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HerculesWS/Hercules

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Hercules is a collaborative software development project revolving around the creation of a robust massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) server package. Written in C, the program is very versatile and provides NPCs, warps and modifications. The project is jointly managed by a group

FreeFree tier
Type
Open Source
Visit Website GitHub (38 stars)

About HerculesWS/Hercules

Hercules is an open-source collaborative software development project focused on creating a robust Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) server package. Written in C, the program is highly versatile and provides features such as NPCs, warps, and modifications. It is a continuation of the original Athena project and is managed by a global group of volunteers with strong community support and QA. The server supports multiple operating systems and requires tools like Git, a C compiler (gcc, clang, or MSVC), CMake, Python 3, a build system (GNU Make or Ninja), and MariaDB. It includes extensive documentation for building, configuration, and database management.

Key Features

Written in C for performance and versatility
Provides NPCs (Non-Player Characters), warps, and modifications
Continuation of the original Athena project
Cross-platform support (Windows, Unix/Linux)
Community-driven development with QA and support
Extensive documentation and build system (CMake, GNU Make, Ninja)
Requires Git, C compiler, CMake, Python 3, and MariaDB
Open-source under a permissive license

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Free and open-source with no licensing costs
  • Active community and volunteer development team
  • Highly customizable with NPCs, scripts, and modifications
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Well-documented build and installation process
Cons
  • Requires technical knowledge to set up and configure
  • Dependent on external software (MariaDB, build tools)
  • May have limited official support compared to commercial alternatives

Best For

Running private MMORPG servers for Ragnarok Online or similar gamesGame development and emulation projectsLearning about server architecture and network programming

FAQ

What is Hercules?
Hercules is an open-source MMORPG server package written in C, a continuation of the Athena project. It provides NPCs, warps, and modifications for running private game servers.
What are the prerequisites for installing Hercules?
You need Git, a C compiler (gcc, clang, or MSVC), CMake, Python 3, a build system like GNU Make or Ninja, and MariaDB. Optional tools include GUI MySQL clients and text editors with syntax highlighting.
How do I install Hercules?
Refer to the project's README and Building wiki page for detailed installation instructions. The project uses CMake for building on multiple platforms.
Is Hercules free to use?
Yes, Hercules is completely free and open-source. You can use it for any purpose under the terms of its license.
Can I modify and customize the server?
Yes, Hercules is designed to be flexible. You can write scripts for NPCs, warps, and modifications, and even modify the source code as it is open-source.