Starting our own SRF Private Server

[Aristedis]

So I was thinking, we could "crowd fund" our own server. If anyone else here is interested please respond below.

We could have a poll on what features we would like.
We could all chip in a bit like a kickstarter.
We could finally have a server that we all agree on and take genuine interest in and we wouldn't have to worry about it going down or being ruled by bots, since we'd be managing it.

I'd be more than willing to stick $100 into this for starters, but we need someone with the know how and someone we can trust obviously.

Feel free to post any suggestions as well.



If anyone here has experience with server files and is interested in working on a server together please let us know below.

[Monte]

Hey there,

I really like your idea and I'd support it. Unfortunately I don't have the time nor the money to keep up a server by myself, as some of you may experienced with Phoenix Online...

What I can offer is that I support you in my spare time with my knowledge about Silkroad server editing and so on. I'd really like to see a playable non-bot server out there.

If desired you could also have my Phoenix server files, but I'd recommend to use vsro files since they offer much more content, there are less bugs and lots of other things which makes them the best choice for a silkroad server.

If you really get this project started then I'm definitely willing to help you.

Greetings, Monte

[Aristedis]

Thanks Monte, I'll try to see if I can find a good set of vsro files and get them running on my PC sometime this week

[jgillich]

I looked into running my own server about a year ago, and decided against it for a few reasons:

* The (epvp) server community is awful
* The server files have lots of exploitable security issues and other bugs, and we don't have the source code so fixing things is difficult. Nowadays, Project Hax filter seems to negate most of the exploits and other annoying bugs and is pretty cheap/free
* Players are constantly switching servers. I'm not sure why, because everyone is also always complaining that servers don't last.
* Windows server hosting is expensive, and, well, it's Windows.

I feel like PH filter is a game changer, so I'd definitely be willing to help (I'm a software/web developer, but have no experience running sro servers in production). Yep I know, my first post, but I've been lurking here for a long time and played on many legit servers (including Phoenix and Salvation).

[ltsune]

I'm sure we could make it happen, but I doubt we'd get enough players, honestly. Even getting 50 players will be tough.

(sorry)

[EquityMaster]

What are the monthly recurring costs and initial costs for a theoretical server?

[ltsune]

What are the monthly recurring costs and initial costs for a theoretical server?

Depends a lot on how many players, the protection you want (e.g. DDOS protection and anti-injection filters).

A server can easily cost a couple of hundred dollars per month.

[pipigrande]

I just self-retired after working quite hard the past 10 years. I've got a lot of time in my hands nowadays. Would like to play SRO again to bring back some memories and nostalgia.

I don't know anything about technical running the server. But, I'd be willing to financially fund the server 100% even if it cost a couple of hundred dollars per month.

[ltsune]

I just self-retired after working quite hard the past 10 years. I've got a lot of time in my hands nowadays. Would like to play SRO again to bring back some memories and nostalgia.

I don't know anything about technical running the server. But, I'd be willing to financially fund the server 100% even if it cost a couple of hundred dollars per month.

I know someone who might be interested in working with you on this. Do you have Skype? If so, could you PM me your Skype ID?

[Valkyria]

Any news in here?

During the past years I was playing SRO, I really was thinking a lot on how a good server concept could look like. I know that it's impossible to make every player happy. Anyway "my" server would have a focus on group-based activities and offer a really fair balance between donators and non-donators.

Almost every private server out there doesn't fit my expectations. Usually they reward selfish gameplay including CTF, Uniques and rewards for kills. This results in strong players getting even stronger and only little build variety as obviously some classes got an advantage over others when it comes to kill count. New players will have a hard time catching up. Most likely they will give up after a few days.

In my imagination a server should focus on group activities as Silkroad is supposed to be a MMORPG. You should interact with other players.

Strict non-botting- and 1-character-policy! To keep the same chances for every player and have interaction between the community.

