How bad would you estimate the SEQ damage?

[Jaxxian]

I have been using SEQ for around 5 years now. I will admit to barely being able to keep my Linux box running much less get fancy with programming that will help out. I remember on the last long downtime all the Windows versions coming out and the clients running on the EQ machine itself. I don't feel comfortable running client apps on my EQ machine so would rather wait for SEQ to work again. I tried MySEQ but even with every tweak they suggested, running it on two different boxes was horrible performance wise. Things updated like every 30 seconds, the lag was horrible even after doing all the settings they said and buying new hardware so I really don't even condsider that an option.

So that being said, what would you rough guesstimate on the complexity of getting around this latest issue and back to a clientless monitor only safe solution? 6 months? Never? It was about 9 months last time wasn't it? with all the client stuff kind of filling in the gap. If it will be that long I can just remove the extra monitor ( I have four now) and extra computer case for the time being, I could use the space. Thanks for any educated guesses, wish I could be more help trying to find solutions but I know my level on this stuff.

[Cryonic]

It was 9 months last time because SOE eventually reduced the encryption on the packets back to a reliably crackable level without the need for things like key sniffers. This time it seems that SOE is no longer using static opcodes for the various client<->server events. Not sure how much progress purple or others have made in figuring out how random that jumping is, but that is the reason that SEQ is still effectively down.

[BlueAdept]

Purple sent me some info on it, but honestly I havent had time to spend much time on it....let alone play EQ. Note: even if I had any time, I do not know that I would really be able to help anyway.

From what Purple said to me, Cryonic is correct in his assessment.

[futuro]

<sigh>

If the skittles are gone for good, I might end up canceling both my accounts.

SOE might have "won" the battle, but they'll lost the war of keeping customers.

Oh well, it's not the dumbest thing the corporatocracy has ever done.

Too bad, I was just getting back into playing again.

[Cryonic]

In this instance, SEQ was a bystander in the fight. From what I can tell the changes in how the opcodes work is an attempt to reduce packet injectors from doing things like Monks backstabbing. SEQ just got caught in the crossfire.

[Jaxxian]

Yeah I could definitely see that happening. The Macroquest script kiddies were going crazy on my server. The level of abuse was out of control. They told me they didn't need to know any programming just be able to write scripts. I don't know how hard that is or what they were using but based on some of the stupid questions some of them asked me about just using normal Windows I don't think it was tough.

After the first single group kill of the Wailing Sisters event in Demiplane like a year ago with the players just standing at the zone in running MQ scripts you could kind of figure that Sony would do something. That and watching people do some kind of 'unsummonable' command and 'lose all aggro' command to totally trivialize events. And we are not talking old stealthy SEQ use, I am talking 'haxxor' doofuss' in non instanced zones doing it where GM's could watch and bragging about it in /ooc.

Saw quite a few get banned but apparently they distributed the MQ program and how to make it work to a lot of people so there was no way for them to enforce it with bannings. They would have lost half the people playing EQ. I saw a lot of people who would never have used stuff like that and really had no idea what they were getting into playing with it, but they were the 7 year old, full time players with multiple accounts that Sony wouldn't want to lose.

So if SEQ just got squashed in the effort to get rid of them then so be it, it was fun while it lasted. I put too much time and effort into playing and beating these raid events fairly to enjoy watching single groups hack them and brag and act obnoxious. Oh, well. It was fun.

[purple]

SEQ isn't squashed. No need to overreact. Just be patient. It's getting close. Just because I'm not here telling you all what is going on does not mean that it isn't being worked on.

[Jaxxian]

Ah, ok. Sorry about that Purple. I admittedly don't know much about the technical side of these things and the stuff people had been alluding to sounded kind of final so I guess I jumped too far and assumed too much. Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it.

[trustno1]

Thanks for the update Purple! I was also checking these forums everyday looking for an update that it was working and cursing SOE for breaking SEQ.

[Whizzie Wiz]

/cheer Purple!

[Sargent_Slate]

Thanks for the update Purple... and all your (and others) efforts - good news and very much appreciated indeed!

[icetech]

Wow.. sorry to see seq is hurt, i quit playing EQ over a year ago.. but its been tugging at me daily lately:( i will never escape totally...

Was thinking of coming back, i didnt know bout all the other hacking and stuff going on:( don't think i could play without seq though:)

BTW.... are there any good Hack sites for eq1? xunleashed doesn't have crapola

[flopz]

BLASPHEMER~

That is all; I have nothing real to contribute to this thread.

[Jaxxian]

Hey guys. Just figured I would check back in since it had been a few weeks since anything had been talked about. Sounds like the complexity of the change was pretty large. I was just wondering how you felt it was coming. Not asking for it to be done or hurried or anything like that. Just wondering. Have to move for the first time in 7 years and am debating taking the time to set up the Linux box and its peripherals in the new place if this sucker is going to be hairy to straighten out. I can always do it later, just trying to plan everything so I know what to move or store for now. Anyway, thanks Purple or anyone else working on it for any updates on how it looks completion wise. I really appreciate it and the time you are spending on it, and again this isn't to press or bitch or anything, I love all the work you guys are doing. I am just wondering how it's coming along. Thanks again guys.

