DorkNet/README.md

DorkNet

⚠️ Not affiliated with Rec Room Inc. or Against Gravity. See DISCLAIMER.md. DorkNet ships no Rec Room game assets or modified binaries — you supply your own legally-acquired Rec Room install.

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Pick your client version

DorkNet maintains a separate branch for each Rec Room client build it supports. The server, client patcher, and seed data on each branch are tuned to that build's wire protocol.

Client build	Branch	Status
Rec Room 2020.12.18 (December)	december-2020-12-18	Active
Rec Room 2020.03.10 (March)	march-2020-03-10	Active

See BRANCHES.md for the full per-branch breakdown (supported features, schema notes, plugin compatibility). Programs that need the mapping in machine-readable form (the Easy launcher, install scripts) read it from versions.json.

This main branch is docs-only — it carries the project README, the manifest the launcher reads, the per-version setup guides, and the Easy app source. All actual server / patcher code lives on the per-version branches above.

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Ways to run it

Windows GUI — dorknet launcher

One download, two flavours: an installer (Start menu shortcut + rolling auto-updates) or a portable dorknet.exe (drop anywhere). Pick a Rec Room build on first launch, host or join.

• Host a server — runs a local server, opens a free Localtunnel HTTPS URL for it (no account), patches your Rec Room install for the client version you pick, and gives you a shareable join code.
• Join a server — paste the code, point at your Rec Room install, hit play. The launcher fetches the matching patcher.

→ Easy setup guide — screenshots, ~5 minutes.

Download the latest launcher →

Linux / macOS host — dorknet-server CLI

Headless host-side CLI for Linux (x64/arm64), macOS (Intel/Apple Silicon), and Windows. Same server + tunnel pipeline as the GUI, suitable for a VPS or a permanent home server. Joiners still use the Windows launcher to apply the patch to their own Rec Room install.

dorknet-server --photon-id YOUR-APPID --name "Sunday games"

→ Server CLI guide — install, systemd, launchd.

Advanced — Docker / source

For community-server hosts, modders, and contributors. Pick the branch matching your client build, clone, run.

# Example: hosting for December 2020.12.18 clients
git clone --branch december-2020-12-18 https://github.com/DorkSquadRR/DorkNet
cd DorkNet/docker
cp .env.example .env  # fill in 2-3 values
docker compose up -d

→ Advanced setup guide

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What works / what doesn't

Feature set varies per branch. The table below is the union — see each branch's BRANCHES.md row for the exact deltas.

Feature	Status
Account creation + login	✅
Dorms (per-player save)	✅
Rec Room Originals (RecCenter, Paintball, Stunt Runner, etc.)	✅
Maker Pen (build + save rooms)	✅
Photon Cloud matchmaking	✅
Room chat	✅
DM / group chat	✅
Friend lists + invites	✅
Leaderboards	✅
Player profiles + cheer badges	✅
Store catalog + gifting	✅
Game invites	✅
Image upload (polaroids, room thumbnails)	✅
VR (Quest/Index/etc.)	⚠️ Photon-dependent; works in dev, untested at scale
Mobile / Junior accounts	⚠️ Partial — Junior chat-restrictions disabled by default in Easy mode
Voice chat	❌ Routes through Photon Voice; needs separate Photon Voice AppId
Cross-server federation	❌ Out of scope

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License & legal

• Code: AGPL-3.0. Hosted forks must publish their source.
• "Rec Room" is a trademark of Rec Room Inc. See DISCLAIMER.md.
• DorkNet is a clean-room reimplementation of the 2020 backend protocol for educational and personal use.

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Docs

• Branch chart — which branch matches your client
• Easy setup — Windows GUI launcher
• Server CLI — Linux / macOS / Windows headless
• Advanced setup — Docker / VPS path
• Joining a server — for players
• Photon setup — getting your AppIds
• Architecture — how the code is laid out
• FAQ
• Troubleshooting
• Contributing