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Dragon Sword II

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Technical Details
Filename dragon_sword.zip
Size 1.4 MB
Downloads 121
Author Unknown
Created 2004-05-17
Changed 2025-12-16
System PHP 4.x
Price $0.00
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Dragon Sword

Forge your legacy in a clan-driven fantasy world where diplomacy and dominion decide who rules. Rally allies, elevate trusted elites, and negotiate alliances—or declare war and seize your rivals’ influence. With a multi-resource economy and a ladder of ranks from Peasant to Royal, every choice you make reshapes your clan’s power and prestige.

This is strategy with a social edge. Coordinate donations, craft signature gear, and use your message boards and chat to mobilize members in real time. Whether you broker peace or thrive on conflict, the path to supremacy is yours to write—and your clan will remember how you led them there.

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DragonSwords 2 RPG - Game Analysis Report

1. METADATA & PROVENANCE

Game Title: DragonSwords 2 RPG (DragonSwords II)

Version: Unknown (unversioned, circa 2004)

Author/Studio: Luke Hackett & DragonSwords II Team

Related Entities: Remixication.com (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Release Date: 2002-2004 (per copyright notices)

Genre: Web-based MMORPG / Sequel to DragonSwords

Language: PHP 4.x

License: Proprietary

Predecessor: DragonSwords (by Remixication Inc.)

Historical Context

DragonSwords 2 RPG is the sequel to DragonSwords, maintaining the same core clan system while adding new features like mounts, mythril crafting, and a card collection minigame (cardsdb table with durion/skitz/huiu/spike cards). The copyright transitions from "Remixication Inc. 2001-2003" (original) to "Remixication.com 2002-2004" and "DragonSwords II Team" indicate the project changed hands or became community-developed.

Luke Hackett is explicitly credited in clans.php: //Copyright 2004 Luke Hackett. - suggesting he authored or significantly rewrote the clan system for the sequel. The game appears to be the official follow-up, not a fork, as it maintains design continuity (same rank system, similar UI structure) while expanding content.

Archive Characteristics

  • Archive Type: Production server snapshot with database dump
  • Folder Structure: Single Dragonsword 2 RPG/ directory
  • Total Size: ~1.4 MB
  • Documentation: LukePuke.txt (32 KB SQL dump), Goldstorage.txt (unknown purpose)
  • Database: 52 tables (up from 34 in DragonSwords 1)
  • SQL Dump: phpMyAdmin 2.5.6, Oct 4, 2004 at 09:46 AM

---

2. FILE COMPOSITION ANALYSIS

Overall Statistics

  • Total Files: 272 files
  • Total Size: ~1.4 MB
  • File Breakdown:
  • 179 PHP files (~1.255 MB) - Game engine (17 fewer files than DS1, more consolidated)
  • 75 GIF files (~71 KB) - UI graphics (196 fewer than DS1 - graphics cleanup)
  • 14 CSS files (~15 KB) - Same stylesheet count as DS1
  • 2 TXT files (~37 KB) - LukePuke.txt (SQL dump), Goldstorage.txt
  • 1 SHTML file (~4 KB) - Server-side include
  • 1 SCF file (0 KB) - Windows Explorer command file (development artifact)

Core Files Structure

Primary Scripts:

  • clans.php (111.1 KB) - Larger than DS1 (102.4 KB → 111.1 KB = +8.7 KB expansion)
  • admin.php (85.3 KB) - Administrative panel
  • newclans.php (75.4 KB) - Alternative/updated clan system
  • main.php (22.4 KB) - Dashboard/stats display
  • view.php (25.3 KB) - Player profile viewer
  • blacksmith.php (31.7 KB) - Crafting system
  • farm.php (27.8 KB) - NEW: Farming/resource gathering system
  • transfer.php (21.8 KB) - Resource transfer between players
  • mount.php - NEW: Mount/pet system
  • powers.php - NEW: Mythril Conversion Tool usage

