ZAM Launches ZAM.com to Provide Largest MMO Gaming Information and Community Site

[Calthine]

<p>We are pleased to announce the launch of Zam.com, which integrates all the gaming and news sites under the Allakhazam umbrella.</p><blockquote>ZAM, LLC, the internet's largest community of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) gamers, today announced the launch of  <a href="http://www.zam.com/" target="_blank">www.zam.com</a>, a new portal for general MMO gaming news, data, forums and content.  The new site will give users access to all of the properties in the ZAM family of sites: Wowhead, Thottbot, Allakhazam and MMOUI, as well as provide a single location for industry leading news, interviews and pertinent information about upcoming titles.</blockquote><p>Jeff "Allakhazam" Moyer tells me the EQII site is almost done, and the press release says to expect it in April.  Meanwhile, please enjoy the new portal to all our sites, with darn near anything you could want in MMO coverage.</p><p>My favorite bit (okay, second favorite, 'cause the news page is awesome), is that eq2.zam.com now functions as a URL, and I no longer have to appologize for typoing "Allakhazam" in chat!</p><p><a href="http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=17085" target="_blank">Read the Press Release!</a></p><p>Join us at <a href="http://www.zam.com/" target="_blank">Zam.com</a>!</p>

[Spyderbite]

<p><cite>Calthine wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Jeff "Allakhazam" Moyer tells me the EQII site is almost done, and the press release says to expect it in April.  Meanwhile, please enjoy the new portal to all our sites, with darn near anything you could want in MMO coverage.</p></blockquote><p>Fiinally.. goodbye ugly 1972 Station Wagon Green website! Hello, sharp looking new Zam theme! o/</p>

[Vonotar]

<p>Looking forward to doing a bit of mining in that database... there is a paladin breastplate I still haven't tracked down...</p>

[Atreyube]

<p>Nice looking website. Who does the design work? Great stuff!</p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Atreyubeat wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Nice looking website. Who does the design work? Great stuff!</p></blockquote><p>It's all done internally.  We have some awesome developers!</p>

[Iamken]

<p>Will this be a seperate premium subscription our does our current <span >Allakhazam premium subscription work with it?  Thanks.</span></p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Quinleigh@Najena wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Will this be a seperate premium subscription our does our current <span>Allakhazam premium subscription work with it?  Thanks.</span></p></blockquote><p>Draknorr, our Director of Content, posted in the comments on that press release:</p><blockquote>Everything "ZAM" is really the Allakhazam backend. That means your account from Allakhazam works here, the forums are all tied together (same system), etc.</blockquote><p>So no worries there.</p>

[GlitterPaws]

<p>Great looking site! I remember hearing about ZAM and it is a pleasure to see it operational.</p><p>Really look forward to the EQ2 revamp.</p><p>Cheers to the ZAM team!</p><p>Glitterpaws</p>

[GlitterPaws]

<p>somehow ended up with a duplicate post, grrses</p>

[Rayche]

<p>I saw the ZAM web site a while back when it was announced that Zam was going into a Partnership with Sony to have exclusive database access to find mobs, drops, drop rates etc...</p><p>Is that data available now?</p>

[Motzi]

<p>Will I have to pay for access to this crap?</p>

[feldon30]

<p><cite>Motzi@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Will I have to pay for access to this crap?</p></blockquote><p>If you want access to the Live Broker outside the game as well as the Character Upgrade Tool where you can check out armor from outside the game, yes that is a subscription. Why would you expect that for free?</p><p>These features (and the EQ2 site revamp) probably won't be done until May. I think the rest of Zam has been ready to launch for a while now and they didn't want to wait any longer. What's holding things up is the EQ2 site.</p>

[Calthine]

<p>Let's see: </p><p>No, the new data is not accessable yet.  Soon(tm)</p><p>I have not yet heard anything regarding subscriptions and the new features presented at Fan Faire.  Traditionally at Zam the data is available to everyone for free (just like now, you don't even need a login) and fancier stuff like the advanced searches are Premium.  But I'm not gonna guess and risk getting it wrong.</p><p>And the Press Release linked above said to expect the new EQII Zam in April.  Nether site was holding the other up, lol.  As far as I know the Zam.com was always slated to go first.  EQII Zam is the first Allakhazam site to get the Zam treatment, so to speak.</p>

[Rayche]

<p>Excellent. I ran an Allahkazams subscription for years in EQ1... I'd gladly pay for one in EQ2 once that type of information and services becomes available!</p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Rayche@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Excellent. I ran an Allahkazams subscription for years in EQ1... I'd gladly pay for one in EQ2 once that type of information and services becomes available!</p></blockquote><p>Me too!  If you've let premium lapse, your login is still good for leaving comments and editing the wiki, btw.</p>

[Motzi]

