Using a very old game client?

[Chrisworld]

I understand that, full compatability with the released server packs requires you to have a client that has a version stated in the readme. But I know John has done this to make it a simple turn key operation for just about anyone to get anserver running. Now, I've got ONE emulator client that works with SP 1.2 flawlessly, but I'd like to try something. I'd like to try to get SP 1.2 to work with EQII Classic, a box released in mid 2006. I've tried a lot of nodding to the code and stuff already to try and get it to work with my classic client box with no luck. I was wondering, if this IS possible at all, how do I do it? It can't be that hard (but I've got no real background experience with emulators)... I miss the shattered lands pre shadow oddesy void stuff and the Freeport overlord tower actually floating! My current emu client is somewhat before SF but during the Will of a tyrant mini update.

tl;dr: I'd love to learn how to heavily custom modify server pack 1.2 to run this client.


Chris

[John Adams]

It can't be that hard (but I've got no real background experience with emulators)

These two statements, when used together, are always good for a chuckle.

[Chrisworld]

So not even a simple yes or no? Even just to give me a hint if I'm either wasting my time or going to get a result?

Thanks

Chris

[Sylaei]

I am just guessing but... you can't get it to connect to the log-in server? It is my understanding that SOE changes the encryption periodically. Which means that you'd need to bust the encryption then code the encryption in the log-in server to just connect to the log-in server. After that I think it is all about opcodes and what network traffic is sent to and from the server. A lot of that is already done but the newer clients will have more than/or different than you need.


Long answer to a simple question but...


I'd say no, unless you are really determined and then depending on how much coding you have done/do would determine how long it would take.

[Chrisworld]

Thank you, that answers my question. I was aiming to use that old client because it contains classic stuff, (ex: The overlord's tower in FP has "fallen" and can be seen like this across MANY FP zones as well as Commonlands, the release of TSO brought Void portals to several pre TSO zones, T3 Guild Hall Islands are now in Ant and CL, etc) But now I know that it will be pretty much impossible at my level of coding and lack of patience for it, that I won't be able to use it. So I will stick with my good ol 6112L client for now.

I've gone as far as installing the classic client, and doing some modifications to my 6112 client such as moving certain map ".vpk" files into /paks/ from my classic client to 6112L client. That didn't too well work at all because the engines are drastically different. The 'classic' box was released in 2006, 6112L is from 2009.

There might still be something I am missing to get them to work, but I'll figure it out eventually.

[Chrisworld]

On SP 1.2, John states that older clients work but 6118 is recommended. How old does "older" define? A fresh RoK install is 4412 I believe. Would this work at all. I just need to get my hands on a working client here so SP 1.2 can be installed fresh and a client can be installed fresh. I have a backup of my current client but that client (plus the backup) are both messed up (don't ask how this happened, I don't even know...) and another client I have is too far ahead (it's an SF client).

I can get my hands on a RoK retail at the moment, not sure about TSO. I can't find it anywhere I look in stores.

[Sylaei]

I can't answer that, the only client I have that isn't live is the 6112. I think.

[ilythor]

RoK was compatible for a long time, and I think it still is. Yet you will have some item/spell/appearance issues due to a desynch between what you have, and what the server has. A fresh install of TSO will work I believe, and Sentinels Fate has a very slim chance of working. TSF worked for me, but so far I was the only one. Don't ask me to tell you how I got it to work, it was a solid fluke.

This is probably the only technical issue I can help out with.

[Chrisworld]

Cool, well I now have a cheap TSO box on the way, so I should be able to install a fresh client and get it to work hopefully. I'm tired of having only on that works right now and it's broken as hell at that. (Music doesn't work, some zones result in crashes) and I know the client is somewhat damaged. Just need something stable.

[Chrisworld]

Well I have my TSO box. It's interesting that a clean install yields a Rise of Kunark Loading screen. I guess they missed that and patching was mandatory so it didn't matter.

TSO does not work with 1.2 for me. Well..actually it does and doesn't. The login server does, but when you enter the game (or change what zone your character zones to) from the character select screen, the zone loads, and then the client just crashes.

It does work fully however with Server Pack 1.0

I'm of course suspecting this to be a problem with mismatched OPCodes?

I'm guessing SF will be compatible eventually, and I've at least got an SF client that seems to be a good even version too.

I guess my TSO box + 1.0 will be for messing around and modding myself & friends.

[ilythor]

Sounds like the way to go.

Good work on testing all of that, and from memory 6118 is actually a base TSF. If you have an unpatched client it might worked with SP 1.2

[Chrisworld]

I really wish I knew how OP Codes worked...

[ilythor]

Heh, the lines about 8 long my friend!

[Sylaei]

Some one correct me if I am wrong but....

Everything you can do in the game is sent to and from the server as an opcode and supporting data. If you click on an npc to hail them, the 'hail' opcode is sent to the server along with the npc data. If you are able to hail them the server returns an opcode and data telling the client what to display. The client then shows you what you see.

The trick is to determine what the opcode is for a particular action. Once you know, you can code the appropriate response from the server back to the client. The server could send back a different opcode to your client depending on the existing conditions.


Kind of a simple explanation and maybe parts are wrong but that is my understanding of how these type of server/client games work. That is also why lag can be such a killer, the client may or may not wait on the server but what is happening on the server is what rules. So sometimes your client had to resync, like running next to someone and suddenly they are ahead of you.

Anyway HTH.

Syl

[Chrisworld]

Sounds simple enough for me, but again I've got extremely little knowledge with pretty much everything involved in the emulation of a game like this. I DID however dive into the opcodes of 1.2 and 1.0 and theyre of course a bit different. This obviously explains why the login server works but the world just won't (when using tso and rok with 1.2).

Sigh. Oh well. I do still know that the devs here work hard to get the latest opcodes and then SOE changes them. Kudos to the eq2 emu team for sticking through it and getting what's done to this point, that's a lot of work and patience testing. I blow steam after looking at a few tables in SQL.

Chris