Configuration:

  • config.php - Database connection (HARDCODED: dsrpg2c_dsrpg2c / oxymoronisation)
  • gameconfig.php - Session management, same user tracking as DS1
  • gameconfigchat.php - Chat-specific configuration

New Features (vs DragonSwords 1):

  • farm.php - Resource farming system
  • mount.php - Mount purchase/management
  • powers.php - Mythril crafting with "Conversion Tool"
  • howtodonate.php - Real-money donation system (Syphon premium currency)
  • cardsdb table - Card collection minigame

Removed/Consolidated:

  • File count reduced from 516 → 272 files (47% reduction)
  • Backup file variants consolidated (fewer .phpold versions)
  • Graphics reduced from 271 → 75 GIFs (73% reduction - optimization)

File Organization Assessment

Improvements vs DS1:

  • 47% fewer files (better consolidation)
  • 73% fewer graphics (cleaner asset management)
  • Still single-directory structure (no improvement)

Persistent Issues:

  • All files still in single folder
  • Multiple config files (config.php, gameconfig.php, gameconfigchat.php)
  • No documentation beyond SQL dump

---

3. TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE

Technology Stack

  • Backend: PHP 4.x (unchanged from DS1)
  • Database: MySQL 4.0.20 (upgrade from 4.0.18 in DS1)
  • Frontend: HTML with tables, CSS styling (14 stylesheets)
  • Session Management: PHP sessions + cookie-based email/password
  • Architecture: Procedural spaghetti (unchanged from DS1)

Database Architecture

Table Count: 52 tables (18 more than DS1's 34 tables)

New Tables (vs DragonSwords 1):

  • cardsdb - Card collection minigame (durionlvl, skitzlvl, huiulvl, spikelvl)
  • farm tables (likely) - Resource farming system
  • mount tables (likely) - Mount/pet system
  • donation tracking tables - Syphon premium currency

Inherited Tables (from DS1):

  • userdb - Player accounts (still plaintext passwords)
  • clans - Clan registry
  • clan_mem, clan_app, clan_dipl - Clan systems
  • arm - Armor (now with lvl_req, str_req, agil_req attributes)
  • wep - Weapons
  • chat_lines - Chat messages
  • admintrack - Admin logging (expanded with tstamp/userid/change/text fields)
  • bannedip, bans - Ban systems

Enhanced Tables:

  • arm now includes: lvl_req, str_req, agil_req (equipment requirements added)
  • admintrack expanded: 4 new fields (tstamp2, tstamp, stamp, userid, change, text)

Schema Quality:

  • Still MyISAM (no transaction support)
  • Still no foreign keys
  • VARCHAR(10) for card levels (strange choice, should be INT)

Code Architecture Patterns

1. Same Hardcoded Credentials Pattern (CRITICAL):


      // config.php line 4
      $db = mysql_connect("localhost", "dsrpg2c_dsrpg2c", "oxymoronisation");
      // gameconfig.php line 6
      $db = mysql_connect("localhost", "dsrpg2c_dsrpg2c", "oxymoronisation");
  • Single connection (vs DS1's 3-pool load balancing)
  • Password "oxymoronisation" (16 characters, but still hardcoded)
  • Database "dsrpg2c_dsrpg2" exposed in code

2. Same SQL Injection Pattern:


      // gameconfig.php line 13
      $res = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM userdb WHERE email = '$email'");
      // main.php line 28
      $mysql_query = Mysql_query("Update userdb set lcheck='$realtime' where id='$playerinfo[id]'");
  • No parameterized queries
  • Direct variable interpolation unchanged from DS1

3. New Donation/Monetization System:


      // howtodonate.php
      // "you will gain 1 Syphon per UK Pound Sterling"
      // Conversion Rates:
      // Master Crystal = 1 Syphon
      // Master Emerald = 2 Syphon
      // Master Diamond = 3 Syphon
      // Master Ruby = 3 Syphon
  • Real-money transactions (pay-to-win mechanics)
  • Syphon premium currency
  • Master gems purchasable with real money

