[Guide] How to install ANY server repack with the Personal Priston Tale installer

video lesson,I don't think that is necessary,its already been explained all, hard not understand, but If I have some time soon I can give a try

I'm trying really hard here, but I can't understand a lot of things.

-Game.exe won't open. Nothing happens, it just closes instantly in task manager. Thats using a noxtrap exe.

I have no idea if I installed anything properly. Server or Client install instructions is constantly unclear as to what to actually do and what to install.

A bunch of it also talks about things I know nothing about or don't care (such as putting the game on a PC). I only want this for personal use.

I don't know what to say. I've done so many things on a PC and always could handle them. But I can't handle this. Playing with lines of C++ is easier than this.

I'd love some help or a more accurate guide if its ever possible.

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Originally Posted by SFJake

I'm trying really hard here, but I can't understand a lot of things.

-Game.exe won't open. Nothing happens, it just closes instantly in task manager. Thats using a noxtrap exe.

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Presumably the complete client that came with your server repack and included all maps, meshes, effects, sound, music and textures, as the PPT ones are not compatible with many regular clients.

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Originally Posted by SFJake

I have no idea if I installed anything properly. Server or Client install instructions is constantly unclear as to what to actually do and what to install.

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That is because I don't know what repack you are using, and have to assume that you are using PPT to speed up re-installation of a server setup you have already achieved manually using one of the traditional guides.

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Originally Posted by SFJake

A bunch of it also talks about things I know nothing about or don't care (such as putting the game on a PC). I only want this for personal use.

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Then use the original PPT release without using it's installer with an alternate repack. That's what PPT was designed for.

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Originally Posted by SFJake

I don't know what to say. I've done so many things on a PC and always could handle them. But I can't handle this. Playing with lines of C++ is easier than this.

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I agree. C++ is very simple compared to running *any* MMO server, but PT is probably the most difficult of the ones I've tried to get running, largely because it is not an Open Source Server Emu, but a client hacked at low level to operate as if it was a server.

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Originally Posted by SFJake

I'd love some help or a more accurate guide if its ever possible.

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If there is any inaccuracy in anything I've posted, I will correct it. I already have corrected statements that have seemed unclear to others... but I am not aware of any inaccuracy.

I have been told that this guide (and many of my guides) are too "in depth", in that they go off on tangents explaining things that readers could go an research for themselves if they didn't already know them... Taking that criticism on-board, I have been placing such tangents in <spoiler> tags or linking to good articles elsewhere on the web where I find myself talking about things which assume a certain level of prior knowledge rather than include it in the body.

Of course, I can't imagine why you would want to install the server, make it available only locally and not install the game. Whether you are installing the game only on 1 machine or on 20 or publishing it on a website for hundreds of players to download and use, the easiest and cleanest way to install anything is with an installer, which then gives you a simple option to "uninstall" the game when you no longer need it.

Anyway, if you only want to play solo, (or even duo) then PersonalPT (unmodified) is sufficient. This guide assumes you need a server capable of supporting many players... at least at a 20 man LAN party... and therefore need to ensure they each get, and can install the same game client.

So I'm not using a guide for my actual needs. Fair enough :)

The problem with that of course, is there are no other instructions that I could find for a simpler ways of doing this (for more private games, solo, or a friend or two).

Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean: I was trying to install the server and join it with the client. Thats what I did in the past with other games. And I was trying to find my way through this guide to do just that.

Anyhow. You say I can just use PPT to play solo. But even that, I don't understand. PPT alone does nothing, I thought this was used to run a -server- which you then connects to.

I'm trying as I write this down, but I can't figure it out. If you can help me out or if you can point to a guide that explains just that, I'd really appreciate it. I say again, I'm completely lost here. And the only files I used trying to get the whole thing running, was what you recommended in the first post.

If you can't, I'll get over that silly idea that crossed my mind for 1 minute and kept me busy for hours just trying to play this alone. :)

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Originally Posted by SFJake

Anyhow. You say I can just use PPT to play solo. But even that, I don't understand. PPT alone does nothing, I thought this was used to run a -server- which you then connects to.

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Personal Priston Tale alone is a complete server and client system, with limitations. It includes, everything you need to install and run a game server, a web server hosting 1 page which allows you to create accounts, and a system to create a self-contained client distribution which can then be installed by players to join to the PPT server.

The limitations are listed in the documentation... the primary client has problems with dropped items, and the web server doesn't support Clans or SoD ranking... fine if there are only a couple of players.

The alternate server and client executables listed in PPT downloads can be used to swap out the game.exe and server4096.exe to get around the drop items issue.

It really doesn't need any guide, for the server you just run the installer and keep clicking "next >". Creating the client setup you have to do your self, as it's only the setup build script and resources that are provided, but you can go as simple as installing InnoSetup, and using it to compile the script without any changes in order to get a working setup for the client. (if you don't ever plan on releasing it to others... the problem is that it registers an application UID, which should be changed if you make any kind of modification to the client, even just the name.)

