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Zone
(verb) - The action of a player moving from one zone (noun) to another zone (noun).
The world of EverQuest is divided into discrete zones, in contrast to modern MMOs which generally use dynamic, seamless loading of parts of the world. When characters move between zones, the client must delay play to load the data for the next zone.
Late Velious era EverQuest contains over 120 zones. Zones seem to be divided according to complexity or file size, with busy cities and sprawling plains often divided into several smaller zones.
NPCs cannot zone, but multiple instances of NPCs with the same name may reside in different zones to imply it (or the same zone). Scripts seem to always be confined within the same zone in classic EverQuest.
Because most temporary data about players is lost while zoning, the following consequences are observed:
- The player is removed from all aggro tables.
- Illusion spells are removed.
- Poisonmaking-made poisons are removed from the player's main hand.
- When at low health, a bug may remove DoT effects, or other effects, or all effects.
- Casting is interrupted.
- Summoned pets owned by a zoning player are killed.
- Charmed pets owned by a player have their charm broken.
- Players /following a zoning player will have their /follow deactivated.
- Spells targetting a zoning player will fail to complete casting.
- Effects of skills (such as Sneak or Hide) will be removed and the related skills will begin their cooldown to reset.
This encourages players to perceive and use zone-lines (borders between zones) as a safe haven. However, other players who are fleeing from dangerous NPCs or trains will often head straight for a zone-line for the same reason, making zone-lines and adjacent corridors the most dangerous areas in most zones. A player should never AFK at a zone-line unless they are certain they will be safe, and should generally seek out a safer area within a zone out of the way of trains.