EXP rates:

• High rates until [Level Cap] minus 10 or 15 levels. For example: Cap 110 → High EXP from Lv 1 - Lv 95. After that, rates should get lower. That way PT hunting is required to level up fast and new players have a good chance to join PTs with capped players.
• No SP farming required.

Classes:

• Silkroad-R-Skill system.
• EU with 30 sec POT cooldown.→ Bard is getting more important in PTPVP and Chinese characters are in advantage of solo hunting and 1vs1. EU should require a PT to be successful in both PvE and PvP.
• Not too much balancing, though some changes are necessary.

Warrior:

• Skin buffs: increase defense but same time damage is decreased.
• Increased cool down on screens.
• Warrior 2-handed damage decreased.

Bard:

• Higher absolute damage.
• Increased damage.
• Tambour can not be canceled when under attack.
• add Stun ability (passive)?

Cleric:

• Bless required Cleric Rod.
• Lower absolutes damage.
• Black res buff canceled after using a skill or attack.
• Healing Orbit requires Cleric Rod.
• Armor defenses decreased.

Warlock:

• Linked Cooldown of stun skills and masks.

Equipment:

• Different ways to obtain equipment because everyone has different preferences. Hunting, dungeons, PvP, Uniques, Jobbing.
• Equipment should be account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Last tier equipment wearable at cap level.
• Only one type of SoX (one type of endgear). Nobody wants Sos or SoM.
• Auto-Equipment (except last gear).
• Last tier equipment slightly better than last tier auto-equipment.
• Egypt-type of items with additional effects for a complete set.

Coins:

• Required to buy weapons, gear and others.
• 1 type of coin that can be obtained from different activities (see above).
• Coins are account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Activities need "restrictions": dungeon entry limits, questing (x times a day), jobbing limits.
• Daily and/or weekly limits.

Battle Arena (BA):

• One of the most important aspects.
• Types: random BA, PTBA mainly. Guild and Job BA not so often.
• Schedule: about 6 times per day.
• Realistic amount of coins to obtain equipment.
• Rewards: endgear, 7-day-versions of item mall items (Premium, pets, clocks, devil spirit etc.), Berzerk pots with a cooldown, stones (0%?).
• Disconnect AFK players automatically.

Survival Arena (SA):

• New titles similar to "Warrior of Courage" with specific effects → Specialization possible. You can only have one title activated at once.
• Damage increase, Damage absorption, STR, INT, Lucky, Berzerk gain, Critical, Block, Parry Ratio, Atk Rate, Monster Defense Ignore etc.
• other idea: Honor buffs available from SA. Lower buff required to get the next higher one. Bronce → Silver → Gold →King Buff.
• Titles time-limited? → must rework to get them?

Forgotten World:

• Talisman collected by a daily quest → everyone in the PT will get talismans.
• Depending on grade, you will get the same amount of talisman rewarded randomly (e.g. ☆2 → 2 random talismans from quest).
• Quest to get Arena Coins for killing end boss (repeatable).
• Boxes can drop Silk Items such as Repair Hammers, Reverse Return Scrolls or Global Chats.
• Talisman reward: end weapon (account-bound).
• Special drops depending on the grade you go.

Holy Water Temple:

• Lower quest requirements.
• Quest rewards for everyone in an autoshare PT.

Job Temple:

Difficult ...
Job Temple quests with coin rewards.
Job Temple Uniques ... ?

Jobbing (old system):

• Trading limit per week.
• Quests for trading to prevent abuse?
• Scheduled trading times to increase activity.

Jobbing (new system):

• Add gold and job alchemy silk items as trading rewards.
• Speciality boxes obtained differently?

Alchemy:

• maximum +10.
• Original Glows.
• Socket system.
• Find a way to prevent 80%-100% white stat sets (only assimilation stones dropping?. One idea could be to add 0%-Stones for a "high" price into BA rewards. That way it stays interesting for capped/geared players to improve further. Problem is the stacking of 0%-stones with assimilation-stones.
• Immortal and Proof Stones obtainable from Item mall, daily quest and login events.
• If upgrade system like 12Q↑, set level limits for 12, 13, 14Q. Proof stones or equipment obtainable in dungeons too?
  12Q (Lv 106↑), 13Q (Lv 115↑), 14Q (Lv 130).

