I want to start collecting data from retail, especially in the unimplemented areas. How do you usually go about it? Is there a data mining program out there somewhere? Do you get the info from ffxiclopedia and such for all the quest dialogues and stuff, or is it just built-in to the client with the database and server sending packets to open them? I've looked at the .luas for quests and noticed that they don't contain a lot of dialogue, but instead commands. Where do we find those commands?
I'm wondering if there's a sort of middle-man software that I can use while playing retail to capture the commands from the server to the client to display the words of the npcs and to trigger their actions (giving items and keyitems, responding to people who have the ki etc..) like the programs we used for WoW server emulators, and if there is a preferred method and where to obtain said programs.
I'm going to be working heavily on my server, particularly trying to get the cruor system, the MH related things like layout and planting the one quest where you put a bronze bed or mahogany bed or whatever to increase your Storage (I know it's set to 80 by default, but I'd like to incorporate the original way of doing it on my server), the Moogle's Kupo de'tat questline, Adoulin content, starting with GEO and RUN, aby lights, chest pops for all zones, the moogle tablets, Artisan moogle, all running as in retail, while also contributing any data I gather from retail that would interest you.
One reason I'm focusing in these areas is it seems that there's not a lot of interest in making these particular sections of the game a priority from browsing the boards, and I am often more interested in the things that others are not, so am willing to take on the workload for my own needs, and for the percentage of people like me who also pursue the same interests. If that's any of you reading this please PM me and maybe we can team up and help out everyone by working collectively on these things.
I'm going to be recording everything I do in retail so that I can go back over the videos I make and hopefully figure out how to make the things I discover on my server work properly and if there's interest I'll post these videos on youtube or something if you think it will help with the development of this server.
One reason I am doing this now is that it was announced that FFXI's final update is happening very soon with words implying that the servers will remain active, just no longer updated. Now, I've played MMOs for a very long time, and I know exactly what those words usually mean. They were the same words used about 2 months before SWG's official servers were taken offline forever, amongst a few other gems, so I feel a sense of urgency in gathering this data, because I believe it will be only a matter of months before FFXI follows the same path into the dark night of abandoned persistent worlds.
I know I ramble, I know I have a lot of questions in one topic, but they are all related to that one simple belief that SE will be taking FFXI down very soon and the desperate need we have for data from the areas that aren't working, or being focused on.
What other reason am I doing this? Heh, easy, my life is set up in such a way that I do whatever I want to all day long, and I don't have a job holding me down, and I have decided to support this project and work on it for 40 hour stretches at a time, pausing only to sleep or to spend the weekend with my girls.
So, in summary for those who skimmed through my ramblings (can't blame ya, I would too
):Is there a program for packet sniffing or data mining, and where should I submit my collected data?
Where do I need to look to get things like the Mog House decorating, Mog Garden, planting, energy rewards, and other moogle related stuff working?
What do we need to do to get Aby and Adoulin area npcs and jobs operating?
What do we need for the moogle tablets?
What is left to do to get the Artisan Moogle working properly?
Does anyone want to join me on my venture into these specific areas and be assigned areas to work on, or work on other areas that aren't being primarily focused upon before the inevitable close of FFXI?
I'm not proposing a fork, mind you, I would like to support this particular branch of the server software and submit all of my findings and modifications Your Way (DSP Team, I mean you, collectively) so it doesn't screw up the existing way you're doing things (don't worry, I'm willing to use github for contributing ^_^)
