UO Pre-Alpha 1996 Client Found

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:32 am

Hello, I have used UoX since it began a few good memories I have thanks to UoX, when I saw the Black Knight in the beta test. When the Black Knight dyed peoples clothes multicolord in the beta test.

Anyway, about the 1996 UO Pre-Alpha Client, I have been looking for it since 1997, but the participants either deleted it or it was deleted during auto upgrade that it was nowhere to be found.

Just yesterday I have located the 1996 UO Alpha Client, thanks to Covenant and wintermute_turing_ai, there is now an available 1996 UO client on the net, it is on wintermute_turing_ai's new page at: http://uol.vanilluh.com/

I am looking for someone that can help make this, the oldest UO client in existance a playable game, and hopefully just like UoX, a free online game, except being a re-creation of the 1996 Pre-Alpha test.

I tried to open the client and I was surprised to see it does open, but after I enter a fake password and choose an old server like despise.owo.com, it obviously fails. I tried to change the server list but there is no CFG file like the current UO so it is harder to do so, I can see the login server information in the CLIENT.EXE but I can't edit it without it never working again, it seems to be a simple problem that someone with experience can easily fix.

Unfortunately I'm not a programmer, I'm looking for anyone that is willing to assist in the project, which will hopefully result in the best free open to everyone online player run version of UO in existance, (next to UoX of course).

Thanks.

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:58 am

Tried to run the old client with the newest version of UoX but this is what it says, I took a screenshot of it, you can see it here: http://home.comcast.net/~dhughston7/ult ... s/uox2.gif

It loads fine until it says:

Preparing to load *.mul files...
<If they don't open, fix your paths in the uox3.ini>
c:/program files/ultima online/map0.mul INCORRECT MAP LENGTH 321
1264

ERROR: Fatal Error: No maps found
ERROR: Check the settings for DATADIRECTORY in uox.ini

I know I didn't expect UoX to run the 1996 Pre-Alpha Client of UO, but does anyone know how I could fix the required map length?, and also the only map file that there is for this client is "map0.mul", it recognizes the map file but doesn't load it, obviously because it doesn't recognize it, it's a tiny map compared to the final release UO. If anyone knows how I could adjust it, or if anyone would like to try to run this old UO client for themselves with UoX or any other program, please let me know, you can download it like I said in my previous post at this page:
http://uol.vanilluh.com/project.html

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:21 am

Hm. Even if you can fix the required map length, you'll probably still need to do (big?) modifications to UOX3 to be able to login, even if that pre-alpha client should have no encryption (which is a requirement for clients to be able to login to UOX3).

Sounds like an interesting project though, hope you manage to figure it out.

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:10 am

I just tried UoX with the 1997 phase 1 beta cd, and the same error message comes up, that map is different as well.

I need help to get this to work, if anyone wants to work on this project let me know, it's not something that is for me alone, Tamino worked on it once, and he was successfull in getting the old client to run in 2001, but unfortunately he disappeared and was never heard from again, wintermute_turing_ai is working on it, and I am too but I don't have any experience with programming or editing programs in any way and I don't know if wintermute does or not.

The end result I believe would be very cool, I'm sure many would join this re-inactment of the Pre-Alpha test, the map is very small and would be full of many players. I don't think it will really take that much effort to get it to run, as it does already run, but I can't login because owo.com obviously won't support it. We just need someone with a bit of experience to help out.

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:17 am

I can't code myself, so I can't offer much help unfortunately. Perhaps others can though.

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:38 am

No problem I can't either, hopefully someone that can will be interested, well I just got the phase 1 beta to load, I forgot to place the files in c:\program files\ultima online\

So the beta phase 1 map is just as big, even though not as filled in. The pre-alpha map is very small, with 1 town, Britain and an area almost the same size as Britain which is out of town, when I look at the pre-alpha files using InsideUO I can only see the music files, and the art files, the map file appears to load but it is pitch black.

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:35 am

Xuri wrote:I can't code myself, so I can't offer much help unfortunately. Perhaps others can though.

