Questions regarding the many repacks for servers that are around

[siontherapadant]

So far I know of multiple EP8 repacks of server files(Fallen's, Chumpy's, Toast's, and Exornia's others to name a few) As far as I know not all of them are exactly the same but I have not explicitly tried them all myself.

But this brings up a few questions:
1. If there are multiple similar EP8 repacks, where did they originate from?
2. If there are differances between them that implies there is a opensource copy of the server files that isn't compiled and I'd be very interested to get ahold of that(hopefully on github but I never found anything of the sort besides a unfinished emu called minerva that vanished a while back apparently)

[MentaL]

[HariSeldon]

There is no source code.
First release https://forum.ragezone.com/f459/ep8-...justin-905705/
Everything else is the same files with the installer (Toast's, and Exornia's) or some changes/updates (Fallen's).

[siontherapadant]

Quesion is tho, how are they going about making those changes/updates if they don't have sourcecode to work with? cause I doubt they would get far with trying to disassemble, alter and then reassembling the already compiled server files.

[HariSeldon]

Most of what you need can be configured in table files (drops, dungeons, npc, items, mobs, etc.).
Some devs also know how to work with the disassembler and make changes to binaries.

[siontherapadant]

Wait, can you add new stuff to the game with just the config stuff?

Cause I've used OllyDbg to change small stuff such as xor keys and the application title already in my own cabalmain.exe, but I can't imagine anybody being able to do much more beyond that besides a few minor things(disabling/altering xtrap, small client tweaks, maybe changing it to load a certain file)

But I've not seen anything like that regarding the server files

[HariSeldon]

The forum has instructions for adding NPCs, new locations (for example, AT), etc. Some of the content is intuitive, some needs careful study (for example, you will not find guides for adding a new dungeon, you need to study it yourself).
Also look here for templates for 010 editor - this is needed to edit some of the client files. For most actions, there is no need for a disassembler. You just need to be able to analyze the existing code and add a new one based on this.

[siontherapadant]

Thank you for the insight, I'll put it to good use before going public. Hopefully I can breath life into the game's graphics a bit thanks to this(assuming I can manage to actually get something working for replacing some things, was one of the things I wanted to do besides new items and maybe skills)