Consigment:

• Remove fees.
• No time limit.
• Extend slots.

Quests:

• Central Quest Manager NPC.
• Daily Quests to obtain coins for PvE-Lovers and/or add coins as reward to the "normal" quests.
• Level Up Rewards every 10 levels (character-bound).
• Quests obtainable from 15 levels below mobs to make it PT playable.

Others:

• Only guilds. No unions.
• No magic pop.
• No CTF.
• Remove academy system.
• Add higher stacks.
• increased cooldown of Reverse scrolls and global chats/ level restrictions.
• Premium stats 5%.
• 2 types of Devil Spirit: one for free that gives HP/MP bonus and one silk item that additionally gives a small dmg increase.

Events:

• Monthly login events that provide you with useful (silk) items, e.g. 7-day-premium.
• Weekly events to enhance specific activities: e.g. one week focus on leveling up, other week focus on jobbing, next week focus on BA etc.

As you can see I'm favoring a server that tries to achieve a balance between donators and non-donators. Non-donators can reach everything with ingame activities too. Donators will reach the same things just faster. Also players can choose the way they want to get the coins to buy equipment. Some love grinding, others questing, again others want to PvP or go into dungeons.

I'm fully aware that not every feature can be realized (depending on files and coding skills). Also, it might be interesting to keep some of the features for later updates but to attract players.

If anyone is interested in developing such a server, feel free to contact me. Furthermore, feel free to discuss.

[sibiumarius]

Any news in here?

During the past years I was playing SRO, I really was thinking a lot on how a good server concept could look like. I know that it's impossible to make every player happy. Anyway "my" server would have a focus on group-based activities and offer a really fair balance between donators and non-donators.

Almost every private server out there doesn't fit my expectations. Usually they reward selfish gameplay including CTF, Uniques and rewards for kills. This results in strong players getting even stronger and only little build variety as obviously some classes got an advantage over others when it comes to kill count. New players will have a hard time catching up. Most likely they will give up after a few days.

In my imagination a server should focus on group activities as Silkroad is supposed to be a MMORPG. You should interact with other players.

Strict non-botting- and 1-character-policy! To keep the same chances for every player and have interaction between the community.

EXP rates:

• High rates until [Level Cap] minus 10 or 15 levels. For example: Cap 110 → High EXP from Lv 1 - Lv 95. After that, rates should get lower. That way PT hunting is required to level up fast and new players have a good chance to join PTs with capped players.
• No SP farming required.

Classes:

• Silkroad-R-Skill system.
• EU with 30 sec POT cooldown.→ Bard is getting more important in PTPVP and Chinese characters are in advantage of solo hunting and 1vs1. EU should require a PT to be successful in both PvE and PvP.
• Not too much balancing, though some changes are necessary.

Warrior:

• Skin buffs: increase defense but same time damage is decreased.
• Increased cool down on screens.
• Warrior 2-handed damage decreased.

Bard:

• Higher absolute damage.
• Increased damage.
• Tambour can not be canceled when under attack.
• add Stun ability (passive)?

Cleric:

• Bless required Cleric Rod.
• Lower absolutes damage.
• Black res buff canceled after using a skill or attack.
• Healing Orbit requires Cleric Rod.
• Armor defenses decreased.

Warlock:

• Linked Cooldown of stun skills and masks.

Equipment:

• Different ways to obtain equipment because everyone has different preferences. Hunting, dungeons, PvP, Uniques, Jobbing.
• Equipment should be account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Last tier equipment wearable at cap level.
• Only one type of SoX (one type of endgear). Nobody wants Sos or SoM.
• Auto-Equipment (except last gear).
• Last tier equipment slightly better than last tier auto-equipment.
• Egypt-type of items with additional effects for a complete set.

