Started today, in game name is Cornelll. I know I haven't played in 13 years, but the game has changed a lot for the better since then, especially that central hub that links you directly to newb quests. I hope it's not impossible to get a house, since that was my favorite part of the game my first time around.
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
Alright, I'm willing to give Turbine 10 bucks for being cool about the official end-of-life on this game, and to relive some nostalgia for a bit. Updating now (so slow...)
Started today, in game name is Cornelll. I know I haven't played in 13 years, but the game has changed a lot for the better since then, especially that central hub that links you directly to newb quests. I hope it's not impossible to get a house, since that was my favorite part of the game my first time around.
There is a healthy supply of cottages.
If you want a villa, though, you're going to pay through the nose. Every single villa on FF is currently owned. Either by people using them as their personal houses, or by people who noticed the shortage and bought them to squat on.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
I'm finally starting to get into a groove with my mage. I still don't get much time, but I'm figuring out what tasks/quests I can actually do that pay out a decent amount of XP in a short time. Getting him close to level 100 now.
I remember playing for hours and hours back in the day and getting maybe...MAYBE...a level a week or so.
Now I hop in and get one or two in a single buff cycle.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
Most current info on private servers:
To answer some questions:
~ If the plan for player run servers is successful then yes, we would want to provide Admin clients and I would probably try to teach admins some tips and tricks we used for running live events.
~ The live character data will not be released. This is not an arbitrary decision; we still have to create an alternate login server that is completely separate from billing. The character data on player run servers would actually be different than live because the system has to be scrubbed of any hold over tokens from the billing system.
Sev~
The private server process is aimed to be going on during the November anniversary, so you will probably see the first movement on it in mid to late September.
Sev~
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
I logged into some of the other servers yesterday; it was entertaining to see very low level characters I created as far back as Nov. '99 - but the names. I picked such terrible names.
No I won't share them. They're that bad.
It was pretty cool to actually have original starter gear & a welcome letter though.
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drunkenpandarenSlapping all the goblin hamIn the top laneRegistered Userregular
I made a Dio Brando on Solclaim. I run around and punch things. So the names can't be that bad.
Origin: HaxtonWasHere
Steam: pandas_gota_gun
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited November 2014
Oh hey, the 15 year anniversary of AC came and went.
Exciting. I'm hoping that setting up your own (non-modified) server is as simple as starting a server executable and pointing the client in the right direction, but I'll probably need to wait for more savvy users to repackage it for that.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
Here's what Sev has said so far.
Here are the steps in a abbreviated format. People will need to know their way around computers; it isn't a consumer friendly process. I am outlining the basic steps but we are going to be giving more complete instructions to players and hoping the community will help refine them.
~ Download and install a Microsoft SQL solution. For most people this will be Express since it's (if I understand it) free and will have the storage capability for most smaller servers.
~ Get a Microsoft web server up and running for the patch server to attach to.
~ Prepare outward facing static IPs for the various server processes; You will need 4 plus one for each server instance you intend to run.
~ Create connections to your SQL server using the 32 bit version of the ODBC data source administrator.
~ Use our command line tools to configure your registry.
~ Use our command line tools to initialize the various SQL database structures you will need.
~ Unzip the patch server, GLS server, and game server downloads into local folders. It is easiest to just copy the server folder for each server process that will need to run.
~ Configure the server's local config files with network locations.
~ Run from the command line (with the proper flags) your patch server, then your GLS server, then your Master server, then your login server, and finally your game server(s).
~ Configure your client to point at the GLS server.
~ Start up your client and try to log in.
As you can probably see, it won't be a process for the faint of heart. We will be looking to provide high level instructions and asking the community to help refine the information to help us more fully document the process for enthusiasts that might be less confident with dealing with some of these processes.
I hope to find a way to run a local server behind a firewall that doesn't need the GLS server or the patch server running and will be looking at that Monday or Tuesday. This will remove the need to run those processes and take the web server out of the equation. We are also looking at options for one server process to handle the master/login/instance server functionality but I am not sure we can do that outside our development environments. This would greatly simplify the process of preparing IPs for your server.
Sev~
I wouldn't panic about the static IPs yet. I am giving an example of how we have things set up. IIRC it might be that players can have multiple process on an IP by varying ports. Also, if you are just running locally I believe it is possible to just ipconfig to get the local IPs, configure your processes, and play that way. It's just that you'll need to reconfigure if you IPs get reassigned and that's a pain.
Sev~
So, no - right now, it doesn't look like an easy process.
