How Do You Feel About MMO Emulation Servers? | MMORPG.com

System

How Do You Feel About MMO Emulation Servers? | MMORPG.com

As more and more MMOs were pulled throughout the years for myriad reasons, some players simply did not want to leave the worlds they came to love. Thus emulation servers were born. But it's a iffy subject with murky legal status. How do you feel about MMO emulation servers? Should they remain, do you think they do harm to the genre, or do you think they should be shut down?

Read the full story here

Slapshot1188

I se them like fan-fiction. I see them the same way I view Star Wars or Star Trek fan films. I think they should not be for profit (as they do not own the IP).

Utinni

P99 once described themselves as a museum and I think that's pretty accurate.

mklinic

In the example of WoW, it seems private servers had an overall positive effect if you want to consider WoW Classic as a result.

For closed down games; It's nice to be able to go back and play them, but for as much as I enjoyed SWG, I can't say that I've ever wanted to play on a private server. Still good for those players that've enjoyed.

Any legal questions aside, and strictly from a selfish, gamer point of view; I have no issue with them and like that people have an opportunity to still play something they enjoyed.

Sovrath

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.

And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.

As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.

I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

JeroKane

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.



And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.



As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.



I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

kitarad

I love P99 so obviously I am biased.

toljar

I am good with them, I still get to play Asheron's Call, so that makes me happy.

Scot

Are the emulations making any money for those fronting the MMORPG? If not then fine. I used to speak out against them in fact as I thought they kept too many old school players locked in the past, but the truth is we have so few places to go now that it would be unfair to advocate that.

xalis

I'm all for it if the game has been shutdown but I'm a little bias since I (Xinux) run/code the emulator the Vanguard Saga of Heroes which was shutdown back in 2014. Now if the game is still available to play through normal means that is a little more difficult since you could be directly competing with them and it would then be up to the them if they want to issue a cease and desist order. I have seen some companies be very aggressive and shut a emulator down as soon as they see it pop up and some not care as long no money is being made by the emulator.

Sovrath

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.





And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.





As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.





I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!

https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

JeroKane

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.







And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.







As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.







I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!



https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

Mendel

I've always felt that if a team had the skills/money/resources to emulate an old game, the game community would be better off if they built their own game.  We would see new ideas and new visions, plus have new worlds to explore, should any of them actually do it.  There's just too many people nostalgic for old, forgotten things.

Sovrath

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.









And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.









As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.









I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!





https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

I wouldn't go looking for the same level of work as the better Star Wars Galaxies emulators. The game is there and you can play it. Very low population.

that's pretty much it.

xalis

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.







And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.







As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.







I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!



https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

JeroKane I really don't update the website much all of our updates get posted to discord automatically everytime we do code/content updates.

Sovrath

Scot said:

Are the emulations making any money for those fronting the MMORPG? If not then fine. I used to speak out against them in fact as I thought they kept too many old school players locked in the past, but the truth is we have so few places to go now that it would be unfair to advocate that.

But isn't that the individual's choice? "being locked in the past?"

Also, it's not being locked in the past, it's a preference for a very specific type of gameplay.

I mean, I've been having fun watching old 50's and 60's sci-fi/monster movies. this past weekend I listened to several pieces written in the 1500's as well as late 19th/early 20th century.

I don't consider any of this being locked in the past but a preference, or at least an enjoyment, of a completely different experience that isn't really offered in the present.

Hengist

I think I'm in the group that feels that as long as they aren't making money for them, it's a good thing. 


Keeping those worlds alive is a good thing for the people who want to continue inhabiting them. It's an ever better feeling that it's a labor of love, not one to profit on the structure that was developed by the original dev/publisher who owns the rights. I'm glad current rights owners have not gone after those games. (At least not in most cases.) If they no longer want to make money off of that title, that's their choice, and I'd like to think that they are smart enough to realize there is no damage done to the IP, if anything, it keeps people engaged, and arguably more likely to gravitate to new titles from that IP....

xalis

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.











