[Private server making] - Basic informations about WOW emulation for aspiring devs

[Barbz]

What is this about ?

Hello RaGEZONE,

I wrote a document about the making of private servers, for everybody who is not implied in WOW servers development or for beginners, and below is a sample.

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Introduction

You don’t need advanced knowledge to create a working server. In fact, you can even be a complete incompetent and still make a server. I’m going to explain few things everybody knows in the emulation scene.



To get an idea of what it is about, here is the table of content :

Section 1: Emulators
        1.1: How to use it ? Is it free ?
        1.2: Database
        1.3: Tell me more about emulators
            1.3.1: Why are there almost only WOTLK and Vanilla private servers ?
            1.3.2: Why so many new WOD-based servers ?
            1.3.3: This server is not using TrinityCore but Badass-Name-Core, what is it ?
        1.4: Why are some servers so bad ?
        1.5: What can I do with a freshly compiled server ?
            1.5.1: You can already put it online
            1.5.2: Or customise it
Section 2: Repacks
Section 3: Eluna - SmartAI - and others
Section 4: Patches
Section 5: Hosting a server publicly
         5.1: Dedicated servers (or VPS)
            5.1.1: What to choose ?
            5.1.2: Then they can come and play ?
         5.2: Website
            5.2.1: How to make one ?
            5.2.2: No programming skills
                 : CMS examples :
                 : But they all look like any private server website !
            5.2.3: A domain name
Section 6: Server staff
        6.1: Owner
        6.2: Core developers
        6.3: Database developers
        6.4: Web developers
            6.4.1: Web designers
            6.4.2: Front end developers
            6.4.3: Back end web developers
        6.5: Client developers
        6.6: Moderators and game masters
Section 7: Conclusion

1 Emulators

Private servers are all based upon an existing emulator. An emulator is a program you have to compile yourself from a source code and which emulates WOW servers. These emulators are written in C++. It “contains” the systems, the spells, the dungeons mechanics, the boss fights etc... Check this picture for a sum up (taken from modcraft).


1.1 How to use it ? Is it free ?

Servers emulators are open source, made by passionate developers and available to everyone. You can download the source code, spend few hours setting it up and you have your own server running. There are tutorials to help you out in this process. You don’t need to know how to program to compile.


1.2 Database

Whether you use a repack (see below) or your own compiled server, you need a database to populate the world and save all the data created ingame (items, characters abilities, friend list etc...). It requires you to set it up but there are tutorials for this aswell. It is provided with the emulator or the repack. Within the database, you can create new quests, new simple events, new NPCs and tons of different things. It’s not complex when your goal is only to add simple content. Yes, scripting quests is not hard technically, tedious maybe, but not hard. It requires (some) SQL knowledge.


1.3 Tell me more about emulators

Available and widely used emulators are Mangos, cMangos and TrinityCore. There are other emulators like OregonCore. I let you find more informations about this by yourself if you’re interested.


1.3.1 Why are there almost only WOTLK and Vanilla private servers ?

[...]

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It's a bit too long to post it entirely there, and I already formatted it on my website (in two versions, one is mobile friendly and in black and white if you don't like the design) in order to avoid doing it again here, so if you're interested in reading more, check this

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If you already read my other documents, please, comment only about this particular one on this thread, not about another because I will create a thread for each and you will then be able to comment it without going off-topic and without confusing other readers. In top of that, you may find all the answers you need if you read the whole folder's content. You can also contact me by email.