<p><cite>feldon30 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Motzi@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Will I have to pay for access to this crap?</p></blockquote><p>If you want access to the Live Broker outside the game as well as the Character Upgrade Tool where you can check out armor from outside the game, yes that is a subscription. Why would you expect that for free?</p><p>These features (and the EQ2 site revamp) probably won't be done until May. I think the rest of Zam has been ready to launch for a while now and they didn't want to wait any longer. What's holding things up is the EQ2 site.</p></blockquote><p>I'll pass.</p><p>This data feed is exclusive rights to zam, and isn't open for others to digest I assume.</p>

[Vonotar]

<p><cite>Calthine wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Let's see: </p><p>No, the new data is not accessable yet.  Soon(tm)</p><p>I have not yet heard anything regarding subscriptions and the new features presented at Fan Faire.  Traditionally at Zam the data is available to everyone for free (just like now, you don't even need a login) and fancier stuff like the advanced searches are Premium.  But I'm not gonna guess and risk getting it wrong.</p><p>And the Press Release linked above said to expect the new EQII Zam in April.  Nether site was holding the other up, lol.  As far as I know the Zam.com was always slated to go first.  EQII Zam is the first Allakhazam site to get the Zam treatment, so to speak.</p></blockquote><p>Looking forward to it.</p><p>Assuming you have a premium membership, would I be able to do a search for.. say all live quests that exist between levels <em><strong>x</strong></em> and <em><strong>y</strong></em> ?  At the moment I have something of a questaholic thing going on...</p><p>I've done some combing of the current database, but finding quite a few discrepancies between the database and the actual in-game experience.  Probs not much point in posting minor corrections and such if the whole lot will be corrected by the database link.</p>

[Rayche]

<p>Have you seen how fast and often and radically information in EQ2 changes? With 50% of it not even making it into the patch notes?</p><p>Go look up TSO shard armor stats... look it up on the regular Allakhazams site, look it up on EQ2i, look it up on LootDB... you will find 3 different sets of stats, all three of which are wrong.</p><p>Nobody bothers to update the site because it takes far too much time, and will likely be wrong again in a month.</p><p>There hasn't been a constantly update and accurate EQ site since the days of EQ1 and Lucy/Magello.</p><p>I'm sure it comes at considerable expense to Allakhazams to set this up, and would be happy to help share the burdon.</p>

[Vonotar]

<p>Heehee agreed</p><p>Although my latest toon is a long way from TSO and void shards, i'd just like to spend less time combing several wiki's trying to determine if "random level 9 quest to kill random number of random mobs #43345" is still in game or whether I can forget it and move on.</p><p>Incidentally if anybody is feeling generous and has any tips on how to complete as many quests as possible, feel free to PM me.</p><p>In the meanwhile I'm having a riot being a level 12 conj with 10 aa points and 200 quests completed.</p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Gwynian@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Assuming you have a premium membership, would I be able to do a search for.. say all live quests that exist between levels <em><strong>x</strong></em> and <em><strong>y</strong></em> ?  At the moment I have something of a questaholic thing going on...</p><p>I've done some combing of the current database, but finding quite a few discrepancies between the database and the actual in-game experience.  Probs not much point in posting minor corrections and such if the whole lot will be corrected by the database link.</p></blockquote><p>You can do that now, with the advanced search (which requires Premium).</p><p>Do please leave comments!  I check them all the time; there's no need to let the site lie fallow while our devs are developing the new site.   And even when we have the data, the writeups may need to be tweaked occasionally.  Case in point:  With GU 51 the city tasks in Lavastorm are changing.  We'll need to go adjust the old writs and maybe mark some obsolete; we'll need writeups on the new ones.  It's like...  a recipe.  Having a list of ingredients won't help you much without instructions.  People will still need to write the instructions <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Vonotar]

<p>Heehee, actually most write ups have been spot on.  The only things I have spotted are minor quibbles over a quests level, which only makes a diff to me as i'm being so zealous about trying to do most quests within a level or so of their actual level.</p><p>Will definitely try premium membership once the new data is available.  Looking at the Zam site I was actually surprised to realise that wowhead was part of your family, another excellent website.</p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Gwynian@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Heehee, actually most write ups have been spot on.  The only things I have spotted are minor quibbles over a quests level, which only makes a diff to me as i'm being so zealous about trying to do most quests within a level or so of their actual level.</p><p>Will definitely try premium membership once the new data is available.  Looking at the Zam site I was actually surprised to realise that wowhead was part of your family, another excellent website.</p></blockquote><p>You knowwhat?  I almost mentioned level above <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  We have a user who took a run through Thundering Steppes, and almost every quest level needed tweaking.  I'm like "When did they do THAT?", lol. </p><p>The best thing to do (IMO) when level or reward information has changed is upload a pic of the new quest window.  I approve all the pics too, so you don't even have to leave me a comment.  I cross-check *all* the pic info!</p>

