Some Questions and Feedback

[wexford]

Well Let me first start off by saying Awesome work so far Windcatcher. Now then,

Client: I was wondering if there was a way to change the window title and or the icon of the client so that people can customize it to match their Game/Server name? Also Ive been looking through the xml files and INI Files, Am I correct in assuming that you can change the races and classes skills and so forth? If so what kind of changes would it require serverside so as to not break the client in terms of how it interfaces with the emu? Also Would it be possible to add a loading splash screen? In the xml files there is alot of {param 1} type stuff is that parameter hardcoded in the client or does it read what is in the string you send via the chat box or that the server sends? Also is there some kind of a way to add new windows in the gui like help files, a potion belt extra hotbutton bars Chat windows things like that?

Item editing: Well I asked before, but I was wondering if we can have an Item Icon/Material/Model Reference list for the included Items, same for spells, or a brief writeup on how the id system works for those things so that it is possible to add to them as well as edit what is already there.

Targeting/Movement: I have noticed targeting seems a bit glitchy you have to click the npc or pc in just the right spot in order for it to target them, any chance of perhaps allowing it to work if you click anywhere on the mob or pc instead of just that one right spot? Movement is another slightly glitchy thing, turning causes hopping and super fast movement at times. Moving up steps is kind of odd as well you have to look up in order to do it ( Which would be great if the right click mouse work was implimented) But I thought I would mention it here anyway.

Server Related: Quests, I am not sure if its been asked before but do quests work with this version of the emu included with the SC Release? If so are they perl based or some other kind of scripting language? The loginserver, How does the client send the login information to the loginserver, is it just a csv type string like "username,password' or something similar, for those of us who want to take a crack at adding authentication to the ClearLogin or make our own loginserver.

Tools and Editors: I have been playing with OpenZone and the other editors I was wondering what versions of your tools work with this emu server, also I have tried using the admin tool in the OZ forum download links post but I cant get it to work I was wondering if there is some kind of a bug or if I just dont have it setup right?

Database Related: Items again lol, Is it possible to remove all the unknownxxx fields in the items table and server code or are those in some way hardcoded in the client?

All In all let me say this is a great start for a client and server engine for anyone who wants to put some work in and make a unique game and I cant wait to see how it grows and progresses, documentation for what can be customized and how to customize it would be awesome though. Thank you for all your hard work Windcatcher!!

[wexford]

Appending previous post:

The admin tool version 5.3 works fine aside from the item icon stuff.

[Windcatcher]

Originally Posted by wexford

Well Let me first start off by saying Awesome work so far Windcatcher. Now then,

Client: I was wondering if there was a way to change the window title and or the icon of the client so that people can customize it to match their Game/Server name? Also Ive been looking through the xml files and INI Files, Am I correct in assuming that you can change the races and classes skills and so forth?

You can only change what the races and classes are called at the moment. I've put together some preliminary packets for allowing the server to customize the client on the fly, but I haven't added support for them yet. It's just that higher-priority things keep getting in the way (take a look at all the things you're asking for in this post, and realize that I can only work on one thing at a time -- and that I also have a life and don't nearly work on this every day).

Originally Posted by wexford

If so what kind of changes would it require serverside so as to not break the client in terms of how it interfaces with the emu?

If you change an existing packet, especially it's size, the client will toss it away unless you change the corresponding .txt file definition that the client has. In any case, though, the client only uses those fields it knows to use, and those are of necessity called out in the code.

Originally Posted by wexford

Also Would it be possible to add a loading splash screen?

For loading zones? There is already a loading splash screen when the client loads global content.

Originally Posted by wexford

In the xml files there is alot of {param 1} type stuff is that parameter hardcoded in the client or does it read what is in the string you send via the chat box or that the server sends?

Hardcoded in the client. Those parameters let the client insert dynamic information into a string, such as, for instance, a mob's name. There is also a packet that lets the server send a parameter list to be inserted, and this is where those entries are really critical. The live client does something similar with %1, %2, etc. constructs, but I wanted a scheme that was potentially more flexible.

Originally Posted by wexford

Also is there some kind of a way to add new windows in the gui like help files, a potion belt extra hotbutton bars Chat windows things like that?

Today, no. I've been thinking about putting the GUI configuration into an XML file instead of having it all hard-coded, but the central issue is that while it would allow rearranging things, what you're talking about requires some sort of matching functionality in the code so the client would know what to do with it. Since the client supports slash commands it's conceivable that having the GUI defined in XML would let someone add buttons that could be mapped to slash commands, but you can already do this with the hotkey pane.

Originally Posted by wexford

Item editing: Well I asked before, but I was wondering if we can have an Item Icon/Material/Model Reference list for the included Items, same for spells, or a brief writeup on how the id system works for those things so that it is possible to add to them as well as edit what is already there.