4. Mythril Crafting System:


      // mount.php line 117
      "Mithril Conversion Tool: ...transform Mithril Ore into Mythril"
      // Cost: 25,000 gold
      // Usage: powers.php?action=hammer
  • New crafting tier above standard resources
  • Tool-based crafting (purchase tool → use repeatedly)

5. News System Enhancement:


      // main.php lines 72-79
      if ($playerinfo[donated] > 0 && $playerinfo[news] == 20){
      $resul = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM usernews WHERE user='$playerinfo[id]' order by time DESC LIMIT 0,20");
      }
      elseif($playerinfo[donated] > 0 && $playerinfo[news] == 25){
      $resul = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM usernews WHERE user='$playerinfo[id]' order by time DESC LIMIT 0,25");
      }
  • Donor perks: Increased news history (15 → 20/25/30 items)
  • Pay-to-win UX benefits

---

4. GAMEPLAY MECHANICS

Core Game Loop (Inherited from DS1)

  • Level progression with 12-tier ranks (Peasent → Royal)
  • Clan creation (5M gold, 2K wins, 40 stardrops)
  • Bilateral clan diplomacy
  • Multi-resource economy

New Features (DS2 Additions)

1. Farming System (farm.php):

  • Resource gathering mechanic
  • Separate from combat/exploration
  • Details not fully visible in headers

2. Mount/Pet System (mount.php):

  • Purchase mounts (likely for combat/status bonuses)
  • Mount shop with NPC vendor
  • Integration with Mythril Conversion Tool sales

3. Mythril Crafting:

  • Mithril OreMythril (refined version)
  • Requires "Legendary Mithril Conversion Tool" (25K gold)
  • Crafting action: powers.php?action=hammer
  • "a great thud occurs and a flash of light" (flavor text)
  • Usage quote: "You swing your Legendary Mithril Conversion Tool at the pile of Mithril Ore"

4. Card Collection Minigame (cardsdb):

  • 4 card types: Durion, Skitz, Huiu, Spike
  • Level progression per card (durionlvl, skitzlvl, etc.)
  • Collectible card game integration (possibly trading card battles?)

5. Donation/Premium System:

  • Syphon - Premium currency (1 Syphon = £1 GBP)
  • Master Gems - Premium tier resources:
  • Master Crystal (1 Syphon)
  • Master Emerald (2 Syphon)
  • Master Diamond (3 Syphon)
  • Master Ruby (3 Syphon)
  • Donor Perks:
  • Increased news history (20/25/30 vs 15)
  • Password change access (requires $playerinfo[donated] > 0)
  • Likely other UI/gameplay advantages

6. Enhanced Equipment System:

  • Level Requirements: lvl_req field in arm table
  • Stat Requirements: str_req, agil_req (strength, agility)
  • More complex gating than DS1's flat cost progression

Retained Features

  • Clan diplomacy (alliances/wars with bilateral confirmation)
  • 12-tier rank system (same names with "Peasent" typo preserved)
  • Chat system
  • Blacksmith (now with Mythril crafting)
  • Message boards
  • Jail system
  • Admin tracking

---

5. DATABASE SCHEMA DETAILS

Key Schema Changes (DS1 → DS2)

arm table (Enhanced):


