Universal Server Patcher

drakelord · #1 05-19-2009, 09:44 AM

So, I've been working on something interesting. I enjoy playing on both normal "live" type servers and custom servers. Switching between the two often times requires me restoring backups of files, patching, and all of this other stuff. This can get tedious after a while, especially while jumping between 3-4 servers.

This is where a nifty tool I have created comes in. This tool allows for a person to select which server they are going to connect to. It then backs up the default files that are going to be replaced by the server, and downloads them to a directory in the EQ folder. It then temporarily replaces the main ones. Whenever you want to restore the defaults or switch to another server, just reopen the launcher.

Now, before I can release this fantastic tool and start having admins use it, there are a few things that need discussion. Namely, some of the legality issues behind this.

First of all, in order to be added to the patcher, an admin has to contact me and inform me of their server and where the files they wish for the patcher to obtain are hosted. This isn't a bad thing. However, it also leads to another issue, which is the possibility of people trying to distribute client files they shouldn't be. I have ways to fix this problem, and prevent people from trying to say, transfer eqgame.exe and other such files.

But there are other possible issues that can arise from this. Sooo, here we are to discuss this. Would anyone use this tool if it was available? What are some of the issues you can think of? Solutions? ETC.

drakelord · #2 05-19-2009, 10:02 AM

Just to add a couple pieces of information:

No, this does not redownload the files for a server everytime it launches. It saves them in a directory and on launch, uses MD5 checksums to determine if the file has changed.
And also, the "Default" mode downloads nothing but the eqemu eqhost.txt file. Everything else the player must have, just like now. No client files are distributed.

KingMort · #3 05-19-2009, 01:11 PM

I've spent hours on the phone with SOE's legal department...

What your doing is TOTALLY Legal...

As long as you do not release .S3D files.. or .EXE files from the everquest directory...(such as zone files or eqgame.exe ect) They can not be legally patched, or distributed...

However Spells files, and UI's and everything like that you can distribute...

So this is a great idea!!

At Raid Addicts we just had a player make us a patcher .. You should check t hat out.. Not sure if it is as good as yours but worth looking into...

www.raidaddicts.org then click downloads...

Would also be cool if in your patcher you allowed for server ops to put their own images on it... Like we have with ours... Also it would be great if you had this patcher install itself in the most user friendly means possible.. And then add an icon to the desktop for the players to easily access it...

Keep up the good work.... Patchers was something eqemu voided away from for a while but since I have done the research and I know damn well SOE does not care.. It is for sure going to be an asset to this community..

Jordan "King" Mortenson
owner - www.raidaddicts.org

PS: I will be willing to help you test this,, Contact me in IRC "KingMort" or via Email ... KingMortenson@yahoo.com

drakelord · #4 05-19-2009, 03:29 PM

I took a look at your patcher. This one is a little more advanced,

I can make an option to where it changes a banner image upon choosing which server you select, that wouldn't be hard.

A question about the .S3D files though. If you use say, openzone to make your own, can you still not overwrite the old ones?

Also, this patcher doesn't require installation. Just need to unzip it somewhere and run. Only downside is that it requires the .NET framework, like the SoD patcher does.

KingMort · #5 05-19-2009, 10:38 PM

As a lead of this community .. I strongly suggest folks help with this effort it will help unite us...

King

drakelord · #6 05-20-2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loic

Lead? *double checks his name and group* hmmm I think the only "Leads" are the people with colored names... That aside

Personally I wouldnt use it or any other system for patching an EQ Client,having googled since reading this and seeing several servers being shut down by SOE for patching I wouldnt take the chance personally.

I also am not too sure how much faith I would put into something that is totally dependant on someone elses abbility to host it and their intrest in continuing to do so, Given recent examples such as the loginserver issues of the inherent danger in putting all eggs in one basket, its not something i would use, it treds too far into the realm of the legal grey area for my tastes and too far into precisly the same situation that the login server issues present of late.

Personally I see no reason for a "universal" patching system anyway since most people dont use custom content for their servers, that means all that would be done is the eqhost.txt file changes which is both simple and the eqemu.devnoob.com site has their loginserver list page do that automaticly via a manual download.

I also dont really see how this would be a unifying project, about the only thing that would unite the private loginservers as well as the public in a meaningfull way is to have something that presents a list of ALL loginservers available both private and the official one and so forth.

In reguards to this particular project, while a patcher seems like a really good Idea it being centralized like this seems like a huge security risk, lets say someone starts using it to distribute backpatches and instead of just that server getting taken out by a C&D They also come after the host and slap them with a C&D And then EQEmu as a whole because the community devs and admins condoned and gave their ok and eqemu gets slapped with a C&D as well.

Bare in mind here these are just my two cp and such but patching the client is walking on thin ice imo legally speaking other servers have been shut down for precisly that. Plus the dangers of the host getting tired of doing the hosting and maintanance on the "database" and such along with the obvious trust issues associated with the players connecting to a third party whom may or may not be trust worthy and downloading files through that party as well I dunno but count me outa that.

The reason previous servers have been shut down for patchers is because they were patching files they weren't supposed to be. WR as an example was patching eqgame.exe, which is a big no no.

And you are right, for any server that doesn't use custom files, this isn't needed. But like I said, its for individuals who play on custom servers.

And as for the "hosting" issue, hosting can easily be transferred to EQEmu or whoever else if they decided they wanted to take up the helm. It only requires a one line change in the source code. It is not "totally dependent" on me. EQEmu would be safe as long as it responded to takedown notices for servers hosting backpatches and such. Its just like how Google hosts torrent files willingly and removes them when companies ask them to.

And finally, the "database" is just a text file with the servers and their listing. There isn't any real "maintenance" to that, :/

**trevius** · #7 05-20-2009, 05:37 PM

This is a warning that the next person to start drama in this thread will be banned for a week.

KingMort · #8 05-20-2009, 05:40 PM

It's true if your distributing EXE and S3D your going to get busted...

But you can't tell the people at http://www.eqinterface.com that they are breaking the law because they aren't....

Text Files.. UI Files ect ect these things are totally legal to distribute...

drakelord · #9 05-20-2009, 08:21 PM

And now the moment you have all been waiting for!

/sarcasm off

Here is Beta version 1.0 of my patcher.

http://reine-wissenschaft.net/patcher/patcher.rar

Download, try it out, and let me know what bugs you have, as well as any suggestions, requests, etc.

ALSO, before I forget. This utilizes the .NET 3.5 framework. This is normally automatically installed in Vista, Windows 7, and XP SP3. If for some reason you do not have it on your system and it fails to launch, download the .net framework from microsoft.

**trevius** · #10 05-21-2009, 07:33 AM

The app seems to work pretty well as far as I can tell. Nice work

The one thing I noticed that might need some thought is that it doesn't do anything about the eqhost.txt file. I am thinking that there are 2 options:

1. Have all servers that use your app required to create an eqhost.txt file for their server and share it, even if they are a public server (then it would just be the normal eqhost.txt file).

2. As part of the server registration process, you could have servers either select a Login Server, or enter their own. Then, just have the tool create the eqhost.txt file when switching servers.

This way, people could easily switch from public to private servers with even more ease.

drakelord · #11 05-21-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevius

The app seems to work pretty well as far as I can tell. Nice work

The one thing I noticed that might need some thought is that it doesn't do anything about the eqhost.txt file. I am thinking that there are 2 options:

1. Have all servers that use your app required to create an eqhost.txt file for their server and share it, even if they are a public server (then it would just be the normal eqhost.txt file).

2. As part of the server registration process, you could have servers either select a Login Server, or enter their own. Then, just have the tool create the eqhost.txt file when switching servers.

This way, people could easily switch from public to private servers with even more ease.

Actually, it changes the eqhost.txt file upon launching, it just doesn't say it. Try it, make a new eqhost and then launch,

It changes it out before people start updating, so that if a server has their own custom eqhost, it will still be overwritten for their LS.

drakelord · #12 05-21-2009, 01:21 PM

So far, 1 bug report and 1 minor issue.

Bug: Attempts to write eqhost.txt even if no directory is specified.
-Fixed in source code, will be included in the next release.

Issue: In Vista and Windows 7, if a folder is located under Program Files, permissions in the folder default to read-only and can not be changed by standard means.
-Fix is to go to cmd, and use the attrib -RS command on the directory everquest is in, then remove the read only setting on the files. The directories will still say read only, but the files will not.

PathToEternity · #13 05-21-2009, 04:10 PM

I will probably check this out after I get back in town next week.

I really like this idea, and was thinking about something like this with the recent LS issues. Being able to swap files for custom servers is a huge bonus.

Are you working closely with any server admins who use custom files?

drakelord · #14 05-21-2009, 04:20 PM

Depends on what you mean by "working closely".

In terms of affiliation towards a specific server, no. I don't have any.

As for how I've been testing the product, KingMort has been more than helpful by uploading all of his patch files to a special directory and has allowed me to harass him a lot over the last couple days. So kudos to him. About 500 files to download for his server, :X; It was a good experience.

Right now, there are 3 servers on the list, as well as the Default don't patch option.

But I think I might change the name of this from a patcher to a launcher. Because people who don't have any custom files on their server can benefit from this system because of the link to their servers page.

For a new player who looks at the server select page in game, it can be confusing, and sometimes hard to find out which server is what. With the feature I have built into my launcher, people can quickly figure out server information for a server.

drakelord · #15 05-22-2009, 08:39 AM

If you list your server and it uses a separate login server, just include eqhost.txt in your patcher file. It will work just fine.

EDIT:: Didn't see your previous post, lol. Answering

1) How are the files monitored E.G. how does the patcher recognize what files the server op is using it for, where are they remotely stored and how does the patcher stop people from distributing files they arent supposed to be such as eqgame.exe or copyrighted s3d files so on and so forth?

The files distributed by the patcher are chosen based on a patch file that each server makes themselves. Its a text file that lists each file to be patched. It checks for updates by using file size information. All the files are stored on the servers own webhost, not mine.

2) what kind of connection is there is it to you then to the person hosting the files and such?

The only connection between me/patcher and the person hosting the files is that I link to them, much like google links to torrent files. After that, all of the data is handled by their server. This allows me to quickly cut a person off if someone finds illegal files in their patcher doc.

3 Will the source code be provided/ As ive seen in posts about related tools that ive read people dont seem to like software that makes connections without being able to see the source or have a dev give it a gold seal.

If the devs wish to see the source code, I will share it with them. However, I don't want to post it globally.