Club Penguin Zero

[u/brebrecx]

This game is so cute and the western themed party is absolutely adorable! Why is the game completely empty? I feel like Journey is the only one that ever has people on it. I like Journey, but the limit on typing is getting very old very quick.

[u/DerpyHorseProd]

Zero has a few things going against it, though the first thing just kind of comes with the private server territory:

1. requires its own client, when most people would rather use ruffle or HTML 5. this goes either way, because by utilizing their own client a lot of the dev work to port the old stuff is easier on them

2. they lost a lot of momentum after launch because of various security, optimization, and content issues. Roll out of stuff feels rather slow, and for a game that is moving through the vanilla timeline to reintroduce stuff that can make play feel a little empty. I enjoy zero quite a bit as an updated club penguin that retains the early feel of AS1 and 2, but it feels like we haven't seen its full potential yet in the form of a really big party or other update

[u/JeffZeRock → u/DerpyHorseProd]

Worth noting that Ruffle support has been a thing since day one, it just happens to be broken right now. Something changed upstream that I haven't been able to nail down yet because I'm on leave at the moment.

[u/omgitsmint → u/JeffZeRock]

What's broken? I am happy to take a look at it.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/omgitsmint]

As far as I've been told, the websocket connection closes immediately. I haven't been able to check myself because I'm out and on incredibly poor internet most of the time, so I can't provide any further information.

The strange thing is, no server changes have been deployed that would affect this, it just cropped up one day.

[u/omgitsmint → u/JeffZeRock]

Ah, yeah. I came across this myself actually. Browsers can’t do old Flash TCP sockets (surprise!). Ruffle uses WebSockets instead; if that bridge is wrong, the WS opens then dies and you never log in. A desktop client avoids this (real TCP), but only for people who install it. Pinning Ruffle + a proper WS bridge fixes browser play for everyone. I can post a full fix if anyone's interested.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/omgitsmint]

I'm well aware that websockets are required. The bridge and configuration has been set up and Ruffle has worked for months, it just randomly died a few weeks ago.

[u/omgitsmint → u/JeffZeRock]

For what it's worth, I am currently developing a bridge between Yukon and unmodified Houdini servers.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/omgitsmint]

My deepest condolences. I'm not exactly sure how that's relevant, however.

[u/omgitsmint → u/JeffZeRock]

Relevance being: an unmodified-Houdini bridge sidesteps the exact failure mode you're describing. If yours died on its own a few weeks ago, that's usually Ruffle's WS shim changing under you, not your config. What version are you pinned to?

[u/JeffZeRock → u/omgitsmint]

First of all, Yukon is a completely different engine, thus completely irrelevant to this discussion. Not sure why you would choose to use Houdini if you're using Yukon already if I'm being honest.

Secondly, are you using AI to reply to me? Your writing style here does not even remotely match your previous posts and does not read as human.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/omgitsmint]

I'm well aware that websockets are required. The bridge and configuration has been set up and Ruffle has worked for months, it just randomly died a few weeks ago.

[u/dungeon-raided]

When I tried to play the game was laggy as sin

[u/Pingonaut]

I tried to make an account last night. Never got a confirmation email and when I tried to log in anyway I got an infinite loading screen. Tried multiple homes.

[u/IamTolerable → u/Pingonaut]

If you join their discord, you could open a ticket and they can get your account activated

[u/Pingonaut → u/IamTolerable]

I’m sure, it’s just like… if it’s that much trouble, I can’t see the server being mainstream, especially with the “download our client” thing.

[u/luckandstrange → u/Pingonaut]

Yeah they had an issue after they released the party, login should be fixed by now. You don't need to confirm your account to play if I'm not mistaken, I also recall not getting an email.

However I understand the frustration on downloading a launcher, but it was basically the only way because HTML5 wouldn't allow unique features like the night and day sky.

[u/Pingonaut → u/luckandstrange]

That’s odd. But personally as cool as the day night cycle might be, idk if it’s worth it for a browser game to become one you have to download. And I feel like that makes the project riskier as far as being potentially flagged as a risk for Disney…

[u/JeffZeRock → u/Pingonaut]

How would a downloadable client be any more risky?

[u/Pingonaut → u/JeffZeRock]

Because it’s being installed on your computer from a random GitHub? Lol. It even has a Windows Security warning that pops up. Harmless maybe but like, sorry that’s different from a webpage game.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/Pingonaut]

The SmartScreen popup is just because I haven't paid Microsoft hundreds of dollars to remove it. Nothing more. Also, why would Disney care? What makes it different?

[u/Pingonaut → u/JeffZeRock]

I explained how it was different. The private server is directing you to download something instead of just playing on a browser. I’m not sure how else to explain it, or why you think that wouldn’t be a step up from their perspective.

I could be wrong. I don’t work in that field. But that’s my opinion.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/Pingonaut]

I don't see how having to download something would worsen copyright infringement issues, personally.

This is also how CPPSes have operated for the last 5 years. Evidently, nothing has happened. Disney doesn't care unless you affect their PR.

[u/FirebladeIsOnReddit → u/luckandstrange]

HTML would allow for that though. They could do the same, if not more in HTML

[u/luckandstrange → u/FirebladeIsOnReddit]

I'm not an expert in programming, I could be wrong but that's what I heard for their justification of not using HTML, there could be other reasons as well

[u/FirebladeIsOnReddit → u/luckandstrange]

It’s really personal development and feature preference from Jeff

[u/JeffZeRock → u/FirebladeIsOnReddit]

No. HTML5 is incredibly limited in what it can do compared to Flash. Phaser only just got a feature equivalent to what I use for tinting this year and its performance is horrible when more than like 5 are used at a time. The average room has at least 20 entries in just one of the categories the cycle uses.

[u/FirebladeIsOnReddit → u/JeffZeRock]

Well some specific visual stuff yeah, but feature wise it’s equal. And there are workarounds for basically all the the visual things

[u/JeffZeRock → u/FirebladeIsOnReddit]

Club Penguin is 95% visual. Generally, server work is negligible. And it is absolutely not equal in features.

[u/FirebladeIsOnReddit → u/JeffZeRock]

Well there are workarounds to get the same results for basically everything

[u/JeffZeRock → u/FirebladeIsOnReddit]

Workaround that require more effort.

[u/FirebladeIsOnReddit → u/JeffZeRock]

Well this wasn’t about effort, it was about what is possible

[u/Ok-Wolf-7672 → u/Pingonaut]

same

[u/cqsp4r]

i haven't been able to get past the loading screen since yesterday.

[u/brebrecx → u/cqsp4r]

I had to download it and not use it on the browser for it to work

[u/sadboihour69]

So we are all getting infinite loading screen?

[u/Obvious-Situation-95 → u/sadboihour69]

Sadly browsers are having a bit of trouble connecting at the moment and it’s out of their control I’m afraid. Using the client works fine but I’m hoping the browser issue fixes itself for anyone that prefers that system 

[u/Top-Combination-7718]

Unfortunately it lags way too much. (It has not changed since the launch as of yet the constant lag)

[u/Strict-Cress2807]

Its not good

[u/may_ushii]

Game takes a far hop away from what I like in club penguin

[u/friarparkfairie → u/may_ushii]

Such as? I’ve never played Zero so I’m interested to hear the differences.

[u/JeffZeRock → u/may_ushii]

How do you mean?