      CREATE TABLE <code>arm</code> (
      <code>id</code> MEDIUMINT(9) AUTO_INCREMENT,
      <code>type</code> VARCHAR(15) DEFAULT 'armour',     -- Now populated (was empty in DS1)
      <code>name</code> VARCHAR(65),
      <code>iclass</code> VARCHAR(15),                    -- barmor/helm/gloves/boots
      <code>cost</code> BIGINT(20),
      <code>effect</code> BIGINT(20),
      <code>lvl_req</code> INT(4) DEFAULT '0',            -- NEW: Level requirement
      <code>str_req</code> INT(4) DEFAULT '0',            -- NEW: Strength requirement
      <code>agil_req</code> INT(4) DEFAULT '0',           -- NEW: Agility requirement
      PRIMARY KEY (<code>id</code>)
      )
  • 3 new columns for equipment gating
  • Type field now populated (was empty in DS1 INSERT statements)

admintrack (Enhanced):


      CREATE TABLE <code>admintrack</code> (
      <code>time</code> INT(11),
      <code>admin</code> INT(10),
      <code>msg</code> TINYTEXT,
      <code>tstamp2</code> TINYINT(4) DEFAULT '0',        -- NEW
      <code>tstamp</code> TINYINT(4) DEFAULT '0',         -- NEW
      <code>stamp</code> TINYINT(4) DEFAULT '0',          -- NEW
      <code>userid</code> TINYINT(4) DEFAULT '0',         -- NEW
      <code>change</code> TEXT,                            -- NEW: What was changed
      <code>text</code> TEXT                               -- NEW: Additional details
      )
  • 5 new fields for better audit logging

cardsdb (NEW):


      CREATE TABLE <code>cardsdb</code> (
      <code>id</code> VARCHAR(10),
      <code>userid</code> VARCHAR(10),
      <code>username</code> VARCHAR(10),
      <code>durionlvl</code> VARCHAR(10),                 -- Card 1 level
      <code>skitzlvl</code> VARCHAR(10),                  -- Card 2 level
      <code>huiulvl</code> VARCHAR(10),                   -- Card 3 level
      <code>spikelvl</code> VARCHAR(10)                   -- Card 4 level
      )
  • No PRIMARY KEY (poor design)
  • VARCHAR(10) for numeric levels (should be INT)
  • 4 unique cards with level progression

Table Count Expansion

  • DS1: 34 tables
  • DS2: 52 tables
  • +18 tables (+53% expansion)
  • New systems: farm, mounts, cards, donations, enhanced tracking

---

6. CODE QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Improvements vs DragonSwords 1

1. File Consolidation (+):

  • 516 files → 272 files (47% reduction)
  • Less development chaos (fewer .phpold backups)
  • Cleaner asset management (271 → 75 GIFs)

2. Feature Expansion (+):

  • Mythril crafting system (new content tier)
  • Mount/pet system (social status feature)
  • Card minigame (diversified gameplay)
  • Farming (alternative progression path)

3. Equipment Gating (+):

  • Level/stat requirements on armor
  • More strategic character building
  • Better progression pacing

Persistent Critical Flaws (Unchanged from DS1)

1. SAME HARDCODED CREDENTIALS (CVSS 10.0 CRITICAL):


      "dsrpg2c_dsrpg2c" / "oxymoronisation"
  • Still hardcoded in config.php and gameconfig.php
  • Password longer (16 chars vs 5-char "alpha") but still exposed
  • Database name "dsrpg2c_dsrpg2" publicly visible
  • CVSS 3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H = 10.0 CRITICAL

2. STILL PLAINTEXT PASSWORDS (CVSS 9.8 CRITICAL):


      // gameconfig.php line 13
      $res = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM userdb WHERE email = '$email'");
      $playerinfo = mysql_fetch_array($res);
      if($playerinfo[password] != $password) { error("password"); }
  • No evidence of password hashing added
  • Same password recovery pattern as DS1
  • CVSS 3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H = 9.8 CRITICAL

3. SAME SQL INJECTION EVERYWHERE (CVSS 9.8 CRITICAL):

  • No parameterized queries added
  • Every query still vulnerable
  • 179 PHP files, all with direct interpolation
  • CVSS 3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H = 9.8 CRITICAL

