Write our own client?
 

Has anyone thought on the possibility of writing our own client for use with the emu, since every time there is a patch day it breaks? My gut reaction is that it would be safer to not allow the client to read any VI content at all, but rather create our own from scratch. I've been doing some looking at Java3D, and it looks like it would do most of the work, such as collision avoidance. I realize that we would have to create everything (zones, character models, etc.) but I think it's doable. If anyone is serious about it I can finish my zone creation tool but we would have to agree on a file format (I suggest something human-readable).

Windcatcher

P.S. Java3D comes in either OpenGL or DirectX flavors and even handles sound :)

Yeah, or we could use Genesis3d, or any type of program like that, but you'd probly want the world files to be ones like the quake three engine uses... ontop of that, it would take a LONG TIME to write the whole game, and ontop of that, why not just make your own game if it was to do that. This isn't a flame or anything, I think it's a good idea, but it might be better to just write your own game if you ahve to re-create everything.

I agree DaRacne Shaitan on this one. The whole point of this project is to make a emulator for Everquest. If you want to make a client and use some of the server code that is being used that would probably work but would be ALOT of time. I know everyone is walking on eggshells cause they want the project to live but with the main goal of emulating Everquest and not make our own game we need to focus on that. Sure don't distribute a DB with stuff in it. Let people populate that themselves. I am not sure how the UO emulator works when it comes to patches if UO even does patches(sorry I got into the whole MMORPG game when EQ came out) but the logical thing would be to fix the emulator not create a client that will probably be even more buggy than Verant's.

I feel this is an excellent idea, but it comprises a completely seperate project.

After EQEmu gets into the beta stages (still in alpha, am I correct?) or even after it has gotten to the finished version (complete in all respects until you update for the next patch) then I would love to see a team form to make a sort of "Make your own MMORPG" program. It would work a whole lot like EQEmu, it could be openly discussed and even sold (Did you hear that? There's gold in them hills!). Make a solid network code, an easily editable database, and a way to recieve support, and you have yourselves a company.

However, since you're open source right now, someone else could steal this idea right from under you.

The only really hard part I would imagine is making a mapping program. However, since you're making the client- you're also making the engine, which means you should be able to make excellent maps, and even sell them in a package with the game maker.

This sounds like an easy to make program, yet a cash cow.

Good idea, different project :D

On the subject of Java3D... don't even try it.
I spent months on Java3D trying to see if I could get DX\OGL type quality. Java3D is very very inferior, I tried doing a simple particle engine and it ran like crap. Yes, Java3D runs atop DX or OpenGL, but it doesn't give you the same functionality.

Java on the other hand is great, it's just not for games yet.

As for "writing our own client", yeah... that's basically a whole new project.