A Merge.

[maddkennykenny]

Alright, well, we see little pockets of people, two here, three there, twenty-five everywhere; maybe we should just merge alot of the servers. Think of it, more people, more interaction, a deeper level of gameplay, certainly better content. All the admins hosting could come together and create even better stuff. Post your thoughts. PEACE!

[kouhei]

Alright, well, we see little pockets of people, two here, three there, twenty-five everywhere; maybe we should just merge alot of the servers. Think of it, more people, more interaction, a deeper level of gameplay, certainly better content. All the admins hosting could come together and create even better stuff. Post your thoughts. PEACE!



I think thats a good idea but I think you will have some server ops who want to do things a certain way and thats why they probally will remain seperate. Just like you said it could improve the game play a lot. I have seen some servers that have spawns up too OOW. Then there are some servers who only have luclin. Same with quests some servers have more quests then others.

[TheClaus]

That would defeat the purpose of people wanting to run their own server by there own rules.

I think a cool thing would be to allow people to run their own zones by their own rules but I don't think that the client would handle that.

[Cisyouc]

Besides. A server which causes too much attention now'a'days isn't invisble from Sony's radar.

[MysticDeath]

What Cisyouc said... Happened with Scorpious2k, happened with Winter's Roar. =P Bad luck comes with popular servers. haha. :)

[Dr Zauis]

Alright, well, we see little pockets of people, two here, three there, twenty-five everywhere; maybe we should just merge alot of the servers. Think of it, more people, more interaction, a deeper level of gameplay, certainly better content. All the admins hosting could come together and create even better stuff. Post your thoughts. PEACE!

Im not interested in EQemu for the players or even for playing the game myself. Im more interested in making my own baby whether or not people like it. So I would choose to stay independant as a custom server. Although I dont have much time right now I plan to evolve my server into a custom experience.
I suggest that if one want to socialize with other players they should choose PEQ and consider PEQ as the closest to live gameplay of all the servers.
My server on the other hand is whatever I choose it to be. Regardless of what anyone else wants. Although I will consider what the players want I dont cater to them at the expense of what I want to do.
I know it can get boring playing alone but I have seen groups log on to my server so thats one solution.

[fathernitwit]

on this note, I have dreamed of a "character transfer service" to allow rings of servers to permit players to move between servers. Using public key encryption to verify the authenticity of character "saves" from other servers, a server op would be able to "trust" another server, allowing people to transfer chars between them. This could also let people "back up" their characters.

anyways, theres a lot of work to be done to make it happen, but I am willing to provide design and guidance to make this happen if there are any willing and able PHP developers out there.

[TheClaus]

That sounds like a great idea father. Let me get some things settled and I would be glad to help out with that.

[kouhei]

on this note, I have dreamed of a "character transfer service" to allow rings of servers to permit players to move between servers. Using public key encryption to verify the authenticity of character "saves" from other servers, a server op would be able to "trust" another server, allowing people to transfer chars between them. This could also let people "back up" their characters.

anyways, theres a lot of work to be done to make it happen, but I am willing to provide design and guidance to make this happen if there are any willing and able PHP developers out there.


I realy think thats the best idea yet. Since like some server ops say. The reason why they created the server was they had a dream of how EQ should be run and with that PHP way you say it FNW that would be a good idea but you might have to add a something up because some people who play on a custom legit server might receive custom items. Might have to let them know those custom items found on the char/bank would not be transfered. But overall I like the IDEA. Now just need to learn how to program in PHP to help you out with the programing part.

[sdabbs65]

I realy think thats the best idea yet. Since like some server ops say. The reason why they created the server was they had a dream of how EQ should be run and with that PHP way you say it FNW that would be a good idea but you might have to add a something up because some people who play on a custom legit server might receive custom items. Might have to let them know those custom items found on the char/bank would not be transfered. But overall I like the IDEA. Now just need to learn how to program in PHP to help you out with the programing part.
Hackers, crackers and spoofers will run amok with something like this Implemented.
they could not only gain access to MYSQL database and screw your shard
but maybe even your computer if they know how to look up passwords in SQL.
I have a lot of other Database's in SQL and such a risk is not worth it.
now you might be able to use the Charmover.php file to export the char file.
but importing from a unknown link is very dangerous.
not to mention people will just make uber chars and then import them to any server that they want uberness on.
http://www.3d-animated.com/animation/3d/monsters/monsters2.gif

