Ultra Guide For Beginning a Private Server (a.k.a The Newbie's Way In)
Not only is it a guide, but it's a realistic one too. So now I shall begin.
So you've probably bounced around from pserver to pserver wondering to yourself, "How did they make this happen?" or, "I wish I could do something like this...". Well there's good news, you can! There's two routes you can take. There's the more-so lazy route which will earn you no real-life credit (running a binary server), and there's the professional route that you can be respected for (running a project/source server). Binaries are frowned upon here and that is for the sole fact that they are completely illegal. Using certain methods, running a server using source code can potentially be legal. So I will talk about setting up a conquer server now.
Software Needed:
Microsoft C# Express 2010 (if you wish to use another version, search for it yourself) -
*Note: If you decided on choosing a C++ source, you need to find a C++ compiler/IDE. BaussHacker highly recommends you DO NOT USE Microsoft Visual C++, but that you use
, I recommend . If you choose a C++ source, some of my source sections but not be of use to you.*The newest Direct X (this is more-so for people with older computers. If you've played Conquer, you probably already have this installed.) -
WinRAR (almost every thing you see is now compressed into a .rar. You need this program to open those compressed files. The extraction is very simple, so simple all you need to do is right-click the .rar file you have that needs to be extracted) -
====Table of Contents====
#Press CTRL + F on your keyboard, and type in whatever keyword it is you want to search for
1.)Source Introduction - SI
2.)Client Introduction - CI
3.)MySQL Installation - DATABASE
4.)Setting Up Your Source - SS
5.)Setting Up Your Client - CS
6.)Running the Source Code - STARTING
7.)Server Development - DEV
8.)Community - COMMUNISM
####Source Introduction - SI####
There's quite a few different patches out. The majority of what people are using now (as of August 22nd, 2011) are all 5300+ patches. There are 5165 server sources, which not to offend anyone, there weren't too many great releases for this patch. There's the 5095/5065 (I consider these the same patch, one's with ninja, the other is without *FROM MY POINT OF VIEW*) patches, there were TONS of great releases for this. And there are even lesser patches than that.
That is Fang's old blog for different source downloads. Most of the downloads are directed back to this forum where you can read more about them. There is PLENTY of detailed information about which patch is what on Fang's blog. I apologize Fang if you do not want me to give out this link, I will take it down as soon as you tell me to!
####Client Introduction - CI####
Found a source for the patch you like? Great! Once you've done that, you should step on over here to the clients. There are other client downloads amongst this forum but for the sake of using Fang's resources for sources, I'll do the same for clients.
Again Fang, I apologize if you do not want these links posted. I will take them down asap if you tell me too.
####MySQL Installation - DATABASE####
Okay, so now you must download
(If you wish to have a site on your main computer) or (If you ONLY want people to be able to connect to your server. No site.)Follow through with the installations.
When installing Appserv, it really doesn't matter what you use as your email address and host. ENABLE INNODB. DO IT.
When installing MySQL, use a multifunctional database and make the default character set UTF -8 (Don't worry if these terms are confusing, the installation package will walk you through it)
Now go and download
! Once you download that and install it, open it up and then go to the top and click "Connections..." add a new connection, call it localhost. Your Host will be 127.0.0.1 regardless of what you want. It HAS to be 127.0.0.1 for this one. The rest should be fine.####Setting Up Your Source - SS####
Got your client downloaded for your patch? Got MySQL installed? You're headed in the right direction! Now we need to make it so that players can connect.
For users with a 32-bit computer:
Well if you open up the source folder, go into bin/debug/ and you will usually find a config.ini file there. If not, check if there's a OLDCODB folder somewhere and the config.ini will be in there. If there is no config.ini then open up xxxxxxxx.proj (it's one of the main files in the main folder of your source) and ctrl + f (which is search) and search for "127.0.0.1" or "IP" or something like that. "Port" and then look around for the IP variable, something like that.
If you only want yourself to connect, enter in 127.0.0.1.
If you want others to be able to connect go to
and read the number to the top left. Copy/Paste that into wherever your IP should go. You can only use your IP if you are using a router. Otherwise you must port-forward or use hamachi. I do not support Hamachi so in my next post I will explain how to port-forward.
Also, check other factors like your Server name. Stuff like that DOES matter. If you don't have a server name, just set it to MyServer or something simple, it doesn't have to be elaborate yet.
For Users with a 64-bit computer:
First things first is open up your xxxxxxx.proj, it's the main project file of the main folder of your source. Have it open? Good. Now go to the top of the screen to the top bar where you'll find file, edit, debug, etc.
Click on Tools.
Move your mouse slightly down to Settings.
Switch it to Expert.
Go back to the top bar and now click on Build.
Click on Configuration Manager...
Where it says "Active Configuration Platform", go right-underneath that, click it, click <New...>
Now where it says to type or select the new platform, I want you to click on the drop-down arrow and select "x86". That is very crucial. Leave everything else alone and click "OK"
Now click Close. NOT THE X BUTTON. The button that says "Close".
Now hit F5.
Now you need to follow the instructions for the Users with a 32-bit computer, but instead of /bin/debug, it'll now be /bin/x86/debug. Got it? Good. Now onto clients.
Note: You also need to check if there's a "Config.ini" file or something like that as directed in the 32-bit instructions above. If the Config.ini file is located in /bin/debug, then you need to copy that and paste it into /bin/x86/debug.
