The project
What is OpenVMK?
An open source server implementation for Virtual Magic Kingdom. It speaks the original VMK client's protocol, so the original game can run again for preservation, study, and anyone who wants to host it.
Is this official? Is Disney involved?
No. OpenVMK isn't affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with The Walt Disney Company or Sulake. It's a non-commercial community preservation project.
Can I play right now?
Not yet. OpenVMK is in early development and there's no public release. Follow along on Discord for progress updates and release announcements.
Will there be a public server?
The focus is on the server software itself, so anyone can run it. Whether the project hosts any public or demo servers hasn't been decided yet.
Will my old VMK account, pins or items work?
No. Disney's account database was never released and OpenVMK has no access to it. Everyone on an OpenVMK server starts fresh.
Will you add new content to VMK?
The goal is preservation: bringing back VMK as it was, including content that existed in the original game files. Because the server is open source, others are free to experiment on their own servers.
Technical
Doesn't VMK need Shockwave?
The original client is a Shockwave movie, and browsers dropped the plugin years ago. OpenVMK is porting the client's own Lingo scripts to TypeScript, together with a runtime that runs them in the browser. It isn't a remake: the game logic is VMK's own, ported line by line, and it runs without any plugin.
What is the server written in?
TypeScript on Node.js, with SQLite for storage. It's meant to run on modest hardware, and Docker-based deployment is planned.
Are the game files included?
Yes. The TypeScript browser port ships with the game files it needs, so you can run a server without hunting down an archive.
The original Shockwave files (the .dcr and .cct casts) aren't included in the download, but they're available on request for preservation and research. Ask on Discord.
What license is OpenVMK under?
The license is still being finalized and will be published with the code.
Helping out
How can I contribute?
Archived game files, packet captures, protocol notes, screenshots and testing are all useful right now. Code contributions open up once the initial code lands. See Contributing.
Where do I report bugs?
Use GitHub Issues so reports stay searchable. For questions and chat, use Discord.
Can I make videos or stream about OpenVMK?
Of course! Share what you make in the Discord. We'd love to see it.