That said, they are looking at ways to simplify it (since the above is just based on how Turbine does it). There are also people on the forum with relevant experience who are reassuring everyone that it won't be too bad.
So can you set up a server day one of release? Maybe not. But I'd say within a week or two someone will have posted instructions usable by the rest of us.
Am I the only one kinda worried this is going to destroy the original servers? Massive population drop?
Most of the people playing right now have been playing for a long time. They're not going to abandon all their investment to play on a private server.
Unless people start modding the game with new content or something.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
More updates on the server process:
Greetings,
I wanted to give an update on where we are.
I finished documenting and preparing the files players will need for all the SQL set up. We are working on getting documentation for setting up the patch server and and gls servers. I am also checking to see how a player can configure a local one person server with a simplified set up so they can play solo or in a LAN environment but I don't know yet if it will be possible to do without the full login process.
We are moving to get things up in a place where they can be downloaded.
What we have left to do:
~ Document the process of installing a web server and configuring the patch server.
~ Document configuring the gls server.
~ Testing the modified gls server.
~ Getting the various files up on a site where they can be downloaded.
~ Examine options to run a simplified server set up for solo or LAN players.
Sev~
I suspect you could set up a LAN set up by entering the IP numbers of your local machines, but if those IPs get reassigned (as IPs are sometimes wont to do) you would need to update your configuration files.
This process isn't really meant for standalone games or even LAN play; if we can facilitate that it would be a bonus.
Sev~
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
It's been a while, so the latest update on private servers will come as no surprise:
The plain truth is I am behind schedule for AC. Let's just say that the project is larger than I estimated and I am currently a little strapped. That's my fault and I apologize.
Is anybody playing this? I impulse bought it today and have never played it before, it's a bit overwhelming.
There's healthy populations on most of the servers, especially Frostfell and Darktide (if you're into pvp).
If you're new to the game, you'll want to look up Decal and the Virindi Plugins to go with it. It'll let you play AC with most of the conveniences of modern MMOs.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
I still play when I have time. We just got a new dog @ home recently and keeping him from peeing everywhere in the house has eaten up the bulk of my free time lately.
Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
I would prolly end up jumping on this server hosting thing. Currently going to school for a computing tech degree and database is one of my main classes. I would consider this going training and I wouldn't think it would be a bad thing to say I did in my free time.
Plus I get to play ac
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited May 2015
Just a quick update - there has been zero movement on player servers since the last update. Sev hasn't even posted on the forum since January, though he has logged into them.
Also, there is currently a major in-game exploit that can crash an entire server. Darktide, of course, is suffering the most from this...being brought down multiple times per day. One of Turbine's reps has reported that they're aware of the issue and looking at a resolution. General player opinion is skeptical.
Edit: servers are down right now for a hotfix.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
Hotfix broke quest chests. Quest loot isn't respawning in the chests. They are now working on a fix for the hotfix. :surprised:
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
The hotfix hotfix went in last night and everything is back to normal.
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
Player Run Server update:
5/15 "We finished the player run gls server and did our unit testing so that looks good. We are currently investigating a problem where servers crash after some hours on Microsoft Server 2008 and 2012 due to incompatibilities with the PerfMon counters."
5/22 "The server should be able to run on any Microsoft Server installation, or even a desktop machine. You'll need Microsoft SQL, a server with fixed IP addresses to run the processes on, and a ftp or web server for the patch server to connect to.
We've added in fixes to the problem on Server 2008/2012. It's been running without crashes for a couple of days but we are going to let it run over the holiday weekend just to be sure.
We will have more detailed instructions and requirements when we release server installations and we will need people to take our instructions which are probably insufficient and troubleshoot the installation process."
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Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
Welp, still interested in fiddling with this as it will prolly be more inspiration to really figure out SQL than any of my classes have been.
Most likely completely out of my league but it sure as hell can't hurt to try.
SQL Admin experience as well as Server admin experience, I will most definitely be keeping an eye on the server developments.
I'm glad it runs on SQL Server - 17 years experience with it so YAY!!!
Any update since then end of May update?
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited July 2015
Not really. The last comment was June 3rd:
We won't have progress on player run servers while Wintersebb is down; all of our limited AC resources are being devoted to figuring out what's going on with the corrupted Allegiance data there.
Sev~
From what I gather it was fixed the same day, so...
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citizen059hello my name is citizenI'm from the InternetRegistered Userregular
It almost goes without saying at this point, but...
Still zero movement on player hosted servers. At least, none that we are aware of.
I'm not super active at the moment myself. The occasional login to keep the house maintenance paid, run around a bit - more due to lack of time than anything else.
So, the AC servers had a meltdown a bit over a week ago, facilitating an emergency shutdown and migration to a new data center. As of yesterday, the latest information was "we've run into some engineering issues and it's gonna take a few days to sort everything out."
As of right now, the servers are down, asheronscall.com is down, and ac.turbine.com is down. Let's hope they're in the process of bringing everything back up.
edit: website and forums are back up. Dev post on facebook says they're still working on it.
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Kai_SanCommonly known as Klineshrike!Registered Userregular
I wonder what kind of server power they need to actually keep them going. Which also makes me wonder what exactly they are running on.
I guess they keep them funded from their other games. But still, I wonder what kind of overhead a game like AC involves considered the limited but consistent playerbase with a rather simple, old game.
Posts
There is a healthy supply of cottages.
If you want a villa, though, you're going to pay through the nose. Every single villa on FF is currently owned. Either by people using them as their personal houses, or by people who noticed the shortage and bought them to squat on.
I remember playing for hours and hours back in the day and getting maybe...MAYBE...a level a week or so.
Now I hop in and get one or two in a single buff cycle.
No I won't share them. They're that bad.
It was pretty cool to actually have original starter gear & a welcome letter though.
Steam: pandas_gota_gun
Also, a new section of the AC forums quietly opened up: https://www.asheronscall.com/en/forums/forumdisplay.php?65-Player-Run-Server-Forums
Time to celebrate by standing around in Holtburg.
Exciting. I'm hoping that setting up your own (non-modified) server is as simple as starting a server executable and pointing the client in the right direction, but I'll probably need to wait for more savvy users to repackage it for that.
So, no - right now, it doesn't look like an easy process.
That said, they are looking at ways to simplify it (since the above is just based on how Turbine does it). There are also people on the forum with relevant experience who are reassuring everyone that it won't be too bad.
So can you set up a server day one of release? Maybe not. But I'd say within a week or two someone will have posted instructions usable by the rest of us.
I have a pressing interest in hosting a server for ~20 people maybe.
This depends on a lot, just gauging stuff.
If I can't find one, there's a solid chance I'll create one, but I'd rather just leech off of someone else's hard work.
Most of the people playing right now have been playing for a long time. They're not going to abandon all their investment to play on a private server.
Unless people start modding the game with new content or something.
There's healthy populations on most of the servers, especially Frostfell and Darktide (if you're into pvp).
If you're new to the game, you'll want to look up Decal and the Virindi Plugins to go with it. It'll let you play AC with most of the conveniences of modern MMOs.
Here is the New Player Guide at ACPedia. It might be a good starting point.
Plus I get to play ac
Also, there is currently a major in-game exploit that can crash an entire server. Darktide, of course, is suffering the most from this...being brought down multiple times per day. One of Turbine's reps has reported that they're aware of the issue and looking at a resolution. General player opinion is skeptical.
Edit: servers are down right now for a hotfix.
I love you Asheron's Call. I really wish there was an offline single player version.
Maybe someday.
5/15 "We finished the player run gls server and did our unit testing so that looks good. We are currently investigating a problem where servers crash after some hours on Microsoft Server 2008 and 2012 due to incompatibilities with the PerfMon counters."
5/22 "The server should be able to run on any Microsoft Server installation, or even a desktop machine. You'll need Microsoft SQL, a server with fixed IP addresses to run the processes on, and a ftp or web server for the patch server to connect to.
We've added in fixes to the problem on Server 2008/2012. It's been running without crashes for a couple of days but we are going to let it run over the holiday weekend just to be sure.
We will have more detailed instructions and requirements when we release server installations and we will need people to take our instructions which are probably insufficient and troubleshoot the installation process."
Most likely completely out of my league but it sure as hell can't hurt to try.
Guild Wars 2: Tyreh, asura Warrior
Any update since then end of May update?
From what I gather it was fixed the same day, so...
Still zero movement on player hosted servers. At least, none that we are aware of.
I'm not super active at the moment myself. The occasional login to keep the house maintenance paid, run around a bit - more due to lack of time than anything else.
As of right now, the servers are down, asheronscall.com is down, and ac.turbine.com is down. Let's hope they're in the process of bringing everything back up.
edit: website and forums are back up. Dev post on facebook says they're still working on it.
I guess they keep them funded from their other games. But still, I wonder what kind of overhead a game like AC involves considered the limited but consistent playerbase with a rather simple, old game.