Allakhazam's Magical Realm Turns 5

It's a milestone day for us here. 5 years ago today - March 8, 1999 - I signed up for a free web service and fancifully called the page I created Allakhazam's Magical Realm. That page consisted of a single paged, rather basic guide on how to play Everquest - choosing a class and race, creating a character, and basic fighting and grouping tactics. I did it on a whim really, as much to see what it was like to do a website as anything, since I had never done anything like that before. I posted a link to the guide on various beta forums and people there seemed to like it. I got a lot of feedback on what it was missing and suggestions on how to enhance it, so I started to tinker. I beefed up the existing information, split the guide into multiple pages and added class guides and zone descriptions and links to every decent article I could find on the game. More people came by and suggested more improvements. Then I added quest walk throughs and equipment guides. People started submitting information to me to include in the guides. Over time, the site got too busy for a free web service, so I moved it to the servers of an existing game site that had offered hosting. The site just kept on growing and expanding. I put in more and more of my free time on it and every day I added more information to the site. Then, near the end of 1999, I hooked up with Illia, who wanted to create a bestiary database for the game. We decided to create Allakhazam.com, LLC, buy our own server and move the site to our own domain, and see where we could take it from there. Over time, Illia not only created the bestiary, but databased most of the other information I had collected. Even more people began to use the site and Allakhazam started to become a well known destination for many Everquest players. When Dark Age of Camelot came out, we decided to create a new site for that game as well. It too became very popular. Even though it was now a full time job for us, it got to the point where two of us couldn't keep up with everything, so we added Darkflame, Railus and Danalog to our staff. We continued to add more games and more people and to refine and expand upon the existing information to make it even more useful and accurate. Now, 5 years to the day after throwing up that single page Everquest guide, Allakhazam's Magical Realm covers seven games, has a staff of 12 people, runs on 10 servers, has over 300,000 registered users who have posted almost a million comments, does between 2.5 and 3 million page views a day, and is one of the largest and most popular game sites on the entire internet. All I can say is wow. And we owe it all to you, who have stuck with us through various highs and lows, contributed information and feedback, used the site and recommended it to friends, and have made the site into what can only be described as a true community. Thank you all. We wanted to give something back to those who have been with us from the start. Therefore, we've gone back through our registrations and picked out the 25 oldest, still active, registered accounts. Each of those accounts has been given three months of free premium access. It's just a small showing of our appreciation for everything you have done for us. Those that are current premium members got three months tacked onto their membership, and those that aren't now have premium access. Here are the names of those we activated and the number they registered at: Banluil (12), mistrornge (21), Cisas (22), Rthila (25), natsuko (27), Raithier (46), Farmere (47), MeMooch (57), QanniCazicThule (63), Auldian (74), Ellegon (83), Balein (93), Shamusan (95), Bortas (99), Flaviusafranius (105), farkhar (110), Majik (113), Anthalas (118), Dagr (130), Bonladar (139), Payn (142), Fallon (150), ninjergranni (158), Tinx (161), Lautrec (169). Thank you to everyone who has made us so much of a success. We have not stopped growing and expanding and learning, and I look forward to serving the community as well or better over the next 5 years and beyond.
Tags: General, News

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Congrats!
# Mar 18 2004 at 5:39 PM Rating: Good
*
52 posts
Congrats to Illia and Alla! AK's is the best EQ site I know, and the only EQ site I often bother going to. You're the best. =)
Thanks a lot
# Mar 12 2004 at 8:19 AM Rating: Decent
What a coincidence. After an 8 month break I recently started EQ again. And no doubt, after your great gift of 3 months free I will renew again. Maybe I can become the oldest member ;)

Thanks again and congratulations!
Thank You
# Mar 12 2004 at 4:26 AM Rating: Decent
Thank you Allakhazam for the last 5 years with all the work you, Illia, and several others who have poured passion into this site. I hadn't know about this until my friend Cisas informed me. I take great pleasure in enjoying the site and the wealth of information and community it provides. By far, it's been a long road for many of us as we traveled with Everquest through the past. I have had the best time making many friends and look forward to making more. Here's to another 5 more years! Happy 5th Birthday! /Cheer

Edited, Sun Mar 14 00:05:00 2004
Grats
# Mar 09 2004 at 9:25 PM Rating: Decent
I remember finding this page waaaaay back. Even though to this day I cant spell Ala!@%*& I always recommend it and leech info.

