OpenTibia
OpenTibia (also known as Open Tibia Server, OTServ or OTS), is an open-source server package that emulates the protocol of an official Tibia server. Since its first release in late 2001, OpenTibia Server has become a wide-spread community of developers through which new revisions Appear almost daily on the SVN servers hosted on SourceForge1. OpenTibia also refers to the community of players and programmers focused around the project.
Number of ACTIVE servers running the OpenTibia software is around 1400 and number of active players runs around 20000 as of June 6th 2007, with over 35000 users registered at the official OTServ forums.
It is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
What it is used for
OpenTibia Servers are used for general Tibia playing, with adjustments made by the user in order to make the game fit more to their expectations and wishes, which aren't found or possible on the official Tibia servers. Often characterized by a more free, or easy, role-playing climate. Open-Tibia servers are actually more difficult than the actual game because the characters are able to get to such grand levels that during PvP becomes much harder because your enemy is much harder to defeat. With constant updates happening to the Open-Tibia servers they have more incentive. Also, some OTs, as they sometimes are called, make their own creatures and weapons to enhance gameplay. Many people play Ots for a better experience, either more challenging, or someting easier.
Expandability
OpenTibia has virtually no limitations, in the sense that it is open-source for editing core components, and scriptable through Lua and XML for configuration of specific features.
Not only does it allow one to completely modify the source code and the main functionality, but it also allows for editing of everything else that is theoretically dynamic. Every aspect of the game, ranging from the game world (map) to the spells that players may cast are all extremely scriptable. This ability to change the game in a matter of moments makes it possible for Open-Tibia creators to have updates much more frequently.
Currently, there are both XML and SQL stable versions for storing the database although SQL is much more stable and faster than XML as all the account and player information is stored in a database file. One of OT's finest scripters is known online as STiX. He is regulary releasing new functions, scripts and advancements at OTFans.net and OpenLua.com
Legality
The legality of OpenTibia has been discussed on many occasions, but every time it has been concluded that it is legal to run an OpenTibia Server. However, in order to comply with the Tibia EULA, which clearly states that the client must not be edited in any form, several alternative clients are in stage of development: The Outcast (Also the first 3D implementation of the Tibia-protocol game client), OpenTibia Client and YATC.
From a programming standpoint, there is absolutely nothing illegal with OpenTibia. While it May Be a simulation of the real server software, it was never programmed based upon pre-existing source code. That means that it was all made from scratch. Not only that, but OpenTibia in itself is a server, and only a server. This means that, if using the same protocol, any other program or game can be used to connect to said server.
Although rapidly gaining popularity, OpenTibia has never been directly threatened by the creator of the original game servers, aside from when World of Tibia was formally asked to remove OpenTibia forums from their website. This does not mean that CIPSoft has or ever will be able to press legal charges against the project.
See also
- Tibia
- Server emulator
External links
References
pl:OpenTibia Server pt:OpenTibia sv:OpenTibia