (last revised 02/20/06) 43
1.35.5 Personnel Team (last revised 02/20/06) 43
1.35.10 Grading Team (last revised 10/21/02) 43
1.35.15 SWAT (System Wide Assistance Team) (last revised 02/25/06) 43
1.35.20 Training Team (last revised 02/20/06) 44
1.35.25 Policy Team (last revised 02/20/06) 44
1.35.30 NDCS (Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society) (last revised 4/26/04) 45
1.35.35 Tech Team (last revised 4/26/04) 45
1.35.40 Roleplay Team (last revised 12/05/05) 45
1.40 Tools of the Trade (Commands) (last revised 10/23/02) 45
1.40.0 All Levels (last revised 02/20/06) 45
1.40.5 Guide Level (last revised 2/21/05) 46
1.40.10 Senior Level (last revised 8/7/04) 46
1.45 Assisting Players (last revised 5/24/04) 47
1.45.0 Player Assistance (last revised 12/05/05) 47
1.45.5 General Player Assistance Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06) 48
1.45.10 Email Support for Players (last revised 02/20/06) 49
1.45.15 EverQuest Player Contacts (last revised 02/20/06) 50
1.50 Other Procedures (last revised 10/23/02) 51
1.50.0 EQ Chat (last revised 08/08/06) 51
1.50.5 Who can I turn to for Answers? (last revised 4/26/04) 51
1.50.10 Program ONLY Web/Email addresses (last revised 12/30/06) 52
1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (last revised 06/12/06) 53
1.55 Recognition Programs (Medals, Levels and Awards) (last revised 12/30/06) 53
1.55.0 Service Medals (last revised 12/17/04) 54
1.55.5 Avatar Levels Based on Time in Program (last revised 02/26/06) 55
1.55.10 Achievement Awards (last revised 12/30/06) 55
1.60 Common Abbreviations, Terms, and Names (last revised 2/21/05) 57
2.0 Commands (last revised 8/7/04) 58
2.0.0 Commands - All Levels (last revised 08/08/06) 58
2.0.5 Commands - Guide+ (last revised 12/30/06) 59
2.0.10 Commands - Senior Guide (last revised 8/7/04) 61
2.5 Warnings (last revised 12/30/04) 61
2.5.0 Confidentiality (last revised 9/25/03) 61
2.10 Guide Program Tools (last revised 02/20/06) 61
2.15 Zones (last revised 11/10/04) 65
2.15.0 Zone Listing (last revised 12/09/06) 65
2.15.0.0 No-Loitering Zone Listing (last revised 3/1/05) 71
2.15.0.5 Off Limits Zone Listing (last revised 12/05/05) 77
2.15.5 No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 77
2.15.5.0 Acceptable Guide Presence in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 2/6/05) 77
2.15.5.5 Exploring and Adventuring (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.10 Reporting CS Actions Taken in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 8/7/04) 78
2.15.5.15 Resurrections in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.20 NPC Interaction in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.25 Repopping a No-Loitering Zone (last revised 5/24/04) 78
2.20 Responding to Questions (last revised 10/23/02) 78
2.20.0 Account and Billing Problems (last revised 8/28/02) 78
2.20.5 Questions about Becoming a Guide (last revised 02/20/06) 79
2.20.10 Questions about Game Mechanics (last revised 8/28/02) 79
2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets (last revised 4/19/03) 79
2.20.20 Bug Reporting (last revised 8/7/04) 80
2.20.25 Technical Problems (last revised 5/24/04) 80
2.20.30 Known Problems (last revised 5/24/04) 80
2.20.35 Undetermined technical problems (last revised 02/20/06) 81
2.25 General Incident Procedures (last revised 10/23/02) 81
2.25.0 Summoning players (last revised 02/20/06) 81
2.25.5 Corpse Recovery (last revised 02/20/06) 82
2.25.10 Verifiable Bug Deaths (last revised 04/14/04) 83
2.25.15 Verified Server Connectivity Issues and Zone Crashes (last revised 04/14/04) 84
2.25.20 Stuck NPCs (last revised 02/20/06) 84
2.25.20.0 Stuck NPC Procedure (last revised 02/20/06) 85
2.25.25 Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 85
2.25.25.0 Verification of Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 85
2.25.25.5 General Procedure for Player Characters Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 86
2.25.25.10 Under the World Corpse Recoveries (last revised 5/24/04) 86
2.25.30 Reimbursement Requests (last revised 8/7/04) 86
2.25.35 Guild Creation (last revised 02/20/06) 86
2.25.40 Sleeping Players (last revised 12/30/05) 87
2.25.45 Binding Death Loops (last revised 02/20/06) 87
2.25.50 PvP Quests (last revised 5/24/04) 88
2.25.55 Loot Anomalies (last revised 10/23/02) 88
2.25.60 /kill (last revised 9/25/03) 88
2.25.60.0 /Kill Restraint (last revised 9/25/03) 89
2.30 Abuse Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 90
2.30.0 The /report command (last revised 5/24/04) 90
2.30.5 Abuse (last revised 5/24/04) 91
2.30.10 Reports of Fraud (last revised 2/20/06) 91
2.30.15 Reports of Ninja-Looting (last revised 8/28/02) 91
2.35 Disruption Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 91
2.40 Exploitation Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 92
2.45 Threats of banishment (last revised 04/14/04) 92
2.50 Real Life Threats (last revised 06/12/06) 92
2.55 Player Disputes (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.55.0 Contested Spawn Complaints (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.55.5 Kill Stealing (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.60 The Naming Policy (last revised 12/05/05) 93
2.60.0 Policy Enforcement (last revised 12/05/05) 94
2.60.5 First Names (last revised 04/10/06) 94
2.60.10 Surnames (last revised 04/10/06) 94
2.60.10.0 Surname Change Procedure (last revised 12/05/05) 95
3.0 Quests (last revised 10/28/02) 96
3.0.0 Quest Categories (last revised 7/13/04) 96
3.0.5 Quest Administration (last revised 4/16/05) 96
3.0.10 Quest Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 97
3.0.15 Quest Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06) 98
3.0.20 Quest Performance (last revised 12/30/06) 98
3.0.25 The Quest Director (last revised 02/20/06) 100
3.0.30 NPC's and /Kill Restraint During Quests (last revised 02/20/06) 100
3.0.35 Use of /becomenpc (last revised 3/28/04) 100
3.0.35.0 /becomenpc command (last revised 2/21/05) 101
3.0.40 Quest Disclosure (last revised 3/28/04) 102
3.0.45 Creation of a Quest (last revised 02/20/06) 102
3.0.50 Impromptu Quests (last revised 12/30/06) 102
3.0.55 Historical Quests (last revised 10/23/02) 103
3.0.60 Invasions (last revised 9/25/03) 103
3.5 Persistent Characters (last revised 06/04/06) 103
3.5.0 Application Process (last revised 02/20/06) 104
3.5.5 Persistent Character Behavior (last revised 5/24/04) 104
3.10 Events (last revised 04/14/04) 105
3.10.0 Player Run Events (last revised 10/23/02) 105
3.10.0.0 Player Weddings (last revised 02/20/06) 105
3.10.0.5 Wedding Coordinator (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5 Answer Circles (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5.0 Answer Circle Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5.5 Answer Circle Restricted Zones (last revised 4/10/06) 107
3.10.10 Event Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 109
3.10.15 Server Events (last revised 12/30/06) 110
3.10.20 SOE Sponsored Events (last revised 02/20/06) 111
3.10.20.0 Tournament Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 111
3.10.20.5 Test Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.10 Challenge Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.15 Competition Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.20 Arena Door (last revised 06/04/06) 112
3.10.20.25 Running/Assisting SOE Events (last revised 12/05/05) 113
3.15 General Guidelines for Quests and Events (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.0 /summon (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.5 After the Quest or Event (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.10 /emotezone in adjacent zones (last revised 10/24/04) 114
3.20 The Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06) 114
INDEX 118
Scope
This document covers all of the policies for all members of EverQuest Guide Program (hereafter referred to as EverQuest CS) and the procedures for them to follow to enforce these policies. The term "Customer service" includes all interactions with players/testers, and includes everything from first-level technical support to public relations. The goal is to support and enhance the playing experience for players, and to provide an interface between the players and Sony Online Entertainment (hereafter referred to as SOE). SOE Employees are not bound by the P&P in relation to player interaction. Volunteer Guides, however, are bound by the P&P in all aspects. The Guide program is the "face" that SOE presents to the player. As such it is very important that all actions taken by customer service be ethical and professional and avoid even the appearance of favoritism or conflict of interest. These guidelines provide customer service personnel with a way to handle player situations that will ensure consistent and professional behavior.
Mission Statement
"To support, educate, and direct the customers of EverQuest to create an enjoyable and immersive Role Playing experience."
Changes to the Document
This is a working document and will change to meet the needs of the program. Requests for changes to this document may be sent to policies-verant@soe.sony.com. Normal, non-emergency change requests will be batched and handled as time allows, while change requests flagged as urgent will be processed as they arrive. Requests for all other changes will be discussed among the senior guides, and representatives of SOE. If the change is approved, the document will be modified and a new copy made available to all members of the Guide program.
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always A Professional (last revised 02/20/06)
Professionalism
Members of the Guide Program are expected to behave professionally at all times. This does not mean "stiffly and formally", but consistently, ethically, and with integrity. Being that we are in Norrath to enhance the game, there is a code of conduct that all members of the Guide program must follow whenever dealing with players in any capacity.
Professionalism must also be extended to SOE employees and other members of the Guide program with whom we cross paths. Harassment, unprovoked sexual innuendos, and unwanted sexual advances are prohibited. While in most cases the person doing this has no ill will towards the victim, the victim can sometimes feel helpless and unable to ask for the perpetrator to stop.
Communications between Members of the Guide Program and Players
Communications between members of the Guide program and EverQuest players should be handled in as professional and courteous manner as possible. This is not to say that we must be serious and short with the players. On the contrary, we should attempt to role-play our encounters with players, portraying some personality and using humor where appropriate. We should at all times show good communications skills, speaking to the player in correct English or a suitable role-play variant. Commonly used slang associated with hackers/cheaters/warez sites, etc. should not be used, as it is unprofessional. Foul language should never be used when speaking to players.
Guide Behavior
Courteous. We are polite, always. No matter how angry the player, no matter how bad the complaint, no matter how personal the insult, we are always polite.
Empathetic. We care, always. Even when we can not help, or when the player is abusive, we always remember what it was like to be in the player's position and understands how they feel.
Patient. Things go wrong, often. Things do not work out or fall apart, and take players with them. No matter how wild the chaos, we are a rock that the players depend upon in the storm.
Decisive. When a critical problem occurs that requires immediate action, that action must be rational, logical, and consistent with the program policies. A member of the Guide program being able to keep their head, contacting the proper escalation points, and executing consistent damage control can keep a minor emergency from becoming a disaster.
Humble. We are not above the players. We support them, and they are the reason the program exists. The hierarchy of Guides is a measurement of the trust earned from other Guides and SOE, not necessarily an indicator of experience, knowledge, or ability. The Senior Guides are there because they excel at the requirements listed here, not because they have been in the program the longest.
Consistent. The actions of any individual team member directly impact the expectations on all of the others. Anyone who steps outside of the policy, no matter how "necessary" the violation, immediately causes other players to ask why that exception was not granted to them in their own time of need. Policies exist for a reason, no matter how unfair they sometimes seem.
Committed. We are committed to the success of EverQuest. This is above personal gain within the game, making friends, and ego. Our commitment to our mission statement drives this.
Honest. The Guide program is where it is by earning the trust of SOE and its players. Any betrayal of that trust hurts the other Guides, the players, SOE, and EverQuest. Any short-term gain from being dishonest is FAR overshadowed by the long-term damage.
Creative. This is a role playing game. As such, most of the fun is mental and spontaneous. The more creative we are, the more fun everyone can have with each encounter and situation.
Tolerant. Players do not come to us happy. They only request assistance when something has gone wrong, and they are often angry. It is not personal. We smile, listen, and fix it to the best of our ability, no matter how we are treated by the player. We should not carry any negative feelings about a player encounter-into the next player encounter. The CS team on a server should develop a level of teamwork that will allow the team members to support each other, avoiding passing on our frustration to the players.
1.0.0 General Behavior (last revised 08/09/06)
Set an example. It is imperative that all members of the Guide program maintain an air of professionalism and integrity, both with players and their fellow team members. When in the Guide persona, a Guide should always present his or her best face to the player. A Guide's communication with other players and in game actions should always be exemplary. This means that Guides should never use "doodspeak" nor should they ever appear "drunk" in front of players. Personally, out of character, and "off the clock," they can behave how they wish as long as there is no connection between who they are and their Guide persona. But on duty, even in the /private channel, we speak of and to the player with kind regard and consideration, even when telling them "No.”
Attentiveness. Players deserve our full attention at all times. Any Apprentice+ found to be logged onto a play avatar and a Guide Program avatar simultaneously may be asked to log off the Guide server until such time as they are able to devote their full attention to the player. Play avatars that do not require any human interaction, such as traders, may be active during a guide session provided that the Guide devotes their full attention to their guide avatar.
Guide Authority. Although members of the Guide Program are expected to use common sense when handling player requests, if the action would limit the player's gameplay, and authority for the action is not specifically given within this document, the Apprentice+ must send an e-mail to the Elder Guides before proceeding (see 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
Tempers. No matter how frustrating the situation, no matter how angry the player, no matter how personal the insults, members of the Guide program shall never lose their temper with a player. Should we feel that we are losing our temper, we should pass the player to a member of the Server Management Team, if possible, or another member of the Guide program, if a senior member is not available. This is not personal and the other Guide program members are here to help.
Ignoring players. No matter how frustrating a player can be, we never /ignore them. If we are having a difficult time with a player, they should escalate it to another Guide, if possible. If no one else is available, we must simply handle it as quickly and efficiently as possible, then disengage from the player.
Guide and CSR "friends." The end goal of the Guide program is to have representatives spread across multiple servers to allow them to not have to Guide on the same server on which their friends play. However, we tend to make friends with players that we assist often and friends will go where they will. Therefore, members of the Guide program must endeavor to avoid the stigma of favoritism. We do not stay in zones where our friends are playing - the further away the better. We do not associate with friends while we are on duty, even if the friend is aware of our role in the Guide Program. Seeing us in the same zone with the same characters consistently, especially if it the identity of our alternate character becomes known, is simply asking to be accused of favoritism.
Requests from friends. We do not assist friends unless there is no one else to help them. If no other team members are available we must assist the friend, doing only the minimum amount of work required, even if it means leaving the problem only partially fixed. Better to be accused of giving poor service to friends than better-than-normal service to them. Remember that in these cases we still must respond in a friendly, courteous manner…leaving an issue unresolved can be accomplished without being rude or unresponsive.
Cross-server tells. We do not send cross-server ;tells to friends while logged into EverQuest or EQIM as our Guide characters. This restriction also includes the receipt of cross-server ;tells.
o If an Apprentice+ receives a cross-server ;tell from a friend wishing to chat, they must disengage the conversation as soon as possible.
o If an Apprentice+ receives a cross-server ;tell from a player requesting assistance, they must direct that person to request assistance on their play server. Depending on the severity of the issue, the Apprentice+ can contact a CSR by posting to the SWAT Help forum, or the Apprentice+ may forward the issue to the Elder Guides (see 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
o An Apprentice+ may not send a cross-server ;tell to a CSR to request emergency assistance, but should instead utilize the Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (see 1.50.15).
Favors. We shall never request 'favors' of a player, either for themselves or on behalf of another player. In such cases where it is deemed that player assistance is needed, the CSR or Senior Guide shall be the contacting person.
Controlling player perception. No matter the intentions, no matter how pure the motives, no matter how well meaning the CS team member, the specter of favoritism can rear its ugly head if we are not diligent and consistent in our actions. All it takes is for the belief to be propagated to cause a problem, even if it is completely untrue. This must be avoided at all costs, as it not only damages the individual's reputation and that of the program, but undermines EQ overall.
Helping ourselves. Under no circumstances whatsoever should any member of the Guide program "help themselves," such as assisting their player character or that character's party or doing a CR on their player character or members of that character's party.
Twinking. We have the ability to explore dungeons and zones at our leisure (with the exception of No-Loitering Zones). We do not adventure and do not give things to players, no matter the circumstances. This includes giving items to our player characters. We are observers, not participants. Note: items listed in Section 2.10 are approved for distribution to players within reason.
1.0.5 On Duty (last revised 6/4/06)
Off Duty = Off Duty. When we are off duty, we are not a member of the CS*team. Our player characters have no authority whatsoever and are just another player. Consequently, while on our player character, we should never approach a player in an official capacity, nor should we ever imply they have more power or authority than that of a normal player. Likewise, our player characters should not call on other members of the CS team for any special considerations-the rules apply to all characters and there will be no favoritism within the Program. This means off duty CS team members do not identify themselves, in any way, shape, or form, as such on their play server, particularly when requesting assistance of the CS team on the server. In addition, members of the Guide program do not solicit assistance for their play character on the Guide website.
CS*team members that find their play characters embroiled in the middle of a questionable situation should extricate themselves from it as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid any potential issues arising from their presence. Members of the Guide Program that allow their player characters to initiate questionable situations will find themselves subject to discipline, as we are held to the highest standard of behavior, on or off duty.
NPC*Interaction. Unless explicitly covered by another procedure, members of the Guide Program do not kill NPCs in any other manner other than /kill (See Section 2.25.60 /kill). They do not use spells, pets, weapons, skills, their hands, or in any other way interact with a NPC in any manner that produces a corpse or an item.
With the exception of the CSR*only NPCs located in Sunset Home, a Guide+ may interact with a NPC*to the extent necessary to ascertain whether or not the NPC is working properly. An Apprentice+ may utilize the services of NPCs that do not require the possession of an item nor the completion of a static quest such as soulbinders, translocator gnomes, etc.
Dueling. Members of the Guide Program do not fight players, no matter the circumstances, with our CS*avatars and never outside of scripted dynamic quest. We may only fight other CS team members inside the Arena of Sunset Home.
Exploring. Members of the Guide program need to know their way around, the layout of the zones, and they need to interact with players. With the exception of the No-Loitering Zones*(see Section 2.15.0 and Section 2.15.5), members of the Guide program can and should explore and feel comfortable navigating through every permissible zone in the game.
To facilitate exploration, the Apprentice+ may utilize boats, Plane of Knowledge portals, translocator gnomes, etc. Transportation services provided by players and transportation methods that require the possession of an item (such as Nexus Scions) or completion of a static quest are not to be utilized.*
No Hunting/Questing/Crafting /Shopping/Begging/etc. The CS*Avatars*are provided to make sure we have the resources we need to perform our duties. They are not toys nor are they for play. Members of the Guide program do not need money, as everything they require will be provided to them. Any money an Apprentice+ possesses on his/her Guide Avatar must be destroyed. The Guide vendors in Sunset Home will provide most approved items to Apprentice+ who have submitted a Guide Note to the Quartermaster. Apprentices, Guides, and Senior Guides*may not make use of any spells or equipment from normal vendors or the CSR*vendors,* may not accept any items from players, and may not utilize the /claim and /veteranrewards commands.
Members of the Guide Program do not attempt to complete any static quests except those created especially for the Guide Program. Player inquiries regarding static quests are to be referred to the CSR*or eqtesting@soe.sony.com.
Item/Command Requests. If an Apprentice+ feels he/she needs a tool or resource he/she does not possess, then he/she should contact his/her Senior and ask for it. If it has already been approved for use in the Guide Program, the Senior will provide it. If it's not, the Apprentice+ may submit the request to the Communications Team. The Communications Team collects such requests and, unless there are special circumstances involved, will batch these requests and schedule them to work most efficiently with SOE and the Elder Guides*and to prevent CSRs from being inundated with requests.
Apprentices*and Guides*are not to ask SOE employees for names, levels, items, or anything else that is not directly related to providing service to players. Requests for items, names, levels, and other avatar specific things are to be given to the Senior Guides*on the server so that they may be handled uniformly across the Guide Program according to the procedures mentioned above or those outlined elsewhere in this document.
Hazing. One of the goals of the Guide Program is to foster a feeling of family amongst all the Guides*on a server. To this end, there are some basic guidelines which must be followed. One of the best ways to foster the family atmosphere is to give attention to the all the Guides on a server. There are good ways and bad ways to do this. Unfortunately, some of the Guides and CSR's resort to one of the bad ways: hazing. Hazing is when one (or more) members of the CS*team subjects another to abusive tricks and ridicule. This is strictly forbidden.
Hazing can include (but is not limited to): drowning, summoning into lava, summoning to a height and allowing the person to fall to their deaths, and summoning and attacking against their will. Note that this does not include consensual combat in the Sunset Home arena when server conditions permit it. While in most cases the person doing this has no ill will towards the victim, the victim can sometimes feel singled-out. This can be even worse when the perpetrator is a Senior or CSR, as now the victim feels that they have no one to turn to. The program has lost many good Guides*of all levels due to hazing and it can ill-afford to do so. It is not in the best interests of the Guide Program to tolerate such behavior and, as such, any CS*team member caught hazing can be subject to disciplinary action, up to removal from the program.
Server Ceremonies. Caution must be exercised when death is an integral part of a SMT-approved server ceremony (such as promotion). Even if all members go through a similar set of trials, no Candidate+ should be made to believe that participation is mandatory. Each Candidate+ should be given the opportunity to refuse participation without recourse.
*
1.0.10 On Server Interaction (last revised 02/20/06)
Players are to be addressed via /say and /tell. Members of the Guide Program may use /shout and /ooc to address a zone when pertaining to official duties as directed by your SMT or SOE Management, but these channels are not to be utilized for answering player questions. The more populated zones are currently overrun with this chatter, and we will not contribute to it. Members of the Guide Program will ask the player to use a more appropriate method for communicating with them. Members of the Guide program may respond to /shout and /ooc communications via a /tell to the player. When the staff is involved with in-person communications, it should be handled in as personable a manner as possible. This includes role-playing whenever it is possible to do so, as well as making an effort to show an interest in the player, enthusiasm in the game, and encouraging good gaming behavior.
To avoid the illusion of favoritism, joining chat channels with players or inviting players into chat channels is not permitted. Members of the Guide Program are allowed to use chat channels to communicate with other members of the Guide Program as long as the chat channel is password protected to prevent player entry. Exceptions: members of the Guide Program are allowed to invite players into single purpose chat channels created for the officiating of player weddings (See Section 3.10.0.0) and when specifically allowed in a quest script, in an approved event, or as directed by SOE Management.
To avoid potential CS Personnel Abuse as well as the illusion of favoritism, grouping with players is not permitted. Members of the Guide Program are required to communicate with players only via the approved channels listed in paragraph 1. Exceptions: Grouping is allowed when specifically allowed in a quest script.
Guides must not use the channel filters to filter out any channel, including /shout, /ooc, and /auction. It is important for us to be able to monitor these channels for possible disruption, and to have a record of them in our log files. Guides may, however, use the window filters to redirect these channels into a separate chat window, so that their main chat window can remain free of excess spam. This allows us to continue to monitor the public channels, and will not affect our log files in any way.
In-game Character Services. We are not in Norrath to interfere with the economy in any way. That means we do not provide services that can be provided by other players. These services include, but are not limited to: Binding, Curing, Healing, Enchanting, Tailoring, Smithing, or Scribing. Any service that can be provided by a player should be, even if that player is charging a fee for that service.
In-game Character Protection. No matter what degree of danger players may find themselves in, members of the CS team are not to intervene. We watch, but do not act. Should players come to us for aid, we should immediately remove ourselves from the situation. This means "question and answer sessions" should be formed in safe areas such as around guards, not in public adventure zones.
This includes PvP combat in all its myriad forms. If a player we are speaking with is suddenly attacked by another player, we must not intervene, no matter the situation. If the attacker is utilizing an exploit or abuse in the attack, then use the ticket system to report the incident and move the “question and answer session” to a new location. The best solution, for both the player and the CS team member, is to only do "question and answer sessions" in a guarded area.
Pseudo-Nepotism. Some guilds have branches on multiple servers. It is also possible that real life friends have player characters on the CS team member's Guide server. We should, at all costs, avoid any interaction with guildmates or real life friends while on duty. This includes, but is not limited to:
Assisting guildmates or real life friends
Escalating issues to guildmates that are also part of the Guide program.
Referencing or speaking of the guild or guild references while on duty.
Having the guild advertise that a member is also a member of the Guide Program.
Essentially, if our player character is a member of a guild, we should have nothing to do with anyone anywhere, while we are on duty that is also a member of that guild, even if that person is also in the program. This prevents the perception that, because a guild has a member of the Guide Program within it, members of that guild gets preferential treatment.
No d3wDzP3aK (Doodspeak). As Guides, we communicate with the players 100% via the written word. As such, it is very important that we deliver our responses in a professional and literate fashion. There is no quicker way to offend or "put off" a player than communicating in a manner that sounds ignorant or overly informal. Few people will complain or notice if our communications are concise, clean, and professional, but MANY will notice should they be sloppy, erroneous, and illiterate. Consequently, Guides will not use the style of communication generally referred to as Doodspeak. This includes, but is not limited to, words such as:
'u' instead of you
'ur' instead of you're/your
'sup' as a greeting
Role-playing. Communicating in a "role playing" manner is acceptable, as long as it's consistent with EverQuest's genre, so "thee" and "thou" are allowed. However you choose to communicate, remember the primary goal is to communicate effectively. Once you're doing that, the role playing can be added for color.
1.0.15 Privacy and Security (last revised 2/27/03)
Players and Guides alike have an expectation of privacy and security. Information of a personal, private nature will neither be posted nor collected except as provided below.
1.0.15.0 Requesting Information (last revised 2/27/03)
With the exceptions noted below in Section 1.0.15.10, members of the Guide Program may not require that information of a personal nature be divulged by a player nor by other members of the Guide Program. This includes but is not limited to: real name, names of family members, address, phone number, personal ICQ number, race, religion, actual age, date of birth, sex, sexual preference, marital status, education level, credit card numbers, social security number, driver's license information, password, or Station Name.
Information that is of a personal nature that is voluntarily given by a player may not be posted to the Guide website or disseminated. Personal information for members of the Guide program may be maintained in the Guide Database as approved by the Elder Guides.
1.0.15.5 Communication (last revised 06/04/06)
A. Email
It is highly encouraged and recommended that each member of the Guide Program obtain an account from one of the many available free email services or obtain another email address from his/her internet provider to use specifically for contact information related to EverQuest guiding rather than use his/her own private email.
B. EQIM
EverQuest Instant Messenging Service (EQIM) is an approved means of communicating between members of the Guide program and SOE CSR's. The program can be downloaded from the Guide website downloads page at https://guide.everquest.com /dload.php. Instructions for using EQIM to locate a CSR can be found in Section 1.50.15.
C. ICQ
While not required to have and maintain an ICQ account, it is recommended that if a member of the Guide Program has one, and wishes to post an ICQ number for others to utilize, that he/she obtains a number specifically for guiding rather than use his/her personal number. It is also recommended that the member of the Guide Program use caution with entering any personal information in ICQ that he/she doesn't want everyone to view.
D. Telephone
Use of the telephone for communication is supported between Elder Guides and SOE. However, it is neither encouraged nor supported between Apprentices, Guides or Seniors. No phone numbers may be posted on the Guide website unless authorized by the Elder Guides and SOE Management.
1.0.15.10 SOE Requests (last revised 11/18/03)
The Guide Liaison may, at the direction of SOE Management, request from members of the Guide Program personal information to deal with certain situations. This information includes but is not limited to: real name, phone number, home address, date of birth, and Station Name.
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Team Members (last revised 2/27/03)
1.5.0 Website (last revised 12/05/05)
Website Warning: "The data and programs which are contained on this system or on or behind these pages may not be accessed, linked to, viewed, copied, cached, modified, displayed, distributed, or disclosed without prior approval of Sony Online Entertainment. Any unauthorized access and/or use, or causing or facilitating any such access and/or use, of this system or pages by anyone without the prior express written permission of Sony Online Entertainment is strictly prohibited. Violators may be subject to civil liability and criminal penalties; in addition, Sony Online Entertainment reserves the right to ban any and all accounts held by such individual(s)."
Communications Among the Customer Support Team The official method of communication for the customer support staff is the EverQuest Guide website, located at https://guide.everquest.com. All additional forms of approved communications are to be used only as a supplement to the Guide website. The EverQuest Guide website consists of several message areas.
Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues and game mechanics may be addressed on The Laboratory.
Guides should also refrain from posting about and discussing other games of the massive multiplayer genre that are not operated by SOE. The intent of the Guide Website is to facilitate the communication of Guide program issues and it is considered bad etiquette to discuss competing games.
Please remember that the Guide Program is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from around the world. Posts that are offensive to even a small group of individuals may be removed and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Those who post to these areas should be mindful of the others reading them; there must be:
1. No ranting
2. No non-constructive criticism or personal attacks
3. No profanity
4. No grandstanding
Content Restrictions Posts on the Guide website shall only include text and/or the following types of graphic files (including, but not limited to: GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP and other such files) and, with the exception of JavaScript and Shockwave files, may not include client-side scripting (including, but not limited to: Java applets, ActiveX controls, and other such files) or links to them as they may cause unnecessary or unknown damage.
Sounds that play when the post is opened, intentionally or unintentionally, (including, but not limited to: MP3, MID, AU, WAV and other such files) must be disabled. While sounds in signatures and pictures might be a fun thing to add, it is considered poor etiquette. Additionally, it can cause problems with firewalls and other such safeguards when trying to load the file.
As a courtesy to others, Guides shall refrain from including any code in their posts that modify the user defined colors for any messages posted to the boards as this may make messages difficult for some users to read. In addition, there must not be any code contained in any post that interferes with the normal operation of the message boards, for example by making certain links unreadable or inaccessible.
Also, remember that many Guides use a dial up connection to access the website. As such, Guides should avoid using large images or shockwave files (over 50 KB) in their signatures.
Linking to other sites Those posting links to other web sites should make sure that the material contained in the referenced web site does not violate any of the rules listed in this policy. If the material would not be appropriate for posting directly on the boards, then it should not be linked to, either.
1.5.5 Message Boards (last revised 02/20/06)
Each server has its own message section, divided into several different forums for commentary and issues pertaining to that server. All Guides must post a daily shift report to the appropriate forum for each shift they work (see Section 1.25.20). In addition, all Guides should check the EverQuest Guide Board daily and read the recent posts to find out if there are any "hot problems" (See Section 2.20.35). At a minimum, each Guide must review the News and server board before each shift.
Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues and game mechanics may be addressed on The Laboratory.
Please remember that the Guide Program is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from around the world. Posts that are offensive to even a small group of individuals may be removed and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Each Apprentice+ can see the boards for their own server, SWAT Guides and Seniors+ can see all server boards. The EverQuest Guide web site also contains tools for scheduling Guide shifts and submitting quest and event ideas. In addition to individual server boards, the following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team:
News. This is where SOE and the Guide Program post important announcements. It is important that each Apprentice+ check this area before each shift.
CSR/SWAT Help. This is where all requests for the System Wide Assistance Team (SWAT) and for emergency CSR assistance are posted. Permitted postings are detailed in the Moderator's Message in the CSR/SWAT Help Forum.
The Common Hall. This area is for Guides to discuss topics that relate to our work as Guides. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, non-Guide related and real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Sunset Home. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQ-PC & EQ-Mac. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Hold of Prexus. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQII. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Mountain Hold. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQOA. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Ask the Elders. This area is for all members of the Guide program to ask questions of the Elders and the Team Chairs.
The Laboratory. This area is for discussing game mechanics, game balance, and technical problems. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted here.
The Rumpus Room. This area is for all posts that are not related to our Guide activity or EverQuest in general. This forum is for Guide humor, fooling around, posts about real life, discussing who we all are behind our Guide personas and any other topics that don't have a place in the other forums.
The Library. This area is for role playing and stories.
NDCS - Scripts. This area is used for posting scripts for weddings and other ceremonies.
Test Forum. This area is used for testing signatures and other posts (See Section 1.5.0 for posting restrictions).
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
EQGSR Forum. This area is for discussing issues regarding the EverQuest Guide Shift Reporter program. This area is not for posting shift reports generated with this program (See Section 2.20.35).
Technical Support. This area is for discussing technical issues and problems with other, technically-minded Guides.
Update Messages. This area is for posting update messages in advance, when possible. This information is NOT to be relayed to the general player population (see Section 1.25.15).
Pers Team Anniversaries. This area is posting anniversaries for members of the Guide program.
Communications Team - TCT-U Archives. This area is for posting issues of The Comm Team - Unplugged.
P&P Updates and Issues. This area is for posting P&P Updates before they are incorporated into the P&P and for frequently asked policy questions and their answers.
P&P Quizzes. This area is for periodic quizzes based on the P&P.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Guide or higher:
Backstage. This area is for discussing quests and events, from design through post-quest reports.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Senior Guide or higher.
The Senate. This is an area set aside for the Server Management Teams to discuss and provide a focal point for issues that need to be directed to Customer Service Management.
The Report Chamber. This area is for posting Weekly Server Reports.
Additionally, members of specific groups or teams (Quest Coordinators, or members of the Communications Team, for example) will be able to view and post on forums dedicated to those teams.
Insider information. CS subjects discussed and information disseminated to members of the Guide Program via the EverQuest Guide site, email, policies, and meetings, etc. are NOT to be relayed to the general player population (see Section 1.25.15). Disclosing this information to unauthorized parties can result in dismissal from the Program and, possibly, the suspension or banning of the Guide's play characters from EverQuest.
Morale Protection Maintaining positive attitudes in a cooperative organization such as the EverQuest Guide Program is vital to its success. Therefore, all members of the Guide Program should refrain from intentionally and unintentionally damaging the morale of anyone in the EverQuest Guide program. To ensure that this does not happen, the escalation chain defined in Section 1.50.5 should be used to handle issues and problems that address SOE, the EverQuest Guide Program, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members.
Issues that can damage the Program's morale in any way should never be posted to the message boards or expressed in any forum outside of the escalation chain established in Section 1.50.5. Anyone who such damages the morale of the EverQuest Guide Program shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Personal attacks on members of the Guide Program, SOE employees, or players will not be tolerated. Posts of that manner may be deleted and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
1.5.10 Guide Guilds (last revised 3/1/05)
To provide supplemental communication for Guide program members, a guild may be created.
Name: The name of the guild may be chosen by the server Guides but must be sponsored by the SMT. It must be professional in nature and be fitting for both our role and the game environment. The Elders and SOE Management will be the final approval of the guild name.
Membership: Leadership of the guild should be shared by all members of the SMT. Guild officers may be chosen by the SMT from the ranks of Guide+ on the server as the SMT deems necessary. However, Guide level guild officers have no authority over any other member of the Guide program nor does it imply candidacy for Senior Guide or guarantee future promotion. All members of the Guide program must be invited into the guild.
No member of the Guide Program can be a part of a player guild with his/her Guide Avatar at any time. At no time must a player be permitted to join a CS Guild.
Guild Hall: Members of the Guide program are allowed to enter the server Guild's guild hall.
1.5.15 Supplemental Communication (last revised 02/20/06)
Email, Mailing lists, Instant Messaging Programs, Internet Chat Programs, Voice Chat Programs (VoIP), and EverQuest Chat areas may be used for supplemental communication between subsets of the customer service staff (all Guide Program members on one server, all Senior Guides, all new Apprentice Guides, etc.). All non-SOE maintained membership lists used must be kept up to date to include only active members of EverQuest CS.The Elder Guides must be informed of the existence of these lists.
NOTE: Mailing list providers such as Yahoo and MSN have additional features that are not approved for use by EverQuest CS. These features can include, but are not limited to: calendars, message boards, and file upload/download facilities. These features MUST be disabled before use.
In addition, the Guides on a particular server may hold meetings on a regular basis to provide a forum for handling pressing issues and airing concerns. These meetings may occur on an IRC server in a channel designated by the meeting chairperson, on the game server, or in a private EverQuest chatroom. IRC meetings should be set to +private to prevent unwanted eavesdroppers in the proceedings. Meeting announcements will be placed within the appropriate message area on the server's message board.
Guide Teams have their own SOE maintained mailing list and is to be used as the sole mailing list for that team.
1.5.20 In-game Communication (last revised 3/6/03)
When multiple Guides in a player-occupied zone need to communicate for such functions as meetings, training sessions, or ceremonies, private channels such as /pr, /groupsay, or /guildsay should be used rather than /say in order to prevent players from overhearing possibly privileged information. Per Section 1.0.10, communication may also be accomplished by creating a password protected chat channel.
1.5.25 Playing with Guides (last revised 4/8/03)
One of the greatest attributes of the Guide Program is the people who make it up, and often friendships are made which go beyond the Program. Should Guides who have never before played together wish to do so, they may create characters on their play accounts for this purpose. They are encouraged to select either Test or a server on which neither of them currently, or have previously, Guided or played.
All members of the Guide program are reminded that while playing, they are players, and any issues that may arise while playing should be resolved using only the channels open to players (see Section 1.0.5). Guides are also reminded that they must not post information regarding any of their play characters on the Guide boards (see Section 1.0.0).
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring (last revised 10/23/02)
1.10.0 Choosing your name (last revised 02/20/06)
First Name
New Apprentice Guides must choose a first name they have not used previously either as an EverQuest character or in any public association with any MMORPG. The first name must conform to the Naming Policy (ref. The EverQuest Naming Policy)
Surname
Members of the Guide program must request the surname from a Senior Guide and may not utilize the /surname command.
Members of the Guide program may assume surnames of their choice upon approval of the SMT. Except for the following exceptions, they must conform to the Naming Policy posted on the EQLive website:
Contain the word 'the' or similar connector (such as 'of' or 'D` ')
Be more than one word (such as "Kindred Spirit")
Contain titles within the surname (such as "Dragonlord")
Contain multiple capitals (such as "NightStalker" or "the Night Stalker")
Utilize any combination of the above four bullets
Surnames may depict the role the Guide has chosen for their guide character. It should be stressed, however, that the gist of the names should still be high-fantasy oriented, professional in appearance, and must not otherwise violate the Naming Policy.
Title Suffix
Members of the Guide program may utilize the title suffix to display "of <server name>"
Policy Enforcement
If any members of the CS team have an issue with the name or surname of another CS team member, normal escalation procedures should be followed for reporting. For the Guide program, the final arbiter of first names and surnames are the Elder Guides. The final arbiter of first names and surnames for CSR's is the Head CSR.
1.10.0.0 Changing your name (last revised 4/26/04)
Members of the Guide Program are allowed to change their first name only under the following circumstances:
An Apprentice+ must change their first name if it violates the EverQuest Naming Policy.
An Apprentice+ may change their first name at the time of their avatar change request in the event a gender change requires a name change.
All other requests for a first name change will be evaluated on a case by case basis by the Elder Guides. Only in extreme circumstances will other name changes be granted. If a name change is desired, the SMT may submit other name change requests to the Elder Guides on behalf of the requesting Guide.
In all instances, after the first name is changed, the SMT must notify the Elder Guide(s) via email and make a permanent note in the Guide's Record.
1.10.5 New Apprentice (last revised 2/5/05)
Once an applicant is accepted into the Guide Program, he/she must be trained and outfitted for his/her duties. After attending IRC training, the Apprentice is to create their avatar on their separate Guide account (see note below). Before the Apprentice is allowed to log onto the server alone, they must meet their SMT, or their designee, online for an orientation session. Once an Apprentice, it is possible to remain at that rank indefinitely.
At, or prior to, the Orientation session, the SMT will provide the new Apprentice with the Welcome Note. After it is turned in, their avatar will be GM flagged, buffed to level 50, and provided the Guide Note. The Guide Note is then turned into the Quartermaster so that the Apprentice has access to the other Guide Program NPCs. The NPCs in Sunset Home (cshome) only respond to the appropriate level of Guide and only after they have given the Quartermaster their note. Although the vendor will give them all Guide items available, the Apprentice may only obtain those items approved for their level. See Section 2.0 for a listing of approved Apprentice tools. Once they are trading with the NPC, the Apprentice+ is free to return and obtain their tools at any time. This is particularly important when the tools are lost due to corpse loss or other such anomalies.
Apprentices, Guides, and Senior Guides may not make use of any spells or equipment from normal vendors or the CSR vendors, and may not accept any items from players.
Due to the special abilities of some of the races and classes, members of the Guide program may find themselves able to speak with Sunset Home (cshome) vendors they might not otherwise be able to. These vendors are meant to only be accessed by Avatars of a specific level. Any team member that attempts to speak, view, and/or obtain items from a vendor not normally accessible to him or her will be subject to disciplinary action.
1.10.5.0 Guide Account (last revised 02/20/06)
All members of the Guide program will be assigned a separate Guide account, and will be emailed the appropriate username and password, as well as a troubleshooting guide and some additional instructions. This account will be used for guiding and is where the new Guide's Avatar and tools will reside.
Play characters are not to be created on this account. The only characters allowed to reside upon the Guide account other than a Guide's Avatar are characters specifically created and copied to the account by a CSR+ for SOE approved quests and events or a character specifically created for the purpose of contacting a CSR of another server in the case of emergencies that arise when guiding.
SOE provides a free play account only to members of the Guide program who have attained the rank of Guide+ as a courtesy (see 1.10.10 Promotion to Guide).
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide (last revised 02/20/06)
Shortly after being promoted, a new Guide will receive an exemption for their play account's regular game subscription as long as he/she is active in the Guide Program. This exemption only applies to the play account used to sign up for the program or an alternate designated by the Guide. Note: If the Guide's play account is subscribed to a special subscription package such as Station Access or Station Pass, the account will not become free nor will it have a reduced rate.
To ensure the account has been flagged as free, click on the Account option on the game login screen and view the subscription. The account should be marked “Exempt.” Should the account not be flagged as exempt after promotion, or if there are any other problems with the account, the new Guide should follow the procedures in the troubleshooting guide that was emailed to them upon promotion. If the problem is not addressed in the troubleshooting guide, or if the troubleshooting guide was not received, the Guide should contact his/her SMT and the Guide Liaison to inform them of the problem.**
As SOE provides a free play account to Guides in the Guide Program as a courtesy, refunds will not be issued to Guides for any charges incurred on their play accounts.
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona (last revised 02/20/06)
All players should be treated alike, regardless of whether they happen to also be a member of the Guide Program. The following rules are designed to avoid as much as possible the chance of any Guide Program member from showing favoritism to one another or using their Apprentice+ status to get favorable treatment from others.
Except for EQ-Mac Guides, an Apprentice+ is prohibited from having a play character on the server to which they are assigned to Guide. SWAT members and other Guide Program participants who are SWAT flagged may also have a play character on the same server as a Guide character since SWAT flagged Guides+ have occasions where they may respond on a server where they have one or more play characters. SWAT team members are required to follow the specific rules set forth in the SWAT manual regarding their limitations.
Although members of the Guide program are allowed to share the server name(s) where their play character(s) reside with other members of the Guide program (so that they may play together per 1.5.25), they may not share the name(s) of his/her player character(s). In addition, when they are logged into their Guide server, they may not identify his/her player character(s) to players or other Guides nor may they share their play server name(s) with players. Members of the Guide program are also prohibited from identifying his/her player character(s) on any message board in which he/she speaks in an official capacity (See Section 1.25.15).
When members of the Guide program are logged in as their player character, they may reveal their participation in the Guide program in order to recruit new members from their play server(s). However, they may not use their participation in the Guide program to request favors or demand favoritism from players or Guides. In addition, Guides are not permitted to reveal specific information including, but not limited to, Guide name and Guide server. The only exception is if a CSR+ specifically asks if they are a member of the Guide Program (since he/she could look it up anyway). EQ-Mac exception: because there is only one EQ-Mac server, EQ-Mac Guides may not tell anyone (players or other Guides) that they are a member of the EverQuest Guide Program unless their play characters reside on EQ-PC server(s).
Out in the real world, with family and friends, the Apprentice+ may identify themselves with any of their characters. Also, when members of the Guide Program participate in real world events, such as, but not limited to, Fan Faire, Gen Con, E3, and non-SOE sponsored player gatherings, they may identify themselves as a member of the Guide Program. However, they are bound by the same rules as if they were Guiding in game and should present themselves courteously and professionally. Special care should be taken at these times to avoid revealing Guide Program participation at the same event where they could be identified as a player. Remember also that confidential information (such as bug, exploit, or quest details) should never be revealed or discussed outside the Guide Program (See Section 1.25.5, Section 1.25.10, and Section 1.25.15).
1.15 Absences and Returns (last revised 4/8/04)
1.15.0 Guide Absences (last revised 4/8/04)
All periods of inactivity will be tracked in each person's record on the Guide website. Entries will be made for Apprentice Guides and Guides by the server's Senior Guides; entries for Senior Guides will be made by an Elder Guide or his/her designee.
Should an Apprentice+ not log on to their server during the Guide program week (Friday through Thursday), the Apprentice+ needs to relay a message to his/her Senior(s) stating the reason for the absence.
Some reasons a Guide will lose his/her access to the tools and avatar provided by SOE and the Guide Program:
· If a Guide is absent more than two weeks with no communication with his SMT and does not respond to inquiry emails from his SMT, his/her access will be removed and he/she will be marked inactive.
· If a Guide is absent for more than 3 weeks, regardless of the reason, the Guide will be marked inactive.
Note: When a Guide loses access to the tools and avatar provided, this includes the free status on his/her play account. He/she will need to contact personnel-verant@soe.sony.com to re-join the Guide Program.
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence (last revised 4/8/03)
Prior to requesting reinstatement, any former Apprentice Guide, Guide, or Senior Guide must have either:
The same active EverQuest account that was in use when he/she was originally in the Guide Program; or
An active EverQuest account containing registration information identical to that of the original account used to sign up for the Guide Program.
No allowances for restoring characters lost on a play account, levels, items, and so on will be made.
In order to effectively evaluate the return request, the gaining SMT may request the pertinent database notes from the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.15.5.0 Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return (last revised 02/20/06)
If an Apprentice Guide or Guide needs to be inactive for more than three weeks but less than three months and has a definite date of return, the return may be handled through the server's Senior Guides rather than the Personnel Team.
The following procedure will then be used:
The server's Senior Guides will add a note to the Apprentice Guide's or Guide's record on the Guide website stating that the absence is occurring, the reason for the absence, and the date that the Apprentice Guide or Guide plans to return.
The server's Senior Guides will set the Apprentice Guide or Guide to inactive status.
When the Apprentice Guide or Guide returns, he/she will need to contact a member of his/her server's Senior Guides to return to active status. The server's Senior Guides may reactivate him/her with an action on the PR report.
If the Apprentice Guide or Guide does not make contact with his/her server's Senior Guides by his/her stated return date, or if there is no note in the person's record, then the reinstatement must go through normal channels via the Personnel Team as described in the next section (Section 1.15.5.5).
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return (last revised 04/06/06)
Apprentice Guides or Guides who went on inactive status without a definite return date, those scheduled to be absent for more than three months, or those that failed to return prior to their return date, and returning Senior Guides must follow the below procedure:
§ A request for reinstatement should be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
§ The Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide seeking reinstatement should send an email with the subject of "Returning [Apprentice Guide/Guide/Senior Guide] - Guide Name - Server Name."
§ This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your server name
· A brief explanation of why you resigned (or were removed) and why you wish to rejoin.
The Personnel Team will check records (resignation email and the person's record on the Guide website) and speak with the server's current Senior Guides about the former Apprentice Guide's or Guide's return request. SOE will also check the status of his/her play accounts to verify continued eligibility for the program. The Personnel Team will reach a decision based upon the information gathered and will notify the requestor and the server's Senior Guides of the decision.
If approved for return, the SMT may choose to have an Apprentice attend IRC training for a refresher. The SMT may also request that a returning Guide be returned as an Apprentice with or without IRC training in order to become acquainted with changes that may have occurred during the absence, with the request for temporary demotion of a returning Guide to be reviewed and approved by the Personnel Team Chair.
If the person requesting reinstatement is returning to a game different than the one they guided under prior to their leaving the guide program, it is required that they attend IRC training to become familiar with differences in the new game.
If the person requesting reinstatement is a former Senior Guide or if there are questionable notes in the person's record, an Elder Guide must additionally approve this person's return. The Elder guide may require the former Senior to return to the program at a lower level and/or to another server.
No person requesting a return to the Guide Program after an absence can be guaranteed reinstatement to the same server from which they left, except under Section 1.15.5.0 above. The Personnel Team will try to accommodate a return to the same server, but the needs of the Guide Program may mandate that he/she be reinstated to a different server.
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More (last revised 06/04/06)
If the returning Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide has been absent for 6 months or more, the person, if approved, will return to the Guide Program one rank lower.
Candidates who passed the Guide Application over six months ago who now request entrance to the Guide Program will not have to resubmit the Guide Application.
Returning Apprentice Guides will have to attend IRC Training and start over.
Returning Guides will return as an Apprentice Guide. If they left the program prior to January 2004, they are required to attend IRC Training again to become familiar with the changes to the Guide program.
All returning Apprentice Guides, Guides, and Senior Guides who are requesting to guide on a different game than the one they guided on before their leave must attend IRC Training to become familiar with differences in the new game.
Returning Senior Guides will return as a Guide. After one month, they may request a review for reinstatement to Senior Guide by emailing the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com. The decision to reinstate the person to the rank of Senior Guide will be made by the Elder Guides with input from the server's current Senior Guides.
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases (last revised 02/20/06)
The Guide Program has constant exposure to the EverQuest player base and our actions are under constant scrutiny. We must exhibit the highest standards of behavior and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Reports on the performance of the Guide Program participants are expected to come from many sources, not all of which are reliable. It is to be expected that some unhappy players will file reports simply for not giving them what they want. Conversely, it is expected that some people who are not good candidates for the program will join the team.
Any Guide Program member who cannot follow the policies and procedures, or who is found to not be a "good fit" for the program will be released from the Everquest Guide program. It is much preferred that we keep our own house clean than allowing the player to do this for us.
All members of the Guide Program are responsible for actions not only on their Guide account, but also on their play account(s). Any member of the Guide Program who commits a serious violation of the P&P or EverQuest Users Agreement and Software License on any account can be subject to dismissal from the Guide program. Additionally, disciplinary action may be taken against the play account(s) of the dismissed. This disciplinary action can take the form of suspension or banning, but only the most severe of infractions will result in banning of the play account(s). Examples of serious violations include, but are not limited to: divulging Historic Quest information; posting all or part of the P&P on any public site; extreme abusiveness towards a player, another member of the Guide Program, or an SOE employee; creation of a character with a name which violates rule 1 or 2 of the Naming Policy; and attempting to defraud a Guide or a CSR.
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures (last revised 12/30/06)
Members of the Guide Program deserve at least as much consideration as an average player when an incident report is filed against them. All such reports are handled privately involving only the reporting party and the party that is investigating the complaint. Details regarding the resolution of the report shall not be communicated to the reporting party.* The following procedures are used to ensure a fair review.
A report of misconduct may occur in a public forum or as part of a private conversation with a player. Reports may also be generated directly by Guide Program members or by SOE employees. These reports will not be posted to the message boards or disseminated to anyone other than the appropriate escalation point.*
The person who receives the report should try to ensure that basic information is included. (Char name of the Guide Program member involved, server, date and time, and incident details) This information should then be forwarded privately to the appropriate escalation point:
· Complaints about a Guide or Apprentice should be taken to that Guide or Apprentice's Senior, who will evaluate the issue with Elder Guides.
· Complaints about a Senior Guide should be taken to Elder Guides.
· Complaints about an Elder Guide should be addressed directly to the other remaining Elder Guides via their personal email addresses (note: not the elder-guides@soe.sony.com email alias).* Elder Guide email addresses can be found in section 1.50.10.
· Complaints about CSR's should be sent directly to eqcs@soe.sony.com for review by SOE Customer Service.
The investigator will look into the incident as thoroughly as possible, involving the subject of the report in their investigation. In the case of reports against Guides or Apprentices, the Senior Guide will then inform the Elder Guides with the results of their investigation. The Elder Guides will take whatever actions are appropriate, whether this involves counseling the Guide or removing the Guide from the program.
In cases where the program releases a team member, either the Seniors or Elders will notify SOE, copying the investigator. SOE will then have the character removed. After the character is removed, the individual's SMT will inform them of their removal from the program. It is imperative that the released member not be communicated with prior to the removal, as they represent a threat to the program. It is also important that they be communicated with as soon after their removal as possible, and as discretely as possible, to ensure a clean removal with as few hard feelings as possible. SOE will be notified of routine (e.g. resignations, MIA) releases via the weekly Personnel Reports.
To reiterate, once SOE has removed the team member, it is the responsibility of that member's immediate superior (the Senior for dismissed Apprentices and Guides, the Elders for dismissed Seniors) to locate the person and communicate their change in status as quickly and professionally as possible to reduce the shock and potential hard feelings.
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release (last revised 12/30/06)
Sometimes circumstances arise that require the removal of a guide from the program. Should it be felt that this removal is unjust and unwarranted, the following procedures should be followed to make an appeal:
An email with the subject of "Appeal of Involuntary Release - GuideName" should be emailed to the Personnel Team. This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your Station Name
· A brief explanation of the event(s) which led to the removal. Only the facts should be concentrated on this should include dates (if possible) and names.
· An explanation why it is felt this is an unjust removal. (Phrases like "a guide friend told me" or "a senior friend told me" are unacceptable.)
The Personnel Team Member will check records (removal emails and the Guide database entries) and discuss the appeal from the removed Guide with the SMT. They will also gather any further information about the events that led to the removal, if any exists. All information gathered will then be forwarded to the Elder Guides for review.
The Elder Guides will reach a decision based on the facts presented and inform both the removed and server management teams of their decision.
1.20 Transfers (last revised 02/20/06)
Situations may arise where members of the Guide program wish to transfer to another server, transfer to another EverQuest game, or add another EverQuest game. Examples can include but are not limited to: new servers opening, an established server being under-teamed, or a personal request. These transfers can be either voluntary or involuntary, based on the needs of the Guide Program as determined by the Elder Guides.
The procedures below should be utilized when requesting a voluntary transfer. However, in the event of a personality conflict between the Apprentice+ and their SMT, or if their SMT denies their request to transfer, the Apprentice+ may send the transfer request or appeal directly to the Elder Guides in accordance with Section 1.15.15.
Members of the Guide Program are allowed to guide in up to two games simultaneously. Members of the Guide program transferring to a different EverQuest game or adding an additional game will be transferred at one rank lower than their current level.
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05)
Candidate transfers are sometimes required because the Candidate no longer plays the game or does not wish to Guide for the game to which they were assigned. The Training Server SMT must make a notation in the Candidate's database record on the Guide website regarding the transfer, which should include information such as the date, reason for transfer request, and the game to which he/she wishes to transfer. The transfer is then requested by sending an email to the Guide Liaison via the Personnel Team.
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05)
Apprentice and Guide transfers sometimes occur as a result of a call for volunteers, such as when a new server is being brought up, or as a result of a personal request.
For transfer requests under sections 1.20.5.5 and 1.20.5.10, both SMT's must agree to the transfer. It is the responsibility of SMT members from both servers to disclose and consider the following before agreeing to a transfer request:
· The gaining SMT should be informed of any on-going or recent attendance, DSR posting, or attitude problems, or other issues regarding the Apprentice or Guide's performance as a member of his/her current server team.
· The losing SMT should also send a copy of the pertinent database notes to the gaining SMT.
· Apprentices and Guides should be encouraged to solve problems on their own or with mediation from SMT members when possible. If there are conflicts within the team, the Apprentice or Guide is encouraged to contact the Personnel Team or the Elder Guides for mediation before a transfer is decided upon.
· If a member of either SMT involved in the transfer has reservations, he/she is encouraged to communicate them with the other involved SMT or the Personnel Team.
After both SMT's agree to the transfer, each server will process the Personnel Report actions necessary for the transfer to occur. The SMT losing the Apprentice or Guide will then make the appropriate notations in his/her database record to verify that the transfer is mutually agreed upon and will send an email to the Personnel Team. If the note verifying the agreement is not made in the database record, the transfer will not be processed.
1.20.5.0 Transfer to a new server (last revised 12/05/05)
When a situation arises where volunteers for a new server are sought, a post will be made to the News board on the Guide website by the Elder Guides or the Personnel Team requesting volunteers or to the Senate board asking Seniors to request volunteers from their respective servers. Apprentices, Guides and Senior Guides volunteering for transfers should email the Personnel Team but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
1.20.5.5 Transfer to a specific server (last revised 12/05/05)
Apprentices or Guides who desire a transfer to a specific server should request the transfer through their SMT. The SMT will then contact the SMT on the requested server for their approval. Every effort will be made to accommodate Apprentices or Guides requesting specific servers though, as the best interests of the entire program must be served, there is no guarantee. Should any concerns be raised throughout the process, by a member of either SMT, the Personnel Team, or the Apprentice+ requesting the transfer, the transfer request will be forwarded to the Elder Guides for further review.
Should the Apprentice+ desire a transfer to guide with a friend or family member and the two guides are of the same rank, the two SMT's may handle the request as usual. If they are of two different ranks, the receiving SMT may ask that the lower ranked guide wait until after they are promoted. If the Apprentice+ requesting the transfer would like the transfer processed before then, they may then request an exception from the Elders via the Personnel Team.
After determination is made, the transferring Apprentice or Guide will then be informed by his/her Senior regarding approval or disapproval of the transfer.
1.20.5.10 Transfer without specific server chosen (last revised 02/20/06)
If the Apprentice or Guide desires a transfer but does not have a specific server in mind, his/her Senior should email the Personnel Team. The Apprentice or Guide may also send the email but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
The email should have the subject of: "TRANSFER REQUEST - Guide Name" and contain the following information:
· Guide Name:
· Current Server Guiding On:
· Current Play Servers:
· Reason for Requesting Transfer:
The Personnel Team will look for a suitable server or a choice of servers, if possible, for the Apprentice or Guide. Once a selection has been made, the Apprentice or Guide's Senior will notify the chosen server's SMT about the transfer request.
1.20.5.15 Add or transfer to another game (last revised 02/20/06)
If a member of the Guide program desires to add or transfer to another EverQuest game, his/her Senior should email the Personnel Team. The Apprentice or Guide may also send the email but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
The email should have the subject of: "TRANSFER REQUEST - Guide Name" and contain the following information:
Guide Name:
Current Server Guiding On:
Current Play Servers:
Reason for Request:
o Add Additional Game
o Transfer to Different Game
Game Requested:
The Personnel Team will place the member of the Guide program on an available server. Every effort will be made to accommodate Apprentices or Guides requesting specific servers though, as the best interests of the entire program must be served, there is no guarantee.
Please note that the member of the Guide program must play the game for which they are requesting to Guide (see Section 1.30.10) and they will be transferred at one rank lower than their current level (see Section 2.10).
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests (last revised 12/30/05)
Any Senior Guide desiring a transfer outside of the reason mentioned here should send an email detailing the request to the Personnel Team.
In the event of any Senior transfer situation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the Elder Guides will have final approval, through the Personnel Team.
1.25 Program Obligations (last revised 10/23/02)
1.25.0 Account Security (last revised 12/30/06)
Account Sharing Members of the Guide Program are reminded that the EULA prohibits sharing of accounts, including sharing of your Guide account with others, including other members of the Guide Program.*
Passwords As all Guide accounts are privileged, it is strongly recommended that you change your password periodically; at least every 90 days, and keeping the "strong" password model in mind when creating them. Do not share your password with ANYONE.
Passwords are considered strong if they fit the following criteria:
· Minimum of six characters in length, eight characters recommended
· Alpha-numeric
· Contains at least one special character (e.g. @#$?%^&*)
· Varying case
Compromised Accounts If, for any reason, you believe your Guide account has been accessed by anyone other than yourself, do the following steps immediately:
1. Change your password.
2. Notify the appropriate authorities:
1. Apprentice Guides and Guides:
1. notify at least one of your Senior Guides
2. send an email message to the Elder Guides with a copy to your entire SMT
2. Senior Guides:
1. send an email message to the Elder Guides
3. Members of SWAT:
1. In addition to the above, notify the SWAT Team Chair.
1.25.5 Information Dissemination (last revised 02/20/06)
Questions regarding material available in the manual/.TXT file The EverQuest manual and the eqnews.txt file contain a great deal of information and CS Personnel should encourage people to read it by not answering questions that are answered in these documents. Should a significant number of questions be generated about something that is not in the documentation, effort should be made to have the files updated with the additional information by contacting the Communications Team.
Questions about game specific information. Members of the volunteer Guide Program must never answer questions that give away the game's secrets. These include, but are not limited to: questions about quests, armor, spells, or weapons; locations of objects or NPCs; sending links of any items, whether player or CS equipment. This policy can also be found at 2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets.
