MQ2 for dummies

[Clueless]

I just came back to MQ2 after a few year break.

I wanted to help out those folks who have never used it or forgotten how to get it up and running. It just took me two days of reading, trying and retrying to get it up and running so hopefully this will make it less painful for others in my same boat

A few things to note, a lot of the folks here program and take for granted things that non programmers don't know. This confuses some folks (me) and causes them to spend hours reading through many different posts and Wikis to try and figure out how to get this program to work.

Being a dummy, I am hoping to explain in dummy terms what needs to be done:


There is a Wiki that has a TON of information so use it. http://www.macroquest2.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Step one: You will need a C++ compiler, the newer ones are not as easy to use as VC6 or VC.net (I found an old copy of VS2008 that works after I found a link in the Wiki to explain how it differs) Being as you can't get these versions of compilers (at least not where I looked) maybe you will get lucky with VS2008 or VS2010 express using the tips I am putting here for VS2008 and 2005. I haven't tried 2010 but it is here for free as of today http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/e ... 10-express

Step Two: Go to http://www.macroquest2.com/main.php?p=download to get the latest source code. Unzip it to a working directory that you create where you want it to live.

Step Three: Go to the newly created folder and double click MQ2Auth.exe (there is more information on how to do this for others but this guide is just to get it running for you, if you have more than one computer you want to run MQ2 on, you have to run MQ2Auth.exe on that computer and compile a version for that system).

Step Four: Browse to the folder you extracted the source to and open MacroQuest2.sln (this should open VS2008 or whatever you are using)

Step Five:
Go to Build -> Configuration Manager
Select Release, and place a check in each dll you want compiled

In the Solution Explorer, right-click on MQ2Main and choose "Set as Startup Project"

With MQ2Main selected in the Solution Explorer, go to Build -> Build MQ2Main

Go to Build -> Batch Build, click "Select All" and then "Build"

Step Six: Look in your working directory for a new folder call release. Create a shortcut to MacroQuest2.exe. This will start MQ2 for you. (for some reason I have to wait for the game to load before I start MQ2 or the game won't start)

PLUGINS: Here is a shortcut list I made for myself to get the plugins working I will refine it later:

Open up a command prompt and navigate to your MQ2 source directory
Type "mkplugin <plugin_name>". Use the name of the plugin from the forum post (eg. "mkplugin MQ2Melee").
This will create the directory under your MQ2 source root and add a few files in there. Go to this directory in Explorer and open the <plugin_name>.cpp file (eg. MQ2Melee.cpp) in your favourite text editor (notepad will work just fine).

Replace the contents of this file with the code copied from the forum post. This code will generally start with a header indicating the name of the plugin, author, and maybe a brief description of the function of the plugin.

Some plugins require additional files to be included as well (eg. .ccp, .h or .inc). Just create these files in the plugin directory with the names as given in the forum post.

After you've got the plugin created and all the files copied, open up the main MacroQuest2 project and add your newly created project:
In VS 6, Go to Projects->Insert Projects into workspace, then select <plugin_name>.dsp (eg. MQ2Melee.dsp).
In VS .NET, go to File->Add Project->Existing project, and select the <plugin_name>.vcproj (eg. MQ2Melee.vcproj).
In VS 2005, go to File->Add->Existing project, and select the <plugin_name>.vcproj (eg. MQ2Melee.vcproj).
Compile the plugin:
In VS 2005, click on the plugin name in the Solution Explorer window, then click Build->Build <plugin_name>.

All this information came from guides and the Wiki, I take no credit for it as I added nothing original here. All credit goes to the original authors.

[ascii38]

(for some reason I have to wait for the game to load before I start MQ2 or the game won't start

Start Everquest with "eqgame.exe patchme" rather than calling everquest.exe. Launchpad scans your process list and reports back to Sony. MQ2Main.dll kills Launchpad if it detects that it is being injected in to it. See viewtopic.php?p=158180#p158180

[sorvani]

Visual Studio 2010 Express works just fine. You will be prompted to convert the project. Just click through leaving everything default. All it does is create a vcx version of the vc project file.
You will see this once for each project in the solution and once each time you add a new project to the solution.

[ryuster]

Exactly what I needed, thanks for posting!

[Gomer]

At present, you can just download Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows desktop from http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng#downloads , load MacroQuest2.sln and "build all".

Since it's up to date, you don't need a ton of security patches etc. I used to use a full copy of VS2008 but switched to VS Express 2012 a month or so back and it works great. Ieatacid also says he uses the newest version so it's most likely to not have compatibility issues like the older tools. VS 2012 is free for personal use and you just need and MS ID (hotmail account etc) to download it.

