Announcing GWLP

GWLP was started in January 2007. GWLP is a server emulation project for the Guild Wars client. I'm an alpha tester for the project, apparently just turned "PR", and assuming the mods allow me too, I'm going to update the community on the progress of GWLP each week, with some media and information.


What GWLP aims to be

First, let's get this clear, GWLP doesn't aim to directly copy Guild Wars, it does not aim to allow people to play Guild Wars for free, it won't be emulating the quests, missions, cut scenes, story, instance spawn layouts or town layouts that make up the Guild Wars game. Instead GWLP aims first to be a sandbox style experience, aimed at existing Guild Wars players, providing a framework for creating unique user developed content whilst still using the established models, maps, names, items and skills.


Technical Details

The GWLP is coded in a blend of C/C++ and uses a MySQL database backend. It is primarily developed on Windows XP SP2 using Visual Studio .NET 2003. Some of the code has been made compilable on Linux but no serious effort has been made to run the servers on Linux. Scripting is handled using Gamemonkey Script. Note: The server code is entirely the GWLP's from scratch and has not borrowed code from any other emulation project nor from the official Guild Wars server.


Progress Thus far

GWLP is in a very early state at the moment, whilst movement, chat, various client and server features are implemented and character creation is fully functional, it's a bit early for a feature list.
That said, development is picking up fast, and I expect the next few progress updates to contain far more actual progress and feature documentation.
For now though, I'm just going to introduce the project, leave you with some media and answer any questions you may have.


Obligatory Media



A bone minions Birthday!



Kuunavang Visits Presearing..



How Shiro really came to power..


Questions and concerns?

If you have any questions regarding the project, either post in the thread or PM me and I'll do my best to answer any that I can.

Cheers

-Ajaala

wow... looks like great fun... but is this legal an does anet approve? :O

We have to admit, however it is somewhat of an interesting idea.

Technically, you can run your own servers for these games (you pay a.net not for the client, but to play on their server). Its tricky. Basically, as long as a.net doesn't issue a cease and disist order, it can keep running.

I've heard about this server before. Its good to know that one day (years in the future I hope) when A.net shuts down the GW1 server, there will still be a place to go.

Sounds fun and all, but eh, as others have said, is it legal?

The blocked-out names make me a tad concerned...

It's a bit of a grey area really.

Does this project have a site?

looks awesome

Like using Texmod?

you GWLP's ppl might be doing this for the right reasons, but many (I mean ALOT) people will go to any lengths to crack GW and make private servers (Lineage 2 anybody?)... I don't see any good coming out of this.

But congratulations to you, neat computer skills.

That's pretty sweet. Im a sucker for pre searing

This would be very interesting. Do you have a project page somewhere? Can we see the server-side code and the DB schemas and all that or is it closed source?

It's closed source I'm afraid, although the database layout could be published.
A project page will be up soon

A thread from a couple days ago got me interested enough to search for this. I came across a thread on another site (don't know if it's ok to leave a link here.)

True, it's legality is at best a puzzle. And yeah, anyone can fake anything on the internet even good intentions. But after reading the 20 pages of that other thread, full of detailed posts from the project's original creator I left with the impression they really weren't trying to make a way for people to play Guild Wars without having bought a key. For a emu project, they were doing a lot to stop people without valid GW accounts from using this.

Yeah, seems like anything can eventually be cracked. These folks have managed to "crack" a lot of the official client/server communication. So with Sujoy's reasoning, we shouldn't see anything good coming out of official GW either.

No matter, it's still pretty impressive what they've managed to do.

I wish y'all the best of luck with your project. It sounds like fun. And I'll give you the benefit of the doubt about best intentions and anti-piracy measures.

Cheers,
Luny

Oh, and it's probably a darker shade of gray than Texmod.

Having extensive experience with WoW servers, I look forwards to this project with bated breath! I volunteer to help as well :P

And in terms of legality it's probably similar to WoW - creating and running a server is technically legal as long as you don't use the copyrighted material. However, to connect to a WoW emulated server you need to edit a certain file (realmlist.wtf) which the EULA specifically forbids! So that's how Blizzard closed the 'loophole' for their game. I'm not sure about ANET though.

Of course it has less of an impact than the Lineage 2 private servers due to the end of the GW (1) development rounds of its lifecycle (still including updates), lack of monthly fees for GW (1), and whether people using these servers will charge a fee like some of the private lineage servers.

Remember, though, the ANet team (from the top) are artists/developers first, which means they have some pretty big egos when it comes to their 'art'. I'd pretty much expect them to do everything they could to take it down just on principle. Carmack was an exception to the rule I believe, so don't expect them to turn a blind eye.

They may surprise you though.. Who knows.

I must say I'm impressed at what I see so far. If Anet doesn't shut you down, this could be quite cool.

texmod isn't even close. it's seems to be somewhat like bnetd - before blizzard shut down that project

Alright, so this situation is much more severe?

