[OrbitClient] New DarkOrbit and Private Servers Client

[retro_black]

I am proud to present to you today the result of 4 months of work:

Introducing OrbitClient, a client optimized for playing DarkOrbit and designed to work on the official version of the game as well as on private servers.

Key Features:

[-->] Multi-Platform Client works on Windows, Mac, and Linux

[-->] Optimized for DarkOrbit on both the Official Version and Private Servers

[-->] Multi-Language translated into all available languages in DarkOrbit

[-->] Enhanced User Experience interface designed to blend with the game's universe and optimize navigation

[-->] Multi-User you can log in to multiple accounts simultaneously!

[-->] Secure no data is collected, and you can choose to encrypt your data with a master password.

And more: SID login, automatic user registration, and more.


Here are some screenshots of the client:

[Why?]

I wanted to get back into development after a few years off, and I remembered this game I used to play in my adolescence and wanted to revisit it.
Being on macOS, I had no idea how complex it was to find software capable of launching the game!

I eventually found a way to launch a browser with FlashPlayer and so on, but it still required modifying the user-agent, ... it was complicated.

And what can I say about the official DarkOrbit client, which is... not to my taste

So, I started developing a basic browser with my pre-recorded information hard-coded into the code, and I thought it would be great to have a client with an interface designed for the game and by the game!

And step by step, here's the result

[What's Next]

I have plans for many future feature additions and welcome any suggestions or ideas to help grow this project

You can propose your ideas directly from the client or send me a message.

[More Information and Download:]

Discord Link:

Windows:
VirusTotal:

macOS:
VirusTotal:

Linux (deb or AppImage) :

deb:
AppImage:

VirusTotal:


Would you like a customized version for your private server?
Contact me!

OrbitClient is TOTALLY FREE and will remain so, but if you appreciate my work and want to support future updates, please consider making a donation on the dedicated page!

[manulaiko3.0]

Looks safe.

Funny how the community can do the things that BP says they do, but better.

[retro_black]

Originally Posted by manulaiko3.0

Looks safe.

Funny how the community can do the things that BP says they do, but better.

Thank you! I really appreciate your comment. 😄 It's a pleasure to share this with you. 👏

[Akame_Ga_Kill]

Originally Posted by manulaiko3.0

Looks safe.

Funny how the community can do the things that BP says they do, but better.

Well, promising it's easy, making it come true it's the real challenge. It's funny how some people here on EPVP doesn't even make promises, they just realize instead ^^

[LEJYONER(DS)]

Wow, even though i'm not interested with DarkOrbit or PVP/PVE servers anymore; i wanted to check this out and i'm impressed, it's next level! That seems like what BP should have done in the first place...

Also saying "OrbitClient is TOTALLY FREE and will remain so" made me question; why this project is not open source on GitHub?

[retro_black]

Originally Posted by LEJYONER(DS)

Wow, even though i'm not interested with DarkOrbit or PVP/PVE servers anymore; i wanted to check this out and i'm impressed, it's next level! That seems like what BP should have done in the first place...

Also saying "OrbitClient is TOTALLY FREE and will remain so" made me question; why this project is not open source on GitHub?

Hello! I'm truly delighted by your comment; it warms my heart ❤️. Your question is indeed valid. I have considered making it open source, but after careful thought, I decided to maintain control over the project to ensure a consistent experience for everyone. I must admit that after putting so much work into it, it's hard to let go of the reins.

[Moonsteroid]

Nice job!

Originally Posted by retro_black

I decided to maintain control over the project to ensure a consistent experience for everyone. I must admit that after putting so much work into it, it's hard to let go of the reins.

How does open sourcing affect the user experience for everyone?

[retro_black]

Originally Posted by Moonsteroid

Nice job!



How does open sourcing affect the user experience for everyone?

I built this client with security as a top priority. No data is collected, and I want to ensure that it remains secure.
I've seen far too many scams emerge from open-source projects, and I want to guarantee everyone's safety by using OrbitClient. Anyone with coding skills can easily introduce malware. I created this client due to BP's lack of involvement in theirs, and I believe this may lead to scams.

This is just my personal opinion, and this situation is not set in stone.
If I start running short on time to maintain it, I will make it open-source so that it can continue to be maintained.

[manulaiko3.0]

Originally Posted by retro_black

I built this client with security as a top priority. No data is collected, and I want to ensure that it remains secure.
I've seen far too many scams emerge from open-source projects, and I want to guarantee everyone's safety by using OrbitClient. Anyone with coding skills can easily introduce malware. I created this client due to BP's lack of involvement in theirs, and I believe this may lead to scams.

This is just my personal opinion, and this situation is not set in stone.
If I start running short on time to maintain it, I will make it open-source so that it can continue to be maintained.

"Anyone with coding skills can easily introduce malware", that depends on you, you're the one that ultimately will accept the pull requests to the repo.

As long as you review the pull requests before merging them nothing bad would happen.

[Requi]

Originally Posted by retro_black

I built this client with security as a top priority. No data is collected, and I want to ensure that it remains secure.
I've seen far too many scams emerge from open-source projects, and I want to guarantee everyone's safety by using OrbitClient. Anyone with coding skills can easily introduce malware. I created this client due to BP's lack of involvement in theirs, and I believe this may lead to scams.

This is just my personal opinion, and this situation is not set in stone.
If I start running short on time to maintain it, I will make it open-source so that it can continue to be maintained.

I ran an open-source mod for a game with multiple of 10k users. Never had a problem with malware.

Your repository is under your control. Other people can create pull requests and it's exactly that. A request. You have to review it and in the end can decline it.

[LEJYONER(DS)]

In my opinion, open source projects tends to be safer, people also can check the source code and fix bugs etc. if there are any. As also manulaiko3.0 and Requi stated, it is your repository, it's up to you to decide what to do with changes people want to make on your repository.

Also i think most people doesn't know anything about what your client does in the background, which means most people are going to be scared to use it. This is just a client you download from the internet that also scammers use to find their victims and nobody knows what would "actually" changed in the next update.

The way you distribute your client is actually more dangerous than creating a simple repository and uploading your distributions there which would lead no question.

Obviously it's up to you what to do, but what you promise would get the best outcome when it's distributed from an open source repository.

[retro_black]

Hey everyone!

After some serious contemplation, I've come to the conclusion that it's in the best interest of our project to take the open-source route. This decision comes with a commitment to enhance the code's reliability and comprehensiveness. As part of this process, I'll be focusing on cleaning up the code and creating thorough documentation.

I believe this shift to open-source will not only make the project more accessible but also encourage collaboration and improvement from the wider community. While I'm excited about this new direction, I want to be transparent about the fact that developing the documentation and cleaning the code will require some time.

Thanks for your support, and please feel free to share any thoughts or suggestions. Together, we can make this project even better!