If you add other plug-ins to your install, add those projects through the GUI and don't overwrite MacroQuest2.sln when you download newer versions of the MQ2 .zip file.

In my personal version of MacroQuest2.sln I've fixed the build dependencies so MQ2Main gets built before the other components allowing multi-threaded scratch builds to work right. It's attached for your reference, but I use MQ2Melee, MQ2MoveUtils, MQ2Exchange, MQ2Eqbc, MQ2Twist and MQ2Bucles which are not in the vanilla build.

[dabrudda]

I have to download 6.9GB of VSC 2017 compiler files to compile around 3MB of source code. It be much easier for the devs to compile an EXE and post the SHA and a link.

I have DSL at 11MB downloads...that means I get a 20% slow down because of the DSL overhead...9MB
I also have CenturyLink DSL which means its really 3MB downloads instead of the 9MB (alleged download speeds). I won't be using MQ2 for another week.

[EqMule]

https://www.macroquest2.com/Builders%20 ... 0Guide.pdf

Www.Macroquest2.com/builder

No vs needed.

[dabrudda]

Thanks but I don't see anything under the top row

"You are NOT a member of the Builders group."

[SwiftyMUSE]

And on the left side... Uploads are disabled. Please subscribe for builder access here.

[dabrudda]

So the "Live" server MQ2 is not open source since we have to subscribe to the compiler and pay a fee. And certain files are missing from the source code to prevent the source from compiling in Visual Studio.

[dewey2461]

So the "Live" server MQ2 is not open source since we have to subscribe to the compiler and pay a fee. And certain files are missing from the source code to prevent the source from compiling in Visual Studio.

Thank the folks who choose to hack the live source to get MQ2 working on the true box servers. Thank the ass's hats that added active hacks to warp to ground spawns and cock block progression. Thank the ass hats that then got recorded and brought this down on all of us. Way to go. /golf clap.

You can still download the source code to test.

If you want to compile for Live you can take the source code and update the structures and offsets yourself. Or use the builder.

[EqMule]

So the "Live" server MQ2 is not open source since we have to subscribe to the compiler and pay a fee. And certain files are missing from the source code to prevent the source from compiling in Visual Studio.

Incorrect. The "Live" server MQ2 is very much still open source and that will NEVER change. You don't HAVE to subscribe or pay any fees. No files are missing.

The only thing you have to do is correct the structs and the offsets and it will work perfectly on any live executable you do it for.

Please do not confuse the online build service with mq2 open source availability.

We set up the builder for those people who do not want to or can not patch mq2 themselves to work for live (or who simply find it easier to just use it than to install visual studio). Everyone else is welcome to use visual studio just like before.

If you build for TEST or BETA executables no manual patching is needed.

[brainiac]

So the "Live" server MQ2 is not open source since we have to subscribe to the compiler and pay a fee. And certain files are missing from the source code to prevent the source from compiling in Visual Studio.

Incorrect. The "Live" server MQ2 is very much still open source and that will NEVER change. You don't HAVE to subscribe or pay any fees. No files are missing.

The only thing you have to do is correct the structs and the offsets and it will work perfectly on any live executable you do it for.

Please do not confuse the online build service with mq2 open source availability.

We set up the builder for those people who do not want to or can not patch mq2 themselves to work for live (or who simply find it easier to just use it than to install visual studio). Everyone else is welcome to use visual studio just like before.

If you build for TEST or BETA executables no manual patching is needed.

The current zip is labeled (TEST) and is missing the headers for live, so while I believe what you say is your intent, currently it is not possible to even build for an old version of live because the eqgame.h, EQUIStructs.h, and EQData.h headers are missing.

[EqMule]

Oh well that sucks, ok so for now just rename or copy the test versions of those files as eqdata.h equistructs.h and eqgame.h then.

I'll look into adding the 3 files in the future zips.

[lore7460]

So if I want to build MQ2 version for (Live) can I do it with the Builder?
or does that one not have the correct offsets / structures either?

Is there VIP access to builder or does one still have to pay for the builder access separately?
is there a collective account that VIP can use to build with?

Could you offer the current offsets / structures so that I could build myself out side of the builder?

from my understanding the builder is there to prevent heavy modifications like allowing MQ2 to run on a true box server.

Just a random thought here.
If I donated and provided my authentication hash could you or someone build MQ2 for live for me then; you know like a service?
(might be a good way to get funds up)