EQMac Closing - A call for help

**cavedude** · #1 02-01-2012, 11:55 AM

As most of you know, EQMac is being closed down 3/29. This is as shame for many reasons, the least of all is there will no longer be a way to play EverQuest on the PPC platform at all. The other reason why this is a shame is because Al'Kabor is a very unique server in that it is permanently stuck in time in the PoP era. This is why I am making this post. Before the server shuts down, I'd like to siphon as much data as we can off of it to try to preserve it. I do need some help with this project, so hence the reason for the post.

The good news is EQMac is now FREE until it shuts down. I am not sure if new accounts can be made, or you have to use an existing account but I have confirmed I can log into EQMac without a subscription, and Station shows my account is active and exempt to subscriptions. (The account has been used on EQMac in the past.)

The bad news is you do need access to Mac OS X to play. I am not sure if programs like VMWare or Virtual PC can emulate 3d hardware well enough to run the EverQuest client, but if they can that is certainly an option and something anybody can do. You just need to have enough power to run Windows and Mac OS simultaneously (most modern machines will have no trouble with that), and have access to a Mac OS disc to install. (There are also premade VMWare etc images floating around the net if you look, but even if you do legally own the OS I don't know what the legality of that is.) Also, I am in the process of installing Mac OS natively on my Dell laptop. I know PCs with modern Intel chips (Core 2 Duo+) run Mac OS pretty well, and there are drivers for much of the hardware out there. If you have a spare drive laying about or don't mind partitioning that is another option. It's a bit more advanced than emulation, but guaranteed to have better results.

What we need right now:

- People with a high level characters that are especially keyed for Sleepers (Sleeper has not been woken on Al'Kabor yet, though they do plan to soon. I would KILL for a working log of that zone.) Also, PoP flagging is a plus too, remember in this era you had to get flagged for PoP. Obviously, the more keys and flags the better.

- People who don't mind running around with low level toons using invis or other tricks to capture packets, gather NPC cons, and log in-game texts.

- We don't actually have a way to log packets yet. I believe we should probably go with Wireshark as that is as general as can be and there is a version for both PPC and Intel (Though atm, I am having a hell of a time getting the PPC version to run on my PowerMac, thus the reason I am installing Mac OS on my Dell.) I believe there is also a ShowEQ client available for Mac that can do very elementary logging, but packet captures are the proper way to do this.

- Once we get Wireshark and the EverQuest client running on the same box, we'd need a way to decipher the logs we create. Obviously, EQExtractor2 will be the way we start but I imagine it will not require anything less than heavy modifications to add support of EQMac logs. I do plan to look into that, but if anybody more knowledgeable than me wants to take a crack at it, please feel free. The E&B emulator has proven emulation of a closed server is completely possible with only packet logs. In this case we don't even need to emulate an entire server, just enough to turn our packets logs into working SQL.

At this point, I have a level 2 character on Al'Kabor so I am going to work on trying to get a packet log, and then see if I can get EQExtractor2 to work with it. Hopefully, I can get a procedure soon so we can all get collecting.

The data we mine WILL be released as an open source project like everything else ProjectEQ does. The resulting logs (at least in SQL format) will also be available to the public, per normal.

I am posting this both in the PEQ news section, and the EQEmu general section.

Secrets · #2 02-01-2012, 12:17 PM

A while ago, Rogean and I wrote an EQMac for Windows client. I'm thinking now would be a good idea for us to release it with packet logging built in.

I also already have a loginserver that works with EQMac should we want to emulate it, keep in mind it uses the old, old, OLD packet protocol for in-game connections and not the current SOE one. That would have to be coded should we want to add it to the emulator.

liquest · #3 02-01-2012, 12:27 PM

I dont see why the VMWare wont work, only one way to be sure honestly try it and see. I can bust out my old macbook and see what i can do if i can get it running again.

Secrets · #4 02-01-2012, 05:58 PM

I re-wrote the EQMac Windows DLL based on the information Rogean and I gathered. I'll have more information later when I get a hold of cavedude and give him the source to this DLL.

In the meantime, hold onto your horses, we're going to have a packet collector working for certain volunteers soon.

Speedz · #5 02-01-2012, 06:02 PM

I have some errands to run today, but after that I will pop on here and do my part. I already have EQmac up and running on my Powerbook G4.

Very glad to see this post as I was wanting an Emu on that thing

PM me with your toon name Cavedude. Maybe we can get an Emu group going, or I am quite sure we can compel some of the higher levels to help out. There is alot of angst toward SOE on the mac forum. I'm sure if a mac emu popped up that would make many mac owners happy.

Secrets · #6 02-01-2012, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedz

I have some errands to run today, but after that I will pop on here and do my part. I already have EQmac up and running on my Powerbook G4.

Very glad to see this post as I was wanting an Emu on that thing

PM me with your toon name Cavedude. Maybe we can get an Emu group going, or I am quite sure we can compel some of the higher levels to help out. There is alot of angst toward SOE on the mac forum. I'm sure if a mac emu popped up that would make many mac owners happy.

It would be relatively trivial to make a mac emulator. We already have the loginserver from ages past to make things work, and the protocol is exactly the same *for the loginserver*. (sans actually typing the EQ password, that is passed to the client in plaintext)

Kavanah · #7 02-01-2012, 07:11 PM

I have a 55 shaman and 56 monk on that server, both on separate accounts if anyone wants to use my account for anything.

I am SUPER upset to hear that they are shutting it down. There is no server with a greater community than Alkabor. It was ideal for those who wanted to run away from the normal Live crowd. I am also very sad for those who spent hundreds and hundreds of hours developing their characters there. Sad day, on the bright side, EMU should pick up some really great people when the mac client can support it.

On a side note, I called their Alkabor customer support one night for some problems with my billing... it was like the most unprofessional thing I've ever seen from a company. I envisioned this 21 year old guy sitting at his house answering this phone line. He was like... "dude you are lucky its a Friday man, I'll get this fixed but bro you are lucky its a Friday." I then told him I had not one but two accounts to fix and he was like, "bro you are killing me man, are you kidding me? Seriously dude you need to keep your stuff straight, "hey Jim is my order of pizza coming in today or what?" look man I'll fix this but you need to make sure this doesn't happen again."

At least no one has to deal with that guy ever again. (hopefully)

Speedz · #8 02-01-2012, 07:36 PM

Thats great news Secrets thanks for the info. Rather looking forward to the prospect of this. Sad that it comes at such a price to those that loved the live mac server and got kicked under the rug so coldly.

Speedz · #9 02-01-2012, 08:42 PM

Maybe its time to ask for a EQmac forum section since this topic will likely be a point of interest now?

PixelEngineer · #10 02-01-2012, 08:59 PM

I hate the term "trivial" being used for anything development related. Remember, it's easy to start a project but to maintain momentum, that takes drive.

pfyon · #11 02-01-2012, 09:12 PM

An EQMac for Windows client would make things so much easier.

**cavedude** · #12 02-03-2012, 03:01 PM

We are moving this project to the PEQ forums: http://www.peqtgc.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13016

Anybody who is willing to help with accounts or actually mine data shoot me a PM over there. We do have a Windows solution for the client now, but we still need a way to parse any data we collect.

I'm locking this thread.