CLAUDE.md

Helbreath 3.82 - Classic MMORPG client-server in C++ for Windows (early 2000s codebase).

Critical Rules

Rule	Details
Always build from solution	Use `Helbreath.sln` , never from `Sources/Client/` or `Sources/Server/`
Win32 only	Target x86/Win32 architecture exclusively
No git commits	Work only in the working tree
No over-optimization	Implement only what is requested
Delete refactored code	Do not keep old code "for reference" - git has history
Build early and often	Rebuild after each logical change
Backup before bulk edits	Create `.bak` files before mass find/replace operations
Use Python for file ops	Prefer Python over PowerShell for text manipulation

Build Commands

ALWAYS use the full path to batch files (do NOT use

cmd.exe /c "cd && batch"

# Build both Client and Server
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_all.bat"

# Client only
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_game.bat"

# Server only
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_server.bat"

Log files are created:

build_all.log

build_game.log

build_server.log

Output:

Debug\Game.exe

Debug\Server.exe

(or

Release\

)

Project Structure

Sources/Client/      - Game client (DirectDraw/DirectInput/DirectSound)
Sources/Server/      - Game server (networking, AI, world state)
Dependencies/Shared/ - Shared headers (NetMessages.h, ActionID.h, DynamicObjectID.h)
Dependencies/Client/ - DirectX SDK headers and libs
Binaries/Game/       - Client configs and assets
Binaries/Server/     - Server configs
PLANS/               - Implementation plans for significant changes

Key Files

File	Purpose
`Sources/Client/Game.cpp` (~1.7MB)	Client game loop, rendering, UI
`Sources/Server/Game.cpp` (~2.1MB)	Server logic, entity management
`Dependencies/Shared/NetMessages.h`	Network protocol (must match both sides)
`XSocket.cpp/h`	Async socket wrapper (both sides)

Code Style

Naming: Hungarian notation (
```
m_
```
members,
```
p
```
pointers,
```
i
```
int,
```
sz
```
strings)
Classes:
```
C
```
prefix, PascalCase (
```
CGame
```
,
```
CClient
```
,
```
CNpc
```
)
Constants:
```
DEF_
```
prefix, ALL_CAPS
Formatting: Tabs, Allman braces
Memory: Manual
```
new
```
/
```
delete
```
, no smart pointers
Headers:
```
#pragma once
```

Architecture

Client (Game)

```
CGame
```
- Monolithic class: rendering, input, network, UI
```
XSocket
```
- Async sockets via Windows message pump (
```
WM_USER_GAMESOCKETEVENT
```
)
DirectX 7/8: DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectSound

Server

```
CGame
```
- Central coordinator for all systems
```
CClient
```
- Player session (inventory, stats, skills, connection)
```
CNpc
```
- NPC behavior and AI
```
CMap
```
- Tile-based world, collision, visibility
ODBC for database persistence

Network Protocol

Binary packed structures with message IDs in
```
NetMessages.h
```
Both sides must have identical definitions
When changing: update both client and server, rebuild both

Workflow

Before significant changes: Write plan in
```
PLANS/
```
Adding files: Update
```
.vcxproj
```
to include new source/header files
After completing TODO items: Update
```
DONE.md
```
, mark complete in
```
TODO.md
```
Large changes: Pause after successful build, ask user to test manually

Testing

No automated tests. Manual only:

Run server then client using configs in
```
Binaries/
```
For network changes, verify message symmetry between client and server

Server Limits

DEF_MAXCLIENTS          2000
DEF_MAXNPCS             5000
DEF_MAXMAPS             100
DEF_MAXITEMTYPES        5000
DEF_MAXDYNAMICOBJECTS   60000

Known Issues

16 header files duplicated between Client and Server (see
```
TODO.md
```
)
Korean comments in server code

CLAUDE.md

Helbreath 3.82 - Classic MMORPG client-server in C++ for Windows (early 2000s codebase).

