How do communities make private servers for games which don’t provide server software?

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I’m thinking for games like RuneScape/old school RuneScape where there are multiple private servers, World of Warcraft, BattleForged (Skylord reborn) etc.

From my understanding the user’s only have access to a downloadable client that they use to connect to the main game server, do people reverse engineer a server with all the server side logic?

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20 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Yes, people do reverse-engineer game servers for the purpose of running their own private servers. This is done by analyzing the game client code and using that to build a server that can replicate the game’s logic. This can be done for both online and offline games. It is important to note that reverse-engineering a game server is not always legal, so it is important to research the laws in your jurisdiction before attempting to do so. Additionally, it is important to note that running a private server may be against the terms of service of the game in question, so it is important to check the game’s terms of service before attempting to create or run a private server.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Yes, people do reverse-engineer game servers for the purpose of running their own private servers. This is done by analyzing the game client code and using that to build a server that can replicate the game’s logic. This can be done for both online and offline games. It is important to note that reverse-engineering a game server is not always legal, so it is important to research the laws in your jurisdiction before attempting to do so. Additionally, it is important to note that running a private server may be against the terms of service of the game in question, so it is important to check the game’s terms of service before attempting to create or run a private server.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Reverse engineering, collaborative effort, and sometimes figuring out ways to get servers to provide info they normally wouldn’t procure to players

Leaks can also be a factor

For a currently developing example you might be able to ask more about the process from, the Dragalia Lost community has managed to start such a project up

Anonymous 0 Comments

Reverse engineering, collaborative effort, and sometimes figuring out ways to get servers to provide info they normally wouldn’t procure to players

Leaks can also be a factor

For a currently developing example you might be able to ask more about the process from, the Dragalia Lost community has managed to start such a project up

Anonymous 0 Comments

Reverse engineering, collaborative effort, and sometimes figuring out ways to get servers to provide info they normally wouldn’t procure to players

Leaks can also be a factor

For a currently developing example you might be able to ask more about the process from, the Dragalia Lost community has managed to start such a project up

Anonymous 0 Comments

Years ago I attempted to make private server software for Burnout Paradise and I used a program called Wireshark to show me all the network traffic created by the game. For example as the room host I’d start an event and see what the server responded with. I’d also get traffic recordings from other players, for example if I were to kick a player we’d both record that event and I’d see if there were any differences between the two.

Once you’ve got all the network traffic figured out you write a program to respond the same way as the official server. Unfortunately I didn’t get that far.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Years ago I attempted to make private server software for Burnout Paradise and I used a program called Wireshark to show me all the network traffic created by the game. For example as the room host I’d start an event and see what the server responded with. I’d also get traffic recordings from other players, for example if I were to kick a player we’d both record that event and I’d see if there were any differences between the two.

Once you’ve got all the network traffic figured out you write a program to respond the same way as the official server. Unfortunately I didn’t get that far.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Years ago I attempted to make private server software for Burnout Paradise and I used a program called Wireshark to show me all the network traffic created by the game. For example as the room host I’d start an event and see what the server responded with. I’d also get traffic recordings from other players, for example if I were to kick a player we’d both record that event and I’d see if there were any differences between the two.

Once you’ve got all the network traffic figured out you write a program to respond the same way as the official server. Unfortunately I didn’t get that far.

Anonymous 0 Comments

This depends on the game.

In the case of, say, *Ragnarok Online*, the official server software (Aegis) was leaked to the public by an inside source.

Of course, even when the official server is leaked, it won’t be regularly updated – at least not in a form the public can access. So what most communities do is study the game’s behavior, figure out formulas for things like damage et al, and kinda wing it: they make their own server program from scratch, and adjust it until the game’s behavior seems to be about right (referencing any official materials like leaked official server code if needed.) They may also fix bugs at their leisure. (In the case of *Ragnarok Online* this reverse-engineered server was called Athena – at least the one I was familiar with.)

It helps if people who formerly worked on the game officially end up as part of the private server community. That can happen.

Most MMOs have the bulk of the game behavior coded client-side and only perform necessary things like item drop calculations, cheating checks, and sync thru the server. This is why so many MMOs are susceptible to hacking, since the hacker is editing the code already on their own PC. Again, good old *Ragnarok Online* had vital game balance-related content in the client, to the point that you could edit your player character’s animation data to skip certain animations and attack stupidly fast.

Anonymous 0 Comments

This depends on the game.

In the case of, say, *Ragnarok Online*, the official server software (Aegis) was leaked to the public by an inside source.

Of course, even when the official server is leaked, it won’t be regularly updated – at least not in a form the public can access. So what most communities do is study the game’s behavior, figure out formulas for things like damage et al, and kinda wing it: they make their own server program from scratch, and adjust it until the game’s behavior seems to be about right (referencing any official materials like leaked official server code if needed.) They may also fix bugs at their leisure. (In the case of *Ragnarok Online* this reverse-engineered server was called Athena – at least the one I was familiar with.)

It helps if people who formerly worked on the game officially end up as part of the private server community. That can happen.

Most MMOs have the bulk of the game behavior coded client-side and only perform necessary things like item drop calculations, cheating checks, and sync thru the server. This is why so many MMOs are susceptible to hacking, since the hacker is editing the code already on their own PC. Again, good old *Ragnarok Online* had vital game balance-related content in the client, to the point that you could edit your player character’s animation data to skip certain animations and attack stupidly fast.