SSBB Private Server

[WTVelocity]

I've already been running private servers for a couple games on my computer, and I was wondering if anyone knew how much framework would be involved in making a server emulator?

I know it would be pretty difficult probably to retrieve the files from the Nintendo server, considering their logs and stuff, you may end up getting banned for trying, and probably for nothing, considering any encryption they may have.

My thought is that someone who already knows most of the encoding for Brawl, or at least someone who knows enough to know where the networking protocol in the game is, may be able to emulate the encryption in a C++ or Java file.

The other part, which would be much easier in comparison probably, would be to  emulate the actual database that relays information sent to the server to the other clients.


Why have a Private Server for Brawl, you may ask?

Simple: Right now, if we don't want to get banned (and it's not common, but does happen), we have to play with friends only with their code. Even then, I've heard of a few people to get banned.

But just as much as that, is the problem that if we join a game, as most of you know, even with the bones being nearly original, if you use different moves (so anything other than a texture hack), you may end up lagging out the game.

The only remedy to fix this it would seem would be to have the SAME hacks on all the clients who is in a game. But other people may always be on and join.

I'm already working on a version of Brawl that has alot of Character changes and balances, some characters stronger, with others changes all together.

If I made a private server exclusive to this version of brawl, anybody with it could get on and organize, or wait, without need of going through all the trouble of choosing friend IDs.

I could host it on my computer that already runs servers, and it could end up as a partial brawl revival!  :happy:

Please comment if you like the idea, with any thoughts, and anyone who knows anything about data packeting or where the networking part of the game is stored, and how it could be edited, please PM me!

[Mansta8]

I believe brawl has a file that has the name of the normal sever in it, and looks for that. But maybe if we changed the file so it looks for the custom server it might work, but we need to make the new sever work for brawl somehow.

[Sky Grounder]

I APPROVE OF THIS IDEA! :happy:

I believe brawl has a file that has the name of the normal sever in it, and looks for that. But maybe if we changed the file so it looks for the custom server it might work, but we need to make the new sever work for brawl somehow.

If that's true, I believe it's placed in sync.dat.
I just copied this from it:

9250ikotasam5260ikim

[♤♡◇♧]

They tried this idea more then a year ago and had to stop due to disclosed reasons.

[WTVelocity]

maybe if we changed the file so it looks for the custom server it might work

That's exactly what I was planning, When I have run WoW and Eudemons Servers, it's usually contained in a .dat file in the client folder somewhere.
By simply changing that address, whether it's an IP address or DNS resolver, it usually works the same either way.

but we need to make the new sever work for brawl somehow.

That's what I was saying by needing someone to create an emulator for the server.

Even with the game redirecting and connecting to my server computer, the computer would still need a program to understand the information the Wii sends, and relay it, as well as have all the included Ping checks and any other systems the Wii Servers have behind the scenes, that the wii actually would access: otherwise it could still lag or crash.

If that's true, I believe it's placed in sync.dat.

Thanks, that is likely to be what we might need to change. Could you please upload that to megaupload or something and PM me the link?

More data than that may be needed though, in order to properly assemble an emulator, but anywhere is a start!

They tried this idea more then a year ago and had to stop due to disclosed reasons.

Didn't see anything about it, but if it's for "Legal" reasons, there are certain laws that a "cease and desist" letter doesn't change, that some people don't know ALLOWS them to make edits, modify, exc games,  under certain motives and with certain legalities being met.


It's similar to how some years ago, Nintendo would say in their booklets: "Unauthorized Copies of this software is not necessary to back up your game software, and is not authorized by Nintendo.

That lead people to think they NEEDED Nintendo's authorization to HAVE backup copies... when in fact they were legally allowed to under certain laws, and Nintendo just used that to discourage.

In other words, we are protected to do some things we want to, under the above said laws, that letters telling us to stop doesn't change.

[WTVelocity]

I had a look at sync.dat, and from the looks of it, there is another area of framework that references sync.dat for the connections.

Since we don't know yet what exactly the string "9250ikotasam5260ikim" means, we can't say if that is a password key or online directory, much less what kind of format it needs to be in if we change it...

Anyone please let me know if you have any other finds for the networking framework! :)

[DarkPikachu]

HECK YEA :D

only 1 problem though >_>

due to needing the FRC,
I've had a hacked brawl vs match between me and roo

and even though it was only the FRC in both our GCT's
the game still desynced >_>

and that was only a bare match

but when I send roo my GCT, we have a perfect match



a resolution idea I have is to post a custom GCT for users to DL if they want to join,
and to only allow hacks that won't desync :)

[??_?]

