MMCOS - Micro Machines World Series Community Server

A community-run replacement server for Micro Machines World Series multiplayer, enabling online play after the official servers shut down.

⚠️ WORK IN PROGRESS ⚠️

This project is in early development and largely UNTESTED, especially with multiple players. Many features may not work as expected or at all. The future direction of this project is still undecided - it could become:

• A community project with an unofficial public server
• A proof of concept for educational purposes only
• A private server solution for LAN play

Use at your own risk and expect bugs!

Current Status

What works:

• ✅ Basic server setup and SSL certificate generation
• ✅ Game client connection and authentication emulation
• ✅ Admin dashboard with basic monitoring
• ✅ Single player with AI opponents

What's untested/uncertain:

• ❓ Multiplayer with 2+ human players
• ❓ Game session synchronization between clients
• ❓ Network stability with multiple connections
• ❓ Cross-platform compatibility
• ❓ Performance under load

Known limitations:

• Most testing has been done with single player + AI
• Server responses are based on reverse-engineered protocol
• No guarantee of compatibility with all game versions
• May require specific Steam version of the game

Features

• ✅ Player Session Management - Persistent player tracking across sessions
• ✅ Smart Matchmaking - Join existing games first, create new ones when needed
• ✅ Admin Dashboard - Real-time monitoring of games and players
• ✅ Points & Leaderboard System - Track player stats and rankings
• ✅ Steam Integration - Extracts player names from Steam login data

Requirements

• Node.js 22.x LTS or higher
• Micro Machines World Series (Steam version)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/Nigcra/mmcos.git
   cd mmcos

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Generate SSL certificates

   node generate-cert.js

4. Configure Client Connection

   Edit your Windows hosts file to redirect game servers:

   Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

   For local server (same computer):

   127.0.0.1 mmcos.codemasters.com
   127.0.0.1 prod.egonet.codemasters.com
   127.0.0.1 ecdn.codemasters.com
   

   For remote server (different computer on LAN):

   192.168.1.100 mmcos.codemasters.com
   192.168.1.100 prod.egonet.codemasters.com
   192.168.1.100 ecdn.codemasters.com
   

   (Replace 192.168.1.100 with the actual server IP address)

   Note: The server will display the correct IP addresses when it starts.

Usage

1. Start the server

   Interactive Setup (Recommended)

   npm start
   # or
   node server.js

   Configure only the settings that actually matter:

   • Max Players - Maximum players per game (default: 8)
   • AI Opponents - Enable/disable AI (default: enabled)
   • Spectators - Allow spectators (default: enabled)

   Quick Start (Default Settings)

   npm run quick
   # or
   node server.js --quick

   The server will display:

   • Local access URL: http://localhost
   • Network access URL: http://[YOUR_LAN_IP]
   • Exact hosts file entries needed for clients

2. Configure client computers

   • Each client must edit their hosts file with the server's IP
   • Use the exact entries shown when the server starts

3. Launch Micro Machines World Series

   • Go to Multiplayer menu
   • Select Public match
   • Wait 85 seconds for AI matchmaking to activate
   • Race against AI opponents or other players

4. Access Admin Dashboard

   • Local: http://localhost/admin
   • Remote: http://[SERVER_IP]/admin (replace with actual server IP)
   • View active games, players, and stats in real-time

How It Works

The server emulates the original MMCOS (Micro Machines Codemasters Online Services) by:

• Intercepting HTTPS requests from the game
• Handling Steam authentication
• Managing game sessions and matchmaking
• Providing ServerStatus.xml for server discovery
• Auto-starting games when players are waiting

Project Structure

mmcos/
├── server.js           # Main server application
├── game-session.js     # Game session management
├── responses.js        # XML response templates
├── generate-cert.js    # SSL certificate generator
├── cert.pem            # SSL certificate (auto-generated)
├── key.pem             # SSL private key (auto-generated)
├── dump/               # MITM dumps
└── docs/               # Documentation>
    ├── backend.md      # Backend architecture
    ├── events.md       # Game events reference
    └── versions.md     # Version history

Configuration

The server runs on:

• HTTP: Port 80
• HTTPS: Port 443

Network Access:

• Server displays both localhost and LAN IP addresses on startup
• Use open_firewall.bat on Windows to allow network connections
• Clients must edit their hosts file with the server's IP address

Future Direction

The ultimate goal and scope of this project are still being determined:

Possible paths:

• Community Server: Public server hosting for the community
• Educational Tool: Proof of concept for game server emulation
• Private Solution: LAN party and private group play
• Preservation Project: Documenting the protocol for historical purposes

Your feedback matters! If you're interested in this project, please share your thoughts on what direction you'd like to see it take.

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Feel free to:

• Report bugs via GitHub Issues
• Submit pull requests
• Suggest new features
• Improve documentation

Credits

• Original Game: Codemasters
• Community Server: Developed for preservation and community play

License

This project is for educational and preservation purposes. Micro Machines World Series is property of Codemasters.

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Note: This is an unofficial community project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Codemasters.