I mentioned Texmod because ANet neither condemns nor bans for it's usage. I was wondering if the same can be said of this or do we not know?

It looks pretty beautiful.

Does it happen to have a site and/or forum or something of the ilk? @_@

My inner Admiral Ackbar is speaking something to me...

textmod just changes appearence of stuff on your computer. That's how its difference.

Oh, and names are greyed out in screenshots because its against GWG rules to post screenshots with names in them.

Are you planning to implement any kind of PvP on this server?

If so, this could be a great way to do GvG and HA with core+prophecies skills only, which is something a lot of PvP players would love.

this looks illegal, its either copying things form the game, which would be a violation of copyright, or modifying the game which would be a violation of the eula.

now i'm not lawyer or anything, but it doesn't look legal

Remember the battlenet server daemon project "bnetd"? Vivendi's/Blizzard's lawyers shut it down using the DMCA hammer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bnetd#V...ersal_v._Jung).

I fear, as soon as this project reaches a playable state, you'll get a visit from NCSoft's lawyers.

And the settlement well help ensure that we have a top notched GW2.

OP start taking donations now for legal fees.

This is a direct quote from the original creator of this software.

But you see, you can download the clinate for free from the A.net website. The only thing you pay for is the account key that grants you access to their servers.

Lol, still copyrights all over it. I mean take Kuunavang Visits Presearing for instance. I'm 110% sure that both Kuunavang and Presearing are both the property of ArenaNet, but gg until it goes to court.

Read my last post.
ANET only appears to be interested in restricting access to those who have already purchased a copy of GW.

In which you quoted.

They admitted they can't resolve that issue, as well as admitted that is ANet's concern. So it would seem to me if they can't address the issue then ANet may very well do something about it, when the time comes. Unless that is what you meant to point out?

Wow, awesome work and project! I remember a couple of years ago a small group of Uru Ages Beyond Myst fans created a server project which allowed URU to be played live online again, in fact the project is still in development and being used by a small group of URU fans. CYAN inc. knew of its existance from the start and allowed it to continue to this day because the code was all original, no code was taken from the original servers. The main developer of the project simply examined the packets of data sent to and from the servers and started to write code.


All that needs to be done is for anet to allow the developer to send the authentication data through their servers, if the key is valid then the client will simply load the new server as normal.

yea, my point was that ANET isn't too worried about copyrighted material.
They only care that players on GWLP have already purchased a copy of GW.

This makes sense from a marketing perspective since if you buy it once, that's all the money you'll ever spend and they don't mind if you go off and play on GWLP. (Yes, i know I'm ignoring expansions, but we aren't getting any more)

From what I've read from trawling through their site/general information they're about to launch a closed beta. ANET knows this and doesn't appear awfully worried, so I'd anticipate that they're (GWLP) are working on some sort of authentication tool.

Personally I doubt that'll happen. GWLP uses a modified patch (as new content is released it needs to be coded) and to launch the game you need to be at the same patch level as the server.

I'd anticipate (considering ANET are pretty liberal) that there might be some co-operation between them and GWLP to work some authentication system out.

EDIT: thanks for that Arkantos, I was gonna merge them then you did it

It'd be nice if ANet worked with these folks and got it integrated somehow, maybe charge like a $2 fee to get a keycode for the 'alternate gameworld'. Maybe not even charge since this can keep it fresh and exciting.

Considering that the GW client is very light on game logic and anyone writing a server needs to create everything, from skill mechanics to mob AI, from scratch... it is a massive task and it will never replace the official server. Would be fun to mess around with though, from a programming perspective.

Anet have a big chance here
The main servers when you log in are run by Anet and thats who you whine at
BUT what Anet could do here is have a "test server" Where they say we wont shut you down if you'll test community responces to some ideas we have
I think best way for GW to gain a community would be allowing the people to test new updates before they happen.

I love the idea anyway, would it have like modified drop rates and stuff? (or no loot scaling )

hmm, interesting - any idea on when a larger public beta test will be available?

I love the idea of "offline" guild wars play.

I spent the summer in a place without internet connection. A "offline" gw would have been a great substitute for the real thing. Really hope this one works out, even to a certain degree. I won't expect a full gw with all the mission & quests etc.

Not only are they not sending a cease and desist, but they've invited them out to lunch?

Interesting move on their part, and I can see why they wouldn't mind so much if they knew that people who already payed are doing it anyhow.

What if this could become a presearing expansion? Since that's somewhat of a community within a community, something like this would be perfect for that aspect. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this project.

So.... could you... perchance...

... Make some sort of program along these lines with bluescreen / variable backgrounds to allow us to "test" out different armour / weapon skins on characters and see how they look or for specialist screenshot art purposes?

One thing Guild Wars SERIOUSLY needs is some sort of try-before-you-buy system for armour and the like to see how it looks. The amount of cash I've wasted in the past buying armour I thought would look cool only to find that it looked awful is.... well.... disheartening.