In their travels, CS Personnel learn a lot of details and gain insight about Norrath. They see spells and items that will only be accessible through the most difficult quests in the game. They see the bottoms of dungeons and the loot of monsters that may not be generally accessible yet in the game. And they tell NO ONE. This information is part of the mystery of the game. We do not divulge information of this nature to any player for any reason anywhere. If the player wishes to know, they can go find out on their own. Divulging this information to anyone other than a Guide or SOE employee is a violation of policy and one of the more serious offenses a CS member can commit.
Questions about Play Characters Members of the Guide program are not always on duty. When they are off duty, they should continue to play as much as possible on servers where they are not representing the program to ensure that they don’t lose contact with the player’s perspective of the game. At no time does a member of the Guide Program reveal the identity of one of these player character(s) to players or other members of the Guide Program. Additionally, a member of the Guide Program will not identify his player character(s) on any message board in which he speaks in an official capacity.
When members of the Guide program are logged in as their player character, they may reveal their participation in the Guide program in order to recruit new members from their play server(s). However, they may not use their participation in the Guide program to request favors or demand favoritism from players or Guides. In addition, Guides are not permitted to reveal specific information including, but not limited to, Guide name and Guide server. The only exception is if a CSR+ specifically asks if they are a member of the Guide Program (since he/she could look it up anyway). EQ-Mac exception: because there is only one EQ-Mac server, EQ-Mac Guides may not tell anyone (players or other Guides) that they are a member of the EverQuest Guide Program unless their play characters reside on EQ-PC server(s) (see 1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona).
Members of the Guide program are allowed to share the server name(s) where their play character(s) reside with other members of the Guide program so that they may play together (see 1.5.25 Playing with Guides).
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Players (last revised 02/20/06)
The official communication channels between SOE and EverQuest players are the EverQuest web site at http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/index.vm and the eqnews.txt file which is resident on every player’s PC in the EQ directory. This file is also seen on the patch screen and is accessible by pressing the News button on the Server Select Screen or below the EverQuest chat screen. Players should be referred to these sources on a regular basis for any information that the SOE team wishes to communicate to the entire user base.
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards (last revised 02/20/06)
Members of the Guide Program Posting to Public Boards
As members of the CS team travel about outside the game, they can frequent news groups, bulletin boards, and other messaging media where players congregate and discuss the game. These sites include, but are not limited to: EQ Caster’s Realm, Allakhazam, and other bulletin boards of the same type, including SOE-operated message boards.
Members of the CS team are free to post to these boards as they wish with a few restrictions:
They may not indicate they are members of the Guide Program (See Section 1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona). *This includes posting under the name of your Guide avatar, regardless of whether you indicate your Guide status.
They may not answer questions specific to CS policy.
They may not post privileged information released to the Guide Program in advance of public release.
They may not post all or part of the P&P on any public site.
They must adhere to the Policies and Procedures of the Guides when discussing in-game material (See Section 1.25.5 Questions about Game Specific Information).
They must not include information, stories, background, announcements, or anything else related to a Quest. (See Section 3.0.40 Quest Disclosure)
Guide Volunteers
The Elders Guides may choose certain Guides to post specific information on to the SOE forums. They will be assigned a specific account and Guide flagging on the forums. They are encouraged to post frequently but must submit any post to the Elder and SOE before posting.
These Guides are not encouraged to converse with players, but are encouraged to have the FAQ and Guide Application links in their signatures.
The Guide Volunteers are allowed to post:
Up and coming events, quests, or weddings
Recap of events, quests, or weddings done
Guide submitted short stories
Guide of the Month announcements
Submissions for the EverQuest forums
Submissions for the EverQuest forums are to be submitted to the Elder Guides via the Elder email alias for approval and subsequent posting.
1.25.20 DSR's (last revised 12/30/06)
The Daily Shift Report
· All members of the Guide Program will post a DSR (Daily Shift Report ) covering highlights of their shift (including quests, events, and notable issues) and any other duties performed for the Guide Program (quest administration, Coordinator duties, etc.).
· The DSR must be posted within 72 hours of completing a shift.
· The DSR is to be posted on the Guide's home server message board in the appropriate area designated for these reports. The EverQuest Guide web site is located at https://guide.everquest.com.
· Each separate type of activity (quests, events, assisting players, etc.) shall be posted in its own DSR*to assist the SMT in compiling their weekly and monthly reports.
· Customer Service activity is to be included in the Guide’s Misc RP DSR. If there is no player interaction beyond the Customer Service activity, a DSR is not to be posted.
· The amount of time spent online is required to be reported in the case of Misc RP DSRs.
· Time spent online that does not meet the requirements set forth in 1.30.15.0, 1.30.20.0, 1.30.25, or 1.30.30.0 is not required to be posted.
· Coordinator duties may only be posted by Apprentice Guides and Guides. The administration duties expected of Senior Guides are evaluated by the Elder Guides’ review of the servers’ WSR and MSR.
Subject Line
The subject line of the DSR shall contain the quest/event number and class for any quests or events in which the Apprentice+ participated, the number of roleplaying sessions, or the type of duties contained in the DSR body (CS) activities, Coordinator duties, etc.) Information regarding the quest/event is available from the quest/event script or the approved quest/event pools on the Guide website.
"4/17/2004 - Quest #836 Class B"
"4/17/2004 - Misc Roleplay - 2 sessions
"4/17/2004 - Coordinator Duties"
Message Body *
The body of the DSR should contain the following information:
· Highlights of the quest, event, or other "roleplay" activity performed.* In the case of Misc Roleplay DSRs, the amount of time spent online should be included in the message body.
· A list of all NLZ’s entered with details of any actions taken there
· A list of all becomes performed
· A list of all surnames granted
· Highlights of any extraordinary or unusual events that occurred during the shift.
Player Information Personal information should never be requested of a player nor posted to the Guide website (See Section 1.0.15.0 Requesting Information).
1.25.25 WSR's (last revised 4/26/04)
Weekly Server Report
By midnight Friday each week, a Senior Guide will post to the Report Chamber a weekly server report for the previous Guide week (Friday through Thursday).
This report should include, but is not limited to:
Number of Seniors for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of Guides for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of Apprentices for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of each type of quest performed that week and feedback/comments
Number of roleplay characters logged on that week
Events performed that week and feedback/comments
Major issues/concerns/feedback
1.25.30 MSR's (last revised 5/25/04)
Monthly Server Status Report
By the 10th of each month, a Senior Guide will email a monthly server status report for the most recently completed week to the Elder Guides.
This report should include, but is not limited to:
A list of all Guides (excluding SWAT Guides) with:
o Guide name
o Last Guide board post
o From Avatar reports, last login date.
o Total Quests performed for the most recently completed Guide week (Friday through Thursday).
o Total Roleplay Sessions for the most recently completed Guide week.
For Apprentice/Guides that have not logged on within the last 3 weeks, an explanation of why they are still active
Number of Quests/Events performed for the most recently completed Guide week.
Number of weddings performed for the most recently completed Guide week and how many lastnames placed.
Number of family names placed.
A list of any Guides that warrant additional attention and why (habitually absent, attitude problems, etc.)
A list of your future plans
Any information you wish to a bring to the attention of the Elders and SOE.
1.30 Avatars - Levels and Descriptions (last revised 10/23/02)
1.30.0 Avatar Changes (last revised 12/30/06)
The avatar change period will run for the first two weeks of each January, March, May, July, September, and November.* Note: Any new race or class that is released will not be made available to members of the Guide Program until three months have passed from the original release date.
· Apprentices are allowed to change their avatar when they are buffed to Guide or once every two months.
· Guides+ are allowed to change their avatar once every four months.
Avatar Change Procedure:
1. The Apprentice+ notifies their SMT with the request. This request needs to include the following:
o Race
o Class
o Gender
o Items carried that cannot be bought from a CS Home vendor, such as special items provided by SOE employees. (i.e., Asherah's torch is a repeatable quest and need not be included nor do illusion items that can be replaced by the Senior Guides).
2. A first name change may be requested at this time per Section 1.10.0.0 but will only be granted if the avatar change makes the name change necessary.
3. The SMT verifies that all the special items are already recorded in the Guide Database. They will then add a record stating that the Apprentice+ is changing avatars. The record will include the date of the requested change and the current Race/Class Gender and requested Race/Class/Gender.
4. After making the appropriate database entries and after compiling all the requests, the SMT notifies the Personnel Team by emailing the information (i.e., completed avatar change form) to personnel-verant@soe.sony.com. If applicable, the SMT will include the date and time that they will be conducting their ceremony.
5. The SMT will instruct the Apprentice+ to delete their avatar and remake it with the same name on the day of the ceremony. If they have problems getting their name, they should create their avatar with a similar name and the SMT will then submit a forced name request to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides. Permanent name changes, as detailed under bullet #2, must be submitted to the Elders for approval per Section 1.10.0.0.
6. At the ceremony, the Senior will distribute the appropriate note(s). If the items include an Achievement Award that processes a race change to the race that the Guide has selected, the Guide may elect to swap out the award for a different race-changing item. Otherwise, the Guide shall receive those exact items listed in their database.
1.30.5 Avatar Levels (last revised 5/24/04)
There are five levels of participation in the EverQuest Guide Program: Candidate, Apprentice Guide, Guide, Senior Guide, and Elder Guide. There are three levels of SOE employees performing CS services: CSR, CSR Supervisor, and Head CSR
1.30.10 Candidates (last revised 02/20/06)
Candidates are those who have expressed an interest in becoming part of the Guide program by completing the Guide application. They have passed the application process, have had their age verified and are awaiting further contact for entrance into the program. In the tradition of "walking a mile in his moccasins," no player can be considered a candidate for Apprentice Guide until they have played a minimum of two characters up to at least 10th level. Without this experience, it is not possible to understand the frustrations a player can feel. Exception: EverQuest Guides may request transfer to another game provided they have a minimum of one play character in that game.
A Candidate will not be assigned to a server on which they have a play character. Should the candidate play on the server to which they are assigned, they should contact the EverQuest Guide Program member who sent them their invitation e-mail to be reassigned. Only current SWAT members, Elder Guides, and Team Chairpersons, should ever have a play character on any server on which they maintain a permanent Guide Avatar. Exception: Because it is a requirement to play the game that they guide for, it is acceptable to have a guide character on the same server on which they play for those games that have only one server available (i.e., EQ-Mac).
The below candidate requirements stay in effect for the entire career of the Guide within the program:
1. The candidate must be 18 years of age or older.
2. The candidate must have at least two characters that have attained level 10.
3. The candidate must have a substantially clean play account record.*
4. The candidate must not work (volunteer or paid) for a competitor of SOE in the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) market.
5. The candidate must not run or staff a spoiler site, an exploit site, or any site that supports the dissemination of information that is in violation of these policies.
1.30.15 Apprentices (last revised 4/8/04)
Apprentice Guides are members of the Guide Program who have been chosen from the list of Candidates and are under review by the Senior Guide(s) on the server to determine their suitability for the Program. They have limited powers and are mostly concerned with roleplay. Due to the sheer amount of information that an Apprentice must digest and the many and varied situations they must face, the Apprentice must remain as such for no less than two weeks from his/her buffing day. There is no maximum time limit to remaining an Apprentice. Should they desire, an Apprentice may remain at that level indefinitely. However, Apprentices that do not desire promotion must limit themselves to roleplay activities only. Players that request assistance should be advised to utilize the ticket system.
During their Apprenticeship, Apprentices wishing promotion are mentored by Guides until they are comfortable addressing player issues on their own. Each server's Senior Guide(s) can tailor the Apprentice's training to suit the needs of the server, so long as every effort is made to adhere to the restrictions set forth in the P&P. The Senior Guides and other experienced Guides on a server will monitor the Apprentice Guides on that server, providing guidance and assessing their performance.
Apprentices are allowed to explore freely any area, with the exception of zones designated in Section 2.15 as "No Loitering Zones." No member of the Guide Program may be bound to any restricted zone.
1.30.15.0 Responsibilities of the Apprentice Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of the Apprentice Guides are to:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
The things an Apprentice does not do are:
Enter No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0 for any reason.
Assist players unless they are working towards a promotion to Guide and are accompanied by a full Guide.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Reprimand fellow members of the Guide program (to include any form of hazing - see Section 1.0.5).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.20 Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Guides Guides are the mainstay of the Guide Program and are the most numerous rank. When all of the Senior Guide(s) approve an Apprentice on their server, he/she is promoted to Guide.* Once promoted to Guide, it is possible to remain one indefinitely.
Problems Not Resolvable Problems that are not resolvable in a reasonable amount of time or those that involve an angry player who cannot be placated should be escalated to the Server Management Team or any CSR who is currently on-line.
When there is a serious problem with a player, or when there is a problem that affects a large portion of the on-line server population, it is important that the Guide request assistance from their Senior Guides, a SWAT Senior, or via the CSR/SWAT Help forum as soon as possible.
1.30.20.0 Responsibilities of a Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of a Guide are to:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Assist players as requested.
Assist Apprentices that are working towards promotion to Guide.
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
The things a Guide does not do are:
Explore No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Reprimand fellow members of the Guide program (to include any form of hazing - see Section 1.0.5).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Each server should ideally have several "teams" for the major focus areas that time has shown tend to get grouped together for administration purposes. The SMT for each server should establish a minimum and maximum number of guides for the teams, unless specified in this document, so that this information can be shared with the full Guides on their server(s).
When a position on one of the server teams becomes available, all Full Guides interested may apply. If more Guides apply than there are positions, the SMT should vote on whom to fill the position(s), or how to best utilize the skills of those who have applied. Guides not given an assignment on a server team should have a note added to their personnel file for future consideration for when additional positions are available or they have gained the skills to take on a more active or different role.
Guide Level Coordinators are not losing any responsibilities but are gaining additional responsibilities. As a result, Coordinators are expected to contribute additional time each week. Coordinators that are unable to complete their Guide Responsibilities as detailed in 1.30.20.0, in addition to their Coordinator duties, will not be removed from the program but will be relieved of the Coordinator position and may reapply for the position after 30 days.
Server teams can be administered as deemed by the SMT, within the guidelines of this document. It is up to the SMT what members of the server teams are called except where otherwise specified as in the case of Quest Coordinator and Event Coordinator. However, the title "Lieutenant" or other title that implies a position or rank above other full Guides, is not permitted. In addition, Guide Coordinators have no authority over any other member of the Guide program. Only Senior Guides have the authority to manage the Guide program on their server(s).
At no time does membership on any server team imply candidacy for Senior Guide or guarantee future promotion. However, Senior Guide candidates will be evaluated on their participation in server teams. For tracking purposes, full Guides serving on server teams must have notes added to their personnel records by their Senior Guides indicating their current assignment.
It is recommended that Guides performing duties on server teams rotate duties within guidelines defined by their SMTs. While some Guides are better at some duties than others, a well-rounded Guide is more useful to the server and the Guide Program as a whole than one who only knows one aspect of server administration.
The major focus areas which servers may opt to implement server teams for are:
Administration - The Admin Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the accuracy of various duties at the discretion of the SMT. Examples of duties include weekly status reports, attendance tracking, and bug report compilation.
Training - The Training Coordinator is responsible for coordinating Apprentice and Guide training, mentoring, and other duties per the SMT's discretion.
Quest - See Section 3.0.10
Event - See Section 3.10.5
1.30.30 Senior Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Senior Guides are Guides who are willing to invest extra time in the Program. Senior Guides are not losing any responsibilities, but are gaining additional responsibilities. As a result, Seniors are expected to contribute additional time each week. There will be an optimum number of three Senior Guides per server, although this number may fluctuate depending on server need and the pool of available candidates. They handle the more difficult problems, and the administration of their server. Senior Guides continue to assist players with requests for assistance and are also responsible for communicating with the Elders and SOE to administrate their server(s).
Senior Guides may also have duties that are program-wide in addition to the responsibilities for their assigned server(s). Seniors should have a clear understanding of when they are acting on behalf of their assigned server(s), and when they are acting in a program-wide capacity, and should be able to represent both of these views appropriately. Seniors should always be aware that they are held to a higher standard and should act appropriately at all times.
Senior Guides audit the Guides and Apprentices and coordinate the dynamic quests and events on their server(s). The Senior Guides for a particular server are responsible for the success of the Guide Program on that server, in all aspects.
Senior Guides are created from the ranks of the Guides when there is a suitable candidate and when a review of each server's need makes it a reasonable action. The process for nominating and promoting a Senior is described in Section 1.30.30.5.
Senior Guide Escalations Senior Guides handle escalations from their Guides and provide another level of customer service, especially to angry or dissatisfied players. They support the Guides in all aspects of their service to players, taking referrals from the Guides when a player refuses to be satisfied.
Senior Guides Response to Exception Incidents At the report of an Exception Incident (Abuse, Disruption, or Exploitation), the Senior will submit a ticket and do nothing more than gather information and await the arrival of a CSR.
Transfer of Senior Guides Senior Guides transferring within the same game may retain their current rank. However, Senior Guides transferring to a different EverQuest game or adding an additional game will be transferred to the Training Server at one rank lower than their current level.
Demotion of Senior Guides There are times when a Senior Guide is unable to continue to fulfill his/her responsibilities, but wishes to remain in the Guide Program. He/she may email the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com who will evaluate the request. If approved, the Senior Guide will revert to the rank of Guide and may be transferred to a different server. An information copy of all correspondence should also be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
There are times when someone promoted to the rank of Senior Guide may not be able to adequately perform his/her responsibilities. The Elder Guides may demote a Senior Guide to the rank of Guide.
Resignation of Senior Guides There are times when a Senior Guide is unable to continue to fulfill his/her responsibilities and unable to remain in the Guide Program. He/she may email the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com to submit their resignation. In addition, an information copy should be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.30.30.0 Responsibilities of a Senior Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of the Senior Guides for their particular server are:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Assist players as requested.
Assist Apprentices that are working towards promotion to Guide.
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
Manage the Guide Program on their server
Monitor server staffing
Train and mentor new apprentices
Audit apprentice and guide activity to ensure server staffing
Coordinate dynamic quests and events for their server
Assist Elders as needed
Provide the communication focal point for their server, passing information from the Elders, Guide Liaison, and SOE to their Guide population and reporting server status via weekly and monthly reports to the Elders and SOE.
Responsible for the success of the Guide Program on their server
The things a Senior Guide does not do are:
Explore No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.30.5 Becoming a Senior Guide (last revised 12/05/05)
Guides wishing to be considered for promotion to Senior Guide are encouraged to notify their SMT of their interest as soon as possible. The process to become a Senior Guide requires significant commitment and the learning of additional duties. A nomination is never automatic. It should never be assumed that one would be considered for Senior Guide based on longevity in the program or due to taking on additional duties. While interest can be expressed at any time, the Elder Guides determine when more Seniors need to be added.
Nomination Requirements: Any Guide wishing to become a Senior Guide should be aware of the following criteria. These criteria will be applied to each nomination to help the Elder Guides assess whether a candidate is, in their opinion, able to handle the additional responsibilities of this role:
· A minimum of nine months as a Full Guide
· Experience in organizing Quests and participating in them
· Experience in Training Apprentices and monitoring their performance (will be obtained or assessed on the Training server)
· Experience in assisting the SMT with server Administration tasks (such as compiling WSRs/MSRs and tracking Guide/Apprentice activity)
· Possessing the ten qualities that make a good Guide (courteous, empathetic, patient, decisive, humble, consistent, committed, honest, creative, tolerant)
· Endorsement from at least one member of their SMT
· Good communication skills in dealing with both players and other volunteer staff
· Responsible handling of player issues
· Thorough understanding of the P&P, both in terms of the spirit of the document and also the specific policy contained in it
· Excellent record as a Guide
· Demonstrated commitment to go above and beyond what the average Guide would do.
· Willingness to be placed on another server
Nomination Period: Nomination period is continuously open.
Nomination Procedure: Guides have two methods to achieve review for a promotion to Senior Guide:
1. SMT Nomination: (The Guide must have served a minimum of nine months as a full Guide). The SMT emails the Personnel Team (personnel-verant@soe.sony.com) stating their desire to have the Guide reviewed for promotion.
2. Self-Nomination: (The Guide must have served a minimum of twelve months as a full Guide). The Guide then concurrently emails his/her SMT and the Personnel Team (personnel-verant@soe.sony.com) stating his/her desire to be reviewed for promotion.
Promotion Procedure - EQ-Mac: After the nomination is received, the Personnel Team will collect from the candidate and their SMT any information required by the Elders to make an informed assessment. The information will then be forwarded to the Elders Guides for review.
Promotion Procedure - EQ-PC:
After the nomination is received, the Personnel Team will transfer the Guide to the Training Server for evaluation and Senior training. The Training Server will accept Senior Trainees as their capacity permits, depending on current staffing. A waiting list will be kept by Personnel, and as openings come up, additional Senior candidates will be moved in for training. No guarantee of promotion exists - Promotion must be earned by demonstration of skills, knowledge, interpretation of the P&P, and the tact required of a Senior Guide.
The Training Server will submit the names of those that have successfully completed Senior training to the Elders. The Elders have the right to deny promotion if conditions come to light that were not known by the trainers. This could include issues with their play account or reports that they have behaved unprofessionally, or any other issue that might be brought to their attention by SOE and/or players or by researching emails or past posts.
After promotion, the new Senior will be sent to a new server. This will help to ensure that he/she is treated as equals to the other, more "seasoned" members of the SMT and to ensure they are not continued to be treated as Guides by their former peers.
1.30.35 Elder Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Elder Guides are the consulting and management arm of the Guide Program. They are responsible for the welfare of the Guide Program as a whole. Elder Guides are the highest escalation point in the Guide Program. Elders jointly share the responsibilities, each being responsible for a portion of the issues that arise on the servers, and for the team or teams that fall under his/her sphere of influence. Elders will periodically rotate their responsibilities in order to maintain an overall perspective of the issues of the Program as a whole. Elders have the authority to issue instructions different from those listed in the P&P.
If a determination is made to promote a new Elder(s), the following procedure will be followed:
SOE Management, in conjunction with the existing Elders and Team Chairs, will determine that a need for an additional Elder Guide exists.
SOE Management needs to approve the addition of any new Elder(s) before any further action is taken.
An invitation to the Seniors will be made on the Senate to nominate one Senior (themselves or another) to be considered for the role. ONLY Seniors may participate in the Nomination Process. ONLY Seniors that have had that position for 6 months or longer will be considered. The nomination period will be open for not less than 2 weeks. When an open nomination is announced, send an email to the Guide Liaison make the subject line "Elder Nomination: (name of candidate)." Only the name of the Senior to be considered should be sent to the Guide Liaison. No other information is requested at this point in the process.
The names will be compiled by the Guide Liaison. This list will then be researched jointly by the Guide Liaison, SOE Management, and current Elders. Each nominee will be thoroughly investigated as to time in the program, posts, time spent on line, duties assumed, demonstrated abilities to work well with others both on their own servers and with SOE personnel, communication abilities, and other factors as relevant.
New Elders will be selected SOLELY based on the research and investigations done.
Final selections will be made jointly by the SOE Management and current Elders. If there are less than 2 Elders to participate in the selection process, then the Team Chairs along with the SOE Management and the incumbent Elder (if any) will make the selection jointly on behalf of the Program.
Elder candidates must have the support of a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those individuals making the final selection(s) before being promoted.
Responsibilities of the Elder Guides
Elder Guides are responsible for all aspects of the Guide Program. Among these are:
Resolution of issues concerning Apprentices, Guides, and Seniors that could not be worked out to everyone's satisfaction through normal channels (the SMT primarily, in some instances, the Personnel Team).
Review of Senior activity to ensure that each Senior Guide is fulfilling his/her agreed obligation to the Program and to his/her assigned server(s) (if any). · Final decision on the promotion, demotion, and removal of Senior Guides when necessary.
Guidance of the various EverQuest Program Teams to ensure that all Teams continue to strive towards the same end result. This includes approval of all Policies that are to be included as part of the P&P manuals.
Selection and approval of the EverQuest Program Team Chairs should an opening arise.
Coordination with SOE on upcoming changes so that the Program and SOE maintain like goals within EverQuest Guide Program.
Elders are responsible to each other. They provide mutual support, make joint decisions, and strive to make sure that the responsibilities are fairly distributed among themselves.
Removal or Demotion of an Elder Guide
If there are 3 or more Elder Guides:
In the event that a majority of existing Elder Guides combined with SOE Management feel that one or more Elder Guides is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities to the program as evidenced by:
Repeated failure to communicate to the other Elders, SOE, or the various Team Chairs of their whereabouts for an extended period of time (not less than one week)
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team, making it necessary to redistribute them to the other Elder Guides
Then the Elder Guides, in conjunction with SOE Management, may vote to remove or demote the Elder providing a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those voting concur with this decision. Whether to replace the Elder will be considered separately per above, in Section 1.30.35 paragraph one.
If there are 2 or less Elder Guides:
In the event that a majority of existing Elder Guides, in conjunction with SOE Management and the EverQuest Team Chairs, feel that one or more Elder Guides is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities to the program as evidenced by:
Repeated failure to communicate to the other Elders, SOE, or the various Team Chairs of their whereabouts for an extended period of time (not less than one week)
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team, making it necessary to redistribute them to the other Elder Guides
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team so that some responsibilities are no longer able to be performed due to lack of available personnel
Then the existing Elder Guide(s), in conjunction with SOE Management and the EverQuest Team Chairs, may vote to remove or demote the Elder providing a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those voting concur with this decision. Whether to replace the Elder will be considered separately per above, in Section 1.30.35 paragraph one.
1.30.40 SOE CSRs (last revised 02/20/06)
SOE Customer Service Personnel
The CSRs are employees of SOE and administer customer service. The most commonly encountered avatar levels for CSRs are GM-Staff, GM-Admin, and GM-Lead Admin. There are other avatar levels; however, they are generally not involved in player relations. Avatar levels are related to a CSR's access level, and are not necessarily a denotation of his/her position or authority. CSRs have several different positions, each with different responsibilities and levels of authority. CSRs may not issue instructions to members of the Guide program that are contrary to the P&P. Exception: the Customer Relations Manager or Guide Liaison has the authority to issue instructions different from those listed in the P&P.
CSR: In general, CSRs are part of a team designed to help out those servers with the higher petition counts. They may have an assigned server, but also assist with customer service issues on various servers, as necessary. Their main duties are to maintain a low petition volume, assist with emergencies, and handle issues causing an excessive number of petitions. They may also cover a server when the server's assigned CSR is not available.
All CSRs have the authority to make exceptions to policies regarding customer related issues, such as reimbursements, restorations, etc. Generally, they work together with their Supervisor on such instances to provide consistent and fair resolutions. The most common avatar level of a CSR is GM-Admin, but may also have GM-Staff level access.
CSR Supervisor: A CSR Supervisor is the supervisor of the CSRs. They are responsible for the administration of customer service across all servers. However, they do have several assigned servers over which they supervise.
SOE Management: SOE Customer Service Management consists of the Vice President of Customer service, the Customer Relations Manager, CSR Supervisor, and the Guide Liaison. Working together with the Elder Guides, they direct EverQuest Customer service, with the Elders being responsible for Guide Program administration, and SOE CS Management being responsible for the CSRs.
1.30.45 The Server Management Team (SMT) (last revised 02/20/06)
The Server Management Team (SMT) consists of the Senior Guides assigned to a particular server. The SMT works together as a team to effectively manage the guide program on their server.
1.35 Is a Team for YOU? (last revised 04/12/06)
Three of these Teams exist to help streamline the decision-making process in EverQuest CS. These three teams have, to some extent, the ability to affect the actions of other members of the EverQuest Guide Program:
The Communications Team is charged with broad responsibilities such as communications within the Guide Program, determining when a post on various Guide Boards needs to be locked, or even removed, and with facilitating communication between SOE and the Guide Program. THIS TEAM IS CURRENTLY INACTIVE. HOWEVER, ALL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CORRESPONDENCE MAY STILL BE DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ALIAS FOR DISSEMINATION BY THE ELDER GUIDES.
The Personnel Team initially (with SMT feedback) approves most reinstatement requests, many of the transfer requests, and can act as a liaison between Guides and their SMTs in case of conflicts.
The Policy Team is responsible for collecting input on and interpreting the Policies and Procedures of EverQuest CS, as well as maintaining EverQuest CS core policy documents.
In the interest of making sure that these types of activities have the broadest possible input from members of the Program, no one may belong to more than one of these three teams simultaneously. This is to prevent the same group of people from making all decisions and to ensure the most representative group of team members possible.
The other Teams (Grading, Training, SWAT, NDCS, and Tech), while each affect the entire program as a whole; do not have any actual approval/denial authority over any existing Apprentices, Guides, or Seniors. Therefore, a program member can join these teams, along with any ONE of the three Teams above (if eligible for and accepted by the various teams, of course).
Each Team may consist of Guides, Senior Guides, and SOE employees (see the Team descriptions below for more information). When serving on a Team, rank does not have its privileges and all members have an equal voice. The team members are valued members of the Guide Program and SOE, each there to meet as equals in an attempt to bring their unique experiences and viewpoints to their respective teams. They provide the creative talent and the thoughtful participation that is required to help the various teams achieve their goals within EverQuest CS.
Each Team has one Senior Guide, a Team Chairperson, who is selected by the Elders, with input from SOE Management. The Chairperson of each Team is responsible for maintaining his/her respective Team members, coordinating the Team efforts, setting goals and seeing these goals are met, and communicating the results to the appropriate EverQuest Guide program members. The Chairpersons work hand in hand with both the Elders and SOE employees to ensure their team's goals and efforts are consistent with the goals and efforts of the other teams and of SOE. As these various responsibilities can be time intensive depending on the Team, membership, prior experience with the team, upcoming changes, etc., Chairpersons are not required to also be a part of an SMT or assigned to a specific server, but may continue to do so with Elder approval.* If not assigned to a home server, Team Chairs may log into EverQuest when necessary, as dictated by the requirements of the team they are responsible for.* When participating on a Server they are not assigned to, they must conform to the general guidelines of the program ( i.e., filing DSRs, etc.).
No team may have unlimited membership. The number of members permitted on each team will be determined between each team Chairperson and the Elders based upon the amount of activity to be accomplished and the time frame in which to complete the various activities. This membership number therefore, can change over time as needed and approved.
Some teams permit both Guides and Seniors and some are Senior rank only. Brand new Seniors have much to learn about their new rank, and when first joining a team, a brand new team member will also have much to learn about the Team they are joining. Therefore, Seniors may only be a member of any team during the first 3 months of their senior-ship with the express consent of the Elder Guides. Consent will be given on a case-by-case basis. For the teams that permit both Guides and Seniors, Guides that are promoted to Senior rank after already being a part of a team may be required to take some time off (not necessarily a full three months) from the Team at the discretion of the Team Chairperson and with approval of the Elder Guides. This requirement will be based on the amount of time already on the Team, the amount of activity expected of the Team member over those beginning months as a Senior, and other input. Newly promoted Guides must wait three months before becoming a member of a Team.
The Team descriptions below will elaborate more on the specific needs and responsibilities of each Team.
1.35.0 Communications Team (last revised 02/20/06)
THIS TEAM IS CURRENTLY INACTIVE. HOWEVER, ALL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CORRESPONDENCE MAY STILL BE DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ALIAS FOR DISSEMINATION BY THE ELDER GUIDES.
The Communications Team facilitates day-to-day communications between SOE and the Guide Program, communications within the Guide Program, and communications between the Guide Program and the player population. This mission is accomplished through the ongoing identification of requirements and constraints, the establishment and maintenance of multiple communication paths, and the streamlining of existing communication paths. This is handled through a variety of methods including, but not limited to: the compilation of WSRs, the EQCS and Appadmin e-mail, the Guide Program website, direct communications with SOE management, and interactions with the players through several forums that include the patch message server, the official EverQuest website, and EverQuest fan websites.*
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides, CSR's, the Guide Liaison, and select members of SOE Management. The team can be reached by emailing eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com .
1.35.5 Personnel Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Personnel Team is responsible for facilitating and assisting with all of the personnel needs of the Guide Program. The Team handles a variety of issues including, but not limited to: management of server staffing levels, appeals, reinstatement and transfer requests. The Personnel Team also collates information regarding Guides' anniversary posts.
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides, the Elder Guide(s), and the Guide Liaison. The team can be reached by emailing personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.10 Grading Team (last revised 10/21/02)
The Grading Team is responsible for the grading of applications submitted from individuals interested in joining the Guide Program. The team also assists in the maintenance of the Guide application itself when necessary.*
This team's membership is comprised of Guides, Senior Guides, and CSRs. Membership to the team requires recommendations from two-thirds of the SMT and the ability to grade a recommended 10 applications per week. The team can be reached at guide-graders@soe.sony.com .
1.35.15 SWAT (System Wide Assistance Team) (last revised 02/25/06)
The System Wide Assistance Team (SWAT) is a flexible group of seasoned Guides and Seniors who are universally flagged to assist on all servers. The team exists to meet rapidly changing demands for customer service in the dynamic and growing world of EverQuest.
SWAT is run almost exactly like a server team, and being a member of SWAT carries an extra level of participation above and beyond that of one's home server. Team membership is comprised of both Guides and Seniors.
Typical responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Mentoring Apprentices
Filling in on new servers until they can be staffed
Aiding on special quests or when actors are unavailable
General Assistance (server crashes, stuck players, sleeping players, etc)
At the SMT’s request, the SWAT Chair may distribute Loquitious notes in their absence.
Membership to the team is open to Guides and Seniors who have been at their respective rank for at least three months, and requires recommendations from their SMT. SWAT requires that team members do at least one event/quest from start to its conclusion or two role-playing sessions per week. Role-playing sessions include weddings, persistent characters, and answer circles.
SWAT duties are in addition to all responsibilities on their home servers and must be performed in accordance with the SWAT Manual and the P&P. Activity on the Guide's home server will be monitored by the SWAT Chair. Anyone not consistently meeting both home server and SWAT requirements will be asked to step down from the team.
The team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. To apply for membership, please email swat-verant@soe.sony.com with your interest.
1.35.20 Training Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Training Team is responsible for the Apprentice IRC training programs and helps to maintain training standards and protocol program-wide. This team is responsible for the introductory training an Apprentice must receive before becoming a member of the Guide Program.
In order to join the team, Guides must have at least three months of experience, which must include training of incoming Apprentices on their server, and recommendations from at least 2/3 of their SMT. All members of the team must be able to devote the time to attend and assist with one of the two Apprentice Training sessions held each weekend in IRC.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. The team can be reached at guide-trainers@soe.sony.com for questions or for an application to join the team.
1.35.25 Policy Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Policy Team is responsible for collecting input on and updating the Policies and Procedures Manual, the Senior Manual, and the Admin Procedures Manual as well as reviewing all Guide program documents for policy compliance. In addition, the Policy Team is solely responsible for issuing an official interpretation of the Policies and Procedures Manual. The Policy Team also collects item/command requests and removes or edits inappropriate posts to the Guide website.
The team discusses, drafts, and ratifies policies based on input received from members of the Guide Program and SOE Management and forwards these policies for review by the Elder Guide(s) and SOE Management.
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides and CSRs. The team can be reached at policies-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.30 NDCS (Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society) (last revised 4/26/04)
NDCS is responsible for all Persistent Character revamps, Quests and Events that are designed for players and for Guides. The Team handles a variety of issues including but not limited to:
NDCS proposal development for other teams and SOE consideration in relation to Quests and Events.
Contributions to the Quest and Event pools.
Creation, editing of, and management for Quests; Special Use Characters, such as Festival Characters and Storytellers; Persistent Characters; Historic Characters; and Events.
NDCS works closely with SOE, Quest/Events Coordinators, SMTs, and members of the Guide program.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides, Senior Guides, and CSR's. The team can be reached by emailing ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.35 Tech Team (last revised 4/26/04)
The Tech Team is responsible for the technical issues that arise within the Guide program. The Tech Team will answer technical questions from the Guide program such as EverQuest crashing, system errors, etc. via the EverQuest Guide website and e-mail.
Members of the team must be technically skilled and have a fair amount of time and experience with operating systems, troubleshooting and playing EverQuest, modifying EverQuest configuration files, and customizing the EverQuest user interface.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. The team can be reached at tech-team@soe.sony.com.
1.35.40 Roleplay Team (last revised 12/05/05)
The Roleplay Team is responsible for Apprentice, Guide, and Senior roleplay training programs. This team is responsible for roleplay workshops and introductory roleplay training for members of the Guide program via IRC.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. Members of the team must be able to devote the time to attend and assist with one training session per month. The team can be reached at roleplay-team@soe.sony.com.
1.40 Tools of the Trade (Commands) (last revised 10/23/02)
1.40.0 All Levels (last revised 02/20/06)
/AFK Guides - At no time may an Apprentice+ use the /AFK command as an option to leave the keyboard. If the Apprentice+ will be away from the keyboard for more then a few minutes, they must log off until they are able do devote their full attention to the players. If, for a period of 10+ minutes, the Apprentice+ is not responsive to /tells, /says, or /PRs they may be /kicked offline by a member of the SMT, a SWAT Senior, an Elder, or a CSR in the event the avatar is stuck to allow them to log on again.
/anonymous - Apprentice Guides must remain anonymous when online alone. Players that request assistance of an Apprentice during their interactive sessions are to be referred to the ticket system. Apprentices that do not wish promotion to Guide may remain anonymous while a Guide+ is online. Apprentices must use /anonymous during the camping process in order to be anonymous when they login later. Guides+ will remain visible at all times except when preparing for a quest or event or when directed to by their Senior. A visible Guide is someone the players can ask questions of and expect an answer from if they can see one online.
/private - CSR/Guide Program internal communications are handled through the use of the /PR channel. All members of the Guide Program and CSRs use this channel to speak privately among the group across all zones.
/searchcorpse {charactername} - Used to verify the existence of a corpse and to discover the zone in which it is located. Caution should be taken when using this command as it has proved unreliable when multiple corpses exist. Apprentices using this command should escalate to a full Guide if there is any doubt. (Note: When abbreviating /searchcorpse {charactername} use /sea {charactername}.
1.40.5 Guide Level (last revised 2/21/05)
/Toggle - To prevent the reception of unsolicited /tells while performing in a quest, the Guide+ may use /toggle to turn incoming /tells off. Because /toggle is not reversed upon logout, as soon as the quest is complete, the Guide+ must /toggle.
/emotezone - Emotezone <message> - Sends a yellow text message to the zone, for example "/emotezone You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." Often used to warn for zone repopulating and to announce messages. See section 3.0.20 for additional restrictions on the use of /emotezone.
/Emotezone may be used:
To provide /emotezone background for approved quests, major invasions, minor invasions and events and as allowed in section 3.15.10
To announce issues of immediate concern for the majority of players in one zone that are online at the time (such as server maintenance).
Responsibly within the Sunset Home.
/Emotezone command may not be used for:*
Harassing, "spamming" or intentionally causing a player distraction with messages, such as "you are out of water, you are out of food"
Announcing a player run event such as a trade bazaar or guild event.
Announcing a player accomplishment such as defeating a high level NPC*or completing a high level quest.
Announcing any form of weddings, whether performed by a player or member of the Guide Program.
Informing players within the zone of administration or operation action unless directed to by a CSR*in game or in chat.
Giving the appearance of an NPC, unless part of an approved quest or event, speaking such as, "/emotezone Cazic Thule shouts, 'Teliesin, you shall suffer the fate that your brother Lithgar has!"
*
1.40.10 Senior Level (last revised 8/7/04)
/Broadcast - /broadcast sends a text message to the entire server. Your message will be shown with the sender’s name, as, “SeniorGuideName broadcasts ‘Please congratulate GuideName on 1 year of good service to the server'.”
As using the broadcast command can instigate increased server load, the one using it should weigh the benefits of using the command with the drawbacks. The one using the command should also refrain from using it excessively, and only use the command enough to communicate the necessary information.
Use of the /broadcast command will be restricted to the following:
Issues of immediate concern for the majority of players online at the time (such as server maintenance)
Positive changes in staffing on the Server Management Team (SMT), such as Senior promotions or departures / arrivals of a Senior in good standing
When awarding the Medal of Service for 1 Year (or any full-year multiple)
Announcements approved by SOE Management
As specified in approved Quests or Events.
/emoteworld - /emoteworld sends an emote text message to the entire server. For example, "/emoteworld You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." To be used for generate interest in a dynamic quest or event.
/Emoteworld may be used:
As specified in approved Quests or Events.
/Emoteworld command may not be used for:
Harassing, "spamming" or intentionally causing a player distraction with messages, such as "you are out of water, you are out of food"
Announcing a player run event such as a trade bazaar or guild event.
Announcing a player accomplishment such as defeating a high level NPC or completing a high level quest.
Announcing any form of weddings, whether performed by a player or member of the Guide Program.
Informing players within the zone of administration or operation action unless directed to by a CSR in game or in chat.
Giving the appearance of an NPC, unless part of an approved quest or event, speaking such as, "/emoteworld Cazic Thule shouts, 'Teliesin, you shall suffer the fate that your brother Lithgar has!"
1.45 Assisting Players (last revised 5/24/04)
1.45.0 Player Assistance (last revised 12/05/05)
/guidehelp When a customer types /guidehelp <text> an entry is created at the bottom of the queue. The /guidehelp command is for quest/event feedback, wedding requests, and questions regarding quests/events. Customer Service issues should be referred to the ticket system for resolution.
Apprentices with mentors, Guides, and Seniors Guides press "G" to access the queue. Every request shall be answered, no matter how trivial, even if the answer is "I'm sorry, but you must submit a ticket for that issue." All players are important. We must take the time to listen to them and show them that we care. Exception: obvious /guidehelp mistells where the player is not online may be deleted without player contact.
For each request, follow the specific instructions listed in the EverQuest Policies and Procedures Manual. Any member of the Guide program involved in an emergency situation, which is not covered by these policies, should escalate to a member of the Server Management Team, if one is online. If no member of the Server Management Team is online, the Guide should handle the situation using whichever of the policies most closely suits the situation to the best of their judgment. This action should be followed up by an email notification to the Server Management Team for review.
Responding to players Players will communicate with the Guide program members via tells or in-person communications. The order in which communications should be handled is in-person conversations then tells. Any players requesting assistance via /tell that the Apprentice+ cannot handle must be referred to the ticket system. However, each /tell or in-person communication should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Those that require immediate response (stuck players, players in imminent danger, etc.) must be prioritized.
Members of the Guide program may respond to /shout and /ooc communications via a /tell to the player. When the staff is involved with in-person communications, it should be handled in as personable a manner as possible. This includes role-playing whenever it is possible to do so, as well as making an effort to show an interest in the player, enthusiasm in the game, and encouraging good gaming behavior.
Bug Reports Players reporting bugs should be referred to the /bug command. If the player wishes a reimbursement for lost items due to a bug, the player should be instructed to submit a ticket.
Feedback If a player wishes to provide feedback, they should be directed to utilize the /feedback command.
Problem Players Information regarding problem players should be submitted to the SOE staff via the ticket system with as much information as possible.
Bad First Names If the Apprentice+ sees a bad first name in game, the Apprentice+ is to utilize the ticket system to report the name, PID, and explanation. Players reporting bad first names should be directed to utilize the ticket system.
Surnames If a member of the Guide program sees a bad surname in game, the Apprentice+ is to utilize the ticket system to report the name, PID, and explanation. Players reporting bad surnames should also be directed to utilize the ticket system.
Problem Resolution After assisting a player, please ask each player to update the e-mail address attached to their account either via the Account button on the game login screen or at https://www.station.sony.com/secure/en/registration/view.jsp.
CSR Issues Except for those issues referenced in the CSR/SWAT Help forum Moderator's Message (see section 1.5.5), CSR Issues are not to be cross-posted to the Guide website. Exception: Because of resource limitations (specifically, the lack of a ticket system and a petition queue that deletes petitions periodically), EQ-Mac Guides may post any issues requiring CSR assistance to the CSR/SWAT Help forum.
1.45.5 General Player Assistance Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06)
Answer Every Player: It is the policy of the Guide Program to answer every player, regardless of whether the problem can be solved or not. Even an "I'm sorry, but we are unable to help you" is better than no response at all.
Player Requests for Final Determinations: Sometimes the player will not agree with the answers he is given and will request his question be escalated for further review. An Apprentice+ should not argue with a player who is upset, but should advise the player to utilize the ticket system for assistance from a CSR. SOE Employees are responsible for the welfare of the players and have final authority over them. SOE Management is the final escalation point for all customer-related issues.
At times, there are going to be incidents where SOE will need to overturn a decision that is made by an Apprentice+ in the interest of customer service. There is no specific criteria that can be listed as grounds for overturning decisions. A decision may be overturned if it was felt to be incorrect, other information was obtained, or it could have been handled in a different manner. The procedures for overturning decisions are internal SOE policies and thus can not be documented here.
Logging Shift Activity: While online as a member of the Guide Program, logging must be turned on at all times. Not only are logs used with automated shift report creation tools such as EQGSR, but they can also assist with your memory of an incident and may be requested by a Senior+ and/or SOE for investigations. For these reasons, it is strongly recommended that logs be kept for at least 90 days.
For logging in the EverQuest chat area, use the #log command (see Section 1.50.0)
For logging in game, use the /log command. To ensure that logging is always turned on when you go in game add "Log=TRUE" to the eqclient.ini file in your EverQuest program directory.
Input to Customer Service Policies and Procedures
Players as well as members of the CS staff will hold many opinions of what the customer service policies and practices should be. These opinions tend to surface at inappropriate times, such as when a player is having a problem. Players should be informed that the CS team follows any policies that are currently in place, and does not have the power to change them "on-the-fly" at the request of individual players.
Players may provide input to the Guide Program by e-mailing the eqcs@soe.sony.com address. All such submissions are reviewed by CS management.
Members of the Guide program wishing to have input to the program policies should send such input to the Policy Team at policies-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.45.10 Email Support for Players (last revised 02/20/06)
At no time shall an Apprentice+ disclose a non-SOE email address (those not ending in @soe.sony.com) to a player but rather refer him/her to those official addresses already present to provide additional support should it be required out of game. Individual CSR email addresses are not be released unless specifically instructed to do so by the CSR to whom it belongs.
Players should be referred to the ticket system for most issues. If the issue is one that a CSR cannot resolve in game (banning issues or problems with a guide for example), players should instead be referred to the address below:
http://support.station.sony.com
The following list of email addresses may also be released to players:
eqcs@soe.sony.com - An address for problems or commendations involving a CSR or member of the Guide Program.
eqguilds@soe.sony.com - An address for players who are having trouble getting their guilds created in-game or for any other guild-related problems.
eqcharmoves@soe.sony.com - This address is for questions regarding character moves.
guildcritical@soe.sony.com - This address is for when a large group of people are having immediate issues in game, such as two raids having a spawn dispute over a major NPC or other time sensitive issues. This email is to be given to the raid or guild leader only. Guides should notify players that are given the email address that it is for this one use only, as its overuse may result in the removal of this option.
1.45.15 EverQuest Player Contacts (last revised 02/20/06)
The following contacts may be given to players as specified in other sections of this document. Members of the Guide Program should also be familiar with the information contained on these pages.
Web Contacts:
https://guide.everquest.com/guideapp/ - Guide application site – Please note that, for identification purposes, applicants must log into their game account via the website to access the Guide application.
http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/index.vm - Main EverQuest website
http://everquest2.station.sony.com – Main EQII website
http://everquestonlineadventures.station.sony.com – Main EQOA website
Support:
http://support.station.sony.com/ - Various areas of support
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16211 - Rules of Conduct
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16212 - Naming Policy
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16215 - Player Reimbursement Policy
o This is the policy available on the official EverQuest website for player consumption. EverQuest CS members should use P&P Section 2.25.30 when handling requests for reimbursement.
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/live.php?p_sid=4fjjRH*h&p_lva=15402 - Chat Support (Monday - Friday: 01:00 AM - 06:00 PM PST)
eqtech@soe.sony.com - Technical support
1-858-537-0898 - Tech Support Phone (Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:30PM to 6:00PM (all times listed in PST/PDT, GMT-8), except holidays)
Note: When referring players to Technical Support, the main website is the preferred method of contact, followed by email and finally phone.
Frequently Asked Questions:
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=15402 -Top Known Customer Service Issues
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16215 - Reimbursement FAQ
Email Addresses:
eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com - Suspension/banning inquiries
eqtesting@soe.sony.com - Quest related bug reports
eqguilds@soe.sony.com - Guild related problems
eqcs@soe.sony.com - Complaints or praise about Guides or CSR's
appadmin@soe.sony.com - Guide application problems
Email support for players is detailed in Section 1.45.15.
1.50 Other Procedures (last revised 10/23/02)
1.50.0 EQ Chat (last revised 08/08/06)
In addition to the game itself, EverQuest offers a set of chat rooms. Members of the Guide Program present in these rooms have their names flagged in blue, while SOE staff members are flagged in red. Since the name color is highly visible, anyone with a colored name is "on duty" any time they are present in a chat room, and should conduct themselves accordingly.
Members of the Guide Program are only permitted in Chat for program meetings called by one of the Program Teams, the Elders, or SOE.* If an Apprentice+ feels a situation warrants a CSR, he/she should e-mail the Elder Guides with a courtesy CC to his/her SMT (see Section 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
Note:* While in EQ Chat, the same restrictions that apply on-server, apply in Chat.
1.50.5 Who can I turn to for Answers? (last revised 4/26/04)
Play Server Issues Issues with a member of the Guide Program or an SOE employee on the play server of a member of the Guide Program (valid surname request not granted, issue handled incorrectly, etc.) should be emailed to eqcs@soe.sony.com. Personal play issues are not to be posted to the Guide website.
Program Escalations Whenever a member of the Guide Program has an issue with SOE, the Guide Program, EverQuest Customer Service, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members the Apprentice+ should address the issue using the escalation chain below. At any point, the Apprentice+ may skip to the next step in the escalation chain.
In the event of a personality conflict between the Apprentice+ and their SMT, or if the issue involves their SMT, the Apprentice+ may skip to Step 3 and send the problem directly to the Elder Guides in accordance with Section 1.15.15.
1. The Apprentice+ should first contact their Server Management Team for them to address the issue. If unsatisfied with the response, or lack thereof, from the Server Management Team, the Apprentice+ may then take the issue to the next step in the escalation chain,
2. If the issue is not covered by one of the Teams, the Apprentice+ may take the issue directly to the Elder Guide(s). However (with a copy to their SMT, if possible),
o If the issue is one of Policy (i.e., a question of procedure, a problem with the P&P, a policy suggestion, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Policy Team at policies-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.25)
o If the issue is a Quest or Event issue, the Apprentice+ may contact NDCS at ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.30)
o If the issue is a Personnel issue (i.e., transfer or reinstatement requests, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.5)
o If the issue is a Communications matter (i.e., item or command suggestions, Guide website suggestions or problems, offensive post notifications, Guide Program information posted to public websites, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Communications Team at eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.0)
o If the issue is a Technical problem, the Apprentice+ may contact the Tech Team at tech-team@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.35)
3. The final escalation point within the Guide Program is the Elder Guide(s) at elder-guides@soe.sony.com.
Morale Protection Maintaining positive attitudes in a cooperative organization such as the EverQuest Guide Program is vital to its success. Therefore, all members of the Guide Program should refrain from intentionally and unintentionally damaging the morale of anyone in the EverQuest Guide program. To ensure that this does not happen, the escalation chain defined above should be used to handle issues and problems that address SOE, the Guide Program, EverQuest Guide Program, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members.
Issues that can damage the Program's morale in any way should never be posted to the message boards or expressed in any forum outside of the escalation chain established above. Anyone who such damages the morale of the EverQuest Guide Program shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Personal attacks on members of the Guide Program, SOE employees, or players will not be tolerated. Posts of that manner may be deleted and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
1.50.10 Program ONLY Web/Email addresses (last revised 12/30/06)
The following contacts are for EverQuest Customer Service personnel ONLY and must not be given to players at any time:
Contact E-mail
Elder Guides
(Jessla, Melenkurion, Rynara and Taesha) elder-guides@soe.sony.com
Jessla jessla@faranon.com
Melenkurion melenkurion@iinet.net.au
Rynara dsun@rockmall.com
Taesha taeshathefair@amazonblonde.net
Communications Team
(See Section 1.35.0) eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com
Personnel Team
(See Section 1.35.5) personnel-verant@soe.sony.com
Grading Team
(See Section 1.35.10) guide-graders@soe.sony.com
SWAT Team
(See Section 1.35.15) swat-verant@soe.sony.com
Training Team
(See Section 1.35.20) guide-trainers@soe.sony.com
Policy Team
(See Section 1.35.25) policies-verant@soe.sony.com
NDCS
(See Section 1.35.30) ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com
Tech Team
(See Section 1.35.35) tech-team@soe.sony.com
Brenlo
(Community Relations Manager) acrosby@soe.sony.com
Naylie
(Guide Liaison) rvallee@soe.sony.com
Guide Website https://guide.everquest.com
Program Contacts https://guide.everquest.com/progcontacts.php
CSR Roster https://guide.everquest.com/csrroster.php
Please note: the Elder Guides, Guide Liaison, and Community Relations Manager receive all Team emails. Therefore, it is not necessary to send an additional courtesy copy to them individually.
1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (last revised 06/12/06)
The Emergency CSR Contact Procedures are only to be used when the situation dictates immediate CSR presence:
If you feel a situation warrants a CSR's attention, gather relevant information such as /reports and sumbit a ticket containing pertinent information. Send an email detailing the situation to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com with a courtesy CC to your SMT.
Members of the Guide program should not attempt to locate a CSR by their own methods in these situations (including ICQ etc).
1.55 Recognition Programs (Medals, Levels and Awards) (last revised 12/30/06)
General
Various rewards may be bestowed upon a member of the Guide Program for his/her outstanding contribution to the EverQuest Guide program. The different types of rewards are described in this section, including the policies and procedures accompanying them.
Eligibility
Recognition Programs are open to any Apprentice+ who have been in the Guide program for three months or greater. Recognition Program awards may only be awarded by a Senior+.
Guides who do not wish to receive a particular award should notify their Senior Guide. The Senior Guide will put a note in the Guide's personnel file to note the preference.
Bestowing the Reward
Once the reward is determined, the awarding body is responsible for ensuring that it is given in a manner that reflects the honor the Apprentice+ has earned. A small recognition ceremony in front of the Guide's peers will usually suffice. The event should be cited, the award justified, and the reward given at this ceremony by the awarding body or their Senior+ representative.
Tracking
The awarding body is responsible for updating the Guide's personnel file on the Guide website to reflect that he/she has been given the reward. The note must include the award granted, the awarding person/group, and the reason the award was granted.
Service Awards
Service awards are available to recognize the amount of time an Apprentice+ has been in the Guide program. All service awards are awarded by the SMT.
The time in the Guide Program is measured from the time he/she became an Apprentice Guide through the present time when he/she is an active member of the Guide Program. Any time an Apprentice+ is placed inactive from the Guide Program is reduced from the total time accordingly. Guides may inquire with their SMT if they are unsure of their total time in the Guide Program.
Even though the EverQuest Acting Troupe was a separate entity from the EverQuest Guide program, time spent there should be included in calculating the total time an Apprentice+ has been active.
1.55.0 Service Medals (last revised 12/17/04)
The following list of Service Medals may be awarded to a Apprentice+ according to the amount of time in EverQuest CS:
Time in Program Service Medal Note
3 months Three Month Medal Three Month Note
6 months Six Month Medal Six Month Note
1 year One Year Medal One Year Note
2 years Two Years Medal Two Years Note
3 years Three Years Band Three Years Note
4 years Four Years Medal Four Years Note
5 years Five Years Marker Five Years Note
6 years Crown of Six Years Six Years Note
7 years Book of Seven Seven Years Note
8 years Boots of the Determined Eight Years Note
On their anniversary, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the medal recipient (which may be themselves should it be their own anniversary). The recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their service medal and their avatar will be buffed to the new level per section 1.55.5.
1.55.5 Avatar Levels Based on Time in Program (last revised 02/26/06)
When entering the program, members of the Guide Program are buffed to level 50. For additional recognition of their time of service, all members of the Guide Program may be buffed above level 50 in accordance with the table below.
On their anniversary, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the level recipient, (which may be themselves should it be their own anniversary). The recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their new level and, where appropriate*, a service medal per section 1.55.0.
The buffing levels are as follows:
Time in Program Level Note
3 months 51 Three Month Note*
6 months 52 Six Month Note*
9 months 53 Nine Month Note
1 year 54 One Year Note*
1 year, 4 months 55 One and a Third Note
1 year, 8 months 56 One and Two-Thirds Note
2 years 57 Two Year Note*
2 years, 4 months 58 Two and a Third Note
2 years, 8 months 59 Two and Two-Thirds Note
3 years 60 Three Year Note*
3 years, 4 months 61 Three and a Third Note
3 years, 8 months 62 Three and Two-Thirds Note
4 years 63 Four Year Note*
4 years, 6 months 64 Four and a Half Note
5 years 65 Five Year Note*
5 years, 6 months 66 Five and a Half Note
6 years 67 Six Year Note*
6 years, 6 months 68 Six and a Half Note
7 years 69 Seven Year Note*
8 years 70 Eight Year Note*
SWAT Guides+ should contact their SWAT Chair who will arrange to have their Guide Avatar on other servers copied from their home server or increased in level accordingly.
Should they wish to remain level 50, members of the Guide program may do so. In addition, these additional levels do not constitute a higher level of authority over someone with a lower level and the same (or higher) rank. Guides that wish to remain level 50 but still receive their service medal should be given a Welcome Note subsequent to their anniversary note to return them to Level 50.
1.55.10 Achievement Awards (last revised 12/30/06)
Server Achievement Awards may be awarded to a member of the EverQuest Guide program who performs above and beyond what is asked of him/her. While every effort should be made to ensure that every member of the server team feels he/she is making a contribution and is important, Server Achievement Awards are intended to be a special award bestowed upon an Apprentice+.
Eligibility
Rank** Approval Required** *Nominations Required
Apprentice Guide Majority vote of SMT Any Apprentice+
Guide Majority vote of SMT Any Apprentice+
Senior Guide** *Elder Guides* Two or more Apprentice+
Elder Guide Remaining*Elder Guides One Senior Guide and at least two or more Guides
Unless otherwise approved by the Elder Guides, no more than one Server Achievement Award may be bestowed upon an Apprentice+ within a six month period.
Nominations should be emailed to the person(s) who will approve the award. If the Guide wishes to nominate a Guide on his/her play server, he/she should email his/her SMT, who will forward the nomination with all references to the individual making the nomination removed.
Approving the Award
A Server Achievement Award is intended to be awarded to Apprentices+ who have distinguished themselves among their peers. It is intended to be a special recognition and not a common reward just for fulfilling their responsibilities.
Examples of when a Server Achievement Award may be approved:
· A Guide who consistently volunteers extra time during times when there are network connectivity issues, a patch is causing problems etc
· A Guide who routinely excels in providing shift reports with extra details, suggestions for improvement, and support of his/her fellow Guides
Examples of when a Server Achievement Award may not be approved:
· A rite of passage such as a training milestone, promotion to a certain rank, or being in the EverQuest Guide program for a certain amount of time unless approved by the Elder Guides.
· A Guide who consistently volunteers time on his/her assigned server.
Award Distribution
After approval, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the award recipient. The award recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their Server Achievement Award.* In the event of a Senior Guide being approved to receive an award, an Elder Guide or the Guide Liaison will distribute the award.
Illusion Effects
With the exception of the No-Loitering Zones and Off-limits Zones, Achievement Award recipients may use the award's illusion effect in the presence of players in all other permissible zones.
Available Items
The following items are available to be used as Server Achievement Awards. The person(s) awarding the item should make an effort to ensure that the item chosen is fitting for the circumstances and is special for the Guide receiving the award.*
Server Achievement Award Note Effect
Medal Of Honor * *
A Tasty Froglok Leg Tasty Leg Note Illusion Froglok
Claw of the Vah Shir Claw Note Illusion Vah Shir
Da Brick O' Ogreing Ogreing Note Illusion Ogre
Da Oogly Stick Oogly Note Illusion Troll
Dwarven Keg Keg Note Illusion Dwarf
Fiery Rock Fire Note Illusion Fire Pet
Fuzzy Foothairs Foothairs Note Illusion Halfling
Glass of Water Water Note Illusion Water Pet
Guktan Tongue Gukta Note Illusion Guktan
Iksar Egg Egg Note Illusion Iksar
Imp Wings Imp Note Illusion Imp
Kilt of the Northmen Kilt Note Illusion Barbarian
Mask of Bones Bone Note Illusion Skeleton
Pet Collar Pet Note Illusion Wolf
Ring of Doug Doug Note Illusion Human
Ring of Halves Halves Note Illusion Half Elf
Sack of Clay Earth Note Illusion Earth Pet
Scroll of Knowledge Knowledge Note Illusion Erudite
Second Breath Air Note Illusion Air Pet
Sprout Stick Sprout Note Illusion Tree
Treehugger's Shrub Treehuggers Note Illusion Wood Elf
Vial of Inky Ink Inky Note Illusion Dark Elf
Wreath of Takish Hiz Takish Hiz Note Illusion High Elf
1.60 Common Abbreviations, Terms, and Names (last revised 2/21/05)
The following is a list of commonly used abbreviations and terms in the Policy and Procedures Manual or otherwise used by EverQuest CS:
/pr - the /private channel. Used by members of the Customer Service program to communicate.
