Released: Super Entity Game Server v0.4.2

[mobbyg]

https://i.imgur.com/6MkhWO7.png


The SEGS Group is proud to announce the first public release of the Super Entity Game Server version 0.4.2


A lot of work went into bringing this out to the community. We know many thought this effort was stalled or even dead. In the last few months new life has been breathed into it, and we would like to present you with what we hope is the start of being able to allow fans of the games we love, the ability to play.


Please consider contributing to our success by reporting bugs on our github: https://github.com/Segs/
Questions? Stop by our forum: https://segs.nemerle.eu/forumz
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/segscode


And now, what you've been waiting for...


Download binary here                    .. https://github.com/Segs/Segs/releases/tag/v0.4.2
Source code here (ZIP)                   .. https://github.com/Segs/Segs/archive/v0.4.2.zip
Source code here too (tar.gz) .. https://github.com/Segs/Segs/archive/v0.4.2.tar.gz




WHAT'S NEW

loads of broxen's code :D, including, but not limited to (chat, slashcommands, entity orientation, etc)

minimal LUA support

more tooling

AuthExerciser - a testing utility, implementing client authorization

some preliminary work on client patching.

many new slash commands

Improved Player Entity database storage serialization

Entity state updated to reflect player orientation

Some known bugs

Client does not update database automatically, but can be done manually. See issue #271 #271

Server LoginRequest should /0 terminate strings. See issue #227 #227

Description and BattleCry do not display properly in the ID window (profile page). See Issue #191 #191

Info box does not display all information (description). See issue #192 #192

What still doesn't work (not bugs per say, but unimplemented features)

Animations are not implemented. The server is unaware of animation state, and thus other clients will not see animation changes (I can't see anyone else "run" or "fly")

Entity movement is still wonky, with rubberbanding. Need to implement entity interpolation. See issue #94 #94

Server has no sense of map geometry, so no collision detection, or gravity, etc. This is being worked on by Nemerle, and can be followed at issue #81 #81

GUI, Options and Keybinds are not saved to database. This will happen in my next big pull request (est. March 25th)

Powers are not implemented

Buffs are not yet implemented

Inspirations are not yet implemented

Contacts, NPCs, and mobiles are not yet implemented

Note:
The executables in this release were built in ReleaseWithDebugInformation mode, so are a little bit fluffy

https://github.com/Segs/Segs/releases/tag/v0.4.2

[Tahquitz]

As an advisory, this server works with Issue 0 client, which is not available through Tequila or Island Rum (Issue 24.)  To play it, you'll need to find that client on the Interwebs. The SEGS website links to a torrent of it, but most of the HTTP links to it are down or broken. 

Just wanted to say this up front before folks post that Tequila/Island Rum isn't letting them connect to SEGS.

[Noyjitat]

The future of playing a fully functional game certainly looks a lot brighter with this announcement. So if you have the knowledge and know how to code/debug, give SEGS your support and any time you can spare.

[Nyghtshade]

What's the legality of this kind of thing?  Does it violate NCSoft's IP for COH?

[Blackshear]

Allow me to ask the obvious question:  what can NCSoft do to shut SEGS down?  Anything?

(Edit:  My question is not a rehash of Night's.  The legality is one thing, what NCSoft can do to enforce it is another.)

[saipaman]

At this point, why should NCSoft bother doing anything?

[Nyghtshade]

At this point, why should NCSoft bother doing anything?

Because they could sue every person running a 'private' COH 'server' on their home PC for illegal use of COH's IP?  Wouldn't this be pretty much the same as when the Music Industry came after private individuals for sharing music files?

[saipaman]

I'd say the big difference is the quality of the experience.

Illegally downloaded music files deliver the experience you'd expect.

SEGS won't do that today.

Right now, Paragon Chat delivers more of the CoH experience, and as far as we know, NCSoft has ignored it.

SEGS might even kill the dream of a resurrected CoH -- a huge plus for NCSoft.

[mobbyg]

What's the legality of this kind of thing?  Does it violate NCSoft's IP for COH?

While none of us are lawyers, we think we're ok because we're not distributing any Cox/NCSoft IP. The code is built from the ground up. So not sure what their issue would be.

Allow me to ask the obvious question:  what can NCSoft do to shut SEGS down?  Anything?

(Edit:  My question is not a rehash of Night's.  The legality is one thing, what NCSoft can do to enforce it is another.)