I just saw your WorldBuilder page no coding required? heh.

I hope interest in this goes beyond 2 people, I don't think it will go anywhere unless interest grows, maybe Tamino the first guy to get the 96 client running in 2001 stopped the project because nobody supported him.

I bet most people don't know what the 96 client was, well it was very fun, an evil npc mage Myndon quest, PvP tournaments, small map, but more player oriented, more activity, level based instead of skill based. I'm sure a regular UO map could be mocked up to look similar but it wouldn't be the same, the 96 client had unique graphics, etc... anyway I'm going to make a page detailing the Pre-Alpha test, since 1999 I've been saving every Pre-Alpha screenshot I could find, and I'll open the biggest Pre-Alpha gallery on the net, with credit to all who took the screenshots. Plus I'll be adding a page with more info and history.

Post by **Xuri** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:33 am

WorldBuilder is written in Visual Basic - and consists partly of a big heap of basic code, and another heap of more advanced code which someone else helped me with ;P So yes, I still claim I can't code =)

Sydius · Post by **Sydius** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:06 am

I wrote a patcher and put it on my site (www.sydius.com) in the downloads section (at the bottom). This program will allow you to enter a custom IP and port for the third entry in the server list (didn’t see a need to edit the other two?).

Anyway, I know, I’m da bomb.

Forgive the sloppy GUI – I was supposed to be asleep 3 hours ago, but I had to get SOMETHING done on this cool project before sleeping!

punt · Post by **punt** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:24 pm

Perhaps the lack of interest in the project is it would require most to have to use an illegally obtained client (even for the dev's). With the normal one, a legally obtained client can be obtained by patching up and stopping the patching process. This client however, one has to get through a distribution of copyrighted material, that the one distributing doesn't have the permission for.

At any rate, one may want to look at very early versions of UOX and other emu's for some insight into how the network/respons may be modified. Their packet structure/seguence is probably closer to that client then any current emu.

Post by **Xuri** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:52 pm

Probably a valid point, punt - though that hasn't really stopped people in the past either. One example being the infamous "God-client". *shrug*

punt · Post by **punt** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 8:48 pm

Xuri wrote:Probably a valid point, punt - though that hasn't really stopped people in the past either. One example being the infamous "God-client". *shrug*

Sorry but no. The god client was put on the OSI FTP server (public) by mistake. So one could have gotten that from the copyright holder, and would be considered valid (as it was on the public server).

Best of my knowledge, the alpha client was never on the public server.

Post by **Xuri** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:35 pm

Hm. So if a rogue OSI/EA developer puts the source-code for the UO Client on a public OSI/EA-ftp and I manage to download it - I'm free to distribute it myself?

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:45 pm

Sydius --- thanks for making the Alpha Patcher!, it seems to work, except after entering my IP address or 0's it still says connect failed. Have you been able to get past the black screen? Thanks again for the work, it's the first patcher I've ever seen for the Alpha client. I'm going to add your Alpha Patcher to my page with a link to your page. Please let me know if you can get the client running, maybe you have, but if not it's possible some files in the actual client are corrupt, but it's hard to say at the moment.

punt --- the client was available to the public in 1996 from owo.com, it has been successfully opened, tested, run as late as 2001, but the guy who played with it in 01 has disappeared, so the effort has to begin from scratch.

punt · Post by **punt** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:10 pm

Razimus wrote:Sydius --- thanks for making the Alpha Patcher!, it seems to work, except after entering my IP address or 0's it still says connect failed. Have you been able to get past the black screen? Thanks again for the work, it's the first patcher I've ever seen for the Alpha client. I'm going to add your Alpha Patcher to my page with a link to your page. Please let me know if you can get the client running, maybe you have, but if not it's possible some files in the actual client are corrupt, but it's hard to say at the moment.

punt --- the client was available to the public in 1996 from owo.com, it has been successfully opened, tested, run as late as 2001, but the guy who played with it in 01 has disappeared, so the effort has to begin from scratch.