I'm not sure what you're asking for here. It's all database-driven, and works exactly the way the live client works. The only difference is the icon image order is my own. The admin tool will work with the SimpleClient icon files out of the box, and you can always look at the images to see the icon order. Does anyone know if there is a generic EQEmu material or model reference? I did post a link somewhere to the OpenZone .SCN file for the equipment file that SimpleClient uses, which will tell you what models are in there.

Originally Posted by wexford

Targeting/Movement: I have noticed targeting seems a bit glitchy you have to click the npc or pc in just the right spot in order for it to target them, any chance of perhaps allowing it to work if you click anywhere on the mob or pc instead of just that one right spot?

Yeah, that's something I need to fix. One trick is to click on the lower half of a mob (e.g. below the waist). That always seems to work. I probably need to look for a factor of two somewhere that's screwed up.

Originally Posted by wexford

Movement is another slightly glitchy thing, turning causes hopping and super fast movement at times. Moving up steps is kind of odd as well you have to look up in order to do it ( Which would be great if the right click mouse work was implimented) But I thought I would mention it here anyway.

Server Related: Quests, I am not sure if its been asked before but do quests work with this version of the emu included with the SC Release? If so are they perl based or some other kind of scripting language?

I don't know if EQEmu 0.5.5 supports quests as I've never tried it. If you look at server_versions.ini you can see what versions the client supports. Quests are server-driven and SimpleClient would make use of them the same way that the live client would for those server versions. You would have to find information on those server versions to see how to make quests work. It's not a client issue.

Originally Posted by wexford

The loginserver, How does the client send the login information to the loginserver, is it just a csv type string like "username,password' or something similar, for those of us who want to take a crack at adding authentication to the ClearLogin or make our own loginserver.

Not sure what you're asking here. ClearLogin is open-source: the client sends them in packets that Doodman and I designed. The ClearLogin source should tell you how the LS unpacks them, and hence how the client packs them. The trick is the LSID: the LS returns an LSID to the client, and this is what the client uses to talk to the world server. I don't remember off the top of my head how this works, but this is the idea, I think. The protocol from SimpleClient to the world server is identical to that for the live client, if that helps.

Originally Posted by wexford

Tools and Editors: I have been playing with OpenZone and the other editors I was wondering what versions of your tools work with this emu server, also I have tried using the admin tool in the OZ forum download links post but I cant get it to work I was wondering if there is some kind of a bug or if I just dont have it setup right?

You should always use the newest version of OpenZone.

Originally Posted by wexford

Database Related: Items again lol, Is it possible to remove all the unknownxxx fields in the items table and server code or are those in some way hardcoded in the client?

The client doesn't care about database tables, only the packets that go between it and the server. Reworking database tables is a server issue, though you should of course be careful not to remove something that the server sends to the client in some form.

Originally Posted by wexford

All In all let me say this is a great start for a client and server engine for anyone who wants to put some work in and make a unique game and I cant wait to see how it grows and progresses, documentation for what can be customized and how to customize it would be awesome though. Thank you for all your hard work Windcatcher!!

[wexford]

You can only change what the races and classes are called at the moment. I've put together some preliminary packets for allowing the server to customize the client on the fly, but I haven't added support for them yet. It's just that higher-priority things keep getting in the way (take a look at all the things you're asking for in this post, and realize that I can only work on one thing at a time -- and that I also have a life and don't nearly work on this every day).

Ahh Ok that makes sense.Oh I understand that fully this post is merely so you have a central post where people can post bugs feedback and that sort of thing so you can have it all in one place..

If you change an existing packet, especially it's size, the client will toss it away unless you change the corresponding .txt file definition that the client has. In any case, though, the client only uses those fields it knows to use, and those are of necessity called out in the code.

Ahh ok, makes sense

For loading zones? There is already a loading splash screen when the client loads global content.

Yes, loading zones sorry lol

Hardcoded in the client. Those parameters let the client insert dynamic information into a string, such as, for instance, a mob's name. There is also a packet that lets the server send a parameter list to be inserted, and this is where those entries are really critical. The live client does something similar with %1, %2, etc. constructs, but I wanted a scheme that was potentially more flexible.

Ahh that makes sense I wasnt sure if I could add it into the gametext.xml file for things like zone names while its loading ( untill theres a kind of loading screen for them)

Today, no. I've been thinking about putting the GUI configuration into an XML file instead of having it all hard-coded, but the central issue is that while it would allow rearranging things, what you're talking about requires some sort of matching functionality in the code so the client would know what to do with it. Since the client supports slash commands it's conceivable that having the GUI defined in XML would let someone add buttons that could be mapped to slash commands, but you can already do this with the hotkey pane.

Would a plugin system be possible for people to do the same thing they can with the server versions and packet structs, with other things, where they could assign the gui config in an xml file with a field in there (or a plugins xml file) that would tell the client to include a DLL for the added functionality?

I'm not sure what you're asking for here. It's all database-driven, and works exactly the way the live client works. The only difference is the icon image order is my own. The admin tool will work with the SimpleClient icon files out of the box, and you can always look at the images to see the icon order. Does anyone know if there is a generic EQEmu material or model reference? I did post a link somewhere to the OpenZone .SCN file for the equipment file that SimpleClient uses, which will tell you what models are in there.

