Installation Guide (Steam)

Shards of Dalaya is the longest continuously running emulated EverQuest server, featuring completely reimagined lore and a number of custom mechanics not present in the parent game. To make a character of your own and set foot on your adventure, follow the steps outlined below.

THIS IS NOT THE INSTALL GUIDE FOR THE NEW DALAYA SERVER!

Please check their official Discord for more information on installation.

Community Discord

If you have any questions after reading this starting guide, or just want to hang out, be sure to join us on Shards of Dalaya's official Discord server .

Install the Game via Steam (Windows)

Note: Players familiar with Steam may choose to stray from the steps outlined below. Do so only if you are confident in your technical abilities.

To install EverQuest using Steam, do the following:

1. Visit the official Steam website:
   • http://store.steampowered.com
2. Create a Steam account if you don't already have one by clicking on login and then Join Steam. (Steam accounts are free.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. After creating an account, download the Steam installer from the website by clicking on the green Install Steam button.
   
   
   
   
4. Open the Steam installer to install Steam.
5. Open Steam and log in to your Steam account.
   Note: Use the account name and password you created in Step 2.
6. Type EverQuest into the search bar.
   
   
   
   
7. Click on the EverQuest game (dated Dec 13, 2012) and click on the green Play Game button to add the game to library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Click on the Library tab at the top.
   
   
   
   
9. Double click on EverQuest Free-to-Play in your library list and download the game.
   Note: There is no need to run/patch EverQuest once Steam finishes installing the game. This will cause errors when trying to run SoD!
10. When the game has finished downloading, right-click EverQuest Free-to-Play in the library list and select Properties.
    
    
    
    
11. Under the Local Files tab, click on Browse Local Files.
    Note: This will open the folder that EverQuest has been installed to.
    
    
    
    
    
12. Click the "Up" arrow to the left of the file address bar.
    
    
    
    
    Note: This allows you to view the EverQuest F2P folder.
13. Right-click on the EverQuest F2P folder and select Copy (recommended) or Cut (if your hard drive is low on storage space).
14. Navigate to wherever you want to place the folder, such as C: > Program Files (x86), and Paste (CTRL + V) the folder there.
    
    Note: Suggest not putting it in a Windows created directory as suggested above to avoid potential file permission issues(this is an old game and windows has gotten more strict over the years, will likely be fine but it reduces the number of things to check if an error happens) and please don't place in your user folder if you have any errors that need to be resolved your installation directory will likely be included in the information required to solve the problem revealing your windows user name. The desktop is in your user folder
15. Open the Shards of Dalaya patcher (SoD 2.5 Patcher.exe).
    Note: If you do not already have the SoD patcher, it can be downloaded here. The patcher may be placed on the desktop for easy access.
16. Within the patcher, check the Repatch All box, then click on the Browse... button to direct the patcher at your newly installed, newly moved EverQuest F2P folder.
    Note: Refer to Step 14 as needed; the patcher must be directed to the location you chose for your EverQuest F2P folder.
    
    
    
    
    
17. Click Patch and Run to update to Shards of Dalaya's files.
18. After patching, enter the game!
    Note: If you haven't already created your Shards of Dalaya account(s), do so here.
19. if you try to login and it doesn't accept your username and password check for capslock(it is case sensitive) and verify that Use EQEmu For Login Server is checked or unchecked as appropriate in the patcher. If you used SOD's website to register it should be unchecked if you used EQemu to register it should be checked.
20. If you have errors try updating your .Net Framework and DirectX hereand also try installing the C++ redistributable from 2015 here or the C++ redistributable ALL IN ONE here
21. If you are still running Windows 7 and receive an "Error updating patcher, make sure you are connected to the Internet" error, you may need to apply the following registry changes to enable TLS 1.2: https://www.smartftp.com/en-us/support/kb/2679
22. If having problems with installing can try asking in the SOD discord server here in the tech support channel.
23. If you get the error "_AIL_set_3D_room_type@8 could not be located in the dynamic link library". You need to download new DLL files that have been hosted here by Sithious: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AdHbeMuKP_X4ODBbU-FsouAkaPHkSZHP/view (not verified, use at your own risk, but has been confirmed to work) or by Dev-Immac in SOD discord pinned in the #tech-support channel - https://discord.com/channels/251723119474114562/748735607530061904/1232769118336323796

Bug!

there is a known memory leak bug in the client that can cause a crash(usually while logging in or zoning) when memory usage of the client exceeds 1.8GB(your total ram doesn't matter this is a limitation of really old windows programs) this can be mitigated by always using a fresh instance of the client for each toon you load. if it becomes a significant issue the third party patch below doubles the memory limit before a crash greatly decreasing crashes from this memory leak. This problem cannot be solved by the team here in an official patch because it requires modification of a binary they don't have the rights to edit to fix.

The UNOFFICIAL/UNSUPPORTED third party patch for memory leak crash is here it is the 4GB patch. it should be applied to eqgame.exe in the Everquest F2P folder(may want to create a backup of this file just in case). Note patch may fail if your installation is in a Windows created folder due to a file permission issue. The game can be moved after installation by moving the entire Everquest F2P folder. Severely discourage placing the install on your desktop as it can cause issues and is a potential security risk. suggest creating a folder at the root of one of your drives and putting the game folder in that.

Bug!

another bug is when logging in sometimes it will seem like it is taking forever to login. if the "Log In" button doesn't look pressed in. hit the enter key which will clear the dialog and click the login button with your mouse. if the Log In button does look pressed in, hit Esc and try to log in again.

Bug!

Razor overlay causes crashes close it to solve the issue.

Bug!

Sonic Radar III(comes preinstalled with Asus brand laptops and with ASUS motherboards) overlay causes crashes close it to solve the issue.