No, you still are not allowed to distribute it. I was indiciating the difference was in that many could have obtained the god client via legal means (and yes, if a rogue OSI put it on a public server, that I downloaded, I am covered for having it). While the alpha client doesn't fall into that category.

Clearly if one is distributing any client, you are distributing copyrighted material, that one must have permission to do so.

sorry, this was in response to Xuri, not sure why the quote picked up yours.

Again, as with the God, even if there, how did you obtain it now, and how would other developers obtained it? If not from an OSI source, then again, it is distribution of copyrighted material. I only offere that it may affect some peoples decsision (like me for instance, if I can't obtain the client via legal means if in parrallel perhaps). FOr some it may not affect at all, such as Xuri points out.

Post by **Xuri** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:48 am

Ah okay punt. I misread your reply to the Godclient thing - for some reason I understood that as the God-client being "free-for-all" now because of the mistake of putting it on the public ftp.

But now I do see your point. ;P

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:20 pm

I have added Tamino's pre-Alpha client screenshots to my page, his project took place in 2001, since he has disappeared the project has to start over but he proved it could be done. Check out his screenshots at:
http://home.comcast.net/~dhughston7/ultima/tamino.html

Update from Sydius on the program he wrote for the alpha client:

It won’t connect because it uses a different set of packets (and perhaps encryption) to communicate with the server, which normal UO servers don’t understand or bother trying to understand. A packet sniffer I used verified that the patcher worked, though.

It does work, but we need help to figure out how to open the client offline, or go beyond the encryption if it has any.

If anyone would like to help out on this project please do so. You will be rewarded by being one of the few that has helped, and you'll be rewarded with a running pre-alpha client, and you'll have a statue built in your honor (in the pre-alpha client), and you'll have gm privileges.

Again the client can be downloaded at wintermute_turing_ai's page which is at: http://uol.vanilluh.com/uoalpha.zip

Sydius · Post by **Sydius** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:22 pm

It would be substantially easier to create a server for it than it would be to make it an “offline” stand-alone game.

What kind of encryption does the modern client use? Anyone here know? Maybe this old one uses the same encryption method.

Razimus · Post by **Razimus** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 2:25 am

Sydius wrote:It would be substantially easier to create a server for it than it would be to make it an “offline” stand-alone game.

What kind of encryption does the modern client use? Anyone here know? Maybe this old one uses the same encryption method.

I'm still asking around various places, for help on the project, if I had to list a few reasons why this project hasen't happened almost 9 years later is because:

1. Most everyone lost the client.
2. It hasn't been available on the net for 8 years.
3. It's so old, most people don't even know what it is.
4. Most vets are dead.

Anyway, after people become aware of what the client is, and that is it currently available on the net this project should take off.

Vets are dead but they can be Rez'd, An Corp the old bastads, I've been trying to contact them myself. Anyway, for over 112 memories of the 96 pre-Alpha test check out the largest pre-Alpha screenshot gallery on the net, it has 112 screenshots: http://home.comcast.net/~dhughston7/ultima/screen1.html

http://uol.vanilluh.com/ <------download the pre-alpha client here
http://home.comcast.net/~dhughston7/ultima/ <--my page

Philantrop · Post by **Philantrop** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:36 am

Raz, I've had a look at those screenshots but I still don't really understand what's so special about that client apart from its age.

And what would you gain by using it? The client is probably just that - a client. Most stuff is controlled by the server.

If it is the graphics that you like, why not rip them from the old client's MULs (or whatever it used) and integrate them into a current client's data? Some of it is probably still in there - last time I checked there were tons of unused gumps and artwork from older clients inside the MULs.

Could you be more specific about what exactly it is that makes you so enthusiastic about this client?

Ultima Offline eXperiment 3 forums

UO Pre-Alpha 1996 Client Found

UO Pre-Alpha 1996 Client Found

Tried to run the old client with the newest version of UoX

96 client

Perhaps the lack of interest

Ethereal Alpha Project

Re: Ethereal Alpha Project

update...