Future of EQ2 Emulator

[John Adams]

I sincerely appreciate the feedback in this thread. It is coming from the usual suspects; those of you who have supported EQ2Emu in one way or another since it's start - and that is awesome to see you still around. As well as a few new faces.

I've known for a long time that our "content" development was even slower than our server development. The server does a lot already, but our content couldn't be designed without first implementing one-thing-or-another into the server to support it. So as you've read elsewhere, our levels 1-10 content took 18-20 mos to develop not just because it took that long (or we are a small team), but because we had to stop and wait for server to integrate with what we were trying to do.

Enter: Scatman

One day he decided he didn't want to wait for LE to implement a LUA function, so he did it himself. From that point on, Scat was implementing server code to fit content all on his own, with the help of LE. Still, it took a tremendous amount of time, and many, many MANY trips to EQ2 Live to roll new characters over and over, and do the same quests over and over, til we learned what SOE was doing so we could emulate it.

This kind of dedication to our project has never been seen outside our core of developers; the Fantastic Four How I wish we had 10 of those, because we'd be dining with Kings today, all caught up, data collected, zones built up through the Shattered Lands (our original release goal) and players would have much more to do than hit Queen's Colony and stop at Oakmyst. Believe me, I want levels 1-50 done, and if this project survives the next few weeks/months, you will see a new database built from the ground up starring all the Shattered Lands zones we have data for. Soon(tm)


@Bolly - the serverpack comes with SQL files of every table needed to source in. They are in the "Database" folder, and called *-init.sql - one for the login server, one for the world. Should contain everything. If not, the entire database was also released, so it shouldn't be too hard to source that in. And if someone does not know how to fix max_packet_allowed, well... learn how to search. It's a very simple fix, and our data would be enormous without bulk inserts so that won't be changing.

I'll try and get the SQL port changed in the ServerPack, but let me remind you all that ServerPack may be my creation, but it's YOUR repack. Change it, add to it, release your own version, whatever you want. It does not have to come from just me. I would be overjoyed to see someone else release a new version of the ServerPack.

[JCL]

I have been reading over this thread once in a while. But it is just hard to find coders and content designers. I can't code, but I would do content if I could understand it all lol. With the lack of time and annoying lua coding I couldn't keep up with it all.

Hopefully you guys will find some more people that will be able to keep this project going.

[KainUK]

I've been keeping an eye on the Emulator for a very, very long time...

In honesty, I'd love to help out more, but I'm not a coder. Only programming knowledge I have is Java/Delphi and even that is going on 7 years old now!

[bolly]

Hey John, I didn't have a problem with sourcing it in but I was just giving feedback as to why the community may not be building up as fast as it could do. More people = more chance of a developer (but i may be wrong on that assumption!).

One thing I would like to say is that on the pvp servers I played on eq2live, a vast proportion of the playerbase hung around level 10 to 20 as it was the easiest to aquire full AAs and rare crafted gear.

Since the database is pretty much in a state where it could supply a server like that then perhaps the focus for developers could be to release a pvp server with max level 20. That content certainly keeps players happy on EQLive so it should work here just fine. I'm not sure as to the extent of pvp capabilities of the server though. Again, this doesn't really resolve your developer needs but may help spread the word.

[John Adams]

I would love to work on PVP, but that was slated for after our 0.7.0 was released. It's a fairly huge, complex system... and right now our resources are tapped. But it's definitely something I am looking forward to implementing. What I definitely do not want to do is just side-step the "IsPlayer()" like you are trying out - reason being, PvP is a VERY sensitive style of game play, loaded with emotion and drama and exploits. When EQ2Emulator DOES support PvP, I am hoping even it's initial release is as solid as we can possibly make it so there is no "unfairness" - cuz one thing we cannot afford is a bunch of PvPers saying our code sucks, because their voices are the loudest

[Kayot]

I'm still trying to learn how to compile EQ1 Emu. I have no idea where to begin even learning the concept of a console server. As far as databases go, I'm good at database manipulation, cleaning, and organization. I like making PHP scripts that clean up or sort data. So if you need that kind of help I can do.

As far as keeping up, a better idea would be to see what copies are floating around and use the latest available. The reason I don't play on EQ2emu is that there aren't any available copies and so I'm stuck. I did have a copy a while back that worked, but then a missed update and I couldn't log in anymore.

I think the thing that brings the EQ1 community together is the standardized requirements. Recently PEQ added Seeds of Discord to the list of Titanium and Secrets of Faydwer. All of them work with minimum tweaking. Within three days of adding SoD to the list there was a copy floating around and now a chunk of the player base is using it. I'm not saying it's right, just that there aren't a lot of options.

[bolly]

ho yes they are sensitive and loud! >_< *disables 1-10*

[KainUK]

They are a bit...