[purple]

I'm still making progress but it is slow, obviously. When I have something working that I am happy with it will get posted just like it always has been.

[Jaxxian]

Ok, cool. Thanks again for the update Purple. Good to hear things are moving along. Much appreciated by us all here.

[Snoochie]

Thanks purple for carrying on the legacy of a greatly and often silently appreciated project.

[coffeencream]

Wow starting to have serious withdrawals... I'm actually considering the unthinkable... start playing again WITHOUT seq...

[BlueAdept]

Naa...its better to just quit playing EQ.

[Hendrix_Morton]

Not everyone can go 'Cold Turkey' :)

[SeqTester]

just use MySEQ for now, it is nowhere near as good as ShowEQ but does help. The main thing is I wish there where spell timers in mySEQ. :( But helps for maps and mobs.

[Could_Be_Anyone]

just use MySEQ for now, it is nowhere near as good as ShowEQ but does help. The main thing is I wish there where spell timers in mySEQ. :( But helps for maps and mobs.
Doesn't this run on the same machine as EQ is running on?

Sorry, I don't trust SOE enough to assume they aren't gonna run something like WoW's "warden" spyware.

[flopz]

Doesn't this run on the same machine as EQ is running on?

Sorry, I don't trust SOE enough to assume they aren't gonna run something like WoW's "warden" spyware.
The MySEQ server also doesn't run on Linux ;)

[twizzlerz]

Wow starting to have serious withdrawals... I'm actually considering the unthinkable... start playing again WITHOUT seq...That's what we did and we're having a blast. I hate staring at the blank monitor but I don't want to ginkx the project by taking it down and giving up hope.

SOE has made it tons easier to play. You can't see mobs on maps and you can't see groundspawns... but EQ didn't even have maps when it came out and we survived! I still have all my printed EQAtlas maps with my marks/camps all over them!

Now we use Holgresh beads, Eye of Zomm (the spell), and FD classes to peek around the corners and stuff.

Go play. You'll appreciate SEQ more when they fix it.

[flopz]

Purple,

Any luck? ;)

[purple]

Obviously not! Still trying when I can, but not as hard as I was a couple months ago at all. I still think it is very doable but it isn't easy for me and when I have to choose between enjoying myself and slamming my head against something I've been slamming my head against already for a very long time, well I've been picking enjoying myself lately...

[flopz]

Just wanted to check, since it's been a few months. Not saying beat your head against this > RL at all ;)

[BlueAdept]

I've been slamming my head against already for a very long time

Well now we know how you got your name. It is from all the bruises :D

I really do want to thank you for keeping SEQ alive for all this time. I do really miss it, but your frustrations and decisions about your free time are well understood.

I'll still keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks again Purple.

[ieatacid]

Is there a place to download current source (if there is source more current than the last release)? I might mess around with it if I get time.

[purple]

There isn't any more current source than what is in svn. I can PM you some test programs and information, ieatacid. Honestly I think I'm pretty close, there's just a couple minor disconnects. I'm on vacation for the next week though, but when I get back I'll PM you some stuff.

[ieatacid]

That would be great, thanks!

[dudex]

Honestly I think I'm pretty close*excited*

[coffeencream]

Well, i've tried, and EQ just isn't the same without my SEQ screen.

So between that, and the fact that yet another 5 levels to grind up, I'm gonna give up on EQ for now, probably for good.

Thanks Purple for all the work you've put in over the years and kept us going. /salute

[dewey2641]

While its not nearly as good as Seq. I've found that MacroQuest map will do most of the stuff I want. Still hoping that some magic happens and Seq comes back alive.

And I'll add my thanks to the Seq devs who have managed to keep it alive this long :)

[cann]

Heyas.

iam not a programer and i have no clue what needs to be done, but i f i can help out in testing or whatever let me know =)

[dudex]

Any updates, purple?

Is ShowEQ dead? =(

[purple]

ieatacid did some work and things are close. I'm not playing EQ a lot right now for personal reasons. When I get more time in my life, this may change.

[ieatacid]

I actually got the opcode decoding working (purple did 99% of the work), and the player indicator to appear on the map last night. It moves around correctly but there's no map or spawns. I haven't even looked at structs yet, but it's a start.

[Hendrix_Morton]

I actually got the opcode decoding working (purple did 99% of the work), and the player indicator to appear on the map last night. It moves around correctly but there's no map or spawns. I haven't even looked at structs yet, but it's a start.


Awesome news!!! MySeq is nice....but ShowEQ is nicer...:)

I figure you guys will get it working just in time for the Nov expansion to come along and break it again... :)

>HM<

[BlueAdept]

Even though I quit about 3 months ago, I still want to thank everyone who has worked on the project. I wish there was some way that we could start a beer fund for those who helped. I doubt I would have played EQ for more than a year or two if it wasn't for SEQ.

Who knows, if SEQ is fixed, maybe it will bring me back again.

Thanks again to everyone, past, present and future who are/were dedicated to keeping SEQ alive.

[dudex]

I'm not playing EQ a lot right now for personal reasons. When I get more time in my life, this may change.Oh, I hear you there. EQ sat neglected for months shortly after I met my girlfriend. ;)