The Plus sign (+) - denotes "or higher" when used in conjunction with a rank (i.e. Guide+ means any Customer Service Rep with the rank of Guide or higher.
AWOL - Absent Without Leave
CR - Corpse Retrieval
CSR - Customer Service Representative, formerly known as a GM
CSR Supervisor - Customer Service Representative Supervisor (the head of the CSR's in a certain cluster), also known as a Lead GM
Dev - Developer
Dev Room or Dev Box - A small, square room with no exits that is found typically at or near the coordinates of x=0, y=0, z=0 and commonly has coordinates or goto numbers on the walls. It is sometimes referred to as a "GM room."
DSR - Daily Shift Report
EC - Event Coordinator
EQCS (or just CS) - EverQuest Customer Service
EQII – EverQuest 2 MMORPG
EQ-Mac – EverQuest for Macintosh
EQOA – EverQuest Online Adventures for PS2
EQ-PC – the first EverQuest MMORPG
I/A - Invisible and Anonymous
KOS - Kill on Sight
KS - Kill Stealing
MIA - Missing in Action
Mob - used to denote any computer-controlled creature
MOTD - Message of the Day
MSR - Monthly Server Report
NDCS - Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society
NPC - Non-Player Character
P&P - The EverQuest Policy and Procedures Manual
PC - Player Character or Personal Computer
Pet - short for petition
PID - Player ID
PNP (or PNR) - Play Nice Policies (or Rules)
PR - Personnel Report
PR - Permanent Record
PvP - Player versus Player
QC - Quest Coordinator
Repop - Repopulation of a zone (this is where a CSR resets the zone)
SMT - Server Management Team (the Senior Guides and CSR assigned to an individual server)
SWAT - a team made up of Senior Guides and Guides who are flagged on many different servers and are able to assist on those servers in a Customer Service capacity.
TC - Training Coordinator
Team - a group of CSR's assigned to a CSR Supervisor. Also referred to as a "cluster."
WSR - Weekly Server Report (turned into SOE by Seniors)
2.0 Commands (last revised 8/7/04)
Customer Service Commands
This section contains a list of all commands currently allowed for use by members of the Guide Program, based on the rank of the individual. Any Customer Service specific commands not listed in this section are not to be used by members of the Guide Program.
CSRs have access to all the following commands, as well as additional commands which cannot be listed in this section.
2.0.0 Commands - All Levels (last revised 08/08/06)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of APPRENTICE+:
· /anonymous - Apprentice Guides must remain anonymous when online alone. Players that request assistance of an Apprentice during their interactive sessions are to be referred to the ticket system. Apprentices that do not wish promotion to Guide may remain anonymous while a Guide+ is online. Apprentices must use /anonymous during the camping process in order to be anonymous when they login later. Guides+ will remain visible at all times except when preparing for a quest or event or when directed to by their Senior. A visible Guide is someone the players can ask questions of and expect an answer from if they can see one online.
· /goto -
o /goto {playername} can be used from any zone. It will place you at the same spot the player was when you sent in the command. It will put the target player on your target window if done from within the same zone. Members of the Guide program may only /goto a player once a conversation with that player has been initiated.
o /goto {playername}’s corpse# only works on corpses in the same zone. It will place you on the corpse. If the corpse is under the world you may be moved to the safe spot and receive a message stating you are being moved. The # at the end of the command is the number of the corpse, starting from 0.
o /goto {NPCfirstname_NPClastname##}. In some cases, like named NPCs, you may need to use /goto #NPCfirstname_NPClastname##. The ## at the end of the command is the number of the NPC, for named mobs it would be 00. The # at the beginning of the command is the # character as shown. If the parameters are left out, /goto will take the Apprentice+ to the targeted player/NPC/corpse.
o EQ-Mac Exception: Guide+ only.
· /hideme - This command will synchronize your /anonymous status with your visibility state and is only to be used during quest preparation, during quests as specified in the script or at the direction of the Quest Director, or at the request of a Guide Level Coordinator in the course of their duties or at the direction of a Senior+. Note: you must target yourself to use this command. The command does not work on anyone but yourself, even though you will receive messages saying that it did. You will no longer be hidden upon zoning, as well (Exception: Senior+ will remain hidden on zoning). There have been reported anomalies with Area of Effect spells and tracking. You must dismount your horse before using this command. EQ-Mac Exception: Guide+ only.
· /private - CSR/Guide Program internal communications are handled through the use of the /PR channel. All members of the Guide Program and CSRs use this channel to speak privately among the group across all zones.
· /searchcorpse {playername} - Used to verify the existence of a corpse and to discover the zone in which it is located. The command will list all corpses that exist for the player specified, including those in Shadowrest. Apprentices using this command should escalate to a full Guide if there is any doubt. (Note: When abbreviating /searchcorpse {playername} use /sea {playername}.
· /servers - This will show the availability of all zones on a server. The list is ordered with the most recently available zones on top.
· /zone {zonename} - Used to go to any zone. Takes you to the "safe point" in the zone. This command can be abbreviated as /z. See Section 2.15.0 for a listing of zone names.
2.0.5 Commands - Guide+ (last revised 12/30/06)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of GUIDE+:
· /approval {on|off} - Used to turn on and off the name approval requests. This command is only to be used by quest actors during dynamic quests and guides participating in a server event. (See Section 3.0.20)
· /becomenpc {race#} [{gender=M, F, N} {body armor# } {head armor#} {face type#} {height#} {max level# }] - Used to change the form of the targeted PC or NPC, converting him/her/it into an NPC (full PvP). Not all races are available in every zone. Some are "global", such as the PC races, and others are local and only appear in some zones. This command may be abbreviated as /be and must be used as specified in Section 3.0.35. EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /emotezone {message} - Used to send {message} to the zone, for example "/emotezone You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." This command is limited to approved instances (See Section 1.40.5). EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /find -
o /find {playername} - Used to find the (x, y, z) location of a character in any zone. This command will also target the character if the Guide+ is in the same zone.
o /find {NPCfirstname_NPClastname##}, in some cases, you may need to use /find #NPCfirstname_NPClastname## (Note: in the second scenario, the # in front of NPCfirstname should be the character as shown and not a number) - Used to target and find the (x, y, z) location of an NPC. This command can only be used in the same zone as the target NPC.
o /find {charactername}'s corpse# - Used to target and find the (x, y, z) location of a particular corpse of a player. This command can only be used in the same zone as the target corpse.
· /height {#} - Used to change the height of the target PC or NPC. /height 0 returns the target to the default height for the target's race. ONLY to be used in quests or events where permitted in the respective script, or responsibly within Sunset Home. DO NOT EXCEED /height 98, as that will corrupt the character's file and require external repairs before the character can log back in again. EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /kill - Used to kill the targeted NPC, leaving no corpse. Only used to clear out stuck/broken NPC's, and only after attempting all other avenues of resolution (i.e. Guide Memory Blur, etc.) (See Section 2.25.60).
· /lastname {playername} {surname} - Used to alter last names in accordance with Section 2.60 (The EverQuest Naming Policy). To add a name with spaces in it, surround the last name in quotes (e.g. Joe "the Guide"). EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /summon -
o /summon {playername} - Used to bring a player to you, regardless of the player's current zone. A Guide+ can also target a player and then simply type /summon. (See Section 2.25.0)
o /summon {playername}'s corpse# - Used to summon a player's corpse. A corpse cannot be summoned out of its current zone with this command. A Guide+ can also target a player's corpse in the same zone and then simply type /summon. (See Section 2.25.5)
· /toggle {on|off} - Used to toggle your ability to receive /tells on and off. This command is only to be used by quest actors during dynamic quests and guides participating in a server event. (See Section 3.0.20)
2.0.10 Commands - Senior Guide (last revised 8/7/04)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of SENIOR GUIDE+:
/broadcast {message} - Used to send {message} to all players who are online on that server. (See Section 1.40.10)
/emoteworld {message} - Used to send {message} to all players who are online on that server. (See Section 1.40.10)
/kick - Used to kick a player from the game and send them back to the server selection screen. This is only used to remove players who are deemed to be asleep (See Section 2.25.40). It will not work on players that are stuck in game and cannot login (i.e. Error 1018).
2.5 Warnings (last revised 12/30/04)
Members of the Guide Program may not place a warning on a player's account. If a member of the Guide Program encounters a situation that he/she feels deserves a formal warning, then that Guide must submit a ticket to a CSR to handle.* No matter how many times a player escalates their behavior or repeats a certain action, a ticket must be submitted and a decision be made by a CSR.*
The official response to the reprimanding of players is one of regret, as it is unfortunate that actions like these must occur to keep EverQuest enjoyable for the majority of the players. Details of official actions taken against a player are between SOE and that player and will not be discussed with anyone but that player. Any player requesting information regarding account action should be directed to eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com.
EULA Violations The Guide Program does not have the authority to warn or otherwise reprimand any players suspected of violating the EVERQUEST USER AGREEMENT AND SOFTWARE LICENSE. The Guide+ must submit a ticket to a CSR in the case that a player has admitted to violating the EULA.*
Suspension/Banning Requests If the player is a repeat offender, or if they are abusing members of the Guide Program, the issue should be escalated for a CSR via the ticket system. The CSR can then discuss with their CSR Supervisor the possibility of suspension, if they feel that the situation warrants further action. Please note that the Guide Program does not have the authority to request that a player be banned or suspended nor may they threaten the player with suspension or banishment (See Section 2.45 Threats of banishment).
2.5.0 Confidentiality (last revised 9/25/03)
The official response to the reprimanding of players is one of regret, as it is unfortunate that actions like these must occur to keep EverQuest enjoyable for the majority of the players. Details of official actions taken against a player are between SOE and that player and will not be discussed with anyone but that player. Any player requesting information regarding account action should be directed to eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com.
2.10 Guide Program Tools (last revised 02/20/06)
CS Armor comes in several varieties. Appearance and name aside, there is no functional difference between the various types of CS Armor. Please note that some items, such as robes and monk armor, may be race and/or class specific. The pieces that correspond to the following inventory slots will have similar effects with the exception of items designed for roleplay purposes. Unless stated otherwise in this document, all of these tools are to be used on self only and not on players.
The following tools are ONLY available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of GUIDE+:
Arms - Casts Guide Memory Blur, which clears a targeted MoB's hate list. This item is useful in resetting vendors.
Hands - Casts the spell Customer Service Resurrection, which is a 100% experience resurrection without any resurrection effects. May be used on players where allowed by the P&P, in an Approved Quest script, or after an Event to bring the participants back to their body and to restore any experience lost in error.
Wrists - Casts Cancel Magic (at 2x power), Cure Poison, and Cure Disease.
Cloak of Souls - Casts Bind Affinity on the targeted PC. The Cloak will have no effect in zones which do not allow binding. May be used on players where allowed by the P&P or in an Approved Quest or Event script..
Ring of Removing - Casts Cancel Magic (at 2x power), Cure Poison, and Cure Disease.
Wand of Memory - Casts Guide Memory Blur, which clears a targeted MoB's hate list. This item is useful in resetting vendors.
The remainder of the tools are available to ALL members of the Guide Program:
Staff of Guidance - Creates a gate effect when used, returning the character to his/her bind point.
Chest - This armor has the Guide Health effect and allows the wearer to regenerate health faster and to breathe underwater. This armor only needs to be worn for its effect to be activated.
Legs - Casts Spirit of Norrath on self only. This provides a significant increase in movement speed.
Feet - Casts Levitation on Self only. Allows the character to safely travel on treacherous landscapes in most zones. The Levitation effect does not work in zones that do not allow levitation.
Head - This armor has the spell effect Shadowstep. When activated, Shadowstep teleports the character a few feet away from his/her current location. This is useful in the event that the Guide becomes lodged in the game geometry while assisting a player.
Earring of Shifting Sight - Allows the Guide or CSR to see from a targeted PC's or NPC's perspective. To activate the earring, the Guide or CSR should first target the PC or NPC and then right click on the earring. The item does have a spell effect, therefore the Guide or CSR will become visible at the time of activation. An anomaly can occur that will lock-up the view. The workaround is for the Guide or CSR to [TAB] to target themselves, cast it on themselves, move and then re-cast it. This tool also causes the user's stamina to drain.
Earring of Z – Casts self only buff version of Guide Health and provides a spell particle effect.
Ring of Escape - Makes the Guide or CSR impervious to all attacks for one minute of real time, though no other spell effects may be cast during this minute. This is used primarily for fire and lava exploration. Also makes you immune to fall damage.
Collar of Contraction - Casts Ant legs on self only and allows the wearer to shrink in all locations.
Eyepatch of Lio (Special Sight) - Gives the wearer Avatar Sight (Ultravision, See Invisible, and Enduring Breath).
Belt of Translocation - When right clicked, returns the wearer to Sunset Home regardless of his/her bind point.
Stone of Gnoming - Gives the guise of a Gnome, needed to talk with some NPC's when the avatar's race/class will not allow it. Also, when right clicked, allows the wearer to shrink at any time.
Celestial Scabbard - When right clicked, adds 100 to all resists/saves and has the effect of Guide Alliance. This effect increases the avatars faction with the NPC it is used upon and can be useful to check if a merchant is functioning properly.
Guide Pack - A 10-slot 90% weight-reducing pack.
A Mandolin - A roleplay item with the bard effect: "Jaxan's Jig O' Vigor" Jaxan's Jig was added for its visual particle effects to enhance roleplay. This effect is a group effect, and due to potential aggro issues, this effect is NOT to be used if grouped with players per Section 1.0.10 of the P&P.
Horse Bridle - A roleplay item with the effect: "Summon Horse" Note: Although the horse will zone with the rider, it remains visible and "riderless" when used with /hideme. Therefore, the Apprentice+ must dismount before using /hideme. Due to aggro issues, caution should be used when summoning a horse near any NPC. In addition, due to crashing issues associated with the bridle, Apprentice Guides must use the bridle in a miscellaneous inventory slot and not equip it.
Red/White/Blue/Green Sparkler - A roleplay item with a right click firework effect. When around players, this effect should be used in moderation.
A Vial of Prismatic Dye - This item will allow Guide to change their armor color. Note: This item is not allowed out of Sunset Home. The Apprentice+ must use all before exiting the zone or they must destroy the unused portion.
Charm of the Gatekeeper - Self only port to safe spot in zone.
Roleplayer’s Jester – A roleplay item with right click cast Bristlebane’s bundle. The following items may be distributed to players:
o One stack of Summoned: Ale
o One stack of Summoned: Cake
o One Summoned: Spinning Bottle
o One Summoned: A Firework
Roleplayer’s Voice – A roleplay item with right click cast “Voice Graft”
Roleplayer’s Write – A roleplay item with right click cast teleport Arena and would say “Twenty thousand click salute!”
Halas Chocolate Liqueur – This item is not available for purchase from Guide Vendors, but is rather granted by McKensie to those Guides that complete the task she assigns. This item is to be consumed in moderation (no more than three in a one hour (real time) period) as to not become intoxicated (see Section 1.0.0).
Ashlanne’s Doll
Brenlo’s Doll
Ledian’s Tutu
Naylie’s Doll
The following tools emit light (even if the Guide is invisible). To ensure that no unwanted light is being emitted, these items are to be placed in the Guide Pack if a guide wants to be invisible to players while using /hideme, such as when observing a quest or event that they are not directly a part of.
Guide Telescope - Allows a Guide to zoom his/her view in approximately 20 feet.
Celestial Sword - Creates a gate effect when used, returning the character to his or her bind point.
A Shield - One of the roleplay Guide shields. It can be identified by its appearance of an opaline egg while in inventory. This shield emits light and is to be placed in the Guide Pack when /hideme is used.
Staff of Guidance - (listed above)
Asherah's Torch of Guidance - This item is not available for purchase from Guide Vendors, but is rather granted by Asherah to those Guides who have paid tribute to the memories of the former members of the Guide Program who are memorialized in Sunset Home. It has a gate effect when used, which returns the Guide to his or her bind point.
Items from the Guide vendors in Sunset Home that have no spell/song effects (such as Words of Ceremony, A Fishing Pole, A Broom, A Shovel, Dagger of the Chosen, Magical Walking Stick, Spear of the Chosen, or Lance of the Chosen) are for roleplay purposes and may be carried by any Apprentice+.
Items from the Guide vendors that have spell/song effects may be carried, but the effect itself may not be used except as explicitly permitted by the P&P. For example, if an item were made available with a clickable "wolf form" effect, the item could be carried, but the "wolf form" effect could not be used unless guidelines have been added to the P&P covering its usage.
With the exception of the Service Medals, the Service Awards referred to in Section 1.55.10, and Asherah's Torch of Guidance, only items found on Guide Vendors may be carried, kept and/or used by members of the Guide Program. Exception: items distributed to members of the Guide Program by CSRs will be evaluated on a case by case basis and noted in the Guide's permanent record.
NOTE about all tools: Unless specifically noted otherwise, all of these tools are for Guide or CSR use only. Tools MUST remain in the possession of the Guide or CSR at all times. At no time is the Guide or CSR allowed to attempt to trade, buy, sell, drop or, in any other way shape or form, transfer one of these items to any one or thing (players, NPC's, Mobs, etc) outside of the Guide Program or SOE.
A Guide vendor, Llara the Mysterious, is located outside the main hall at the base of the steps in Sunset Home. In addition to items for use only by members of the Guide Program, the following No Rent items are available from Llara and may be given to players within reason:
1. Valtron's Finest Brew - an alcoholic beverage (should be distributed in moderation as to not increase player's skill in Alcohol Tolerance). Not to be consumed by members of the Guide program.
2. Gnome Sandwich
3. Wedding Cake
4. Birthday Cake
5. Milk
6. Magical Cookie
None of Llara's items have any resale value at any NPC vendor.
Guide vendor Loquitious Zebidiah may only be accessed by members of the Guide program possessing the appropriate note. Apprentices and Guides may receive a note from their Senior Guides. Seniors and Elders may receive a note from the Guide Liaison.
2.15 Zones (last revised 11/10/04)
2.15.0 Zone Listing (last revised 12/09/06)
The following zones may be entered by any member of the Guide program at any time by utilizing the /zone command.
Permitted Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
abysmal The Abysmal Sea Gates of Discord EQ-PC
akanon Ak'Anon * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena The Arena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena2 Pit of Rathpher * EQ-PC
bazaar The Bazaar Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
befallen Befallen * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
barter The Barter Hall Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
beholder Gorge of King Xorbb * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
blackburrow Blackburrow * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
bloodfields The Bloodfields Omens EQ-PC
burningwood The Burning Wood Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
butcher Butcherblock Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cabeast Cabilis East Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cabwest Cabilis West Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cauldron Dagnor's Cauldron * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
causeway Nobles' Causeway Omens EQ-PC
cazicthule Accursed Temple of CazicThule * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
charasis The Howling Stones Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chardok Chardok Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
citymist The City of Mist Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cobaltscar Cobalt Scar Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
commonlands Commonlands EQ-PC
commons West Commonlands * EQ-Mac
crescent Crescent Reach Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
crushbone Clan Crushbone * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crystal Crystal Caverns Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cshome Sunset Home * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dalnir The Crypt of Dalnir Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delveb Tirranun's Delve Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranik The Ruined City of Dranik Omens EQ-PC
draniksscar Dranik's Scar Omens EQ-PC
dreadlands The Dreadlands Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
droga Mines of Droga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dulak Dulak's Harbor Ykesha EQ-PC
eastkarana Eastern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
eastwastes Eastern Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
echo Echo Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ecommons East Commonlands * EQ-Mac
emeraldjungle The Emerald Jungle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudnext Erudin * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudnint Erudin Palace * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudsxing Erud's Crossing * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
everfrost Everfrost Peaks * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
feerrott The Feerrott * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
felwithea Northern Felwithe * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
felwitheb Southern Felwithe * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fieldofbone Field of Bone Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
firiona Firiona Vie Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
freporte East Freeport EQ-Mac
freportn North Freeport EQ-Mac
freportw West Freeport EQ-Mac
freeportacademy Academy of Arcane Sciences Prophecy EQ-PC
freeporteast East Freeport Prophecy EQ-PC
freeporthall Hall of Truth Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportmilitia Freeport Militia House Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportsewers Freeport Sewers Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportwest West Freeport Prophecy EQ-PC
frontiermtns Frontier Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
frozenshadow Tower of Frozen Shadow Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fungusgrove The Fungus Grove Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gfaydark Greater Faydark * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
greatdivide The Great Divide Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
griegsend Grieg's End Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grimling Grimling Forest Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grobb Gukta, Outpost of Marr * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guildhall Guild Hall Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
guildlobby Guild Lobby Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukbottom Ruins of Old Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guktop Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gunthak The Gulf of Gunthak Ykesha EQ-PC
halas Halas * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hatesfury Hate's Fury Ykesha EQ-PC
highkeep High Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
highpass Highpass Hold * EQ-Mac
hole The Ruins of Old Paineel Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hollowshade Hollowshade Moor Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
iceclad Iceclad Ocean Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
innothule Innothule Swamp * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
jaggedpine Jaggedpine Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kael Kael Drakkel Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaesora Kaesora Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaladima South Kaladim * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaladimb North Kaladim * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
karnor Karnor's Castle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
katta Katta Castellum Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kedge Kedge Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kerraridge Kerra Isle * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kithicor Kithicor Woods * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kurn Kurn's Tower Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lakeofillomen Lake of Ill Omen Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lakerathe Lake Rathetear * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lavastorm Lavastorm Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
letalis Mons Letalis Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lfaydark Lesser Faydark * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
maiden The Maiden's Eye Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mistmoore Castle Mistmoore * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
misty Misty Thicket * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
moors Blightfire Moors Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
mseru Marus Seru Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nadox Crypt of Nadox Ykesha EQ-PC
najena Najena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
necropolis Dragon Necropolis Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nedaria Nedaria's Landing * EQ-PC
nektulos Nektulos Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriaka Neriak - Foreign Quarter * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriakb Neriak - Commons * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriakc Neriak - 3rd Gate * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
netherbian Netherbian Lair Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nexus Nexus Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
northkarana Northern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
northro North Desert of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
nro Northern Desert of Ro * EQ-Mac
nurga Mines of Nurga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
oasis Oasis of Marr * EQ-Mac
oggok Oggok * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
oot Ocean of Tears * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
overthere The Overthere Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paineel Paineel * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paludal The Paludal Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paw Lair of the Splitpaw * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
permafrost Permafrost Caverns * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poknowledge Plane of Knowledge Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potranquility Plane of Tranquility Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qcat Qeynos Aqueduct System * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qey2hh1 Western Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeynos South Qeynos * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeynos2 North Qeynos * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeytoqrg Qeynos Hills * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qrg Surefall Glade * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
rathemtn Rathe Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
rivervale Rivervale * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
runnyeye Liberated Citadel of Runnyeye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
scarlet Scarlet Desert Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sebilis Ruins of Sebilis Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadeweaver Shadeweaver's Thicket Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowhaven Shadow Haven Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowrest Shadowrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sharvahl The City of Shar Vahl Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sirens Siren's Grotto Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyfire Skyfire Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyshrine Skyshrine Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldunga Solusek's Eye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungb Nagafen's Lair * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungc The Caverns of Exile * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soltemple Temple of Solusek Ro Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
southkarana Southern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
southro South Desert of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
sro Southern Desert of Ro * EQ-Mac
sseru Sanctus Seru Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
steamfont Steamfont Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoonb The Ascent Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
stonebrunt Stonebrunt Mountains Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stonehive Stone Hive Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
swampofnohope Swamp Of No Hope Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tenebrous The Tenebrous Mountains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thedeep The Deep Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thegrey The Grey Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thenest The Accursed Nest Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
thurgadina The City of Thurgadin Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thurgadinb Icewell Keep Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
timorous Timorous Deep Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
torgiran Torgiran Mines Ykesha EQ-PC
tox Toxxulia Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
trakanon Trakanon's Teeth Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tutorial* The Mines of Gloomingdeep * EQ-PC
twilight Twilight Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
umbral The Umbral Plains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
unrest The Estate of Unrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
veksar Veksar * EQ-PC
velketor Velketor's Labyrinth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
wakening The Wakening Land Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warrens The Warrens Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warslikswood Warsliks Woods Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
westwastes Western Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
2.15.0.0 No-Loitering Zone Listing (last revised 3/1/05)
The following zones may be entered by any Guide+ upon a player request for assistance. See Section 2.15.5 for restrictions.
No-Loitering Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
acrylia Acrylia Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
airplane Plane of Sky * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
akheva Akheva Ruins Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
anguish Asylum of Anguish Omens EQ-PC
barindu Barindu, Hanging Gardens Gates of Discord EQ-PC
broodlands The Broodlands Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC*********
bothunder* Bastion of Thunder Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chambersa Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersb Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersc Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersd Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chamberse Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersf Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chardokb* Chardok: The Halls of Betrayal * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
codecay* The Crypt of Decay Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dawnshroud* The Dawnshroud Peaks Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delvea Lavaspinner's Lair Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsa Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsb Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsc Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsa Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsb Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsc Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersa Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersb Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersc Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
fearplane* Plane of Fear * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ferubi Ferubi, Forgotten Temple of Taelosia Gates of Discord EQ-PC
fhalls The Forgotten Halls Omens EQ-PC
growthplane* Plane of Growth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guka Deepest Guk: The Cauldron of Lost Souls Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukb Deepest Guk: The Drowning Crypt Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukc Deepest Guk: The Ancient Aqueducts Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukd Deepest Guk: The Mushroom Grove Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
guke Deepest Guk: The Foreboding Prison Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukf Deepest Guk: The Chapel of the Witnesses Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukg Deepest Guk: The Root Garden Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukh Deepest Guk: The Accursed Sanctuary Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
harbingers Harbinger's Spire Omens EQ-PC
hateplaneb Plane of Hate * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hohonora Halls of Honor Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hohonorb Temple of Marr* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ikkinz Ikkinz, Chambers of Singular Might Gates of Discord EQ-PC
inktuta Inktu'Ta Gates of Discord EQ-PC
kodtaz Kod'Taz, Broken Trial Grounds Gates of Discord EQ-PC
mira Miragul's Menagerie: The Silent Gallery Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirb Miragul's Menagerie: The Maw of the Menagerie Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirc Miragul's Menagerie: The Spider Den Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mird Miragul's Menagerie: The Hushed Banquet Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mire Miragul's Menagerie: The Frosted Halls Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirf Miragul's Menagerie: The Forgotten Wastes Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirg Miragul's Menagerie: The Heart of the Menagerie Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirh Miragul's Menagerie: The Morbid Laboratory Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
miri Miragul's Menagerie: The Theater of Imprisoned Horrors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirj Miragul's Menagerie: The Grand Library Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mischiefplane* Plane of Mischief Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mmca Mistmoore Catacombs: The Forlorn Caverns Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcb Mistmoore Catacombs: The Dreary Grotto Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcc Mistmoore Catacombs: The Asylum of Invoked Stone Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcd Mistmoore Catacombs: The Chambers of Eternal Affliction Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmce Mistmoore Catacombs: The Sepulcher of the Damned Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcf Mistmoore Catacombs: The Ritualistic Summoning Grounds Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcg Mistmoore Catacombs: The Cesspits of Putrescence Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmch Mistmoore Catacombs: The Aisles of Blood Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmci Mistmoore Catacombs: The Halls of Sanguinary Rites Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcj Mistmoore Catacombs: The Infernal Sanctuary Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
natimbi Natimbi, the Broken Shores Gates of Discord EQ-PC
nightmareb* The Lair of Terris Thule Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poair* Eryslai, the Kingdom of Wind* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
podisease Plane of Disease Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poeartha Vegarlson, the Earthen Badlands* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poearthb Plane of Earth Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
pofire Plane of Fire Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poinnovation Plane of Innovation Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
pojustice Plane of Justice Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ponightmare Plane of Nightmares Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
postorms Plane of Storms Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potactics Drunder, The Fortress of Zek Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potimea Plane of Time* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potorment Torment, the Plane of Pain Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
povalor Plane of Valor Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
powar Plane of War* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
powater Reef of Coirnav* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
provinggrounds Muramite Provinggrounds Omens EQ-PC
qinimi Qinimi, Court of Nihilia Gates of Discord EQ-PC
qvic Qvic, Prayer Grounds of Calling Gates of Discord EQ-PC
riftseekers Riftseekers' Sanctum Omens EQ-PC
riwwi Riwwi, Coliseum of Games Gates of Discord EQ-PC
ruja Rujarkian Hills: The Bloodied Quarries Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujb Rujarkian Hills: The Halls of War Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujc Rujarkian Hills: The Wind Bridges Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujd Rujarkian Hills: The Gladiator Pits Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
ruje Rujarkian Hills: The Drudge Hollows Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujf Rujarkian Hills: The Fortified Lair of the Taskmasters Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujg Rujarkian Hills: The Hidden Vale Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujh Rujarkian Hills: The Blazing Forge Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
ruji Rujarkian Hills: The Arena of Chance Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujj Rujarkian Hills: The Barracks of War Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
sleeper Kerafyrm's Lair Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sncremator Sewers of Nihilia, Emanating Furnace Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snlair Sewers of Nihilia, Lair of Trapped Ones Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snplant Sewers of Nihilia, Purifying Plant Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snpool Sewers of Nihilia, Pool of Sludge Gates of Discord EQ-PC
solrotower* Tower of Solusek Ro Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ssratemple Ssraeshza Temple Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoona Stillmoon Temple Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
tacvi Tacvi Gates of Discord EQ-PC
taka Takish'Hiz: The Sunken Library Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takb Takish'Hiz: The Shifting Tower Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takc Takish'Hiz: The Fading Temple Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takd Takish'Hiz: The Royal Observatory Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
take Takish'Hiz: The River of Recollection Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takf Takish'Hiz: The Sandfall Corridors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takg Takish'Hiz: The Balancing Chamber Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takh Takish'Hiz: The Sweeping Tides Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
taki Takish'Hiz: The Antiquated Palace Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takj Takish'Hiz: The Prismatic Corridors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
templeveeshan* Temple of Veeshan Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thundercrest Thundercrest Isles Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
tipt Tipt, Treacherous Crags Gates of Discord EQ-PC
txevu Txevu, Lair of the Elite Gates of Discord EQ-PC
uqua Uqua Gates of Discord EQ-PC
veeshan* Veeshan's Peak Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
vexthal Vex Thal Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
vxed Vxed, The Crumbling Caverns Gates of Discord EQ-PC
wallofslaughter Wall of Slaughter Omens EQ-PC
yxtta Yxtta, Pulpit of Exiles* Gates of Discord EQ-PC
corathus Corathus Creep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
corathusa Sporali Creep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
corathusb Corathus Lair Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhive The Hive Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhivea The Hatchery Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhiveb The Cocoons Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
dreadspire Dreadspire Keep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
eastkorlach The Undershore Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
eastkorlacha Snarlstone Dens Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalin The Ruins of Illsalin Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalina Illsalin Marketplace Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalinb Temple of the Korlach Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalinc The Nargilor Pits Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
nektulosa Shadowed Grove Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlach Stoneroot Falls Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlacha Prince's Manor Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlachb Caverns of the Lost Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
arcstone Arcstone, Isle of Spirits Prophecy EQ-PC
devastation The Devastation Prophecy EQ-PC
elddar The Elddar Forest Prophecy EQ-PC
elddara Tunare's Shrine Prophecy EQ-PC
rage Sverag, Stronghold of Rage Prophecy EQ-PC
ragea Razorthorn, Tower of Sullon Zek Prophecy EQ-PC
relic Relic Prophecy EQ-PC
skylance Skylance Prophecy EQ-PC
takishruins Ruins of Takish-Hiz Prophecy EQ-PC
takishruinsa The Root of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
theater Theater of Blood Prophecy EQ-PC
theatera Deathknell, Tower of Dissonance Prophecy EQ-PC
ashengate Ashengate, Reliquary of the Scale Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
direwind Direwind Cliffs Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
frostcrypt Frostcrypt, Throne of the Shade King Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
highpasshold Highpass Hold Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
icefall Icefall Glacier Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
mesa Goru'kar Mesa Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
roost Blackfeather Roost Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
steppes The Steppes Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
sunderock Sunderock Springs Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
valdeholm Valdeholm Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
vergalid Vergalid Mines Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
2.15.0.5 Off Limits Zone Listing (last revised 12/05/05)
The following zones are off limits until further notice:
*
Off Limits Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
freporte East Freeport EQ-PC
freportn North Freeport EQ-PC
freportw West Freeport EQ-PC
oasis Oasis of Marr EQ-PC
potimeb Plane of Time* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sro Southern Desert of Ro EQ-PC
nro Northern Desert of Ro EQ-PC
2.15.5 No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Some zones in EQ have been designed with extreme rewards and risks. Because of design and tuning issues, Guide intervention in these zones is restricted. In addition to the No-Loitering Zones listed in Section 2.15, any new zone, not yet listed in the P&P, is to be considered No-Loitering Zone until such a time that the restriction is lifted (if ever).
2.15.5.0 Acceptable Guide Presence in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 2/6/05)
The presence of Guides in No-Loitering Zones creates two undesired situations. First, players are more likely to ask for assistance in gameplay issues from the Guide if they are in the zone. Second, players are more likely to blame the Guide for any inconvenience they may experience if they are aware of their presence in the zone. For these reasons Guides are not to explore nor loiter in No-Loitering Zones. Acceptable presence includes the following conditions:
Player Character Issues:
o They are resurrecting a player that died of verified bug death or after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.15)
o They are removing a corpse from an object such as the ground, a wall, a tree, etc. according to Corpse Recovery Procedure (See Section 2.25.5)
o They are assisting a player in a binding death loop. (See Section 2.25.45)
o They are unsticking a player stuck on the geometry (in an object, in a wall, etc). The player should be moved the minimum amount of distance necessary to unstick them from the geometry.
o They are following policy and procedures concerning an Under the World player or corpse. (See Section 2.25.25)
Non-Player Character Issues:
o They are checking the report of a stuck or under the world NPC before informing a CSR. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
o They are moving a stuck NPC after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
o They are /killing an NPC after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
2.15.5.5 Exploring and Adventuring (last revised 10/10/02)
Guides should not use their Guide characters to explore No-Loitering Zones. If a Guide is in one of these zones for a reason approved above (See Section 2.15.5.0), they should leave immediately after addressing the issue they are there for and should not stay in the zone any longer than necessary.
2.15.5.10 Reporting CS Actions Taken in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 8/7/04)
A Guide+ shall report any entry, to include any actions taken, in a No-Loitering Zone in a report posted in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
2.15.5.15 Resurrections in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Guides are not to provide resurrections in No-Loitering Zones except for a verified bug death or after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management.
2.15.5.20 NPC Interaction in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Interaction with any mob in No-Loitering Zones (See Section 2.15.0) could cause a significant change in game play. Therefore Guides should not move, reset, or /kill in these zones without specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor.
2.15.5.25 Repopping a No-Loitering Zone (last revised 5/24/04)
A No-Loitering Zone may not be repopped without authorization from a CSR Supervisor, with the exception of patch day repops of the planes and after a server crash. If a Guide receives a request for a No-Loitering zone to be repopped, the players should be instructed to submit a ticket. The CSR will then determine if a zone repop is necessary. Players that refuse to leave a zone when warned of a repop will not be given assistance in the event of their death.
2.20 Responding to Questions (last revised 10/23/02)
2.20.0 Account and Billing Problems (last revised 8/28/02)
Players with problems regarding accounts and billing should be requested to use the website, http://eqlive.station.sony.com/support/accounts_billing.jsp to resolve their problem. Those unable to handle their problem through the web site can call 1-858-537-0898.
2.20.5 Questions about Becoming a Guide (last revised 02/20/06)
Players that have an interest in becoming a Guide will often seek out current Guides for information. An Apprentice+ may provide the following information:
1. Candidate requirements:
1. The candidate must be 18 years of age or older.
2. The candidate must have at least two characters that have attained level 10.
3. The candidate must have a substantially clean play account record.*
4. The candidate must not work (volunteer or paid) for a competitor of SOE in the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) market.
5. The candidate must not run or staff a spoiler site, an exploit site, or any site that supports the dissemination of information that is in violation of these policies.
2. Generic information regarding the Guide program may be discussed such as our mission and how we fulfill that mission through quests, events, and role-play sessions. Per Section 3.0.40, specific quest/event information may not be released to the player population. In addition, per Section 1.25.5, linking Guide equipment or divulging game secrets is prohibited.*
3. Players should be referred to the Guide Application via a link on the Guide/CSR FAQ page or directly at https://guide.everquest.com/guideapp/.
Please note that, for identification purposes, applicants must log into their game account via the website to access the Guide application. In addition, the player should be advised that they are only required to answer the questions for the game for which they wish to Guide even though questions for all four EverQuest games are listed on the application.
For additional information, players should be referred to Guide/CSR FAQ located at http://eqlive.station.sony.com/library/faqs/faq_guide.jsp.
Players*who have questions pertaining to the status of their Guide applications may be directed to send an inquiry e-mail to appadmin@soe.sony.com. Applicants can expect the application process to take close to a month.
2.20.10 Questions about Game Mechanics (last revised 8/28/02)
Members of the volunteer Guide Program should generally not answer questions that are also answered in the EverQuest manual. These questions should be handled politely and the first one or two may be answered generally, after which the player should be referred to the EverQuest manual. Players may ask questions about game mechanics in order to determine if they have encountered a bug. For example, a player may ask the intended effect of a spell because they are not seeing any result from casting it. Rather than telling the player specifics on the effects of the spell, it is better to ask a key question or two and determine whether the spell is working correctly. If it is, inform the player of that. If it is not, then the Guide should follow normal problem reporting procedures.
2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets (last revised 4/19/03)
Members of the volunteer Guide Program must never answer questions that give away the game's secrets. These include, but are not limited to: questions about quests, armor, spells, or weapons; locations of objects or NPCs; sending links of any items, whether player or CS equipment.
2.20.20 Bug Reporting (last revised 8/7/04)
Players reporting bugs should be referred to the /bug command. Players reporting loss of items or experience due to bugs, and wish reimbursement for them, should also be referred to the ticket system.
2.20.25 Technical Problems (last revised 5/24/04)
Technical problems may include problems staying connected, problems with incorrect graphics, game response time or performance, and sound problems. Technical problems originate in one or more of the following places: The EverQuest servers or network, the EverQuest client, the player’s own PC, or the network connection between the player and EverQuest.
Members of the CS Team are not required to handle support for technical problems, but may do so at their discretion. Technical problems not handled by the CS Team should be referred to SOE's technical support staff.
2.20.30 Known Problems (last revised 5/24/04)
All Guides should check the EverQuest Guide Board daily and read the recent posts, especially on the Tech Team FAQ board, to find out if there are any "hot problems." Players submitting known problems should be informed that the problem is already known and be directed to the Knowledge Base section of the EQ Live web site for further assistance. The Guide should post a bug report on their server board if they have additional information needed to solve the problem.
Common Technical Issues:
Zoning Issues: If a player is having problems in one zone or a series of zones, but not others, the player can attempt a Complete File Check by clicking 'Advanced' on the patcher, then the 'Complete File Check' button there. This action will take some time and may involve some downloaded files, but can usually resolve zone-specific problems.
User Interface Issues: If a player is having user interface troubles, the player can run the "/loadskin default 1" command (or by clicking the "Load UI Skin" from the Options menu, then select "default" and making sure that "Use INI File" is not selected), which will nearly always correct any problems. If the player is still having difficulties, using the similar methods for zone-specific troubles or just re-running the patcher (especially within the 24 hour period following an update), can correct most of them.
Determining the source of unknown problems: Determining the circumstances when the problem occurs and the circumstances when the problem does NOT occur can pinpoint the source of a technical problem.
Examples: If the problem occurs for more than a few players, the player’s own PC is not likely to be the problem, assuming they have met the basic requirements to run the game.
The four known exceptions to this are:
If the player does not have at least 300MB free space on their swap drive (usually C: )
If the player has a number of files in C:\windows\temp or C:\Temp
If the player does not have the most recent video drivers or version of DirectX from the EverQuest web page. Often these are not the same drivers as listed by the manufacturer.
The player has 32 MB of RAM, P-233 or slower computer, and/or an older graphics card.
If the problem occurs in one zone and not another, then factors such as the player’s PC configuration and network connection can generally be ruled out.
If a problem occurs under a player’s new PC configuration, but not under the old one, and no other players are having the problem, it is likely to be a configuration or hardware problem with that player’s PC. Assuming the player’s PC meets the minimum requirements, request that the player submit a /bug on the problem. Players experiencing problems with new hardware or software configurations can also be encouraged to check established message boards to find other players with matching system configurations. These can then be compared to provide the player with information on how to customize his system to run EverQuest successfully.
Many players misdiagnose all system response problems as lag. Many players assume that lag is the fault of SOE's network. If a response time problem occurs for a player, or a small number of players, chances are good that it is not an SOE-performance problem with either the servers or the network. (A server or network problem would affect all the players, or all players in one zone or on one server).
2.20.35 Undetermined technical problems (last revised 02/20/06)
If Guide Program resources have been expended or the process involves the deleting or removal of any files, it is highly recommended the player contacts SOE Technical Support themselves. Players should be referred to Technical Support in this order:
http://support.station.sony.com/ - Various areas of support
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/live.php?p_sid=4fjjRH*h&p_lva=15402 - Chat Support (Monday - Friday: 01:00 AM - 06:00 PM PST)
eqtech@soe.sony.com - Technical support
1-858-537-0898 - Tech Support Phone (Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:30PM to 6:00PM (all times listed in PST/PDT, GMT-8), except holidays)
The Tech Team (section 1.35.35) and Tech Team FAQ at https://guide.everquest.com/cyphor/show.php?fid=1289 are meant for EverQuest or computer related troubles for ranks Apprentice+ only and should not be used for technical assistance for players.
2.25 General Incident Procedures (last revised 10/23/02)
2.25.0 Summoning players (last revised 02/20/06)
Summoning players is only used in the following cases:
To unstick stuck players. The player should be moved only enough to unstick them.
To move a player trapped in a normally inaccessible location such as in a developer's room, under the world, or behind a zone line. The player should be moved either to a safe spot in the zone or to their group within that same zone.
To bring a player to his/her body in the event a resurrection does not work, since anyone dying due to a bug (the bug directly killed him/her, see Section 2.25.10) should be resurrected.
To remove a disruptive player from an area he/she refuses to leave, with permission from a CSR+.
To move a player out of a bind-death loop in accordance with that procedure (see Section 2.25.45).
To move a player out of an impending death situation due to a verified server or zone crash/reset. (see Section 2.25.15). The player should be moved to a safe spot in an adjacent zone.
To return a player to the bazaar, if they were ported out by mistake. If they are carrying too much to even move, it's a good indication they were previously in the bazaar. The same can be done for someone who forgets they were carrying too much and willingly zones out of the bazaar.
The /summon command is very powerful and not to be used frivolously. Players should not be summoned just because they need to log off soon or they are in over their heads. Players also must not be summoned to Player or Server events (or back to where they came from afterwards) unless specified in the script or with specific permission from a CSR+. Under no circumstances are players to be summoned into the Sunset Home (cshome).
PVP EXCEPTION:
To move a player in the event the bind campers refuse to cooperate and allow the player a chance to defend him/herself. Caution should always be exercised to ensure that the player is not summoned into a hazardous situation, such as near an NPC that would consider the player KOS. Additional care should be taken on the PvP servers to /summon the player to as secluded a spot as possible, as danger lies not only from NPCs on these servers, but also from other players within his/her level range. When in doubt, the player may be allowed to request a safe location within the destinations allowed by the P&P.
2.25.5 Corpse Recovery (last revised 02/20/06)
Note: The only exception to the this procedure is if the cause of death was a directly due to a verifiable bug (see Section 2.25.10).
When a player requests assistance because they have lost their corpse:
Determine how and where they died.
Use /searchcorpse to verify location.
Go to the zone where the corpse is located.
Find the corpse (/find <playername>'s corpse#-- the "'s" is required, and the # is replaced by a numeral, starting at 0, to differentiate between multiple corpses) and make note of the xx, yy, zz coordinates of the corpse.
/goto the corpse.
o If the corpse is under the world or in lava, follow the procedures listed below.
o If the corpse is clearly visible (i.e. not embedded in a hillside or a tree) and accessible through normal travel (i.e. not under the ground, in the air, or hanging off of a cliff), do not /summon the corpse. The player is to be advised that their corpse is accessible and that they should enlist the assistance of other players if necessary.
o If the corpse is not visible, find the closest patch of land to the corpse and summon the corpse to it. The player should then be informed that their corpse is now available for retrieval.
Unlootable Corpses There are times when a player can see and target their corpse but are unable to loot it. The Guide+ should /summon the corpse just enough to slightly move it. If this does not fix the issue then the player is to be advised to submit a ticket for CSR assistance.
Under the World A player with a corpse under the world is a verified game anomaly or bugged death. If a player has a corpse stuck under the world, summon the corpse to a player of their choice or to any other location of their choice within the zone. Then resurrect the player by following the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10. If a player cannot be resurrected due to the corpse being too old, and the player requests reimbursement of the lost experience, the Guide+ should submit a ticket outlining the incident and what they did to assist. (This policy can also be found at 2.25.25.10).
Lava All corpses in lava will be considered irretrievable, and will be pulled to the nearest spot of dry land, regardless of other dangers in that area. The corpse is not to be resurrected unless it has been verified a bug death per P&P Section 2.25.10.
Corpses Underwater If the corpse is underwater, near a dangerous monster, or anywhere else accessible at risk to the player, it is left there for the player to attempt to retrieve. These are hazards of the game and Guides are not here to circumvent them. EXCEPTION: Players who indicate they died on a boat or otherwise have lost their corpses on a boat will often request assistance. When a ship travels into the next zone in its journey, all corpses on the ship are left where it zoned often under a great deal of water. When a Guide+ checks the corpse and believes this is the case, he/she may /summon the corpse to the safe point in the zone or a short distance from the safe point if faction with the local merchants make it unsafe to the player.
No Dragging Corpses During a corpse recovery, the player in question (or his designate) must come to the spot of his corpse (or as close as possible). Members of the Guide program do not drag corpses out. This is to prevent people going to a place, getting killed, and having us drag the corpse out when they should not have been there in the first place. If the player got in there once, they can get a corpse retrieval party and do it again. Guides also do not negotiate with other players to drag corpses. Retrieval of the player’s possessions is solely the responsibility of the player. Our only role is to ensure that the player’s body is reachable by the player via normal means.
2.25.10 Verifiable Bug Deaths (last revised 04/14/04)
Note: The only exception to the above procedure is if the cause of death was a directly due to a verifiable bug.
Some examples of causes of death that are considered verifiable bugs:
Falling through the world for massive damage
Flying through the air and falling for massive damage
Player zoned into lava when entering Lavastorm (where the corpse will appear at the zone safe point)
Drowning in a bugged patch of water that, once a character enters they are unable to leave and drowns again
Some examples of causes of death that are not considered verifiable bugs:
Falling into lava after becoming linkdead
Being knocked into lava by a monster
Falling off a cliff
Being killed by a monster
Dying while under the influence of a monster's spell, except where noted above (i.e. falling through the world)
Dying while linkdead, except where noted above (i.e. falling through the world)
If the cause of death was a verifiable bug, then the corpse retrieval process is different.
Ask them where and how they died.
Go to the zone where the corpse is located.
Verify that they died suspiciously:
o Corpse at your feet at zone safe point
o Corpse at 0,0 coordinate
o Corpse under the world
o You are unable to /goto corpse
/summon <playername> to a safe spot in the zone, usually the zone entrance.
/summon <playername>'s <corpse#> to that spot then use the Guide Gauntlets on the targeted corpse to resurrect the player, thus reversing the loss of experience points accrued due to the erroneous death.
This is a courtesy service provided by the Guide Program in an attempt to compensate for the loss of experience and inconvenience caused by the character dying to an anomaly in the game, which is not something they could have possibly avoided.
Link Death: Link death is caused by client or network issues that will exist well after release and can not be compensated for by programming. Link death can never be proven and can actually be used by players to purposely avoid dire consequences of their actions in the game. Consequently, dying while linkdead will never be considered death by a bug.
2.25.15 Verified Server Connectivity Issues and Zone Crashes (last revised 04/14/04)
Occasions may arise when a verified connectivity issue either within or outside of SOE's network will result in the simultaneous disconnection of players. This could be as small as one zone on a specific server or as large as the majority of the players online across several servers. Players may often die as a result, either during the period they are linkdead or in the few moments the server or zone is again functional.
Upon receiving a report of such an incident (usually indicated by a high volume of complaints about a zone or mass linkdeaths across a server), a Guide+ should locate a CSR+ as soon as possible to inquire whether the incident was due to a verified connectivity issue or zone crash and if resurrections are authorized for deaths resulting from it.
Once approval for assistance due to the incident is granted by a CSR+, a Guide+ may resurrect any player who asks for assistance because they died due to the connectivity issue using the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10.
It is often not possible to prove the incident directly caused a player’s death in each case. However, as these issues often affect the majority of the player base online at the time and are confirmed problems either with the affected zones or network supporting the server, all claims of death resulting from these issues are considered valid if submitted within a reasonable amount of time following the incident.
At times following a server-wide connectivity issue or zone crash, a player may find him/herself in a situation where logging on may lead to an impending, often unavoidable death due to creature respawn in a dangerous area where he/she had been before the incident occurred. In cases where a CSR+ has verified the connectivity issue or zone crash, a Guide+ may /summon a player facing this situation to a safe spot in an adjacent zone, following the procedure outlined below:
Upon receiving a request from the player (often sent as an alternate character on the account) in an impending death situation, collect the name of the endangered character, /zone to an adjacent zone and find a place that will be safe for his/her character.
Set up a hotkey of /summon [playername]
Ask the player to log out and log back in as the endangered character, while repeatedly pressing the hotkey.
Once the player appears at the new location, end the call.
Note: This is similar to the procedure for bind-death loops except that the player is not bound to the new location.
2.25.20 Stuck NPCs (last revised 02/20/06)
During the course of play, players periodically run into NPCs that are "stuck." Stuck is defined as:
Running in place
Hung on geometry (stuck in a gate, behind a barrel, immobile but trying to move)
Someplace they should not be (a Hill Giant inside the entrance to Befallen, unable to get further in or out)
When a report of stuck NPC is received, or the Guide+ happens upon a stuck NPC, the investigating Guide must follow the procedure defined in 2.25.20.0. Apprentice Guides are not to attempt to free a stuck NPC.
Reporting the anomaly:
No matter which resolution below is used, the incident must be reported as a bug. Use the /bug command to report the incident, the name of the NPC and the location.
2.25.20.0 Stuck NPC Procedure (last revised 02/20/06)
Use the Guide item with effect: memblur on the NPC - This will clear its memory, or "hate list" and hopefully cause it to go about its normal route.
If that does not work, use /kill on it. This will remove the monster, without leaving a corpse, and allow it to respawn again (see 2.25.60 for /kill restrictions).
Alternate method (only for the bravest of Guides):
Sometimes, aggroing an NPC will cause it to turn and dislodge itself. This is effective on NPCs that are crucial to quests or other functions and should not be /killed if it can be avoided. The process for this requires a delicate touch and good timing. Use the Ring of Removing on the NPC. If the NPC follows, QUICKLY use the Guide item with effect: memblur on it. The NPC, now dislodged from its location, will return to its normal route.
NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should this be used when there is a danger of training the NPC onto a player. Rather than risk the lives of the players' characters, the Guide should either /zone away or allow the NPC to kill them.
Guides will not attempt to unstick NPCs residing on any of the NLZs unless instructed to do so by a CSR+.
2.25.25 Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Through an anomaly players and corpses can sometimes become stuck Under the World.
2.25.25.0 Verification of Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Something can be confirmed to be below the world by targeting it with /find and then using the /goto command. Please note that often when something is under the world it will appear to be on the surface at the 'safe coordinates' of the zone. It is confirmed that something is under the world if:
the Guide+ receives a message that they are Under the World and/or that they are being teleported to safe coordinates when they attempt to use /goto on the player/corpse OR
when they use /goto successfully they see sky below them.
2.25.25.5 General Procedure for Player Characters Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Confirm that the player character is Under the World (See Section 2.25.25.0)
Summon the player character to the zone named Arena. Judgment may be used to determine the necessity of this step.
a. This step may be omitted if the player is under the world in a non-aggro zone (i.e., Arena, Plane of Knowledge, Plane of Tranquility, Nexus, etc.). Not all characters will generate aggro in all zones nor are all characters safe in all zones (example: A normal level 65 character may be safe in Greater Faydark, in most circumstances. However, there are actions that a character may take that will assuredly get them attacked near Felwithe or Kelethin).
b. When summoned to the Arena, players may not be left there. They must then be summoned back to the zone in which they were found.
Summon the player character to another player character of their choice, to any player zone-in point of the zone, or to the customer service /zone-in point in the zone in which they were stuck. Player characters will not be summoned to any other zone than the one in which they were found under the world, except to clear aggro in step 2.
2.25.25.10 Under the World Corpse Recoveries (last revised 5/24/04)
A player with a corpse under the world is a verified game anomaly or bugged death. If a player has a corpse stuck under the world, summon the corpse to a player of their choice or to any other location of their choice within the zone. Then resurrect the player by following the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10. If a player cannot be resurrected due to the corpse being too old, and the player requests reimbursement of the lost experience, the Guide+ should submit a ticket outlining the incident and what they did to assist.
2.25.30 Reimbursement Requests (last revised 8/7/04)
Players requesting reimbursements should be instructed to submit a ticket. Apprentices+ may advise players to include all pertinent information in their ticket, including date and time of loss, how the loss occurred, any items involved, any other players involved, etc. Players may also be advised to leave behind a corpse with at least one item on it for experience reimbursement requests.
Reimbursement types include, but are not limited to:
1. Any type of item loss (lost, destroyed, missing, etc.)
2. Experience loss, that a Guide+ cannot restore via CS Resurrection
3. Flagging issues, where a player states they received a flag and it is not working
2.25.35 Guild Creation (last revised 02/20/06)
Players that have completed their application and have received approval should be instructed to submit a ticket for guild creation. If the player indicates that they have had problems getting the guild created or has any guild-related problems, request that he or she email EQGuilds@soe.sony.com, and the situation will be addressed promptly.
2.25.40 Sleeping Players (last revised 12/30/05)
Due to the oft-times competitive nature of EverQuest, players may, at times, find themselves waiting for a spawn for many hours. During this time, party members may suspect that other party members have fallen asleep at their keyboard. The party member(s) may then request assistance and have their sleeping comrades disconnected from the server. While this is largely a situation of the 'sleeping' player’s own doing, in the interest of providing superior customer service, we will oblige this request if at all possible.
Except in instances where the 'sleeping' player character is caught in a bind-death loop, this is not considered an emergency. A player may not be reimbursed for items or experience lost due to being kicked.
If there is no Senior Guide or CSR online, then the player should be informed that it is not possible to honor his/her request at this time but that an attempt to locate assistance will be made, but with no guarantee of success. The Apprentice+ may then post for assistance on the SWAT/CSR Board. This request will ONLY be honored if a SWAT Senior is available. This is not considered to be an emergency and CSRs are not to be directly approached for assistance with this type of issue unless already on the server.
If a Senior+ is online, the Senior should immediately be notified of the situation.
PVP EXCEPTION: Regardless of whether or not the player is being attacked, follow the procedure below. If they are being attacked, submit a ticket with your account of the incident after the player has been kicked from the server.
A Senior Guide or CSR will use the following procedure in regards to a 'sleeping' player request:
1. Use the /goto command to go to the 'sleeping' player.
2. If the 'sleeping' player is in a death loop, move them out of the loop in accordance with the bind/death loop procedure in Section 2.25.45.
3. Attempt to communicate with the 'sleeping' player a few times over the course of 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Inform the 'sleeping' player via /tell that they are being kicked because they appear to be sleeping (this is done in case they are running a log). Also, request that the player announce to their group/guild (if applicable) that the 'sleeping' player is being kicked (it may be that the 'sleeping' player is away, and not asleep, and only told one person why they left).
5. Wait an additional two minutes.
6. Inform the 'sleeping' player via /tell one more time that they are going to be kicked, as they appear to be sleeping and that they may not be restored any items or experience loss in relation to being kicked.
7. If the 'sleeping' player has not moved or responded during this procedure, use the /kick command to remove the 'sleeping' player from being online.
2.25.45 Binding Death Loops (last revised 02/20/06)
Definition of Binding Death Loop: This section applies when a player finds themselves bound next to a stationary monster that is KOS (kill on sight) to them or because they are bound in a location that allows PvP combat, so they repeatedly die, respawn, and die again with no way to escape or to solve the problem in-game. (The only way out of such a loop is to disconnect from EverQuest; the player will usually then log in as another character and ask for help).
Why We Assist with Binding Death Loops: This is not a bug, it's a predicament that the player has got themselves into so a strict reading of the guidelines would forbid the Guide from intervening. But since it makes the game completely unplayable for that character, and requires out-of-game manipulation to even try to arrange a rescue, we have made this an exception. Sometimes, in order to remove the character completely from danger and clear aggro, it will be necessary to pull them out of the zone. However, this may also result in additional deaths so summoning them within the same zone is preferable.
PVP EXCEPTION: In cases where another player is creating the deaths, after utilizing the procedure below to assist the player out of the bind death loop, follow the procedures in 2.35.10 Disruption Procedures.
Procedure for Fixing Binding Death Loops: On receiving a report of a binding death loop, the Guide+ should:
/zone to the area where the deaths occurred and verify the situation. (A pile of corpses next to a stationary guard, for example).
Find a spot in that zone that will be safe for the player character.
Set up a hotkey of /summon .
Ask the player to log out and log back in as the endangered player character
Repeatedly press the hotkey until the player character arrives.
As soon as the player character arrives, use the Cloak of Souls to bind him/her to this new location.
Ask player to log out or zone to clear any residual aggro.
Binding Death Loop Corpses: The player is not to be resurrected and the corpses are to be left alone. Should the player request experience reimbursement, the Guide+ should then follow the reimbursement procedures in Section 2.25.30. Any reimbursement of experience lost in bind death loops will be determined by the investigating CSR
2.25.50 PvP Quests (last revised 5/24/04)
Players on non-PvP servers who request to have their PvP status removed should be instructed to submit a ticket.
2.25.55 Loot Anomalies (last revised 10/23/02)
Players reporting loot anomalies, or Guides that overhear reports of loot anomalies, are to utilize the ticket system.
2.25.60 /kill (last revised 9/25/03)
The /kill command may only be used by a Guide+ for the following reasons:
To reset a stuck or bugged NPC, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, and Section 2.25.60.5)
To protect players during an approved quest or event, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, Section 2.25.60.0, and Section 3.0.30)
The /kill command may be used by a Guide+ in the following cases with specific authorization from a Senior Guide+:
To allow a player to obtain their corpse after a crash (see Section 2.25.60.0)
The /kill command may be used by a Guide+ in the following cases with specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor:
On NPCs level 50 and above (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On rare or quest NPCs (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On any NPC in a No-Loitering Zone (See Section 2.15.5.20)
The /kill command is never to be used by a Guide+ in the following cases:
On players, Apprentices+, or oneself (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On spawn-table NPCs (see Section 2.25.60.0)
To protect players at a wedding or other player run event (See Section 3.10.0.0)
2.25.60.0 /Kill Restraint (last revised 9/25/03)
As it is one of the most powerful commands available to Guides+, the /kill command should always be used with the utmost discretion. Guides+ should not use /kill on a mob whose presence or absence in a zone will cause a significant change in game play. Nor should the /kill command ever be used on players or Apprentices+ at any time. This includes not using the /kill command on oneself.
Mobs of higher levels often have long spawn times. Therefore Guides+ should not /kill mobs that are level 50 and above. The Guide+ may /con a mob to determine its level. The killing of mobs in the Planes and the killing of dragons is strictly forbidden unless the Guide+ has been specifically authorized to do so by a CSR.
Some mobs such as Brother Zephyl and Hasten Bootstrutter are on 'spawn-tables'. When one mob is killed, the other has a chance of spawning. As spawn-tables are intended game mechanics, Guides+ should not /kill NPCs on such spawn tables if one of the spawns is involved in a quest. As no Guide+ can be expected to know all of the spawn tables, it is a good idea for them to check with their fellow Guides who are online before killing a non-merchant NPC. Stuck merchants can almost always be safely killed without seriously altering the natural game-mechanics of players.
As CSRs have access to tools that allow them to identify and rectify issues caused by the /killing of rare, high level, and quest NPC mobs, and they are ultimately responsible for maintaining the server, they may /kill such mobs when they have determined it to be necessary. Other Guides+ may also /kill such mobs when acting on the explicit and specific instructions of a CSR.
A Guide+ may /kill mobs as necessary to allow players to obtain their corpses if a Senior Guide or CSR has determined that the zone in which the mob is located has crashed. SOE Management may also authorize the /killing of key mobs when it has been determined that the zone crashed as the direct result of the actions of players.
The killing of any mob in No-Loitering Zones (see 2.15.0) is considered to cause a significant change in game play. Therefore Guides+ shall not /kill anything located in these zones without specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor. (This Policy can also be found at 2.15.5.20).
