Everwilds is a prototype and reference project that demonstrates how MMORPGs like World of Warcraft are programmed, focusing primarily on networking and netcode architecture. It serves as a learning resource for developers interested in how real-time online RPGs handle networking, synchronization, and client-server interaction.
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Ever since I was a kid playing the original Guild Wars and World of Warcraft, I’ve wanted to learn how those kinds of games are made. That curiosity sparked my interest in programming and game development. This project is the result of deciding to dig deep into the architecture and technical foundations of large-scale online games.
While this is not a full MMORPG, it includes:
- A working client-server architecture
- Character movement with walk animation
- A basic combat system
- A simple leveling system (up to level 10)
- Ability to toggle character nameplates (by pressing v)
- A chat system
The highlight of this project is its approach to player movement synchronization between clients. It uses the same technique used by World of Warcraft, enabling smooth movement replication with minimal bandwidth usage, and allowing scalability for many concurrent players. While the general method is publicly known, implementing it correctly took a bit of research, trial and error, and digging through obscure forums and private server codebases.
- Three.js
- TypeScript
- HTML/CSS
To run Everwilds locally execute the following commands in your terminal:
$ git clone https://github.com/nickyvanurk/everwilds
$ cd ./everwilds
$ npm i
$ npm run build
$ npm startOn Windows you have to manually copy the client/assets folder to the dist folder, as the build command uses a Linux command that doesn't work on Windows.
If everything went well the game will be available at http://localhost:3000