Vindictus Server Emulator

[Meteorite]

Well, after reading through some posts, I'd say that Vindictus is probably one of the easiest games out there to Emulate right now, since it uses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_%28game_engine%29 and it's Encryption is ProudNet.

I searched around a bit and found that Dawson already did the Encryption Scheme and found the nmconew Packet Format.

I'd like to start this Project in C#, although it makes more sense to do it in C++ since Source Engine is C++, but I have no C++ knowledge (and I don't like C++ Syntax) but I am capable of translating code from C++ over to C#. I am in no means a pro at C# either though.

I have no idea what the server structure of Vindictus is, though I'm guessing it's something along the lines of..

1). NGM
-Login Auth.
-Friend List
-Guild

2). Character/Login Server
-Picking Character
-Logging In Game

3). Channel Server?
-The 200 Channels

If anyone would like to confirm that.. that'd be great. If anyone else is interested in helping me and they have knowledge of C# and Packets, please post here.

Done:
[+] Database Connection
[+] Networking
[+] Basic Packet Handling?

[MentaL]

[greedlt]

ya the game has the 200 channels, and at times it will randomly move u from lets say ch50 to ch 4... but ya, i honestly dont see a vindictus emulator geting big. nothing against you or anything in that way, but the game is easy enough, especially with all the """hackers""" whatever u prefer to call them. but honestly the game has 2 towns but like 50 different dungeons, so its closed world making the game boring. i dont mean to wright a book but thats what a good handfull of people think

EDIT

the game runs off of the source engine btw and has a mail server which is used for the trading ingame, along with the depot* aka cashshop

[Dawson]

There is one main server which handles the town and NPC interactions and the starting and listing of the dungeons thats the biggest job to emulate :).


After that the ingame dungeons are all Peer 2 Peer and sync up with the main server at the end.

[Meteorite]

There is one main server which handles the town and NPC interactions and the starting and listing of the dungeons thats the biggest job to emulate :).


After that the ingame dungeons are all Peer 2 Peer and sync up with the main server at the end.

What about Login? Nexon Game Manager? Do I need to emulate a NGM too?

[Dawson]

Probably, I dont know how all that is handled, I just know about the main server.

[Meteorite]

Probably, I dont know how all that is handled, I just know about the main server.

Everything's handled in Big Endian right?

[maplefreak26]

I'm just gonna type down some bs that will probably not contribute to the conversation but it's worth a shot.

User starts from site -> Loads up NGM -> NGM authenticates user with db -> NGM checks if patching/updates are needed -> Loads game probably with some funky parameter -> Client heads to character selection screen

User double clicks client -> NGM checks if patching/updates are needed -> HackShield bullshit -> launches client to login screen

Marketplace: Runs an ingame web browser (seems to use IE as its base) and basically acts like the MTS in MapleStory except things are bought with ingame coins. When item is bought, item sends to user's mailbox.

Cash Shop: Also runs an ingame web browser. When item is bought, item sends to user's mailbox.

Dungeons: All instanced. Random bosses in the middle of dungeons.

[Patchouli]

I'm not sure how much of this is useful for making a private server. It's also old information, as I don't know what's changed because I haven't played for a long time. I may also be wrong on some things. I'm just going to list stuff as I remember, so this is going to be a mess.

Triggers for cutscenes, enemy spawns, zone walls and the like are in the map data. They are often based on position. The actual enemy spawns are handled by the server, meaning that even if you set off the triggers, nothing will happen until the server sends the info on the enemy spawn. Item drops are also handled by the server, ie. nothing drops if the server does not tell the client that there is a drop. I think some music triggers are also handled by the server.

During some cutscenes, players are transported to a "safe" empty area where they won't be able to move or interfere with the cutscene. They are teleported back when the cutscene ends.

Entering town rooms or new areas (fading in and out, teleporting) are defined in the maps. The client tells the server when they're changing map by using Source Engine commands (eg. changelevel). The game seems to rely on feedback from the server on what options are available when in a room (eg. buy, sell).

The story script, item descriptions, item/skill/enemy names, etc. are all included in the client files. The client won't do anything story or quest-related until the server sends the references for the client to look things up. I think the reference codes are listed in the files, but I don't remember clearly.

I think there are various scripts inside the maps and the actionscript files that tell the game what to ask or expect from the server. You'd need to look into them with the appropriate tools.

