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Motor City Online Help Us


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Hey,

First of, excuse me if this is the wrong section, but it's the only one which was similar to off topic, in this case general talk...and excuse the typos, I'm on my phone and auto-co likes to kid sometimes.

I'm from the MCO Community, you may or may not hear it's sunset in summer 2003, and you may have heard that the former community managed to play the debug version, which happened because EA accidently attached the debug exe to the games patch during a beta...the files were found years later with its first video appearance in 2007, and a the rise in 2010/2011 within a small group if selected people.

Over the time, we got access to alot of files, which were from EA's side, we got some to use and others like a very huge important amount of data that we didn't because something's missing in the code as it is outdated or something like that.

We tried for years to get it back online, but the problem is the amount of security with encryption keys to verify the game and payment (back then)...and even with the "special files" we don't really have a clue, sadly there isn't just a switch on button :D

I checked Earth & Beyond and they both use Auth Login, and I guess other things are similar too.

How did you guys managed to get your game back online with an own server?

And would you be interested in an partnership to help out with MCO, we're missing the experienced people with programming and coding, we had a few but it was too much for them.

I'd get you someone who could give a clear and detailed state of the progress and situation. Edited by BCooper
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AuthLogin is nothing more than html login form. It connects to https webserver and sends username/password and gets login ticket back.

Login ticket is then used to authenticate on global server (select, create, delete characters).

 

client-global server link is the one thats protected by network encryption (rc4 stream with key exchange as first packet)

enb also has master server (knows ip/port of sector server) and multiple sector servers

 

Enb client also does not have hardcoded ip/domains it connects to. Authlogin is set from ini file and global server from command line. master ip is received from global server and sector ip from master server.

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Okay.

We had a couple of guys that really tried to get through it but no success, they usually just passed the patcher and check and the stuck at the login...which isn't too hard you just need to change the IP and URL to working once and the game either completes with no updates available or with updates downloaded depending if you added updates.It afterall jumps to the login and after clicking login (and entering the account info) it tried to authenticate the game files and account endlessly because the other side is missing.

Tried it with working EA account and active EA server the account is on (NFS Carbon).

As far as I know we have the whole server side, but if I understood him right he figured out the source code or such is outdated even for the first beta.

I managed to get the seperate segments of the full lenght tracks to work and be selectable, even the beta tracks and unreleased tracks which was only possible because of the debug having the integrated codes and commands for development and self-completing the tracks from source bin...tho not all commands work cause of missing files.

But I really don't have the knowledge to do computer stuff, I'm fine when I can turn on a laptop haha I mean I'm not that stupid but ya get the idea...

So would there be interested to help in a way and look at it, ya guys been thru it... Edited by BCooper
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Interesting, I was able to get the login ticket using my E&B account and the server it is created on.It successfully authenticated the account and succeed game verification.

I can start the game with opening movies, Radio music playing etc but it stucks at the main login screen where you would select your persona, shard and create a new persona, of course because the Shard URL is dead, it is "looking for servers" so I leave the game.

But this is unbelievable, I think I'm the only one came this far...so the next step is the login server and shards server and such.

We'd need major help here I guess, like how to figure out or get around the encryption keys that kept people from cheating, hacking, avoiding payment...and of course how you re-created the Auth Login form. Edited by BCooper
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The encryption took many many MANY dedicated players and would be developers many many MANY hours to sift through transmission from and to EnB.  If I am not mistaken there was an application (yep we called them that then) that we ran and sent in our results.

 

Breaking it was to me, a  minor miracle.  

 

 

But that is how it started.

 

 

 

Just saying,

Mim

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Okay thanks :) , I'd need to get in the guys that understand the whole thing and could tell about the files we have and the progress they had there and possibly contact the former devs another time (yeah they actually wanted to help) to get this somewhat down the road...it would awesome.

a video of the login: https://vid.me/xzxP

So did you had to figure out all from the client or did you had server related files? Edited by BCooper
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As far as I know/remember  (they were ALL client side files) I could be wrong here but I don't think we had access to anything EA related.  Westwood had some information on a FTP site, limited value but a start.  Some of the tools were downloadable for other westwood games that mostly worked with the EnB files.  

 

IIRC the files were taken from captured xmissions from when the game was live.  

 

You might check the download section to see if the ancient files are still up.  Please note that we had a "GREAT Server CRASH" a few years back and lost many posts and communications regarding the progress of the encryption crack.

 

Also the game did not just go poof and back to where it is today.  When the code was cracked it was great to just log in and fly our ships (that's all we could do).

 

Just saying,

Mim

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Thanks for the info :)

Yeah, I can't tell for sure but maybe the files we have will boost the progress a little, I don't know how much of a problem the outdated thing is, and if we can get it done with help.

Yeah, I expect we won't be able to do much until the databank which managed the economy, points,... is connected, we know it used oracle and which version, and actually as far as I know it is avaliable in the special files...so the whole package is there the question is how useful is it now.

I have a fear we won't find the guys that are familiar with the programming and coding stuff...the last one who went deep into the .exe kinda disappeared...
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You think the devs of this emulator would take a look at this (including the other files which are over 4 gb yeahhhhh i knowww :D ) cause I'm really not sure if we find or get back the experienced guys with this...this progress gets slowly around.

So this is where I stuck, no servers (of course), besides we do have a complete backup of the sunset game, so would it make more sense to work there or use the retail (or beta) and patch it later.

Original Dead IP after looking for servers.

noserv.png

Using working Server IP of The Sims Online or E&B

mcf.png Edited by BCooper
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  • 2 weeks later...
Hello....do you guys know if E&B uses or used the Network Play System (NPS) by EA to get updated and such? If so how did you get around it and is there a chance to let someone look at the code?
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Me? Not sure where it went.  On my part it want the way of many dead HDD.  There were a couple of the original emulator guys that might be able to point you to the code location.  It may have gone away with the "Great Server Crash" .

 

 

Just saying,

Mim

 

-------------- Edit ------------------

If Kenu is still around ask if the code I speak is still available.  Also possibly contact Razorwing.

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A member used a ShardUrl domain with wayback machine and it did show up the list with all the ip's for the different shards and servers they used...I replaced that wayback link with the original link and in the game it now finds the servers (fetched the shard list) and tries to login...this explains why it was called ShardList URl in the registry and what the dev meant with the login server fetches the shards.

I think if we create a similar list with working IP'S and host it online and use specific tools we could figure out what the client wants...

Ok
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One main question I would like to ask is about the database net-7 uses. MCO originally used Oracle. Was/is enb the same way? If it had been on Oracle and isn't with your server what is it running now? I would like to get everything working on the client side first right up to the point where it would pull shards and personas. If I am able to do that I would like to try to work on the server side of things.

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You may PM me your questions, and if I can answer them I will but before you guys go down this road. Are you sure you're ready for this? Undertaking something like an emulator is not an easy task and you're going to need to study many subjects in order to bring it online.

If you are/were expecting us to be able to answer every question you might have, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you very early on. Every game is very different.
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