Information on the databases exist around somewhere, but your best bet is to just follow the readme(located on the home page) on installing a server. You'll then have access to the database.
To help I suggest you pick a zone and popluate it(using ID's that are beyond the bound of what Drawde uses). Then submit an export of it here. If everyone picks a zone and makes it near perfect then we'll have a near perfect world
A lot of the zone work has been created using automated means which leaves a lot to be desired so you also have the option of taking a zone created with these means and cleaning it up.
For example The lost temple of Cazic-Thule(uses old mobs) has like 50 mobs lined up near the entrance because the spawning code in EQ allows for some small changes in places(or so I guess). So going in, removing those and other superfluous mobs and submitting that exported can also help.
To help with the coding go to the development forum. Honestly though, unless you kept up with it and have a fairly expensive compiler, I doubt a class or two in c++ will allow you to help much(to be truthful that's all I have as far as academic credentials but I have been a C++ developer for 7 years and a C developer for I believe 4 years before that.)
The biggest asset you have is time.
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