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It's been a long time. Odyssey has been rebuilt from the ground up, and version 13 is getting close. Here's a first look at what's coming.
Everything shown here is still in progress and may change before release.
The game you remember
Version 13 is meant to be a faithful(ish) port: the world, the HUD and the way it plays are Odyssey as you know it, with a few long-standing bugs fixed along the way. The bigger new features come after 13 is out; getting the game you remember running on a modern foundation comes first.
Finding a server
Sign in with your Odyssey account and the server registry is right there: every public server, who's on it, and whether it's open. Double-click to join. You can still connect straight to a server by its address, and create an account on that server itself, as before.
Servers bring their own look
A server's own art, sounds and music download the first time you join it, so a custom world just works. No separate downloads, no patching by hand.
The client keeps itself up to date
When a new version is out, the game tells you when it starts, shows you what changed, and installs it with one click. If a server needs a newer client than yours, it says so and offers the update.
Your keys, your way
Play with the classic keys exactly as they were, or switch to a modern layout (WASD to move, a key to start typing) with one click. Every key can be rebound, and your own setup is kept if you switch between the two.
For server owners
Running a server gets a proper admin console: server settings, player administration, and a live console and chat where you can talk to players as the server.
Scripting has moved from MBSC to C#. Your existing scripts are converted automatically, and the script editor checks every script before it runs.
Bringing an existing server across will be as simple as uploading it here on the website and getting back one ready for version 13: maps, items, monsters, characters, guilds and scripts included.
When?
Not quite yet. Accounts and the server registry open with the release, and we'll post here when they do.
This is probably obvious to everyone, but I no longer have a stable windows server that can run the server registry. Unless I get a lot of requests on the forum, it will remain offline until the rewrite is up.
I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
I have released the odyssey private connector complete with source code on the download page. Go try it out since the registry is now offline.
I am currently nearing the point where I can begin porting the old VB6 code to the new language. BSGame library is basically complete, I just need to get a small framework for the server and client and then the projects will be forked and work on Odyssey will resume.
Public Beta builds are a possibility, but only when feasible. I would not suggest anybody to use the Beta builds as a full server yet though. They will be highly experimental and will not have the full functionality of the current build.
So I've stated several times that Odyssey was built on a now dead language and that I'm in the process of converting to VB.NET to keep along with the VB theme (in case someone else takes over down the line). I've decided on a few big changes to the Odyssey engine though to help speed the process along.
In case you are unfamiliar, I started a project called BSGame that is basically a 2D game library. It is custom built for my own needs, but I think it should also work very well for Odyssey as well. Therefore, while you as users will not see any immediate change, this will greatly speed up conversion since the entire library is already built and I just need to tailor it for Odyssey's needs.
Second, Odyssey scripting will also be receiving an upgrade. Since I was not given the source for the scripting (and it is written specifically for VB6) I will be dumping the language and move the scripting over to BSGame.Scripting which is based off of Lua. Do not worry too much though if you plan on reviving one of your old servers. I will be creating a new converter to convert your entire server over to the new formats INCLUDING your scripts. If your scripts cannot be converted, you can contact me and I will do my best to help work it out for you.
No promise on when I'll be done, just a couple things I wanted to share about the future of Odyssey.