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Originally Posted by SFJake

I'm trying as I write this down, but I can't figure it out. If you can help me out or if you can point to a guide that explains just that, I'd really appreciate it. I say again, I'm completely lost here. And the only files I used trying to get the whole thing running, was what you recommended in the first post.

If you can't, I'll get over that silly idea that crossed my mind for 1 minute and kept me busy for hours just trying to play this alone. :)

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If you just want to play alone, just used PPT alone. Especially with the alternate executables for the server and client to fix drop issues, it's fine for that.

This guide is meant for people who have a repack they usually use, but wanted to use the automated installation procedure I developed for PPT in order to use their more advanced server (maybe it has Phoenix, or SoD ranking, Custom items, maps or just the newer Endless Tower stuff) with the simple "Just click Next" installation procedure... mostly so they can take it to a LAN party (25 - 50 people off the internet but on a fast LAN, people rent empty warehouses and such for a weekend or so for this.) or maybe they'd like to make their own repack, but don't want to just pack files up in a RAR with a big readme.txt on where to put everything, what SQL scripts to run where etc. etc., and would like to wrap it up in the same setup system PPT has.

What-ever, they should know how to manually install a PT server, without scripted assistance first. However, I did write the guide "down" so that people struggling to install popular "repacks" that are just a RAR file could attempt to make the process easier with PPT... such people may still need to read some one or two of the guides for manual installation, to get an idea of what the setup is doing for them.

Some pointers to such guides:-
Vidoe guide posted by xinos I've not looked at this one.
Mikes' (SiK) guide and FAQ on setting up any PT server has some content lost in translating the forum to Unicode, so this post is my replacement for the broken posts.
Swezids' guide has been updated since the Unicode DB change-over... my backup of how it was can also be found lower down the thread.

Howdy,

I cant find the guide to change the embedded IP in the executable, done a search but can't find it.... any chance you can post it up here?

not sure i need to do this now... is there a way to change the port the server listens to or the port the game.exe tries to connect to?

I got the server up and running but I'm having problems connecting the client. Installed TCP view to troubleshoot connection and the server uses port 1009 and the client 1007.

Adding IP to client (unless that is already a feature of it, like QF clients) is a semi-difficult edit, but not really very practical unless you want to pack the exe, hide it and lock to it with the checksums.

Changing the ports on either server or client is quite a complex hack... there are guides here, but I don't approve of their method, as it leaves you with high levels of bugs in random places.

Thanks..

I've just redone the setup with all the same version files as listed in the guide.. All looks well, but still no go on connecting client. Done the ldata.bmp to point to 127.0.0.1 and also the ptReg.rgx to point to 127.0.0.1, is there anything else I'm missing?

In QF1873 (as in this guide) the only configuration which counts for anything is the IP stored 64 bytes from the end of the client executable. All other settings (registry, ptreg.rgx, lData.bmp & hotuk.ini) are ignored, as far as the IP is concerned. and lData.bmp is never even read.

Thanks Heaps...

That was what I was after... changed it to the ip of the pc, was able to connect but got an error about wrong client version. Modified the hotuk.ini to say ver 1.870 and now lets me log on.

Thanks again...

---------- Post added at 12:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:51 AM ----------

no npc or monsters....any ideas? I copied the char and field folders from the client to gameserver.

anyway need sleep for now, will fart around with it tomorrow.

I usually comment out the *VERSION line on the server hotuk.ini... unless you have some specific need for it, like you are securing a public P-Server to a specific client.

There is an "autostart" line in hotuk.ini. Without that nothing spawns too.

Thanks Bob,

Server all good. Is there any recommended updates I should install to the server or just leave as is.

Well written Bob. Ask for mod, I'll support you.

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Originally Posted by caesar007

Thanks Bob,

Server all good. Is there any recommended updates I should install to the server or just leave as is.

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The guide wasn't about any particular server repack... the repack I demonstrated 619 server repack was supposed to go to the much hyped 620 server repack... but I've never seen that actually become an actual release.

The updates I demonstrated adding "KPT Endless Tower 2.2 update", are also quite old... but as to recommending any particular update, I wouldn't like to make that decision for you.

Most other repacks are about diversification. So the only thing I could recommend is, if you want ET3 DS3 & 4 etc. I would recommend you look at the KPT Endless Tower 3rd Floor Item Pack by Wormy (aka trungnt88) and the KPT Server version 1976 by JayMoko. (I believe that Wormy has released a near complete repack on SONNB forums? I'm not linking in compliance with RZ rules, so don't ask... instead, ask Wormy if he has, and if he will repost them here. :D:)

@Liquid Rave: Thanks, I may just do that. :wink: