OpenHelbreath - HELBREATH REMAKE UNDER GPL !

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:36 am

<a href='http://code.google.com/p/openhelbreath/' target='_blank'><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>LINK TO GOOGLE CODE !</span></a>

After years of retirement I decided to start new true open-source remake of this game. Everyone can participate.

All sources are released under GNU GPL - This means you can't release binaries without sources. If so, FSF will take you down.

Goals are :

- Remake client to work on SDL and reduce amount of sprites and generate some particle effects
- Cross-platform server files written in Python

As one day of work I wrote simple Gate Server (now working on ML login compatible with TXT/MySQL). Running them on Linux servers will reduce hosting prices and increase stability and usability and uptime.

If interested contact me on drajwer@gmail.com. We can't let die our community!

Hypnotoad · Post by **Hypnotoad** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:24 am

Will keep an eye and contribute when I can. I don't know much python but I figure I can pick it up quick.

I agree cant let this game die.

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:54 pm

Nice to see you

Please left me mail so I can add you access to SVN.
Will be glad to see response from other old HBx main coders.

Today I commited r5 and now new Login Server is able to handle client login and changing passwords. And some improvements were made from Arye's LS source. These sources are around 4000 lines of code. Got it rewrited in 50% from scratch. Compare with 60000 lines of newest HBx HG server. And about 60000 of client code. :/
So we are not half way throught!

Hypnotoad · Post by **Hypnotoad** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:04 pm

Sent you an email

I like your work so far. Id like to be able to work/commit to SVN.

KLKS · Post by **KLKS** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 4:49 am

Why python?
Sure its easier but once you hit threading in python you'll hit a snag. Python 2.x does not have native threading built in and is stated by the author himself, to have native threading would mean a re-write of python. So even hosted on a quad core machine, there would be no advantage.

Also if you wanna make it happen, you'll need to re-architecture portions of the game code for efficiency, fix a ton of bugs like knockback from lag and a ton of other stuff.

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:09 pm

KLKS wrote: Why python?
Sure its easier but once you hit threading in python you'll hit a snag. Python 2.x does not have native threading built in and is stated by the author himself, to have native threading would mean a re-write of python. So even hosted on a quad core machine, there would be no advantage.

Also if you wanna make it happen, you'll need to re-architecture portions of the game code for efficiency, fix a ton of bugs like knockback from lag and a ton of other stuff.

I agree, we cannot compare compiled code to a code runned in virtual machine. Anyway, with psyco extension Python scripts are much faster, even without native threads.

In most cases, architecture > language efficiency. At this moment I have fully working Gate and ML server (does not handle request from HG for player data yet) and in my opinion it runs faster than Aryes code and is much shorter. And didn't compiled it to .pyc neither used psyco. So yes, we can say we need to re-architecture it.

For client code we stick with C++ and there is nothing much to talk with.

And again, even if we stay with C++ for HG it totally have to be rewritten alot of it. First of all remove Winapi code and Windows timers, make it console app and multi thread some of it parts. And it should be compileable on Win and Linux.

If we rewrite whole HG server to use UDP and work on network code knockback from lag won't (propably) happen.

But it's our hopes and might not happen. Original idea was to make client code portable and make helbreath first crossplatform MMORPG ever.

If you have any free time KLKS you can review our code. Just left me an email so I can give you access.

-Kenji- · Post by **-Kenji-** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:00 pm

What's the point of cross-platform server? The server is running at one computer, the client (if you do good work) on hundreds.

Leave the server C++ since it's fast (yeah, delete the crappy timers and win API) and it can be cross-platform too, if you don't use windows crap.
Re-write the client using OpenGL api, because that one is better for 2d and you get it cross platform too.
Going to UDP is a big fault because UDP...
...does not guarantee that packets arrive in the order they were sent (think about precasting and casting the spell, for example. the packets have to arrive in order).
...does not guarantee that all packets arrive and doesn't try to send them again if a packet loss occurs.
...will cause a lot of trouble
...is old fashioned
If you go to UDP, your project gets even crappier than it is right now.
If I were you I would first think and after that start with a project of this size. I tell you right now that you won't finish that project. You won't. Because you haven't planned good enough.