I believe it was CW who said, in another thread like this one, asking these kind of questions, they can sue if they want. Anyone can sue anyone for whatever reason. The question comes to the point in court, does the case hold water? As stated before, we're not distributing any of their IP. NPC definitions and such will either come from user supplied files, or converted client assets, and converted client assets are in the hands of the user base, we won't be distributing those. So pretty much like how Paragon Chat came about. Custom code for the translation of what the client sends to the sever and vice versa, and the XMMP, which is open sourced.

[Noyjitat]

Folks, Nemerle and his crew are offering you a server to play on that they and only they have spent free time developing. While it has a ways to go you should just play on it, enjoy it and let them worry about the details.

This is all you're ever going to get as far as a coh emulator goes at this point.

[LateNights]

Right now, Paragon Chat delivers more of the CoH experience, and as far as we know, NCSoft has ignored it.

Is this true - Paragon Chat is further ahead than Segs?

Did Segs turn to XMPP because that's what Paragon Chat has been doing??

[Tahquitz]

I believe SEGS is wholly contained.  XMPP isn't a part of it, the server itself hands off chat between users.

I might be wrong, but a quick look doesn't tell how chat works in the forums.  If someone has more info, please correct me if needed.

[nemerle]

That is correct, the chat, and all the other features are handled the `old` way, client talks server listens and server talks client crashes listens too :)

[Blackshear]

While none of us are lawyers, we think we're ok because we're not distributing any Cox/NCSoft IP. The code is built from the ground up. So not sure what their issue would be.

If SEGS uses named characters / mobs / whatever from the original game NCSoft could potentially have legal grounds to come after you.  All that stuff is copyrighted.  But then, so are the zones, but as people have pointed out, NCSoft has done exactly jack squat about Paragon Chat, which features...well, it features Paragon City, which is totally © NCsoft.  But of course there are fair use considerations and all since PC is not for profit.

I think we'll only see action from NCSoft if they think SEGS is providing competition to their series of grindy, un-fun lookalike MMO's that they'll axe at a moment's notice if they're deemed even mildly unprofitable or slightly out of line with their company image.

Whoops, I appear to have vented just a little right there.  Sorry / not sorry.

[mobbyg]

If SEGS uses named characters / mobs / whatever from the original game NCSoft could potentially have legal grounds to come after you.  All that stuff is copyrighted.  But then, so are the zones, but as people have pointed out, NCSoft has done exactly jack squat about Paragon Chat, which features...well, it features Paragon City, which is totally © NCsoft.  But of course there are fair use considerations and all since PC is not for profit.

I think we'll only see action from NCSoft if they think SEGS is providing competition to their series of grindy, un-fun lookalike MMO's that they'll axe at a moment's notice if they're deemed even mildly unprofitable or slightly out of line with their company image.

Whoops, I appear to have vented just a little right there.  Sorry / not sorry.

Don't worry about the vent, I did that too on Reddit..  And honestly, I think they have it coming... 8)

As for the names, the plan is to be able to change those. As far as I know, those things are not hardcoded into the client. But I could be wrong. And we're working towards letting the community and server admins provide the content. I think we're looking at having some kind of default content to get started with, and for admins to have examples of how to format said content, but I am under the impression it wouldn't necessarily be what NC who-ja-whats-a-mus gave us before. But you do bring up a valid concern and it has been discussed.

[LateNights]

That is correct, the chat, and all the other features are handled the `old` way, client talks server listens and server talks client crashes listens too :)

;D

All in all - very impressive - I'd seen this years ago and feared it may have gone the way of the dodo, so "Congrats" are in order!!

Love the idea to negate possible legal issues too - way to fight fire with fire...or petty legal tactics - you guys are like IP terrorists!  ;)

(Don't get me wrong, I'm firmly in the camp that says we paid for a game long ago, so we should have just this kind of ability straight outta the box...)

[Lycantropus]

I know nothing about programming, but I'm glad to hear this is still out there (I hopped around on it forever ago). Hopefully some really creative stuff can happen with this!

Lyc~

[mobbyg]

I don't know if this warrants a new thread, so I figured I would post updates here on this one, unless a mod says I should do otherwise...

Here's a video of the first test of the NPC generator on the Outbreak map. It still needs work and parametrization ( types /attributes of spawned npcs etc.) but as you can see, work is moving along.
NOTE: We're still a long way from a playable game. More videos are available on Nemerle's Youtube channel and the SEGS channel as well.


https://i.imgur.com/GTzMG4Em.jpg
https://youtu.be/6_PGczD5y5s

[saipaman]

The project really needs a nightly or weekly build if they want user feedback.

[Ultimate15]

Not gonna lie... hearing the little police siren noise gave me a tingle :)

Keep up the great work, mobby! I know it's going to be slow comings, but any type of progress at getting the game back - at this point - well, I'll take it!