[Belfedia]

Yes great idea for legit server like live :)

[TheClaus]

Hackers, crackers and spoofers will run amok with something like this Implemented.
they could not only gain access to MYSQL database and screw your shard
but maybe even your computer if they know how to look up passwords in SQL.
I have a lot of other Database's in SQL and such a risk is not worth it.
now you might be able to use the Charmover.php file to export the char file.
but importing from a unknown link is very dangerous.
not to mention people will just make uber chars and then import them to any server that they want uberness on.
http://www.3d-animated.com/animation/3d/monsters/monsters2.gif
I don't see hackers, crackers, and spooders running amok. Like father said it would have some sort of server key and I would implement it were that servers would have to trust each other.

If you choose as a server admin to not allow it then your key wouldn't be available and character transfers wouldn't happen.

[sdabbs65]

[QUOTE=TheClaus]I don't see hackers, crackers, and spooders running amok. Like father said it would have some sort of server key and I would implement it were that servers would have to trust each other.

If you choose as a server admin to not allow it then your key wouldn't be available and character transfers wouldn't happen.[/QUOT
E]
This makes about as much sense as mergeing Database's into one Giant server.
bottom line... Not going to happen.
and if you do it... I'm betting it will be Chaos.

[TheClaus]

Man everyone is a critic. I remember why I left the emulator project a couple years ago.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but no need to bash it. There are some underlying problems I can forsee. One is the custom items from one server wouldn't make the trip because the item db wouldn't be sync.

Though I could see some nice things with a character transfer. One example would be that I have a server that is doing alright but I have lost interest. Instead of dropping it all of a sudden I instead allow the people on my server to transfer their characters over to another server that has a good community. The other community may have custom items while mine doesn't so they can transfer their toon with the money they have and not have to start over.

The other server gets a bit more people that are just having fun and I can drop my server without any problems.

Now to say that it would all be chaos is just insane. It would have checks and balances and I am sure whoever does this would have to have a developer's blessing for people to trust it as good. People here use to get paranoid when someone would release a tool written in VB and not have the source code available. The same applies to this. If it is written well then it shouldn't have problems.

[Cisyouc]

Personally, as the parent poster stated, I would find it _very_ cool if there was a server made with the collaborative effort of all our best administrators and developers under some kind of guideline and administration (so there isn't disputes between person a wanting to do something different than person b). But it would take a lot of work, communication and agreeability(important!) among the involved persons. Unfortunately its been my experience, however, that if there is more than 2 or 3 people working on a project, theres always going to be conflict which will eventually break up the server for very selfish reasons.

Besides, as already stated, most server ops and developers here using EQEMu are such because they have a vision and they want it done their way; they do not want to work in a group. Even if they wouldn't mind -- it would be near impossible for them to decide on a common vision, at least.

[Cisyouc]

Hackers, crackers and spoofers will run amok with something like this Implemented.
they could not only gain access to MYSQL database and screw your shard
but maybe even your computer if they know how to look up passwords in SQL.How? Its PHP, if this were to be so, the system for moving characters would have to be of a very, very poor design. Its not like its going to be http://myserver.org/charmove.php?query=INSERT%20INTO%20characters...

now you might be able to use the Charmover.php file to export the char file.char file?
but importing from a unknown link is very dangerous.It wouldn't be unknown. The premise is that you would make a deal with a partner server to allow interaccess. Unknown servers wouldn't be allowed.

not to mention people will just make uber chars and then import them to any server that they want uberness on.This, I agree, and I wouldn't look forward to that.

[sdabbs65]

How? Its PHP, if this were to be so, the system for moving characters would have to be of a very, very poor design. Its not like its going to be http://myserver.org/charmove.php?query=INSERT%20INTO%20characters...

char file?
It wouldn't be unknown. The premise is that you would make a deal with a partner server to allow interaccess. Unknown servers wouldn't be allowed.

