After doing a bit more research on Anniversary Edition, it seems like we might be almost too late to use it to put a lot of work in getting an updated version of the emu working. It seems like copies are still easier to get than Platinum, but apparently many stores have already stopped selling the Anniversary Edition and it can even be a little hard to find any online. I am sure it will get even harder soon.
Here are some links to places that should normally be easy to get games from:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832135022
http://www.ebgames.com/Catalog/Produ...spx?sku=647003
http://www.amazon.com/Everquest-I-Th...4879400&sr=8-1
As you can see, it appears that the games aren't being shipped much if at all anymore. It seems like they are just trying to sell off remaining stock and that will be it.
I don't quite understand how SoE expects people to get their game if it isn't on shelves or even available to buy the CDs online. I don't suspect that everyone would want to just get a downloaded game file to play it.
The only way I see to reliably get the game is online from SoE directly as a download only. But, we would need to decide on the version to find opcodes for so everyone could get it.
https://store.station.sony.com/
Click on Everquest under the Digital Download section on the lower left. Then, you have to login and you should be able to click cancel on the subscription section. That will take you right to the digital downloads.
I am wondering if those are just standard unpatched downloads, which I imagine they are. If so, then for 20$ we could have the option to go with the ""Starter Pack" which seems to be the exact same thing as Anniversary Edition. Or for 40$, we could go with "The Serpent Spine All-In-One" package that includes every expansion currently out.
If I can figure out how to find opcodes well enough, I will either just get a copy of anniversary, or maybe one of these download packages and start working on finding the opcodes right away. Though, I would prefer an actual CD pack so we don't have to worry about SoE changing the opcodes by changing the versions of the download files. Maybe they will have another CD release soon :P