They tried this idea more then a year ago and had to stop due to disclosed reasons.

Namely, it being impossible.

[VILE]

Heh, I was a part of the project with the Brawl server stuff. It closed because at the time we didn't really have much man power (meaning no manual edits) and in conjunction with lack of time and programming ability, we thought it would be out of our range to fix it.

Namely, it being impossible.

It wasn't impossible, it was actually quite possible.

[WTVelocity]

a resolution idea I have is to post a custom GCT for users to DL if they want to join,
and to only allow hacks that won't desync :)

Like I said, I'm actually building a client specifically for this project.

I will still have the game support friend matches, but I'm actually revamping the character lineup an move sets to try to have ALL characters in there balances, and many switched with more popular/well liked ones.

I will not ban people for using hacks, but would discourage use of unsupported hacks that wasn't included in regular matches, and encourage them being used in private games.

That would allow me to log records in each, which could be used to help create a client that WOULDN'T lag from bones being named differently, or changed, by changing the network framework.


In short, I suppose the server logs the bones, and sends the bones' location to the other Wiis, to save on data packet frequency and size. If we were to log how it works, and create data compression instead, it may lag some, but become more reliable.

Namely, it being impossible.

Also, the PSP 2000 was impossible to hack, right? That's what people said at one time.

There's always a way with a little data rewriting: Just need to find the framework network links, and people who know what they are doing.

I think this project would be a little easier than building a WoW server emulator, would it not? Blizzard's specialty is MMOs... Nintendo just threw a generic server together with some coding.

History and recent time both show that FANS can make better games than the original companies. Look as SMBX and the Sonic Fan Project.

[??_?]

Well, if you do manage to make any headway, I'm 100% behind you man.

[Sky Grounder]

If this will work out, remember to make suport for all regions (Important to keep in mind if you're going to use codes) ;)

[VILE]

WTVelocity, I would like to know what programming language this will be written in. Even though I know little about manipulating received or sent packets, I may be able to help you with reverse engineering the actual files that handle the online capabilities.

I don't remember too much information about the previous attempt at changing the online capabilities (I wasn't too heavily involved in the project because it wasn't at the top of my priority list at the time), but I do remember that there was some stuff stored in "main.dol" (I think thats what it was called). I may be able to create a decompiler and recompiler for this file (and possibly other ones that need modification), or atleast be able to look at the file(s) and provide some information as to how it works.

I probably cannot offer my abilities full time, but I am willing to set aside some time every so often to discuss and have a look at this project.

[DarkPikachu]

hmm...

so the networ instances are carried out by only he bone data...
interesting

meaning my idea for a project I had a while back just may work after all
(with quite a bit of modding of course)

matches hosted by a central server...
basically, the match goes by your hack vs their hack
the data is UL'd to the server before the match starts
(they'll see your hack, and you'll see theirs when versing)

Hacks that cause desync:
this won't happen due to:
replacement of CHR0 data (in the vital CHR0's)
replacement of Logic data
and replacement of FS data before the match starts

I'm thinking to use the GCT to hard-code the mods in instead of using a modded file

the only problem I can think of would be for custom imports that won't cause desync
that's for my idea that involves a model import over a single slot,
and doesn't affect the other slots
(it's possible, as I've done it in the image below)


^both are in their own 'WalkSlow' animations
NOTE: (before people go around asking why I havn't released the hack),
the hack was never released because it was incomplete.
the hack used in the image above had an invalad bone tree

anyways...
the problem with that would be the data replacement for chr0's...
that would cause the import to render in T-Pose instead of rendering the animation

note: this would only modify the UL'd data on the server.
(the data on the SD is safe) ;)



How this would work on the network:
the data on the wii's RAM would be replaced with the data on the server
the transferred data across systems would still be bone data


Q: why not allow character imports if the data would be on both wii's??
A: it would work if not doing ditto matches,
but actually doing ditto matches would cause a mis-influence on the other players character,
along with other complications that could cause an error

if I'm forgetting anything, let me know :)

[xmanfit0]

Here are some interesting pages that may be of use to you:
Project Wi-Win on Smashboards (dead)

Discussion on why a private server is "impossible"
(^Perhaps you may prove them wrong)
Good luck to you.