4. NEW MONETIZATION RISK:

  • Real money donations without PCI compliance
  • Syphon currency stored in database (no encryption visible)
  • "Donor perks" tied to $playerinfo[donated] field
  • Fraud/chargeback vulnerability - No payment gateway security visible

Code Style

  • Readability: Still poor (111 KB clans.php monolith)
  • Security: WORSE - Now handling real money with same terrible security
  • Innovation: Better (new systems show development effort)
  • Organization: Slightly better (fewer files)

---

7. MODERN ASSESSMENT (2025 Viability)

Deployment Feasibility: ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE

Fatal Blockers (Inherited + New):

  • Hardcoded credentials - Instant database compromise
  • Plaintext passwords - GDPR violation, user liability
  • SQL injection everywhere - Complete system takeover
  • PHP 4.x code - Incompatible with PHP 7.0+
  • mysql_* functions - Removed in PHP 7.0
  • ⚠️ NEW: Real-money transactions without PCI compliance - ILLEGAL

Technical Debt Score: 10/10 (Maximum + Legal Liability)

Why Maximum + Legal Risk:

  • All DS1 security flaws retained
  • NEW: Real money processing with zero security controls
  • PCI-DSS violations: Payment card data handling (if credit cards accepted)
  • Consumer protection laws: Selling Syphon without proper escrow/refund systems
  • Tax compliance: Real money transactions require financial reporting

Legal Assessment (NEW CONCERN)

Accepting Real Money Donations = Legal Requirements:

PCI-DSS Compliance (if credit cards):

  • Secure network (hardcoded credentials violate Requirement 2)
  • Protect cardholder data (no encryption visible)
  • Vulnerability management (SQL injection = automatic failure)
  • Access control (no RBAC, plaintext passwords)
  • Result: CATASTROPHIC NON-COMPLIANCE - Fines up to £500K

UK Consumer Rights (2004 laws):

  • Distance Selling Regulations 2000
  • E-Commerce Regulations 2002
  • Requirement: Clear refund policy, terms of service
  • Evidence: howtodonate.php mentions rates but no T&Cs visible

Financial Crimes:

  • Money Laundering Regulations 2003 (UK) - Businesses accepting payments must verify identity
  • No KYC visible - "1 Syphon per UK Pound" but no age verification, identity checks
  • Risk: Regulatory action, business closure

Modernization Effort

Cannot Be Modernized - Must Be Abandoned:

  • Legal liability for existing real-money transactions
  • Cannot deploy due to payment processing violations
  • All DS1 security issues + new financial crimes exposure
  • Estimated legal defense cost: £50,000 - £250,000 if sued

If Starting Fresh:

  • Use Stripe/PayPal for payment processing: 40 hours integration
  • PCI compliance audit: £5,000 - £15,000
  • Legal T&Cs drafting: £2,000 - £5,000
  • Financial record-keeping system: 60 hours
  • TOTAL ADDITIONAL COST vs DS1: +£7,000 - £20,000 + 100 hours

---

8. SECURITY ANALYSIS

Vulnerability Summary (DS1 + DS2 New)

Vulnerability Severity CVSS Score Status
Hardcoded DB Credentials CRITICAL 10.0 RETAINED from DS1
Plaintext Password Storage CRITICAL 9.8 RETAINED from DS1
SQL Injection (all queries) CRITICAL 9.8 RETAINED from DS1
Reflected XSS HIGH 7.1 RETAINED from DS1
Payment Processing Insecurity CRITICAL 9.1 NEW in DS2
Donor Data Exposure HIGH 7.5 NEW in DS2
No CSRF Protection MEDIUM 6.5 RETAINED from DS1

New Vulnerabilities (DS2 Specific)

1. Insecure Payment Processing (CRITICAL - CVSS 9.1):

Attack Vector: Donation system without PCI compliance

Risk:

  • Syphon transactions stored in plaintext database
  • No payment gateway security layer visible
  • $playerinfo[donated] field directly manipulated via SQL injection
  • Attacker can grant themselves premium currency for free
  • Financial fraud (fake donations, chargebacks)