2.30 Abuse Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Players reporting abuse are to be instructed to submit a /report and referred to the ticket system (see Sections 2.30.0 and 2.30.5).
Things that are abuse:
Abuse is defined as any activity that is exercised with the intent of disrupting the over all play environment of one or more players.
Hate Mongering - participation in, or propagation of, Hate literature, behavior, or propaganda related to real-world characteristics.
Sexual Abuse or Harassment - untoward and unwelcome advances of a graphic and sexual nature. This includes virtual rape, overt sexual overtures, and stalking of a sexual nature.
Attempting to Defraud CSR/Guide - Petitioning with untrue information with the intention of receiving benefits as a result. This includes reporting bug deaths, experience or item loss, or accusing other players of wrongdoing without basis for it. Depending on the details of the specific situation, this may be handled as a Disruption.
Impersonating a CSR/Guide - falsely representing yourself to another player as a Guide or a SOE employee.
CS Personnel Abuse - sending excessive /tells to a CSR or member of the Guide Program, excessively using say or other channels to communicate to a CSR or member of the Guide Program, making physical threats, or using abusive language against a CSR or member of the Guide Program.
Real Life Threats - Threats to damage, destroy, or assault life, limb, or property outside the game environment.
Using Threats of Retribution by CSR/Guide Friends - attempting to convince another player that they have no recourse in a disagreement because favoritism is shown to one of the parties by the SOE staff or by a Guide.
Fraud - falsely representing one's intentions to make a gain at another's expense
Things that are not Abuse
Contextual Swearing - players that swear in character, or use racial terms that are appropriate to the genre.
Contextual Racism - behaving poorly or with hostility towards other characters of a race that is hated by the character's race generally. This does NOT include abuse or disruption under the "guise" of contextual racism.
2.30.0 The /report command (last revised 5/24/04)
Often abuse goes on through /tell, other private channels, or when a CSR/Guide isn't there to witness it. Players who request assistance due to such abuse should be instructed to scroll back to the text and use the /report command, if possible, or to use the /report command the next time it occurs (syntax: /report [name of player or accused]). This command captures the first twenty lines of visible text from all of the player’s open text windows, sending them to a file on a server at SOE. Players should be advised to close any windows with private text before using the command. Players instructed on how to use the command for a future event should also be instructed to submit a ticket after they /report, to alert the CS staff.
2.30.5 Abuse (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting abuse are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.30.10 Reports of Fraud (last revised 2/20/06)
Examples of fraud include, but are not limited to, trade scams, using flaws in a secure trade window to deprive someone of one of their items, etc. Players reporting fraud are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.30.15 Reports of Ninja-Looting (last revised 8/28/02)
Players reporting ninja-looting are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.35 Disruption Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Disruption is defined as any activity that is disruptive to the game play of others, though not necessarily with the intent to do so. Disruption has been sub-categorized into major and minor types. Players reporting disruptions are to be referred to the ticket system.
Examples of Minor Disruption:
Excessive Spam - Continued overuse of /ooc, /shout, or /auction over time such that many players complain
Offensive Names - Names that violate type 1 or type 2 of the Naming Policy
Kill Stealing - The killing of a mob for any reason that is already aggravated onto another player.
Examples of Major Disruption:
Foul Language: Excessive use of foul language in an inappropriate context, including swear words, real-world racial slurs, and phonetic spellings intended to produce the same results.
Real Life Threats: Threats to damage, destroy, or assault life, limb, or property outside the game environment.
NPC Training: Intentionally creating a situation where an NPC attacks another individual or group through the use of Gate, Feign Death, Zoning, Rooting spells, or by any other means that would produce the same result.
Corpse Camping: The attacking of any player, or group of players, trying to reach their corpse, whether they are killed or simply caused to abandon recovery.
Portal, Bind Point, and Zone Line Camping: Attacking another player, or group of players at a forced point of entry to a zone, or where they are bound, before they have full control of their character.
Zone/Area Disruption: Monopolizing most or all of the kills in an area rather than stealing from a specific player or group of players; deliberately blocking a doorway or narrow area so other players can't get past; or refusing to cooperate with the other parties at a contested spawn site after having been instructed to do so by a CSR or Guide+.
Ninja-looting: when a player takes loot from a significant mob without permission from the player(s) that killed the mob. This does NOT include mob corpses left to decay or when there are no living players in the area.
2.40 Exploitation Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Exploitation is defined as abusing weaknesses in the game system to the advantage of one or more players with the intention of profiting from them in some manner. Players reporting exploits are to be referred to the ticket system.
Examples of Exploitation:
Duping - creation of money or items from nothing.
Spell Anomalies - using broken spells or spell effects to kill monsters, thus gaining experience from them.
Pathing Anomalies - using areas of bad data in the game that have monsters behaving erratically (such as running in place, running around, standing still, or any other behavior that has the monster not defending itself) to kill said monsters with minimal danger to the attacker.
Pricing Irregularities - finding items that have anomalous pricing and abusing them, such as items that sell for more than they cost to buy.
Things that are not Exploitation:
Twinking - giving money or items from one character to another is not an exploit, unless the money is derived from one of the above activities. This activity will exist and is not controllable by any reasonable means
Camping - sitting in one spot to await the spawn of a monster or item.
Slumming - hanging around in lower level areas and killing monsters there.
2.45 Threats of banishment (last revised 04/14/04)
Members of the Guide Program cannot ban players, ever. When investigating an issue, no matter how severe, the investigator should never insinuate, threaten, or otherwise imply that they have the power or ability to banish, or otherwise punish, a player. Guides+ are there to gather the necessary information and report it according to procedures. CSR Supervisors make the final decision.
A member of the Guide Program threatening a player with banishment creates two problems. First, it implies a level of authority they do not possess, creating hostility in the player base. Secondly, if the player is not banned, it reduces the credibility of the program overall as it gives the impression that we make threats that they either cannot or will not follow through with.
2.50 Real Life Threats (last revised 06/12/06)
What is a Real Life Threat? A real life threat is any report of bodily harm to a player, a Guide, or SOE employee, such as, but not limited to, heart attack, suicide attempt, or harassment. Though a very rare occurrence, players have, from time to time, made threats of real life suicide, bomb threats, or other real life threats when communicating with a member of the CS Team or, more often, when communicating with other players.
What can we do? SOE and the Guide Program must take every real life threat extremely seriously. Guides encountering such real life threats must disengage from the conversation immediately and submit a /report. The Guide must then immediately action the following protocol:
Real Life Threat Procedure
/report - Submit a /report or ask the player reporting the incident to submit a /report (see Section 2.30.0)
Politely disengage from the conversation - It is important that no attempt be made to keep the player talking as there can be legal ramifications to not only SOE but to the Guide personally should the worst occur. CSRs have the ability to contact the player's local authorities, if necessary.
Report the issue - Submit a petition via the ticket system detailing the situation, making sure to include all relevant information (names, PIDs etc).* Send an email to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com with a cc to your SMT detailing the issue and its resolution.
2.55 Player Disputes (last revised 5/24/04)
2.55.0 Contested Spawn Complaints (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting contested spawn complaints are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.55.5 Kill Stealing (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting incidents of kill stealing are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.60 The Naming Policy (last revised 12/05/05)
The following is the Character Naming Policy which can be found on the EQ Live website at http://eqlive.station.sony.com/support/customer_service/cs_naming_policy.jsp:
Character names in EverQuest should reflect the genre of the game. Original, high-fantasy names are desired. These guidelines apply both to first names and to surnames, and also to the combination of first name and surname.
The following types of names are inappropriate:
Vile, profane, rude, or racist names including common swear words, anatomical references, racial slurs, and homonyms of these words.
Combinations of words that produce an offensive result (e.g. Hugeaz, Tug Mcgroin).
Names of religious, occult, or significant historic origin (e.g. Jesus, Allah, Satan, Stalin, Angel, Devil, Demon).
Trademarked names of products, services, or concepts (e.g. , Marlboro, Sony, Band-Aid).
Non-fantasy oriented names from popular media. These names can be either fictional (e.g. Rambo, Darthvader) or non-fictional (e.g. Garth Brooks, Pierce Brosnan, Ronald Reagan, Michael Jordan).
Common words and phrases that would not be found in the place and time setting of the game (e.g. Switchblade, Phaser, Toaster, Sloegin, Anyone). This includes references to drug substances or drug related paraphernalia. (e.g. Ecstacy, Cannibis)
Proper names from EverQuest (e.g. Rathe, Karana). This also includes the first or last name of any significant EverQuest NPC (e.g. Dorn, Trumpy, Karn).
Names chosen with the intent or possessed with the effect of harming the reputation of or used to impersonate a Customer or representative of Sony Online Entertainment.
Names containing titles within them, such as, but not limited to: The, Lord, Lady, Master, King, Knight, Sir, Father (e.g. Sirtallon, Lordeagle, Mothermaggy, Darksister).
Fantasy-oriented names that are easily recognized from popular existing media (e.g. Merlin, Gandalf, Belgarath, Drizzt, Tanis).
Names where the combination of the first and last name violate a previous rule.
For all of the above, misspellings and alternative spellings of the word or words are also unacceptable.
2.60.0 Policy Enforcement (last revised 12/05/05)
Any report of a surname or first name policy violation must be referred to the ticket system. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper name.
Foreign variations of improper names are unacceptable. If a player reports a first name or surname he or she feels is offensive in a foreign language, the CSR investigating the name will research the name.
2.60.5 First Names (last revised 04/10/06)
A player’s first name will be changed only if, when taken by itself:
the name violates one of the naming rules, or
the name is a duplicated name, due to a server split or character transfer (duplicated names will always end in an "x")
Names such as James Tkirk or Mikal Jorrdan, where the combination of first name and surname is a violation but the first name is otherwise legal, the first name will remain unchanged and the player will be asked to choose a new surname in accordance with Section 2.60.10.0.
In the event of improper first names, the Apprentice+ shall request that the player reporting the improper first name submit a ticket or the Apprentice+ will submit a ticket per the instructions in Section 1.45.0. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper surname.
In the event of naming filter errors in which the first letter of the name is not capitalized, multiple letters are capitalized, or any other first name anomalies, the Apprentice+ shall note the name in a ticket for the CSR per 1.45.0.2.60.10
2.60.10 Surnames (last revised 04/10/06)
1. A surname may not contain spaces.
2. A surname may contain double capitals provided that the capital letters do not violate any of the prior policies. Double capitals may be used to separate two words.
3. A surname may contain one accent ( ` ) provided that the division created does not violate any of the prior policies. The accent is the only non-alphabetic character that is allowed in a surname. The apostrophe ( ' ) should not be used as a replacement. An accent may be used to separate two words.
4. Any number of players may have the same surname. Players wishing to use a surname that's rejected by the name filter as already in use do not need to seek out any user of that surname to obtain permission.
Non-words such as D, Da, De, Di, El, Z, Za, Ze, Zi, L, Le, La, Li, T, and O are unacceptable in cases where they would implicate a title such as "The" or "Of" (e.g. D`Kval is acceptable where D`Basher is not and O`Bryan is acceptable where O`Glades is not).
In the event of improper surnames, the Apprentice+ shall request that the player reporting the surname surname submit a ticket or the Apprentice+ will submit a ticket per the instructions in Section 1.45.0. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper surname.
Conditions under which a surname may be changed by a member of the Guide program:
Guides are required to provide an exact duplicate of the name they verify including the accent or double capitals if they exist. Seniors may add an accent or double caps to an already existing surname whereas Guides cannot.
o A Guide+ may provide a surname after a wedding ceremony only if one of the members of the wedding party already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Guide+ may provide a guild/family surname only if other members of the guild/family already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Senior Guide may add an accent or a double capital to an already existing surname.
Conditions under which a surname may not be changed or removed by a member of the Guide program:
o To remove surname violations.
o To remove a surname at the request of a customer.
o To change a surname at the request of a customer, except as listed above.
Conditions under which a surname may be changed by a member of the Guide program:
o A Guide+ may provide a surname after a wedding ceremony only if one of the members of the wedding party already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Guide+ may provide a guild/family surname only if other members of the guild/family already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Senior Guide may add an accent or a double capital to an already existing surname.
Conditions under which a surname may not be changed or removed by a member of the Guide program:
To remove surname violations.
To remove a surname at the request of a customer.
To change a surname at the request of a customer, except as listed above.
2.60.10.0 Surname Change Procedure (last revised 12/05/05)
Surnames that Violate Rules 1-2:
The surname is to be reported to a CSR via the Ticket System and a message is to be posted on the CSR/SWAT Help forum.
Surnames that Violate Rules 3-11:
The surname is to be reported to a CSR via the Ticket System.
For Surnames Being Changed Due to a Player’s Request:
If the player is unable to change their surname utilizing the /surname command and the surname has been visually verified by the Guide+ then the Guide+ may grant the new surname.
A Visiting Guide+ is permitted to change surnames covered by this rule.
3.0 Quests (last revised 10/28/02)
3.0.0 Quest Categories (last revised 7/13/04)
Each quest is classified into eight categories based on its intended frequency:
Class A Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for 21 days.
Class B Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for 14 days.
Class C Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for seven days.
Class D Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for three days.
Class E Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for one day. (See Note 2).
Class X Quests of this type may only be performed as often as stated within the quest.
Class H This category is for Historical Quests. Unless otherwise specified in the quest's description, these quests may only be run once.* In addition, quests of this type must be run on all servers during the same time frame.
Special Use Characters Quests of this type may be run as often as allowed in the quest description. Any member of the Guide program may request these Quest characters directly from NDCS when they have been made available. Special Use Characters include Holiday Characters, Festival Characters, Storytellers, and any other characters categorized as Special Use by NDCS.
Notes:
When the template specifies that the same quest may be repeated on the same day if in a different zone, the quest may be repeated per the script.
For the purpose of this policy, "one day" is to be taken to mean "on the same calendar day" (Pacific Time). For example: a server may run a type E quest at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time and then repeat the quest at 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time (2 hours later) for the benefit of those in other time zones. This same quest may then not be run again until the next calendar day.
3.0.5 Quest Administration (last revised 4/16/05)
The following terms relating to quests are defined as follows:
Dynamic Quests: Any in-character occurrence involving characters played by Guides or CSRs. This can be as simple as an invasion or as complex as a murder mystery. It can include directing and acting in historical quests, assisting in non-historical quests, and portraying Persistent Characters. Some quests have rewards for the player(s) who successfully complete them, but a reward is not mandatory.
Static Quests: Any in-game occurrence involving a NPC that assigns a task to a participant. The Guide program has no input regarding static quests.
NDCS: The Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society (NDCS) handles a variety of issues including but not limited to: Creation and management of Quests such as Special Use Characters, Persistent Characters, Historic Characters, and Events of all kinds. NDCS works closely with SOE, Quest/Events Coordinators, the SMT. They also work directly with Guides+ for Special Use Characters.
Quest Coordinator: Quest Coordinators are members of the Guide Program and selected by their Server Management Team. They coordinate quests and persistent characters on their servers. Each server should have at least one Quest Coordinator. Quest Coordinators work with their Server Management Team, and NDCS in the coordination of quests as described by these Policies and Procedures.
Quest Director: A person selected to make sure the quest runs smoothly and to provide feedback after the quest is completed.
3.0.10 Quest Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Quest Coordinators are the main point of contact in the Guide Program for quests run on their server. Their duties include:
Coordinate multi-person quests on their server including:
o Helping to coordinate larger multi-person quests
o Encouraging Apprentice+ actors to sign up utilizing the Quest Tool
o Ensure that all characters have been copied via the Quest Tool prior to the start of the event and attempt to get missing characters rectified
o Scheduling historical quests when advised to do so by NDCS and/or SOE
Assist peers in utilizing the Quest Tool
Assist peers in conceptualizing, creating, and submitting quests via the Guide website.
Work with their Server Management Team, NDCS, Guides on their server and CSRs
Provide feedback and reports to their Server Management Team and NDCS as needed.
Quest Coordinators are selected by their server's Server Management Team (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators). The SMT may assign a different Quest Coordinator or an additional Quest Coordinator at their discretion.
Quest Coordinators report to their server's Server Management Team. Along with providing feedback to NDCS, the Quest Coordinators must provide regular reports to the SMT. These reports will be specified by the SMT along with their frequency. Typical reports include:
Quests performed during the week including Guides/CSRs acting, date/time, length, problems, comments
Suggestions for improving the participation of Guides and CSRs in quests
Upcoming quest schedules
Persistent characters on the server
Important NDCS news
Additional duties may be assigned to the Quest Coordinators by the SMT. Additional duties may be assigned to the Quest Coordinators by NDCS with SMT approval.
The following forums have been designated for quest discussions:
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
Backstage. This area is for discussing dynamic quests, from design through post-quest reports.
3.0.15 Quest Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06)
See Section 3.20.0 Quest and Event Scheduling.
3.0.20 Quest Performance (last revised 12/30/06)
Pre-made, buffed, and itemized characters for every SOE-approved quest are copied onto an Apprentice+'s account. These characters are to be copied no more than five days prior to the quest and must be deleted immediately after the quest has ended, allowing players an opportunity to loot the character's corpse before deletion, if applicable. In the event that the quest is cancelled, the quest is rescheduled to a date more then five days from the time the quest character was copied, the actor misses participating in the quest, or the quest character is otherwise not used, the Guide+ must delete the quest character within 24 hours. Exception: the "Riddlemaster" type quest character may remain on the account and be used until it runs out of prizes. If the character resides on the account for five days without being used, it must be deleted. In addition, this character will not be restocked. When it runs out of prizes, it must be deleted and a new one requested.
In order to comply with the requirements set forth in P&P Sections 1.30.15.0 1.30.20.0, and 1.30.30.0, the Apprentice+ must remain online for the majority of the quest. Logging on only to perform one small task and then logging out will not meet the weekly requirements.
Once an Apprentice+ logs into a quest character, he/she is to take no CS actions, such as assisting players. Additionally, actors are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides. Care should be taken not to use the Avatar related privileges such as /goto and /summon or any of the CSR Client features unless specifically required by the quest's script or it is done in such a way that the integrity of the quest is not compromised.
To facilitate the success of the quest, the following must be observed:
· The quest script must be followed precisely. Changes may not be made by quest actors, except as allowed in P&P Section 3.0.35.
· Each quest must have a Quest Director appointed for the quest, in accordance with P&P Section 3.0.25.
· At the beginning of the quest, all Guide+ actors should use the /tog off command to block tells from the players. Apprentices are not flagged for /toggle and should disregard any tells they receive.
· Communication for the quest may be accomplished by using /groupsay or by creating a passworded chat channel for use of the quest members. It would be preferred that the /pr channel not be used, so as not to interfere with the Guides and CSR's assisting players.
· All Quest Actors may use the /approval off command to prevent name approval dialogues from appearing on their screens while performing the quest.
· No Quest Actor shall speak out of character or respond to /ooc communications.
· Quest Actors must always use either /anon on, or /roleplay on (/roleplay on automatically makes the character anonymous) so that players don't see them, or their Avatar level, in /who.
· Trades should be turned off, unless trades are specifically called for in the quest script.
· Actors are allowed to disable spell effects (/showspelleffects off) and any similar options in an effort to reduce lag effects for themselves, so long as the quest script does not require the effects to remain enabled. However, chat filters to turn off message channels such as /ooc, /shout, and /auction should not be used (see Section 1.0.10). These channels need to be left on to allow Quest Actors to watch for possible disruption in them and either /report such instances for review at a later time or, if extreme, escalate to a non-actor Guide through /pr for immediate attention.
· Upon entering a zone for placement or /become, actors should use /hideme unless otherwise instructed in the script. When becoming visible again, actors should check to make sure they are still anonymous. Any Apprentice+ observing the quest may also use /hideme so they do not detract from the action. (Please note that Guides observing the quest do not receive a quest credit).
· Quest Actors must not attack players who are linkdead or recovering their corpses. Players who have already been killed by a Quest Actor or are running away must not be attacked unless they attack the Quest Actor.
· Players who are unsuccessful in feigning death (message "Playername has fallen to the ground") may be attacked, as a normal NPC would attack players who failed a feign death attempt. The ability for a Quest Actor to see through and attack players who are successful in their attempts to feign death must be limited to intelligent creatures (eg. no Ogres seeing through feigns), include considerations for level, and should be communicated to actors at the outset of the quest by the Quest Director. Quest Actors may use the skills normally possessed by their quest character's race, class, and level unless otherwise stated in the quest script.
· Quest Actors may use the spells, songs, or other items included in the character template copied to their Guide account unless otherwise stated in the quest script.
· Charm, Fear, and Damage over Time (DoT) spells may not be used, except where permitted by the quest script. Quest Actors must not attack players who are under the influence of a Charm or Fear type spell. Pets may not be summoned, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Quest Actors may not group with players, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Quest Actors may never use /ooc or /auction. The /shout channel may only be used by Quest Actors as specified by the quest script.
· The /emotezone command may not be used by a Guide+ in the zone(s) another quest is running in, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Once a quest has been completed and all the actors' corpses are looted, actors must delete the quest characters from their accounts. Actor characters are for use only in the dynamic quest for which they were created. Using a buffed actor character for any other purpose is grounds for dismissal from the Guide Program.
· All quest participants shall post feedback regarding the quest in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
*
3.0.25 The Quest Director (last revised 02/20/06)
Prior to the commencement of a quest, a Quest Director must be appointed. It is recommended that the Director not be an actor in the quest. However, in single person quests, the actor may also be the Quest Director. Should no actor volunteer to be Quest Director, Quest Director will be by default:
the Quest Coordinator
a member of the SMT
first character listed on the quest script
The Quest Director duties include:
Determining the optimum zone for the quest performance (if the quest script allows for optional zones)
Getting each actor set up in the proper starting point in the zone
Making sure that the quest runs smoothly
Protecting players and actors from being attacked by NPC's
Reminding each actor to delete their quest character after the corpse is looted
Providing feedback about the quest to the Quest Coordinator and/or NDCS
3.0.30 NPC's and /Kill Restraint During Quests (last revised 02/20/06)
Whenever possible, a quest that requires an actor to be /becomed should be located away from NPC's (especially guards, and their pathing, if mobile). This is recommended because a /becomed actor can be attacked by any player. If a player attacks an actor in the vicinity of a guard, the guard may come to the aid of the actor and attack the player. The guard will not attack the actor unless the actor subsequently attacks the player. Keeping quests away from such NPC's ensures our actions do not cause a player to be inadvertently killed.
Unless a situation arises which can be detrimental to the completion of the quest, the Quest Director should be the only individual /killing NPC's. Use of the /kill command on "interfering" NPC's is permitted in cases where the NPC is adversely affecting the quest, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, and Section 2.25.60.5). Examples of when this would be permitted would be an NPC druid attacking a player or actor who was attacked by an animal or when several creatures that consider green to an actor are creating excess battle spam. However, if a rare NPC attacks an actor, then the actor should zone. Any named non-merchant or non-guard NPC should be considered rare and not killed unless given permission by a CSR+. Whenever the /kill command is used, the name(s) of the NPC(s) killed should be reported in the Guide+'s DSR and quest feedback. At no time should the /kill command ever be used on a player.
3.0.35 Use of /becomenpc (last revised 3/28/04)
The /becomenpc command is a powerful tool typically used in dynamic quests. It must be used discretely and never in front of players. Like other CS tools, /becomenpc is not a toy.
The following guidelines must be observed when using the /becomenpc command:
/becomenpc may never be used on a player
/becomenpc may never be used so that the target, while visible, changes into a NPC in front of a player unless being done so in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event
/becomenpc may never be used so that the target assumes the form of a god (Tunare, Veeshan, Innoruuk, etc.) or any other restricted become unless being done so in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event
/becomenpc may only be used in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event, or an activity approved by an Elder Guide and/or Guide Liaison. If a Guide+ desires to "practice" using the /becomenpc command, they should do so in cshome and out of sight of players and within reason. Do not use /becomenpc to play or in excess.
The level cap for becomes is included in the quest script but sometimes the cap is either too high or too low. For quests which do not have a listed level cap and there are players of high level who could ruin the quest by over powering the actors intended for lower level players a cap may be added by the Quest Director within reason. As a general rule, the caps usually are put five levels up for lower levels and up to 10 levels up for higher levels. Also, the Quest Director can change them as needed if a quest is not going well with the cap at the prescribed level. For instance, if the cap is too low and the Questors are getting killed very quickly, they can pop away or hide and zone and return and re-become with a higher cap so that maximum fun is had by all.
3.0.35.0 /becomenpc command (last revised 2/21/05)
/become <model number> <gender> <body> <helmet> <face> <height> <level limit>
For example: /become 1 m 1 3 0 6 is a human male with leather body armor and a plate helmet at height of 6
Model Number: The model number will designate what creature you will appear as. This is limited to specific zones where the model is present. There are some models that are global and can appear in every zone.
Gender: M = Male F = Female N = Neutral (for non-humanoid models)
Body Armor/Skin: If they are not humanoid model, this category would be for the Skin Type:
0 = Nothing (Newbie skin.)
1 = Leather
2 = Chain
3 = Plate
17 = Velious Leather 1
18 = Velious Chain 1
19 = Velious Plate 1
20 = Velious Leather 2
21 = Velious Chain 2
22 = Velious Plate 2
Face: This is used to change the faces of the humanoid figures. This will not apply to non-humanoid creatures.
Height: This is used to set the height for the NPC. The range is 1-49. This works the same as the /height command. All creatures with the exception of Dragons may be subjected to the height command. Some model’s height will be defaulted in the original /become with a few exceptions that will be at the height of the model you are without the /become. Some models will need to be brought down in height to be seen properly by the players.
Level Limit: This is used to specify a maximum level of a player that can attack, cast on, or interact with the model. The level limit command in the become list also prevents the model from attacking, casting on, or interacting with players who are above the set level of the level limit.
3.0.40 Quest Disclosure (last revised 3/28/04)
Details of a dynamic quest may not be disclosed without the explicit approval of Sony Online Entertainment.
Members of the Guide Program found using quest information for their or their friends personal advantage can result in dismissal and banning from EverQuest.
Specific quest access is permitted as follows:
NDCS: All quests.
CSRs: All quests.
Senior Guides: All approved quests. Historical quest information may be obtained from NDCS at the time the information is needed to run an approved, historical quest.
Quest Coordinators: All approved, non-historical quests. Historical quest information may be obtained from their SMT when needed to run an approved historical quest.
Full Guides: All approved, non-historical quests.
Apprentice Guides: All approved, non-historical quests.
3.0.45 Creation of a Quest (last revised 02/20/06)
Any member of the Guide Program may submit a quest idea for review through the EverQuest Guide web site. Submitted ideas go into a queue of unapproved quest ideas where they wait to be reviewed and revised by SOE.
All Guides submitting quests should follow these guidelines:
The title should use the format: “EQ-PC – <title>”
Well thought-out and defined - no loose ends or unexplained plot elements
Complete - all information needed to run the quest is specified, including detailed actor information, specific places, and complete sequence of events
Consistent or non-conflicting with the existing history of Norrath
Appropriate challenge and reward for the intended player audience
Appearance of historical NPCs of Norrath, significant NPCs (dragons for example), gods or explanations of known landmarks (dragon skeleton of Steamfont for example) are restricted for use in historical quests, they may not be used in non-historical quests.
Non-historical quests may not require changes in a zone or ownership of a zone (dark elves take over Freeport for example).
Quests should not be identical or extremely similar to other quests that are or have been in the approved quest queue.
Once a Quest has been approved/revised, the NDCS Team will update and maintain the Approved Quest forum. Guides should submit feedback to NDCS to help in revising and updating quests.
3.0.50 Impromptu Quests (last revised 12/30/06)
Impromptu Quests are the result of inspiration and, as encouragement for such creativity, it is possible to create a quest, get tentative approval, and run it immediately. Previously approved quests requiring modification to be performed and Unapproved Quests being tested by NDCS also fall under this category.
A Senior, or Apprentice+ after consulting with their SMT, may perform an Impromptu Quest after receiving approval from the Guide Liaison by presenting a proposal via the Elder Guide email alias. If approved, the quest may be run following the approved outline submitted. After the performance, the author of the proposal should send it along with a full account of the performance to NDCS. Should the quest prove successful and requires no further revision, it should be added to the Approved Quest pool by NDCS.
CSR's soliciting Guide program assistance for quests not listed in the Approved Quest pool must obtain prior approval from the Guide Liaison.
3.0.55 Historical Quests (last revised 10/23/02)
NDCS and SOE will identify some quests as Historic (H), indicating quests that are part of a larger plot in the evolving history of Norrath. Historic quests must be run once and only once on each server (unless otherwise specified in the quest's description) and will often have deadlines.
Historical quests are scheduled with the approval of the Server Management Team, but they are to be staffed and run by CSRs only. The SMT will be notified approximately 3 days prior to the running of a historical quest on their server including any requests of additional actors. Occasionally, a historical quest will need to be run with less notice and this must be approved on a case by case basis by SOE management.
NDCS and/or SOE may request the help of actors available on the server if the need arises, but the responsibility for historic quests lies completely with the SOE CSRs and NDCS. If actors from the server are needed, NDCS and/or SOE will notify the SMT in advance so that actors can be scheduled, customer service functions are maintained, and Apprentices are supervised.
3.0.60 Invasions (last revised 9/25/03)
Notes for invasions:
Invasions may only be run with CSR cooperation and in the presence of a CSR.
The best way to make an invasion fun for players is to add a good guy to rally the troops against the invaders, this can even be done by zone emotes, if needed.
Invasion mobs must be an appropriate level.
o While, for example, the Bunny invasions are incredibly cute they are not supposed to be done for the following reasons: Bunnies are level 3 max, there are no bunnies over that level. A level 3 bunny has no chance against a level 50 player. While you can come up with reasons to have the bunnies attack the players (rabies, plague, etc.), once again, they have to be appropriate to the level of the Mob. This goes for any other mob in the game. If they are intelligent then they can have many reasons for invading. If they are animals and non-intelligent, there needs to be a reason given in the invasion for this to be happening. For example, perhaps the DEs are tired of all the snakes in Neriak and have sprayed. Now the Snakes are poisoned and attacking any in their path. Mr. Exterminator00 warns the zone, and the attack begins!
3.5 Persistent Characters (last revised 06/04/06)
A Persistent Character is a member of the Guide program or CSR actor character who, instead of appearing for the short duration of a quest and then vanishing, stays in character for extended periods of time to interact with players. Members of the Guide program or CSRs portraying Persistent Characters are encouraged to log in the Persistent Character whenever they have a chance and interact with the citizens of Norrath. Each Persistent Character session counts as one roleplay session, as set forth in Section 1.30.20.
It is important that Persistent Characters remain strictly in character. Out of character comments or questions from players should either be ignored or deflected in character. The command /tell should not be used, except in accordance with the Persistent Character's profile. It is important to distinguish between Persistent Characters, which are non-historical in nature and may be played by any Apprentice+, and Historical Characters, which appear on all servers at the same time on those rare occasions that they appear.
Each Persistent Character will have a predefined history - a description of things that character knows and can therefore share with players.
Members of the Guide program portraying Persistent Characters will have that character on their home guiding server. Persistent Characters must make their presence known to the EverQuest CS team members that are online as they may receive questions from players as a result of the presence of a Persistent Character.* Members of the Guide Program portraying Persistent Characters shall not enter any No-Loitering Zones (see Section 2.15.0.0) or Answer Circle Restricted Zones (see Section 3.10.5.5) unless otherwise outlined in the character profile
Members of the Guide program must conform to the Persistent Character behavior outlined in 3.5.5 and the character profile. Noncompliance can result in removal of the Persistent Character and disciplinary action, up to removal from the program. Please note that Persistent Characters are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides.
3.5.0 Application Process (last revised 02/20/06)
Apprentices and Guides that have been a member of the Guide program for a minimum of three months must send the information below to his or her SMT for approval. Upon approval, the SMT will forward the Persistent Character request to the Guide Liaison via the NDCS email alias.
Senior Guides requesting a Persistent Character will send the information below to the Elder Guides for approval.
Guide/CSR Name
Proposed Name of the Persistent Character (the name must conform with the Naming Policy and must be appropriate to the character)
Choice of profession (character template name) for the Persistent Character
Available times for portrayal of the Persistent Character
SWAT Guides are allowed one Persistent Character. Should they desire that Persistent Character on their SWAT server, they must send their request to the server SMT with a copy to the SWAT chair.
Upon approval, all Persistent Characters must be noted in the Apprentice+’s database record.
3.5.5 Persistent Character Behavior (last revised 5/24/04)
Upon going on to a server, the Persistent Character must send a /tell to a visible CS team member or send a message in /pr announcing his or her presence on the server.
As with the Guide avatars, Persistent Characters are not to be used to adventure (see Section 1.0.5) unless such actions are explicitly described in the Character Template. Additionally, Persistent Characters may not be used for the specific gain of another character (such as corpse dragging or power-leveling). Unless specified in the template, Persistent Characters are not concerned with loot, items, or experience.
The Guide+ must post a DSR listing all of their Persistent Character's activities and detailing any sales, trades, and player interaction, as allowed in the character profile.
While portraying a Persistent Character, the Guide must:
Ignore or deflect in-character any requests for assistance with Customer Service issues (except in the case of real-life threats and, even then, the Persistent Character should only attempt to contact a CSR). If ignoring the request is not possible, the Persistent character should either /boggle or, if necessary, reply in role -- "Ye'll be needin' ta take that up with the gods, m'lady."
Fairly price any items that the Persistent Character crafts (such as armor or jewelry), and only if allowed to perform sale or trade transactions as specified in the character profile.
Remain in role at all times. No channel other than /say should ever be utilized, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from any form of PvP combat, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from grouping with any players, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from entering any zone designated as No Loitering Restricted (see Section 2.15 ) or Answer Circle Restricted (see Section 3.10.5.5), except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from asking any CSR for restock on any trade skill expendables. Only SOE is authorized to restock Persistent Characters. Please e-mail your SMT to arrange to have your character restocked.
Keep /log enabled (see Section 1.45.10). Unedited logs must be kept for 90 days and provided to your SMT, SOE, or the Elders upon request.
3.10 Events (last revised 04/14/04)
Events can be placed in 4 categories
Player run events (weddings, concerts, talent shows, etc) in which Guides only have a perfunctory role
Server events (Kelethin Ale run, etc) which are more quest-like in that guides run them for the server themselves
SOE sponsored events which are run primarily by SOE with assistance from the Guides.
Guide run answer circles and role-play sessions in which Guides provide a diversion with their Guide Avatars
3.10.0 Player Run Events (last revised 10/23/02)
Player-Run Events are defined as any occurrence initiated or controlled by players. Auctions, treasure hunts, weddings, and music concerts are all examples of player-run events.
A Guide+ may not supply any powers, money, or items, with the exception of those items from Llara the Mysterious (see Section 2.10), to player-run events. EverQuest CS members are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate with their presence and their words.
3.10.0.0 Player Weddings (last revised 02/20/06)
Weddings are a voluntary service provided by EverQuest CS. Any two players are allowed to wed, regardless of race, sex, or level. Players wishing to be wed should be encouraged to have a player available as a backup in the event EverQuest CS is unable to officiate.
CS Requirements:
A separate character, such as "Priest/Priestess of Love," may not be used by a member of the Guide Program officiating a wedding.
An Apprentice+ may officiate in any zone except No-Loitering Zones, Off-Limits Zones, or Answer Circle Restricted Zones (see Section 3.10.5.5).
An Apprentice+ may create a chat channel with the wedding party to assist with the ceremony coordination. The Apprentice+ is to leave the chat channel as soon as the ceremony is concluded.
Players are responsible for the security of the wedding site. If combat occurs at, or near, the wedding site, members of the Guide Program are not allowed to /kill any mobs or assist in the fight in any way, and may not assist with any corpse retrievals or aid in the resurrection of players after the combat.
A Guide+ is not to /summon players to or from the event (see Section 2.25.0).
Items from Llara the Mysterious may be distributed to the wedding party and their guests within reason (see Section 2.10).
3.10.0.5 Wedding Coordinator (last revised 02/20/06)
A Server may, at its sole discretion, appoint a Guide to act as a Wedding Coordinator to assist with player run events. As assisting with player run events is not mandatory, not all servers will have Wedding Coordinators (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators).
3.10.5 Answer Circles (last revised 02/20/06)
Answer Circles may be run at anytime as long as they do not interfere with scheduled quests or events.
In addition to the No Loitering Zones listed in 2.15.0, Answer Circles may not be held in the Answer Circle Restricted Zones listed in 3.10.5.5.
The same restrictions that apply to Guiding or running Quests/Events also apply to holding Answer Circles. Questions about game secrets, spawn times, etc. are not to be discussed. Historical information and lore should be released with discretion. Any information that can only be obtained from playing the game should not be divulged.
/shout may be used to garner interest in the answer circle provided the /shout is no more than one line, is not repeated again for at least 10 minutes, and is roleplay in nature
Players are to be addressed via /say and /tell (per P&P Section 1.0.10).
If you find yourself in a circle where you are being directly confronted by an upset player (CS issues), refer them to a CSR or the EQ Live Web site for support.
We are not required to provide Technical Support in Answer Circles. Again, refer the players to the Technical Support chat channels or follow the instructions in Section 2.20.40 for other avenues of support.
3.10.5.0 Answer Circle Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06)
1. Load up on sandwiches, ale, cookies, milk, and cake from Llara to distribute to players.
2. Find a safe location for the answer circle, preferably in a newbie zone. Ask players to gather around you.
3. Answer circles work best with less than 15 players.
4. Start with a specific topic in mind and then have a Q&A or roleplay session. Suggested topics:
§ How to use the ticket system
§ How to use /report
§ How to change window options
§ How to filter text into other windows
5. For smaller circles, brush up on your role-playing and ask each player to tell the story of their character or an adventure they have had.
3.10.5.5 Answer Circle Restricted Zones (last revised 4/10/06)
Although the following zones may be entered by any member of the Guide program at any time by utilizing the /zone command, there are restrictions. See Sections 3.5.5, 3.10.0.0, and 3.10.5 for details on restrictions.
Answer Circle Restricted Zones
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
arena The Arena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena2 Pit of Rathpher * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
befallen Befallen * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
blackburrow Blackburrow * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
bloodfields The Bloodfields Omens EQ-PC
causeway Nobles' Causeway Omens EQ-PC
cazicthule Accursed Temple of CazicThule * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
charasis The Howling Stones Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chardok Chardok Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
citymist The City of Mist Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cobaltscar Cobaltscar Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crushbone Crushbone * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crystal Crystal Caverns Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dalnir The Crypt of Dalnir Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delveb** *Tirranun's Delve Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranik The Ruined City of Dranik Omens EQ-PC
droga Mines of Droga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dulak Dulak's Harbor Ykesha EQ-PC
eastwastes Eastern Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
echo Echo Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
frozenshadow Tower of Frozen Shadow Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fungusgrove The Fungus Grove Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
greatdivide The Great Divide Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
griegsend Grieg's End Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grimling Grimling Forest Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gukbottom Ruins of Old Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guktop Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gunthak The Gulf of Gunthak Ykesha EQ-PC
hatesfury Hate's Fury Ykesha EQ-PC
hole The Ruins of Old Paineel Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
iceclad Iceclad Ocean Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kael Kael Drakkel Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaesora Kaesora Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
karnor Karnor's Castle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kedge Kedge Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kurn Kurn's Tower Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
maiden The Maiden's Eye Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mistmoore Castle Mistmoore * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nadox Crypt of Nadox Ykesha EQ-PC
najena Najena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
necropolis Dragon Necropolis Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
netherbian Netherbian Lair Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nurga Mines of Nurga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paludal The Paludal Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paw Lair of the Splitpaw * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
permafrost Permafrost Caverns * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
runnyeye Liberated Citadel of Runnyeye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
scarlet Scarlet Desert Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sebilis Ruins of Sebilis Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowrest Shadowrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sirens Siren's Grotto Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyfire Skyfire Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyshrine Skyshrine Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldunga Solusek's Eye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungb Nagafen's Lair * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungc The Caverns of Exile * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoonb** *The Ascent Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
stonebrunt Stonebrunt Mountains Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tenebrous The Tenebrous Mountains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thedeep The Deep Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thegrey The Grey Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thenest** The Accursed Nest Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
thurgadina The City of Thurgadin Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thurgadinb Icewell Keep Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
torgiran Torgiran Mines Ykesha EQ-PC
twilight Twilight Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
umbral The Umbral Plains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
unrest The Estate of Unrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
veksar Veksar * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
velketor Velketor's Labyrinth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
wakening The Wakening Land Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warrens The Warrens Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
westwastes Western Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
3.10.10 Event Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Event Coordinators are the main point of contact in the Guide Program for Server Events and SOE events that are run on their server. Their duties include:
Coordinate Server and SOE events on their server including:
o Selecting server Events to be performed
o Scheduling requests for assistance with Server Events as necessary
o Scheduling SOE Events when advised to do so by NDCS and/or SOE
o Encouraging Apprentice+ actors to sign up utilizing the Quest Tool
o Ensure that all characters have been copied via the Quest Tool prior to the start of the event and attempt to get missing characters rectified
Assist peers in utilizing the Quest Tool
Assist peers in conceptualizing, creating, and submitting events via the Guide website.
Work with their Server Management Team, NDCS, Guides on their server and CSRs
Provide feedback and reports to their Server Management Team and NDCS as needed.
Event Coordinators are selected by their server's Server Management Team. The SMT may assign a different Event Coordinator or an additional Event Coordinator at their discretion (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators).
Event Coordinators report to their server's Server Management Team. Along with providing feedback to NDCS, the Event Coordinators must provide regular reports to the SMT. These reports will be specified by the SMT along with their frequency. Typical reports include:
Events performed during the week including Guides/CSRs participating, date/time, length, problems, comments
Suggestions for improving the participation of Guides and CSRs in events
Upcoming Event schedules Important NDCS news
Additional duties may be assigned to the Event Coordinators by the SMT.
Additional duties may be assigned to the Event Coordinators by NDCS with SMT approval.
The following forums have been designated for event discussions:
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
Backstage. This area is for discussing quests and events, from design through post-quest reports.
3.10.15 Server Events (last revised 12/30/06)
Server Events are to be obtained solely from the Approved Event Pool. It is not permitted to add characters, spawn extra monsters, change zones, or otherwise change the event from its definition unless authorized by NDCS and/or SOE. The instructions for running these Events are found embedded in each Event posted in the pool. If an event is inadequate as written for whatever reason, provide feedback to NDCS on the Event Team message board on the Guide website or via e-mail.
Pre-made, buffed, and itemized characters for some of the SOE-approved events will be available to copy into an actor's Guide/CSR account. These characters are to be copied no more than five days prior to the event and must be deleted immediately after the event has ended, allowing players an opportunity to loot the character's corpse before deletion, if applicable. In the event that the event is cancelled, the event is rescheduled to a date more then five days from the time the event character was copied, the actor misses participating in the event, or the event character is otherwise not used, the Guide+ must delete the event character within 24 hours.
In order to comply with the requirements set forth in P&P Sections 1.30.15.0, 1.30.20.0, and 1.30.30.0, the Apprentice+ must remain online for the majority of the event. Logging on only to perform one small task and then logging out will not meet the weekly requirements.
Once an Apprentice+ logs into an event character, he/she is to take no CS actions, such as assisting players. Additionally, event characters are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides. Care should be taken not to use the Avatar related privileges such as /goto and /summon or any of the CSR Client features unless specifically required by the event's script or it is done in such a way that the integrity of the event is not compromised.
To facilitate the success of the event, the following must be observed:
· The event script must be followed precisely.
· Communication for the event may be accomplished by using /groupsay or by creating a passworded chat channel for use of the event members. It would be preferred that the /pr channel not be used, so as not to interfere with the Guides and CSR's assisting players.
· All Event Characters may use the /approval off command to prevent name approval dialogues from appearing on their screens while performing the event.
· Event Characters are allowed to disable spell effects (/showspelleffects off) and any similar options in an effort to reduce lag effects for themselves, so long as the event script does not require the effects to remain enabled. However, chat filters to turn off message channels such as /ooc, /shout, and /auction should not be used (see Section 1.0.10). These channels need to be left on to allow Event Characters to watch for possible disruption in them and either /report such instances for review at a later time or, if extreme, escalate to a non-actor Guide through /pr for immediate attention.
· Event Characters may not group with players, except where permitted by the event script. Event Actors may use /ooc or /shout as specified by the event script.
· All quest participants shall post feedback regarding the event in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
· Unless Seniors are specifically authorized in the script, the CSR is the only one authorized to bestow titles upon players.*
3.10.20 SOE Sponsored Events (last revised 02/20/06)
SOE Sponsored Events are events that are organized by SOE and scheduled on every server in a short amount of time, usually within a week. They are generally Player vs. Player (same class) or Team vs. Team (Multi-Class). SOE Sponsored Events are held in the zones Arena or Arena2 and must be run by a SOE CSR. The CSR is the only one authorized to bestow special items and titles upon players.
3.10.20.0 Tournament Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
The "Tournament" Series Events will be held in addition to the original "Test" series events.
These events are class specific for those not wishing to engage other classes that are of similar kind to their own class, or compete in a smaller sized event (2 hours is target length).
These events are designed to have a lower entry fee, as the target audience is much more specific.
All of these events are designed as single elimination, standard bracket tournaments.
All of these events are designed as player vs player events.
Tournament Series Events are being designed so that guides will be able to run and complete the event with minimal CSR assistance.
Tournament Series Events are being designed as the standard, and most run event on the servers.
Tournament Series Events are designed for all levels in mind, but targeting the lower level to mid level players most of the time.
3.10.20.5 Test Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are the Original Series of events that were designed to put similar classes up against similar classes for a more broad range of player involvement.
These are designed to be high entry fee (Lx10 plat), long lasting (4 hours or greater in length), and high competition events for those wishing the "Big" Event atmosphere.
All of these events are designed as single elimination, standard bracket tournaments.
All of these events are designed as player vs player events.
Test Series Events require and will always require a CSR to be present and run the event.
Test Series Events are designed for Veteran's Division and above.
3.10.20.10 Challenge Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are single player vs. environment (True NPC's) events designed to test game knowledge and "Challenge" even the greatest of players to their limits.
These are designed to be very class specific and level specific, with a low entry fee (LxL in Gold) for short timed (2 hours or less) events that many can enjoy.
These are designed as an achievement level event, meaning that players will have to overcome different levels of creatures and continue to overcome creatures to the point of death or request by the player to cease the Challenge to achieve the final score. Challenge series will require a CSR to be present and run the event due to spawning mobs.
Challenge series Events are designed for all levels in mind.
3.10.20.15 Competition Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are single group or multi-grouped events that pit players against predetermined NPCs in a race to defeat these NPCs to achieve a time to be judged not only server wide, but game-wide as well
Competition Series Events are designed with no entry fee and no prizes, simply for "Bragging Rights" to other groups, other guilds, and other servers.
These Events are designed to be very short in length (60 minutes) at the request of specific guilds to achieve a time to be competitive against other times that have been scored.
The Competition Series Events are still in final testing, more will be released about these events in the future.
These events are designed for higher level characters.
3.10.20.20 Arena Door (last revised 06/04/06)
Note: EQ-Mac only
The door in the Arena zone on the entryway into the inner circle ring can be opened and closed by anyone Guide/CSR flagged. Some events require the door to the inner circle to be closed. Any Guide+ member may close entry to the inner circle once an event sanctioned by NDCS and/or SOE begins. The only time the door may be closed is during an event. At all other times, the door must remain open. Petitions received during an event concerning the closed door should be responded to like any other petition. Unfortunately, once the doors are closed, CS Staff cannot provide transportation or reopen the doors just because the player was unable to get to the event in time. If a petition is received about the door being closed and an event is not currently underway, a Guide+ should reopen the door, and it should be noted in that staff member's shift report.
3.10.20.25 Running/Assisting SOE Events (last revised 12/05/05)
As there will be a CSR present who will run most of the Events, always follow their instructions, assisting however you can.
Occasionally, during an Event, spectators (and occasionally participants) might become disruptive. The CSR will advise the Guides and EC that are assisting if a player is to be summoned to another zone due to disruption, as per section 2.25.0.
Some Events (notably, the Tournament series) will involve a higher degree of Guide participation and allow the EC more flexibility in running the Event as he/she wishes.
3.15 General Guidelines for Quests and Events (last revised 10/24/04)
3.15.0 /summon (last revised 10/24/04)
In the specific case of a dynamic quest or event, occasions may arise when a player’s actions will disrupt it such that leaving him/her in the zone would prevent many others from participating or enjoying it as originally intended. At the direction of a CSR+, a non-acting Guide+ may use /summon to distance a disruptive player from these situations. Before using /summon however, an attempt to verbally warn the player before removing them, unless the disruption is clearly intentional (i.e., a player is casting on or spamming a historic quest character such that no one can hear his/her lines) or takes place during an event where players have been told that any interruption will result in their removal from the zone. The player should then be summoned by a Guide+ to a nearby zone in a safe area with no risk of NPC’s attacking them when they arrive to distance him/her from the situation. A player shall be summoned a far enough to distance them from the area where the disruption occurred, though not so far as to inconvenience them further than what is necessary (i.e., across continents or into dungeons). A warning should be placed on their soulmark via the /warn command once the player has been summoned. This warning should also be logged in the abuse database.
A player may not be placed in a "jail" area (such as the developer's rooms in qcat and other zones) by anyone other than a CSR (or at the explicit direction of a CSR), they may not be bound, nor may they be summoned back continually if he/she tries to escape, as those actions could potentially aggravate him/her further and tend to worsen an already delicate situation. If the player returns to the site of the incident and continues the disruptive behavior, a CSR should be contacted immediately to handle the situation.
PVP SERVER EXCEPTION: Additional care should be taken on the PvP servers to /summon the player to as secluded a spot as possible, as danger lies not only from NPCs on these servers, but also from other players within his/her level range. In addition, PvP combat on these servers is not considered disruption and the Guide+ should not intervene as long as it does not directly interfere with a dynamic quest or event.
3.15.5 After the Quest or Event (last revised 10/24/04)
After a PvP type event, a CS Resurrection may be provided to any player who dies during one of these events to ensure there is no accidental experience loss due to being killed by a pet or damage over time effect or it is permissible to /summon players back to their corpse so they may loot it without having to run back. Should the winner(s) of an event find themselves too encumbered to move due to the large amount of platinum they received as the prize, it is permissible, at the players’ option, to /summon them to the bank in Plane of Knowledge. Do not try to /summon players to Bazaar as they may not have the Shadows of Luclin expansion. In addition, make sure they will be within click distance of the banker in the Plane of Knowledge.
3.15.10 /emotezone in adjacent zones (last revised 10/24/04)
Should there be an insufficient number of players interested in participating in the zone specified in the quest script, it is permissible for a Guide+ to go to any connecting zone provided it is not No Loitering nor Answer Circle Restricted and use an /emotezone to alert the players who are in those adjoining zones. These emotes must be simple and no more than one line and may not be repeated again in the same zone for at least 10 minutes. Only repeat emotes if you did not gather any interested players on the first round. The same emote should be used for each adjacent zone.
Starting your /emotezone with “You hear a trumpet,” “You feel an icy wind,” “You see a shifty Gnome,” etc. will generally attract more direct attention from players than ones that start with “A trumpet can be heard,” “A wind can be felt,” or “A Gnome can be seen.” Example: for a quest in Rathe Mountains you could go to Lake Rathetear, and the Feerrott and /emotezone “You hear the sound of a marching army as their clanging armor echoes off the nearby mountains.”
3.20 The Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06)
The Event Calendar is a tool that is used to schedule quests, events, server meetings, mentoring sessions, training sessions, ceremonies, and any other Guide Program activity that can be set up in advance. All members of the Guide Program have access to and may use the Event Calendar on the Guide web site.
3.20.0 Quest and Event Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06)
Once a quest or event has been approved by SOE, it appears on the Approved Quests or Approved Events forum on the Guide web site. The Server Management Team and the Quest and Event Coordinators are cooperatively responsible for coordinating quests and events on their server. However, any Apprentice+ may request a quest or event utilizing the Event Calendar.
All quests and events should be requested at least 48 hours in advance to allow time for character copies to be made. Any Class H quests will have deadlines, so these quests will be scheduled by SOE in advance with the server's SMT. The Server Management Team will be given notification of historical quests so they may adjust their schedules.
Although an Apprentice+ may request a quest via the Event Calendar on the Guide website, where necessary, multiple actor quests may be scheduled by the Server Management Team or the Quest Coordinator in order to ensure that there are an appropriate number of actors available to perform the quest and to ensure that a CSR is present for those quests that require CSR assistance.
Dynamic quests and events (including invasion templates but excluding "Create and Run" quests and events) are to be obtained solely from the Approved Quest and Approved Event Pools. Quests and events from the Approved Quest and Approved Event forums come complete with histories, storylines, and backgrounds. It is not permitted to add characters, spawn extra monsters, change zones, or otherwise change the quest or event from its definition unless authorized by SOE. If a quest or event is inadequate as written for whatever reason, feedback should be provided to NDCS.
3.20.0.0 Requesting Quests and Events (last revised 08/08/06)
In order to request a quest or event, members of the Guide Program must:
1. Go to the Approved Quest or Event Pools and click on the "Schedule" link that pertains to the quest or event desired.
2. Fill out the appropriate information. Note: The date, time, server, and quest or event selection and quest or event title is required information in order for the request to go through successfully.
3. Click on the Schedule button.
The SMT, the Quest Coordinator, or the Event Coordinator will go through each request and decide whether or not to approve the requested quest or event. If approved, the quest or event should be able to be run on the requested date and time.
To schedule server sessions other than quests and events (such as mentoring sessions, training sessions, server meetings etc) please use the following procedure:
1. Click on Event Calendar
2. Click on Day of Month
3. Choose Quest or Event from drop down box, if appropriate
4. Fill out the appropriate information. Note: The date, time, server, and quest or event selection and quest or event title is required information in order for the request to go through successfully.
5. Click on the Schedule button.
This procedure may also be utilized to schedule quests and events.
3.20.0.5 Calendar Administration (last revised 08/08/06)
An "Admin Events" section appears to all Senior Guides, SWAT Team Members, NDCS Members, the Quest Coordinator, and the Event Coordinator. Additionally, SWAT Team members have access to every server's Event Calendar.
The "Admin Events" section allows the Server Management Team, along with the Quest and Event coordinators of the server, to manage the quests and events for the server. Note: SWAT and NDCS Team members must follow the rules regarding the use of their Admin abilities as set out by the Team Chair and the Elder Guides.
There are eight different labels a quest, event, or other Guide Program activity can be given by someone with access to the "Admin Events" section:
*
New - The default label for any activity placed on the Event Calendar. The activity will not show up on the Event Calendar until further action is taken.
Denied - The label given to any activity that is denied to be run. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar. It is possible to retrieve denied requests by utilising the Change View option.
Approved - The label given to any activity that is approved and can be run. Once approved, the activity will show on the Event Calendar.
Characters Copied - For Quest or Event Use only. The label given to any quest or event that has been approved and the templated characters copied.* Note:* Members of the EQ-Mac, EQII and EQOA Guide Program should mark quests or events that are approved with this label, as characters are created and do not need to go through a copying tool.
Quest Ran - For Quest use only. The label given to any quest that has successfully ran. Once this label is applied, the Quest will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Delete - The label given to any activity that needs to be deleted entirely from the Event Calendar. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Rescheduled - The label given to any acitivity that needs to be rescheduled. Once this label is applied, the acitivty will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar, and needs to be requested again on the new date and time.
Completed - The label given to any activity, including events, that were successfully completed. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Each label should be accurately attached to each requested activity depending on its pending status.
3.20.0.10 Calendar Statistics (last revised 08/08/06)
Statistics are stored for each server and various tables with these statistics are displayed at the bottom of the Event Calendar page. These statistics are used by the Elders and SOE for tracking and should portray the correct information for each month.
3.20.0.15 Character Copies (last revised 08/08/06)
Whenever a Quest or Event requiring characters is approved to be run on a server, copies of those characters will be made to the designated Guides. All members of the Guide Program are able to sign up for any character in a Quest or Event, unless otherwise specified in the script. When signing up for quest or event characters, all members of the Guide Program should use the names designated in the script. If the script does not designate a name for a character, members of the Guide Program should create unique and relevant names that do not take away from the role play nature of the quest or event. Additionally, all names requested should have underscores ("_") instead of spaces in order to have a full name be displayed ingame.
The Elder Guides and the Guide Liaison are responsible for the character copies for the entire Guide Program. To ensure that character copies are done within time for the quest or event, all quests and events should be requested at least 48 hours in advance. If a situation arises where a last minute copy is needed the following should be done:
1. The SMT, the Quest Coordinator, or the Event Coordinator needs to sign up the Guide(s) who needs the character copy under the appropriate Quest or Event.
2. An E-Mail should be sent to the Elder Guides as soon as possible.* The e-mail should include the server that the character copy needs to be done on, and the quest or event name and number.
EQ-Mac Exception: At this time, EQ-Mac Guides do not have the option to use the Event Calendar to request character copies. Instead, the SMT, Quest Coordinator, and Event Coordinator are responsible for providing the Guide Liaison with a list of quests and events that need character copies for them to be done by hand.
3.20.5 Persistent Characters and the Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06)
Persistent Characters are not to be requested via the Event Calendar (see Section 3.5.0 Application Process).