Coins:

• Required to buy weapons, gear and others.
• 1 type of coin that can be obtained from different activities (see above).
• Coins are account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Activities need "restrictions": dungeon entry limits, questing (x times a day), jobbing limits.
• Daily and/or weekly limits.

Battle Arena (BA):

• One of the most important aspects.
• Types: random BA, PTBA mainly. Guild and Job BA not so often.
• Schedule: about 6 times per day.
• Realistic amount of coins to obtain equipment.
• Rewards: endgear, 7-day-versions of item mall items (Premium, pets, clocks, devil spirit etc.), Berzerk pots with a cooldown, stones (0%?).
• Disconnect AFK players automatically.

Survival Arena (SA):

• New titles similar to "Warrior of Courage" with specific effects → Specialization possible. You can only have one title activated at once.
• Damage increase, Damage absorption, STR, INT, Lucky, Berzerk gain, Critical, Block, Parry Ratio, Atk Rate, Monster Defense Ignore etc.
• other idea: Honor buffs available from SA. Lower buff required to get the next higher one. Bronce → Silver → Gold →King Buff.
• Titles time-limited? → must rework to get them?

Forgotten World:

• Talisman collected by a daily quest → everyone in the PT will get talismans.
• Depending on grade, you will get the same amount of talisman rewarded randomly (e.g. ☆2 → 2 random talismans from quest).
• Quest to get Arena Coins for killing end boss (repeatable).
• Boxes can drop Silk Items such as Repair Hammers, Reverse Return Scrolls or Global Chats.
• Talisman reward: end weapon (account-bound).
• Special drops depending on the grade you go.

Holy Water Temple:

• Lower quest requirements.
• Quest rewards for everyone in an autoshare PT.

Job Temple:

Difficult ...
Job Temple quests with coin rewards.
Job Temple Uniques ... ?

Jobbing (old system):

• Trading limit per week.
• Quests for trading to prevent abuse?
• Scheduled trading times to increase activity.

Jobbing (new system):

• Add gold and job alchemy silk items as trading rewards.
• Speciality boxes obtained differently?

Alchemy:

• maximum +10.
• Original Glows.
• Socket system.
• Find a way to prevent 80%-100% white stat sets (only assimilation stones dropping?. One idea could be to add 0%-Stones for a "high" price into BA rewards. That way it stays interesting for capped/geared players to improve further. Problem is the stacking of 0%-stones with assimilation-stones.
• Immortal and Proof Stones obtainable from Item mall, daily quest and login events.
• If upgrade system like 12Q↑, set level limits for 12, 13, 14Q. Proof stones or equipment obtainable in dungeons too?
  12Q (Lv 106↑), 13Q (Lv 115↑), 14Q (Lv 130).

Consigment:

• Remove fees.
• No time limit.
• Extend slots.

Quests:

• Central Quest Manager NPC.
• Daily Quests to obtain coins for PvE-Lovers and/or add coins as reward to the "normal" quests.
• Level Up Rewards every 10 levels (character-bound).
• Quests obtainable from 15 levels below mobs to make it PT playable.

Others:

• Only guilds. No unions.
• No magic pop.
• No CTF.
• Remove academy system.
• Add higher stacks.
• increased cooldown of Reverse scrolls and global chats/ level restrictions.
• Premium stats 5%.
• 2 types of Devil Spirit: one for free that gives HP/MP bonus and one silk item that additionally gives a small dmg increase.

Events:

• Monthly login events that provide you with useful (silk) items, e.g. 7-day-premium.
• Weekly events to enhance specific activities: e.g. one week focus on leveling up, other week focus on jobbing, next week focus on BA etc.

As you can see I'm favoring a server that tries to achieve a balance between donators and non-donators. Non-donators can reach everything with ingame activities too. Donators will reach the same things just faster. Also players can choose the way they want to get the coins to buy equipment. Some love grinding, others questing, again others want to PvP or go into dungeons.