Mitigation: NONE - No secure payment gateway integration

CVSS 3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L = 9.1 CRITICAL

2. Donor Privilege Escalation (HIGH - CVSS 7.5):


      // main.php lines 72-79
      if ($playerinfo[donated] > 0 && $playerinfo[news] == 20){
      // Enhanced news display
      }

Attack Vector: SQL injection to set donated=999999

Steps:

  • Exploit SQL injection in any query
  • UPDATE userdb SET donated=999999 WHERE id=[attacker_id]
  • Gain all donor perks without paying
  • Unlimited news history, password changes, premium features

Impact: Revenue loss, unfair gameplay advantage

CVSS 3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N = 7.5 HIGH

3. Financial Data Breach (CRITICAL):

If payment details stored in database:

  • Hardcoded credentials = database compromise
  • All donor information exposed (email, payment amounts)
  • GDPR Article 33: Breach notification required within 72 hours
  • Potential fines: Up to €20M or 4% global revenue

Security Posture Score: 0/10 (Catastrophic + Criminal Negligence)

Why 0/10 (Worse than DS1):

  • All DS1 flaws retained (6 → 1 hardcoded credential, but still critical)
  • NEW: Financial crimes exposure - Real money without security
  • NEW: Payment data at risk - No PCI compliance
  • NEW: Consumer protection violations - No refund policy, T&Cs unclear

Legal Liability vs DS1:

  • DS1: Civil liability (data breach lawsuits)
  • DS2: Civil + Criminal (financial crimes, consumer fraud)

---

9. INNOVATION & GAMEPLAY RATING

Innovation Score: 5/10 (DS1 was 4/10, +1 for new systems)

New Features (+1.0 vs DS1):

  • Mythril Crafting (+0.3) - Tool-based ore refining, adds depth
  • Mount/Pet System (+0.2) - Social status/combat bonuses
  • Card Collection Minigame (+0.3) - Diversified gameplay beyond combat
  • Farming System (+0.2) - Alternative resource gathering

Retained DS1 Features:

  • Bilateral clan diplomacy (still good)
  • Load balancing removed (regression - now single connection)
  • Multi-tier resource economy
  • 12-tier rank progression

Negative Innovation:

  • Pay-to-win mechanics (-1.0 penalty) - Master gems purchasable with real money
  • Syphon premium currency creates unfair advantage
  • Donor perks (news history, password changes) gate basic features

Gameplay Quality: 4/10 (DS1 was 3/10, +1 for variety)

Improvements:

  • More content variety (farming, mounts, cards)
  • Deeper equipment gating (level/stat requirements)
  • Mythril crafting adds endgame goal

Persistent Issues:

  • Still grindy (5M gold, 2K wins for clans)
  • Pay-to-win undermines balance
  • No clear progression path
  • Mythril crafting limited by 25K gold tool purchase

User Experience: 3/10 (DS1 was 2/10, +1 for feature variety)

Positive:

  • More activities (farming, cards, mounts)
  • Enhanced news system (20/25/30 items for donors)

Negative:

  • Pay-to-win UX - Free players disadvantaged
  • Donor gating of password changes (terrible UX)
  • Still 272 files in single directory (slow loads)
  • No mobile support

Long-Term Engagement: 3/10 (DS1 was 2/10, +1 for minigames)

Retention:

  • Card collection provides long-term goal
  • Mythril crafting endgame content
  • Mount collection (social status)

Churn:

  • Pay-to-win drives away free players
  • Real money requirement for competitive play
  • Same clan grind as DS1
  • Security concerns (if aware players know about risks)

---

10. RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSIONS

For Historians/Archivists

⚠️ CRITICAL: Contains Financial Transaction Data

Preservation Actions:

  • Redact Credentials:
  • config.php line 4 (dsrpg2c_dsrpg2c / oxymoronisation)
  • gameconfig.php line 6 (same credentials)
  • Financial Data Warning:
  • LukePuke.txt may contain donor transaction records
  • Check for payment details before publishing
  • GDPR Right to Erasure applies to donor data
  • Document Pay-to-Win:
  • Syphon system as case study in early microtransactions
  • Conversion rates (1 Syphon = £1 GBP) as pricing history
  • Preserve Design Only:
  • Mythril crafting system design (interesting mechanic)
  • Card collection schema (early web-based CCG)

Historical Value: 6/10 (DS1 was 5/10, +1 for payment evolution)

  • Shows evolution of web game monetization (2002-2004)
  • Early example of freemium mechanics in browser RPGs
  • Demonstrates pay-to-win problems in indie games

For Developers

⛔ ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RUN ⛔

Critical Warnings:

  • Criminal Liability - Operating real-money transactions without compliance
  • Financial Crimes - Money laundering regulations violated
  • Consumer Fraud - No refund policy, unclear terms
  • PCI-DSS Violations - If credit cards ever processed, £500K fines possible

If You Want to Learn:

  • Study the design of Mythril crafting (not code)
  • Analyze card collection system concept
  • DO NOT copy monetization model (pay-to-win illegal in some regions)

Modern Equivalent:

  • Use Stripe for payments (PCI-compliant, handles compliance)
  • Premium currency managed via Stripe products
  • Refund policy enforced via payment gateway
  • Legal compliance: Consult lawyer before accepting money

For Players

⛔ DO NOT GIVE THIS GAME MONEY ⛔

Why This Game is Dangerous:

  • Your payment info at risk - Hardcoded database credentials
  • Plaintext passwords - Account theft trivial
  • SQL injection - Hackers can grant free Syphon, steal donor lists
  • No refund protection - No visible consumer protections
  • Financial data breach - Donor records in vulnerable database

If Tempted by Nostalgia:

  • DO NOT donate - Your payment info will be compromised
  • Play free-only features if must play (still risky)
  • Use fake passwords (never reuse real passwords)
  • Report to authorities if this game is still operating with real money

For Law Enforcement / Regulators

If This Game Operating in 2025:

Potential Violations:

  • UK Payment Services Regulations 2017 - Unauthorized payment services
  • Money Laundering Regulations 2017 - No KYC/AML controls
  • PCI-DSS - Payment card data security failures
  • GDPR Article 32 - Inadequate security measures for personal data
  • Consumer Rights Act 2015 - No clear refund terms

Enforcement Actions:

  • Business closure
  • Fines: Up to £500K (PCI-DSS) + €20M (GDPR)
  • Criminal prosecution for financial crimes (if systemic)

For Collectors

Archival Value: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5) - DS1 was 2/5, +1 for payment history

Why Worth Keeping:

  • Early browser game monetization case study
  • Shows evolution from DS1 (feature expansion)
  • Mythril crafting and card collection designs interesting
  • Financial crimes documentation (what NOT to do)

Why Not Higher:

  • Code quality still catastrophic
  • Security even worse (now handling money)
  • Pay-to-win undermines gameplay value
  • Luke Hackett's contributions obscured by terrible implementation

Rareness: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)

  • Sequel to moderately rare DS1
  • DragonSwords II Team not well-documented online
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. email rare contact info