Last Revised December 30th, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Scope 6
Mission Statement 6
Changes to the Document 6
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always A Professional (last revised 02/20/06) 6
1.0.0 General Behavior (last revised 08/09/06) 7
1.0.5 On Duty (last revised 6/4/06) 9
1.0.10 On Server Interaction (last revised 02/20/06) 11
1.0.15 Privacy and Security (last revised 2/27/03) 12
1.0.15.0 Requesting Information (last revised 2/27/03) 12
1.0.15.5 Communication (last revised 06/04/06) 13
1.0.15.10 SOE Requests (last revised 11/18/03) 13
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Team Members (last revised 2/27/03) 13
1.5.0 Website (last revised 12/05/05) 13
1.5.5 Message Boards (last revised 02/20/06) 14
1.5.10 Guide Guilds (last revised 3/1/05) 17
1.5.15 Supplemental Communication (last revised 02/20/06) 17
1.5.20 In-game Communication (last revised 3/6/03) 17
1.5.25 Playing with Guides (last revised 4/8/03) 17
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring (last revised 10/23/02) 18
1.10.0 Choosing your name (last revised 02/20/06) 18
1.10.0.0 Changing your name (last revised 4/26/04) 18
1.10.5 New Apprentice (last revised 2/5/05) 19
1.10.5.0 Guide Account (last revised 02/20/06) 19
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide (last revised 02/20/06) 19
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona (last revised 02/20/06) 20
1.15 Absences and Returns (last revised 4/8/04) 21
1.15.0 Guide Absences (last revised 4/8/04) 21
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence (last revised 4/8/03) 21
1.15.5.0 Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return (last revised 02/20/06) 21
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return (last revised 04/06/06) 22
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More (last revised 06/04/06) 23
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases (last revised 02/20/06) 23
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures (last revised 12/30/06) 24
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release (last revised 12/30/06) 25
1.20 Transfers (last revised 02/20/06) 25
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05) 25
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.0 Transfer to a new server (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.5 Transfer to a specific server (last revised 12/05/05) 26
1.20.5.10 Transfer without specific server chosen (last revised 02/20/06) 27
1.20.5.15 Add or transfer to another game (last revised 02/20/06) 27
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests (last revised 12/30/05) 27
1.25 Program Obligations (last revised 10/23/02) 28
1.25.0 Account Security (last revised 12/30/06) 28
1.25.5 Information Dissemination (last revised 02/20/06) 28
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Players (last revised 02/20/06) 29
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards (last revised 02/20/06) 29
1.25.20 DSR's (last revised 12/30/06) 30
1.25.25 WSR's (last revised 4/26/04) 31
1.25.30 MSR's (last revised 5/25/04) 32
1.30 Avatars - Levels and Descriptions (last revised 10/23/02) 32
1.30.0 Avatar Changes (last revised 12/30/06) 32
1.30.5 Avatar Levels (last revised 5/24/04) 33
1.30.10 Candidates (last revised 02/20/06) 33
1.30.15 Apprentices (last revised 4/8/04) 34
1.30.15.0 Responsibilities of the Apprentice Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 34
1.30.20 Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 35
1.30.20.0 Responsibilities of a Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 35
1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 35
1.30.30 Senior Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 36
1.30.30.0 Responsibilities of a Senior Guide (last revised 7/5/04) 37
1.30.30.5 Becoming a Senior Guide (last revised 12/05/05) 38
1.30.35 Elder Guides (last revised 02/20/06) 39
1.30.40 SOE CSRs (last revised 02/20/06) 41
1.30.45 The Server Management Team (SMT) (last revised 02/20/06) 41
1.35 Is a Team for YOU? (last revised 04/12/06) 41
1.35.0 Communications Team (last revised 02/20/06) 43
1.35.5 Personnel Team (last revised 02/20/06) 43
1.35.10 Grading Team (last revised 10/21/02) 43
1.35.15 SWAT (System Wide Assistance Team) (last revised 02/25/06) 43
1.35.20 Training Team (last revised 02/20/06) 44
1.35.25 Policy Team (last revised 02/20/06) 44
1.35.30 NDCS (Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society) (last revised 4/26/04) 45
1.35.35 Tech Team (last revised 4/26/04) 45
1.35.40 Roleplay Team (last revised 12/05/05) 45
1.40 Tools of the Trade (Commands) (last revised 10/23/02) 45
1.40.0 All Levels (last revised 02/20/06) 45
1.40.5 Guide Level (last revised 2/21/05) 46
1.40.10 Senior Level (last revised 8/7/04) 46
1.45 Assisting Players (last revised 5/24/04) 47
1.45.0 Player Assistance (last revised 12/05/05) 47
1.45.5 General Player Assistance Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06) 48
1.45.10 Email Support for Players (last revised 02/20/06) 49
1.45.15 EverQuest Player Contacts (last revised 02/20/06) 50
1.50 Other Procedures (last revised 10/23/02) 51
1.50.0 EQ Chat (last revised 08/08/06) 51
1.50.5 Who can I turn to for Answers? (last revised 4/26/04) 51
1.50.10 Program ONLY Web/Email addresses (last revised 12/30/06) 52
1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (last revised 06/12/06) 53
1.55 Recognition Programs (Medals, Levels and Awards) (last revised 12/30/06) 53
1.55.0 Service Medals (last revised 12/17/04) 54
1.55.5 Avatar Levels Based on Time in Program (last revised 02/26/06) 55
1.55.10 Achievement Awards (last revised 12/30/06) 55
1.60 Common Abbreviations, Terms, and Names (last revised 2/21/05) 57
2.0 Commands (last revised 8/7/04) 58
2.0.0 Commands - All Levels (last revised 08/08/06) 58
2.0.5 Commands - Guide+ (last revised 12/30/06) 59
2.0.10 Commands - Senior Guide (last revised 8/7/04) 61
2.5 Warnings (last revised 12/30/04) 61
2.5.0 Confidentiality (last revised 9/25/03) 61
2.10 Guide Program Tools (last revised 02/20/06) 61
2.15 Zones (last revised 11/10/04) 65
2.15.0 Zone Listing (last revised 12/09/06) 65
2.15.0.0 No-Loitering Zone Listing (last revised 3/1/05) 71
2.15.0.5 Off Limits Zone Listing (last revised 12/05/05) 77
2.15.5 No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 77
2.15.5.0 Acceptable Guide Presence in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 2/6/05) 77
2.15.5.5 Exploring and Adventuring (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.10 Reporting CS Actions Taken in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 8/7/04) 78
2.15.5.15 Resurrections in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.20 NPC Interaction in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02) 78
2.15.5.25 Repopping a No-Loitering Zone (last revised 5/24/04) 78
2.20 Responding to Questions (last revised 10/23/02) 78
2.20.0 Account and Billing Problems (last revised 8/28/02) 78
2.20.5 Questions about Becoming a Guide (last revised 02/20/06) 79
2.20.10 Questions about Game Mechanics (last revised 8/28/02) 79
2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets (last revised 4/19/03) 79
2.20.20 Bug Reporting (last revised 8/7/04) 80
2.20.25 Technical Problems (last revised 5/24/04) 80
2.20.30 Known Problems (last revised 5/24/04) 80
2.20.35 Undetermined technical problems (last revised 02/20/06) 81
2.25 General Incident Procedures (last revised 10/23/02) 81
2.25.0 Summoning players (last revised 02/20/06) 81
2.25.5 Corpse Recovery (last revised 02/20/06) 82
2.25.10 Verifiable Bug Deaths (last revised 04/14/04) 83
2.25.15 Verified Server Connectivity Issues and Zone Crashes (last revised 04/14/04) 84
2.25.20 Stuck NPCs (last revised 02/20/06) 84
2.25.20.0 Stuck NPC Procedure (last revised 02/20/06) 85
2.25.25 Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 85
2.25.25.0 Verification of Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 85
2.25.25.5 General Procedure for Player Characters Under the World (last revised 9/25/03) 86
2.25.25.10 Under the World Corpse Recoveries (last revised 5/24/04) 86
2.25.30 Reimbursement Requests (last revised 8/7/04) 86
2.25.35 Guild Creation (last revised 02/20/06) 86
2.25.40 Sleeping Players (last revised 12/30/05) 87
2.25.45 Binding Death Loops (last revised 02/20/06) 87
2.25.50 PvP Quests (last revised 5/24/04) 88
2.25.55 Loot Anomalies (last revised 10/23/02) 88
2.25.60 /kill (last revised 9/25/03) 88
2.25.60.0 /Kill Restraint (last revised 9/25/03) 89
2.30 Abuse Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 90
2.30.0 The /report command (last revised 5/24/04) 90
2.30.5 Abuse (last revised 5/24/04) 91
2.30.10 Reports of Fraud (last revised 2/20/06) 91
2.30.15 Reports of Ninja-Looting (last revised 8/28/02) 91
2.35 Disruption Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 91
2.40 Exploitation Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06) 92
2.45 Threats of banishment (last revised 04/14/04) 92
2.50 Real Life Threats (last revised 06/12/06) 92
2.55 Player Disputes (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.55.0 Contested Spawn Complaints (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.55.5 Kill Stealing (last revised 5/24/04) 93
2.60 The Naming Policy (last revised 12/05/05) 93
2.60.0 Policy Enforcement (last revised 12/05/05) 94
2.60.5 First Names (last revised 04/10/06) 94
2.60.10 Surnames (last revised 04/10/06) 94
2.60.10.0 Surname Change Procedure (last revised 12/05/05) 95
3.0 Quests (last revised 10/28/02) 96
3.0.0 Quest Categories (last revised 7/13/04) 96
3.0.5 Quest Administration (last revised 4/16/05) 96
3.0.10 Quest Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 97
3.0.15 Quest Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06) 98
3.0.20 Quest Performance (last revised 12/30/06) 98
3.0.25 The Quest Director (last revised 02/20/06) 100
3.0.30 NPC's and /Kill Restraint During Quests (last revised 02/20/06) 100
3.0.35 Use of /becomenpc (last revised 3/28/04) 100
3.0.35.0 /becomenpc command (last revised 2/21/05) 101
3.0.40 Quest Disclosure (last revised 3/28/04) 102
3.0.45 Creation of a Quest (last revised 02/20/06) 102
3.0.50 Impromptu Quests (last revised 12/30/06) 102
3.0.55 Historical Quests (last revised 10/23/02) 103
3.0.60 Invasions (last revised 9/25/03) 103
3.5 Persistent Characters (last revised 06/04/06) 103
3.5.0 Application Process (last revised 02/20/06) 104
3.5.5 Persistent Character Behavior (last revised 5/24/04) 104
3.10 Events (last revised 04/14/04) 105
3.10.0 Player Run Events (last revised 10/23/02) 105
3.10.0.0 Player Weddings (last revised 02/20/06) 105
3.10.0.5 Wedding Coordinator (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5 Answer Circles (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5.0 Answer Circle Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06) 106
3.10.5.5 Answer Circle Restricted Zones (last revised 4/10/06) 107
3.10.10 Event Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06) 109
3.10.15 Server Events (last revised 12/30/06) 110
3.10.20 SOE Sponsored Events (last revised 02/20/06) 111
3.10.20.0 Tournament Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 111
3.10.20.5 Test Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.10 Challenge Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.15 Competition Series Events (last revised 10/23/02) 112
3.10.20.20 Arena Door (last revised 06/04/06) 112
3.10.20.25 Running/Assisting SOE Events (last revised 12/05/05) 113
3.15 General Guidelines for Quests and Events (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.0 /summon (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.5 After the Quest or Event (last revised 10/24/04) 113
3.15.10 /emotezone in adjacent zones (last revised 10/24/04) 114
3.20 The Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06) 114
INDEX 118
Scope
This document covers all of the policies for all members of EverQuest Guide Program (hereafter referred to as EverQuest CS) and the procedures for them to follow to enforce these policies. The term "Customer service" includes all interactions with players/testers, and includes everything from first-level technical support to public relations. The goal is to support and enhance the playing experience for players, and to provide an interface between the players and Sony Online Entertainment (hereafter referred to as SOE). SOE Employees are not bound by the P&P in relation to player interaction. Volunteer Guides, however, are bound by the P&P in all aspects. The Guide program is the "face" that SOE presents to the player. As such it is very important that all actions taken by customer service be ethical and professional and avoid even the appearance of favoritism or conflict of interest. These guidelines provide customer service personnel with a way to handle player situations that will ensure consistent and professional behavior.
Mission Statement
"To support, educate, and direct the customers of EverQuest to create an enjoyable and immersive Role Playing experience."
Changes to the Document
This is a working document and will change to meet the needs of the program. Requests for changes to this document may be sent to policies-verant@soe.sony.com. Normal, non-emergency change requests will be batched and handled as time allows, while change requests flagged as urgent will be processed as they arrive. Requests for all other changes will be discussed among the senior guides, and representatives of SOE. If the change is approved, the document will be modified and a new copy made available to all members of the Guide program.
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always A Professional (last revised 02/20/06)
Professionalism
Members of the Guide Program are expected to behave professionally at all times. This does not mean "stiffly and formally", but consistently, ethically, and with integrity. Being that we are in Norrath to enhance the game, there is a code of conduct that all members of the Guide program must follow whenever dealing with players in any capacity.
Professionalism must also be extended to SOE employees and other members of the Guide program with whom we cross paths. Harassment, unprovoked sexual innuendos, and unwanted sexual advances are prohibited. While in most cases the person doing this has no ill will towards the victim, the victim can sometimes feel helpless and unable to ask for the perpetrator to stop.
Communications between Members of the Guide Program and Players
Communications between members of the Guide program and EverQuest players should be handled in as professional and courteous manner as possible. This is not to say that we must be serious and short with the players. On the contrary, we should attempt to role-play our encounters with players, portraying some personality and using humor where appropriate. We should at all times show good communications skills, speaking to the player in correct English or a suitable role-play variant. Commonly used slang associated with hackers/cheaters/warez sites, etc. should not be used, as it is unprofessional. Foul language should never be used when speaking to players.
Guide Behavior
Courteous. We are polite, always. No matter how angry the player, no matter how bad the complaint, no matter how personal the insult, we are always polite.
Empathetic. We care, always. Even when we can not help, or when the player is abusive, we always remember what it was like to be in the player's position and understands how they feel.
Patient. Things go wrong, often. Things do not work out or fall apart, and take players with them. No matter how wild the chaos, we are a rock that the players depend upon in the storm.
Decisive. When a critical problem occurs that requires immediate action, that action must be rational, logical, and consistent with the program policies. A member of the Guide program being able to keep their head, contacting the proper escalation points, and executing consistent damage control can keep a minor emergency from becoming a disaster.
Humble. We are not above the players. We support them, and they are the reason the program exists. The hierarchy of Guides is a measurement of the trust earned from other Guides and SOE, not necessarily an indicator of experience, knowledge, or ability. The Senior Guides are there because they excel at the requirements listed here, not because they have been in the program the longest.
Consistent. The actions of any individual team member directly impact the expectations on all of the others. Anyone who steps outside of the policy, no matter how "necessary" the violation, immediately causes other players to ask why that exception was not granted to them in their own time of need. Policies exist for a reason, no matter how unfair they sometimes seem.
Committed. We are committed to the success of EverQuest. This is above personal gain within the game, making friends, and ego. Our commitment to our mission statement drives this.
Honest. The Guide program is where it is by earning the trust of SOE and its players. Any betrayal of that trust hurts the other Guides, the players, SOE, and EverQuest. Any short-term gain from being dishonest is FAR overshadowed by the long-term damage.
Creative. This is a role playing game. As such, most of the fun is mental and spontaneous. The more creative we are, the more fun everyone can have with each encounter and situation.
Tolerant. Players do not come to us happy. They only request assistance when something has gone wrong, and they are often angry. It is not personal. We smile, listen, and fix it to the best of our ability, no matter how we are treated by the player. We should not carry any negative feelings about a player encounter-into the next player encounter. The CS team on a server should develop a level of teamwork that will allow the team members to support each other, avoiding passing on our frustration to the players.
1.0.0 General Behavior (last revised 08/09/06)
Set an example. It is imperative that all members of the Guide program maintain an air of professionalism and integrity, both with players and their fellow team members. When in the Guide persona, a Guide should always present his or her best face to the player. A Guide's communication with other players and in game actions should always be exemplary. This means that Guides should never use "doodspeak" nor should they ever appear "drunk" in front of players. Personally, out of character, and "off the clock," they can behave how they wish as long as there is no connection between who they are and their Guide persona. But on duty, even in the /private channel, we speak of and to the player with kind regard and consideration, even when telling them "No.”
Attentiveness. Players deserve our full attention at all times. Any Apprentice+ found to be logged onto a play avatar and a Guide Program avatar simultaneously may be asked to log off the Guide server until such time as they are able to devote their full attention to the player. Play avatars that do not require any human interaction, such as traders, may be active during a guide session provided that the Guide devotes their full attention to their guide avatar.
Guide Authority. Although members of the Guide Program are expected to use common sense when handling player requests, if the action would limit the player's gameplay, and authority for the action is not specifically given within this document, the Apprentice+ must send an e-mail to the Elder Guides before proceeding (see 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
Tempers. No matter how frustrating the situation, no matter how angry the player, no matter how personal the insults, members of the Guide program shall never lose their temper with a player. Should we feel that we are losing our temper, we should pass the player to a member of the Server Management Team, if possible, or another member of the Guide program, if a senior member is not available. This is not personal and the other Guide program members are here to help.
Ignoring players. No matter how frustrating a player can be, we never /ignore them. If we are having a difficult time with a player, they should escalate it to another Guide, if possible. If no one else is available, we must simply handle it as quickly and efficiently as possible, then disengage from the player.
Guide and CSR "friends." The end goal of the Guide program is to have representatives spread across multiple servers to allow them to not have to Guide on the same server on which their friends play. However, we tend to make friends with players that we assist often and friends will go where they will. Therefore, members of the Guide program must endeavor to avoid the stigma of favoritism. We do not stay in zones where our friends are playing - the further away the better. We do not associate with friends while we are on duty, even if the friend is aware of our role in the Guide Program. Seeing us in the same zone with the same characters consistently, especially if it the identity of our alternate character becomes known, is simply asking to be accused of favoritism.
Requests from friends. We do not assist friends unless there is no one else to help them. If no other team members are available we must assist the friend, doing only the minimum amount of work required, even if it means leaving the problem only partially fixed. Better to be accused of giving poor service to friends than better-than-normal service to them. Remember that in these cases we still must respond in a friendly, courteous manner…leaving an issue unresolved can be accomplished without being rude or unresponsive.
Cross-server tells. We do not send cross-server ;tells to friends while logged into EverQuest or EQIM as our Guide characters. This restriction also includes the receipt of cross-server ;tells.
o If an Apprentice+ receives a cross-server ;tell from a friend wishing to chat, they must disengage the conversation as soon as possible.
o If an Apprentice+ receives a cross-server ;tell from a player requesting assistance, they must direct that person to request assistance on their play server. Depending on the severity of the issue, the Apprentice+ can contact a CSR by posting to the SWAT Help forum, or the Apprentice+ may forward the issue to the Elder Guides (see 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
o An Apprentice+ may not send a cross-server ;tell to a CSR to request emergency assistance, but should instead utilize the Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (see 1.50.15).
Favors. We shall never request 'favors' of a player, either for themselves or on behalf of another player. In such cases where it is deemed that player assistance is needed, the CSR or Senior Guide shall be the contacting person.
Controlling player perception. No matter the intentions, no matter how pure the motives, no matter how well meaning the CS team member, the specter of favoritism can rear its ugly head if we are not diligent and consistent in our actions. All it takes is for the belief to be propagated to cause a problem, even if it is completely untrue. This must be avoided at all costs, as it not only damages the individual's reputation and that of the program, but undermines EQ overall.
Helping ourselves. Under no circumstances whatsoever should any member of the Guide program "help themselves," such as assisting their player character or that character's party or doing a CR on their player character or members of that character's party.
Twinking. We have the ability to explore dungeons and zones at our leisure (with the exception of No-Loitering Zones). We do not adventure and do not give things to players, no matter the circumstances. This includes giving items to our player characters. We are observers, not participants. Note: items listed in Section 2.10 are approved for distribution to players within reason.
1.0.5 On Duty (last revised 6/4/06)
Off Duty = Off Duty. When we are off duty, we are not a member of the CS*team. Our player characters have no authority whatsoever and are just another player. Consequently, while on our player character, we should never approach a player in an official capacity, nor should we ever imply they have more power or authority than that of a normal player. Likewise, our player characters should not call on other members of the CS team for any special considerations-the rules apply to all characters and there will be no favoritism within the Program. This means off duty CS team members do not identify themselves, in any way, shape, or form, as such on their play server, particularly when requesting assistance of the CS team on the server. In addition, members of the Guide program do not solicit assistance for their play character on the Guide website.
CS*team members that find their play characters embroiled in the middle of a questionable situation should extricate themselves from it as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid any potential issues arising from their presence. Members of the Guide Program that allow their player characters to initiate questionable situations will find themselves subject to discipline, as we are held to the highest standard of behavior, on or off duty.
NPC*Interaction. Unless explicitly covered by another procedure, members of the Guide Program do not kill NPCs in any other manner other than /kill (See Section 2.25.60 /kill). They do not use spells, pets, weapons, skills, their hands, or in any other way interact with a NPC in any manner that produces a corpse or an item.
With the exception of the CSR*only NPCs located in Sunset Home, a Guide+ may interact with a NPC*to the extent necessary to ascertain whether or not the NPC is working properly. An Apprentice+ may utilize the services of NPCs that do not require the possession of an item nor the completion of a static quest such as soulbinders, translocator gnomes, etc.
Dueling. Members of the Guide Program do not fight players, no matter the circumstances, with our CS*avatars and never outside of scripted dynamic quest. We may only fight other CS team members inside the Arena of Sunset Home.
Exploring. Members of the Guide program need to know their way around, the layout of the zones, and they need to interact with players. With the exception of the No-Loitering Zones*(see Section 2.15.0 and Section 2.15.5), members of the Guide program can and should explore and feel comfortable navigating through every permissible zone in the game.
To facilitate exploration, the Apprentice+ may utilize boats, Plane of Knowledge portals, translocator gnomes, etc. Transportation services provided by players and transportation methods that require the possession of an item (such as Nexus Scions) or completion of a static quest are not to be utilized.*
No Hunting/Questing/Crafting /Shopping/Begging/etc. The CS*Avatars*are provided to make sure we have the resources we need to perform our duties. They are not toys nor are they for play. Members of the Guide program do not need money, as everything they require will be provided to them. Any money an Apprentice+ possesses on his/her Guide Avatar must be destroyed. The Guide vendors in Sunset Home will provide most approved items to Apprentice+ who have submitted a Guide Note to the Quartermaster. Apprentices, Guides, and Senior Guides*may not make use of any spells or equipment from normal vendors or the CSR*vendors,* may not accept any items from players, and may not utilize the /claim and /veteranrewards commands.
Members of the Guide Program do not attempt to complete any static quests except those created especially for the Guide Program. Player inquiries regarding static quests are to be referred to the CSR*or eqtesting@soe.sony.com.
Item/Command Requests. If an Apprentice+ feels he/she needs a tool or resource he/she does not possess, then he/she should contact his/her Senior and ask for it. If it has already been approved for use in the Guide Program, the Senior will provide it. If it's not, the Apprentice+ may submit the request to the Communications Team. The Communications Team collects such requests and, unless there are special circumstances involved, will batch these requests and schedule them to work most efficiently with SOE and the Elder Guides*and to prevent CSRs from being inundated with requests.
Apprentices*and Guides*are not to ask SOE employees for names, levels, items, or anything else that is not directly related to providing service to players. Requests for items, names, levels, and other avatar specific things are to be given to the Senior Guides*on the server so that they may be handled uniformly across the Guide Program according to the procedures mentioned above or those outlined elsewhere in this document.
Hazing. One of the goals of the Guide Program is to foster a feeling of family amongst all the Guides*on a server. To this end, there are some basic guidelines which must be followed. One of the best ways to foster the family atmosphere is to give attention to the all the Guides on a server. There are good ways and bad ways to do this. Unfortunately, some of the Guides and CSR's resort to one of the bad ways: hazing. Hazing is when one (or more) members of the CS*team subjects another to abusive tricks and ridicule. This is strictly forbidden.
Hazing can include (but is not limited to): drowning, summoning into lava, summoning to a height and allowing the person to fall to their deaths, and summoning and attacking against their will. Note that this does not include consensual combat in the Sunset Home arena when server conditions permit it. While in most cases the person doing this has no ill will towards the victim, the victim can sometimes feel singled-out. This can be even worse when the perpetrator is a Senior or CSR, as now the victim feels that they have no one to turn to. The program has lost many good Guides*of all levels due to hazing and it can ill-afford to do so. It is not in the best interests of the Guide Program to tolerate such behavior and, as such, any CS*team member caught hazing can be subject to disciplinary action, up to removal from the program.
Server Ceremonies. Caution must be exercised when death is an integral part of a SMT-approved server ceremony (such as promotion). Even if all members go through a similar set of trials, no Candidate+ should be made to believe that participation is mandatory. Each Candidate+ should be given the opportunity to refuse participation without recourse.
*
1.0.10 On Server Interaction (last revised 02/20/06)
Players are to be addressed via /say and /tell. Members of the Guide Program may use /shout and /ooc to address a zone when pertaining to official duties as directed by your SMT or SOE Management, but these channels are not to be utilized for answering player questions. The more populated zones are currently overrun with this chatter, and we will not contribute to it. Members of the Guide Program will ask the player to use a more appropriate method for communicating with them. Members of the Guide program may respond to /shout and /ooc communications via a /tell to the player. When the staff is involved with in-person communications, it should be handled in as personable a manner as possible. This includes role-playing whenever it is possible to do so, as well as making an effort to show an interest in the player, enthusiasm in the game, and encouraging good gaming behavior.
To avoid the illusion of favoritism, joining chat channels with players or inviting players into chat channels is not permitted. Members of the Guide Program are allowed to use chat channels to communicate with other members of the Guide Program as long as the chat channel is password protected to prevent player entry. Exceptions: members of the Guide Program are allowed to invite players into single purpose chat channels created for the officiating of player weddings (See Section 3.10.0.0) and when specifically allowed in a quest script, in an approved event, or as directed by SOE Management.
To avoid potential CS Personnel Abuse as well as the illusion of favoritism, grouping with players is not permitted. Members of the Guide Program are required to communicate with players only via the approved channels listed in paragraph 1. Exceptions: Grouping is allowed when specifically allowed in a quest script.
Guides must not use the channel filters to filter out any channel, including /shout, /ooc, and /auction. It is important for us to be able to monitor these channels for possible disruption, and to have a record of them in our log files. Guides may, however, use the window filters to redirect these channels into a separate chat window, so that their main chat window can remain free of excess spam. This allows us to continue to monitor the public channels, and will not affect our log files in any way.
In-game Character Services. We are not in Norrath to interfere with the economy in any way. That means we do not provide services that can be provided by other players. These services include, but are not limited to: Binding, Curing, Healing, Enchanting, Tailoring, Smithing, or Scribing. Any service that can be provided by a player should be, even if that player is charging a fee for that service.
In-game Character Protection. No matter what degree of danger players may find themselves in, members of the CS team are not to intervene. We watch, but do not act. Should players come to us for aid, we should immediately remove ourselves from the situation. This means "question and answer sessions" should be formed in safe areas such as around guards, not in public adventure zones.
This includes PvP combat in all its myriad forms. If a player we are speaking with is suddenly attacked by another player, we must not intervene, no matter the situation. If the attacker is utilizing an exploit or abuse in the attack, then use the ticket system to report the incident and move the “question and answer session” to a new location. The best solution, for both the player and the CS team member, is to only do "question and answer sessions" in a guarded area.
Pseudo-Nepotism. Some guilds have branches on multiple servers. It is also possible that real life friends have player characters on the CS team member's Guide server. We should, at all costs, avoid any interaction with guildmates or real life friends while on duty. This includes, but is not limited to:
Assisting guildmates or real life friends
Escalating issues to guildmates that are also part of the Guide program.
Referencing or speaking of the guild or guild references while on duty.
Having the guild advertise that a member is also a member of the Guide Program.
Essentially, if our player character is a member of a guild, we should have nothing to do with anyone anywhere, while we are on duty that is also a member of that guild, even if that person is also in the program. This prevents the perception that, because a guild has a member of the Guide Program within it, members of that guild gets preferential treatment.
No d3wDzP3aK (Doodspeak). As Guides, we communicate with the players 100% via the written word. As such, it is very important that we deliver our responses in a professional and literate fashion. There is no quicker way to offend or "put off" a player than communicating in a manner that sounds ignorant or overly informal. Few people will complain or notice if our communications are concise, clean, and professional, but MANY will notice should they be sloppy, erroneous, and illiterate. Consequently, Guides will not use the style of communication generally referred to as Doodspeak. This includes, but is not limited to, words such as:
'u' instead of you
'ur' instead of you're/your
'sup' as a greeting
Role-playing. Communicating in a "role playing" manner is acceptable, as long as it's consistent with EverQuest's genre, so "thee" and "thou" are allowed. However you choose to communicate, remember the primary goal is to communicate effectively. Once you're doing that, the role playing can be added for color.
1.0.15 Privacy and Security (last revised 2/27/03)
Players and Guides alike have an expectation of privacy and security. Information of a personal, private nature will neither be posted nor collected except as provided below.
1.0.15.0 Requesting Information (last revised 2/27/03)
With the exceptions noted below in Section 1.0.15.10, members of the Guide Program may not require that information of a personal nature be divulged by a player nor by other members of the Guide Program. This includes but is not limited to: real name, names of family members, address, phone number, personal ICQ number, race, religion, actual age, date of birth, sex, sexual preference, marital status, education level, credit card numbers, social security number, driver's license information, password, or Station Name.
Information that is of a personal nature that is voluntarily given by a player may not be posted to the Guide website or disseminated. Personal information for members of the Guide program may be maintained in the Guide Database as approved by the Elder Guides.
1.0.15.5 Communication (last revised 06/04/06)
A. Email
It is highly encouraged and recommended that each member of the Guide Program obtain an account from one of the many available free email services or obtain another email address from his/her internet provider to use specifically for contact information related to EverQuest guiding rather than use his/her own private email.
B. EQIM
EverQuest Instant Messenging Service (EQIM) is an approved means of communicating between members of the Guide program and SOE CSR's. The program can be downloaded from the Guide website downloads page at https://guide.everquest.com /dload.php. Instructions for using EQIM to locate a CSR can be found in Section 1.50.15.
C. ICQ
While not required to have and maintain an ICQ account, it is recommended that if a member of the Guide Program has one, and wishes to post an ICQ number for others to utilize, that he/she obtains a number specifically for guiding rather than use his/her personal number. It is also recommended that the member of the Guide Program use caution with entering any personal information in ICQ that he/she doesn't want everyone to view.
D. Telephone
Use of the telephone for communication is supported between Elder Guides and SOE. However, it is neither encouraged nor supported between Apprentices, Guides or Seniors. No phone numbers may be posted on the Guide website unless authorized by the Elder Guides and SOE Management.
1.0.15.10 SOE Requests (last revised 11/18/03)
The Guide Liaison may, at the direction of SOE Management, request from members of the Guide Program personal information to deal with certain situations. This information includes but is not limited to: real name, phone number, home address, date of birth, and Station Name.
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Team Members (last revised 2/27/03)
1.5.0 Website (last revised 12/05/05)
Website Warning: "The data and programs which are contained on this system or on or behind these pages may not be accessed, linked to, viewed, copied, cached, modified, displayed, distributed, or disclosed without prior approval of Sony Online Entertainment. Any unauthorized access and/or use, or causing or facilitating any such access and/or use, of this system or pages by anyone without the prior express written permission of Sony Online Entertainment is strictly prohibited. Violators may be subject to civil liability and criminal penalties; in addition, Sony Online Entertainment reserves the right to ban any and all accounts held by such individual(s)."
Communications Among the Customer Support Team The official method of communication for the customer support staff is the EverQuest Guide website, located at https://guide.everquest.com. All additional forms of approved communications are to be used only as a supplement to the Guide website. The EverQuest Guide website consists of several message areas.
Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues and game mechanics may be addressed on The Laboratory.
Guides should also refrain from posting about and discussing other games of the massive multiplayer genre that are not operated by SOE. The intent of the Guide Website is to facilitate the communication of Guide program issues and it is considered bad etiquette to discuss competing games.
Please remember that the Guide Program is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from around the world. Posts that are offensive to even a small group of individuals may be removed and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Those who post to these areas should be mindful of the others reading them; there must be:
1. No ranting
2. No non-constructive criticism or personal attacks
3. No profanity
4. No grandstanding
Content Restrictions Posts on the Guide website shall only include text and/or the following types of graphic files (including, but not limited to: GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP and other such files) and, with the exception of JavaScript and Shockwave files, may not include client-side scripting (including, but not limited to: Java applets, ActiveX controls, and other such files) or links to them as they may cause unnecessary or unknown damage.
Sounds that play when the post is opened, intentionally or unintentionally, (including, but not limited to: MP3, MID, AU, WAV and other such files) must be disabled. While sounds in signatures and pictures might be a fun thing to add, it is considered poor etiquette. Additionally, it can cause problems with firewalls and other such safeguards when trying to load the file.
As a courtesy to others, Guides shall refrain from including any code in their posts that modify the user defined colors for any messages posted to the boards as this may make messages difficult for some users to read. In addition, there must not be any code contained in any post that interferes with the normal operation of the message boards, for example by making certain links unreadable or inaccessible.
Also, remember that many Guides use a dial up connection to access the website. As such, Guides should avoid using large images or shockwave files (over 50 KB) in their signatures.
Linking to other sites Those posting links to other web sites should make sure that the material contained in the referenced web site does not violate any of the rules listed in this policy. If the material would not be appropriate for posting directly on the boards, then it should not be linked to, either.
1.5.5 Message Boards (last revised 02/20/06)
Each server has its own message section, divided into several different forums for commentary and issues pertaining to that server. All Guides must post a daily shift report to the appropriate forum for each shift they work (see Section 1.25.20). In addition, all Guides should check the EverQuest Guide Board daily and read the recent posts to find out if there are any "hot problems" (See Section 2.20.35). At a minimum, each Guide must review the News and server board before each shift.
Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues and game mechanics may be addressed on The Laboratory.
Please remember that the Guide Program is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from around the world. Posts that are offensive to even a small group of individuals may be removed and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Each Apprentice+ can see the boards for their own server, SWAT Guides and Seniors+ can see all server boards. The EverQuest Guide web site also contains tools for scheduling Guide shifts and submitting quest and event ideas. In addition to individual server boards, the following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team:
News. This is where SOE and the Guide Program post important announcements. It is important that each Apprentice+ check this area before each shift.
CSR/SWAT Help. This is where all requests for the System Wide Assistance Team (SWAT) and for emergency CSR assistance are posted. Permitted postings are detailed in the Moderator's Message in the CSR/SWAT Help Forum.
The Common Hall. This area is for Guides to discuss topics that relate to our work as Guides. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, non-Guide related and real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Sunset Home. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQ-PC & EQ-Mac. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Hold of Prexus. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQII. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Mountain Hold. This area is to discuss issues that pertain primarily to EQOA. Newly discovered bugs and player handling questions are usually posted here. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted on The Laboratory. In addition, real life issues may be posted in The Rumpus Room.
Ask the Elders. This area is for all members of the Guide program to ask questions of the Elders and the Team Chairs.
The Laboratory. This area is for discussing game mechanics, game balance, and technical problems. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards. However, general play issues may be posted here.
The Rumpus Room. This area is for all posts that are not related to our Guide activity or EverQuest in general. This forum is for Guide humor, fooling around, posts about real life, discussing who we all are behind our Guide personas and any other topics that don't have a place in the other forums.
The Library. This area is for role playing and stories.
NDCS - Scripts. This area is used for posting scripts for weddings and other ceremonies.
Test Forum. This area is used for testing signatures and other posts (See Section 1.5.0 for posting restrictions).
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
EQGSR Forum. This area is for discussing issues regarding the EverQuest Guide Shift Reporter program. This area is not for posting shift reports generated with this program (See Section 2.20.35).
Technical Support. This area is for discussing technical issues and problems with other, technically-minded Guides.
Update Messages. This area is for posting update messages in advance, when possible. This information is NOT to be relayed to the general player population (see Section 1.25.15).
Pers Team Anniversaries. This area is posting anniversaries for members of the Guide program.
Communications Team - TCT-U Archives. This area is for posting issues of The Comm Team - Unplugged.
P&P Updates and Issues. This area is for posting P&P Updates before they are incorporated into the P&P and for frequently asked policy questions and their answers.
P&P Quizzes. This area is for periodic quizzes based on the P&P.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Guide or higher:
Backstage. This area is for discussing quests and events, from design through post-quest reports.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Senior Guide or higher.
The Senate. This is an area set aside for the Server Management Teams to discuss and provide a focal point for issues that need to be directed to Customer Service Management.
The Report Chamber. This area is for posting Weekly Server Reports.
Additionally, members of specific groups or teams (Quest Coordinators, or members of the Communications Team, for example) will be able to view and post on forums dedicated to those teams.
Insider information. CS subjects discussed and information disseminated to members of the Guide Program via the EverQuest Guide site, email, policies, and meetings, etc. are NOT to be relayed to the general player population (see Section 1.25.15). Disclosing this information to unauthorized parties can result in dismissal from the Program and, possibly, the suspension or banning of the Guide's play characters from EverQuest.
Morale Protection Maintaining positive attitudes in a cooperative organization such as the EverQuest Guide Program is vital to its success. Therefore, all members of the Guide Program should refrain from intentionally and unintentionally damaging the morale of anyone in the EverQuest Guide program. To ensure that this does not happen, the escalation chain defined in Section 1.50.5 should be used to handle issues and problems that address SOE, the EverQuest Guide Program, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members.
Issues that can damage the Program's morale in any way should never be posted to the message boards or expressed in any forum outside of the escalation chain established in Section 1.50.5. Anyone who such damages the morale of the EverQuest Guide Program shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Personal attacks on members of the Guide Program, SOE employees, or players will not be tolerated. Posts of that manner may be deleted and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
1.5.10 Guide Guilds (last revised 3/1/05)
To provide supplemental communication for Guide program members, a guild may be created.
Name: The name of the guild may be chosen by the server Guides but must be sponsored by the SMT. It must be professional in nature and be fitting for both our role and the game environment. The Elders and SOE Management will be the final approval of the guild name.
Membership: Leadership of the guild should be shared by all members of the SMT. Guild officers may be chosen by the SMT from the ranks of Guide+ on the server as the SMT deems necessary. However, Guide level guild officers have no authority over any other member of the Guide program nor does it imply candidacy for Senior Guide or guarantee future promotion. All members of the Guide program must be invited into the guild.
No member of the Guide Program can be a part of a player guild with his/her Guide Avatar at any time. At no time must a player be permitted to join a CS Guild.
Guild Hall: Members of the Guide program are allowed to enter the server Guild's guild hall.
1.5.15 Supplemental Communication (last revised 02/20/06)
Email, Mailing lists, Instant Messaging Programs, Internet Chat Programs, Voice Chat Programs (VoIP), and EverQuest Chat areas may be used for supplemental communication between subsets of the customer service staff (all Guide Program members on one server, all Senior Guides, all new Apprentice Guides, etc.). All non-SOE maintained membership lists used must be kept up to date to include only active members of EverQuest CS.The Elder Guides must be informed of the existence of these lists.
NOTE: Mailing list providers such as Yahoo and MSN have additional features that are not approved for use by EverQuest CS. These features can include, but are not limited to: calendars, message boards, and file upload/download facilities. These features MUST be disabled before use.
In addition, the Guides on a particular server may hold meetings on a regular basis to provide a forum for handling pressing issues and airing concerns. These meetings may occur on an IRC server in a channel designated by the meeting chairperson, on the game server, or in a private EverQuest chatroom. IRC meetings should be set to +private to prevent unwanted eavesdroppers in the proceedings. Meeting announcements will be placed within the appropriate message area on the server's message board.
Guide Teams have their own SOE maintained mailing list and is to be used as the sole mailing list for that team.
1.5.20 In-game Communication (last revised 3/6/03)
When multiple Guides in a player-occupied zone need to communicate for such functions as meetings, training sessions, or ceremonies, private channels such as /pr, /groupsay, or /guildsay should be used rather than /say in order to prevent players from overhearing possibly privileged information. Per Section 1.0.10, communication may also be accomplished by creating a password protected chat channel.
1.5.25 Playing with Guides (last revised 4/8/03)
One of the greatest attributes of the Guide Program is the people who make it up, and often friendships are made which go beyond the Program. Should Guides who have never before played together wish to do so, they may create characters on their play accounts for this purpose. They are encouraged to select either Test or a server on which neither of them currently, or have previously, Guided or played.
All members of the Guide program are reminded that while playing, they are players, and any issues that may arise while playing should be resolved using only the channels open to players (see Section 1.0.5). Guides are also reminded that they must not post information regarding any of their play characters on the Guide boards (see Section 1.0.0).
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring (last revised 10/23/02)
1.10.0 Choosing your name (last revised 02/20/06)
First Name
New Apprentice Guides must choose a first name they have not used previously either as an EverQuest character or in any public association with any MMORPG. The first name must conform to the Naming Policy (ref. The EverQuest Naming Policy)
Surname
Members of the Guide program must request the surname from a Senior Guide and may not utilize the /surname command.
Members of the Guide program may assume surnames of their choice upon approval of the SMT. Except for the following exceptions, they must conform to the Naming Policy posted on the EQLive website:
Contain the word 'the' or similar connector (such as 'of' or 'D` ')
Be more than one word (such as "Kindred Spirit")
Contain titles within the surname (such as "Dragonlord")
Contain multiple capitals (such as "NightStalker" or "the Night Stalker")
Utilize any combination of the above four bullets
Surnames may depict the role the Guide has chosen for their guide character. It should be stressed, however, that the gist of the names should still be high-fantasy oriented, professional in appearance, and must not otherwise violate the Naming Policy.
Title Suffix
Members of the Guide program may utilize the title suffix to display "of <server name>"
Policy Enforcement
If any members of the CS team have an issue with the name or surname of another CS team member, normal escalation procedures should be followed for reporting. For the Guide program, the final arbiter of first names and surnames are the Elder Guides. The final arbiter of first names and surnames for CSR's is the Head CSR.
1.10.0.0 Changing your name (last revised 4/26/04)
Members of the Guide Program are allowed to change their first name only under the following circumstances:
An Apprentice+ must change their first name if it violates the EverQuest Naming Policy.
An Apprentice+ may change their first name at the time of their avatar change request in the event a gender change requires a name change.
All other requests for a first name change will be evaluated on a case by case basis by the Elder Guides. Only in extreme circumstances will other name changes be granted. If a name change is desired, the SMT may submit other name change requests to the Elder Guides on behalf of the requesting Guide.
In all instances, after the first name is changed, the SMT must notify the Elder Guide(s) via email and make a permanent note in the Guide's Record.
1.10.5 New Apprentice (last revised 2/5/05)
Once an applicant is accepted into the Guide Program, he/she must be trained and outfitted for his/her duties. After attending IRC training, the Apprentice is to create their avatar on their separate Guide account (see note below). Before the Apprentice is allowed to log onto the server alone, they must meet their SMT, or their designee, online for an orientation session. Once an Apprentice, it is possible to remain at that rank indefinitely.
At, or prior to, the Orientation session, the SMT will provide the new Apprentice with the Welcome Note. After it is turned in, their avatar will be GM flagged, buffed to level 50, and provided the Guide Note. The Guide Note is then turned into the Quartermaster so that the Apprentice has access to the other Guide Program NPCs. The NPCs in Sunset Home (cshome) only respond to the appropriate level of Guide and only after they have given the Quartermaster their note. Although the vendor will give them all Guide items available, the Apprentice may only obtain those items approved for their level. See Section 2.0 for a listing of approved Apprentice tools. Once they are trading with the NPC, the Apprentice+ is free to return and obtain their tools at any time. This is particularly important when the tools are lost due to corpse loss or other such anomalies.
Apprentices, Guides, and Senior Guides may not make use of any spells or equipment from normal vendors or the CSR vendors, and may not accept any items from players.
Due to the special abilities of some of the races and classes, members of the Guide program may find themselves able to speak with Sunset Home (cshome) vendors they might not otherwise be able to. These vendors are meant to only be accessed by Avatars of a specific level. Any team member that attempts to speak, view, and/or obtain items from a vendor not normally accessible to him or her will be subject to disciplinary action.
1.10.5.0 Guide Account (last revised 02/20/06)
All members of the Guide program will be assigned a separate Guide account, and will be emailed the appropriate username and password, as well as a troubleshooting guide and some additional instructions. This account will be used for guiding and is where the new Guide's Avatar and tools will reside.
Play characters are not to be created on this account. The only characters allowed to reside upon the Guide account other than a Guide's Avatar are characters specifically created and copied to the account by a CSR+ for SOE approved quests and events or a character specifically created for the purpose of contacting a CSR of another server in the case of emergencies that arise when guiding.
SOE provides a free play account only to members of the Guide program who have attained the rank of Guide+ as a courtesy (see 1.10.10 Promotion to Guide).
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide (last revised 02/20/06)
Shortly after being promoted, a new Guide will receive an exemption for their play account's regular game subscription as long as he/she is active in the Guide Program. This exemption only applies to the play account used to sign up for the program or an alternate designated by the Guide. Note: If the Guide's play account is subscribed to a special subscription package such as Station Access or Station Pass, the account will not become free nor will it have a reduced rate.
To ensure the account has been flagged as free, click on the Account option on the game login screen and view the subscription. The account should be marked “Exempt.” Should the account not be flagged as exempt after promotion, or if there are any other problems with the account, the new Guide should follow the procedures in the troubleshooting guide that was emailed to them upon promotion. If the problem is not addressed in the troubleshooting guide, or if the troubleshooting guide was not received, the Guide should contact his/her SMT and the Guide Liaison to inform them of the problem.**
As SOE provides a free play account to Guides in the Guide Program as a courtesy, refunds will not be issued to Guides for any charges incurred on their play accounts.
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona (last revised 02/20/06)
All players should be treated alike, regardless of whether they happen to also be a member of the Guide Program. The following rules are designed to avoid as much as possible the chance of any Guide Program member from showing favoritism to one another or using their Apprentice+ status to get favorable treatment from others.
Except for EQ-Mac Guides, an Apprentice+ is prohibited from having a play character on the server to which they are assigned to Guide. SWAT members and other Guide Program participants who are SWAT flagged may also have a play character on the same server as a Guide character since SWAT flagged Guides+ have occasions where they may respond on a server where they have one or more play characters. SWAT team members are required to follow the specific rules set forth in the SWAT manual regarding their limitations.
Although members of the Guide program are allowed to share the server name(s) where their play character(s) reside with other members of the Guide program (so that they may play together per 1.5.25), they may not share the name(s) of his/her player character(s). In addition, when they are logged into their Guide server, they may not identify his/her player character(s) to players or other Guides nor may they share their play server name(s) with players. Members of the Guide program are also prohibited from identifying his/her player character(s) on any message board in which he/she speaks in an official capacity (See Section 1.25.15).
When members of the Guide program are logged in as their player character, they may reveal their participation in the Guide program in order to recruit new members from their play server(s). However, they may not use their participation in the Guide program to request favors or demand favoritism from players or Guides. In addition, Guides are not permitted to reveal specific information including, but not limited to, Guide name and Guide server. The only exception is if a CSR+ specifically asks if they are a member of the Guide Program (since he/she could look it up anyway). EQ-Mac exception: because there is only one EQ-Mac server, EQ-Mac Guides may not tell anyone (players or other Guides) that they are a member of the EverQuest Guide Program unless their play characters reside on EQ-PC server(s).
Out in the real world, with family and friends, the Apprentice+ may identify themselves with any of their characters. Also, when members of the Guide Program participate in real world events, such as, but not limited to, Fan Faire, Gen Con, E3, and non-SOE sponsored player gatherings, they may identify themselves as a member of the Guide Program. However, they are bound by the same rules as if they were Guiding in game and should present themselves courteously and professionally. Special care should be taken at these times to avoid revealing Guide Program participation at the same event where they could be identified as a player. Remember also that confidential information (such as bug, exploit, or quest details) should never be revealed or discussed outside the Guide Program (See Section 1.25.5, Section 1.25.10, and Section 1.25.15).
1.15 Absences and Returns (last revised 4/8/04)
1.15.0 Guide Absences (last revised 4/8/04)
All periods of inactivity will be tracked in each person's record on the Guide website. Entries will be made for Apprentice Guides and Guides by the server's Senior Guides; entries for Senior Guides will be made by an Elder Guide or his/her designee.
Should an Apprentice+ not log on to their server during the Guide program week (Friday through Thursday), the Apprentice+ needs to relay a message to his/her Senior(s) stating the reason for the absence.
Some reasons a Guide will lose his/her access to the tools and avatar provided by SOE and the Guide Program:
· If a Guide is absent more than two weeks with no communication with his SMT and does not respond to inquiry emails from his SMT, his/her access will be removed and he/she will be marked inactive.
· If a Guide is absent for more than 3 weeks, regardless of the reason, the Guide will be marked inactive.
Note: When a Guide loses access to the tools and avatar provided, this includes the free status on his/her play account. He/she will need to contact personnel-verant@soe.sony.com to re-join the Guide Program.
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence (last revised 4/8/03)
Prior to requesting reinstatement, any former Apprentice Guide, Guide, or Senior Guide must have either:
The same active EverQuest account that was in use when he/she was originally in the Guide Program; or
An active EverQuest account containing registration information identical to that of the original account used to sign up for the Guide Program.
No allowances for restoring characters lost on a play account, levels, items, and so on will be made.
In order to effectively evaluate the return request, the gaining SMT may request the pertinent database notes from the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.15.5.0 Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return (last revised 02/20/06)
If an Apprentice Guide or Guide needs to be inactive for more than three weeks but less than three months and has a definite date of return, the return may be handled through the server's Senior Guides rather than the Personnel Team.
The following procedure will then be used:
The server's Senior Guides will add a note to the Apprentice Guide's or Guide's record on the Guide website stating that the absence is occurring, the reason for the absence, and the date that the Apprentice Guide or Guide plans to return.
The server's Senior Guides will set the Apprentice Guide or Guide to inactive status.
When the Apprentice Guide or Guide returns, he/she will need to contact a member of his/her server's Senior Guides to return to active status. The server's Senior Guides may reactivate him/her with an action on the PR report.
If the Apprentice Guide or Guide does not make contact with his/her server's Senior Guides by his/her stated return date, or if there is no note in the person's record, then the reinstatement must go through normal channels via the Personnel Team as described in the next section (Section 1.15.5.5).
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return (last revised 04/06/06)
Apprentice Guides or Guides who went on inactive status without a definite return date, those scheduled to be absent for more than three months, or those that failed to return prior to their return date, and returning Senior Guides must follow the below procedure:
§ A request for reinstatement should be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
§ The Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide seeking reinstatement should send an email with the subject of "Returning [Apprentice Guide/Guide/Senior Guide] - Guide Name - Server Name."
§ This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your server name
· A brief explanation of why you resigned (or were removed) and why you wish to rejoin.
The Personnel Team will check records (resignation email and the person's record on the Guide website) and speak with the server's current Senior Guides about the former Apprentice Guide's or Guide's return request. SOE will also check the status of his/her play accounts to verify continued eligibility for the program. The Personnel Team will reach a decision based upon the information gathered and will notify the requestor and the server's Senior Guides of the decision.
If approved for return, the SMT may choose to have an Apprentice attend IRC training for a refresher. The SMT may also request that a returning Guide be returned as an Apprentice with or without IRC training in order to become acquainted with changes that may have occurred during the absence, with the request for temporary demotion of a returning Guide to be reviewed and approved by the Personnel Team Chair.
If the person requesting reinstatement is returning to a game different than the one they guided under prior to their leaving the guide program, it is required that they attend IRC training to become familiar with differences in the new game.
If the person requesting reinstatement is a former Senior Guide or if there are questionable notes in the person's record, an Elder Guide must additionally approve this person's return. The Elder guide may require the former Senior to return to the program at a lower level and/or to another server.
No person requesting a return to the Guide Program after an absence can be guaranteed reinstatement to the same server from which they left, except under Section 1.15.5.0 above. The Personnel Team will try to accommodate a return to the same server, but the needs of the Guide Program may mandate that he/she be reinstated to a different server.
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More (last revised 06/04/06)
If the returning Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide has been absent for 6 months or more, the person, if approved, will return to the Guide Program one rank lower.
Candidates who passed the Guide Application over six months ago who now request entrance to the Guide Program will not have to resubmit the Guide Application.
Returning Apprentice Guides will have to attend IRC Training and start over.
Returning Guides will return as an Apprentice Guide. If they left the program prior to January 2004, they are required to attend IRC Training again to become familiar with the changes to the Guide program.
All returning Apprentice Guides, Guides, and Senior Guides who are requesting to guide on a different game than the one they guided on before their leave must attend IRC Training to become familiar with differences in the new game.
Returning Senior Guides will return as a Guide. After one month, they may request a review for reinstatement to Senior Guide by emailing the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com. The decision to reinstate the person to the rank of Senior Guide will be made by the Elder Guides with input from the server's current Senior Guides.
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases (last revised 02/20/06)
The Guide Program has constant exposure to the EverQuest player base and our actions are under constant scrutiny. We must exhibit the highest standards of behavior and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Reports on the performance of the Guide Program participants are expected to come from many sources, not all of which are reliable. It is to be expected that some unhappy players will file reports simply for not giving them what they want. Conversely, it is expected that some people who are not good candidates for the program will join the team.
Any Guide Program member who cannot follow the policies and procedures, or who is found to not be a "good fit" for the program will be released from the Everquest Guide program. It is much preferred that we keep our own house clean than allowing the player to do this for us.
All members of the Guide Program are responsible for actions not only on their Guide account, but also on their play account(s). Any member of the Guide Program who commits a serious violation of the P&P or EverQuest Users Agreement and Software License on any account can be subject to dismissal from the Guide program. Additionally, disciplinary action may be taken against the play account(s) of the dismissed. This disciplinary action can take the form of suspension or banning, but only the most severe of infractions will result in banning of the play account(s). Examples of serious violations include, but are not limited to: divulging Historic Quest information; posting all or part of the P&P on any public site; extreme abusiveness towards a player, another member of the Guide Program, or an SOE employee; creation of a character with a name which violates rule 1 or 2 of the Naming Policy; and attempting to defraud a Guide or a CSR.
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures (last revised 12/30/06)
Members of the Guide Program deserve at least as much consideration as an average player when an incident report is filed against them. All such reports are handled privately involving only the reporting party and the party that is investigating the complaint. Details regarding the resolution of the report shall not be communicated to the reporting party.* The following procedures are used to ensure a fair review.
A report of misconduct may occur in a public forum or as part of a private conversation with a player. Reports may also be generated directly by Guide Program members or by SOE employees. These reports will not be posted to the message boards or disseminated to anyone other than the appropriate escalation point.*
The person who receives the report should try to ensure that basic information is included. (Char name of the Guide Program member involved, server, date and time, and incident details) This information should then be forwarded privately to the appropriate escalation point:
· Complaints about a Guide or Apprentice should be taken to that Guide or Apprentice's Senior, who will evaluate the issue with Elder Guides.
· Complaints about a Senior Guide should be taken to Elder Guides.
· Complaints about an Elder Guide should be addressed directly to the other remaining Elder Guides via their personal email addresses (note: not the elder-guides@soe.sony.com email alias).* Elder Guide email addresses can be found in section 1.50.10.
· Complaints about CSR's should be sent directly to eqcs@soe.sony.com for review by SOE Customer Service.
The investigator will look into the incident as thoroughly as possible, involving the subject of the report in their investigation. In the case of reports against Guides or Apprentices, the Senior Guide will then inform the Elder Guides with the results of their investigation. The Elder Guides will take whatever actions are appropriate, whether this involves counseling the Guide or removing the Guide from the program.
In cases where the program releases a team member, either the Seniors or Elders will notify SOE, copying the investigator. SOE will then have the character removed. After the character is removed, the individual's SMT will inform them of their removal from the program. It is imperative that the released member not be communicated with prior to the removal, as they represent a threat to the program. It is also important that they be communicated with as soon after their removal as possible, and as discretely as possible, to ensure a clean removal with as few hard feelings as possible. SOE will be notified of routine (e.g. resignations, MIA) releases via the weekly Personnel Reports.
To reiterate, once SOE has removed the team member, it is the responsibility of that member's immediate superior (the Senior for dismissed Apprentices and Guides, the Elders for dismissed Seniors) to locate the person and communicate their change in status as quickly and professionally as possible to reduce the shock and potential hard feelings.
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release (last revised 12/30/06)
Sometimes circumstances arise that require the removal of a guide from the program. Should it be felt that this removal is unjust and unwarranted, the following procedures should be followed to make an appeal:
An email with the subject of "Appeal of Involuntary Release - GuideName" should be emailed to the Personnel Team. This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your Station Name
· A brief explanation of the event(s) which led to the removal. Only the facts should be concentrated on this should include dates (if possible) and names.
· An explanation why it is felt this is an unjust removal. (Phrases like "a guide friend told me" or "a senior friend told me" are unacceptable.)
The Personnel Team Member will check records (removal emails and the Guide database entries) and discuss the appeal from the removed Guide with the SMT. They will also gather any further information about the events that led to the removal, if any exists. All information gathered will then be forwarded to the Elder Guides for review.
The Elder Guides will reach a decision based on the facts presented and inform both the removed and server management teams of their decision.
1.20 Transfers (last revised 02/20/06)
Situations may arise where members of the Guide program wish to transfer to another server, transfer to another EverQuest game, or add another EverQuest game. Examples can include but are not limited to: new servers opening, an established server being under-teamed, or a personal request. These transfers can be either voluntary or involuntary, based on the needs of the Guide Program as determined by the Elder Guides.
The procedures below should be utilized when requesting a voluntary transfer. However, in the event of a personality conflict between the Apprentice+ and their SMT, or if their SMT denies their request to transfer, the Apprentice+ may send the transfer request or appeal directly to the Elder Guides in accordance with Section 1.15.15.
Members of the Guide Program are allowed to guide in up to two games simultaneously. Members of the Guide program transferring to a different EverQuest game or adding an additional game will be transferred at one rank lower than their current level.
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05)
Candidate transfers are sometimes required because the Candidate no longer plays the game or does not wish to Guide for the game to which they were assigned. The Training Server SMT must make a notation in the Candidate's database record on the Guide website regarding the transfer, which should include information such as the date, reason for transfer request, and the game to which he/she wishes to transfer. The transfer is then requested by sending an email to the Guide Liaison via the Personnel Team.
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests (last revised 12/05/05)
Apprentice and Guide transfers sometimes occur as a result of a call for volunteers, such as when a new server is being brought up, or as a result of a personal request.
For transfer requests under sections 1.20.5.5 and 1.20.5.10, both SMT's must agree to the transfer. It is the responsibility of SMT members from both servers to disclose and consider the following before agreeing to a transfer request:
· The gaining SMT should be informed of any on-going or recent attendance, DSR posting, or attitude problems, or other issues regarding the Apprentice or Guide's performance as a member of his/her current server team.
· The losing SMT should also send a copy of the pertinent database notes to the gaining SMT.
· Apprentices and Guides should be encouraged to solve problems on their own or with mediation from SMT members when possible. If there are conflicts within the team, the Apprentice or Guide is encouraged to contact the Personnel Team or the Elder Guides for mediation before a transfer is decided upon.
· If a member of either SMT involved in the transfer has reservations, he/she is encouraged to communicate them with the other involved SMT or the Personnel Team.
After both SMT's agree to the transfer, each server will process the Personnel Report actions necessary for the transfer to occur. The SMT losing the Apprentice or Guide will then make the appropriate notations in his/her database record to verify that the transfer is mutually agreed upon and will send an email to the Personnel Team. If the note verifying the agreement is not made in the database record, the transfer will not be processed.
1.20.5.0 Transfer to a new server (last revised 12/05/05)
When a situation arises where volunteers for a new server are sought, a post will be made to the News board on the Guide website by the Elder Guides or the Personnel Team requesting volunteers or to the Senate board asking Seniors to request volunteers from their respective servers. Apprentices, Guides and Senior Guides volunteering for transfers should email the Personnel Team but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
1.20.5.5 Transfer to a specific server (last revised 12/05/05)
Apprentices or Guides who desire a transfer to a specific server should request the transfer through their SMT. The SMT will then contact the SMT on the requested server for their approval. Every effort will be made to accommodate Apprentices or Guides requesting specific servers though, as the best interests of the entire program must be served, there is no guarantee. Should any concerns be raised throughout the process, by a member of either SMT, the Personnel Team, or the Apprentice+ requesting the transfer, the transfer request will be forwarded to the Elder Guides for further review.
Should the Apprentice+ desire a transfer to guide with a friend or family member and the two guides are of the same rank, the two SMT's may handle the request as usual. If they are of two different ranks, the receiving SMT may ask that the lower ranked guide wait until after they are promoted. If the Apprentice+ requesting the transfer would like the transfer processed before then, they may then request an exception from the Elders via the Personnel Team.
After determination is made, the transferring Apprentice or Guide will then be informed by his/her Senior regarding approval or disapproval of the transfer.
1.20.5.10 Transfer without specific server chosen (last revised 02/20/06)
If the Apprentice or Guide desires a transfer but does not have a specific server in mind, his/her Senior should email the Personnel Team. The Apprentice or Guide may also send the email but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
The email should have the subject of: "TRANSFER REQUEST - Guide Name" and contain the following information:
· Guide Name:
· Current Server Guiding On:
· Current Play Servers:
· Reason for Requesting Transfer:
The Personnel Team will look for a suitable server or a choice of servers, if possible, for the Apprentice or Guide. Once a selection has been made, the Apprentice or Guide's Senior will notify the chosen server's SMT about the transfer request.
1.20.5.15 Add or transfer to another game (last revised 02/20/06)
If a member of the Guide program desires to add or transfer to another EverQuest game, his/her Senior should email the Personnel Team. The Apprentice or Guide may also send the email but must also send a copy of all correspondence relating to the request to his/her SMT.
The email should have the subject of: "TRANSFER REQUEST - Guide Name" and contain the following information:
Guide Name:
Current Server Guiding On:
Current Play Servers:
Reason for Request:
o Add Additional Game
o Transfer to Different Game
Game Requested:
The Personnel Team will place the member of the Guide program on an available server. Every effort will be made to accommodate Apprentices or Guides requesting specific servers though, as the best interests of the entire program must be served, there is no guarantee.
Please note that the member of the Guide program must play the game for which they are requesting to Guide (see Section 1.30.10) and they will be transferred at one rank lower than their current level (see Section 2.10).
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests (last revised 12/30/05)
Any Senior Guide desiring a transfer outside of the reason mentioned here should send an email detailing the request to the Personnel Team.
In the event of any Senior transfer situation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the Elder Guides will have final approval, through the Personnel Team.
1.25 Program Obligations (last revised 10/23/02)
1.25.0 Account Security (last revised 12/30/06)
Account Sharing Members of the Guide Program are reminded that the EULA prohibits sharing of accounts, including sharing of your Guide account with others, including other members of the Guide Program.*
Passwords As all Guide accounts are privileged, it is strongly recommended that you change your password periodically; at least every 90 days, and keeping the "strong" password model in mind when creating them. Do not share your password with ANYONE.
Passwords are considered strong if they fit the following criteria:
· Minimum of six characters in length, eight characters recommended
· Alpha-numeric
· Contains at least one special character (e.g. @#$?%^&*)
· Varying case
Compromised Accounts If, for any reason, you believe your Guide account has been accessed by anyone other than yourself, do the following steps immediately:
1. Change your password.
2. Notify the appropriate authorities:
1. Apprentice Guides and Guides:
1. notify at least one of your Senior Guides
2. send an email message to the Elder Guides with a copy to your entire SMT
2. Senior Guides:
1. send an email message to the Elder Guides
3. Members of SWAT:
1. In addition to the above, notify the SWAT Team Chair.
1.25.5 Information Dissemination (last revised 02/20/06)
Questions regarding material available in the manual/.TXT file The EverQuest manual and the eqnews.txt file contain a great deal of information and CS Personnel should encourage people to read it by not answering questions that are answered in these documents. Should a significant number of questions be generated about something that is not in the documentation, effort should be made to have the files updated with the additional information by contacting the Communications Team.
Questions about game specific information. Members of the volunteer Guide Program must never answer questions that give away the game's secrets. These include, but are not limited to: questions about quests, armor, spells, or weapons; locations of objects or NPCs; sending links of any items, whether player or CS equipment. This policy can also be found at 2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets.