Critical Rules

Rule	Details
Always build from solution	Use `Helbreath.sln` , never from `Sources/Client/` or `Sources/Server/`
Win32 only	Target x86/Win32 architecture exclusively
No git commits	Work only in the working tree
No over-optimization	Implement only what is requested
Delete refactored code	Do not keep old code "for reference" - git has history
Build early and often	Rebuild after each logical change
Backup before bulk edits	Create `.bak` files before mass find/replace operations
Use Python for file ops	Prefer Python over PowerShell for text manipulation

Build Commands

ALWAYS use the full path to batch files (do NOT use

cmd.exe /c "cd && batch"

# Build both Client and Server
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_all.bat"

# Client only
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_game.bat"

# Server only
"C:\Users\ShadowEvil\source\Repos3\Helbreath-3.82\build_server.bat"

Log files are created:

build_all.log

build_game.log

build_server.log

Output:

Debug\Game.exe

Debug\Server.exe

(or

Release\

)

Project Structure

Sources/Client/      - Game client (DirectDraw/DirectInput/DirectSound)
Sources/Server/      - Game server (networking, AI, world state)
Dependencies/Shared/ - Shared headers (NetMessages.h, ActionID.h, DynamicObjectID.h)
Dependencies/Client/ - DirectX SDK headers and libs
Binaries/Game/       - Client configs and assets
Binaries/Server/     - Server configs
PLANS/               - Implementation plans for significant changes

Key Files

File	Purpose
`Sources/Client/Game.cpp` (~1.7MB)	Client game loop, rendering, UI
`Sources/Server/Game.cpp` (~2.1MB)	Server logic, entity management
`Dependencies/Shared/NetMessages.h`	Network protocol (must match both sides)
`XSocket.cpp/h`	Async socket wrapper (both sides)

Code Style

Naming: Hungarian notation (
```
m_
```
members,
```
p
```
pointers,
```
i
```
int,
```
sz
```
strings)
Classes:
```
C
```
prefix, PascalCase (
```
CGame
```
,
```
CClient
```
,
```
CNpc
```
)
Constants:
```
DEF_
```
prefix, ALL_CAPS
Formatting: Tabs, Allman braces
Memory: Manual
```
new
```
/
```
delete
```
, no smart pointers
Headers:
```
#pragma once
```

Architecture

Client (Game)

```
CGame
```
- Monolithic class: rendering, input, network, UI
```
XSocket
```
- Async sockets via Windows message pump (
```
WM_USER_GAMESOCKETEVENT
```
)
DirectX 7/8: DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectSound

Server

```
CGame
```
- Central coordinator for all systems
```
CClient
```
- Player session (inventory, stats, skills, connection)
```
CNpc
```
- NPC behavior and AI
```
CMap
```
- Tile-based world, collision, visibility
ODBC for database persistence

Network Protocol

Binary packed structures with message IDs in
```
NetMessages.h
```
Both sides must have identical definitions
When changing: update both client and server, rebuild both

Workflow

Before significant changes: Write plan in
```
PLANS/
```
Adding files: Update
```
.vcxproj
```
to include new source/header files
After completing TODO items: Update
```
DONE.md
```
, mark complete in
```
TODO.md
```
Large changes: Pause after successful build, ask user to test manually

Testing

No automated tests. Manual only:

Run server then client using configs in
```
Binaries/
```
For network changes, verify message symmetry between client and server

Server Limits

DEF_MAXCLIENTS          2000
DEF_MAXNPCS             5000
DEF_MAXMAPS             100
DEF_MAXITEMTYPES        5000
DEF_MAXDYNAMICOBJECTS   60000

Known Issues

16 header files duplicated between Client and Server (see
```
TODO.md
```
)
Korean comments in server code

CLAUDE.md

CLAUDE.md

Critical Rules

Build Commands

Project Structure

Key Files

Code Style

Architecture

Client (Game)

Server

Network Protocol

Workflow

Testing

Server Limits

Known Issues

Related Skills

Markdown Converter

Nano Banana Pro

1password

CLAUDE.md

Critical Rules

Build Commands

Project Structure

Key Files

Code Style

Architecture

Client (Game)

Server

Network Protocol

Workflow

Testing

Server Limits

Known Issues