As a practical matter I think the only way this could proceed in reasonable amount of time would be to start (and I stress start) with something that was an EQ client clone and then could grow to something more generic. The constraint is really the server, not the client: writing a client would be a something of a bit-by-bit, trial-and-error process: code a little functionality, test it on the server, fix it, try again, and then move on to the next bit. Rinse and repeat. At this time the only server that exists where the code is available for testing is EQEmu itself.
To grow beyond EQEmu, the server needs to send packets that communicate information about the game system itself: what kinds of abilities do players have: are there levels, or are there skills? If so, what are they? If there are deities or starting towns, what are they? If players have spells, how many can they memorize? Are there spell categories? I'm sure there is a lot more to be sent, but this is the type of game system information that would let a client/server combination (and make no mistake they have to be in sync) grow to something beyond EQ.
I also think OpenEQ bit off too much at the start. I think a more practical approach would be to write a client that is fixed to a particular server rev, and then fork that rev. Then people could begin the business of growing cilent and server beyond the scope of the EQ game system (i.e. making them more generic). It would be something of an iterative process.
I don't like the idea of using SOE's content, but barring a massive effort to create content I don't see any other way than gradually migrating away. We can create our own zones with OpenZone (and I'd still like to see a zone repository somewhere), and I've been delving into the item fragments to see if OpenZone can be improved so we can make our own item files as well (there are some issues regarding placement on the character model -- they vary based on whether it's a weapon, shield, book, etc.) If there are 2D artists here who can draw item or spell icons, those would be one or two less things that a client would need to use from EQ files (there aren't that many spell icons, so perhaps that would be a good place to start). That would only leave mob models...I've also been delving into Anim8tor to see if I can possibly import them with OpenZone (with some clearly defined constraints).
|