In their travels, CS Personnel learn a lot of details and gain insight about Norrath. They see spells and items that will only be accessible through the most difficult quests in the game. They see the bottoms of dungeons and the loot of monsters that may not be generally accessible yet in the game. And they tell NO ONE. This information is part of the mystery of the game. We do not divulge information of this nature to any player for any reason anywhere. If the player wishes to know, they can go find out on their own. Divulging this information to anyone other than a Guide or SOE employee is a violation of policy and one of the more serious offenses a CS member can commit.
Questions about Play Characters Members of the Guide program are not always on duty. When they are off duty, they should continue to play as much as possible on servers where they are not representing the program to ensure that they don’t lose contact with the player’s perspective of the game. At no time does a member of the Guide Program reveal the identity of one of these player character(s) to players or other members of the Guide Program. Additionally, a member of the Guide Program will not identify his player character(s) on any message board in which he speaks in an official capacity.
When members of the Guide program are logged in as their player character, they may reveal their participation in the Guide program in order to recruit new members from their play server(s). However, they may not use their participation in the Guide program to request favors or demand favoritism from players or Guides. In addition, Guides are not permitted to reveal specific information including, but not limited to, Guide name and Guide server. The only exception is if a CSR+ specifically asks if they are a member of the Guide Program (since he/she could look it up anyway). EQ-Mac exception: because there is only one EQ-Mac server, EQ-Mac Guides may not tell anyone (players or other Guides) that they are a member of the EverQuest Guide Program unless their play characters reside on EQ-PC server(s) (see 1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona).
Members of the Guide program are allowed to share the server name(s) where their play character(s) reside with other members of the Guide program so that they may play together (see 1.5.25 Playing with Guides).
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Players (last revised 02/20/06)
The official communication channels between SOE and EverQuest players are the EverQuest web site at http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/index.vm and the eqnews.txt file which is resident on every player’s PC in the EQ directory. This file is also seen on the patch screen and is accessible by pressing the News button on the Server Select Screen or below the EverQuest chat screen. Players should be referred to these sources on a regular basis for any information that the SOE team wishes to communicate to the entire user base.
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards (last revised 02/20/06)
Members of the Guide Program Posting to Public Boards
As members of the CS team travel about outside the game, they can frequent news groups, bulletin boards, and other messaging media where players congregate and discuss the game. These sites include, but are not limited to: EQ Caster’s Realm, Allakhazam, and other bulletin boards of the same type, including SOE-operated message boards.
Members of the CS team are free to post to these boards as they wish with a few restrictions:
They may not indicate they are members of the Guide Program (See Section 1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona). *This includes posting under the name of your Guide avatar, regardless of whether you indicate your Guide status.
They may not answer questions specific to CS policy.
They may not post privileged information released to the Guide Program in advance of public release.
They may not post all or part of the P&P on any public site.
They must adhere to the Policies and Procedures of the Guides when discussing in-game material (See Section 1.25.5 Questions about Game Specific Information).
They must not include information, stories, background, announcements, or anything else related to a Quest. (See Section 3.0.40 Quest Disclosure)
Guide Volunteers
The Elders Guides may choose certain Guides to post specific information on to the SOE forums. They will be assigned a specific account and Guide flagging on the forums. They are encouraged to post frequently but must submit any post to the Elder and SOE before posting.
These Guides are not encouraged to converse with players, but are encouraged to have the FAQ and Guide Application links in their signatures.
The Guide Volunteers are allowed to post:
Up and coming events, quests, or weddings
Recap of events, quests, or weddings done
Guide submitted short stories
Guide of the Month announcements
Submissions for the EverQuest forums
Submissions for the EverQuest forums are to be submitted to the Elder Guides via the Elder email alias for approval and subsequent posting.
1.25.20 DSR's (last revised 12/30/06)
The Daily Shift Report
· All members of the Guide Program will post a DSR (Daily Shift Report ) covering highlights of their shift (including quests, events, and notable issues) and any other duties performed for the Guide Program (quest administration, Coordinator duties, etc.).
· The DSR must be posted within 72 hours of completing a shift.
· The DSR is to be posted on the Guide's home server message board in the appropriate area designated for these reports. The EverQuest Guide web site is located at https://guide.everquest.com.
· Each separate type of activity (quests, events, assisting players, etc.) shall be posted in its own DSR*to assist the SMT in compiling their weekly and monthly reports.
· Customer Service activity is to be included in the Guide’s Misc RP DSR. If there is no player interaction beyond the Customer Service activity, a DSR is not to be posted.
· The amount of time spent online is required to be reported in the case of Misc RP DSRs.
· Time spent online that does not meet the requirements set forth in 1.30.15.0, 1.30.20.0, 1.30.25, or 1.30.30.0 is not required to be posted.
· Coordinator duties may only be posted by Apprentice Guides and Guides. The administration duties expected of Senior Guides are evaluated by the Elder Guides’ review of the servers’ WSR and MSR.
Subject Line
The subject line of the DSR shall contain the quest/event number and class for any quests or events in which the Apprentice+ participated, the number of roleplaying sessions, or the type of duties contained in the DSR body (CS) activities, Coordinator duties, etc.) Information regarding the quest/event is available from the quest/event script or the approved quest/event pools on the Guide website.
"4/17/2004 - Quest #836 Class B"
"4/17/2004 - Misc Roleplay - 2 sessions
"4/17/2004 - Coordinator Duties"
Message Body *
The body of the DSR should contain the following information:
· Highlights of the quest, event, or other "roleplay" activity performed.* In the case of Misc Roleplay DSRs, the amount of time spent online should be included in the message body.
· A list of all NLZ’s entered with details of any actions taken there
· A list of all becomes performed
· A list of all surnames granted
· Highlights of any extraordinary or unusual events that occurred during the shift.
Player Information Personal information should never be requested of a player nor posted to the Guide website (See Section 1.0.15.0 Requesting Information).
1.25.25 WSR's (last revised 4/26/04)
Weekly Server Report
By midnight Friday each week, a Senior Guide will post to the Report Chamber a weekly server report for the previous Guide week (Friday through Thursday).
This report should include, but is not limited to:
Number of Seniors for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of Guides for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of Apprentices for current week and previous week and number gained/lost from previous week
Number of each type of quest performed that week and feedback/comments
Number of roleplay characters logged on that week
Events performed that week and feedback/comments
Major issues/concerns/feedback
1.25.30 MSR's (last revised 5/25/04)
Monthly Server Status Report
By the 10th of each month, a Senior Guide will email a monthly server status report for the most recently completed week to the Elder Guides.
This report should include, but is not limited to:
A list of all Guides (excluding SWAT Guides) with:
o Guide name
o Last Guide board post
o From Avatar reports, last login date.
o Total Quests performed for the most recently completed Guide week (Friday through Thursday).
o Total Roleplay Sessions for the most recently completed Guide week.
For Apprentice/Guides that have not logged on within the last 3 weeks, an explanation of why they are still active
Number of Quests/Events performed for the most recently completed Guide week.
Number of weddings performed for the most recently completed Guide week and how many lastnames placed.
Number of family names placed.
A list of any Guides that warrant additional attention and why (habitually absent, attitude problems, etc.)
A list of your future plans
Any information you wish to a bring to the attention of the Elders and SOE.
1.30 Avatars - Levels and Descriptions (last revised 10/23/02)
1.30.0 Avatar Changes (last revised 12/30/06)
The avatar change period will run for the first two weeks of each January, March, May, July, September, and November.* Note: Any new race or class that is released will not be made available to members of the Guide Program until three months have passed from the original release date.
· Apprentices are allowed to change their avatar when they are buffed to Guide or once every two months.
· Guides+ are allowed to change their avatar once every four months.
Avatar Change Procedure:
1. The Apprentice+ notifies their SMT with the request. This request needs to include the following:
o Race
o Class
o Gender
o Items carried that cannot be bought from a CS Home vendor, such as special items provided by SOE employees. (i.e., Asherah's torch is a repeatable quest and need not be included nor do illusion items that can be replaced by the Senior Guides).
2. A first name change may be requested at this time per Section 1.10.0.0 but will only be granted if the avatar change makes the name change necessary.
3. The SMT verifies that all the special items are already recorded in the Guide Database. They will then add a record stating that the Apprentice+ is changing avatars. The record will include the date of the requested change and the current Race/Class Gender and requested Race/Class/Gender.
4. After making the appropriate database entries and after compiling all the requests, the SMT notifies the Personnel Team by emailing the information (i.e., completed avatar change form) to personnel-verant@soe.sony.com. If applicable, the SMT will include the date and time that they will be conducting their ceremony.
5. The SMT will instruct the Apprentice+ to delete their avatar and remake it with the same name on the day of the ceremony. If they have problems getting their name, they should create their avatar with a similar name and the SMT will then submit a forced name request to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides. Permanent name changes, as detailed under bullet #2, must be submitted to the Elders for approval per Section 1.10.0.0.
6. At the ceremony, the Senior will distribute the appropriate note(s). If the items include an Achievement Award that processes a race change to the race that the Guide has selected, the Guide may elect to swap out the award for a different race-changing item. Otherwise, the Guide shall receive those exact items listed in their database.
1.30.5 Avatar Levels (last revised 5/24/04)
There are five levels of participation in the EverQuest Guide Program: Candidate, Apprentice Guide, Guide, Senior Guide, and Elder Guide. There are three levels of SOE employees performing CS services: CSR, CSR Supervisor, and Head CSR
1.30.10 Candidates (last revised 02/20/06)
Candidates are those who have expressed an interest in becoming part of the Guide program by completing the Guide application. They have passed the application process, have had their age verified and are awaiting further contact for entrance into the program. In the tradition of "walking a mile in his moccasins," no player can be considered a candidate for Apprentice Guide until they have played a minimum of two characters up to at least 10th level. Without this experience, it is not possible to understand the frustrations a player can feel. Exception: EverQuest Guides may request transfer to another game provided they have a minimum of one play character in that game.
A Candidate will not be assigned to a server on which they have a play character. Should the candidate play on the server to which they are assigned, they should contact the EverQuest Guide Program member who sent them their invitation e-mail to be reassigned. Only current SWAT members, Elder Guides, and Team Chairpersons, should ever have a play character on any server on which they maintain a permanent Guide Avatar. Exception: Because it is a requirement to play the game that they guide for, it is acceptable to have a guide character on the same server on which they play for those games that have only one server available (i.e., EQ-Mac).
The below candidate requirements stay in effect for the entire career of the Guide within the program:
1. The candidate must be 18 years of age or older.
2. The candidate must have at least two characters that have attained level 10.
3. The candidate must have a substantially clean play account record.*
4. The candidate must not work (volunteer or paid) for a competitor of SOE in the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) market.
5. The candidate must not run or staff a spoiler site, an exploit site, or any site that supports the dissemination of information that is in violation of these policies.
1.30.15 Apprentices (last revised 4/8/04)
Apprentice Guides are members of the Guide Program who have been chosen from the list of Candidates and are under review by the Senior Guide(s) on the server to determine their suitability for the Program. They have limited powers and are mostly concerned with roleplay. Due to the sheer amount of information that an Apprentice must digest and the many and varied situations they must face, the Apprentice must remain as such for no less than two weeks from his/her buffing day. There is no maximum time limit to remaining an Apprentice. Should they desire, an Apprentice may remain at that level indefinitely. However, Apprentices that do not desire promotion must limit themselves to roleplay activities only. Players that request assistance should be advised to utilize the ticket system.
During their Apprenticeship, Apprentices wishing promotion are mentored by Guides until they are comfortable addressing player issues on their own. Each server's Senior Guide(s) can tailor the Apprentice's training to suit the needs of the server, so long as every effort is made to adhere to the restrictions set forth in the P&P. The Senior Guides and other experienced Guides on a server will monitor the Apprentice Guides on that server, providing guidance and assessing their performance.
Apprentices are allowed to explore freely any area, with the exception of zones designated in Section 2.15 as "No Loitering Zones." No member of the Guide Program may be bound to any restricted zone.
1.30.15.0 Responsibilities of the Apprentice Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of the Apprentice Guides are to:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
The things an Apprentice does not do are:
Enter No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0 for any reason.
Assist players unless they are working towards a promotion to Guide and are accompanied by a full Guide.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Reprimand fellow members of the Guide program (to include any form of hazing - see Section 1.0.5).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.20 Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Guides Guides are the mainstay of the Guide Program and are the most numerous rank. When all of the Senior Guide(s) approve an Apprentice on their server, he/she is promoted to Guide.* Once promoted to Guide, it is possible to remain one indefinitely.
Problems Not Resolvable Problems that are not resolvable in a reasonable amount of time or those that involve an angry player who cannot be placated should be escalated to the Server Management Team or any CSR who is currently on-line.
When there is a serious problem with a player, or when there is a problem that affects a large portion of the on-line server population, it is important that the Guide request assistance from their Senior Guides, a SWAT Senior, or via the CSR/SWAT Help forum as soon as possible.
1.30.20.0 Responsibilities of a Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of a Guide are to:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Assist players as requested.
Assist Apprentices that are working towards promotion to Guide.
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
The things a Guide does not do are:
Explore No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Reprimand fellow members of the Guide program (to include any form of hazing - see Section 1.0.5).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Each server should ideally have several "teams" for the major focus areas that time has shown tend to get grouped together for administration purposes. The SMT for each server should establish a minimum and maximum number of guides for the teams, unless specified in this document, so that this information can be shared with the full Guides on their server(s).
When a position on one of the server teams becomes available, all Full Guides interested may apply. If more Guides apply than there are positions, the SMT should vote on whom to fill the position(s), or how to best utilize the skills of those who have applied. Guides not given an assignment on a server team should have a note added to their personnel file for future consideration for when additional positions are available or they have gained the skills to take on a more active or different role.
Guide Level Coordinators are not losing any responsibilities but are gaining additional responsibilities. As a result, Coordinators are expected to contribute additional time each week. Coordinators that are unable to complete their Guide Responsibilities as detailed in 1.30.20.0, in addition to their Coordinator duties, will not be removed from the program but will be relieved of the Coordinator position and may reapply for the position after 30 days.
Server teams can be administered as deemed by the SMT, within the guidelines of this document. It is up to the SMT what members of the server teams are called except where otherwise specified as in the case of Quest Coordinator and Event Coordinator. However, the title "Lieutenant" or other title that implies a position or rank above other full Guides, is not permitted. In addition, Guide Coordinators have no authority over any other member of the Guide program. Only Senior Guides have the authority to manage the Guide program on their server(s).
At no time does membership on any server team imply candidacy for Senior Guide or guarantee future promotion. However, Senior Guide candidates will be evaluated on their participation in server teams. For tracking purposes, full Guides serving on server teams must have notes added to their personnel records by their Senior Guides indicating their current assignment.
It is recommended that Guides performing duties on server teams rotate duties within guidelines defined by their SMTs. While some Guides are better at some duties than others, a well-rounded Guide is more useful to the server and the Guide Program as a whole than one who only knows one aspect of server administration.
The major focus areas which servers may opt to implement server teams for are:
Administration - The Admin Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the accuracy of various duties at the discretion of the SMT. Examples of duties include weekly status reports, attendance tracking, and bug report compilation.
Training - The Training Coordinator is responsible for coordinating Apprentice and Guide training, mentoring, and other duties per the SMT's discretion.
Quest - See Section 3.0.10
Event - See Section 3.10.5
1.30.30 Senior Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Senior Guides are Guides who are willing to invest extra time in the Program. Senior Guides are not losing any responsibilities, but are gaining additional responsibilities. As a result, Seniors are expected to contribute additional time each week. There will be an optimum number of three Senior Guides per server, although this number may fluctuate depending on server need and the pool of available candidates. They handle the more difficult problems, and the administration of their server. Senior Guides continue to assist players with requests for assistance and are also responsible for communicating with the Elders and SOE to administrate their server(s).
Senior Guides may also have duties that are program-wide in addition to the responsibilities for their assigned server(s). Seniors should have a clear understanding of when they are acting on behalf of their assigned server(s), and when they are acting in a program-wide capacity, and should be able to represent both of these views appropriately. Seniors should always be aware that they are held to a higher standard and should act appropriately at all times.
Senior Guides audit the Guides and Apprentices and coordinate the dynamic quests and events on their server(s). The Senior Guides for a particular server are responsible for the success of the Guide Program on that server, in all aspects.
Senior Guides are created from the ranks of the Guides when there is a suitable candidate and when a review of each server's need makes it a reasonable action. The process for nominating and promoting a Senior is described in Section 1.30.30.5.
Senior Guide Escalations Senior Guides handle escalations from their Guides and provide another level of customer service, especially to angry or dissatisfied players. They support the Guides in all aspects of their service to players, taking referrals from the Guides when a player refuses to be satisfied.
Senior Guides Response to Exception Incidents At the report of an Exception Incident (Abuse, Disruption, or Exploitation), the Senior will submit a ticket and do nothing more than gather information and await the arrival of a CSR.
Transfer of Senior Guides Senior Guides transferring within the same game may retain their current rank. However, Senior Guides transferring to a different EverQuest game or adding an additional game will be transferred to the Training Server at one rank lower than their current level.
Demotion of Senior Guides There are times when a Senior Guide is unable to continue to fulfill his/her responsibilities, but wishes to remain in the Guide Program. He/she may email the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com who will evaluate the request. If approved, the Senior Guide will revert to the rank of Guide and may be transferred to a different server. An information copy of all correspondence should also be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
There are times when someone promoted to the rank of Senior Guide may not be able to adequately perform his/her responsibilities. The Elder Guides may demote a Senior Guide to the rank of Guide.
Resignation of Senior Guides There are times when a Senior Guide is unable to continue to fulfill his/her responsibilities and unable to remain in the Guide Program. He/she may email the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com to submit their resignation. In addition, an information copy should be sent to the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.30.30.0 Responsibilities of a Senior Guide (last revised 7/5/04)
The responsibilities of the Senior Guides for their particular server are:
Post DSR within 72 hours
Each week, interact with players in one quest OR one event OR four interactive sessions such as weddings, answer circles, persistent characters, or general roleplay
Assist players as requested.
Assist Apprentices that are working towards promotion to Guide.
Explore the world to interact with players and answer questions.
Manage the Guide Program on their server
Monitor server staffing
Train and mentor new apprentices
Audit apprentice and guide activity to ensure server staffing
Coordinate dynamic quests and events for their server
Assist Elders as needed
Provide the communication focal point for their server, passing information from the Elders, Guide Liaison, and SOE to their Guide population and reporting server status via weekly and monthly reports to the Elders and SOE.
Responsible for the success of the Guide Program on their server
The things a Senior Guide does not do are:
Explore No Loitering Zones as listed in Section 2.15.0.0.
Create and/or run unapproved dynamic quests (see 3.0.45 Creation of a Quest and 3.0.50 Impromptu Quests for more information).
Chastise fellow members of the Guide program or players.
Speak for the Guide Program as a whole in a public forum (Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, etc.).
Release confidential information or game secrets to the public.
1.30.30.5 Becoming a Senior Guide (last revised 12/05/05)
Guides wishing to be considered for promotion to Senior Guide are encouraged to notify their SMT of their interest as soon as possible. The process to become a Senior Guide requires significant commitment and the learning of additional duties. A nomination is never automatic. It should never be assumed that one would be considered for Senior Guide based on longevity in the program or due to taking on additional duties. While interest can be expressed at any time, the Elder Guides determine when more Seniors need to be added.
Nomination Requirements: Any Guide wishing to become a Senior Guide should be aware of the following criteria. These criteria will be applied to each nomination to help the Elder Guides assess whether a candidate is, in their opinion, able to handle the additional responsibilities of this role:
· A minimum of nine months as a Full Guide
· Experience in organizing Quests and participating in them
· Experience in Training Apprentices and monitoring their performance (will be obtained or assessed on the Training server)
· Experience in assisting the SMT with server Administration tasks (such as compiling WSRs/MSRs and tracking Guide/Apprentice activity)
· Possessing the ten qualities that make a good Guide (courteous, empathetic, patient, decisive, humble, consistent, committed, honest, creative, tolerant)
· Endorsement from at least one member of their SMT
· Good communication skills in dealing with both players and other volunteer staff
· Responsible handling of player issues
· Thorough understanding of the P&P, both in terms of the spirit of the document and also the specific policy contained in it
· Excellent record as a Guide
· Demonstrated commitment to go above and beyond what the average Guide would do.
· Willingness to be placed on another server
Nomination Period: Nomination period is continuously open.
Nomination Procedure: Guides have two methods to achieve review for a promotion to Senior Guide:
1. SMT Nomination: (The Guide must have served a minimum of nine months as a full Guide). The SMT emails the Personnel Team (personnel-verant@soe.sony.com) stating their desire to have the Guide reviewed for promotion.
2. Self-Nomination: (The Guide must have served a minimum of twelve months as a full Guide). The Guide then concurrently emails his/her SMT and the Personnel Team (personnel-verant@soe.sony.com) stating his/her desire to be reviewed for promotion.
Promotion Procedure - EQ-Mac: After the nomination is received, the Personnel Team will collect from the candidate and their SMT any information required by the Elders to make an informed assessment. The information will then be forwarded to the Elders Guides for review.
Promotion Procedure - EQ-PC:
After the nomination is received, the Personnel Team will transfer the Guide to the Training Server for evaluation and Senior training. The Training Server will accept Senior Trainees as their capacity permits, depending on current staffing. A waiting list will be kept by Personnel, and as openings come up, additional Senior candidates will be moved in for training. No guarantee of promotion exists - Promotion must be earned by demonstration of skills, knowledge, interpretation of the P&P, and the tact required of a Senior Guide.
The Training Server will submit the names of those that have successfully completed Senior training to the Elders. The Elders have the right to deny promotion if conditions come to light that were not known by the trainers. This could include issues with their play account or reports that they have behaved unprofessionally, or any other issue that might be brought to their attention by SOE and/or players or by researching emails or past posts.
After promotion, the new Senior will be sent to a new server. This will help to ensure that he/she is treated as equals to the other, more "seasoned" members of the SMT and to ensure they are not continued to be treated as Guides by their former peers.
1.30.35 Elder Guides (last revised 02/20/06)
Elder Guides are the consulting and management arm of the Guide Program. They are responsible for the welfare of the Guide Program as a whole. Elder Guides are the highest escalation point in the Guide Program. Elders jointly share the responsibilities, each being responsible for a portion of the issues that arise on the servers, and for the team or teams that fall under his/her sphere of influence. Elders will periodically rotate their responsibilities in order to maintain an overall perspective of the issues of the Program as a whole. Elders have the authority to issue instructions different from those listed in the P&P.
If a determination is made to promote a new Elder(s), the following procedure will be followed:
SOE Management, in conjunction with the existing Elders and Team Chairs, will determine that a need for an additional Elder Guide exists.
SOE Management needs to approve the addition of any new Elder(s) before any further action is taken.
An invitation to the Seniors will be made on the Senate to nominate one Senior (themselves or another) to be considered for the role. ONLY Seniors may participate in the Nomination Process. ONLY Seniors that have had that position for 6 months or longer will be considered. The nomination period will be open for not less than 2 weeks. When an open nomination is announced, send an email to the Guide Liaison make the subject line "Elder Nomination: (name of candidate)." Only the name of the Senior to be considered should be sent to the Guide Liaison. No other information is requested at this point in the process.
The names will be compiled by the Guide Liaison. This list will then be researched jointly by the Guide Liaison, SOE Management, and current Elders. Each nominee will be thoroughly investigated as to time in the program, posts, time spent on line, duties assumed, demonstrated abilities to work well with others both on their own servers and with SOE personnel, communication abilities, and other factors as relevant.
New Elders will be selected SOLELY based on the research and investigations done.
Final selections will be made jointly by the SOE Management and current Elders. If there are less than 2 Elders to participate in the selection process, then the Team Chairs along with the SOE Management and the incumbent Elder (if any) will make the selection jointly on behalf of the Program.
Elder candidates must have the support of a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those individuals making the final selection(s) before being promoted.
Responsibilities of the Elder Guides
Elder Guides are responsible for all aspects of the Guide Program. Among these are:
Resolution of issues concerning Apprentices, Guides, and Seniors that could not be worked out to everyone's satisfaction through normal channels (the SMT primarily, in some instances, the Personnel Team).
Review of Senior activity to ensure that each Senior Guide is fulfilling his/her agreed obligation to the Program and to his/her assigned server(s) (if any). · Final decision on the promotion, demotion, and removal of Senior Guides when necessary.
Guidance of the various EverQuest Program Teams to ensure that all Teams continue to strive towards the same end result. This includes approval of all Policies that are to be included as part of the P&P manuals.
Selection and approval of the EverQuest Program Team Chairs should an opening arise.
Coordination with SOE on upcoming changes so that the Program and SOE maintain like goals within EverQuest Guide Program.
Elders are responsible to each other. They provide mutual support, make joint decisions, and strive to make sure that the responsibilities are fairly distributed among themselves.
Removal or Demotion of an Elder Guide
If there are 3 or more Elder Guides:
In the event that a majority of existing Elder Guides combined with SOE Management feel that one or more Elder Guides is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities to the program as evidenced by:
Repeated failure to communicate to the other Elders, SOE, or the various Team Chairs of their whereabouts for an extended period of time (not less than one week)
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team, making it necessary to redistribute them to the other Elder Guides
Then the Elder Guides, in conjunction with SOE Management, may vote to remove or demote the Elder providing a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those voting concur with this decision. Whether to replace the Elder will be considered separately per above, in Section 1.30.35 paragraph one.
If there are 2 or less Elder Guides:
In the event that a majority of existing Elder Guides, in conjunction with SOE Management and the EverQuest Team Chairs, feel that one or more Elder Guides is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities to the program as evidenced by:
Repeated failure to communicate to the other Elders, SOE, or the various Team Chairs of their whereabouts for an extended period of time (not less than one week)
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team, making it necessary to redistribute them to the other Elder Guides
Failure to maintain his/her share of the distributed responsibilities as agreed upon by the Elder Team so that some responsibilities are no longer able to be performed due to lack of available personnel
Then the existing Elder Guide(s), in conjunction with SOE Management and the EverQuest Team Chairs, may vote to remove or demote the Elder providing a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of those voting concur with this decision. Whether to replace the Elder will be considered separately per above, in Section 1.30.35 paragraph one.
1.30.40 SOE CSRs (last revised 02/20/06)
SOE Customer Service Personnel
The CSRs are employees of SOE and administer customer service. The most commonly encountered avatar levels for CSRs are GM-Staff, GM-Admin, and GM-Lead Admin. There are other avatar levels; however, they are generally not involved in player relations. Avatar levels are related to a CSR's access level, and are not necessarily a denotation of his/her position or authority. CSRs have several different positions, each with different responsibilities and levels of authority. CSRs may not issue instructions to members of the Guide program that are contrary to the P&P. Exception: the Customer Relations Manager or Guide Liaison has the authority to issue instructions different from those listed in the P&P.
CSR: In general, CSRs are part of a team designed to help out those servers with the higher petition counts. They may have an assigned server, but also assist with customer service issues on various servers, as necessary. Their main duties are to maintain a low petition volume, assist with emergencies, and handle issues causing an excessive number of petitions. They may also cover a server when the server's assigned CSR is not available.
All CSRs have the authority to make exceptions to policies regarding customer related issues, such as reimbursements, restorations, etc. Generally, they work together with their Supervisor on such instances to provide consistent and fair resolutions. The most common avatar level of a CSR is GM-Admin, but may also have GM-Staff level access.
CSR Supervisor: A CSR Supervisor is the supervisor of the CSRs. They are responsible for the administration of customer service across all servers. However, they do have several assigned servers over which they supervise.
SOE Management: SOE Customer Service Management consists of the Vice President of Customer service, the Customer Relations Manager, CSR Supervisor, and the Guide Liaison. Working together with the Elder Guides, they direct EverQuest Customer service, with the Elders being responsible for Guide Program administration, and SOE CS Management being responsible for the CSRs.
1.30.45 The Server Management Team (SMT) (last revised 02/20/06)
The Server Management Team (SMT) consists of the Senior Guides assigned to a particular server. The SMT works together as a team to effectively manage the guide program on their server.
1.35 Is a Team for YOU? (last revised 04/12/06)
Three of these Teams exist to help streamline the decision-making process in EverQuest CS. These three teams have, to some extent, the ability to affect the actions of other members of the EverQuest Guide Program:
The Communications Team is charged with broad responsibilities such as communications within the Guide Program, determining when a post on various Guide Boards needs to be locked, or even removed, and with facilitating communication between SOE and the Guide Program. THIS TEAM IS CURRENTLY INACTIVE. HOWEVER, ALL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CORRESPONDENCE MAY STILL BE DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ALIAS FOR DISSEMINATION BY THE ELDER GUIDES.
The Personnel Team initially (with SMT feedback) approves most reinstatement requests, many of the transfer requests, and can act as a liaison between Guides and their SMTs in case of conflicts.
The Policy Team is responsible for collecting input on and interpreting the Policies and Procedures of EverQuest CS, as well as maintaining EverQuest CS core policy documents.
In the interest of making sure that these types of activities have the broadest possible input from members of the Program, no one may belong to more than one of these three teams simultaneously. This is to prevent the same group of people from making all decisions and to ensure the most representative group of team members possible.
The other Teams (Grading, Training, SWAT, NDCS, and Tech), while each affect the entire program as a whole; do not have any actual approval/denial authority over any existing Apprentices, Guides, or Seniors. Therefore, a program member can join these teams, along with any ONE of the three Teams above (if eligible for and accepted by the various teams, of course).
Each Team may consist of Guides, Senior Guides, and SOE employees (see the Team descriptions below for more information). When serving on a Team, rank does not have its privileges and all members have an equal voice. The team members are valued members of the Guide Program and SOE, each there to meet as equals in an attempt to bring their unique experiences and viewpoints to their respective teams. They provide the creative talent and the thoughtful participation that is required to help the various teams achieve their goals within EverQuest CS.
Each Team has one Senior Guide, a Team Chairperson, who is selected by the Elders, with input from SOE Management. The Chairperson of each Team is responsible for maintaining his/her respective Team members, coordinating the Team efforts, setting goals and seeing these goals are met, and communicating the results to the appropriate EverQuest Guide program members. The Chairpersons work hand in hand with both the Elders and SOE employees to ensure their team's goals and efforts are consistent with the goals and efforts of the other teams and of SOE. As these various responsibilities can be time intensive depending on the Team, membership, prior experience with the team, upcoming changes, etc., Chairpersons are not required to also be a part of an SMT or assigned to a specific server, but may continue to do so with Elder approval.* If not assigned to a home server, Team Chairs may log into EverQuest when necessary, as dictated by the requirements of the team they are responsible for.* When participating on a Server they are not assigned to, they must conform to the general guidelines of the program ( i.e., filing DSRs, etc.).
No team may have unlimited membership. The number of members permitted on each team will be determined between each team Chairperson and the Elders based upon the amount of activity to be accomplished and the time frame in which to complete the various activities. This membership number therefore, can change over time as needed and approved.
Some teams permit both Guides and Seniors and some are Senior rank only. Brand new Seniors have much to learn about their new rank, and when first joining a team, a brand new team member will also have much to learn about the Team they are joining. Therefore, Seniors may only be a member of any team during the first 3 months of their senior-ship with the express consent of the Elder Guides. Consent will be given on a case-by-case basis. For the teams that permit both Guides and Seniors, Guides that are promoted to Senior rank after already being a part of a team may be required to take some time off (not necessarily a full three months) from the Team at the discretion of the Team Chairperson and with approval of the Elder Guides. This requirement will be based on the amount of time already on the Team, the amount of activity expected of the Team member over those beginning months as a Senior, and other input. Newly promoted Guides must wait three months before becoming a member of a Team.
The Team descriptions below will elaborate more on the specific needs and responsibilities of each Team.
1.35.0 Communications Team (last revised 02/20/06)
THIS TEAM IS CURRENTLY INACTIVE. HOWEVER, ALL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CORRESPONDENCE MAY STILL BE DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ALIAS FOR DISSEMINATION BY THE ELDER GUIDES.
The Communications Team facilitates day-to-day communications between SOE and the Guide Program, communications within the Guide Program, and communications between the Guide Program and the player population. This mission is accomplished through the ongoing identification of requirements and constraints, the establishment and maintenance of multiple communication paths, and the streamlining of existing communication paths. This is handled through a variety of methods including, but not limited to: the compilation of WSRs, the EQCS and Appadmin e-mail, the Guide Program website, direct communications with SOE management, and interactions with the players through several forums that include the patch message server, the official EverQuest website, and EverQuest fan websites.*
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides, CSR's, the Guide Liaison, and select members of SOE Management. The team can be reached by emailing eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com .
1.35.5 Personnel Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Personnel Team is responsible for facilitating and assisting with all of the personnel needs of the Guide Program. The Team handles a variety of issues including, but not limited to: management of server staffing levels, appeals, reinstatement and transfer requests. The Personnel Team also collates information regarding Guides' anniversary posts.
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides, the Elder Guide(s), and the Guide Liaison. The team can be reached by emailing personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.10 Grading Team (last revised 10/21/02)
The Grading Team is responsible for the grading of applications submitted from individuals interested in joining the Guide Program. The team also assists in the maintenance of the Guide application itself when necessary.*
This team's membership is comprised of Guides, Senior Guides, and CSRs. Membership to the team requires recommendations from two-thirds of the SMT and the ability to grade a recommended 10 applications per week. The team can be reached at guide-graders@soe.sony.com .
1.35.15 SWAT (System Wide Assistance Team) (last revised 02/25/06)
The System Wide Assistance Team (SWAT) is a flexible group of seasoned Guides and Seniors who are universally flagged to assist on all servers. The team exists to meet rapidly changing demands for customer service in the dynamic and growing world of EverQuest.
SWAT is run almost exactly like a server team, and being a member of SWAT carries an extra level of participation above and beyond that of one's home server. Team membership is comprised of both Guides and Seniors.
Typical responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Mentoring Apprentices
Filling in on new servers until they can be staffed
Aiding on special quests or when actors are unavailable
General Assistance (server crashes, stuck players, sleeping players, etc)
At the SMT’s request, the SWAT Chair may distribute Loquitious notes in their absence.
Membership to the team is open to Guides and Seniors who have been at their respective rank for at least three months, and requires recommendations from their SMT. SWAT requires that team members do at least one event/quest from start to its conclusion or two role-playing sessions per week. Role-playing sessions include weddings, persistent characters, and answer circles.
SWAT duties are in addition to all responsibilities on their home servers and must be performed in accordance with the SWAT Manual and the P&P. Activity on the Guide's home server will be monitored by the SWAT Chair. Anyone not consistently meeting both home server and SWAT requirements will be asked to step down from the team.
The team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. To apply for membership, please email swat-verant@soe.sony.com with your interest.
1.35.20 Training Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Training Team is responsible for the Apprentice IRC training programs and helps to maintain training standards and protocol program-wide. This team is responsible for the introductory training an Apprentice must receive before becoming a member of the Guide Program.
In order to join the team, Guides must have at least three months of experience, which must include training of incoming Apprentices on their server, and recommendations from at least 2/3 of their SMT. All members of the team must be able to devote the time to attend and assist with one of the two Apprentice Training sessions held each weekend in IRC.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. The team can be reached at guide-trainers@soe.sony.com for questions or for an application to join the team.
1.35.25 Policy Team (last revised 02/20/06)
The Policy Team is responsible for collecting input on and updating the Policies and Procedures Manual, the Senior Manual, and the Admin Procedures Manual as well as reviewing all Guide program documents for policy compliance. In addition, the Policy Team is solely responsible for issuing an official interpretation of the Policies and Procedures Manual. The Policy Team also collects item/command requests and removes or edits inappropriate posts to the Guide website.
The team discusses, drafts, and ratifies policies based on input received from members of the Guide Program and SOE Management and forwards these policies for review by the Elder Guide(s) and SOE Management.
This team's membership is comprised of Senior Guides and CSRs. The team can be reached at policies-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.30 NDCS (Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society) (last revised 4/26/04)
NDCS is responsible for all Persistent Character revamps, Quests and Events that are designed for players and for Guides. The Team handles a variety of issues including but not limited to:
NDCS proposal development for other teams and SOE consideration in relation to Quests and Events.
Contributions to the Quest and Event pools.
Creation, editing of, and management for Quests; Special Use Characters, such as Festival Characters and Storytellers; Persistent Characters; Historic Characters; and Events.
NDCS works closely with SOE, Quest/Events Coordinators, SMTs, and members of the Guide program.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides, Senior Guides, and CSR's. The team can be reached by emailing ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.35.35 Tech Team (last revised 4/26/04)
The Tech Team is responsible for the technical issues that arise within the Guide program. The Tech Team will answer technical questions from the Guide program such as EverQuest crashing, system errors, etc. via the EverQuest Guide website and e-mail.
Members of the team must be technically skilled and have a fair amount of time and experience with operating systems, troubleshooting and playing EverQuest, modifying EverQuest configuration files, and customizing the EverQuest user interface.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. The team can be reached at tech-team@soe.sony.com.
1.35.40 Roleplay Team (last revised 12/05/05)
The Roleplay Team is responsible for Apprentice, Guide, and Senior roleplay training programs. This team is responsible for roleplay workshops and introductory roleplay training for members of the Guide program via IRC.
This team's membership is comprised of Guides and Senior Guides. Members of the team must be able to devote the time to attend and assist with one training session per month. The team can be reached at roleplay-team@soe.sony.com.
1.40 Tools of the Trade (Commands) (last revised 10/23/02)
1.40.0 All Levels (last revised 02/20/06)
/AFK Guides - At no time may an Apprentice+ use the /AFK command as an option to leave the keyboard. If the Apprentice+ will be away from the keyboard for more then a few minutes, they must log off until they are able do devote their full attention to the players. If, for a period of 10+ minutes, the Apprentice+ is not responsive to /tells, /says, or /PRs they may be /kicked offline by a member of the SMT, a SWAT Senior, an Elder, or a CSR in the event the avatar is stuck to allow them to log on again.
/anonymous - Apprentice Guides must remain anonymous when online alone. Players that request assistance of an Apprentice during their interactive sessions are to be referred to the ticket system. Apprentices that do not wish promotion to Guide may remain anonymous while a Guide+ is online. Apprentices must use /anonymous during the camping process in order to be anonymous when they login later. Guides+ will remain visible at all times except when preparing for a quest or event or when directed to by their Senior. A visible Guide is someone the players can ask questions of and expect an answer from if they can see one online.
/private - CSR/Guide Program internal communications are handled through the use of the /PR channel. All members of the Guide Program and CSRs use this channel to speak privately among the group across all zones.
/searchcorpse {charactername} - Used to verify the existence of a corpse and to discover the zone in which it is located. Caution should be taken when using this command as it has proved unreliable when multiple corpses exist. Apprentices using this command should escalate to a full Guide if there is any doubt. (Note: When abbreviating /searchcorpse {charactername} use /sea {charactername}.
1.40.5 Guide Level (last revised 2/21/05)
/Toggle - To prevent the reception of unsolicited /tells while performing in a quest, the Guide+ may use /toggle to turn incoming /tells off. Because /toggle is not reversed upon logout, as soon as the quest is complete, the Guide+ must /toggle.
/emotezone - Emotezone <message> - Sends a yellow text message to the zone, for example "/emotezone You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." Often used to warn for zone repopulating and to announce messages. See section 3.0.20 for additional restrictions on the use of /emotezone.
/Emotezone may be used:
To provide /emotezone background for approved quests, major invasions, minor invasions and events and as allowed in section 3.15.10
To announce issues of immediate concern for the majority of players in one zone that are online at the time (such as server maintenance).
Responsibly within the Sunset Home.
/Emotezone command may not be used for:*
Harassing, "spamming" or intentionally causing a player distraction with messages, such as "you are out of water, you are out of food"
Announcing a player run event such as a trade bazaar or guild event.
Announcing a player accomplishment such as defeating a high level NPC*or completing a high level quest.
Announcing any form of weddings, whether performed by a player or member of the Guide Program.
Informing players within the zone of administration or operation action unless directed to by a CSR*in game or in chat.
Giving the appearance of an NPC, unless part of an approved quest or event, speaking such as, "/emotezone Cazic Thule shouts, 'Teliesin, you shall suffer the fate that your brother Lithgar has!"
*
1.40.10 Senior Level (last revised 8/7/04)
/Broadcast - /broadcast sends a text message to the entire server. Your message will be shown with the sender’s name, as, “SeniorGuideName broadcasts ‘Please congratulate GuideName on 1 year of good service to the server'.”
As using the broadcast command can instigate increased server load, the one using it should weigh the benefits of using the command with the drawbacks. The one using the command should also refrain from using it excessively, and only use the command enough to communicate the necessary information.
Use of the /broadcast command will be restricted to the following:
Issues of immediate concern for the majority of players online at the time (such as server maintenance)
Positive changes in staffing on the Server Management Team (SMT), such as Senior promotions or departures / arrivals of a Senior in good standing
When awarding the Medal of Service for 1 Year (or any full-year multiple)
Announcements approved by SOE Management
As specified in approved Quests or Events.
/emoteworld - /emoteworld sends an emote text message to the entire server. For example, "/emoteworld You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." To be used for generate interest in a dynamic quest or event.
/Emoteworld may be used:
As specified in approved Quests or Events.
/Emoteworld command may not be used for:
Harassing, "spamming" or intentionally causing a player distraction with messages, such as "you are out of water, you are out of food"
Announcing a player run event such as a trade bazaar or guild event.
Announcing a player accomplishment such as defeating a high level NPC or completing a high level quest.
Announcing any form of weddings, whether performed by a player or member of the Guide Program.
Informing players within the zone of administration or operation action unless directed to by a CSR in game or in chat.
Giving the appearance of an NPC, unless part of an approved quest or event, speaking such as, "/emoteworld Cazic Thule shouts, 'Teliesin, you shall suffer the fate that your brother Lithgar has!"
1.45 Assisting Players (last revised 5/24/04)
1.45.0 Player Assistance (last revised 12/05/05)
/guidehelp When a customer types /guidehelp <text> an entry is created at the bottom of the queue. The /guidehelp command is for quest/event feedback, wedding requests, and questions regarding quests/events. Customer Service issues should be referred to the ticket system for resolution.
Apprentices with mentors, Guides, and Seniors Guides press "G" to access the queue. Every request shall be answered, no matter how trivial, even if the answer is "I'm sorry, but you must submit a ticket for that issue." All players are important. We must take the time to listen to them and show them that we care. Exception: obvious /guidehelp mistells where the player is not online may be deleted without player contact.
For each request, follow the specific instructions listed in the EverQuest Policies and Procedures Manual. Any member of the Guide program involved in an emergency situation, which is not covered by these policies, should escalate to a member of the Server Management Team, if one is online. If no member of the Server Management Team is online, the Guide should handle the situation using whichever of the policies most closely suits the situation to the best of their judgment. This action should be followed up by an email notification to the Server Management Team for review.
Responding to players Players will communicate with the Guide program members via tells or in-person communications. The order in which communications should be handled is in-person conversations then tells. Any players requesting assistance via /tell that the Apprentice+ cannot handle must be referred to the ticket system. However, each /tell or in-person communication should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Those that require immediate response (stuck players, players in imminent danger, etc.) must be prioritized.
Members of the Guide program may respond to /shout and /ooc communications via a /tell to the player. When the staff is involved with in-person communications, it should be handled in as personable a manner as possible. This includes role-playing whenever it is possible to do so, as well as making an effort to show an interest in the player, enthusiasm in the game, and encouraging good gaming behavior.
Bug Reports Players reporting bugs should be referred to the /bug command. If the player wishes a reimbursement for lost items due to a bug, the player should be instructed to submit a ticket.
Feedback If a player wishes to provide feedback, they should be directed to utilize the /feedback command.
Problem Players Information regarding problem players should be submitted to the SOE staff via the ticket system with as much information as possible.
Bad First Names If the Apprentice+ sees a bad first name in game, the Apprentice+ is to utilize the ticket system to report the name, PID, and explanation. Players reporting bad first names should be directed to utilize the ticket system.
Surnames If a member of the Guide program sees a bad surname in game, the Apprentice+ is to utilize the ticket system to report the name, PID, and explanation. Players reporting bad surnames should also be directed to utilize the ticket system.
Problem Resolution After assisting a player, please ask each player to update the e-mail address attached to their account either via the Account button on the game login screen or at https://www.station.sony.com/secure/en/registration/view.jsp.
CSR Issues Except for those issues referenced in the CSR/SWAT Help forum Moderator's Message (see section 1.5.5), CSR Issues are not to be cross-posted to the Guide website. Exception: Because of resource limitations (specifically, the lack of a ticket system and a petition queue that deletes petitions periodically), EQ-Mac Guides may post any issues requiring CSR assistance to the CSR/SWAT Help forum.
1.45.5 General Player Assistance Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06)
Answer Every Player: It is the policy of the Guide Program to answer every player, regardless of whether the problem can be solved or not. Even an "I'm sorry, but we are unable to help you" is better than no response at all.
Player Requests for Final Determinations: Sometimes the player will not agree with the answers he is given and will request his question be escalated for further review. An Apprentice+ should not argue with a player who is upset, but should advise the player to utilize the ticket system for assistance from a CSR. SOE Employees are responsible for the welfare of the players and have final authority over them. SOE Management is the final escalation point for all customer-related issues.
At times, there are going to be incidents where SOE will need to overturn a decision that is made by an Apprentice+ in the interest of customer service. There is no specific criteria that can be listed as grounds for overturning decisions. A decision may be overturned if it was felt to be incorrect, other information was obtained, or it could have been handled in a different manner. The procedures for overturning decisions are internal SOE policies and thus can not be documented here.
Logging Shift Activity: While online as a member of the Guide Program, logging must be turned on at all times. Not only are logs used with automated shift report creation tools such as EQGSR, but they can also assist with your memory of an incident and may be requested by a Senior+ and/or SOE for investigations. For these reasons, it is strongly recommended that logs be kept for at least 90 days.
For logging in the EverQuest chat area, use the #log command (see Section 1.50.0)
For logging in game, use the /log command. To ensure that logging is always turned on when you go in game add "Log=TRUE" to the eqclient.ini file in your EverQuest program directory.
Input to Customer Service Policies and Procedures
Players as well as members of the CS staff will hold many opinions of what the customer service policies and practices should be. These opinions tend to surface at inappropriate times, such as when a player is having a problem. Players should be informed that the CS team follows any policies that are currently in place, and does not have the power to change them "on-the-fly" at the request of individual players.
Players may provide input to the Guide Program by e-mailing the eqcs@soe.sony.com address. All such submissions are reviewed by CS management.
Members of the Guide program wishing to have input to the program policies should send such input to the Policy Team at policies-verant@soe.sony.com.
1.45.10 Email Support for Players (last revised 02/20/06)
At no time shall an Apprentice+ disclose a non-SOE email address (those not ending in @soe.sony.com) to a player but rather refer him/her to those official addresses already present to provide additional support should it be required out of game. Individual CSR email addresses are not be released unless specifically instructed to do so by the CSR to whom it belongs.
Players should be referred to the ticket system for most issues. If the issue is one that a CSR cannot resolve in game (banning issues or problems with a guide for example), players should instead be referred to the address below:
http://support.station.sony.com
The following list of email addresses may also be released to players:
eqcs@soe.sony.com - An address for problems or commendations involving a CSR or member of the Guide Program.
eqguilds@soe.sony.com - An address for players who are having trouble getting their guilds created in-game or for any other guild-related problems.
eqcharmoves@soe.sony.com - This address is for questions regarding character moves.
guildcritical@soe.sony.com - This address is for when a large group of people are having immediate issues in game, such as two raids having a spawn dispute over a major NPC or other time sensitive issues. This email is to be given to the raid or guild leader only. Guides should notify players that are given the email address that it is for this one use only, as its overuse may result in the removal of this option.
1.45.15 EverQuest Player Contacts (last revised 02/20/06)
The following contacts may be given to players as specified in other sections of this document. Members of the Guide Program should also be familiar with the information contained on these pages.
Web Contacts:
https://guide.everquest.com/guideapp/ - Guide application site – Please note that, for identification purposes, applicants must log into their game account via the website to access the Guide application.
http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/index.vm - Main EverQuest website
http://everquest2.station.sony.com – Main EQII website
http://everquestonlineadventures.station.sony.com – Main EQOA website
Support:
http://support.station.sony.com/ - Various areas of support
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16211 - Rules of Conduct
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16212 - Naming Policy
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16215 - Player Reimbursement Policy
o This is the policy available on the official EverQuest website for player consumption. EverQuest CS members should use P&P Section 2.25.30 when handling requests for reimbursement.
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/live.php?p_sid=4fjjRH*h&p_lva=15402 - Chat Support (Monday - Friday: 01:00 AM - 06:00 PM PST)
eqtech@soe.sony.com - Technical support
1-858-537-0898 - Tech Support Phone (Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:30PM to 6:00PM (all times listed in PST/PDT, GMT-8), except holidays)
Note: When referring players to Technical Support, the main website is the preferred method of contact, followed by email and finally phone.
Frequently Asked Questions:
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=15402 -Top Known Customer Service Issues
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16215 - Reimbursement FAQ
Email Addresses:
eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com - Suspension/banning inquiries
eqtesting@soe.sony.com - Quest related bug reports
eqguilds@soe.sony.com - Guild related problems
eqcs@soe.sony.com - Complaints or praise about Guides or CSR's
appadmin@soe.sony.com - Guide application problems
Email support for players is detailed in Section 1.45.15.
1.50 Other Procedures (last revised 10/23/02)
1.50.0 EQ Chat (last revised 08/08/06)
In addition to the game itself, EverQuest offers a set of chat rooms. Members of the Guide Program present in these rooms have their names flagged in blue, while SOE staff members are flagged in red. Since the name color is highly visible, anyone with a colored name is "on duty" any time they are present in a chat room, and should conduct themselves accordingly.
Members of the Guide Program are only permitted in Chat for program meetings called by one of the Program Teams, the Elders, or SOE.* If an Apprentice+ feels a situation warrants a CSR, he/she should e-mail the Elder Guides with a courtesy CC to his/her SMT (see Section 1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures).
Note:* While in EQ Chat, the same restrictions that apply on-server, apply in Chat.
1.50.5 Who can I turn to for Answers? (last revised 4/26/04)
Play Server Issues Issues with a member of the Guide Program or an SOE employee on the play server of a member of the Guide Program (valid surname request not granted, issue handled incorrectly, etc.) should be emailed to eqcs@soe.sony.com. Personal play issues are not to be posted to the Guide website.
Program Escalations Whenever a member of the Guide Program has an issue with SOE, the Guide Program, EverQuest Customer Service, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members the Apprentice+ should address the issue using the escalation chain below. At any point, the Apprentice+ may skip to the next step in the escalation chain.
In the event of a personality conflict between the Apprentice+ and their SMT, or if the issue involves their SMT, the Apprentice+ may skip to Step 3 and send the problem directly to the Elder Guides in accordance with Section 1.15.15.
1. The Apprentice+ should first contact their Server Management Team for them to address the issue. If unsatisfied with the response, or lack thereof, from the Server Management Team, the Apprentice+ may then take the issue to the next step in the escalation chain,
2. If the issue is not covered by one of the Teams, the Apprentice+ may take the issue directly to the Elder Guide(s). However (with a copy to their SMT, if possible),
o If the issue is one of Policy (i.e., a question of procedure, a problem with the P&P, a policy suggestion, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Policy Team at policies-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.25)
o If the issue is a Quest or Event issue, the Apprentice+ may contact NDCS at ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.30)
o If the issue is a Personnel issue (i.e., transfer or reinstatement requests, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Personnel Team at personnel-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.5)
o If the issue is a Communications matter (i.e., item or command suggestions, Guide website suggestions or problems, offensive post notifications, Guide Program information posted to public websites, etc.), the Apprentice+ may contact the Communications Team at eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.0)
o If the issue is a Technical problem, the Apprentice+ may contact the Tech Team at tech-team@soe.sony.com (See Section 1.35.35)
3. The final escalation point within the Guide Program is the Elder Guide(s) at elder-guides@soe.sony.com.
Morale Protection Maintaining positive attitudes in a cooperative organization such as the EverQuest Guide Program is vital to its success. Therefore, all members of the Guide Program should refrain from intentionally and unintentionally damaging the morale of anyone in the EverQuest Guide program. To ensure that this does not happen, the escalation chain defined above should be used to handle issues and problems that address SOE, the Guide Program, EverQuest Guide Program, or any of their composite teams, divisions, or members.
Issues that can damage the Program's morale in any way should never be posted to the message boards or expressed in any forum outside of the escalation chain established above. Anyone who such damages the morale of the EverQuest Guide Program shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
Personal attacks on members of the Guide Program, SOE employees, or players will not be tolerated. Posts of that manner may be deleted and the poster subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Guide Program.
1.50.10 Program ONLY Web/Email addresses (last revised 12/30/06)
The following contacts are for EverQuest Customer Service personnel ONLY and must not be given to players at any time:
Contact E-mail
Elder Guides
(Jessla, Melenkurion, Rynara and Taesha) elder-guides@soe.sony.com
Jessla jessla@faranon.com
Melenkurion melenkurion@iinet.net.au
Rynara dsun@rockmall.com
Taesha taeshathefair@amazonblonde.net
Communications Team
(See Section 1.35.0) eqcomm-verant@soe.sony.com
Personnel Team
(See Section 1.35.5) personnel-verant@soe.sony.com
Grading Team
(See Section 1.35.10) guide-graders@soe.sony.com
SWAT Team
(See Section 1.35.15) swat-verant@soe.sony.com
Training Team
(See Section 1.35.20) guide-trainers@soe.sony.com
Policy Team
(See Section 1.35.25) policies-verant@soe.sony.com
NDCS
(See Section 1.35.30) ndcs-verant@soe.sony.com
Tech Team
(See Section 1.35.35) tech-team@soe.sony.com
Brenlo
(Community Relations Manager) acrosby@soe.sony.com
Naylie
(Guide Liaison) rvallee@soe.sony.com
Guide Website https://guide.everquest.com
Program Contacts https://guide.everquest.com/progcontacts.php
CSR Roster https://guide.everquest.com/csrroster.php
Please note: the Elder Guides, Guide Liaison, and Community Relations Manager receive all Team emails. Therefore, it is not necessary to send an additional courtesy copy to them individually.
1.50.15 Emergency CSR Contact Procedures (last revised 06/12/06)
The Emergency CSR Contact Procedures are only to be used when the situation dictates immediate CSR presence:
If you feel a situation warrants a CSR's attention, gather relevant information such as /reports and sumbit a ticket containing pertinent information. Send an email detailing the situation to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com with a courtesy CC to your SMT.
Members of the Guide program should not attempt to locate a CSR by their own methods in these situations (including ICQ etc).
1.55 Recognition Programs (Medals, Levels and Awards) (last revised 12/30/06)
General
Various rewards may be bestowed upon a member of the Guide Program for his/her outstanding contribution to the EverQuest Guide program. The different types of rewards are described in this section, including the policies and procedures accompanying them.
Eligibility
Recognition Programs are open to any Apprentice+ who have been in the Guide program for three months or greater. Recognition Program awards may only be awarded by a Senior+.
Guides who do not wish to receive a particular award should notify their Senior Guide. The Senior Guide will put a note in the Guide's personnel file to note the preference.
Bestowing the Reward
Once the reward is determined, the awarding body is responsible for ensuring that it is given in a manner that reflects the honor the Apprentice+ has earned. A small recognition ceremony in front of the Guide's peers will usually suffice. The event should be cited, the award justified, and the reward given at this ceremony by the awarding body or their Senior+ representative.
Tracking
The awarding body is responsible for updating the Guide's personnel file on the Guide website to reflect that he/she has been given the reward. The note must include the award granted, the awarding person/group, and the reason the award was granted.
Service Awards
Service awards are available to recognize the amount of time an Apprentice+ has been in the Guide program. All service awards are awarded by the SMT.
The time in the Guide Program is measured from the time he/she became an Apprentice Guide through the present time when he/she is an active member of the Guide Program. Any time an Apprentice+ is placed inactive from the Guide Program is reduced from the total time accordingly. Guides may inquire with their SMT if they are unsure of their total time in the Guide Program.
Even though the EverQuest Acting Troupe was a separate entity from the EverQuest Guide program, time spent there should be included in calculating the total time an Apprentice+ has been active.
1.55.0 Service Medals (last revised 12/17/04)
The following list of Service Medals may be awarded to a Apprentice+ according to the amount of time in EverQuest CS:
Time in Program Service Medal Note
3 months Three Month Medal Three Month Note
6 months Six Month Medal Six Month Note
1 year One Year Medal One Year Note
2 years Two Years Medal Two Years Note
3 years Three Years Band Three Years Note
4 years Four Years Medal Four Years Note
5 years Five Years Marker Five Years Note
6 years Crown of Six Years Six Years Note
7 years Book of Seven Seven Years Note
8 years Boots of the Determined Eight Years Note
On their anniversary, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the medal recipient (which may be themselves should it be their own anniversary). The recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their service medal and their avatar will be buffed to the new level per section 1.55.5.
1.55.5 Avatar Levels Based on Time in Program (last revised 02/26/06)
When entering the program, members of the Guide Program are buffed to level 50. For additional recognition of their time of service, all members of the Guide Program may be buffed above level 50 in accordance with the table below.
On their anniversary, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the level recipient, (which may be themselves should it be their own anniversary). The recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their new level and, where appropriate*, a service medal per section 1.55.0.
The buffing levels are as follows:
Time in Program Level Note
3 months 51 Three Month Note*
6 months 52 Six Month Note*
9 months 53 Nine Month Note
1 year 54 One Year Note*
1 year, 4 months 55 One and a Third Note
1 year, 8 months 56 One and Two-Thirds Note
2 years 57 Two Year Note*
2 years, 4 months 58 Two and a Third Note
2 years, 8 months 59 Two and Two-Thirds Note
3 years 60 Three Year Note*
3 years, 4 months 61 Three and a Third Note
3 years, 8 months 62 Three and Two-Thirds Note
4 years 63 Four Year Note*
4 years, 6 months 64 Four and a Half Note
5 years 65 Five Year Note*
5 years, 6 months 66 Five and a Half Note
6 years 67 Six Year Note*
6 years, 6 months 68 Six and a Half Note
7 years 69 Seven Year Note*
8 years 70 Eight Year Note*
SWAT Guides+ should contact their SWAT Chair who will arrange to have their Guide Avatar on other servers copied from their home server or increased in level accordingly.
Should they wish to remain level 50, members of the Guide program may do so. In addition, these additional levels do not constitute a higher level of authority over someone with a lower level and the same (or higher) rank. Guides that wish to remain level 50 but still receive their service medal should be given a Welcome Note subsequent to their anniversary note to return them to Level 50.
1.55.10 Achievement Awards (last revised 12/30/06)
Server Achievement Awards may be awarded to a member of the EverQuest Guide program who performs above and beyond what is asked of him/her. While every effort should be made to ensure that every member of the server team feels he/she is making a contribution and is important, Server Achievement Awards are intended to be a special award bestowed upon an Apprentice+.
Eligibility
Rank** Approval Required** *Nominations Required
Apprentice Guide Majority vote of SMT Any Apprentice+
Guide Majority vote of SMT Any Apprentice+
Senior Guide** *Elder Guides* Two or more Apprentice+
Elder Guide Remaining*Elder Guides One Senior Guide and at least two or more Guides
Unless otherwise approved by the Elder Guides, no more than one Server Achievement Award may be bestowed upon an Apprentice+ within a six month period.
Nominations should be emailed to the person(s) who will approve the award. If the Guide wishes to nominate a Guide on his/her play server, he/she should email his/her SMT, who will forward the nomination with all references to the individual making the nomination removed.
Approving the Award
A Server Achievement Award is intended to be awarded to Apprentices+ who have distinguished themselves among their peers. It is intended to be a special recognition and not a common reward just for fulfilling their responsibilities.
Examples of when a Server Achievement Award may be approved:
· A Guide who consistently volunteers extra time during times when there are network connectivity issues, a patch is causing problems etc
· A Guide who routinely excels in providing shift reports with extra details, suggestions for improvement, and support of his/her fellow Guides
Examples of when a Server Achievement Award may not be approved:
· A rite of passage such as a training milestone, promotion to a certain rank, or being in the EverQuest Guide program for a certain amount of time unless approved by the Elder Guides.
· A Guide who consistently volunteers time on his/her assigned server.
Award Distribution
After approval, the Senior Guide+ will distribute the appropriate Note to the award recipient. The award recipient will then turn in the note to the appropriate NPC to receive their Server Achievement Award.* In the event of a Senior Guide being approved to receive an award, an Elder Guide or the Guide Liaison will distribute the award.
Illusion Effects
With the exception of the No-Loitering Zones and Off-limits Zones, Achievement Award recipients may use the award's illusion effect in the presence of players in all other permissible zones.
