GBTH client for modern platforms
GunBound_DJ5tz4Gjsl.mp4
- Should just work on modern Windows, without additional compatibilty modes / DxWnd
- UTF8 engine
- Natively uses 32-bit graphics (but imperceptible since the assets are 16-bit anyway)
- Doesn't require a launcher, but still supports oldschool launchers
- Windowed by default, enter windowed-fullscreen via Alt+Enter
- Data files in CSV
- No administrator rights required, runs happily as a regular user
- Screenshots in PNG
- IME sometimes works
- Behaves mostly like a late-TH client
- Free, but not open-source
- Does not run in Wine/Proton/Crossover
- Buddy components are largely unimplemented/broken
- AV/EDRs might flag the main executable file, might require adding an exception
- Published as-is, I don't know what I'm doing, I am unable to offer support or feature requests
A reference server is not available yet, but it should be mostly compatible with late-TH (e.g. EXItem/PU) servers. While untested with this client, Luiz's GunBound-Java looks like a promising candidate to start from. Bear in mind that all strings must be encoded in UTF8.
Download/clone, edit SystemPreferences.ini with your server's address, then run the client. No installation is required, and this client does not store preferences in the registry.
Credentials can be supplied through three different ways:
- GME style, 96-byte createprocess "oldschool" style
- Command line,
client.exe username password, easier to work with, doesn't support spaces - Internal UI, if neither of the prior parameters are present, a login screen is shown during startup
None. Regular anticheats are ineffective here, in the same way where process-level/kernel anticheats don't work on chess/sudoku, since trajectory planning can be trivially solved via e.g. pixel bots. For this reason, this client is fine running as a limited user. A stronger emphasis on trust-based strategies (e.g. invitation trees, reputation, active moderation) will probably work better.
The binaries are released for free, however it is not accompanied by its source. I resent the idea that this client may be used for commercial gain, as it goes against the spirit of preserving this two-decade old game.
The client is lightly packed/protected, the idea being that it will take less effort to figure out GBTH behavior by simply looking at an unpacked GBTH client (e.g. GBS404, includes logging!) instead of this.
Github is selected as a distribution platform and also as a space for discussion and issue tracking. If there's a better alternative, I'll be happy to take a look. Use the "incognito" litmus test for whether a platform is valid - if any attachments, links, files, images, messages are intentionally made unavailable to a guest (e.g. discord, rage zone), then it is not a suitable platform.
- Original gang: kasi (까시), comsik (녹염), cozy, enddream, yesoori, oorusa, jaeyong, yaong2, jchlee75, reddragon, designer, johnny5, loserii, scjang, chuko, pirania, blash45, knights, cosmos, ethera, (now with UTF-8, Cosmos' credits is more accessible, via
/코스모스) - .BE: phnx, kimmy