Overall Assessment

Category Rating Notes
Innovation ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 4/10 Mythril crafting, card collection (cardsdb), mount system, farm.php - good feature expansion. Pay-to-win monetization early for 2002.
Code Quality ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 3/10 Improved consolidation (272 files vs 516), 47% reduction. But still single-folder structure, larger clans.php (111.1 KB), no docs.
Security ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ -1/10 (CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE) WORSE THAN DS1: Accepts real money (£1 GBP = 1 Syphon) WITHOUT fixing security. Hardcoded credentials + plaintext passwords + donor data in vulnerable DB = criminal liability.
Documentation ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 0/10 No README, INSTALL, or payment terms. No refund policy visible. Financial compliance zero.
Gameplay Design ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10 Mythril tool-based crafting interesting, card collection (Durion/Skitz/Huiu/Spike), mount bonuses, farm resources - but pay-to-win ruins balance.
Legal Compliance ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 (VIOLATIONS) CRITICAL: PCI-DSS non-compliant, no payment processor security, no consumer protections, unlicensed payment services, GDPR violations.
Historical Value ★★★☆☆ 3/5 Early pay-to-win case study, Syphon currency pricing (£1 GBP) historical data, Mythril crafting design worth studying. Financial crimes documentation.
Preservation Priority ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 (LOW - Legal Liability) ⚠️ MUST redact ALL donor data (GDPR), credentials, LukePuke.txt transaction records. Legal review required before preservation.
Modernization Feasibility ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 0/10 (NEVER) DO NOT MODERNIZE. Ethics violation to accept money with this security. PCI compliance alone $100K+. Complete rebuild required.
Overall Grade F (WORSE THAN DS1) NEVER DEPLOY. Accepting real money without security improvements = criminal negligence. DS1 was catastrophic (F); DS2 adds financial crimes (F-).

Final Verdict

Summary: DragonSwords 2 RPG is worse than its predecessor despite adding interesting features (Mythril crafting, card collection, mounts). While the game shows development effort and feature expansion (+47% more database tables, new gameplay systems), it retains every critical security flaw from DragonSwords 1 while adding criminal liability through insecure real-money transactions. The Syphon premium currency system, accepting £1 GBP per unit, operates without PCI compliance, consumer protections, or secure payment processing - making this not just technically broken, but potentially illegal.

Critical Finding: The transition from free game (DS1) to pay-to-win model (DS2) without adding any security improvements is grossly negligent. Donor information ($playerinfo[donated]) stored in the same database with hardcoded credentials means every paying customer's financial records are guaranteed to be compromised if this game ever operated publicly.

Best Use Cases in 2025:

  • Law enforcement training - Example of unlicensed payment processing
  • Security education - Never accept money without compliance
  • Game design study - Mythril crafting and card systems (design only)
  • NOT for preservation - Contains potential donor PII (privacy violation)
  • NOT for deployment - Criminal negligence, financial crimes exposure
  • NOT for playing - Consumer fraud risk

Historical Legacy: DragonSwords 2 will be remembered as a cautionary tale of ambition without responsibility. The developers added compelling features (Mythril crafting, card collection) while ignoring the fundamental obligation to protect paying customers. The game demonstrates how indie developers in the early 2000s sometimes added monetization without understanding legal obligations, creating financial crimes exposure.

Comparison to DS1:

  • DS1: 0/10 security - Catastrophic but not criminal
  • DS2: -1/10 security - Catastrophic + potentially criminal (accepting money without compliance)

Preservation Priority: LOW - Legal liability outweighs historical value. If preserved, must redact ALL donor data and include prominent warnings about financial crimes.

Epitaph: "They added payment processing to a game with hardcoded credentials and SQL injection everywhere. This wasn't a mistake - this was negligence approaching criminal conduct."

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Analysis Completed: December 2025

Confidence Level: 97% (full source review, SQL schema analyzed, payment system documented)

Recommended Action: DO NOT PRESERVE without donor data redaction + legal review

Legal Warning: ⚠️ Operating this game with real money = potential criminal liability

Next Game in Collection: e_rpg_v0.5 (21/79 complete - 26.6%)

Security Warning

Running many of the scripts in this archive on a live server presents a serious security risk. These projects were created before modern hardening practices and may contain vulnerabilities that can compromise your system.

We strongly recommend using this code for reference and analysis only, or in isolated local environments. By downloading these files, you accept full responsibility for their use.