100% Open game

[Sam Drost]

I can't seem to find all of this information in a single place, and having only recently joined the Open Tibia community it is something I have wondered about.

What tools are available and tasks required if I wanted to make a 100% custom server and client using nothing owned by Cipsoft.

 

[Don Daniello]

Good question, actually.

Client: GitHub - edubart/otclient: An alternative tibia client for otserv written in C++2011, made with a modular system that uses lua scripts for ingame interface and functionality, making otclient flexible and easy to customize
Server: GitHub - otland/forgottenserver: A free and open-source MMORPG server emulator written in C++
Website (AAC): many you can find in Website Applications
Items editor/map editor/etc: all open source and free, available here as well

Your only missing piece is getting rid of Tibia.spr, which is the graphics. Noone has been able to remake that amount of graphics yet (last time I checked was over 20 000 but with animations and all it may be much much more).

 

[Shadowsong]

I can't seem to find all of this information in a single place, and having only recently joined the Open Tibia community it is something I have wondered about.

What tools are available and tasks required if I wanted to make a 100% custom server and client using nothing owned by Cipsoft.

You can't make a 100% custom server using nothing owned by Cipsoft, you're looking to make a game from scratch since even if you change the sprites, the map, etc. you will still have ties to cipsoft in one way or another through the way the client and engine work. If you remake that too, then you're good, but at that point it was better to invest the time into writing a new client/engine or using some other engine like unity.

Anyway, if what you're referring to is just making a tibia server based on tfs that has a totally different client and all different sprites, here's all you'll need:

Server - The server you'll run, there are tons of different versions and datapacks available here on the forum, this repository is for the newest version.
OTclient - Client for playing
ObjectBuilder - To edit .dat and .spr files.
ItemEditor - To edit items.otb
Remere's Map Editor - To edit and create the map.
Website - Visit this forum section if you also want a website to go with that, unless you prefer people to create accounts and characters in the client (which you'll either have to code, or use account manager).
There are several different AAC types, each has its pros and cons. Its up to you to decide.

 

[Sam Drost]

Thanks for the replies. I understand that the way the server and client communicate was developed by Cip, but, unless they hold a patent on it (which I have no idea if they do or not, a quick Google yielded no results), it is not owned by them because a protocol is not copyrightable, the code that implements it is (e.g. the official server and client), but if you use an open source server and client, and assets made from scratch, you'd only be illegal if Cip holds patents on the protocol.

 

[Shadowsong]

Thanks for the replies. I understand that the way the server and client communicate was developed by Cip, but, unless they hold a patent on it (which I have no idea if they do or not, a quick Google yielded no results), it is not owned by them because a protocol is not copyrightable, the code that implements it is (e.g. the official server and client), but if you use an open source server and client, and assets made from scratch, you'd only be illegal if Cip holds patents on the protocol.

Sounds like you know what you're getting into then, but keep in mind as of Tibia 11's release, Cipsoft has been strengthening their legal department and actively looking for more employees in this department for some of these reasons cited on their webiste:

• We need support in the legal field for the implementation of a licensing pilot project and for further legal tasks. That is why we are looking for the next possible date at our headquarters in Regensburg.

and

• Planung und Durchführung rechtlicher Maßnahmen gegen Verletzungen des geistigen Eigentums und Störungen der Dienste
  des Unternehmens (Planning and implementing legal measures against intellectual property infringements and disruption of services
  the company)

 

[Arashel]

Sounds like you know what you're getting into then, but keep in mind as of Tibia 11's release, Cipsoft has been strengthening their legal department and actively looking for more employees in this department for some of these reasons cited on their webiste:

Just like @Sam Drost said. If OtClient, TFS and other programs don't use any similar pieces of code to the official Tibia code, everyone should be safe with those and without Tibia.spr, Tibia name, Tibia logo and other stuff like that. They may look for the legal representation to close down those money-milking servers like ArchLight, which are blatant copyright infringement.

 

[Shadowsong]

Just like @Sam Drost said. If OtClient, TFS and other programs don't use any similar pieces of code to the official Tibia code, everyone should be safe with those and without Tibia.spr, Tibia name, Tibia logo and other stuff like that. They may look for the legal representation to close down those money-milking servers like ArchLight, which are blatant copyright infringement.

That's true, we don't know their intentions yet, but it's good to beware.

As for TFS using similar pieces of code for Tibia, here's some info quoting Fenrisus, a person who was involved in a lot of OT stuff right from the beginning:

So, finally, TFS due to pre-tfs nature, and laters, after official CipSoft binaries got leaked (how do you think what is OTBM? Right OTBM and OTB - is reversed and adapted formats from CipSoft Tibia and also their server/client side), is a result of reverse engineering. Same as OTClient (they are using Tibia.dat & Tibia.spr + Tibia protocol. You may easy change packets for example, but how about XTea + RSA + easy recognizeable Tibia login method + same easy to recognize - "ping heartbit" for players? Needless to say about Map&Tiles packets. With my 17 years of gamedev & programming expirience, i can tell you - no one of any other game use same technology for Tile-based maps and also Client view (Tibia is not a 2.5D isometric! That has literally orthogonal projection with sprites rotated to 45 degree) No one other game use same technical features I.e. network architecture.). Any legal and officially expertise of TFS and OTClient will tell CipSoft - "Hey guys, they are 100% reverse your game! Time to do the actions!" Due to many unique features Tibia has itself - it's easy to recognize them for CipSoft and also anyone who will be involved to probably issue.

Partially non-true. The TFS and also OTClient is a result of reverse engineering of official CipSoft files, included Tibia.spr and Tibia.dat.
Also TFS has a reversed parts from CipSoft Network communication and other things. Well, it's non-clean anyways due to reverse-engineering things used for create this. (reversing software violate various laws on almost all countries (exept Zimbabve or maybe Somali or Afganistan)).