There's a database in the files with lots of information, but I don't know if it's outdated or if the server itself uses the same database. Information includes enemy stats, etc.

There's a text file in the main folder that you can edit to redirect the game to check for updates at whatever address you like. It's very easy to bypass updates.

If I recall correctly, there's a separate server for the in-game chat that you can IP block/delete the files of. I forget what it's called. Nexon Game Messaging Service or something along those lines.

I believe the game's script data is compiled in the engine.dll, and that needs to be kept up to date or various newer functions (eg. new enemies, skills, cutscenes, etc) will not work on the client (ie. nothing happens). The engine.dll also works together with client.dll and server.dll, meaning the game tends to not work if you try mixing different versions of those files.

All the costume data is handled client-side, and does not rely on engine.dll. I think things like new skills do rely on the engine.dll, so even if you try create new skills, they need to be defined in there or they won't work.

I don't quite understand how this works, but the game seems to rely heavily on the client. For example, if there is significant lag between server and client, the client will still often be able to see things happen and react in real-time on their side. For example, others watching a lagging player will hear/see the enemy hit the lagging player character, but after a second or two, the player character will dodge without taking damage. There seems to be an exception where a very bad connection will cause everyone connected to the server to jerk horribly.

There's a console hack that lists console feedback information. It may be for donators only. It'd probably be very helpful for creating a server.

There's a developer mode and various commands that are developer-locked. I think the functionality of the developer commands was removed from the public engine.dll. There is a developer version of the game that is distributed to GMs and developers from a protected Nexon server. The developer version likely has the commands enabled. Attempting to change the region of the client from non-developer to developer inside the executable or DLLs does not seem to enable the commands. It might still be possible to do so, as I probably wasn't going about it the right way.

There's a debug/developer menu with buttons that correspond to commands inside a script included in the client files. I think the menu only appears in-game if you force sv_cheats 1.

Skill level info, requirements, conditions, etc are all included in the client (eg. how much defense you get from a defense up skill, etc). Various other player constants are also included in the client (eg. movement speed). Skill animation events are also in the client data (eg, spawn effects or projectiles, transform or change costume, at specified frames). In many instances, modified data would be sent to the server and back without any problems, meaning everyone would see the changes. If the person hosting uses modifications, they tend to apply to the entire group.

Extreme Mode is a switch. When using it, it will use a different set of configs/constants and player animations, skills, enemy AI, etc. These are all stored client-side as well. I don't remember now, but I think a map change is required to refresh Extreme Mode to work correctly.

I think status effects are defined in the engine.dll, and some of them refer to another status effect file for some numbers.

The last I tried, clients are unable to connect to each other using console commands. I may have not done it correctly.

[nothingforu]

If you want to make a Vindictus Private Server, please make it XE.. Normal version is boring as hell. I kind of doubt you can make a Vindictus server well. The Peer 2 Peer crap kills the game. If you want to do it right, you'd make it all Server Side so people don't lag like hell..

[Dawson]

Like 90% of the other emulator posts on RZ I don't expect this to go anywhere unless someone contributes (I personally won't touch fuck all for nexon stuff) but any progress updates OP?

[med1]

Sorry for old bump but what's the progress on this? Is it dead?

[cmb]

Sorry for old bump but what's the progress on this? Is it dead?

more than likely, but as long as the encryption didnt change, there is lots of info here that someone can take and turn it into an emulator

[mcaso123]

Vindis just a dunegon crawler with little content (imo), don't find much in a serv, plus nexon is a bitch about stuff like this.
Would love to see it though.

[DF08Said]

Looking forward for this project! best of Luck to ya guys!

[LuigiPT]

Sorry for once again reviving this thread but, even though, making a complete server seems rather hard, and no one seems exactly inclined to it, I'm gonna ask a question that is probably going to be completely stupid, since I lack any knowledge of things in this area, but still, how hard would it be to emulate the client on an offline level, just so only I could be on the server, with gm powers, specifically, to spawn items?

My purpose is a project that I have, to document all the armors and weapons in the game for every class.
Yes, indeed, I could do that in the actual game, but it may take longer than expected, making me lose my will in the meantime, to see it complete. Yes, I could search the internet for them, but not always they are in the pose and quality that I wanted.

So, yeah, is it possible? ^^'