[NEW NETPLAY] What do YOU want?

[Dark-Yen]

The epómenos project
Arising a new official netplay

Hey there everyone, [My question is at the bottom of this post - in case you want to skip this]

How has it been? Some of you might now have seen me the past few months, some of you might have - but the fact is, I am still there. Most people will (hopefully) recognize me as the one with the Visual Equipment and one of the makers of Netplay Plus I and II. After hopeless times in my private live - in which my parents lost their store, I got antibiotics five times en plus and I was confronted with the fact that I would never be able to get any money from my parents, simply because we don't have it, I started working for someone's ORPG made with RMXP and I've come a long way. However, during this work I noticed that their were still so many flaws in the pre-release of Netplay Plus 2 (- he wanted a merge with 1.6 and more - just did a new netplay form scratch, but with 2 for function reference -) and because Netplay Plus 2 was never really released, I considered reviving this project.

A while ago me and two friends, Muhammet (Mr. Mo / Shark Tooth) and Trebor (Trebor777) started on a module called Netplay Plus that allowed gamemaker to put their game in the next stage. The limitations are as high as our fantasy reached, RMXP games could now go Online. Now it’s already been a while since we dropped the project just before releasing the final version of Netplay Plus 2 due to the amount of stress the community was giving us, demanding from us.

Since then, not much has happened. Yes, there is Net RMXP 2, which basicy is NPP+2 with a lot of Italian Gibberish and some other not yet flourishing projects. Working on an online game the past few weeks as a job motivated me to completely rewrite netplay or well, say most functions. To keep track of this new netplay, or rather the next netplay, I put on this blog so I can easily work on this shit and you can read the progress.
Now here is the thing. Some of you might think that making an ORPG in RMXP is a waste of time, not doable and not smoothly working, but then you are all wrong. In the time that I was not on HBGames.org, I was working on my own game which now has no lag whatsoever that is noticeable - or at least not when the time is crucial, are all those request from back then turned into real and is everything working so stable that you can disconnect a user in ANY way without the server crashing.

Yes, I am reviving the Netplay Plus Project.

People always seem to want a list of features. Well here are the things I want to put in, but not limited to:

• Complete documentation
  
• Rewritten Ruby Server /w MySQL
  
• New Network protocol (somewhat)
  
• Multiple characters
  
• Global animations
  
• Global switches and variables
  
• No refresh failures (error in NPP+2)
  
• Admin functions /l kick, teleport, warn
  
• IP banning, username banning, e-mail banning
  
• MySQL based save system or RXDATA save system
  
• Multiple Chat channels
  
• Extensive logging system
  

The following functions are also included, but might not be what you want - their 100% optional

• Encryption support
  
• Activation by E-mail support
  
• Buying Licenses to play support
  
• E-mail sending from server support
  
• Visual equipment support
  
• Website registration, payment and Gameshop support
  
• Player Versus Player battle support
  
• Trading support
  
• Banking support
  
• Skill shop support
  
• Dungeon support
  
• Teaming support
  
• Player houses support
  

And more…

Now you might say: You will never finish this and blablabla, but the fact is, I already have - In my game that is. Currently I am reqriting everything so it is easy adjustable, easy to set up but most of all, easy to understand. I don't want Noobs to write an ORPG, but I'd like to see some more advanced users that are now scared away by the noobs that are constantly spamming posts like these to use a system, or at least give it a try.

The main changes that I want to make are the following two:
[x]The Project is completely documented, setting it up is easier then ever.
[x]The Project can be extended more easily and later other components can easily be installed.

The documentation will consist of a complete instruction how to set up Netplay Plus 3 and also on every functions and the way the Network Protocol works, so scriptwriters can learn and elaborate on it. If you have any questions, feel free to E-Mail me or to leave a comment. By the way, Epomenos is Greek for Next. To summarize that it is coming after the previous netplay’s (including multi-, multi-extended and the orginal netplay) but also to make a contradiction on the fact that it is not near the previous netplay’s but totally different.

The last thing I have to say is this: The reason that I did not release this yet is because I am rewriting everything in such manner that any scripter could pull up the documentation and elaborate on certain parts of the netplay plus package; in such way that extensions are so super easy to make, or at least somewhat easy - for instance put in this above main - put these in module preferences and put this in the server add-on map; in such way that people only need to setup this at once and then have an extended rtp, yes one with online functions.

Is there anything YOU like to see in this release? Any type of functions, script, online feature? I will try to put it in or in any of the extensions. Please document your request well.

Me™

p.s. You can follow the progress on http://netplay3.wordpress.com/ a sub of my other blog.

[Queue]

Systems:
-Auction
-Donations / Item Mall
-VIP
-Pets
-Guilds
-Emoticons
-Optional full integration of Pixel Movement. (For people like me who want to Hand-draw their games)
-GameMasters (Level System like RO eathena)

Add-Ons:
-VIP Bypass
-Server Cap (e.g. 200 users kthx)
-Party Searching (Search window to create, find and join parties. Prompt for join to Party Leader.)
-Private Messaging
-Duration Items (e.g. +20 STR for 30 minutes)

Picky Stuff:
-Clean and understandable MySQL entries.
-Clear commenting.
-Other language Support. (Auto translation would be cool)

Comments:
You might want to be highly cautious of the logging system, especially if it's managed through MySQL. Also if you have developed Private Messaging, consider how unethical it would be to log your user's private conversations.
Could you elaborate on your Save System? Is it automatic? Or does it wait for the character to disconnect?

[Dark-Yen]

Auction
Another user also requested this. It has to take place like in WOW right?

Donations / Item Mall
Donations aren't really Netplay Are they? That's just WebScripting + PayPal or someting else. Item Mall on the webserver is possible to make with the code given.

VIP
Like some people get other rights? Just set the permission field in the users table and use Network.group to determine whether the person may enter a certain region etc. A.K.A. this is also possible to make with the code given.

Pets
Old system from the days back when Multi-Netplay was tha thang. Ill put this on my late list (aka not a priority, but I like the challenge).

Guilds
Guilds are possible with the code given - including Guild houses etc.

Emoticons
Like overhead? I like that! Had that working in Multi-Netplay Extended, going to bring back this feature!

Optional full integration of Pixel Movement. (For people like me who want to Hand-draw their games)
This is also on my late list, since I have to find a way to reduce the server load by sending over each coord. I probably send the coords every few steps, so it doesn't get loaded way too much.

GameMasters (Level System like RO eathena)
I never played RO. Can you explain?

VIP Bypass
Can you explain?

Server Cap
Going to add that! Thanks.

Party Searching (Search window to create, find and join parties. Prompt for join to Party Leader.)
Going to add that to the party system (team system) out there. Thanks.

Private Messaging
Possible with the code givin. Stored in MySQL or I/O Encrypted if liked (not hashed DUH)

Duration Items (e.g. +20 STR for 30 minutes)
Going to try that (late list).

Clean and understandable MySQL entries.
How clean does it have to be? Currently everything is pretty clear. You have a users table with user data (fields like id, forum_id, username, password, email, activated, registerd, ip_range), a table with banned_users, a table with online_users a table with characters (fields like id, user_id, map_id, map_x, map_y, stat_hp, stat_sp, stat_xp, e_armor_1, e_armor_2 etc.)...

Clear commenting.
That's my trademark.

Other language Support. (Auto translation would be cool)
Late list.

Comments:
On the logging - If you want complete control you log everything. The Private messages are indeed saved in the MySQL databse, but encrypted - still you could trace the message. It is up to the game developer not to read that stuff, but the admin of this forum can read our PM's too...

Saving happens both synchroniously and async. Things like getting an item or skill are directly saved, movement is saved at disconnect or map change. This way you aren't loading the server when things tend to change quickly (movement) but don't need to save a whole lot if you disconnect (items, inventory, skills etc...).

Even if the client crashes, the character is saved.

[Queue]

Game Masters:
http://svn.eathena.ws/svn/ea/trunk/c...nd_athena.conf
The whole idea is that you hire people like you would on a forum to act as Moderators, Global Moderators, Administrators and Owners. Commands are based on the "Gamemaster" level.

VIP bypass:
Works with User Cap and VIP status. What it means, even if the usercap is at max, the VIP can bypass the limit.

[Dark-Yen]

Game Masters:
http://svn.eathena.ws/svn/ea/trunk/conf/at...and_athena.conf
The whole idea is that you hire people like you would on a forum to act as Moderators, Global Moderators, Administrators and Owners. Commands are based on the "Gamemaster" level.

So its just moderator, admin etc... This can work with the code given. Just call (again) the Network.group which gives you your permission. 0 being a normal player and the rest you can fill in yourself. By default 1 is Beta Tester, 2 Mod 3 Admin 4 God, but that's so easily changed...

VIP bypass:
Works with User Cap and VIP status. What it means, even if the usercap is at max, the VIP can bypass the limit.

Ok, easy to do - still a VIP is never a MOD right? then just have another group numebr for VIP and check if the group number is larger then normal users and allow the player - a.k.a. I can make this work with the code given.