[Vonotar]

<p>Interesting point, I assume you will either receive regular copies of the database from SoE or some sort of change log as time goes by, otherwise the new database could get very old very quick, or would you be querying the live database directly (as opposed to a copy of it).</p><p>Would be interesting to see just how much tweaking the devs do on a monthly basis.</p><p>Apologies for the multiple questions, very slow day at work, the boss went home at lunch and I'm just passing time...</p>

[Calthine]

<p>No worries, I'm just waiting for time to take my oldest to Kindergarden <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </p><p>I'm not privy to the details of the arrangement with SOE.  But I can think of several means to make sure the data stays up to date.  I'm looking forward to the stuff that's changed slightly (like those TS quests) automagically correcting themselves <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Vonotar]

Humm... another question for you. Will the current "Log Parser" still be used for gathering information for the database, or do you expect that it will be redundant?

[Sharakari]

<p><cite>Spyderbite@Venekor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Fiinally.. goodbye ugly 1972 Station Wagon Green website! Hello, sharp looking new Zam theme! o/</p></blockquote><p>QFE!!!!!!  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Sharakari]

<p><cite>Calthine wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Let's see: </p><p>No, the new data is not accessable yet.  Soon(tm)</p></blockquote><p>TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!  TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!  TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!</p><p>That one belongs to Kiara and SOE!  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /> <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Sharakari@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Calthine wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Let's see: </p><p>No, the new data is not accessable yet.  Soon(tm)</p></blockquote><p>TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!  TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!  TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT!!!!</p><p>That one belongs to Kiara and SOE!  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /> <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>Kiara gave me permission to use it!!!  Hehe</p><p>Someone asked if Lucy2 would still be used.  Answer:  I dunno yet, our devs are a leetle busy, heh.</p>

[Gala]

<p>2 Days ago I created an account so I could create broker allerts.Like for finding those masters I still need.</p><p>Though I notised I am still get warnings and find things on the broker search on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://eq2.zam.com/" target="_blank">http://eq2.zam.com/</a> that sold hours ago.Is this because I do not have premium or a server side kind of problem?Though I wana say it looks nice. I am still exploring the hole site. So far I have had no real trouble finding information I could want. And its in an ok size in the in game browser.</p>

[gratefulripple]

<p>think this is a load of poo, the old site was easier to use, you searched for something is gave you a lot more to choose from , this one doesnt..</p><p>it gave you everything all on one page right infront of your eyes..  and if i recall.. i did advanced search's.. i never paid a penny and i just got ad's in my face some of which i clicked on because i found interesting.. new site... dont like it...</p><p>plus you got most of the info from players... quest info.. from players...drops info... players....almost everything from players... and you want to charge me.. for giving you the information You need to run your site? seriously? your taking the mickey arent you? i miss the old site.</p>

[Spyderbite]

<p><cite>Snapdragon@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>plus you got most of the info from players... quest info.. from players...drops info... players....almost everything from players...</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">That information is still there. The wiki and comments are now tabs on the database page vs. being the only content available.</span></p><p>and you want to charge me.. for giving you the information You need to run your site? seriously? your taking the mickey arent you? i miss the old site.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">Where was it implied that you had to pay to see the same information that you had access to before the revamp? All the same content is still available to you as it was before.. for free.</span></p></blockquote>

[stayx]

<p>Please let us search EU-Server-Brokers <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Valor and Innovation are missing!</p>

[Spyderbite]

<p><cite>stayx wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Please let us search EU-Server-Brokers <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p><p>Valor and Innovation are missing!</p></blockquote><p>Working on it. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>Snapdragon@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>think this is a load of poo, the old site was easier to use, you searched for something is gave you a lot more to choose from , this one doesnt..</p><p>it gave you everything all on one page right infront of your eyes..  and if i recall.. i did advanced search's.. i never paid a penny and i just got ad's in my face some of which i clicked on because i found interesting.. new site... dont like it...</p><p>plus you got most of the info from players... quest info.. from players...drops info... players....almost everything from players... and you want to charge me.. for giving you the information You need to run your site? seriously? your taking the mickey arent you? i miss the old site.</p></blockquote><p>What Spyder said:  You don't need an account to see the data, it's all there.  I've logged out and I can access it all.  You need an account to post, leave comments, and edit the wiki.</p><p>Yes, the new site is laid out differently and takes some getting used to if you're used to our old layout.  *everything* is there, including the old comments from Ogaming.  Look at the tabs at the bottom of the database records.</p><p>The plain ol' search gives back the same kind of results the old search did (we tested it heavily in Beta).  The specific searches are different because we're using SOE's data and categories instead of what were basically one's we made up and put stuff into.</p>