Then again, 80-89 is just as bad on the PvE servers as well. >_<

Anyway... as I said, I can't code worth a damn. But if there is something I -can- do, let me know. At the very least I can probably get access to a data mine of spawn locations for mobs and NPC's within a zone... possibly levels and loot tables as well, but no guarantee's on that. The data I can get should be correct up to and including most of T8 (I know Moors is mostly ok, same with the TSO dungeons... but the GU that revamped Lavastorm and put new mobs in may not be complete).

[bolly]

What would be great would be a guide on how to find opcodes, how to get the order right and the data content etc. Kind of the process that you would go through as a developer!

[John Adams]

One of the most important things we've always needed is data collected from Live (before SOE figures out/decides to block our collector permanently - so far they have not cared much). If we had every zone populated, even with 75% spawns, the Content Designers would have their hands full for months if not more.

The problem we've faced (see the opening post), is that SOE decides to completely revamp a zone after we've done our work on our version of that same zone. Because it takes us 6 mos to develop a zone, it winds up being obsolete (re: upcoming Halas starting city, and the death of the Islands and Qeynos/Freeport). If Qeynos/Freeport are no longer "starting cities", I imagine a good portion of the quests in those zones are going to change. Maybe not all, but some. Why should we develop every quest just to have them not be valid in a few weeks? See our dilemma?

Collecting data, 2 years ago when I first asked, would have benefited us greatly. Moving forward, should we all choose to do so, I am hoping the community realizes how much we RELY on their help gathering data.


@Kayot - we do not support, condone, or allow conversations of clients that are "floating around". EQ2Emulator has always supported the released box sets (ROK/TSO and soon SF). The advantage we have over EQEmu is that we can also support patched versions AS WELL AS the box versions. There is no issue here with grabbing a box set we support, getting up and running in seconds by changing the login server address... that's it. How much simpler can that get?

[John Adams]

What would be great would be a guide on how to find opcodes, how to get the order right and the data content etc. Kind of the process that you would go through as a developer!

I'm not seeing why finding opcodes is a problem to develop current code (fix bugs, add a feature, implement a whole new system). Opcodes rarely change, and when they do they usually just slide up 1 or 2 in value to make room for others. During major Expansion releases is when it gets difficult, which is what we're currently struggling with using the SF client.

[Astal]

What would be great would be a guide on how to find opcodes, how to get the order right and the data content etc. Kind of the process that you would go through as a developer!

I'm not seeing why finding opcodes is a problem to develop current code (fix bugs, add a feature, implement a whole new system). Opcodes rarely change, and when they do they usually just slide up 1 or 2 in value to make room for others. During major Expansion releases is when it gets difficult, which is what we're currently struggling with using the SF client.

John would it be more feasable (sp) to just get a working server and allowing people to designed content on their own?

Like procs working, trade skills, quests (i think they work good already) spells, harvesting, AA ect...?

It seems like it would be a lot less of a load for you guys instead of like you guys said sony changing every spawn quest ect.... all the time like they do. I dont know about other guys here but i would be fully happy just being able to develop all the content on my own or with my team.

I would be willing to do an account to collect i just get confused if im doing it right or if im getting what you guys have already ect... so i kinda get discouraged lol

[bolly]

Could you do some sort of scrape from allakhazam?

There are so many players on eq2 but you need a way to get them all to run the packet collector. But why would they? I mean we could try to help but that would take hours for the few of us that still have an account.

What you need is some reason for the existing eq2 community to run a collector. Build them a desktop tool like allakhazam maybe that could also double up as a collector for eq2emu?

Maybe if you guys talked to the isx team they might also be able to help you out with a plugin that users could use but again it needs to benefit the users somehow.

Lots of opportunities here but it's getting the guys that play eq2 to get you the data where you need to be creative I guess!

[bolly]

What would be great would be a guide on how to find opcodes, how to get the order right and the data content etc. Kind of the process that you would go through as a developer!

I'm not seeing why finding opcodes is a problem to develop current code (fix bugs, add a feature, implement a whole new system). Opcodes rarely change, and when they do they usually just slide up 1 or 2 in value to make room for others. During major Expansion releases is when it gets difficult, which is what we're currently struggling with using the SF client.

Well for me I don't understand how to decrypt the stream, read the packets and order the data comes in and convert it into server logic. It's certainly something i'd be interested in learning

[John Adams]

John would it be more feasable (sp) to just get a working server and allowing people to designed content on their own?

Not really, since our team is actually 2 projects in one. The C++ guys (LE and Scatman) do the server code that you are talking about. There is also the content guys (which also happens to be Scatman plus others) do the content in the zones, items, spells, all that.

I've pushed for help on both fronts. An empty server means little to the majority of the players/admins. A non-functioning server means just as little. We're stuck at both sides as long as we have 2-3 people working on this project, either C++ or Content.

If we stopped all content design to just work on C++ server functionality, you still have 1 single dev: Scatman.