Zone Naming

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by CatchB53, Jul 7, 2022.

  1. CatchB53 New Member

    I would like to ask that DB look at renaming zones that are the same as old zones (or add an additional identifier). I have memory issues and trying to figure out what zone to go to is difficult when the zones have the same name and same region listed in the zone guide.

    I play a warrior, so I don't port. I typically run to the zones I need. I do mostly Trade Skills and It is difficult when on online guide says to go to one of the lands that have the same name.

    It would also be helpful if there was a key that would list the guild port destinations and stones.
    Pani, MacDubh, Szilent and 1 other person like this.
  2. Khat_Nip Meow


    As far as the Zone Guide is concerned you can always differentiate original from new based on the values for Min Level / Max Level in that window.
    Qwalla and menown like this.
  3. Mirthe Journeyman

  4. Tual Augur

    I have memory issues and trying to figure out what zone to go to is difficult when the zones have the same name and same region listed in the zone guide.

    I was 30 when I started playing 5/99, 53 now and I feel that comment in my bones.
    Pani, Andarriel, Koshk and 2 others like this.
  5. Qwalla Developer

    This is a really interesting point, thank you for bringing it up. I am really enthusiastic about accessibility and general quality of life in games.

    Looking at the zone guide, I see that new zones list higher min and max levels compared to their old versions, which might be a good hint at which one you want to go to. Can you jog my memory and tell me if there are examples of two zones where their min/max level is the same?

    Regardless, I do think that this is a great thing to consider. I'm making a note :)
    Brontus, MacDubh, Beimeith and 5 others like this.
  6. Qwalla Developer

    Would it be helpful if next to the level columns, expansion name was listed? (Not guaranteeing that these changes will be made, but just picking your brain on what would be helpful).
  7. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    It would be great if going forward that zone names not be reused.

    For example, instead of Umbral Plains, the Terror of Luclin zone could have been called:
    • Umbral Expanse
    • Umbral Field
    • Umbral Grassland
    • Umbral Meadow
    • Umbral Plateau
    • Umbral Prairie
    And lots more at https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/plains

    Maiden's Eye could have been Luclin's Eye, since I believe it was called that because Luclin is the "Maiden of Shadows".

    Thank you.
    Bobokin, Zaray, MacDubh and 4 others like this.
  8. Qwalla Developer

    We hear you :)
    Bobokin, Stymie and Fanra like this.
  9. Vumad Cape Wearer


    Accessibility aside, that would give us a way to quickly search if we are working on a specific expansions ACH, rather than by a more generic region.

    Also a way to highlight Hot Zones would be great if you can consider that if working on the zone tool.
  10. Aanuvane Augur

    In EQTraders all the duplicate zone names are followed by the expansion abbreviation in brackets, for example: Maiden's Eye [ToL] if that helps at all. If you find that I've pointed to the wrong zone in a source, please feel free to post a suggested correction in the database update forum.
  11. Qwalla Developer


    In regard to your first point, you can filter the zone guide by expansion by clicking the drop down in the upper left side of the window :) However, I do still think there's merit to putting the expansion names next to the zone. Thank you for your input!

    [IMG]
    Jennre, Fuelforfire, Vumad and 2 others like this.
  12. Szilent Augur

    What we're looking for isn't Zone Guide. Folks don't play the game in that window.

    The Western Plains of Karana vs.
    Ethernere Tainted West Karana -- absolute fire, this is the right way to do it

    When one enters the guild hall, "Teleportation Assistant says, 'The teleport stone is currently aligned to Cobalt Scar.'" -- this is trolling.

    "Druid00 begins casting Circle of Great Divide." vs.
    "Druid00 begins casting Circle of The Great Divide." -- this is trolling.
    Zaray, Fenthen, FranktheBank and 4 others like this.
  13. MacDubh TABLES!!!

    This thread is truly the EQ Forums unicorn, not a single disagreement.

    I am all for this as well, I would be lying if I said I haven't ported to the wrong Cobalt Scar or GD after a few drinks.