Available Items
The following items are available to be used as Server Achievement Awards. The person(s) awarding the item should make an effort to ensure that the item chosen is fitting for the circumstances and is special for the Guide receiving the award.*
Server Achievement Award Note Effect
Medal Of Honor * *
A Tasty Froglok Leg Tasty Leg Note Illusion Froglok
Claw of the Vah Shir Claw Note Illusion Vah Shir
Da Brick O' Ogreing Ogreing Note Illusion Ogre
Da Oogly Stick Oogly Note Illusion Troll
Dwarven Keg Keg Note Illusion Dwarf
Fiery Rock Fire Note Illusion Fire Pet
Fuzzy Foothairs Foothairs Note Illusion Halfling
Glass of Water Water Note Illusion Water Pet
Guktan Tongue Gukta Note Illusion Guktan
Iksar Egg Egg Note Illusion Iksar
Imp Wings Imp Note Illusion Imp
Kilt of the Northmen Kilt Note Illusion Barbarian
Mask of Bones Bone Note Illusion Skeleton
Pet Collar Pet Note Illusion Wolf
Ring of Doug Doug Note Illusion Human
Ring of Halves Halves Note Illusion Half Elf
Sack of Clay Earth Note Illusion Earth Pet
Scroll of Knowledge Knowledge Note Illusion Erudite
Second Breath Air Note Illusion Air Pet
Sprout Stick Sprout Note Illusion Tree
Treehugger's Shrub Treehuggers Note Illusion Wood Elf
Vial of Inky Ink Inky Note Illusion Dark Elf
Wreath of Takish Hiz Takish Hiz Note Illusion High Elf
1.60 Common Abbreviations, Terms, and Names (last revised 2/21/05)
The following is a list of commonly used abbreviations and terms in the Policy and Procedures Manual or otherwise used by EverQuest CS:
/pr - the /private channel. Used by members of the Customer Service program to communicate.
The Plus sign (+) - denotes "or higher" when used in conjunction with a rank (i.e. Guide+ means any Customer Service Rep with the rank of Guide or higher.
AWOL - Absent Without Leave
CR - Corpse Retrieval
CSR - Customer Service Representative, formerly known as a GM
CSR Supervisor - Customer Service Representative Supervisor (the head of the CSR's in a certain cluster), also known as a Lead GM
Dev - Developer
Dev Room or Dev Box - A small, square room with no exits that is found typically at or near the coordinates of x=0, y=0, z=0 and commonly has coordinates or goto numbers on the walls. It is sometimes referred to as a "GM room."
DSR - Daily Shift Report
EC - Event Coordinator
EQCS (or just CS) - EverQuest Customer Service
EQII – EverQuest 2 MMORPG
EQ-Mac – EverQuest for Macintosh
EQOA – EverQuest Online Adventures for PS2
EQ-PC – the first EverQuest MMORPG
I/A - Invisible and Anonymous
KOS - Kill on Sight
KS - Kill Stealing
MIA - Missing in Action
Mob - used to denote any computer-controlled creature
MOTD - Message of the Day
MSR - Monthly Server Report
NDCS - Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society
NPC - Non-Player Character
P&P - The EverQuest Policy and Procedures Manual
PC - Player Character or Personal Computer
Pet - short for petition
PID - Player ID
PNP (or PNR) - Play Nice Policies (or Rules)
PR - Personnel Report
PR - Permanent Record
PvP - Player versus Player
QC - Quest Coordinator
Repop - Repopulation of a zone (this is where a CSR resets the zone)
SMT - Server Management Team (the Senior Guides and CSR assigned to an individual server)
SWAT - a team made up of Senior Guides and Guides who are flagged on many different servers and are able to assist on those servers in a Customer Service capacity.
TC - Training Coordinator
Team - a group of CSR's assigned to a CSR Supervisor. Also referred to as a "cluster."
WSR - Weekly Server Report (turned into SOE by Seniors)
2.0 Commands (last revised 8/7/04)
Customer Service Commands
This section contains a list of all commands currently allowed for use by members of the Guide Program, based on the rank of the individual. Any Customer Service specific commands not listed in this section are not to be used by members of the Guide Program.
CSRs have access to all the following commands, as well as additional commands which cannot be listed in this section.
2.0.0 Commands - All Levels (last revised 08/08/06)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of APPRENTICE+:
· /anonymous - Apprentice Guides must remain anonymous when online alone. Players that request assistance of an Apprentice during their interactive sessions are to be referred to the ticket system. Apprentices that do not wish promotion to Guide may remain anonymous while a Guide+ is online. Apprentices must use /anonymous during the camping process in order to be anonymous when they login later. Guides+ will remain visible at all times except when preparing for a quest or event or when directed to by their Senior. A visible Guide is someone the players can ask questions of and expect an answer from if they can see one online.
· /goto -
o /goto {playername} can be used from any zone. It will place you at the same spot the player was when you sent in the command. It will put the target player on your target window if done from within the same zone. Members of the Guide program may only /goto a player once a conversation with that player has been initiated.
o /goto {playername}’s corpse# only works on corpses in the same zone. It will place you on the corpse. If the corpse is under the world you may be moved to the safe spot and receive a message stating you are being moved. The # at the end of the command is the number of the corpse, starting from 0.
o /goto {NPCfirstname_NPClastname##}. In some cases, like named NPCs, you may need to use /goto #NPCfirstname_NPClastname##. The ## at the end of the command is the number of the NPC, for named mobs it would be 00. The # at the beginning of the command is the # character as shown. If the parameters are left out, /goto will take the Apprentice+ to the targeted player/NPC/corpse.
o EQ-Mac Exception: Guide+ only.
· /hideme - This command will synchronize your /anonymous status with your visibility state and is only to be used during quest preparation, during quests as specified in the script or at the direction of the Quest Director, or at the request of a Guide Level Coordinator in the course of their duties or at the direction of a Senior+. Note: you must target yourself to use this command. The command does not work on anyone but yourself, even though you will receive messages saying that it did. You will no longer be hidden upon zoning, as well (Exception: Senior+ will remain hidden on zoning). There have been reported anomalies with Area of Effect spells and tracking. You must dismount your horse before using this command. EQ-Mac Exception: Guide+ only.
· /private - CSR/Guide Program internal communications are handled through the use of the /PR channel. All members of the Guide Program and CSRs use this channel to speak privately among the group across all zones.
· /searchcorpse {playername} - Used to verify the existence of a corpse and to discover the zone in which it is located. The command will list all corpses that exist for the player specified, including those in Shadowrest. Apprentices using this command should escalate to a full Guide if there is any doubt. (Note: When abbreviating /searchcorpse {playername} use /sea {playername}.
· /servers - This will show the availability of all zones on a server. The list is ordered with the most recently available zones on top.
· /zone {zonename} - Used to go to any zone. Takes you to the "safe point" in the zone. This command can be abbreviated as /z. See Section 2.15.0 for a listing of zone names.
2.0.5 Commands - Guide+ (last revised 12/30/06)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of GUIDE+:
· /approval {on|off} - Used to turn on and off the name approval requests. This command is only to be used by quest actors during dynamic quests and guides participating in a server event. (See Section 3.0.20)
· /becomenpc {race#} [{gender=M, F, N} {body armor# } {head armor#} {face type#} {height#} {max level# }] - Used to change the form of the targeted PC or NPC, converting him/her/it into an NPC (full PvP). Not all races are available in every zone. Some are "global", such as the PC races, and others are local and only appear in some zones. This command may be abbreviated as /be and must be used as specified in Section 3.0.35. EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /emotezone {message} - Used to send {message} to the zone, for example "/emotezone You feel an icy wind through the land," would appear to players as "You feel an icy wind through the land." This command is limited to approved instances (See Section 1.40.5). EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /find -
o /find {playername} - Used to find the (x, y, z) location of a character in any zone. This command will also target the character if the Guide+ is in the same zone.
o /find {NPCfirstname_NPClastname##}, in some cases, you may need to use /find #NPCfirstname_NPClastname## (Note: in the second scenario, the # in front of NPCfirstname should be the character as shown and not a number) - Used to target and find the (x, y, z) location of an NPC. This command can only be used in the same zone as the target NPC.
o /find {charactername}'s corpse# - Used to target and find the (x, y, z) location of a particular corpse of a player. This command can only be used in the same zone as the target corpse.
· /height {#} - Used to change the height of the target PC or NPC. /height 0 returns the target to the default height for the target's race. ONLY to be used in quests or events where permitted in the respective script, or responsibly within Sunset Home. DO NOT EXCEED /height 98, as that will corrupt the character's file and require external repairs before the character can log back in again. EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /kill - Used to kill the targeted NPC, leaving no corpse. Only used to clear out stuck/broken NPC's, and only after attempting all other avenues of resolution (i.e. Guide Memory Blur, etc.) (See Section 2.25.60).
· /lastname {playername} {surname} - Used to alter last names in accordance with Section 2.60 (The EverQuest Naming Policy). To add a name with spaces in it, surround the last name in quotes (e.g. Joe "the Guide"). EQ-Mac exception: Senior+ only.
· /summon -
o /summon {playername} - Used to bring a player to you, regardless of the player's current zone. A Guide+ can also target a player and then simply type /summon. (See Section 2.25.0)
o /summon {playername}'s corpse# - Used to summon a player's corpse. A corpse cannot be summoned out of its current zone with this command. A Guide+ can also target a player's corpse in the same zone and then simply type /summon. (See Section 2.25.5)
· /toggle {on|off} - Used to toggle your ability to receive /tells on and off. This command is only to be used by quest actors during dynamic quests and guides participating in a server event. (See Section 3.0.20)
2.0.10 Commands - Senior Guide (last revised 8/7/04)
The following commands are available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of SENIOR GUIDE+:
/broadcast {message} - Used to send {message} to all players who are online on that server. (See Section 1.40.10)
/emoteworld {message} - Used to send {message} to all players who are online on that server. (See Section 1.40.10)
/kick - Used to kick a player from the game and send them back to the server selection screen. This is only used to remove players who are deemed to be asleep (See Section 2.25.40). It will not work on players that are stuck in game and cannot login (i.e. Error 1018).
2.5 Warnings (last revised 12/30/04)
Members of the Guide Program may not place a warning on a player's account. If a member of the Guide Program encounters a situation that he/she feels deserves a formal warning, then that Guide must submit a ticket to a CSR to handle.* No matter how many times a player escalates their behavior or repeats a certain action, a ticket must be submitted and a decision be made by a CSR.*
The official response to the reprimanding of players is one of regret, as it is unfortunate that actions like these must occur to keep EverQuest enjoyable for the majority of the players. Details of official actions taken against a player are between SOE and that player and will not be discussed with anyone but that player. Any player requesting information regarding account action should be directed to eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com.
EULA Violations The Guide Program does not have the authority to warn or otherwise reprimand any players suspected of violating the EVERQUEST USER AGREEMENT AND SOFTWARE LICENSE. The Guide+ must submit a ticket to a CSR in the case that a player has admitted to violating the EULA.*
Suspension/Banning Requests If the player is a repeat offender, or if they are abusing members of the Guide Program, the issue should be escalated for a CSR via the ticket system. The CSR can then discuss with their CSR Supervisor the possibility of suspension, if they feel that the situation warrants further action. Please note that the Guide Program does not have the authority to request that a player be banned or suspended nor may they threaten the player with suspension or banishment (See Section 2.45 Threats of banishment).
2.5.0 Confidentiality (last revised 9/25/03)
The official response to the reprimanding of players is one of regret, as it is unfortunate that actions like these must occur to keep EverQuest enjoyable for the majority of the players. Details of official actions taken against a player are between SOE and that player and will not be discussed with anyone but that player. Any player requesting information regarding account action should be directed to eqaccountstatus@soe.sony.com.
2.10 Guide Program Tools (last revised 02/20/06)
CS Armor comes in several varieties. Appearance and name aside, there is no functional difference between the various types of CS Armor. Please note that some items, such as robes and monk armor, may be race and/or class specific. The pieces that correspond to the following inventory slots will have similar effects with the exception of items designed for roleplay purposes. Unless stated otherwise in this document, all of these tools are to be used on self only and not on players.
The following tools are ONLY available to members of the Guide Program that have reached the rank of GUIDE+:
Arms - Casts Guide Memory Blur, which clears a targeted MoB's hate list. This item is useful in resetting vendors.
Hands - Casts the spell Customer Service Resurrection, which is a 100% experience resurrection without any resurrection effects. May be used on players where allowed by the P&P, in an Approved Quest script, or after an Event to bring the participants back to their body and to restore any experience lost in error.
Wrists - Casts Cancel Magic (at 2x power), Cure Poison, and Cure Disease.
Cloak of Souls - Casts Bind Affinity on the targeted PC. The Cloak will have no effect in zones which do not allow binding. May be used on players where allowed by the P&P or in an Approved Quest or Event script..
Ring of Removing - Casts Cancel Magic (at 2x power), Cure Poison, and Cure Disease.
Wand of Memory - Casts Guide Memory Blur, which clears a targeted MoB's hate list. This item is useful in resetting vendors.
The remainder of the tools are available to ALL members of the Guide Program:
Staff of Guidance - Creates a gate effect when used, returning the character to his/her bind point.
Chest - This armor has the Guide Health effect and allows the wearer to regenerate health faster and to breathe underwater. This armor only needs to be worn for its effect to be activated.
Legs - Casts Spirit of Norrath on self only. This provides a significant increase in movement speed.
Feet - Casts Levitation on Self only. Allows the character to safely travel on treacherous landscapes in most zones. The Levitation effect does not work in zones that do not allow levitation.
Head - This armor has the spell effect Shadowstep. When activated, Shadowstep teleports the character a few feet away from his/her current location. This is useful in the event that the Guide becomes lodged in the game geometry while assisting a player.
Earring of Shifting Sight - Allows the Guide or CSR to see from a targeted PC's or NPC's perspective. To activate the earring, the Guide or CSR should first target the PC or NPC and then right click on the earring. The item does have a spell effect, therefore the Guide or CSR will become visible at the time of activation. An anomaly can occur that will lock-up the view. The workaround is for the Guide or CSR to [TAB] to target themselves, cast it on themselves, move and then re-cast it. This tool also causes the user's stamina to drain.
Earring of Z – Casts self only buff version of Guide Health and provides a spell particle effect.
Ring of Escape - Makes the Guide or CSR impervious to all attacks for one minute of real time, though no other spell effects may be cast during this minute. This is used primarily for fire and lava exploration. Also makes you immune to fall damage.
Collar of Contraction - Casts Ant legs on self only and allows the wearer to shrink in all locations.
Eyepatch of Lio (Special Sight) - Gives the wearer Avatar Sight (Ultravision, See Invisible, and Enduring Breath).
Belt of Translocation - When right clicked, returns the wearer to Sunset Home regardless of his/her bind point.
Stone of Gnoming - Gives the guise of a Gnome, needed to talk with some NPC's when the avatar's race/class will not allow it. Also, when right clicked, allows the wearer to shrink at any time.
Celestial Scabbard - When right clicked, adds 100 to all resists/saves and has the effect of Guide Alliance. This effect increases the avatars faction with the NPC it is used upon and can be useful to check if a merchant is functioning properly.
Guide Pack - A 10-slot 90% weight-reducing pack.
A Mandolin - A roleplay item with the bard effect: "Jaxan's Jig O' Vigor" Jaxan's Jig was added for its visual particle effects to enhance roleplay. This effect is a group effect, and due to potential aggro issues, this effect is NOT to be used if grouped with players per Section 1.0.10 of the P&P.
Horse Bridle - A roleplay item with the effect: "Summon Horse" Note: Although the horse will zone with the rider, it remains visible and "riderless" when used with /hideme. Therefore, the Apprentice+ must dismount before using /hideme. Due to aggro issues, caution should be used when summoning a horse near any NPC. In addition, due to crashing issues associated with the bridle, Apprentice Guides must use the bridle in a miscellaneous inventory slot and not equip it.
Red/White/Blue/Green Sparkler - A roleplay item with a right click firework effect. When around players, this effect should be used in moderation.
A Vial of Prismatic Dye - This item will allow Guide to change their armor color. Note: This item is not allowed out of Sunset Home. The Apprentice+ must use all before exiting the zone or they must destroy the unused portion.
Charm of the Gatekeeper - Self only port to safe spot in zone.
Roleplayer’s Jester – A roleplay item with right click cast Bristlebane’s bundle. The following items may be distributed to players:
o One stack of Summoned: Ale
o One stack of Summoned: Cake
o One Summoned: Spinning Bottle
o One Summoned: A Firework
Roleplayer’s Voice – A roleplay item with right click cast “Voice Graft”
Roleplayer’s Write – A roleplay item with right click cast teleport Arena and would say “Twenty thousand click salute!”
Halas Chocolate Liqueur – This item is not available for purchase from Guide Vendors, but is rather granted by McKensie to those Guides that complete the task she assigns. This item is to be consumed in moderation (no more than three in a one hour (real time) period) as to not become intoxicated (see Section 1.0.0).
Ashlanne’s Doll
Brenlo’s Doll
Ledian’s Tutu
Naylie’s Doll
The following tools emit light (even if the Guide is invisible). To ensure that no unwanted light is being emitted, these items are to be placed in the Guide Pack if a guide wants to be invisible to players while using /hideme, such as when observing a quest or event that they are not directly a part of.
Guide Telescope - Allows a Guide to zoom his/her view in approximately 20 feet.
Celestial Sword - Creates a gate effect when used, returning the character to his or her bind point.
A Shield - One of the roleplay Guide shields. It can be identified by its appearance of an opaline egg while in inventory. This shield emits light and is to be placed in the Guide Pack when /hideme is used.
Staff of Guidance - (listed above)
Asherah's Torch of Guidance - This item is not available for purchase from Guide Vendors, but is rather granted by Asherah to those Guides who have paid tribute to the memories of the former members of the Guide Program who are memorialized in Sunset Home. It has a gate effect when used, which returns the Guide to his or her bind point.
Items from the Guide vendors in Sunset Home that have no spell/song effects (such as Words of Ceremony, A Fishing Pole, A Broom, A Shovel, Dagger of the Chosen, Magical Walking Stick, Spear of the Chosen, or Lance of the Chosen) are for roleplay purposes and may be carried by any Apprentice+.
Items from the Guide vendors that have spell/song effects may be carried, but the effect itself may not be used except as explicitly permitted by the P&P. For example, if an item were made available with a clickable "wolf form" effect, the item could be carried, but the "wolf form" effect could not be used unless guidelines have been added to the P&P covering its usage.
With the exception of the Service Medals, the Service Awards referred to in Section 1.55.10, and Asherah's Torch of Guidance, only items found on Guide Vendors may be carried, kept and/or used by members of the Guide Program. Exception: items distributed to members of the Guide Program by CSRs will be evaluated on a case by case basis and noted in the Guide's permanent record.
NOTE about all tools: Unless specifically noted otherwise, all of these tools are for Guide or CSR use only. Tools MUST remain in the possession of the Guide or CSR at all times. At no time is the Guide or CSR allowed to attempt to trade, buy, sell, drop or, in any other way shape or form, transfer one of these items to any one or thing (players, NPC's, Mobs, etc) outside of the Guide Program or SOE.
A Guide vendor, Llara the Mysterious, is located outside the main hall at the base of the steps in Sunset Home. In addition to items for use only by members of the Guide Program, the following No Rent items are available from Llara and may be given to players within reason:
1. Valtron's Finest Brew - an alcoholic beverage (should be distributed in moderation as to not increase player's skill in Alcohol Tolerance). Not to be consumed by members of the Guide program.
2. Gnome Sandwich
3. Wedding Cake
4. Birthday Cake
5. Milk
6. Magical Cookie
None of Llara's items have any resale value at any NPC vendor.
Guide vendor Loquitious Zebidiah may only be accessed by members of the Guide program possessing the appropriate note. Apprentices and Guides may receive a note from their Senior Guides. Seniors and Elders may receive a note from the Guide Liaison.
2.15 Zones (last revised 11/10/04)
2.15.0 Zone Listing (last revised 12/09/06)
The following zones may be entered by any member of the Guide program at any time by utilizing the /zone command.
Permitted Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
abysmal The Abysmal Sea Gates of Discord EQ-PC
akanon Ak'Anon * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena The Arena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena2 Pit of Rathpher * EQ-PC
bazaar The Bazaar Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
befallen Befallen * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
barter The Barter Hall Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
beholder Gorge of King Xorbb * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
blackburrow Blackburrow * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
bloodfields The Bloodfields Omens EQ-PC
burningwood The Burning Wood Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
butcher Butcherblock Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cabeast Cabilis East Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cabwest Cabilis West Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cauldron Dagnor's Cauldron * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
causeway Nobles' Causeway Omens EQ-PC
cazicthule Accursed Temple of CazicThule * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
charasis The Howling Stones Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chardok Chardok Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
citymist The City of Mist Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cobaltscar Cobalt Scar Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
commonlands Commonlands EQ-PC
commons West Commonlands * EQ-Mac
crescent Crescent Reach Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
crushbone Clan Crushbone * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crystal Crystal Caverns Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cshome Sunset Home * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dalnir The Crypt of Dalnir Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delveb Tirranun's Delve Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranik The Ruined City of Dranik Omens EQ-PC
draniksscar Dranik's Scar Omens EQ-PC
dreadlands The Dreadlands Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
droga Mines of Droga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dulak Dulak's Harbor Ykesha EQ-PC
eastkarana Eastern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
eastwastes Eastern Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
echo Echo Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ecommons East Commonlands * EQ-Mac
emeraldjungle The Emerald Jungle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudnext Erudin * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudnint Erudin Palace * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
erudsxing Erud's Crossing * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
everfrost Everfrost Peaks * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
feerrott The Feerrott * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
felwithea Northern Felwithe * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
felwitheb Southern Felwithe * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fieldofbone Field of Bone Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
firiona Firiona Vie Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
freporte East Freeport EQ-Mac
freportn North Freeport EQ-Mac
freportw West Freeport EQ-Mac
freeportacademy Academy of Arcane Sciences Prophecy EQ-PC
freeporteast East Freeport Prophecy EQ-PC
freeporthall Hall of Truth Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportmilitia Freeport Militia House Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportsewers Freeport Sewers Prophecy EQ-PC
freeportwest West Freeport Prophecy EQ-PC
frontiermtns Frontier Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
frozenshadow Tower of Frozen Shadow Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fungusgrove The Fungus Grove Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gfaydark Greater Faydark * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
greatdivide The Great Divide Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
griegsend Grieg's End Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grimling Grimling Forest Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grobb Gukta, Outpost of Marr * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guildhall Guild Hall Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
guildlobby Guild Lobby Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukbottom Ruins of Old Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guktop Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gunthak The Gulf of Gunthak Ykesha EQ-PC
halas Halas * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hatesfury Hate's Fury Ykesha EQ-PC
highkeep High Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
highpass Highpass Hold * EQ-Mac
hole The Ruins of Old Paineel Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hollowshade Hollowshade Moor Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
iceclad Iceclad Ocean Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
innothule Innothule Swamp * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
jaggedpine Jaggedpine Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kael Kael Drakkel Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaesora Kaesora Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaladima South Kaladim * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaladimb North Kaladim * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
karnor Karnor's Castle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
katta Katta Castellum Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kedge Kedge Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kerraridge Kerra Isle * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kithicor Kithicor Woods * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kurn Kurn's Tower Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lakeofillomen Lake of Ill Omen Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lakerathe Lake Rathetear * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lavastorm Lavastorm Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
letalis Mons Letalis Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
lfaydark Lesser Faydark * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
maiden The Maiden's Eye Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mistmoore Castle Mistmoore * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
misty Misty Thicket * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
moors Blightfire Moors Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
mseru Marus Seru Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nadox Crypt of Nadox Ykesha EQ-PC
najena Najena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
necropolis Dragon Necropolis Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nedaria Nedaria's Landing * EQ-PC
nektulos Nektulos Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriaka Neriak - Foreign Quarter * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriakb Neriak - Commons * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
neriakc Neriak - 3rd Gate * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
netherbian Netherbian Lair Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nexus Nexus Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
northkarana Northern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
northro North Desert of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
nro Northern Desert of Ro * EQ-Mac
nurga Mines of Nurga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
oasis Oasis of Marr * EQ-Mac
oggok Oggok * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
oot Ocean of Tears * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
overthere The Overthere Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paineel Paineel * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paludal The Paludal Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paw Lair of the Splitpaw * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
permafrost Permafrost Caverns * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poknowledge Plane of Knowledge Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potranquility Plane of Tranquility Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qcat Qeynos Aqueduct System * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qey2hh1 Western Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeynos South Qeynos * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeynos2 North Qeynos * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qeytoqrg Qeynos Hills * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
qrg Surefall Glade * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
rathemtn Rathe Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
rivervale Rivervale * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
runnyeye Liberated Citadel of Runnyeye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
scarlet Scarlet Desert Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sebilis Ruins of Sebilis Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadeweaver Shadeweaver's Thicket Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowhaven Shadow Haven Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowrest Shadowrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sharvahl The City of Shar Vahl Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sirens Siren's Grotto Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyfire Skyfire Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyshrine Skyshrine Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldunga Solusek's Eye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungb Nagafen's Lair * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungc The Caverns of Exile * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soltemple Temple of Solusek Ro Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
southkarana Southern Plains of Karana * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
southro South Desert of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
sro Southern Desert of Ro * EQ-Mac
sseru Sanctus Seru Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
steamfont Steamfont Mountains * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoonb The Ascent Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
stonebrunt Stonebrunt Mountains Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stonehive Stone Hive Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
swampofnohope Swamp Of No Hope Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tenebrous The Tenebrous Mountains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thedeep The Deep Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thegrey The Grey Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thenest The Accursed Nest Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
thurgadina The City of Thurgadin Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thurgadinb Icewell Keep Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
timorous Timorous Deep Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
torgiran Torgiran Mines Ykesha EQ-PC
tox Toxxulia Forest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
trakanon Trakanon's Teeth Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tutorial* The Mines of Gloomingdeep * EQ-PC
twilight Twilight Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
umbral The Umbral Plains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
unrest The Estate of Unrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
veksar Veksar * EQ-PC
velketor Velketor's Labyrinth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
wakening The Wakening Land Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warrens The Warrens Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warslikswood Warsliks Woods Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
westwastes Western Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
2.15.0.0 No-Loitering Zone Listing (last revised 3/1/05)
The following zones may be entered by any Guide+ upon a player request for assistance. See Section 2.15.5 for restrictions.
No-Loitering Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
acrylia Acrylia Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
airplane Plane of Sky * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
akheva Akheva Ruins Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
anguish Asylum of Anguish Omens EQ-PC
barindu Barindu, Hanging Gardens Gates of Discord EQ-PC
broodlands The Broodlands Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC*********
bothunder* Bastion of Thunder Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chambersa Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersb Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersc Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersd Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chamberse Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chambersf Chambers Omens EQ-PC
chardokb* Chardok: The Halls of Betrayal * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
codecay* The Crypt of Decay Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dawnshroud* The Dawnshroud Peaks Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delvea Lavaspinner's Lair Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsa Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsb Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikcatacombsc Dranik Catacombs Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsa Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsb Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
dranikhollowsc Dranik Hollows Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersa Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersb Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
draniksewersc Dranik Sewers Omens EQ-PC
fearplane* Plane of Fear * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ferubi Ferubi, Forgotten Temple of Taelosia Gates of Discord EQ-PC
fhalls The Forgotten Halls Omens EQ-PC
growthplane* Plane of Growth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guka Deepest Guk: The Cauldron of Lost Souls Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukb Deepest Guk: The Drowning Crypt Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukc Deepest Guk: The Ancient Aqueducts Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukd Deepest Guk: The Mushroom Grove Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
guke Deepest Guk: The Foreboding Prison Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukf Deepest Guk: The Chapel of the Witnesses Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukg Deepest Guk: The Root Garden Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
gukh Deepest Guk: The Accursed Sanctuary Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
harbingers Harbinger's Spire Omens EQ-PC
hateplaneb Plane of Hate * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hohonora Halls of Honor Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
hohonorb Temple of Marr* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ikkinz Ikkinz, Chambers of Singular Might Gates of Discord EQ-PC
inktuta Inktu'Ta Gates of Discord EQ-PC
kodtaz Kod'Taz, Broken Trial Grounds Gates of Discord EQ-PC
mira Miragul's Menagerie: The Silent Gallery Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirb Miragul's Menagerie: The Maw of the Menagerie Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirc Miragul's Menagerie: The Spider Den Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mird Miragul's Menagerie: The Hushed Banquet Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mire Miragul's Menagerie: The Frosted Halls Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirf Miragul's Menagerie: The Forgotten Wastes Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirg Miragul's Menagerie: The Heart of the Menagerie Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirh Miragul's Menagerie: The Morbid Laboratory Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
miri Miragul's Menagerie: The Theater of Imprisoned Horrors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mirj Miragul's Menagerie: The Grand Library Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mischiefplane* Plane of Mischief Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mmca Mistmoore Catacombs: The Forlorn Caverns Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcb Mistmoore Catacombs: The Dreary Grotto Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcc Mistmoore Catacombs: The Asylum of Invoked Stone Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcd Mistmoore Catacombs: The Chambers of Eternal Affliction Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmce Mistmoore Catacombs: The Sepulcher of the Damned Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcf Mistmoore Catacombs: The Ritualistic Summoning Grounds Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcg Mistmoore Catacombs: The Cesspits of Putrescence Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmch Mistmoore Catacombs: The Aisles of Blood Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmci Mistmoore Catacombs: The Halls of Sanguinary Rites Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
mmcj Mistmoore Catacombs: The Infernal Sanctuary Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
natimbi Natimbi, the Broken Shores Gates of Discord EQ-PC
nightmareb* The Lair of Terris Thule Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poair* Eryslai, the Kingdom of Wind* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
podisease Plane of Disease Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poeartha Vegarlson, the Earthen Badlands* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poearthb Plane of Earth Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
pofire Plane of Fire Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
poinnovation Plane of Innovation Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
pojustice Plane of Justice Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ponightmare Plane of Nightmares Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
postorms Plane of Storms Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potactics Drunder, The Fortress of Zek Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potimea Plane of Time* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
potorment Torment, the Plane of Pain Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
povalor Plane of Valor Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
powar Plane of War* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
powater Reef of Coirnav* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
provinggrounds Muramite Provinggrounds Omens EQ-PC
qinimi Qinimi, Court of Nihilia Gates of Discord EQ-PC
qvic Qvic, Prayer Grounds of Calling Gates of Discord EQ-PC
riftseekers Riftseekers' Sanctum Omens EQ-PC
riwwi Riwwi, Coliseum of Games Gates of Discord EQ-PC
ruja Rujarkian Hills: The Bloodied Quarries Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujb Rujarkian Hills: The Halls of War Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujc Rujarkian Hills: The Wind Bridges Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujd Rujarkian Hills: The Gladiator Pits Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
ruje Rujarkian Hills: The Drudge Hollows Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujf Rujarkian Hills: The Fortified Lair of the Taskmasters Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujg Rujarkian Hills: The Hidden Vale Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujh Rujarkian Hills: The Blazing Forge Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
ruji Rujarkian Hills: The Arena of Chance Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
rujj Rujarkian Hills: The Barracks of War Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
sleeper Kerafyrm's Lair Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sncremator Sewers of Nihilia, Emanating Furnace Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snlair Sewers of Nihilia, Lair of Trapped Ones Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snplant Sewers of Nihilia, Purifying Plant Gates of Discord EQ-PC
snpool Sewers of Nihilia, Pool of Sludge Gates of Discord EQ-PC
solrotower* Tower of Solusek Ro Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
ssratemple Ssraeshza Temple Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoona Stillmoon Temple Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
tacvi Tacvi Gates of Discord EQ-PC
taka Takish'Hiz: The Sunken Library Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takb Takish'Hiz: The Shifting Tower Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takc Takish'Hiz: The Fading Temple Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takd Takish'Hiz: The Royal Observatory Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
take Takish'Hiz: The River of Recollection Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takf Takish'Hiz: The Sandfall Corridors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takg Takish'Hiz: The Balancing Chamber Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takh Takish'Hiz: The Sweeping Tides Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
taki Takish'Hiz: The Antiquated Palace Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
takj Takish'Hiz: The Prismatic Corridors Lost Dungeons of Norrath EQ-PC
templeveeshan* Temple of Veeshan Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thundercrest Thundercrest Isles Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
tipt Tipt, Treacherous Crags Gates of Discord EQ-PC
txevu Txevu, Lair of the Elite Gates of Discord EQ-PC
uqua Uqua Gates of Discord EQ-PC
veeshan* Veeshan's Peak Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
vexthal Vex Thal Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
vxed Vxed, The Crumbling Caverns Gates of Discord EQ-PC
wallofslaughter Wall of Slaughter Omens EQ-PC
yxtta Yxtta, Pulpit of Exiles* Gates of Discord EQ-PC
corathus Corathus Creep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
corathusa Sporali Creep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
corathusb Corathus Lair Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhive The Hive Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhivea The Hatchery Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
drachnidhiveb The Cocoons Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
dreadspire Dreadspire Keep Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
eastkorlach The Undershore Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
eastkorlacha Snarlstone Dens Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalin The Ruins of Illsalin Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalina Illsalin Marketplace Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalinb Temple of the Korlach Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
illsalinc The Nargilor Pits Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
nektulosa Shadowed Grove Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlach Stoneroot Falls Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlacha Prince's Manor Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
westkorlachb Caverns of the Lost Depths of Darkhollow EQ-PC
arcstone Arcstone, Isle of Spirits Prophecy EQ-PC
devastation The Devastation Prophecy EQ-PC
elddar The Elddar Forest Prophecy EQ-PC
elddara Tunare's Shrine Prophecy EQ-PC
rage Sverag, Stronghold of Rage Prophecy EQ-PC
ragea Razorthorn, Tower of Sullon Zek Prophecy EQ-PC
relic Relic Prophecy EQ-PC
skylance Skylance Prophecy EQ-PC
takishruins Ruins of Takish-Hiz Prophecy EQ-PC
takishruinsa The Root of Ro Prophecy EQ-PC
theater Theater of Blood Prophecy EQ-PC
theatera Deathknell, Tower of Dissonance Prophecy EQ-PC
ashengate Ashengate, Reliquary of the Scale Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
direwind Direwind Cliffs Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
frostcrypt Frostcrypt, Throne of the Shade King Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
highpasshold Highpass Hold Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
icefall Icefall Glacier Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
mesa Goru'kar Mesa Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
roost Blackfeather Roost Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
steppes The Steppes Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
sunderock Sunderock Springs Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
valdeholm Valdeholm Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
vergalid Vergalid Mines Serpent's Spine EQ-PC
2.15.0.5 Off Limits Zone Listing (last revised 12/05/05)
The following zones are off limits until further notice:
*
Off Limits Zone Listing
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
freporte East Freeport EQ-PC
freportn North Freeport EQ-PC
freportw West Freeport EQ-PC
oasis Oasis of Marr EQ-PC
potimeb Plane of Time* Planes EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sro Southern Desert of Ro EQ-PC
nro Northern Desert of Ro EQ-PC
2.15.5 No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Some zones in EQ have been designed with extreme rewards and risks. Because of design and tuning issues, Guide intervention in these zones is restricted. In addition to the No-Loitering Zones listed in Section 2.15, any new zone, not yet listed in the P&P, is to be considered No-Loitering Zone until such a time that the restriction is lifted (if ever).
2.15.5.0 Acceptable Guide Presence in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 2/6/05)
The presence of Guides in No-Loitering Zones creates two undesired situations. First, players are more likely to ask for assistance in gameplay issues from the Guide if they are in the zone. Second, players are more likely to blame the Guide for any inconvenience they may experience if they are aware of their presence in the zone. For these reasons Guides are not to explore nor loiter in No-Loitering Zones. Acceptable presence includes the following conditions:
Player Character Issues:
o They are resurrecting a player that died of verified bug death or after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.15)
o They are removing a corpse from an object such as the ground, a wall, a tree, etc. according to Corpse Recovery Procedure (See Section 2.25.5)
o They are assisting a player in a binding death loop. (See Section 2.25.45)
o They are unsticking a player stuck on the geometry (in an object, in a wall, etc). The player should be moved the minimum amount of distance necessary to unstick them from the geometry.
o They are following policy and procedures concerning an Under the World player or corpse. (See Section 2.25.25)
Non-Player Character Issues:
o They are checking the report of a stuck or under the world NPC before informing a CSR. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
o They are moving a stuck NPC after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
o They are /killing an NPC after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management. (See Section 2.15.5.20)
2.15.5.5 Exploring and Adventuring (last revised 10/10/02)
Guides should not use their Guide characters to explore No-Loitering Zones. If a Guide is in one of these zones for a reason approved above (See Section 2.15.5.0), they should leave immediately after addressing the issue they are there for and should not stay in the zone any longer than necessary.
2.15.5.10 Reporting CS Actions Taken in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 8/7/04)
A Guide+ shall report any entry, to include any actions taken, in a No-Loitering Zone in a report posted in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
2.15.5.15 Resurrections in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Guides are not to provide resurrections in No-Loitering Zones except for a verified bug death or after authorization from a CSR as directed by SOE Management.
2.15.5.20 NPC Interaction in No-Loitering Zones (last revised 10/10/02)
Interaction with any mob in No-Loitering Zones (See Section 2.15.0) could cause a significant change in game play. Therefore Guides should not move, reset, or /kill in these zones without specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor.
2.15.5.25 Repopping a No-Loitering Zone (last revised 5/24/04)
A No-Loitering Zone may not be repopped without authorization from a CSR Supervisor, with the exception of patch day repops of the planes and after a server crash. If a Guide receives a request for a No-Loitering zone to be repopped, the players should be instructed to submit a ticket. The CSR will then determine if a zone repop is necessary. Players that refuse to leave a zone when warned of a repop will not be given assistance in the event of their death.
2.20 Responding to Questions (last revised 10/23/02)
2.20.0 Account and Billing Problems (last revised 8/28/02)
Players with problems regarding accounts and billing should be requested to use the website, http://eqlive.station.sony.com/support/accounts_billing.jsp to resolve their problem. Those unable to handle their problem through the web site can call 1-858-537-0898.
2.20.5 Questions about Becoming a Guide (last revised 02/20/06)
Players that have an interest in becoming a Guide will often seek out current Guides for information. An Apprentice+ may provide the following information:
1. Candidate requirements:
1. The candidate must be 18 years of age or older.
2. The candidate must have at least two characters that have attained level 10.
3. The candidate must have a substantially clean play account record.*
4. The candidate must not work (volunteer or paid) for a competitor of SOE in the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) market.
5. The candidate must not run or staff a spoiler site, an exploit site, or any site that supports the dissemination of information that is in violation of these policies.
2. Generic information regarding the Guide program may be discussed such as our mission and how we fulfill that mission through quests, events, and role-play sessions. Per Section 3.0.40, specific quest/event information may not be released to the player population. In addition, per Section 1.25.5, linking Guide equipment or divulging game secrets is prohibited.*
3. Players should be referred to the Guide Application via a link on the Guide/CSR FAQ page or directly at https://guide.everquest.com/guideapp/.
Please note that, for identification purposes, applicants must log into their game account via the website to access the Guide application. In addition, the player should be advised that they are only required to answer the questions for the game for which they wish to Guide even though questions for all four EverQuest games are listed on the application.
For additional information, players should be referred to Guide/CSR FAQ located at http://eqlive.station.sony.com/library/faqs/faq_guide.jsp.
Players*who have questions pertaining to the status of their Guide applications may be directed to send an inquiry e-mail to appadmin@soe.sony.com. Applicants can expect the application process to take close to a month.
2.20.10 Questions about Game Mechanics (last revised 8/28/02)
Members of the volunteer Guide Program should generally not answer questions that are also answered in the EverQuest manual. These questions should be handled politely and the first one or two may be answered generally, after which the player should be referred to the EverQuest manual. Players may ask questions about game mechanics in order to determine if they have encountered a bug. For example, a player may ask the intended effect of a spell because they are not seeing any result from casting it. Rather than telling the player specifics on the effects of the spell, it is better to ask a key question or two and determine whether the spell is working correctly. If it is, inform the player of that. If it is not, then the Guide should follow normal problem reporting procedures.
2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets (last revised 4/19/03)
Members of the volunteer Guide Program must never answer questions that give away the game's secrets. These include, but are not limited to: questions about quests, armor, spells, or weapons; locations of objects or NPCs; sending links of any items, whether player or CS equipment.
2.20.20 Bug Reporting (last revised 8/7/04)
Players reporting bugs should be referred to the /bug command. Players reporting loss of items or experience due to bugs, and wish reimbursement for them, should also be referred to the ticket system.
2.20.25 Technical Problems (last revised 5/24/04)
Technical problems may include problems staying connected, problems with incorrect graphics, game response time or performance, and sound problems. Technical problems originate in one or more of the following places: The EverQuest servers or network, the EverQuest client, the player’s own PC, or the network connection between the player and EverQuest.
Members of the CS Team are not required to handle support for technical problems, but may do so at their discretion. Technical problems not handled by the CS Team should be referred to SOE's technical support staff.
2.20.30 Known Problems (last revised 5/24/04)
All Guides should check the EverQuest Guide Board daily and read the recent posts, especially on the Tech Team FAQ board, to find out if there are any "hot problems." Players submitting known problems should be informed that the problem is already known and be directed to the Knowledge Base section of the EQ Live web site for further assistance. The Guide should post a bug report on their server board if they have additional information needed to solve the problem.
Common Technical Issues:
Zoning Issues: If a player is having problems in one zone or a series of zones, but not others, the player can attempt a Complete File Check by clicking 'Advanced' on the patcher, then the 'Complete File Check' button there. This action will take some time and may involve some downloaded files, but can usually resolve zone-specific problems.
User Interface Issues: If a player is having user interface troubles, the player can run the "/loadskin default 1" command (or by clicking the "Load UI Skin" from the Options menu, then select "default" and making sure that "Use INI File" is not selected), which will nearly always correct any problems. If the player is still having difficulties, using the similar methods for zone-specific troubles or just re-running the patcher (especially within the 24 hour period following an update), can correct most of them.
Determining the source of unknown problems: Determining the circumstances when the problem occurs and the circumstances when the problem does NOT occur can pinpoint the source of a technical problem.
Examples: If the problem occurs for more than a few players, the player’s own PC is not likely to be the problem, assuming they have met the basic requirements to run the game.
The four known exceptions to this are:
If the player does not have at least 300MB free space on their swap drive (usually C: )
If the player has a number of files in C:\windows\temp or C:\Temp
If the player does not have the most recent video drivers or version of DirectX from the EverQuest web page. Often these are not the same drivers as listed by the manufacturer.
The player has 32 MB of RAM, P-233 or slower computer, and/or an older graphics card.
If the problem occurs in one zone and not another, then factors such as the player’s PC configuration and network connection can generally be ruled out.
If a problem occurs under a player’s new PC configuration, but not under the old one, and no other players are having the problem, it is likely to be a configuration or hardware problem with that player’s PC. Assuming the player’s PC meets the minimum requirements, request that the player submit a /bug on the problem. Players experiencing problems with new hardware or software configurations can also be encouraged to check established message boards to find other players with matching system configurations. These can then be compared to provide the player with information on how to customize his system to run EverQuest successfully.
Many players misdiagnose all system response problems as lag. Many players assume that lag is the fault of SOE's network. If a response time problem occurs for a player, or a small number of players, chances are good that it is not an SOE-performance problem with either the servers or the network. (A server or network problem would affect all the players, or all players in one zone or on one server).
2.20.35 Undetermined technical problems (last revised 02/20/06)
If Guide Program resources have been expended or the process involves the deleting or removal of any files, it is highly recommended the player contacts SOE Technical Support themselves. Players should be referred to Technical Support in this order:
http://support.station.sony.com/ - Various areas of support
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/live.php?p_sid=4fjjRH*h&p_lva=15402 - Chat Support (Monday - Friday: 01:00 AM - 06:00 PM PST)
eqtech@soe.sony.com - Technical support
1-858-537-0898 - Tech Support Phone (Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:30PM to 6:00PM (all times listed in PST/PDT, GMT-8), except holidays)
The Tech Team (section 1.35.35) and Tech Team FAQ at https://guide.everquest.com/cyphor/show.php?fid=1289 are meant for EverQuest or computer related troubles for ranks Apprentice+ only and should not be used for technical assistance for players.
2.25 General Incident Procedures (last revised 10/23/02)
2.25.0 Summoning players (last revised 02/20/06)
Summoning players is only used in the following cases:
To unstick stuck players. The player should be moved only enough to unstick them.
To move a player trapped in a normally inaccessible location such as in a developer's room, under the world, or behind a zone line. The player should be moved either to a safe spot in the zone or to their group within that same zone.
To bring a player to his/her body in the event a resurrection does not work, since anyone dying due to a bug (the bug directly killed him/her, see Section 2.25.10) should be resurrected.
To remove a disruptive player from an area he/she refuses to leave, with permission from a CSR+.
To move a player out of a bind-death loop in accordance with that procedure (see Section 2.25.45).
To move a player out of an impending death situation due to a verified server or zone crash/reset. (see Section 2.25.15). The player should be moved to a safe spot in an adjacent zone.
To return a player to the bazaar, if they were ported out by mistake. If they are carrying too much to even move, it's a good indication they were previously in the bazaar. The same can be done for someone who forgets they were carrying too much and willingly zones out of the bazaar.
The /summon command is very powerful and not to be used frivolously. Players should not be summoned just because they need to log off soon or they are in over their heads. Players also must not be summoned to Player or Server events (or back to where they came from afterwards) unless specified in the script or with specific permission from a CSR+. Under no circumstances are players to be summoned into the Sunset Home (cshome).
PVP EXCEPTION:
To move a player in the event the bind campers refuse to cooperate and allow the player a chance to defend him/herself. Caution should always be exercised to ensure that the player is not summoned into a hazardous situation, such as near an NPC that would consider the player KOS. Additional care should be taken on the PvP servers to /summon the player to as secluded a spot as possible, as danger lies not only from NPCs on these servers, but also from other players within his/her level range. When in doubt, the player may be allowed to request a safe location within the destinations allowed by the P&P.
2.25.5 Corpse Recovery (last revised 02/20/06)
Note: The only exception to the this procedure is if the cause of death was a directly due to a verifiable bug (see Section 2.25.10).
When a player requests assistance because they have lost their corpse:
Determine how and where they died.
Use /searchcorpse to verify location.
Go to the zone where the corpse is located.
Find the corpse (/find <playername>'s corpse#-- the "'s" is required, and the # is replaced by a numeral, starting at 0, to differentiate between multiple corpses) and make note of the xx, yy, zz coordinates of the corpse.
/goto the corpse.
o If the corpse is under the world or in lava, follow the procedures listed below.
o If the corpse is clearly visible (i.e. not embedded in a hillside or a tree) and accessible through normal travel (i.e. not under the ground, in the air, or hanging off of a cliff), do not /summon the corpse. The player is to be advised that their corpse is accessible and that they should enlist the assistance of other players if necessary.
o If the corpse is not visible, find the closest patch of land to the corpse and summon the corpse to it. The player should then be informed that their corpse is now available for retrieval.
Unlootable Corpses There are times when a player can see and target their corpse but are unable to loot it. The Guide+ should /summon the corpse just enough to slightly move it. If this does not fix the issue then the player is to be advised to submit a ticket for CSR assistance.
Under the World A player with a corpse under the world is a verified game anomaly or bugged death. If a player has a corpse stuck under the world, summon the corpse to a player of their choice or to any other location of their choice within the zone. Then resurrect the player by following the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10. If a player cannot be resurrected due to the corpse being too old, and the player requests reimbursement of the lost experience, the Guide+ should submit a ticket outlining the incident and what they did to assist. (This policy can also be found at 2.25.25.10).
Lava All corpses in lava will be considered irretrievable, and will be pulled to the nearest spot of dry land, regardless of other dangers in that area. The corpse is not to be resurrected unless it has been verified a bug death per P&P Section 2.25.10.
Corpses Underwater If the corpse is underwater, near a dangerous monster, or anywhere else accessible at risk to the player, it is left there for the player to attempt to retrieve. These are hazards of the game and Guides are not here to circumvent them. EXCEPTION: Players who indicate they died on a boat or otherwise have lost their corpses on a boat will often request assistance. When a ship travels into the next zone in its journey, all corpses on the ship are left where it zoned often under a great deal of water. When a Guide+ checks the corpse and believes this is the case, he/she may /summon the corpse to the safe point in the zone or a short distance from the safe point if faction with the local merchants make it unsafe to the player.
No Dragging Corpses During a corpse recovery, the player in question (or his designate) must come to the spot of his corpse (or as close as possible). Members of the Guide program do not drag corpses out. This is to prevent people going to a place, getting killed, and having us drag the corpse out when they should not have been there in the first place. If the player got in there once, they can get a corpse retrieval party and do it again. Guides also do not negotiate with other players to drag corpses. Retrieval of the player’s possessions is solely the responsibility of the player. Our only role is to ensure that the player’s body is reachable by the player via normal means.
2.25.10 Verifiable Bug Deaths (last revised 04/14/04)
Note: The only exception to the above procedure is if the cause of death was a directly due to a verifiable bug.
Some examples of causes of death that are considered verifiable bugs:
Falling through the world for massive damage
Flying through the air and falling for massive damage
Player zoned into lava when entering Lavastorm (where the corpse will appear at the zone safe point)
Drowning in a bugged patch of water that, once a character enters they are unable to leave and drowns again
Some examples of causes of death that are not considered verifiable bugs:
Falling into lava after becoming linkdead
Being knocked into lava by a monster
Falling off a cliff
Being killed by a monster
Dying while under the influence of a monster's spell, except where noted above (i.e. falling through the world)
Dying while linkdead, except where noted above (i.e. falling through the world)
If the cause of death was a verifiable bug, then the corpse retrieval process is different.
Ask them where and how they died.
Go to the zone where the corpse is located.
Verify that they died suspiciously:
o Corpse at your feet at zone safe point
o Corpse at 0,0 coordinate
o Corpse under the world
o You are unable to /goto corpse
/summon <playername> to a safe spot in the zone, usually the zone entrance.
/summon <playername>'s <corpse#> to that spot then use the Guide Gauntlets on the targeted corpse to resurrect the player, thus reversing the loss of experience points accrued due to the erroneous death.
This is a courtesy service provided by the Guide Program in an attempt to compensate for the loss of experience and inconvenience caused by the character dying to an anomaly in the game, which is not something they could have possibly avoided.
Link Death: Link death is caused by client or network issues that will exist well after release and can not be compensated for by programming. Link death can never be proven and can actually be used by players to purposely avoid dire consequences of their actions in the game. Consequently, dying while linkdead will never be considered death by a bug.
2.25.15 Verified Server Connectivity Issues and Zone Crashes (last revised 04/14/04)
Occasions may arise when a verified connectivity issue either within or outside of SOE's network will result in the simultaneous disconnection of players. This could be as small as one zone on a specific server or as large as the majority of the players online across several servers. Players may often die as a result, either during the period they are linkdead or in the few moments the server or zone is again functional.
Upon receiving a report of such an incident (usually indicated by a high volume of complaints about a zone or mass linkdeaths across a server), a Guide+ should locate a CSR+ as soon as possible to inquire whether the incident was due to a verified connectivity issue or zone crash and if resurrections are authorized for deaths resulting from it.
Once approval for assistance due to the incident is granted by a CSR+, a Guide+ may resurrect any player who asks for assistance because they died due to the connectivity issue using the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10.
It is often not possible to prove the incident directly caused a player’s death in each case. However, as these issues often affect the majority of the player base online at the time and are confirmed problems either with the affected zones or network supporting the server, all claims of death resulting from these issues are considered valid if submitted within a reasonable amount of time following the incident.
At times following a server-wide connectivity issue or zone crash, a player may find him/herself in a situation where logging on may lead to an impending, often unavoidable death due to creature respawn in a dangerous area where he/she had been before the incident occurred. In cases where a CSR+ has verified the connectivity issue or zone crash, a Guide+ may /summon a player facing this situation to a safe spot in an adjacent zone, following the procedure outlined below:
Upon receiving a request from the player (often sent as an alternate character on the account) in an impending death situation, collect the name of the endangered character, /zone to an adjacent zone and find a place that will be safe for his/her character.
Set up a hotkey of /summon [playername]
Ask the player to log out and log back in as the endangered character, while repeatedly pressing the hotkey.
Once the player appears at the new location, end the call.
Note: This is similar to the procedure for bind-death loops except that the player is not bound to the new location.
2.25.20 Stuck NPCs (last revised 02/20/06)
During the course of play, players periodically run into NPCs that are "stuck." Stuck is defined as:
Running in place
Hung on geometry (stuck in a gate, behind a barrel, immobile but trying to move)
Someplace they should not be (a Hill Giant inside the entrance to Befallen, unable to get further in or out)
When a report of stuck NPC is received, or the Guide+ happens upon a stuck NPC, the investigating Guide must follow the procedure defined in 2.25.20.0. Apprentice Guides are not to attempt to free a stuck NPC.
Reporting the anomaly:
No matter which resolution below is used, the incident must be reported as a bug. Use the /bug command to report the incident, the name of the NPC and the location.
2.25.20.0 Stuck NPC Procedure (last revised 02/20/06)
Use the Guide item with effect: memblur on the NPC - This will clear its memory, or "hate list" and hopefully cause it to go about its normal route.
If that does not work, use /kill on it. This will remove the monster, without leaving a corpse, and allow it to respawn again (see 2.25.60 for /kill restrictions).
Alternate method (only for the bravest of Guides):
Sometimes, aggroing an NPC will cause it to turn and dislodge itself. This is effective on NPCs that are crucial to quests or other functions and should not be /killed if it can be avoided. The process for this requires a delicate touch and good timing. Use the Ring of Removing on the NPC. If the NPC follows, QUICKLY use the Guide item with effect: memblur on it. The NPC, now dislodged from its location, will return to its normal route.
NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should this be used when there is a danger of training the NPC onto a player. Rather than risk the lives of the players' characters, the Guide should either /zone away or allow the NPC to kill them.
Guides will not attempt to unstick NPCs residing on any of the NLZs unless instructed to do so by a CSR+.
2.25.25 Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Through an anomaly players and corpses can sometimes become stuck Under the World.
2.25.25.0 Verification of Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Something can be confirmed to be below the world by targeting it with /find and then using the /goto command. Please note that often when something is under the world it will appear to be on the surface at the 'safe coordinates' of the zone. It is confirmed that something is under the world if:
the Guide+ receives a message that they are Under the World and/or that they are being teleported to safe coordinates when they attempt to use /goto on the player/corpse OR
when they use /goto successfully they see sky below them.
2.25.25.5 General Procedure for Player Characters Under the World (last revised 9/25/03)
Confirm that the player character is Under the World (See Section 2.25.25.0)
Summon the player character to the zone named Arena. Judgment may be used to determine the necessity of this step.
a. This step may be omitted if the player is under the world in a non-aggro zone (i.e., Arena, Plane of Knowledge, Plane of Tranquility, Nexus, etc.). Not all characters will generate aggro in all zones nor are all characters safe in all zones (example: A normal level 65 character may be safe in Greater Faydark, in most circumstances. However, there are actions that a character may take that will assuredly get them attacked near Felwithe or Kelethin).
b. When summoned to the Arena, players may not be left there. They must then be summoned back to the zone in which they were found.
Summon the player character to another player character of their choice, to any player zone-in point of the zone, or to the customer service /zone-in point in the zone in which they were stuck. Player characters will not be summoned to any other zone than the one in which they were found under the world, except to clear aggro in step 2.
2.25.25.10 Under the World Corpse Recoveries (last revised 5/24/04)
A player with a corpse under the world is a verified game anomaly or bugged death. If a player has a corpse stuck under the world, summon the corpse to a player of their choice or to any other location of their choice within the zone. Then resurrect the player by following the procedure outlined in Section 2.25.10. If a player cannot be resurrected due to the corpse being too old, and the player requests reimbursement of the lost experience, the Guide+ should submit a ticket outlining the incident and what they did to assist.
2.25.30 Reimbursement Requests (last revised 8/7/04)
Players requesting reimbursements should be instructed to submit a ticket. Apprentices+ may advise players to include all pertinent information in their ticket, including date and time of loss, how the loss occurred, any items involved, any other players involved, etc. Players may also be advised to leave behind a corpse with at least one item on it for experience reimbursement requests.
Reimbursement types include, but are not limited to:
1. Any type of item loss (lost, destroyed, missing, etc.)
2. Experience loss, that a Guide+ cannot restore via CS Resurrection
3. Flagging issues, where a player states they received a flag and it is not working
2.25.35 Guild Creation (last revised 02/20/06)
Players that have completed their application and have received approval should be instructed to submit a ticket for guild creation. If the player indicates that they have had problems getting the guild created or has any guild-related problems, request that he or she email EQGuilds@soe.sony.com, and the situation will be addressed promptly.
2.25.40 Sleeping Players (last revised 12/30/05)
Due to the oft-times competitive nature of EverQuest, players may, at times, find themselves waiting for a spawn for many hours. During this time, party members may suspect that other party members have fallen asleep at their keyboard. The party member(s) may then request assistance and have their sleeping comrades disconnected from the server. While this is largely a situation of the 'sleeping' player’s own doing, in the interest of providing superior customer service, we will oblige this request if at all possible.
Except in instances where the 'sleeping' player character is caught in a bind-death loop, this is not considered an emergency. A player may not be reimbursed for items or experience lost due to being kicked.
If there is no Senior Guide or CSR online, then the player should be informed that it is not possible to honor his/her request at this time but that an attempt to locate assistance will be made, but with no guarantee of success. The Apprentice+ may then post for assistance on the SWAT/CSR Board. This request will ONLY be honored if a SWAT Senior is available. This is not considered to be an emergency and CSRs are not to be directly approached for assistance with this type of issue unless already on the server.
If a Senior+ is online, the Senior should immediately be notified of the situation.
PVP EXCEPTION: Regardless of whether or not the player is being attacked, follow the procedure below. If they are being attacked, submit a ticket with your account of the incident after the player has been kicked from the server.
A Senior Guide or CSR will use the following procedure in regards to a 'sleeping' player request:
1. Use the /goto command to go to the 'sleeping' player.
2. If the 'sleeping' player is in a death loop, move them out of the loop in accordance with the bind/death loop procedure in Section 2.25.45.
3. Attempt to communicate with the 'sleeping' player a few times over the course of 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Inform the 'sleeping' player via /tell that they are being kicked because they appear to be sleeping (this is done in case they are running a log). Also, request that the player announce to their group/guild (if applicable) that the 'sleeping' player is being kicked (it may be that the 'sleeping' player is away, and not asleep, and only told one person why they left).
5. Wait an additional two minutes.
6. Inform the 'sleeping' player via /tell one more time that they are going to be kicked, as they appear to be sleeping and that they may not be restored any items or experience loss in relation to being kicked.
7. If the 'sleeping' player has not moved or responded during this procedure, use the /kick command to remove the 'sleeping' player from being online.
2.25.45 Binding Death Loops (last revised 02/20/06)
Definition of Binding Death Loop: This section applies when a player finds themselves bound next to a stationary monster that is KOS (kill on sight) to them or because they are bound in a location that allows PvP combat, so they repeatedly die, respawn, and die again with no way to escape or to solve the problem in-game. (The only way out of such a loop is to disconnect from EverQuest; the player will usually then log in as another character and ask for help).
Why We Assist with Binding Death Loops: This is not a bug, it's a predicament that the player has got themselves into so a strict reading of the guidelines would forbid the Guide from intervening. But since it makes the game completely unplayable for that character, and requires out-of-game manipulation to even try to arrange a rescue, we have made this an exception. Sometimes, in order to remove the character completely from danger and clear aggro, it will be necessary to pull them out of the zone. However, this may also result in additional deaths so summoning them within the same zone is preferable.
PVP EXCEPTION: In cases where another player is creating the deaths, after utilizing the procedure below to assist the player out of the bind death loop, follow the procedures in 2.35.10 Disruption Procedures.
Procedure for Fixing Binding Death Loops: On receiving a report of a binding death loop, the Guide+ should:
/zone to the area where the deaths occurred and verify the situation. (A pile of corpses next to a stationary guard, for example).
Find a spot in that zone that will be safe for the player character.
Set up a hotkey of /summon .
Ask the player to log out and log back in as the endangered player character
Repeatedly press the hotkey until the player character arrives.
As soon as the player character arrives, use the Cloak of Souls to bind him/her to this new location.
Ask player to log out or zone to clear any residual aggro.
Binding Death Loop Corpses: The player is not to be resurrected and the corpses are to be left alone. Should the player request experience reimbursement, the Guide+ should then follow the reimbursement procedures in Section 2.25.30. Any reimbursement of experience lost in bind death loops will be determined by the investigating CSR
2.25.50 PvP Quests (last revised 5/24/04)
Players on non-PvP servers who request to have their PvP status removed should be instructed to submit a ticket.
2.25.55 Loot Anomalies (last revised 10/23/02)
Players reporting loot anomalies, or Guides that overhear reports of loot anomalies, are to utilize the ticket system.
