8 replies to this topic

[wew]

Anyone have any ideas on how to reverse engineer a client, to create the game server??

I and a handfull of friends are trying to bring back the Motor City Online game made by EA, and removed offline august 2003.

This game is only playable online.

We need help on creating the server, and or server code, to match this game.

Things we know,
client has copy of database stored in *.mdb format.
client connects to server for updates/patches (marimba/castanet)

Things, not sure of.
If client connects directly to database or CGI/servlet
If marimba/castanet can be removed.
If client connects to Oracle database only, and if we can sub in mysql ??

Any suggestions, or help or more info, please let me know.


Thank you very much,

WEW.

[NomadRock]

You are going to have to do a lot of packet watching to figure out patterns. Try using the program Ethereal. This is pretty illegal so I will stop here and only give you a warning that you might be best off not doing this.

[Ed Mack]

Is there any sort of server you can still connect to? Assuming you have programming skills, this isn't an easy task :) Truthfully, it could be insane :)

Idealy you could sniff the packets of a whole session with a tool like Ethereal, then analyse those, find sanity in it and write code to act as the server.

If the client was just a database client, then life is simple, but I really think that's incredibly unlikely for a specialised application like this.

Perhaps write a new client/server combo, or adopt a new game?

[wew]

ok, ea took the servers offline 1 year ago. They weren't selling as many other car games, so they removed the servers, to them, it's all about the money, and market share, not the consumer.

I know it won't be easy, but such a good game, it'll be worth the effort even if it takes a life time.(atleast my kids will be able to play it)
I have collected all EA's NFS series, can't let this one go.

the legal issues, is being worked on. A lawyer has been contacted.
The version of the game we are working on is a Beta release.
We are not selling the software we create, and we own original copies of the client cd, the lawyer agrees we do not have legal issues.

So, when I monitor with ETHEREAL, the client sends a POST /Directoyr/blah/bla

How, or what does the server send back??
From log files on client, it looks like it accpets a "ticket number", as client log file shows no_ticket_number ERROR

How do I reply with a test server?

I have set up, an oracle database, apache server(with ssl), tomcat server.
Some request, from client are ssl(port:443), I have public key in client directory.
How to decode the request, monitoring my home network?

This is great that you have replied, I can't thank you enough.!!

WEW

[NomadRock]

Ah, yes, if the server was running then you could track packets, with only a client and no server to monitor, your task may well be impossible. There is no way of knowing usually what it will expect.

I advise you save your children by staying away from EA games.

[wew]

NomadRock said:

I advise you save your children by staying away from EA games.

Yes, interesting point.

I beleive, all the hard work I put into trying to accomplish something that is near impossible(although, nothing is impossible, as we can program anything), I should focus on recreating, something just as good, if not better.

Thanks for your time.

[NomadRock]

Yes, that is the spirit of a true programmer. If you need help in that endevor, that is what we are all here for.

[LuciferX]

I'm not sure if it's possible to break the net-code AFTER the server shuts down.
Tell your kids not to sell thier games to EA.
I myself am a former Ultima Online player.

"I should focus on recreating, something just as good, if not better."
Now you know what to do, and as Duke once said, "Knowing is half the battle;)"

[ROF]

wew said:

ok, ea took the servers offline 1 year ago. They weren't selling as many other car games, so they removed the servers, to them, it's all about the money, and market share, not the consumer.

I know it won't be easy, but such a good game, it'll be worth the effort even if it takes a life time.(atleast my kids will be able to play it)
I have collected all EA's NFS series, can't let this one go.

the legal issues, is being worked on. A lawyer has been contacted.
The version of the game we are working on is a Beta release.
We are not selling the software we create, and we own original copies of the client cd, the lawyer agrees we do not have legal issues.

So, when I monitor with ETHEREAL, the client sends a POST /Directoyr/blah/bla

How, or what does the server send back??
From log files on client, it looks like it accpets a "ticket number", as client log file shows no_ticket_number ERROR

How do I reply with a test server?

I have set up, an oracle database, apache server(with ssl), tomcat server.
Some request, from client are ssl(port:443), I have public key in client directory.
How to decode the request, monitoring my home network?

This is great that you have replied, I can't thank you enough.!!

WEW

Maybe this will answer alot of your questions. These guys have the login cracked.http://mcomodforums....?showtopic=1368 i hope your capable of such a task, the anonymous guy is an ex ea dev i believe.