What is LegacyShell?
Audience: Total newbies · Prereqs: None
LegacyShell is a from-scratch, open-source rebuild of the backend and browser client for Shell Shockers (shellshock.io), an egg-themed multiplayer shooter, preserved as it played at version 0.17.0 - plus a bunch of things the original never had (a commands system, new gamemodes, an in-game map editor, and a plugin system for adding your own features).
You can just play it in a browser like the original game. This section of the docs is for people who want to run their own copy - either to host a private server for friends, or to develop/mod it.
The three servers
Unlike a simple website, LegacyShell is made of three separate programs that talk to each other over the network. You don't need to understand how they work yet - just what each one is responsible for:
| Server | What it does | Analogy |
|---|---|---|
| Services | Keeps the database - accounts, passwords, stats, inventories, which maps/items exist, which game servers are allowed to connect. | The "back office." There should only be one of these per LegacyShell deployment. |
| Game | Actually runs matches - physics, hit detection, keeping every player's screen in sync. | The "arena." You can run several of these (even in different countries) to spread out players. |
| Client | Serves the actual web page and game files your browser downloads when you visit the site. | The "storefront." You can run several of these too, as simple mirrors. |
When you play LegacyShell in a browser, your browser is talking to a Client server to download the game, then to a Game server once you actually join a match, and a Game/Client server is separately talking to a Services server behind the scenes for account and stats info.
What you need to run all three yourself
For just trying LegacyShell out on your own computer, you run all three servers locally with one command (npm run all - covered in First Run), and everything talks to localhost. You don't need three computers, three IP addresses, or anything like that to get started.
You only need to think about running them separately once you want to do something like add a second game-server region, or run a public instance where the client is mirrored across several machines - that's covered in Running a Server.
What you need before installing
Just three things, expanded on in Requirements:
- Node.js
- Git (technically optional, but strongly recommended)
- A terminal
Head to Installation next for the full walkthrough, or Speed Setup if you already know your way around Node/git and just want the commands.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. If something looks wrong, please open a PR or flag it.