And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.











As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.











I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!







https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

I wouldn't go looking for the same level of work as the better Star Wars Galaxies emulators. The game is there and you can play it. Very low population.



that's pretty much it.

Well we were not as lucky to have the code leaked like SWG was but we are getting there.

Mendel

Sovrath said:

Scot said:

Are the emulations making any money for those fronting the MMORPG? If not then fine. I used to speak out against them in fact as I thought they kept too many old school players locked in the past, but the truth is we have so few places to go now that it would be unfair to advocate that.

But isn't that the individual's choice? "being locked in the past?"

Also, it's not being locked in the past, it's a preference for a very specific type of gameplay.

I mean, I've been having fun watching old 50's and 60's sci-fi/monster movies. this past weekend I listened to several pieces written in the 1500's as well as late 19th/early 20th century.

I don't consider any of this being locked in the past but a preference, or at least an enjoyment, of a completely different experience that isn't really offered in the present.

It's only a preference as long as the individual isn't locked into a 'this only' mentality.  I know too many players stuck with games that have outlived their lifetime.  People don't live constantly in their world of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (the Micheal Rennie version) and Richard Wagner operas.  Even I come out occasionally. 

JeroKane

xalis said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.









And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.









As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.









I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!





https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

JeroKane I really don't update the website much all of our updates get posted to discord automatically everytime we do code/content updates.

So what is the actual status right now then? What is currently working and what is still left?

The forums are not really active and I see there is mostly just 1-2 players online. That is not much sadly.

Sorry for sounding negative, but I have been burned/dissapointed by too many of these EMU's, like SWGEMU and Matrix Online EMU. So I have become a bit skeptical.

PS. And your code leak comment. I think you're mixing up with City of Heroes. As far as I know, SWG code was never leaked.... hence the minimal progress that has been made so far with original SWGEMU after more than a decade.

Sovrath

xalis said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

JeroKane said:

Sovrath said:

If the game is still running then I'm not for them. If the game isn't running then sure. I have seen issues and complaints with private servers as those running them aren't necessarily the most professional people.











And of course there is no guarantee they will last or have some technical issue and everything will be lost.











As long as both sides go in knowing that they can be shut down at any time or that there can be issues then sure, have at it.











I have visited the Vanguard private server from time to time though haven't stayed for long. Something I've been meaning to revisit as they are doing a decent job from when they started..

Oooh. I did not know someone brought Vanguard back to life through EMU? Who is it?

here you go!







https://www.vgoemulator.net/index.php

Hmm doesn't look like much happened. Like SWGEMU, it seems to have been plagued with development restarts.

I wouldn't go looking for the same level of work as the better Star Wars Galaxies emulators. The game is there and you can play it. Very low population.



that's pretty much it.

Well we were not as lucky to have the code leaked like SWG was but we are getting there.

I think it's a LOT  better than the first iteration. So if you are working on it then thanks. I'm horrible with names so don't really recognize yours.

donzin08

look at wow ascension for example, it takes the playground of WoW, but the amount of work/time those devs put into revamping the entire game has make it a totally different experience. and im completely fine with them monetizing and benefiting from that hard work

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

immoralthang

I still consider Star Wars Galaxies my favorite gaming experience ever. But I can’t bring myself to play on an Emu not even considering my discs are long gone.

My gaming habits have changed as has the technology in the gaming industry. I just got a Nintendo Switch and it is an amazing console. If I booted up Legends I think it would sour the memories I had. I’ve been spoiled by more recent MMOs offering better combat and other quality of life changes not present.

Still no game immersed me as much as Galaxies and I’m still hoping a game comes around that fills the Shadowfire shaped void in my heart. I don’t want a replica of my time with SWG, I want something better and I am optimistic something will come along.

mukin

For an MMO that 'died' in 2012, Warhammer Online is exceptionally well run.  They do not allow contributions to cover their maintenance costs (and now, with the City Expansion, their genuine development costs) and I would actually prefer to have an option to pay my share.