What do you need to code to run a server?

[minijag]

There are a lot of servers each with their own dev team. What exactly is needed to code to run a 'classic' server? Doesnt eq emulator come with AI, Loot Tables, and aggro mechanics already?

I'm interested in tooling around on my own server, but I'm just a little confused about all this progress made on different fronts.

[phantomghost]

This is fairly difficult to answer. It would be very time consuming.

You can remove out of era gear and drops. Remove spells. Edit npc if you find the era stats.

AI I have no idea outside changing spells they cast. There are some agro modifiers in the rules.

But in reality, classic and classic like servers seem to be the most common servers on emu imo. You would spend a lot of time modifying everything and researching.

[minijag]

What data is the emulator set in?

[phantomghost]

Hmm, GoD? I have not checked if any OOW was put in, but recent news update said PEQ has OOW... it is well beyond classic. For example, in the loot drops there are defiant armor drops.

[The_Beast]

In a nutshell :

First of all, PEQ is up to (and including) OoW now. They are already preparing to go to work on the DoN expansion.
BUT - as I've gathered with my own inclination, the whole project is also keeping "modern" EQ content in, without any
"official" preservation of any EQ era or expansion. If one wants to strip it down to a previous era, you have work to do.
Getting rid of all defiant gear,etc. from npc loot drops, getting all zone points adjusted to whatever your preference
is.(older zone versions) as well as spells, quests, ports,etc. Too much to list. :P

[Darkscis]

You don't have to 'code' anything at all to run a server. It is basically set up now as a fire and forget, the windows executable will even apply patches for you.

If you want to customize content and deviate from the original database (usually the PEQ one) then you will need to know/learn how to modify an SQL database. This governs changing NPC's/loot/items/spells etc.

If you want to customize quests you will need to know/learn either Perl or Lua. This governs modifying quest scripts, encounters and item quests.

If you want to customize the back end features of the server, you will need to know/learn C++ and modify the source. You will also need to learn how to compile that source into your own binaries, merge new changes into your custom code and apply patches without breaking your server. The changes possible with this are enormous however and too varied to list.

In a nutshell;
If you just want to host a server for you and your mates to play on, you don't need to change anything. It will be set up as a pseudo-classic server with modern changes requiring groups/raids etc. You can select in the install process whether to enable bots to round out parties.

If you want a "nostalgia" classic server you really only need to play with the database (SQL). For some reason though, people seem to think adding mana stone, un-nerfed circlet of shadow and rubicite = classic server. They make 5 or 6 changes, lock it down to Kunark or Velious and releases their new server expecting millions to flock to this amazing masterpiece. It inevitably fails.

Finally, if you want a *true* classic server, you need to change everything almost from the ground up. This means custom code for old formulas, reverting quests and reverting items/loot drops. There is absolutely no point in doing this, as it already exists.

What I have seen most (but definitely not all) servers around here do is approximate classic->PoP and then go custom. Even my server was guilty of this. You end up with bored players who have done the progression content a million times. These days it pretty much seems like you go full custom, or you don't bother. Of course, if you are just doing it for yourself/mates then it doesn't matter.

[minijag]

There is absolutely no point in doing this, as it already exists.

Are you saying I can download tables for classic'ish spawns and drops?

[Darkscis]

Originally Posted by minijag

Are you saying I can download tables for classic'ish spawns and drops?

No, I am talking about p99. If you were planning to go full blown re-writing code from the ground up etc for a true classic server - it just is not worth the effort as the server already exists.

If you just want classic'ish spawns and drops you only need to modify the database; so just need to learn a bit of SQL. It won't be a true classic server though is all I am saying. It will just be the PEQ database and quests, locked to classic zones with a few extra old items added in. ie exactly what I referred to as a "nostalgia" server.

I'm not quite sure of your end game, all you wrote was what was needed to 'run' the server but I am not sure if you plan to run it just for yourself or to open a new server to the public. If it is just for you and your friends, you will probably find the time spent worth it. If you are planning to release it to the public though, you may want to rethink the effort as those servers are a dime a dozen as it stands.

[Cusser]

This is typical of a "support forum". John Doe asks a question "Can I do this or that?"
But instead of someone simply saying "Yes" or "No" with a little elaboration, people
feel the need to write an entire novel based on their own opinion of the topic. Some
even try to present their opinion as fact, without knowing what anyone is capable of.
Then again, the whole thread turns into one big drama story.
The OP has obviously been around for 9 years (as a player), so it would be patronizing
to tell him what kind of servers are out there.

[Darkscis]

Originally Posted by Cusser

This is typical of a "support forum". John Doe asks a question "Can I do this or that?"
But instead of someone simply saying "Yes" or "No" with a little elaboration, people
feel the need to write an entire novel based on their own opinion of the topic. Some
even try to present their opinion as fact, without knowing what anyone is capable of.
Then again, the whole thread turns into one big drama story.
The OP has obviously been around for 9 years (as a player), so it would be patronizing
to tell him what kind of servers are out there.

Actually if you read my first reply to him I answered his question exactly. I told him exactly what languages he needs to learn to code the various situations. I then elaborated for him, just like you said.

The only one bringing drama into the thread is you. If you don't like the replies and/or have nothing useful to contribute to the OP then stay out of it. Simple as that. Instead you choose to be a social justice warrior standing up for the masses and policing a "support forum".

[phantomghost]

Originally Posted by Cusser

This is typical of a "support forum". John Doe asks a question "Can I do this or that?"
But instead of someone simply saying "Yes" or "No" with a little elaboration, people
feel the need to write an entire novel based on their own opinion of the topic. Some
even try to present their opinion as fact, without knowing what anyone is capable of.
Then again, the whole thread turns into one big drama story.
The OP has obviously been around for 9 years (as a player), so it would be patronizing
to tell him what kind of servers are out there.

Not to mention this is the General Discussion Forum. Not the Support forum.

[kokey98]

Originally Posted by The_Beast

In a nutshell :

First of all, PEQ is up to (and including) OoW now. They are already preparing to go to work on the DoN expansion.
BUT - as I've gathered with my own inclination, the whole project is also keeping "modern" EQ content in, without any
"official" preservation of any EQ era or expansion. If one wants to strip it down to a previous era, you have work to do.
Getting rid of all defiant gear,etc. from npc loot drops, getting all zone points adjusted to whatever your preference
is.(older zone versions) as well as spells, quests, ports,etc. Too much to list. :P

side note - i think you can download the dB at certain points? used to be able to. if you archived those, it'd be a lot less work, i'd suspect. maybe some schema conversions... possibly more work, lol.

[The_Beast]

Originally Posted by kokey98

side note - i think you can download the dB at certain points? used to be able to.

The PEQ DB has updates to it, usually, on a daily basis and dumped nightly. You would notice every day, if you downloaded
the zip file, the main (peqbeta.sql) and couple other files have a modified date, indicating that file was updated. It's not
possible to "rewind" through here, but if anyone was downloading previous versions, and kept them stored, that would be
the only hope of finding old junk laying around, lol The daily dump is here:

http://edit.peqtgc.com/weekly/peq_beta.zip (this is also where a "fresh install" is pulled from")