I'm fully aware that not every feature can be realized (depending on files and coding skills). Also, it might be interesting to keep some of the features for later updates but to attract players.

If anyone is interested in developing such a server, feel free to contact me. Furthermore, feel free to discuss.

+1 to that
i will leave any game for that kind of server
Perfect sv

[OutlawNL]

If you're aiming for a server with about 30-40 players, you can easily buy a cheap vpn which can hold up to like 50 players I think. It costs only 15€/month.

[Mayumi]

Any news in here?

During the past years I was playing SRO, I really was thinking a lot on how a good server concept could look like. I know that it's impossible to make every player happy. Anyway "my" server would have a focus on group-based activities and offer a really fair balance between donators and non-donators.

Almost every private server out there doesn't fit my expectations. Usually they reward selfish gameplay including CTF, Uniques and rewards for kills. This results in strong players getting even stronger and only little build variety as obviously some classes got an advantage over others when it comes to kill count. New players will have a hard time catching up. Most likely they will give up after a few days.

In my imagination a server should focus on group activities as Silkroad is supposed to be a MMORPG. You should interact with other players.

Strict non-botting- and 1-character-policy! To keep the same chances for every player and have interaction between the community.

EXP rates:

• High rates until [Level Cap] minus 10 or 15 levels. For example: Cap 110 → High EXP from Lv 1 - Lv 95. After that, rates should get lower. That way PT hunting is required to level up fast and new players have a good chance to join PTs with capped players.
• No SP farming required.

Classes:

• Silkroad-R-Skill system.
• EU with 30 sec POT cooldown.→ Bard is getting more important in PTPVP and Chinese characters are in advantage of solo hunting and 1vs1. EU should require a PT to be successful in both PvE and PvP.
• Not too much balancing, though some changes are necessary.

Warrior:

• Skin buffs: increase defense but same time damage is decreased.
• Increased cool down on screens.
• Warrior 2-handed damage decreased.

Bard:

• Higher absolute damage.
• Increased damage.
• Tambour can not be canceled when under attack.
• add Stun ability (passive)?

Cleric:

• Bless required Cleric Rod.
• Lower absolutes damage.
• Black res buff canceled after using a skill or attack.
• Healing Orbit requires Cleric Rod.
• Armor defenses decreased.

Warlock:

• Linked Cooldown of stun skills and masks.

Equipment:

• Different ways to obtain equipment because everyone has different preferences. Hunting, dungeons, PvP, Uniques, Jobbing.
• Equipment should be account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Last tier equipment wearable at cap level.
• Only one type of SoX (one type of endgear). Nobody wants Sos or SoM.
• Auto-Equipment (except last gear).
• Last tier equipment slightly better than last tier auto-equipment.
• Egypt-type of items with additional effects for a complete set.

Coins:

• Required to buy weapons, gear and others.
• 1 type of coin that can be obtained from different activities (see above).
• Coins are account-bound to prevent pay2win.
• Activities need "restrictions": dungeon entry limits, questing (x times a day), jobbing limits.
• Daily and/or weekly limits.

Battle Arena (BA):

• One of the most important aspects.
• Types: random BA, PTBA mainly. Guild and Job BA not so often.
• Schedule: about 6 times per day.
• Realistic amount of coins to obtain equipment.
• Rewards: endgear, 7-day-versions of item mall items (Premium, pets, clocks, devil spirit etc.), Berzerk pots with a cooldown, stones (0%?).
• Disconnect AFK players automatically.

Survival Arena (SA):

• New titles similar to "Warrior of Courage" with specific effects → Specialization possible. You can only have one title activated at once.
• Damage increase, Damage absorption, STR, INT, Lucky, Berzerk gain, Critical, Block, Parry Ratio, Atk Rate, Monster Defense Ignore etc.
• other idea: Honor buffs available from SA. Lower buff required to get the next higher one. Bronce → Silver → Gold →King Buff.
• Titles time-limited? → must rework to get them?

