Frequently asked questions
Silkroad Online, rebuilt from scratch for the browser. What people ask most about playing OpenSRO and working on it.
About OpenSRO
What is OpenSRO?
OpenSRO is an independent recreation of Silkroad Online v1.150, Legend III: Roc Mountain, with a browser client and a multiplayer server written in Go.
The goal is to recreate the original game's world, interface and gameplay faithfully, and to make it playable straight from your browser.
Is this an official Silkroad Online project?
No. OpenSRO is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Silkroad Online's publishers. Game assets and trademarks remain the property of their owners.
Is OpenSRO free to play?
Yes. The game is free, and so is a closed-beta key from our Discord.
Does this website track me?
No. We count page visits with Umami, running on our own server: no cookies, no advertising or cross-site tracking, and nothing is shared with anyone. It tells us which pages people read, not who reads them.
Can I play it now?
Yes, in the closed beta. Join our Discord and press "Get my beta key" in #beta-access, create your account on this site with the key, then open the Play page and log in with the same account.
OpenSRO is under active development: expect bugs, unfinished behaviour and changes while the game is tested. Characters and items may be reset during the beta.
Is the goal the original game or a custom version?
The default experience aims to match v1.150, including its gameplay, visuals and interface. Behaviour is checked against the original binaries and game data.
Optional features that change the original experience are clearly marked and approved; client experiments live under Escape → Experimental. Performance work is welcome only when it keeps the intended behaviour and look.
Playing in the browser
Which browsers and computers can I use?
A desktop or laptop with a current Chrome or Edge and WebGPU support. Hardware, drivers and browser settings affect compatibility and performance.
The game is designed around keyboard and mouse. Phones and other browsers are not supported yet.
Do I need the original game client?
No. Nothing needs to be installed to play the hosted game: the browser downloads the game data it needs and keeps it cached for next time.
Only developers building the game data themselves need a v1.150 client they are permitted to use.
Is this cloud streaming, Unity, or the original program in a browser?
None of those. The client is written in TypeScript and draws the game on your own computer with WebGPU. It is not video streamed from another machine, not a Unity build, and not a WebAssembly wrapper around the original executable.
How does multiplayer work?
OpenSRO runs its own server written in Go. An Agent handles accounts, login and shard routing; GameWorld processes run the world and the gameplay.
The browser connects to the game server over WebSocket. The client is built for OpenSRO's server and is not a drop-in client for other Silkroad servers.
How are the original assets used?
An offline pipeline converts the original client data into browser-ready resources and server data. The browser loads them through manifests and content-addressed packs; it never opens the original .pk2 archives.
Gameplay and development
What is already in the game?
Character creation, world movement, monsters and their AI, combat, skills, buffs, quests, alchemy, inventory, loot, NPC shops, pets and social systems, plus PvP and PK, player trading, stalls, jobs and fortress battles.
A system existing in the code does not mean every part of it is finished or tested. Systems are checked against the original game and fixed as gaps are found.
What is the team working on?
Correct gameplay and client/server synchronisation; faithful interface, graphics, animations and effects; better frame rates, loading times and stability; and finishing and testing the remaining gameplay.
Announcements on the Discord and the source repository list specific changes and known issues.
When will development be finished?
The target is a complete, faithful v1.150. Follow the Discord announcements for release plans and milestones; a single fix or merged change is not a promise that a whole system is finished.
How do I report a bug?
Say what happened, what you expected and how to make it happen again. Include your browser, relevant settings, where in the world you were, and a screenshot or short recording when it helps.
For visual problems, mention browser zoom and display scaling. For movement or combat problems, say whether they affect your character, other players or both. If the game gave you a bug-report ID, include it.
Source code and contributing
Is OpenSRO open source?
Yes, under the GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later. You can study it, contribute fixes and build your own version under the license's terms.
The license does not grant rights to third-party game assets: retail client and server files and extracted game media are not in the repository.
Can I run OpenSRO locally?
Yes. The setup guide covers the client and the server on Windows and macOS. You need Go, Node.js and pnpm, Python, the documented tools, and your own permitted v1.150 client to build the game data.
Many code and documentation changes need no game data at all: `corepack pnpm check source` runs the source checks without it.
How can I contribute?
Bug fixes, research into the original game's behaviour, performance work, tests and documentation all help. Pick an issue labelled good first issue, or introduce yourself in #🛠️contributing on the Discord.
Code contributors get a contributor role on the Discord: share your contribution in #🛠️contributing so it can be linked to your account.
Can I contribute with an AI coding agent?
Yes, under the same rules as everyone else. Have the agent read AGENTS.md first, then review the result, check its claims and run the checks before opening a pull request.
Do I need Binary Ninja to research the original game?
No. A Python-based guide covers inspecting the executables, disassembly and optional bounded emulation, and another covers saving labels, evidence and handoffs. What matters is reproducible evidence.
Still stuck? Ask on our Discord: players and the team answer there every day.
Ask on Discord