2.25.60 /kill (last revised 9/25/03)
The /kill command may only be used by a Guide+ for the following reasons:
To reset a stuck or bugged NPC, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, and Section 2.25.60.5)
To protect players during an approved quest or event, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, Section 2.25.60.0, and Section 3.0.30)
The /kill command may be used by a Guide+ in the following cases with specific authorization from a Senior Guide+:
To allow a player to obtain their corpse after a crash (see Section 2.25.60.0)
The /kill command may be used by a Guide+ in the following cases with specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor:
On NPCs level 50 and above (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On rare or quest NPCs (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On any NPC in a No-Loitering Zone (See Section 2.15.5.20)
The /kill command is never to be used by a Guide+ in the following cases:
On players, Apprentices+, or oneself (see Section 2.25.60.0)
On spawn-table NPCs (see Section 2.25.60.0)
To protect players at a wedding or other player run event (See Section 3.10.0.0)
2.25.60.0 /Kill Restraint (last revised 9/25/03)
As it is one of the most powerful commands available to Guides+, the /kill command should always be used with the utmost discretion. Guides+ should not use /kill on a mob whose presence or absence in a zone will cause a significant change in game play. Nor should the /kill command ever be used on players or Apprentices+ at any time. This includes not using the /kill command on oneself.
Mobs of higher levels often have long spawn times. Therefore Guides+ should not /kill mobs that are level 50 and above. The Guide+ may /con a mob to determine its level. The killing of mobs in the Planes and the killing of dragons is strictly forbidden unless the Guide+ has been specifically authorized to do so by a CSR.
Some mobs such as Brother Zephyl and Hasten Bootstrutter are on 'spawn-tables'. When one mob is killed, the other has a chance of spawning. As spawn-tables are intended game mechanics, Guides+ should not /kill NPCs on such spawn tables if one of the spawns is involved in a quest. As no Guide+ can be expected to know all of the spawn tables, it is a good idea for them to check with their fellow Guides who are online before killing a non-merchant NPC. Stuck merchants can almost always be safely killed without seriously altering the natural game-mechanics of players.
As CSRs have access to tools that allow them to identify and rectify issues caused by the /killing of rare, high level, and quest NPC mobs, and they are ultimately responsible for maintaining the server, they may /kill such mobs when they have determined it to be necessary. Other Guides+ may also /kill such mobs when acting on the explicit and specific instructions of a CSR.
A Guide+ may /kill mobs as necessary to allow players to obtain their corpses if a Senior Guide or CSR has determined that the zone in which the mob is located has crashed. SOE Management may also authorize the /killing of key mobs when it has been determined that the zone crashed as the direct result of the actions of players.
The killing of any mob in No-Loitering Zones (see 2.15.0) is considered to cause a significant change in game play. Therefore Guides+ shall not /kill anything located in these zones without specific authorization from a CSR as directed by a CSR Supervisor. (This Policy can also be found at 2.15.5.20).
2.30 Abuse Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Players reporting abuse are to be instructed to submit a /report and referred to the ticket system (see Sections 2.30.0 and 2.30.5).
Things that are abuse:
Abuse is defined as any activity that is exercised with the intent of disrupting the over all play environment of one or more players.
Hate Mongering - participation in, or propagation of, Hate literature, behavior, or propaganda related to real-world characteristics.
Sexual Abuse or Harassment - untoward and unwelcome advances of a graphic and sexual nature. This includes virtual rape, overt sexual overtures, and stalking of a sexual nature.
Attempting to Defraud CSR/Guide - Petitioning with untrue information with the intention of receiving benefits as a result. This includes reporting bug deaths, experience or item loss, or accusing other players of wrongdoing without basis for it. Depending on the details of the specific situation, this may be handled as a Disruption.
Impersonating a CSR/Guide - falsely representing yourself to another player as a Guide or a SOE employee.
CS Personnel Abuse - sending excessive /tells to a CSR or member of the Guide Program, excessively using say or other channels to communicate to a CSR or member of the Guide Program, making physical threats, or using abusive language against a CSR or member of the Guide Program.
Real Life Threats - Threats to damage, destroy, or assault life, limb, or property outside the game environment.
Using Threats of Retribution by CSR/Guide Friends - attempting to convince another player that they have no recourse in a disagreement because favoritism is shown to one of the parties by the SOE staff or by a Guide.
Fraud - falsely representing one's intentions to make a gain at another's expense
Things that are not Abuse
Contextual Swearing - players that swear in character, or use racial terms that are appropriate to the genre.
Contextual Racism - behaving poorly or with hostility towards other characters of a race that is hated by the character's race generally. This does NOT include abuse or disruption under the "guise" of contextual racism.
2.30.0 The /report command (last revised 5/24/04)
Often abuse goes on through /tell, other private channels, or when a CSR/Guide isn't there to witness it. Players who request assistance due to such abuse should be instructed to scroll back to the text and use the /report command, if possible, or to use the /report command the next time it occurs (syntax: /report [name of player or accused]). This command captures the first twenty lines of visible text from all of the player’s open text windows, sending them to a file on a server at SOE. Players should be advised to close any windows with private text before using the command. Players instructed on how to use the command for a future event should also be instructed to submit a ticket after they /report, to alert the CS staff.
2.30.5 Abuse (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting abuse are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.30.10 Reports of Fraud (last revised 2/20/06)
Examples of fraud include, but are not limited to, trade scams, using flaws in a secure trade window to deprive someone of one of their items, etc. Players reporting fraud are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.30.15 Reports of Ninja-Looting (last revised 8/28/02)
Players reporting ninja-looting are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.35 Disruption Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Disruption is defined as any activity that is disruptive to the game play of others, though not necessarily with the intent to do so. Disruption has been sub-categorized into major and minor types. Players reporting disruptions are to be referred to the ticket system.
Examples of Minor Disruption:
Excessive Spam - Continued overuse of /ooc, /shout, or /auction over time such that many players complain
Offensive Names - Names that violate type 1 or type 2 of the Naming Policy
Kill Stealing - The killing of a mob for any reason that is already aggravated onto another player.
Examples of Major Disruption:
Foul Language: Excessive use of foul language in an inappropriate context, including swear words, real-world racial slurs, and phonetic spellings intended to produce the same results.
Real Life Threats: Threats to damage, destroy, or assault life, limb, or property outside the game environment.
NPC Training: Intentionally creating a situation where an NPC attacks another individual or group through the use of Gate, Feign Death, Zoning, Rooting spells, or by any other means that would produce the same result.
Corpse Camping: The attacking of any player, or group of players, trying to reach their corpse, whether they are killed or simply caused to abandon recovery.
Portal, Bind Point, and Zone Line Camping: Attacking another player, or group of players at a forced point of entry to a zone, or where they are bound, before they have full control of their character.
Zone/Area Disruption: Monopolizing most or all of the kills in an area rather than stealing from a specific player or group of players; deliberately blocking a doorway or narrow area so other players can't get past; or refusing to cooperate with the other parties at a contested spawn site after having been instructed to do so by a CSR or Guide+.
Ninja-looting: when a player takes loot from a significant mob without permission from the player(s) that killed the mob. This does NOT include mob corpses left to decay or when there are no living players in the area.
2.40 Exploitation Definition and Procedures (last revised 02/20/06)
Exploitation is defined as abusing weaknesses in the game system to the advantage of one or more players with the intention of profiting from them in some manner. Players reporting exploits are to be referred to the ticket system.
Examples of Exploitation:
Duping - creation of money or items from nothing.
Spell Anomalies - using broken spells or spell effects to kill monsters, thus gaining experience from them.
Pathing Anomalies - using areas of bad data in the game that have monsters behaving erratically (such as running in place, running around, standing still, or any other behavior that has the monster not defending itself) to kill said monsters with minimal danger to the attacker.
Pricing Irregularities - finding items that have anomalous pricing and abusing them, such as items that sell for more than they cost to buy.
Things that are not Exploitation:
Twinking - giving money or items from one character to another is not an exploit, unless the money is derived from one of the above activities. This activity will exist and is not controllable by any reasonable means
Camping - sitting in one spot to await the spawn of a monster or item.
Slumming - hanging around in lower level areas and killing monsters there.
2.45 Threats of banishment (last revised 04/14/04)
Members of the Guide Program cannot ban players, ever. When investigating an issue, no matter how severe, the investigator should never insinuate, threaten, or otherwise imply that they have the power or ability to banish, or otherwise punish, a player. Guides+ are there to gather the necessary information and report it according to procedures. CSR Supervisors make the final decision.
A member of the Guide Program threatening a player with banishment creates two problems. First, it implies a level of authority they do not possess, creating hostility in the player base. Secondly, if the player is not banned, it reduces the credibility of the program overall as it gives the impression that we make threats that they either cannot or will not follow through with.
2.50 Real Life Threats (last revised 06/12/06)
What is a Real Life Threat? A real life threat is any report of bodily harm to a player, a Guide, or SOE employee, such as, but not limited to, heart attack, suicide attempt, or harassment. Though a very rare occurrence, players have, from time to time, made threats of real life suicide, bomb threats, or other real life threats when communicating with a member of the CS Team or, more often, when communicating with other players.
What can we do? SOE and the Guide Program must take every real life threat extremely seriously. Guides encountering such real life threats must disengage from the conversation immediately and submit a /report. The Guide must then immediately action the following protocol:
Real Life Threat Procedure
/report - Submit a /report or ask the player reporting the incident to submit a /report (see Section 2.30.0)
Politely disengage from the conversation - It is important that no attempt be made to keep the player talking as there can be legal ramifications to not only SOE but to the Guide personally should the worst occur. CSRs have the ability to contact the player's local authorities, if necessary.
Report the issue - Submit a petition via the ticket system detailing the situation, making sure to include all relevant information (names, PIDs etc).* Send an email to the Guide Liaison via the Elder Guides at elder-guides@soe.sony.com with a cc to your SMT detailing the issue and its resolution.
2.55 Player Disputes (last revised 5/24/04)
2.55.0 Contested Spawn Complaints (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting contested spawn complaints are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.55.5 Kill Stealing (last revised 5/24/04)
Players reporting incidents of kill stealing are to be referred to the ticket system.
2.60 The Naming Policy (last revised 12/05/05)
The following is the Character Naming Policy which can be found on the EQ Live website at http://eqlive.station.sony.com/support/customer_service/cs_naming_policy.jsp:
Character names in EverQuest should reflect the genre of the game. Original, high-fantasy names are desired. These guidelines apply both to first names and to surnames, and also to the combination of first name and surname.
The following types of names are inappropriate:
Vile, profane, rude, or racist names including common swear words, anatomical references, racial slurs, and homonyms of these words.
Combinations of words that produce an offensive result (e.g. Hugeaz, Tug Mcgroin).
Names of religious, occult, or significant historic origin (e.g. Jesus, Allah, Satan, Stalin, Angel, Devil, Demon).
Trademarked names of products, services, or concepts (e.g. , Marlboro, Sony, Band-Aid).
Non-fantasy oriented names from popular media. These names can be either fictional (e.g. Rambo, Darthvader) or non-fictional (e.g. Garth Brooks, Pierce Brosnan, Ronald Reagan, Michael Jordan).
Common words and phrases that would not be found in the place and time setting of the game (e.g. Switchblade, Phaser, Toaster, Sloegin, Anyone). This includes references to drug substances or drug related paraphernalia. (e.g. Ecstacy, Cannibis)
Proper names from EverQuest (e.g. Rathe, Karana). This also includes the first or last name of any significant EverQuest NPC (e.g. Dorn, Trumpy, Karn).
Names chosen with the intent or possessed with the effect of harming the reputation of or used to impersonate a Customer or representative of Sony Online Entertainment.
Names containing titles within them, such as, but not limited to: The, Lord, Lady, Master, King, Knight, Sir, Father (e.g. Sirtallon, Lordeagle, Mothermaggy, Darksister).
Fantasy-oriented names that are easily recognized from popular existing media (e.g. Merlin, Gandalf, Belgarath, Drizzt, Tanis).
Names where the combination of the first and last name violate a previous rule.
For all of the above, misspellings and alternative spellings of the word or words are also unacceptable.
2.60.0 Policy Enforcement (last revised 12/05/05)
Any report of a surname or first name policy violation must be referred to the ticket system. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper name.
Foreign variations of improper names are unacceptable. If a player reports a first name or surname he or she feels is offensive in a foreign language, the CSR investigating the name will research the name.
2.60.5 First Names (last revised 04/10/06)
A player’s first name will be changed only if, when taken by itself:
the name violates one of the naming rules, or
the name is a duplicated name, due to a server split or character transfer (duplicated names will always end in an "x")
Names such as James Tkirk or Mikal Jorrdan, where the combination of first name and surname is a violation but the first name is otherwise legal, the first name will remain unchanged and the player will be asked to choose a new surname in accordance with Section 2.60.10.0.
In the event of improper first names, the Apprentice+ shall request that the player reporting the improper first name submit a ticket or the Apprentice+ will submit a ticket per the instructions in Section 1.45.0. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper surname.
In the event of naming filter errors in which the first letter of the name is not capitalized, multiple letters are capitalized, or any other first name anomalies, the Apprentice+ shall note the name in a ticket for the CSR per 1.45.0.2.60.10
2.60.10 Surnames (last revised 04/10/06)
1. A surname may not contain spaces.
2. A surname may contain double capitals provided that the capital letters do not violate any of the prior policies. Double capitals may be used to separate two words.
3. A surname may contain one accent ( ` ) provided that the division created does not violate any of the prior policies. The accent is the only non-alphabetic character that is allowed in a surname. The apostrophe ( ' ) should not be used as a replacement. An accent may be used to separate two words.
4. Any number of players may have the same surname. Players wishing to use a surname that's rejected by the name filter as already in use do not need to seek out any user of that surname to obtain permission.
Non-words such as D, Da, De, Di, El, Z, Za, Ze, Zi, L, Le, La, Li, T, and O are unacceptable in cases where they would implicate a title such as "The" or "Of" (e.g. D`Kval is acceptable where D`Basher is not and O`Bryan is acceptable where O`Glades is not).
In the event of improper surnames, the Apprentice+ shall request that the player reporting the surname surname submit a ticket or the Apprentice+ will submit a ticket per the instructions in Section 1.45.0. At no time does the Apprentice+ contact the player with the improper surname.
Conditions under which a surname may be changed by a member of the Guide program:
Guides are required to provide an exact duplicate of the name they verify including the accent or double capitals if they exist. Seniors may add an accent or double caps to an already existing surname whereas Guides cannot.
o A Guide+ may provide a surname after a wedding ceremony only if one of the members of the wedding party already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Guide+ may provide a guild/family surname only if other members of the guild/family already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Senior Guide may add an accent or a double capital to an already existing surname.
Conditions under which a surname may not be changed or removed by a member of the Guide program:
o To remove surname violations.
o To remove a surname at the request of a customer.
o To change a surname at the request of a customer, except as listed above.
Conditions under which a surname may be changed by a member of the Guide program:
o A Guide+ may provide a surname after a wedding ceremony only if one of the members of the wedding party already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Guide+ may provide a guild/family surname only if other members of the guild/family already possesses the surname. Surname must be visually verified by Guide+.
o A Senior Guide may add an accent or a double capital to an already existing surname.
Conditions under which a surname may not be changed or removed by a member of the Guide program:
To remove surname violations.
To remove a surname at the request of a customer.
To change a surname at the request of a customer, except as listed above.
2.60.10.0 Surname Change Procedure (last revised 12/05/05)
Surnames that Violate Rules 1-2:
The surname is to be reported to a CSR via the Ticket System and a message is to be posted on the CSR/SWAT Help forum.
Surnames that Violate Rules 3-11:
The surname is to be reported to a CSR via the Ticket System.
For Surnames Being Changed Due to a Player’s Request:
If the player is unable to change their surname utilizing the /surname command and the surname has been visually verified by the Guide+ then the Guide+ may grant the new surname.
A Visiting Guide+ is permitted to change surnames covered by this rule.
3.0 Quests (last revised 10/28/02)
3.0.0 Quest Categories (last revised 7/13/04)
Each quest is classified into eight categories based on its intended frequency:
Class A Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for 21 days.
Class B Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for 14 days.
Class C Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for seven days.
Class D Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for three days.
Class E Different quests of this type may be run on the same day. The same quest may not be repeated for one day. (See Note 2).
Class X Quests of this type may only be performed as often as stated within the quest.
Class H This category is for Historical Quests. Unless otherwise specified in the quest's description, these quests may only be run once.* In addition, quests of this type must be run on all servers during the same time frame.
Special Use Characters Quests of this type may be run as often as allowed in the quest description. Any member of the Guide program may request these Quest characters directly from NDCS when they have been made available. Special Use Characters include Holiday Characters, Festival Characters, Storytellers, and any other characters categorized as Special Use by NDCS.
Notes:
When the template specifies that the same quest may be repeated on the same day if in a different zone, the quest may be repeated per the script.
For the purpose of this policy, "one day" is to be taken to mean "on the same calendar day" (Pacific Time). For example: a server may run a type E quest at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time and then repeat the quest at 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time (2 hours later) for the benefit of those in other time zones. This same quest may then not be run again until the next calendar day.
3.0.5 Quest Administration (last revised 4/16/05)
The following terms relating to quests are defined as follows:
Dynamic Quests: Any in-character occurrence involving characters played by Guides or CSRs. This can be as simple as an invasion or as complex as a murder mystery. It can include directing and acting in historical quests, assisting in non-historical quests, and portraying Persistent Characters. Some quests have rewards for the player(s) who successfully complete them, but a reward is not mandatory.
Static Quests: Any in-game occurrence involving a NPC that assigns a task to a participant. The Guide program has no input regarding static quests.
NDCS: The Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society (NDCS) handles a variety of issues including but not limited to: Creation and management of Quests such as Special Use Characters, Persistent Characters, Historic Characters, and Events of all kinds. NDCS works closely with SOE, Quest/Events Coordinators, the SMT. They also work directly with Guides+ for Special Use Characters.
Quest Coordinator: Quest Coordinators are members of the Guide Program and selected by their Server Management Team. They coordinate quests and persistent characters on their servers. Each server should have at least one Quest Coordinator. Quest Coordinators work with their Server Management Team, and NDCS in the coordination of quests as described by these Policies and Procedures.
Quest Director: A person selected to make sure the quest runs smoothly and to provide feedback after the quest is completed.
3.0.10 Quest Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Quest Coordinators are the main point of contact in the Guide Program for quests run on their server. Their duties include:
Coordinate multi-person quests on their server including:
o Helping to coordinate larger multi-person quests
o Encouraging Apprentice+ actors to sign up utilizing the Quest Tool
o Ensure that all characters have been copied via the Quest Tool prior to the start of the event and attempt to get missing characters rectified
o Scheduling historical quests when advised to do so by NDCS and/or SOE
Assist peers in utilizing the Quest Tool
Assist peers in conceptualizing, creating, and submitting quests via the Guide website.
Work with their Server Management Team, NDCS, Guides on their server and CSRs
Provide feedback and reports to their Server Management Team and NDCS as needed.
Quest Coordinators are selected by their server's Server Management Team (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators). The SMT may assign a different Quest Coordinator or an additional Quest Coordinator at their discretion.
Quest Coordinators report to their server's Server Management Team. Along with providing feedback to NDCS, the Quest Coordinators must provide regular reports to the SMT. These reports will be specified by the SMT along with their frequency. Typical reports include:
Quests performed during the week including Guides/CSRs acting, date/time, length, problems, comments
Suggestions for improving the participation of Guides and CSRs in quests
Upcoming quest schedules
Persistent characters on the server
Important NDCS news
Additional duties may be assigned to the Quest Coordinators by the SMT. Additional duties may be assigned to the Quest Coordinators by NDCS with SMT approval.
The following forums have been designated for quest discussions:
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
Backstage. This area is for discussing dynamic quests, from design through post-quest reports.
3.0.15 Quest Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06)
See Section 3.20.0 Quest and Event Scheduling.
3.0.20 Quest Performance (last revised 12/30/06)
Pre-made, buffed, and itemized characters for every SOE-approved quest are copied onto an Apprentice+'s account. These characters are to be copied no more than five days prior to the quest and must be deleted immediately after the quest has ended, allowing players an opportunity to loot the character's corpse before deletion, if applicable. In the event that the quest is cancelled, the quest is rescheduled to a date more then five days from the time the quest character was copied, the actor misses participating in the quest, or the quest character is otherwise not used, the Guide+ must delete the quest character within 24 hours. Exception: the "Riddlemaster" type quest character may remain on the account and be used until it runs out of prizes. If the character resides on the account for five days without being used, it must be deleted. In addition, this character will not be restocked. When it runs out of prizes, it must be deleted and a new one requested.
In order to comply with the requirements set forth in P&P Sections 1.30.15.0 1.30.20.0, and 1.30.30.0, the Apprentice+ must remain online for the majority of the quest. Logging on only to perform one small task and then logging out will not meet the weekly requirements.
Once an Apprentice+ logs into a quest character, he/she is to take no CS actions, such as assisting players. Additionally, actors are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides. Care should be taken not to use the Avatar related privileges such as /goto and /summon or any of the CSR Client features unless specifically required by the quest's script or it is done in such a way that the integrity of the quest is not compromised.
To facilitate the success of the quest, the following must be observed:
· The quest script must be followed precisely. Changes may not be made by quest actors, except as allowed in P&P Section 3.0.35.
· Each quest must have a Quest Director appointed for the quest, in accordance with P&P Section 3.0.25.
· At the beginning of the quest, all Guide+ actors should use the /tog off command to block tells from the players. Apprentices are not flagged for /toggle and should disregard any tells they receive.
· Communication for the quest may be accomplished by using /groupsay or by creating a passworded chat channel for use of the quest members. It would be preferred that the /pr channel not be used, so as not to interfere with the Guides and CSR's assisting players.
· All Quest Actors may use the /approval off command to prevent name approval dialogues from appearing on their screens while performing the quest.
· No Quest Actor shall speak out of character or respond to /ooc communications.
· Quest Actors must always use either /anon on, or /roleplay on (/roleplay on automatically makes the character anonymous) so that players don't see them, or their Avatar level, in /who.
· Trades should be turned off, unless trades are specifically called for in the quest script.
· Actors are allowed to disable spell effects (/showspelleffects off) and any similar options in an effort to reduce lag effects for themselves, so long as the quest script does not require the effects to remain enabled. However, chat filters to turn off message channels such as /ooc, /shout, and /auction should not be used (see Section 1.0.10). These channels need to be left on to allow Quest Actors to watch for possible disruption in them and either /report such instances for review at a later time or, if extreme, escalate to a non-actor Guide through /pr for immediate attention.
· Upon entering a zone for placement or /become, actors should use /hideme unless otherwise instructed in the script. When becoming visible again, actors should check to make sure they are still anonymous. Any Apprentice+ observing the quest may also use /hideme so they do not detract from the action. (Please note that Guides observing the quest do not receive a quest credit).
· Quest Actors must not attack players who are linkdead or recovering their corpses. Players who have already been killed by a Quest Actor or are running away must not be attacked unless they attack the Quest Actor.
· Players who are unsuccessful in feigning death (message "Playername has fallen to the ground") may be attacked, as a normal NPC would attack players who failed a feign death attempt. The ability for a Quest Actor to see through and attack players who are successful in their attempts to feign death must be limited to intelligent creatures (eg. no Ogres seeing through feigns), include considerations for level, and should be communicated to actors at the outset of the quest by the Quest Director. Quest Actors may use the skills normally possessed by their quest character's race, class, and level unless otherwise stated in the quest script.
· Quest Actors may use the spells, songs, or other items included in the character template copied to their Guide account unless otherwise stated in the quest script.
· Charm, Fear, and Damage over Time (DoT) spells may not be used, except where permitted by the quest script. Quest Actors must not attack players who are under the influence of a Charm or Fear type spell. Pets may not be summoned, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Quest Actors may not group with players, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Quest Actors may never use /ooc or /auction. The /shout channel may only be used by Quest Actors as specified by the quest script.
· The /emotezone command may not be used by a Guide+ in the zone(s) another quest is running in, except where permitted by the quest script.
· Once a quest has been completed and all the actors' corpses are looted, actors must delete the quest characters from their accounts. Actor characters are for use only in the dynamic quest for which they were created. Using a buffed actor character for any other purpose is grounds for dismissal from the Guide Program.
· All quest participants shall post feedback regarding the quest in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
*
3.0.25 The Quest Director (last revised 02/20/06)
Prior to the commencement of a quest, a Quest Director must be appointed. It is recommended that the Director not be an actor in the quest. However, in single person quests, the actor may also be the Quest Director. Should no actor volunteer to be Quest Director, Quest Director will be by default:
the Quest Coordinator
a member of the SMT
first character listed on the quest script
The Quest Director duties include:
Determining the optimum zone for the quest performance (if the quest script allows for optional zones)
Getting each actor set up in the proper starting point in the zone
Making sure that the quest runs smoothly
Protecting players and actors from being attacked by NPC's
Reminding each actor to delete their quest character after the corpse is looted
Providing feedback about the quest to the Quest Coordinator and/or NDCS
3.0.30 NPC's and /Kill Restraint During Quests (last revised 02/20/06)
Whenever possible, a quest that requires an actor to be /becomed should be located away from NPC's (especially guards, and their pathing, if mobile). This is recommended because a /becomed actor can be attacked by any player. If a player attacks an actor in the vicinity of a guard, the guard may come to the aid of the actor and attack the player. The guard will not attack the actor unless the actor subsequently attacks the player. Keeping quests away from such NPC's ensures our actions do not cause a player to be inadvertently killed.
Unless a situation arises which can be detrimental to the completion of the quest, the Quest Director should be the only individual /killing NPC's. Use of the /kill command on "interfering" NPC's is permitted in cases where the NPC is adversely affecting the quest, provided that the level, location, and/or type of NPC does not require CSR authorization (See Section 2.15.5.20, Section 2.20.25, and Section 2.25.60.5). Examples of when this would be permitted would be an NPC druid attacking a player or actor who was attacked by an animal or when several creatures that consider green to an actor are creating excess battle spam. However, if a rare NPC attacks an actor, then the actor should zone. Any named non-merchant or non-guard NPC should be considered rare and not killed unless given permission by a CSR+. Whenever the /kill command is used, the name(s) of the NPC(s) killed should be reported in the Guide+'s DSR and quest feedback. At no time should the /kill command ever be used on a player.
3.0.35 Use of /becomenpc (last revised 3/28/04)
The /becomenpc command is a powerful tool typically used in dynamic quests. It must be used discretely and never in front of players. Like other CS tools, /becomenpc is not a toy.
The following guidelines must be observed when using the /becomenpc command:
/becomenpc may never be used on a player
/becomenpc may never be used so that the target, while visible, changes into a NPC in front of a player unless being done so in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event
/becomenpc may never be used so that the target assumes the form of a god (Tunare, Veeshan, Innoruuk, etc.) or any other restricted become unless being done so in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event
/becomenpc may only be used in accordance with a SOE approved dynamic quest/event, or an activity approved by an Elder Guide and/or Guide Liaison. If a Guide+ desires to "practice" using the /becomenpc command, they should do so in cshome and out of sight of players and within reason. Do not use /becomenpc to play or in excess.
The level cap for becomes is included in the quest script but sometimes the cap is either too high or too low. For quests which do not have a listed level cap and there are players of high level who could ruin the quest by over powering the actors intended for lower level players a cap may be added by the Quest Director within reason. As a general rule, the caps usually are put five levels up for lower levels and up to 10 levels up for higher levels. Also, the Quest Director can change them as needed if a quest is not going well with the cap at the prescribed level. For instance, if the cap is too low and the Questors are getting killed very quickly, they can pop away or hide and zone and return and re-become with a higher cap so that maximum fun is had by all.
3.0.35.0 /becomenpc command (last revised 2/21/05)
/become <model number> <gender> <body> <helmet> <face> <height> <level limit>
For example: /become 1 m 1 3 0 6 is a human male with leather body armor and a plate helmet at height of 6
Model Number: The model number will designate what creature you will appear as. This is limited to specific zones where the model is present. There are some models that are global and can appear in every zone.
Gender: M = Male F = Female N = Neutral (for non-humanoid models)
Body Armor/Skin: If they are not humanoid model, this category would be for the Skin Type:
0 = Nothing (Newbie skin.)
1 = Leather
2 = Chain
3 = Plate
17 = Velious Leather 1
18 = Velious Chain 1
19 = Velious Plate 1
20 = Velious Leather 2
21 = Velious Chain 2
22 = Velious Plate 2
Face: This is used to change the faces of the humanoid figures. This will not apply to non-humanoid creatures.
Height: This is used to set the height for the NPC. The range is 1-49. This works the same as the /height command. All creatures with the exception of Dragons may be subjected to the height command. Some model’s height will be defaulted in the original /become with a few exceptions that will be at the height of the model you are without the /become. Some models will need to be brought down in height to be seen properly by the players.
Level Limit: This is used to specify a maximum level of a player that can attack, cast on, or interact with the model. The level limit command in the become list also prevents the model from attacking, casting on, or interacting with players who are above the set level of the level limit.
3.0.40 Quest Disclosure (last revised 3/28/04)
Details of a dynamic quest may not be disclosed without the explicit approval of Sony Online Entertainment.
Members of the Guide Program found using quest information for their or their friends personal advantage can result in dismissal and banning from EverQuest.
Specific quest access is permitted as follows:
NDCS: All quests.
CSRs: All quests.
Senior Guides: All approved quests. Historical quest information may be obtained from NDCS at the time the information is needed to run an approved, historical quest.
Quest Coordinators: All approved, non-historical quests. Historical quest information may be obtained from their SMT when needed to run an approved historical quest.
Full Guides: All approved, non-historical quests.
Apprentice Guides: All approved, non-historical quests.
3.0.45 Creation of a Quest (last revised 02/20/06)
Any member of the Guide Program may submit a quest idea for review through the EverQuest Guide web site. Submitted ideas go into a queue of unapproved quest ideas where they wait to be reviewed and revised by SOE.
All Guides submitting quests should follow these guidelines:
The title should use the format: “EQ-PC – <title>”
Well thought-out and defined - no loose ends or unexplained plot elements
Complete - all information needed to run the quest is specified, including detailed actor information, specific places, and complete sequence of events
Consistent or non-conflicting with the existing history of Norrath
Appropriate challenge and reward for the intended player audience
Appearance of historical NPCs of Norrath, significant NPCs (dragons for example), gods or explanations of known landmarks (dragon skeleton of Steamfont for example) are restricted for use in historical quests, they may not be used in non-historical quests.
Non-historical quests may not require changes in a zone or ownership of a zone (dark elves take over Freeport for example).
Quests should not be identical or extremely similar to other quests that are or have been in the approved quest queue.
Once a Quest has been approved/revised, the NDCS Team will update and maintain the Approved Quest forum. Guides should submit feedback to NDCS to help in revising and updating quests.
3.0.50 Impromptu Quests (last revised 12/30/06)
Impromptu Quests are the result of inspiration and, as encouragement for such creativity, it is possible to create a quest, get tentative approval, and run it immediately. Previously approved quests requiring modification to be performed and Unapproved Quests being tested by NDCS also fall under this category.
A Senior, or Apprentice+ after consulting with their SMT, may perform an Impromptu Quest after receiving approval from the Guide Liaison by presenting a proposal via the Elder Guide email alias. If approved, the quest may be run following the approved outline submitted. After the performance, the author of the proposal should send it along with a full account of the performance to NDCS. Should the quest prove successful and requires no further revision, it should be added to the Approved Quest pool by NDCS.
CSR's soliciting Guide program assistance for quests not listed in the Approved Quest pool must obtain prior approval from the Guide Liaison.
3.0.55 Historical Quests (last revised 10/23/02)
NDCS and SOE will identify some quests as Historic (H), indicating quests that are part of a larger plot in the evolving history of Norrath. Historic quests must be run once and only once on each server (unless otherwise specified in the quest's description) and will often have deadlines.
Historical quests are scheduled with the approval of the Server Management Team, but they are to be staffed and run by CSRs only. The SMT will be notified approximately 3 days prior to the running of a historical quest on their server including any requests of additional actors. Occasionally, a historical quest will need to be run with less notice and this must be approved on a case by case basis by SOE management.
NDCS and/or SOE may request the help of actors available on the server if the need arises, but the responsibility for historic quests lies completely with the SOE CSRs and NDCS. If actors from the server are needed, NDCS and/or SOE will notify the SMT in advance so that actors can be scheduled, customer service functions are maintained, and Apprentices are supervised.
3.0.60 Invasions (last revised 9/25/03)
Notes for invasions:
Invasions may only be run with CSR cooperation and in the presence of a CSR.
The best way to make an invasion fun for players is to add a good guy to rally the troops against the invaders, this can even be done by zone emotes, if needed.
Invasion mobs must be an appropriate level.
o While, for example, the Bunny invasions are incredibly cute they are not supposed to be done for the following reasons: Bunnies are level 3 max, there are no bunnies over that level. A level 3 bunny has no chance against a level 50 player. While you can come up with reasons to have the bunnies attack the players (rabies, plague, etc.), once again, they have to be appropriate to the level of the Mob. This goes for any other mob in the game. If they are intelligent then they can have many reasons for invading. If they are animals and non-intelligent, there needs to be a reason given in the invasion for this to be happening. For example, perhaps the DEs are tired of all the snakes in Neriak and have sprayed. Now the Snakes are poisoned and attacking any in their path. Mr. Exterminator00 warns the zone, and the attack begins!
3.5 Persistent Characters (last revised 06/04/06)
A Persistent Character is a member of the Guide program or CSR actor character who, instead of appearing for the short duration of a quest and then vanishing, stays in character for extended periods of time to interact with players. Members of the Guide program or CSRs portraying Persistent Characters are encouraged to log in the Persistent Character whenever they have a chance and interact with the citizens of Norrath. Each Persistent Character session counts as one roleplay session, as set forth in Section 1.30.20.
It is important that Persistent Characters remain strictly in character. Out of character comments or questions from players should either be ignored or deflected in character. The command /tell should not be used, except in accordance with the Persistent Character's profile. It is important to distinguish between Persistent Characters, which are non-historical in nature and may be played by any Apprentice+, and Historical Characters, which appear on all servers at the same time on those rare occasions that they appear.
Each Persistent Character will have a predefined history - a description of things that character knows and can therefore share with players.
Members of the Guide program portraying Persistent Characters will have that character on their home guiding server. Persistent Characters must make their presence known to the EverQuest CS team members that are online as they may receive questions from players as a result of the presence of a Persistent Character.* Members of the Guide Program portraying Persistent Characters shall not enter any No-Loitering Zones (see Section 2.15.0.0) or Answer Circle Restricted Zones (see Section 3.10.5.5) unless otherwise outlined in the character profile
Members of the Guide program must conform to the Persistent Character behavior outlined in 3.5.5 and the character profile. Noncompliance can result in removal of the Persistent Character and disciplinary action, up to removal from the program. Please note that Persistent Characters are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides.
3.5.0 Application Process (last revised 02/20/06)
Apprentices and Guides that have been a member of the Guide program for a minimum of three months must send the information below to his or her SMT for approval. Upon approval, the SMT will forward the Persistent Character request to the Guide Liaison via the NDCS email alias.
Senior Guides requesting a Persistent Character will send the information below to the Elder Guides for approval.
Guide/CSR Name
Proposed Name of the Persistent Character (the name must conform with the Naming Policy and must be appropriate to the character)
Choice of profession (character template name) for the Persistent Character
Available times for portrayal of the Persistent Character
SWAT Guides are allowed one Persistent Character. Should they desire that Persistent Character on their SWAT server, they must send their request to the server SMT with a copy to the SWAT chair.
Upon approval, all Persistent Characters must be noted in the Apprentice+’s database record.
3.5.5 Persistent Character Behavior (last revised 5/24/04)
Upon going on to a server, the Persistent Character must send a /tell to a visible CS team member or send a message in /pr announcing his or her presence on the server.
As with the Guide avatars, Persistent Characters are not to be used to adventure (see Section 1.0.5) unless such actions are explicitly described in the Character Template. Additionally, Persistent Characters may not be used for the specific gain of another character (such as corpse dragging or power-leveling). Unless specified in the template, Persistent Characters are not concerned with loot, items, or experience.
The Guide+ must post a DSR listing all of their Persistent Character's activities and detailing any sales, trades, and player interaction, as allowed in the character profile.
While portraying a Persistent Character, the Guide must:
Ignore or deflect in-character any requests for assistance with Customer Service issues (except in the case of real-life threats and, even then, the Persistent Character should only attempt to contact a CSR). If ignoring the request is not possible, the Persistent character should either /boggle or, if necessary, reply in role -- "Ye'll be needin' ta take that up with the gods, m'lady."
Fairly price any items that the Persistent Character crafts (such as armor or jewelry), and only if allowed to perform sale or trade transactions as specified in the character profile.
Remain in role at all times. No channel other than /say should ever be utilized, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from any form of PvP combat, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from grouping with any players, except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from entering any zone designated as No Loitering Restricted (see Section 2.15 ) or Answer Circle Restricted (see Section 3.10.5.5), except as specified in the character profile.
Refrain from asking any CSR for restock on any trade skill expendables. Only SOE is authorized to restock Persistent Characters. Please e-mail your SMT to arrange to have your character restocked.
Keep /log enabled (see Section 1.45.10). Unedited logs must be kept for 90 days and provided to your SMT, SOE, or the Elders upon request.
3.10 Events (last revised 04/14/04)
Events can be placed in 4 categories
Player run events (weddings, concerts, talent shows, etc) in which Guides only have a perfunctory role
Server events (Kelethin Ale run, etc) which are more quest-like in that guides run them for the server themselves
SOE sponsored events which are run primarily by SOE with assistance from the Guides.
Guide run answer circles and role-play sessions in which Guides provide a diversion with their Guide Avatars
3.10.0 Player Run Events (last revised 10/23/02)
Player-Run Events are defined as any occurrence initiated or controlled by players. Auctions, treasure hunts, weddings, and music concerts are all examples of player-run events.
A Guide+ may not supply any powers, money, or items, with the exception of those items from Llara the Mysterious (see Section 2.10), to player-run events. EverQuest CS members are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate with their presence and their words.
3.10.0.0 Player Weddings (last revised 02/20/06)
Weddings are a voluntary service provided by EverQuest CS. Any two players are allowed to wed, regardless of race, sex, or level. Players wishing to be wed should be encouraged to have a player available as a backup in the event EverQuest CS is unable to officiate.
CS Requirements:
A separate character, such as "Priest/Priestess of Love," may not be used by a member of the Guide Program officiating a wedding.
An Apprentice+ may officiate in any zone except No-Loitering Zones, Off-Limits Zones, or Answer Circle Restricted Zones (see Section 3.10.5.5).
An Apprentice+ may create a chat channel with the wedding party to assist with the ceremony coordination. The Apprentice+ is to leave the chat channel as soon as the ceremony is concluded.
Players are responsible for the security of the wedding site. If combat occurs at, or near, the wedding site, members of the Guide Program are not allowed to /kill any mobs or assist in the fight in any way, and may not assist with any corpse retrievals or aid in the resurrection of players after the combat.
A Guide+ is not to /summon players to or from the event (see Section 2.25.0).
Items from Llara the Mysterious may be distributed to the wedding party and their guests within reason (see Section 2.10).
3.10.0.5 Wedding Coordinator (last revised 02/20/06)
A Server may, at its sole discretion, appoint a Guide to act as a Wedding Coordinator to assist with player run events. As assisting with player run events is not mandatory, not all servers will have Wedding Coordinators (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators).
3.10.5 Answer Circles (last revised 02/20/06)
Answer Circles may be run at anytime as long as they do not interfere with scheduled quests or events.
In addition to the No Loitering Zones listed in 2.15.0, Answer Circles may not be held in the Answer Circle Restricted Zones listed in 3.10.5.5.
The same restrictions that apply to Guiding or running Quests/Events also apply to holding Answer Circles. Questions about game secrets, spawn times, etc. are not to be discussed. Historical information and lore should be released with discretion. Any information that can only be obtained from playing the game should not be divulged.
/shout may be used to garner interest in the answer circle provided the /shout is no more than one line, is not repeated again for at least 10 minutes, and is roleplay in nature
Players are to be addressed via /say and /tell (per P&P Section 1.0.10).
If you find yourself in a circle where you are being directly confronted by an upset player (CS issues), refer them to a CSR or the EQ Live Web site for support.
We are not required to provide Technical Support in Answer Circles. Again, refer the players to the Technical Support chat channels or follow the instructions in Section 2.20.40 for other avenues of support.
3.10.5.0 Answer Circle Guidelines (last revised 02/20/06)
1. Load up on sandwiches, ale, cookies, milk, and cake from Llara to distribute to players.
2. Find a safe location for the answer circle, preferably in a newbie zone. Ask players to gather around you.
3. Answer circles work best with less than 15 players.
4. Start with a specific topic in mind and then have a Q&A or roleplay session. Suggested topics:
§ How to use the ticket system
§ How to use /report
§ How to change window options
§ How to filter text into other windows
5. For smaller circles, brush up on your role-playing and ask each player to tell the story of their character or an adventure they have had.
3.10.5.5 Answer Circle Restricted Zones (last revised 4/10/06)
Although the following zones may be entered by any member of the Guide program at any time by utilizing the /zone command, there are restrictions. See Sections 3.5.5, 3.10.0.0, and 3.10.5 for details on restrictions.
Answer Circle Restricted Zones
Zone Abbreviation Name Expansion Required Game
arena The Arena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
arena2 Pit of Rathpher * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
befallen Befallen * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
blackburrow Blackburrow * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
bloodfields The Bloodfields Omens EQ-PC
causeway Nobles' Causeway Omens EQ-PC
cazicthule Accursed Temple of CazicThule * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
charasis The Howling Stones Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
chardok Chardok Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
citymist The City of Mist Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
cobaltscar Cobaltscar Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crushbone Crushbone * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
crystal Crystal Caverns Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dalnir The Crypt of Dalnir Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
delveb** *Tirranun's Delve Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
dranik The Ruined City of Dranik Omens EQ-PC
droga Mines of Droga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
dulak Dulak's Harbor Ykesha EQ-PC
eastwastes Eastern Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
echo Echo Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
frozenshadow Tower of Frozen Shadow Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
fungusgrove The Fungus Grove Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
greatdivide The Great Divide Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
griegsend Grieg's End Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
grimling Grimling Forest Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gukbottom Ruins of Old Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
guktop Guk * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
gunthak The Gulf of Gunthak Ykesha EQ-PC
hatesfury Hate's Fury Ykesha EQ-PC
hole The Ruins of Old Paineel Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
iceclad Iceclad Ocean Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kael Kael Drakkel Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kaesora Kaesora Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
karnor Karnor's Castle Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kedge Kedge Keep * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
kurn Kurn's Tower Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
maiden The Maiden's Eye Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
mistmoore Castle Mistmoore * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nadox Crypt of Nadox Ykesha EQ-PC
najena Najena * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
necropolis Dragon Necropolis Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
netherbian Netherbian Lair Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
nurga Mines of Nurga Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paludal The Paludal Caverns Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
paw Lair of the Splitpaw * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
permafrost Permafrost Caverns * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
runnyeye Liberated Citadel of Runnyeye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
scarlet Scarlet Desert Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sebilis Ruins of Sebilis Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
shadowrest Shadowrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
sirens Siren's Grotto Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyfire Skyfire Mountains Kunark EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
skyshrine Skyshrine Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldunga Solusek's Eye * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungb Nagafen's Lair * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
soldungc The Caverns of Exile * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
stillmoonb** *The Ascent Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
stonebrunt Stonebrunt Mountains Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
tenebrous The Tenebrous Mountains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thedeep The Deep Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thegrey The Grey Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thenest** The Accursed Nest Dragons of Norrath EQ-PC
thurgadina The City of Thurgadin Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
thurgadinb Icewell Keep Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
torgiran Torgiran Mines Ykesha EQ-PC
twilight Twilight Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
umbral The Umbral Plains Luclin EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
unrest The Estate of Unrest * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
veksar Veksar * EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
velketor Velketor's Labyrinth Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
wakening The Wakening Land Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
warrens The Warrens Optional EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
westwastes Western Wastes Velious EQ-PC
EQ-Mac
3.10.10 Event Coordinators (last revised 02/20/06)
Event Coordinators are the main point of contact in the Guide Program for Server Events and SOE events that are run on their server. Their duties include:
Coordinate Server and SOE events on their server including:
o Selecting server Events to be performed
o Scheduling requests for assistance with Server Events as necessary
o Scheduling SOE Events when advised to do so by NDCS and/or SOE
o Encouraging Apprentice+ actors to sign up utilizing the Quest Tool
o Ensure that all characters have been copied via the Quest Tool prior to the start of the event and attempt to get missing characters rectified
Assist peers in utilizing the Quest Tool
Assist peers in conceptualizing, creating, and submitting events via the Guide website.
Work with their Server Management Team, NDCS, Guides on their server and CSRs
Provide feedback and reports to their Server Management Team and NDCS as needed.
Event Coordinators are selected by their server's Server Management Team. The SMT may assign a different Event Coordinator or an additional Event Coordinator at their discretion (see Section 1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators).
Event Coordinators report to their server's Server Management Team. Along with providing feedback to NDCS, the Event Coordinators must provide regular reports to the SMT. These reports will be specified by the SMT along with their frequency. Typical reports include:
Events performed during the week including Guides/CSRs participating, date/time, length, problems, comments
Suggestions for improving the participation of Guides and CSRs in events
Upcoming Event schedules Important NDCS news
Additional duties may be assigned to the Event Coordinators by the SMT.
Additional duties may be assigned to the Event Coordinators by NDCS with SMT approval.
The following forums have been designated for event discussions:
The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and events.
Backstage. This area is for discussing quests and events, from design through post-quest reports.
3.10.15 Server Events (last revised 12/30/06)
Server Events are to be obtained solely from the Approved Event Pool. It is not permitted to add characters, spawn extra monsters, change zones, or otherwise change the event from its definition unless authorized by NDCS and/or SOE. The instructions for running these Events are found embedded in each Event posted in the pool. If an event is inadequate as written for whatever reason, provide feedback to NDCS on the Event Team message board on the Guide website or via e-mail.
Pre-made, buffed, and itemized characters for some of the SOE-approved events will be available to copy into an actor's Guide/CSR account. These characters are to be copied no more than five days prior to the event and must be deleted immediately after the event has ended, allowing players an opportunity to loot the character's corpse before deletion, if applicable. In the event that the event is cancelled, the event is rescheduled to a date more then five days from the time the event character was copied, the actor misses participating in the event, or the event character is otherwise not used, the Guide+ must delete the event character within 24 hours.
In order to comply with the requirements set forth in P&P Sections 1.30.15.0, 1.30.20.0, and 1.30.30.0, the Apprentice+ must remain online for the majority of the event. Logging on only to perform one small task and then logging out will not meet the weekly requirements.
Once an Apprentice+ logs into an event character, he/she is to take no CS actions, such as assisting players. Additionally, event characters are not able to mentor Apprentice Guides. Care should be taken not to use the Avatar related privileges such as /goto and /summon or any of the CSR Client features unless specifically required by the event's script or it is done in such a way that the integrity of the event is not compromised.
To facilitate the success of the event, the following must be observed:
· The event script must be followed precisely.
· Communication for the event may be accomplished by using /groupsay or by creating a passworded chat channel for use of the event members. It would be preferred that the /pr channel not be used, so as not to interfere with the Guides and CSR's assisting players.
· All Event Characters may use the /approval off command to prevent name approval dialogues from appearing on their screens while performing the event.
· Event Characters are allowed to disable spell effects (/showspelleffects off) and any similar options in an effort to reduce lag effects for themselves, so long as the event script does not require the effects to remain enabled. However, chat filters to turn off message channels such as /ooc, /shout, and /auction should not be used (see Section 1.0.10). These channels need to be left on to allow Event Characters to watch for possible disruption in them and either /report such instances for review at a later time or, if extreme, escalate to a non-actor Guide through /pr for immediate attention.
· Event Characters may not group with players, except where permitted by the event script. Event Actors may use /ooc or /shout as specified by the event script.
· All quest participants shall post feedback regarding the event in his/her DSR and/or on a designated section of his/her server board.
· Unless Seniors are specifically authorized in the script, the CSR is the only one authorized to bestow titles upon players.*
3.10.20 SOE Sponsored Events (last revised 02/20/06)
SOE Sponsored Events are events that are organized by SOE and scheduled on every server in a short amount of time, usually within a week. They are generally Player vs. Player (same class) or Team vs. Team (Multi-Class). SOE Sponsored Events are held in the zones Arena or Arena2 and must be run by a SOE CSR. The CSR is the only one authorized to bestow special items and titles upon players.
3.10.20.0 Tournament Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
The "Tournament" Series Events will be held in addition to the original "Test" series events.
These events are class specific for those not wishing to engage other classes that are of similar kind to their own class, or compete in a smaller sized event (2 hours is target length).
These events are designed to have a lower entry fee, as the target audience is much more specific.
All of these events are designed as single elimination, standard bracket tournaments.
All of these events are designed as player vs player events.
Tournament Series Events are being designed so that guides will be able to run and complete the event with minimal CSR assistance.
Tournament Series Events are being designed as the standard, and most run event on the servers.
Tournament Series Events are designed for all levels in mind, but targeting the lower level to mid level players most of the time.
3.10.20.5 Test Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are the Original Series of events that were designed to put similar classes up against similar classes for a more broad range of player involvement.
These are designed to be high entry fee (Lx10 plat), long lasting (4 hours or greater in length), and high competition events for those wishing the "Big" Event atmosphere.
All of these events are designed as single elimination, standard bracket tournaments.
All of these events are designed as player vs player events.
Test Series Events require and will always require a CSR to be present and run the event.
Test Series Events are designed for Veteran's Division and above.
3.10.20.10 Challenge Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are single player vs. environment (True NPC's) events designed to test game knowledge and "Challenge" even the greatest of players to their limits.
These are designed to be very class specific and level specific, with a low entry fee (LxL in Gold) for short timed (2 hours or less) events that many can enjoy.
These are designed as an achievement level event, meaning that players will have to overcome different levels of creatures and continue to overcome creatures to the point of death or request by the player to cease the Challenge to achieve the final score. Challenge series will require a CSR to be present and run the event due to spawning mobs.
Challenge series Events are designed for all levels in mind.
3.10.20.15 Competition Series Events (last revised 10/23/02)
These are single group or multi-grouped events that pit players against predetermined NPCs in a race to defeat these NPCs to achieve a time to be judged not only server wide, but game-wide as well
Competition Series Events are designed with no entry fee and no prizes, simply for "Bragging Rights" to other groups, other guilds, and other servers.
These Events are designed to be very short in length (60 minutes) at the request of specific guilds to achieve a time to be competitive against other times that have been scored.
The Competition Series Events are still in final testing, more will be released about these events in the future.
These events are designed for higher level characters.
3.10.20.20 Arena Door (last revised 06/04/06)
Note: EQ-Mac only
The door in the Arena zone on the entryway into the inner circle ring can be opened and closed by anyone Guide/CSR flagged. Some events require the door to the inner circle to be closed. Any Guide+ member may close entry to the inner circle once an event sanctioned by NDCS and/or SOE begins. The only time the door may be closed is during an event. At all other times, the door must remain open. Petitions received during an event concerning the closed door should be responded to like any other petition. Unfortunately, once the doors are closed, CS Staff cannot provide transportation or reopen the doors just because the player was unable to get to the event in time. If a petition is received about the door being closed and an event is not currently underway, a Guide+ should reopen the door, and it should be noted in that staff member's shift report.
3.10.20.25 Running/Assisting SOE Events (last revised 12/05/05)
As there will be a CSR present who will run most of the Events, always follow their instructions, assisting however you can.
Occasionally, during an Event, spectators (and occasionally participants) might become disruptive. The CSR will advise the Guides and EC that are assisting if a player is to be summoned to another zone due to disruption, as per section 2.25.0.
Some Events (notably, the Tournament series) will involve a higher degree of Guide participation and allow the EC more flexibility in running the Event as he/she wishes.
3.15 General Guidelines for Quests and Events (last revised 10/24/04)
3.15.0 /summon (last revised 10/24/04)
In the specific case of a dynamic quest or event, occasions may arise when a player’s actions will disrupt it such that leaving him/her in the zone would prevent many others from participating or enjoying it as originally intended. At the direction of a CSR+, a non-acting Guide+ may use /summon to distance a disruptive player from these situations. Before using /summon however, an attempt to verbally warn the player before removing them, unless the disruption is clearly intentional (i.e., a player is casting on or spamming a historic quest character such that no one can hear his/her lines) or takes place during an event where players have been told that any interruption will result in their removal from the zone. The player should then be summoned by a Guide+ to a nearby zone in a safe area with no risk of NPC’s attacking them when they arrive to distance him/her from the situation. A player shall be summoned a far enough to distance them from the area where the disruption occurred, though not so far as to inconvenience them further than what is necessary (i.e., across continents or into dungeons). A warning should be placed on their soulmark via the /warn command once the player has been summoned. This warning should also be logged in the abuse database.
A player may not be placed in a "jail" area (such as the developer's rooms in qcat and other zones) by anyone other than a CSR (or at the explicit direction of a CSR), they may not be bound, nor may they be summoned back continually if he/she tries to escape, as those actions could potentially aggravate him/her further and tend to worsen an already delicate situation. If the player returns to the site of the incident and continues the disruptive behavior, a CSR should be contacted immediately to handle the situation.
PVP SERVER EXCEPTION: Additional care should be taken on the PvP servers to /summon the player to as secluded a spot as possible, as danger lies not only from NPCs on these servers, but also from other players within his/her level range. In addition, PvP combat on these servers is not considered disruption and the Guide+ should not intervene as long as it does not directly interfere with a dynamic quest or event.
3.15.5 After the Quest or Event (last revised 10/24/04)
After a PvP type event, a CS Resurrection may be provided to any player who dies during one of these events to ensure there is no accidental experience loss due to being killed by a pet or damage over time effect or it is permissible to /summon players back to their corpse so they may loot it without having to run back. Should the winner(s) of an event find themselves too encumbered to move due to the large amount of platinum they received as the prize, it is permissible, at the players’ option, to /summon them to the bank in Plane of Knowledge. Do not try to /summon players to Bazaar as they may not have the Shadows of Luclin expansion. In addition, make sure they will be within click distance of the banker in the Plane of Knowledge.
3.15.10 /emotezone in adjacent zones (last revised 10/24/04)
Should there be an insufficient number of players interested in participating in the zone specified in the quest script, it is permissible for a Guide+ to go to any connecting zone provided it is not No Loitering nor Answer Circle Restricted and use an /emotezone to alert the players who are in those adjoining zones. These emotes must be simple and no more than one line and may not be repeated again in the same zone for at least 10 minutes. Only repeat emotes if you did not gather any interested players on the first round. The same emote should be used for each adjacent zone.
Starting your /emotezone with “You hear a trumpet,” “You feel an icy wind,” “You see a shifty Gnome,” etc. will generally attract more direct attention from players than ones that start with “A trumpet can be heard,” “A wind can be felt,” or “A Gnome can be seen.” Example: for a quest in Rathe Mountains you could go to Lake Rathetear, and the Feerrott and /emotezone “You hear the sound of a marching army as their clanging armor echoes off the nearby mountains.”
3.20 The Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06)
The Event Calendar is a tool that is used to schedule quests, events, server meetings, mentoring sessions, training sessions, ceremonies, and any other Guide Program activity that can be set up in advance. All members of the Guide Program have access to and may use the Event Calendar on the Guide web site.
3.20.0 Quest and Event Scheduling (last revised 08/08/06)
Once a quest or event has been approved by SOE, it appears on the Approved Quests or Approved Events forum on the Guide web site. The Server Management Team and the Quest and Event Coordinators are cooperatively responsible for coordinating quests and events on their server. However, any Apprentice+ may request a quest or event utilizing the Event Calendar.
All quests and events should be requested at least 48 hours in advance to allow time for character copies to be made. Any Class H quests will have deadlines, so these quests will be scheduled by SOE in advance with the server's SMT. The Server Management Team will be given notification of historical quests so they may adjust their schedules.
Although an Apprentice+ may request a quest via the Event Calendar on the Guide website, where necessary, multiple actor quests may be scheduled by the Server Management Team or the Quest Coordinator in order to ensure that there are an appropriate number of actors available to perform the quest and to ensure that a CSR is present for those quests that require CSR assistance.
Dynamic quests and events (including invasion templates but excluding "Create and Run" quests and events) are to be obtained solely from the Approved Quest and Approved Event Pools. Quests and events from the Approved Quest and Approved Event forums come complete with histories, storylines, and backgrounds. It is not permitted to add characters, spawn extra monsters, change zones, or otherwise change the quest or event from its definition unless authorized by SOE. If a quest or event is inadequate as written for whatever reason, feedback should be provided to NDCS.
3.20.0.0 Requesting Quests and Events (last revised 08/08/06)
In order to request a quest or event, members of the Guide Program must:
1. Go to the Approved Quest or Event Pools and click on the "Schedule" link that pertains to the quest or event desired.
2. Fill out the appropriate information. Note: The date, time, server, and quest or event selection and quest or event title is required information in order for the request to go through successfully.
3. Click on the Schedule button.
The SMT, the Quest Coordinator, or the Event Coordinator will go through each request and decide whether or not to approve the requested quest or event. If approved, the quest or event should be able to be run on the requested date and time.
To schedule server sessions other than quests and events (such as mentoring sessions, training sessions, server meetings etc) please use the following procedure:
1. Click on Event Calendar
2. Click on Day of Month
3. Choose Quest or Event from drop down box, if appropriate
4. Fill out the appropriate information. Note: The date, time, server, and quest or event selection and quest or event title is required information in order for the request to go through successfully.
5. Click on the Schedule button.
This procedure may also be utilized to schedule quests and events.
3.20.0.5 Calendar Administration (last revised 08/08/06)
An "Admin Events" section appears to all Senior Guides, SWAT Team Members, NDCS Members, the Quest Coordinator, and the Event Coordinator. Additionally, SWAT Team members have access to every server's Event Calendar.
The "Admin Events" section allows the Server Management Team, along with the Quest and Event coordinators of the server, to manage the quests and events for the server. Note: SWAT and NDCS Team members must follow the rules regarding the use of their Admin abilities as set out by the Team Chair and the Elder Guides.
There are eight different labels a quest, event, or other Guide Program activity can be given by someone with access to the "Admin Events" section:
*
New - The default label for any activity placed on the Event Calendar. The activity will not show up on the Event Calendar until further action is taken.
Denied - The label given to any activity that is denied to be run. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar. It is possible to retrieve denied requests by utilising the Change View option.
Approved - The label given to any activity that is approved and can be run. Once approved, the activity will show on the Event Calendar.
Characters Copied - For Quest or Event Use only. The label given to any quest or event that has been approved and the templated characters copied.* Note:* Members of the EQ-Mac, EQII and EQOA Guide Program should mark quests or events that are approved with this label, as characters are created and do not need to go through a copying tool.
Quest Ran - For Quest use only. The label given to any quest that has successfully ran. Once this label is applied, the Quest will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Delete - The label given to any activity that needs to be deleted entirely from the Event Calendar. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Rescheduled - The label given to any acitivity that needs to be rescheduled. Once this label is applied, the acitivty will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar, and needs to be requested again on the new date and time.
Completed - The label given to any activity, including events, that were successfully completed. Once this label is applied, the activity will no longer show in the "Admin Events" section or on the calendar.
Each label should be accurately attached to each requested activity depending on its pending status.
3.20.0.10 Calendar Statistics (last revised 08/08/06)
Statistics are stored for each server and various tables with these statistics are displayed at the bottom of the Event Calendar page. These statistics are used by the Elders and SOE for tracking and should portray the correct information for each month.
3.20.0.15 Character Copies (last revised 08/08/06)
Whenever a Quest or Event requiring characters is approved to be run on a server, copies of those characters will be made to the designated Guides. All members of the Guide Program are able to sign up for any character in a Quest or Event, unless otherwise specified in the script. When signing up for quest or event characters, all members of the Guide Program should use the names designated in the script. If the script does not designate a name for a character, members of the Guide Program should create unique and relevant names that do not take away from the role play nature of the quest or event. Additionally, all names requested should have underscores ("_") instead of spaces in order to have a full name be displayed ingame.
The Elder Guides and the Guide Liaison are responsible for the character copies for the entire Guide Program. To ensure that character copies are done within time for the quest or event, all quests and events should be requested at least 48 hours in advance. If a situation arises where a last minute copy is needed the following should be done:
1. The SMT, the Quest Coordinator, or the Event Coordinator needs to sign up the Guide(s) who needs the character copy under the appropriate Quest or Event.
2. An E-Mail should be sent to the Elder Guides as soon as possible.* The e-mail should include the server that the character copy needs to be done on, and the quest or event name and number.
EQ-Mac Exception: At this time, EQ-Mac Guides do not have the option to use the Event Calendar to request character copies. Instead, the SMT, Quest Coordinator, and Event Coordinator are responsible for providing the Guide Liaison with a list of quests and events that need character copies for them to be done by hand.
3.20.5 Persistent Characters and the Event Calendar (last revised 08/08/06)
Persistent Characters are not to be requested via the Event Calendar (see Section 3.5.0 Application Process).