Forgotten World:

• Talisman collected by a daily quest → everyone in the PT will get talismans.
• Depending on grade, you will get the same amount of talisman rewarded randomly (e.g. ☆2 → 2 random talismans from quest).
• Quest to get Arena Coins for killing end boss (repeatable).
• Boxes can drop Silk Items such as Repair Hammers, Reverse Return Scrolls or Global Chats.
• Talisman reward: end weapon (account-bound).
• Special drops depending on the grade you go.

Holy Water Temple:

• Lower quest requirements.
• Quest rewards for everyone in an autoshare PT.

Job Temple:

Difficult ...
Job Temple quests with coin rewards.
Job Temple Uniques ... ?

Jobbing (old system):

• Trading limit per week.
• Quests for trading to prevent abuse?
• Scheduled trading times to increase activity.

Jobbing (new system):

• Add gold and job alchemy silk items as trading rewards.
• Speciality boxes obtained differently?

Alchemy:

• maximum +10.
• Original Glows.
• Socket system.
• Find a way to prevent 80%-100% white stat sets (only assimilation stones dropping?. One idea could be to add 0%-Stones for a "high" price into BA rewards. That way it stays interesting for capped/geared players to improve further. Problem is the stacking of 0%-stones with assimilation-stones.
• Immortal and Proof Stones obtainable from Item mall, daily quest and login events.
• If upgrade system like 12Q↑, set level limits for 12, 13, 14Q. Proof stones or equipment obtainable in dungeons too?
  12Q (Lv 106↑), 13Q (Lv 115↑), 14Q (Lv 130).

Consigment:

• Remove fees.
• No time limit.
• Extend slots.

Quests:

• Central Quest Manager NPC.
• Daily Quests to obtain coins for PvE-Lovers and/or add coins as reward to the "normal" quests.
• Level Up Rewards every 10 levels (character-bound).
• Quests obtainable from 15 levels below mobs to make it PT playable.

Others:

• Only guilds. No unions.
• No magic pop.
• No CTF.
• Remove academy system.
• Add higher stacks.
• increased cooldown of Reverse scrolls and global chats/ level restrictions.
• Premium stats 5%.
• 2 types of Devil Spirit: one for free that gives HP/MP bonus and one silk item that additionally gives a small dmg increase.

Events:

• Monthly login events that provide you with useful (silk) items, e.g. 7-day-premium.
• Weekly events to enhance specific activities: e.g. one week focus on leveling up, other week focus on jobbing, next week focus on BA etc.

As you can see I'm favoring a server that tries to achieve a balance between donators and non-donators. Non-donators can reach everything with ingame activities too. Donators will reach the same things just faster. Also players can choose the way they want to get the coins to buy equipment. Some love grinding, others questing, again others want to PvP or go into dungeons.

I'm fully aware that not every feature can be realized (depending on files and coding skills). Also, it might be interesting to keep some of the features for later updates but to attract players.

If anyone is interested in developing such a server, feel free to contact me. Furthermore, feel free to discuss.

This is exactly what i want from server, especially 1 character part....

[Valkyria]

Thanks for liking my ideas!

[IceCrash]

i really like your ideas Valk, i really feel sad i got no skills to make this work, i'm pretty sure we'd have an incredible server : D

[Singa]

I'm all for a new "proper" pserver like Salvation was.

I'm trying to talk Fly into giving it a go but he doesnt think there are enough old school legits around to make it viable.

Check out this idea for more "players"

---

What were the problems with Salvation?

In my opinion a single developer with a day job can't run it again, it's just not enough. Any meaningful updates were lackluster and slow. Needs to be multiple people or someone who can work on it all day.

Second, reaching cap was too easy... I haven't played in any servers with "rebirth" or whatever system, but I wonder if that would be any good.