Oh ok, is it possible to add new icons via new tga files?

Yeah, that's something I need to fix. One trick is to click on the lower half of a mob (e.g. below the waist). That always seems to work. I probably need to look for a factor of two somewhere that's screwed up.

Yep that is where I have been clicking. Well, most of the time lol.

I don't know if EQEmu 0.5.5 supports quests as I've never tried it. If you look at server_versions.ini you can see what versions the client supports. Quests are server-driven and SimpleClient would make use of them the same way that the live client would for those server versions. You would have to find information on those server versions to see how to make quests work. It's not a client issue.

Not sure what you're asking here. ClearLogin is open-source: the client sends them in packets that Doodman and I designed. The ClearLogin source should tell you how the LS unpacks them, and hence how the client packs them. The trick is the LSID: the LS returns an LSID to the client, and this is what the client uses to talk to the world server. I don't remember off the top of my head how this works, but this is the idea, I think. The protocol from SimpleClient to the world server is identical to that for the live client, if that helps.

That helps greatly actually, theres no encryption though correct?

You should always use the newest version of OpenZone.

Ok When you export should you use BSP Or octree?

The client doesn't care about database tables, only the packets that go between it and the server. Reworking database tables is a server issue, though you should of course be careful not to remove something that the server sends to the client in some form.

Ok so basicly I would just need to remove them and edit the packet structs or just not worry about setting them at all

Thank you for the quick reply, and sorry for the tirade of questions LOL

[wexford]

Oh one more thing about item iconsthe reason I cant figure out the order, is for instance the Cloth Cap item has an icon id of 505 but it is in items1.tga bottom row first column. So what I was asking is what the id's are and or how to figure out the pattern of how you numbered them

[Windcatcher]

Originally Posted by wexford

Oh one more thing about item iconsthe reason I cant figure out the order, is for instance the Cloth Cap item has an icon id of 505 but it is in items1.tga bottom row first column. So what I was asking is what the id's are and or how to figure out the pattern of how you numbered them

Just point the admin tool (newest version: this is is important) at the folder where SimpleClient's icon files are and it will use them. Icons start at ID 500 and progress top-to-bottom, left-to-right. Don't ask me why, this is simply the way the live client does it and I decided to use the same scheme since it made life a lot easier when adding support for SimpleClient to the admin tool. You can always add new icon files, the client will load as many as are there as long as they're numbered consecutively. Same goes for the admin tool; they're designed to be expandable.

There is no encryption at this time. I don't know anything about it and it's a low priority given all of the other things on people's wish lists.

You should always export the BSP tree from OpenZone. The file format supports either, but SimpleClient only supports BSP trees. More to the point, my 3D engine only supports them.

[wexford]

Well 5.5 refuses to connect to the database reguardless of what mysql version I use or libmysql.dll file it refuses to connect at all ever either locally or remotely, thats why I have been using 5.3 which works fine aside from the icons.

Oh no no I wasnt asking for there to be encryption. I was merely asking if there was any implimented already that I would need to impliment if I wanted to make my own Login Server for it

[wexford]

[Windcatcher]

Hmmm. A simple workaround for the admin tool would be to do the following:

- Make a folder (any name)
- In it, make a "uifiles" subfolder
- In *that*, make a "default" subfolder so that you have a "uifiles\default" structure
- Copy SimpleClient's icon files over to the uifiles\default folder you made
- Rename the icon files so they match EQLive's naming scheme, that is, dragitem1.tga, dragitem2.tga, etc.
- Point the admin tool to the top-level folder you created.

[wexford]

Thanks I was actually thinking about doing that, I take it the same would work for spell icons as well? Same number scheme I mean?

[Windcatcher]

Originally Posted by wexford

Thanks I was actually thinking about doing that, I take it the same would work for spell icons as well? Same number scheme I mean?

Yes, spell icons work the same way as live. You can use them with OpenSpell with a little file renaming.

[wexford]

OH, do you have a list of the dieties from eq to the new ones you made incase people wanht to change them?

Also I just noticed no matter what your hp and mana and so forth is the personal/inventory window caps at 2757

[wexford]

And a very important question,

Could we get a list of what to remove from the admin tool item visuals file so it matches SC and not the eq client?

[wexford]

Ok I found a rather odd bug, I recently used 3ds Max to make a zone imported it to OpenZone exported as xwa, bsp tree, now I can load the zone fine when ingame if i logout while in the zone and log back in the zone crashes consistantly everytime, Im wondering if its the version of Openzone I used or perhaps because I used multiple textures on the terrain when I made it in 3ds max or perhaps the version of 3ds max I used to make it? Im using OpenZone 8.3 and 3ds Max 9, I didnt use materials i just mapped two different textures onto the terrain one for mountain tops one for the lower elevations... Any thoughts?

[wexford]

Does anyone know where a good resource for learning how to make the character models in amin8or is?