Better start with a new game, anyways. Recoding helbreath is like trying to revive a dead body: Sprites stay crappy, structure remains shit, it's still the same as before, people wanna see new things. Don't waste ur energy, guys.

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:49 am

-Kenji- wrote: What's the point of cross-platform server? The server is running at one computer, the client (if you do good work) on hundreds.

Leave the server C++ since it's fast (yeah, delete the crappy timers and win API) and it can be cross-platform too, if you don't use windows crap.
Re-write the client using OpenGL api, because that one is better for 2d and you get it cross platform too.
Going to UDP is a big fault because UDP...
...does not guarantee that packets arrive in the order they were sent (think about precasting and casting the spell, for example. the packets have to arrive in order).
...does not guarantee that all packets arrive and doesn't try to send them again if a packet loss occurs.
...will cause a lot of trouble
...is old fashioned
If you go to UDP, your project gets even crappier than it is right now.
If I were you I would first think and after that start with a project of this size. I tell you right now that you won't finish that project. You won't. Because you haven't planned good enough.

Better start with a new game, anyways. Recoding helbreath is like trying to revive a dead body: Sprites stay crappy, structure remains shit, it's still the same as before, people wanna see new things. Don't waste ur energy, guys.

What's the point of cross-platform server? Linux hosting even with 1Gbps is much cheaper than Windows dedicated server. You will be able to host the server even on free shell account. And it will be 24/7. Do you know any free windows dedicated host on 100Mbit ? Me not.

If I will remove crappy timers and Winapi stuff and rewrite XSock to use threads and callbacks or something else, it will be like rewriting half of the server.

About the client, it will be our last task as the server will be compatible with 3.xx. Why not SDL ?

UDP is not a big fault. Explain me why most of the online games uses UDP to communicate? Because it is faster than TCP. Nevermind the UDP. It will make too much trouble recoding whole server and client. Belive me, I know what I'm talking about and I am experienced with this protocol.

Helbreath is not crappy. HBChina still have many fans and I can say they have at least 800ppl online. Helbreath is crappy due to shitty and laggy client. Finished client will be 800*600 and belive me it will look good. On HBUsa many ppl still go p2p.

Yes, maybe we never finish this project. But this is power of open source. Our project will propably stay forever on Google Code. So anyone could get it and submit patches without us. HBx community should have one centralized repository and community will post patches and staff will commit them and releasing official files. But it is dead now and this game deserves for remake.

Many old games gets their remake by fans.

Treax2 · Post by **Treax2** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:05 pm

Still helbreath is a dead game... recodeing don't bring back players. HB was popular because of its good pvp system and it was playable with 10yr old comps aswell.. but now u can get a hyper pc with pocket money so you can play everything... i hope u get what i mean .

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:50 pm

We will give new fresh to gameplay so don't worry. Also, you can play on PSP, iPhone, N95 (or other Symbian) etc. I don't care if it will be fail. It's my hobby and it's GPL-ed so in future someone take my project. OpenTTD is remake of Transport Tycoon and look at their community.
Im sure we will bring players back.

Treax2 · Post by **Treax2** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:35 pm

i'll buy a vodka and chips and come to your place for celebration if u can accomplish the ressurection of HELBREATH =D

Drajwer · Post by **Drajwer** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 7:13 pm

Treax2 wrote: i'll buy a vodka and chips and come to your place for celebration if u can accomplish the ressurection of HELBREATH =D

I prefer drinking beer and smoke. Maybe barrel of beer and big pack of weed? Anyway I need people to help. You're welcome Treax2.

Treax2 · Post by **Treax2** » Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:36 am

i'm unfamiliar with other codeing-languages than c++, php

and also i don't have much time for that . my hb times are over for now. but ill come and watch your accomplishment when its ready

Treax2 · Post by **Treax2** » Tue Apr 13, 2010 12:32 pm

ok i'm gonna take a loot on that python stuff.

Treax2 · Post by **Treax2** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:00 pm

what in the world is that ..
i can pick up these kind of things easily but that is truely a chinese for me .