    I think the idea for having the original zone names is to get the nostalgia kick but there is ways to satisfy that and have a unique zone ID as per Ethernere as posted above.
    minimind and klanderso like this.
  14. Timmyboi Dunning Kruger Award Winner

    Yeah I think these issues were foreseen with RoF Velious Zones which is why we got Eastern Wastes: Xeixshi-Kar's Awakening, Crystal Caverns: Fragment of Fear, and Kael Drakkel: The King's Madness. Granted there weren't ports to these zones but when you saw somebody on the guild roster there, it was a solid disambiguation.
  15. Iven Antonius Bayle

    This is no longer needed. The key items have the destination stored in the lore tab.

    That does make things even more complicated and I always disliked that in EoK with the Scorched Woods as it is difficult to memorize the additional zone names and it is against immersion (authenticity) to have the same location with different names around. Would be easier and way better to just add the expansion shortcut at the end of the zone name: Umbral Plains (ToL). Scorched Woods Burning Woods (EoK).
    Trevor likes this.
  16. dwinslow New Member

    It seems to me that it would be easier to just tag the expansion TLA onto the zone name - I.e., Feerot_HoT.
    Velisaris_MS and minimind like this.
  17. Jedis Arch Mage

    If you're looking for quality of life/usability improvements, this is one of the most confusing windows to use in the game. It's not intuitive to use, and the tooltip help is like reading a novel.

    Looking at the window, one would think you could click in the "Start zone" box, type a name, and it would filter to show you matching zone names. Then click in "End zone" box and do the same. And click show/find path.

    I figured out how to use this window once, and looking at it again, I can't for the life of me remember how to even select a zone to have it populate the end zone box.
    minimind likes this.
  18. Loup Garou De loop de loop

    Don't overthink Everquest. Its not difficult and although we are in awe of the devs for creating such a great game, 99% of it is not rocket science.

    Click a zone where you are or where you want to start from the list. Click start zone at the bottom.

    Click where you want to go from the same list. Click end zone at the bottom

    You can then look in the box to see what zones to go thru or click find path. If the find path does not populate then look for the red X on your map.

    Zone Guide is great. Specifically for long journeys. Almost as good as the "find" key for zone lines. The only thing I would change would be to make the zone names consistent. I mean are we going to Rath Mountains or The Rath Mountains or The Mountains of Rath? Drunder Fortress of Zek? Or Plane of Tatics or Depends on what guide your reading I guess. As Fanra said some years ago - the inconsistent naming is terrible
  19. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    Not sure what you mean by, "against immersion".

    In real life location names change over time. So to me, it actually increases immersion for a name of a place to change over time. Place known as New York City:
    • New York City - Today
    • New Orange - 1673
    • New Amsterdam - 1624
    • Previously settled by Lenape people who likely did not have a name for the entire area we call New Your City today but did use names similar to those used today for parts of NYC: Raritan (Staten Island and NJ), Carnarsee (Brooklyn), Hackensack (NJ).
    I would not find it confusing if actual different zones, like Umbral Planes and Umbral Plains (Terror of Luclin) had different names. Much of the geometry and some of the NPC names might be the same but they are not the same zone. Different quests, different level of difficulty, different way to get there.

    However, everyone has different opinions.
  20. Iven Antonius Bayle

    Bad examples and you failed to convince me to your idea. About nobody has ever heard about New Orange or New Amsterdam outside of NYC and I guess that you are from there. But everybody does know Burning Woods, Kael Drakkel and all the other original zone names while the new names can be problematic to recall. A new zone name does only make sense if it does fit to EQ lore and its timeline. Like the continent Tunaria which got changed to Antonica or Dranik's Scar (present, ruins) and City of Dranik (past). Torsis -> City of Mist; Sebilis -> Ruins of Old Sebilis; Va Kethan -> Akheva Ruins.

    To be more specific, with immersion I did meant authenticity. The Umbral Plains and Maiden's Eye are not cities or continents so why should the zone names being changed notably ? You were creative with finding new zone names but it is just not needed and would only puzzle the players who have already problems to memorize a few hundred zone names and to map them to the expansions and the timeline.