TY for all the good work you guys.
Thanks!
# Mar 09 2004 at 6:40 PM Rating: Decent
Congrats on 5 years! This is the best info site for Eq out there and the info I've found here has kept me playin EQ and helped many a friend. I come here much more than the game itself and it never disappoints. Thanks again!
Many Thanks
# Mar 09 2004 at 6:07 PM Rating: Decent
Without this site I would have quit EQ before i had even gotten to 10th level. EQ is so enormous that I would never have had the time to find the info alone or even with several people as I have been able to here. I found the site through the internet and when I found out their was more being offered through premium membership I for a lowly $3 a month i jumped at the oppurtunity. I bow in gratitude for the shear magnitude of the information contained here. I hope you stay around for several years to come. Maybe we'll see a City of Heroes or Middle Earth Online site ;). When EQ dies, as we all know it will someday (hopefully not soon), we can rest assured that their will be other games out there that will have the same support from this marvelous site that has supported so many others. Thank you again and I raise a bottle of High Quality Fresh Home-Brewed Ale as a toast in your honor. Happy Birthday.
Congratulations and Thank You
# Mar 09 2004 at 3:59 PM Rating: Decent
Congratulations on 5 years of great service. I'm a long time user of Allakhazam, but only recently became a registered member. I don't remember when the web site was only a page, but I do remember it being a great place to come and get valuable information.

Thank you for all of the help you have given me in the years I have played EQ, and look forward to the many more years ahead.

Thanks Alla
# Mar 09 2004 at 9:40 AM Rating: Default
I'd just like to say that without Allakhazam's great website, I'd probably still be battling gnolls at the spires outside of Paw on my very first character, or I'd have given up on EQ long ago. This site has helped me enjoy the game to its fullest, and like many, many others, this website has become a part of my daily routine. Thanks Alla, Illia, & friends for all the hard work, and here's to at least another five years of great EQ info!
Birthday!
# Mar 09 2004 at 1:39 AM Rating: Decent
A joyous occasion indeed! As many others have already said, this site is my every day stop before and after EQ. There are some days I don't even play, yet I always seem to find time to come here. Blessings of the Elven gods (and all those other dieties, I suppose) to you and yours!
#REDACTED, Posted: Mar 09 2004 at 9:42 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) half elves suck
Happy Birthday
# Mar 09 2004 at 1:34 AM Rating: Decent
WOOOOOOOOT !!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!

:)
Happy Birthday
# Mar 08 2004 at 10:58 PM Rating: Decent
Thanks for all the hard work and dedication that you all have given us the players of EQ. I use the site daily and hope the relationship remains as good as it has been for the next five years.
Happy Birthday!
# Mar 08 2004 at 10:02 PM Rating: Decent
Just want to say happy b-day allkhazam! You guys (asexual pronoun) are awesome. I get all my Eq info here and even get my EQ fix since I can't play atm. I promise I'll get a premium membership soon ;)
Congratulations!
# Mar 08 2004 at 7:19 PM Rating: Decent
Happy 5th birthday! I have used this sight for just about the entire 5 years it's been up. It is my home page and my bible for Everquest. I have been a premium user for two or three years now and I even gave premium membership to my brother for Christmas this year. Thanks for all the hard work that goes into this sight. You guys have done a tremendous job! I wish you many great years to come!

Emmeline Smith
54 Cleric
Bertoxxulous Server
Grats!
# Mar 08 2004 at 6:51 PM Rating: Decent
Happy Birthday, hopefully with many more to come. ;)
Happy Birthday
# Mar 08 2004 at 5:25 PM Rating: Decent
I too use this site religiously and want to pay my respects. Without this site, I probably wouldn't be playing EQ. The information on this site is unsurpassed. The quality and easy of use with the amount of data is incredible. I'm happy you pay my premium and thanks for everything!

Happy Birthday!!!
Happy Birthday
# Mar 08 2004 at 4:58 PM Rating: Decent
24 posts
HUZZAH!!!!!
Happy 5th
# Mar 08 2004 at 4:54 PM Rating: Decent
HAppy Birthday Smiley: chug

This is one of the greatest games sites around
Conga Rats!
# Mar 08 2004 at 4:13 PM Rating: Decent
20 posts
This is an awesome site! My EQ life would not be the same without you! I happily pay my premium and tell anyone who hasn't that it is SO worth it!
Happy Birthday
# Mar 08 2004 at 4:11 PM Rating: Decent
Happy Birthday

Aasiyah
65 Storm Warden on Saryrn
Happy Birthday
# Mar 08 2004 at 3:01 PM Rating: Decent
Happy Birthday!!
WOOT
# Mar 08 2004 at 2:43 PM Rating: Decent
WOOT EQ would not be the same if it wasn't for Allakhazam!!! I know it has saved me many a times from dying, also saved me many of wasted times hunting named that don't drop ne thing.... BIG congrats you ya Allakhazam... Keep up the good work!
Gratz and Thanks
# Mar 08 2004 at 2:20 PM Rating: Good
Ministry of Silly Cnuts
*****
19,524 posts
As a relative newbie (2 years on EQ and a few months as a premium Alla subscriber), BIG congratulations to Allakhazam on the site's 5th Birthday.

Wanted to take a moment to say thanks for putting such thought into making the site useful (most comprehensive data source) and worthwhile (the forums are the best way of picking wiser brains than mine).

Cracking a bottle and raising it to you AllaSmiley: boozing
____________________________
"I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left" - Seasick Steve
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