[MPQ] Forcing players to play with custom patches

[blukkiee]

My server will require a patch to play - but for now it's not obligated and I want it to.

Is there anything I can do to make some kind of check with the client, like on login attempt, if he is running the latest patch?
Like a check in the player's .mpq files or something?

I want to write this in the core so C++ is no problem.

p.s. Don't start about: 'don't play with patches it's bad for your server population blabla'.

[Kiev]

Players will hate that. Im not kidding. If its something built into the client then it will mess up the rest of there experience.

I can see what your trying too do. But i dont think its possible atm?

[stoneharry]

Well, a server I play on uses a addon as part of the model edits and if you using an outdated version a menu box pops up that covers 3/4 of the screen saying you need to update (making it unplayable). I think it does this by reading from a file hosted online and checking line 1, what is the current version and then comparing it to the addon version. Not sure if theres another way to do this.

[blukkiee]

That would be great. I'll have to figure out how to do that with a patch.

@Kiev: It's not even hard. You put the patch file in the Data folder once and start the game with ModelEditFix instead of the normal game. Don't worry, it's all taken care of apart from this issue.

[Kiev]

Thats fine then (: The thing i was wondering is if they would get restriction from it as in the client, seems fine to me.

[homer91]

I would need this 2

[Ballwinkle]

U can code a launcher to perform checks.

[dffrntdnl]

U can code a launcher to perform checks.

but this wouldn't prevent the players from not using the launcher and bypassing the patch check.

[blukkiee]

Yeah, that's why we need a check at login.

[Kiev]

Im sure someone at the arcemu team if you asked.. or something (i doubt this would go for free), could soft code a check and send you a custom link with it in... but thats aiming high, very high.

[blukkiee]

I was thinking of using a custom spell cast at login (this already happens afaik, some blizzard check: LOGINEFFECT - Spell - World of Warcraft) and if it does not exist in the player's file's it won't work. Or would this be a serverside check?

Meh I'm just guessing right now.

p.s. using MaNGOS atm

[AfterMidnight]

Set starting location in the abyss
Write addon to join secret channel and send a text and exit again
Make script that ports the player to ur mall when he sends that tell
...or something? :S

[blukkiee]

Wouldn't work. Players would then only use the patch when creating a character and if they wanted they'd just locate their character in a normal spot and login without the patch on.

[stoneharry]

The spell idea you had was perfect, try and teach the player a custom spell you add in a .mpq, if it can't learn it because the player doesn't have the data disconect them / freeze them and spam them messages. That will work with a simple Lua/C++ script.

[blukkiee]

Alright I will try a few things. I will post when I've got result!