PSForever Launch
Original Post by Chord
Welcome! The PSForever now has a domain and forums. This is great first step to getting this project off of the ground. PSForever goal is to reproduce PlanetSide 1 server functionality in order to preserve its one-of-a-kind gameplay, forever. Many of us have fond memories of playing PS with friends and it's quite sad to see PS in its current state: frozen, overrun with hackers, and with no steady population. It's strange how a game can evoke such nostalgia and emotion, but there it is. Everyone has a PlanetSide story to tell.
PlanetSide 2 was supposed to be the "NextGen" version of PlanetSide 1, but its clunky gameplay mechanics just don't compare to PS1. While PS2 looks better, PS1's gameplay is truly unique. It's not Yet-Another-Run-and-Gun game. It has real strategy, progression, and teamwork. This isn't to say PS1 was the "best game ever"...It wasn't. But it was a unique, quirky, and overall great time. This is what we remember about PS1. PS1 was revolutionary for it's time as a new genre and with a single persistent world where decisions and base captures really do matter.
The current state of the project is focused on capturing existing PlanetSide functionality through the use of a packet logger. In the event of a server outage, any capture files, screenshots, databases, etc. will be crucial in order to reproduce vanilla PS (minus the terrible parts). This along with static analysis of the PS binaries will allow us to make a PlanetSide private server, using a process similar to TrinityCore, MaNGOS, EVEmu, ShadowbaneEmu, SWGEmu, and many more inspiring projects.
Even if you aren't a die hard PlanetSide fan, that's okay. This project is for everyone interested in helping preserve a little slice of history from the digital garbage bin. Current there is only one developer working on this project, i.e. me. My schedule is quite busy beyond this project, but with regular updates and your support, this project will come to fruition.
Check back regularly for new project updates, tool releases, and ideas. In the mean time, register an account to get involved. Also, start capturing packets in order to record PlanetSide gameplay! If you have already started capturing, hold on to those captures. I'll be making a form to submit them when I get the chance.