####Setting Up Your Client - CS####
After you downloaded your client, go to it. If it's in a .rar, extract it. Now go into the main folder where you would normally click on play.exe.
Leave that folder open and download ConquerLoader5.2 (Search ElitePvpers for it) and extract that in your main folder. (Drag the .rar/.zip into the main conquer client and then right-click it and click "Extract Here...")
Find LoaderSet.ini in that folder and double-click it to open it. If a windows pops-up and there's an option that says "Open With...", click that.
Choose notepad. Now once you can edit it, I want you to replace whatever the ServerIp1 is with 127.0.0.1 (if you are just using it for you), or whatever you found at
(if you are using it so others can connect). That should be all for the client set-up! Instead of double-clicking "play.exe" or "conquer.exe" you will be clicking "ConquerLoader.exe"
####Running the Source Code - STARTING####
Go into your source folder and go to bin/debug (bin/x86/debug depending on your xx-bit) and click on whatever runs the server. Depending on the source you have, you may need to do that for a LoginServer and WorldServer.
Whatever source you downloaded should have some documentation so search that for how to start it up. (For example, if you downloaded a LOTF based source, search in "How to make a LOTF conquer online server", you get the picture.
After you have your server's running and they say they are ready to connection, open up your client, double-click the potleaf and let it load.
I'm hoping that whatever source you downloaded had documentation on how to get the database added to NaviCat. If not, go into NaviCat, double-click on localhost, you should now see 4 databases. Right-click on localhost and then click "Add New Database".
The name unforunately does matter. I'm not quite sure how you figure out the name of your database, but it should be in the config.ini file you edited earlier. Enter that name in, and then hit enter/OK.
Now right-click on that newly created database and then click on "Execute SQL...", browse to the main folder of your source (unless it's located else where) and double-click on the .sql file.
Now hit enter.
I'm going to assume there's no errors, if there is, post about it. Now go into the tables (you usually have to click on view, then back to tables so it refreshes) and find whatever table is the account table. Double-click the account table, go to the bottom of that table and click on the + button. Now fill in whatever info you wish. (Depending on the source, you may or may not have to enter in a password in the database)
Now login with your client and it should be all good! Problems? Post about it!
####Server Development - DEV####
Now you can jump around and browse around in your server. But wait, this is just like everyone else's... well that means you need to develop your own additions into the server! There are a lot of ways to do this and I won't tell you how. That's your job. I will tell you how to go about finding out how to do it though! Go to the CO2 Programming Section and look at tutorials. If you go to my signature, I even have my own tutorial series. I highly recommend going through InfamousNoone's video and document series, they have helped me so much. Also, don't forget to use the search bar for stuff! "How to add NPCs to the ProjectX source", "How to add NPCs to the LOTF source", stuff like that.
Still not getting the hang of it? You can talk to me and I can tell you what I know. It's not much, but it's WELL more than enough to get you started. Ask around in the forums, but REMEMBER TO SEARCH FOR IT FIRST. Or else people will disrespect you and be rude to you.
####Community - COMMUNISM####
The CO2 community can be a very nasty one at times. Just keep your wits about you and remember to know what you are talking about. Never take someone else's work and say it's yours. You can take someone else's work, fix it up, and say it's there work and you fixed it up though! (Some sources will actually say not to re-released it though)
If you come from a different part of the world, try to spell as good as you can. Not even people from America can spell perfectly, so don't feel afraid. If you absolutely have to, use Google as a translator.
It's very nice, and it's how I communicate with players on my server from different countries.Try reading forums that look uninteresting. Some of them actually hold some valuable info. If nothing else, who you should look to and who you should steer away from.
If you are truly having a hard time with getting started, find a senior member and ask if they can give you tips, or if they can mentor you. Don't be afraid to ask for help. The worse they can do is flame you and c'mon, it's the internet.
Here's a very, very important tip. Two actually:
1.) Every problem has a solution. Your brain is the one that comes up with the solution. If you don't use your brain, there will be no solution and you will always have that problem. You were given a brain by some might flying spaghetti monster or god, or w/e you like to call it, so use it. Think before you act.
2.) Don't ask for the answer. Ask how to find the answer. I can guarantee you that if you ask how to find the answer, you'll learn more and more each time and people will stop trolling your posts.
Both of those are by me with the except of the first sentence in number 1. BaussHacker came up with that.
That's it on my guide for now. I may be making revisions to it, maybe not. Depends on the community. Like I said, they can be spiteful.
One last piece of wisdom.
Anyone can code a program. Only good coders can do it efficiently. It doesn't matter how much code you put into a program, it's how you do it that matters. There have been times where me of only coding for 6 months has upstaged my awesome mentor who's been coding for a while now, through good coding habits and smart thinking. So learn good habits, and do it with efficiency. Also one more thing and this came from Fang.
"[Don't be afraid to dive head on into it.]" *I corrected minor things like grammar is all*
*For any trollers out there who are going to comment and say this is a shit guide and I hardly gave them any detail...*
What I did was give them a guide to get started. I gave them a guide to the right direction. They need to ask their own questions, come up with their own solutions. How can they learn if they don't ask or think? Don't troll on my guide because I chose to make them think for themselves. I merely gave them the knowledge of where to look on how to find the answer. Even better, I gave them choice.
