FFXI Private server...

[Taj]

I don't speak hex, please explain.

Decrypted packet containing two opcodes, to set your player Location and to End the current NPC Conversation. It was just an example.

[miokomioko]

I stand by what I said.

[aurik]

Unless the logic to operate mobs AI is stored client-side, I don't see it happening. The reason why Diablo2/Starcraft/etc private servers were possible is because all the necessary code to host a game were stored in the client for direct-connect play. For FFXI, I think a bulk of the server code is only on SE's servers. So unless you spend a long time observing the behavior of the server code and then a long time writing something that simulates it, you're not going to have a functional copy of FFXI.

[genome]

No &No.

Yes it will.

I imagine you have some argument in mind, maybe you should elaborate more? WHy would you think writing server code to move monsters in simple patterns and give and receive fixed damage is not easy (the first "No"), but also think having them move in a complex pattern and with the exact same damage equations+random is easy and what people plan to do? (the second "No")...
You could record all the packets of a few of the movemens of each monster, and then either play them back exactly (bad implementation) or try to reverse engineer them (too much work i'd say).
So far i'd still stand by my statements. Trying to get the game to work exactly as-is would not be possible. Getting it sorta close would still be a lot of work (more than probably reasonable since the main point would be to change things) but would be possible. But making it different would be the easiest and most likely.

[miokomioko]

The project would:

A) Take too much time

B) Cost too much money

C) Take too many people

D) Ultimately suck ass

E) All of the above

[Septimus]

The project would:

A) Take too much time

B) Cost too much money

C) Take too many people

D) Ultimately suck ass

E) All of the above

I think we finally have a winning argument.

[Dezzimal]

Yeah I wouldn't ever try arguing with that. The way Mioko backs up each point with solid information and facts is just impenetrable.

[Taj]

The project would:

A) Take too much time

B) Cost too much money

C) Take too many people

D) Ultimately suck ass

E) All of the above

Really? Because up until now I've been the only one working on it, and I don't recall it ever costing me a dime.

[Faranim]

Presumably a Private Server's goal would be to re-use the existing FFXI Client.

How does the FFXI Client interact with the server? Packets. That's it.

If you can emulate the current FFXI Servers packet behavior, then you can make a private FFXI Server. You'll need to know how to decrypt all of the clients packets, make sense out of the data, and reply with the appropriate response packet(s).

How you manage the data internally (Mobs HP, Movement Speed, Movement Patterns, damage from attacks/spells, attack/accuracy, pop conditions for NMs, etc, etc) would have to be re-written entirely from scratch. Not happening :3

Edit: I'm not even sure how many people know how to decrypt/encrypt the packets, or make any sense of the data.

[solsovly]

Unless the logic to operate mobs AI is stored client-side, I don't see it happening. The reason why Diablo2/Starcraft/etc private servers were possible is because all the necessary code to host a game were stored in the client for direct-connect play. For FFXI, I think a bulk of the server code is only on SE's servers. So unless you spend a long time observing the behavior of the server code and then a long time writing something that simulates it, you're not going to have a functional copy of FFXI.

That's a shame, theres a couple Ultima Online shards that were fun, my friends used to play on Lineage 2 private servers (with like x50 xp gain) and I believe someone mentioned a DAoC private server too. It'd be nice just to screw around with.

[miokomioko]

The project would:

A) Take too much time

B) Cost too much money

C) Take too many people

D) Ultimately suck ass

E) All of the above

Really? Because up until now I've been the only one working on it, and I don't recall it ever costing me a dime.

I guess a connection for this "private server" that could handle all that data would be free as would be the equipment. Sorry, my mistake.

[Taj]

The project would:

A) Take too much time

B) Cost too much money

C) Take too many people

D) Ultimately suck ass

E) All of the above

Really? Because up until now I've been the only one working on it, and I don't recall it ever costing me a dime.

I guess a connection for this "private server" that could handle all that data would be free as would be the equipment. Sorry, my mistake.

Sorry, I thought we were talking about the development of said private server.

[inafume]

But it is about the development of it! And time is money!

Don't you guys know your adages?!

And to further clarify my comments from a previous post, a private server would be better when played ... not really sparingly, but not as obsessive compulsive as some people play online now. It's a given that the content would be consumed much more quickly without having to compete for things.

See Assault and to some degree Limbus for exactly that, but in the current servers. Dynamis would be the same way if not for the horrible drop rates.

[Cletis]

go taj go !! fuck SE !! private servers means all the gilbuyers (that want everything for free) will quit and play on them.. SE will loose money cuz gilsellers wont have anymore customers.. and the world will be a happy place !!

and fk that miokomioko.. private severs will make SE realize how much the game is going down.. and that will force them to do things right.. i.e. endgame

[miokomioko]

private severs will make SE realize how much the game is going down.. and that will force them to do things right.. i.e. endgame

Illusions of grandeur.

It's been what, over 3 years and we have one copy paste of a PC location packet? Go play a different game.

[BRP]

go taj go !! fuck SE !! private servers means all the gilbuyers (that want everything for free) will quit and play on them.. SE will loose money cuz gilsellers wont have anymore customers.. and the world will be a happy place !!

and fk that miokomioko.. private severs will make SE realize how much the game is going down.. and that will force them to do things right.. i.e. endgame

Man, I really want you to kill yourself.

[Taj]

private severs will make SE realize how much the game is going down.. and that will force them to do things right.. i.e. endgame

Illusions of grandeur.

It's been what, over 3 years and we have one copy paste of a PC location packet? Go play a different game.

Would you just shut the fuck up and go post whore on another thread? I said it was an example, I've been working in the network protocol for no more than a week, and I've already got enough information to make a Sandbox. So kindly go fuck yourself.

[Cletis]

you want me to go kill myself cuz i wasnt one of those ppl that lvled rng before the 'nerf' ?

and i said down with the gilsellers.. then you said down with me... so.. wtf ?

you like gilsellers or something ?

[Vixy]

you want me to go kill myself cuz i wasnt one of those ppl that lvled rng before the 'nerf' ?

and i said down with the gilsellers.. then you said down with me... so.. wtf ?

you like gilsellers or something ?

edit: whoops nvm

[Cletis]

no i know xD i meant BRP and mio