This, I agree, and I wouldn't look forward to that.
char file?,
I forgot to explain that ,sheesh.
it has not been made yet but im guessing it will go something
like the old hackersquest server connects go .
see below
maybe in the format of a XML file
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connecting 017D8...
Received:
Login Version Request.
Sending:
Login Version:
6-6-2003 1200
Received:
Login as teste using -Q(ai`on{_Ik4Qt?. Info: none, Data: 00000001, 00000001
Sending:
LoginId: 0000000083, U1-4: 00000000 00000000 00 00000000
Received:
Login Message Request.
Sending:
Login Messages. 1 messages
Welcome to EthernalQuest login server
Received:
Server List Request. 0 servers is in list.
Sending:
Server List. 1 available servers:
EthernalQuest Server 192.168.0.5 Color: 0, Players: 1 0 0
Admin: 0 Expantions: 0 1 8 40
Chat Server: localhost:12523
Received:
Login Message Request.
Sending:
Login Messages. 1 messages
Welcome to EthernalQuest login server
Received:
Server List Request. 0 servers is in list.
Sending:
Server List. 1 available servers:
EthernalQuest Server 192.168.0.5 Color: 0, Players: 1 0 0
Admin: 0 Expantions: 0 1 8 40
Chat Server: localhost:12523
Received:
Active char request: server=192.168.0.5, code=unused.
Sending:
Account has no acive players.
Received:
ServerId Request: server=192.168.0.5
Sending:
World access key req. Account: 0000000083, flags: 7
Received:
World access key req. Account: 0000000083, flags: 7
Sending:
World access key. Account: 0000000083, access: QG22740258
Received:
World access key. Account: 0000000083, access: QG22740258
Sending:
ServerId: accessKey=QG22740258.
Received:
Logout.
Disconnecting 02A917D8...
Disconnecting 02A917D8...
Connecting 02A83030...
Sending player A917D 0021 to Server.
0000 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 38 33 00 51 47 32 32 37 0000000083.QG227
0010 34 30 32 35 38 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40258...........
0020 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0030 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................

[maddkennykenny]

I have a few friends who are skilled in php formating, I can get them to help out if your actully going to start making a transfer service :D!!

[MysticDeath]

Haha, I'm just going to restate what I saw someone else type up.

If you combine servers, it will cause too much attention. Enough so that Sony will come and shut down that server.

If you allow Character transfers over any server then players will just go onto a server make a uber character and then transfers. (which is not going to happen, becuase you will key servers that allow it) but then people will make a legit server for 4 minutes, key themselves (unless key will not be part of emu, and you have to talk to current key'ed server admins) and transfer over. But to fix most of this, you would/could set up a system thats not part of eqemu out of a direct download, and is in the source code for one to enable in features.h and recompile. but that brings up point b it will allow anyone to make an uberriffic character and transfer it over to any server. But lets say it is an alternative download and you have to make your own ring of servers to allow character transfer inbetween, that would be cool. And to join a ring you have to talk to the server admin who started that ring. :) I believe that wont cause 'too' many problems. haha ;)

[fathernitwit]

thats exactly what im talking about... this is not integrated with eqemu at all, each server makes their own descisions about trust.

such hostility.

[Ueguvil]

Although this sounds like a pretty cool idea, I personally feel like there are many other things the developers' valuable time could be spent on. Please don't take this as 'hostility'. ;)

[johane]

on this note, I have dreamed of a "character transfer service" to allow rings of servers to permit players to move between servers. Using public key encryption to verify the authenticity of character "saves" from other servers, a server op would be able to "trust" another server, allowing people to transfer chars between them. This could also let people "back up" their characters.

anyways, theres a lot of work to be done to make it happen, but I am willing to provide design and guidance to make this happen if there are any willing and able PHP developers out there.

What you're proposing is actually very damn close to a distributed server. If you added some kind of mechanisms for server ops to set policies regarding item movement, no-droppedness and "returning home laden with riches", you could have a fairly transparent means for different servers to host different zones or groups of zones, allowing servers that arn't kick-ass machines to "co-operatively" cover the entire game world. What would be quite cool is the potenmtial for subtle differences caused by slightly different databases - you could find that the "super-worlds" so contructed would be much richer game worlds being less "cookie cutter".

I don't believe that a PHP implementation would do it justice though - I see it being server-to-server via a trusted intermediary as key/policy escrow (would that be loginserver?).