thepeacockproject.org

The Peacock Project is a local replacement for HITMAN's official servers that runs on your own machine. It's aimed at players who already own the game and want to play without depending on the live official servers, with a focus on speed (minimal latency, lag, and delay) and a short setup process. According to the project's homepage, setup takes less than 3 minutes once you own the game and join their Discord, and the project ships exclusive custom content every month.

What it actually replaces

HITMAN normally talks to online servers for things like progression, contracts, and other live-service features. Peacock stands in for those servers by running locally on your machine instead of on remote infrastructure. The practical effect is that the game's server-dependent functions are handled by software you control, which is why the project describes itself as a "replacement for HITMAN's servers that runs on your machine."

Because it runs locally, the project emphasizes speed: latency, lag, and delays are called out as things it tries to eliminate wherever possible. That's the main technical reason a local server can feel different from a remote one — there's no round trip to a distant data center.

Why players use it

• Offline-style play: the server runs on your machine rather than relying on official servers being up.
• Lower latency: local handling avoids network round trips, which the project highlights as a core goal.
• Custom content: the project says it features exclusive, custom content every month.
• Extensibility: plugins are distributed through their Discord to add new features and game modes.

How setup works

The homepage describes the process in general terms rather than as a step-by-step guide, so treat this as the shape of it:

1. Own the game. The project states setup assumes you own HITMAN.
2. Join the Discord. This is the entry point for the setup process, support, update notifications, and plugins.
3. Follow the Installation Guide. The homepage links an Installation Guide and explicitly says to read the instructions before installing.
4. Run the less-than-3-minute setup. The project describes the setup itself as taking under 3 minutes.

The homepage does not publish the detailed install steps, file locations, or version requirements — those live in the Installation Guide and Discord. So the reliable move is to read the guide first, then install, rather than improvising.

Requirements and caveats

• You need to own HITMAN. The project frames setup around already owning the game.
• Read the instructions before installing. The homepage states this directly, which suggests the order of operations matters.
• Discord is the support and distribution channel. Updates, support, and plugins come through it, so it isn't optional if you want the full feature set.
• Pricing isn't stated on the homepage. The page shows no pricing signals, so don't assume it's free or paid based on the homepage alone — check the Installation Guide and Discord for current terms.

What it is not

Peacock is not a mod that changes the game's content by itself, and it's not an official IO Interactive service. It's a server replacement: it takes over the server role so the game can run against a local implementation. Custom content and plugins are additions layered on top through the project's own channels, not part of the base game.

If you own HITMAN and want server-independent play with a fast local setup, the path is: join the Discord, read the Installation Guide, then run the setup. If you don't own the game, or you're not comfortable installing community software and reading its instructions first, this isn't the right fit.

An XMPP/Jabber server is the piece of infrastructure that hosts your messaging account and routes messages between you and everyone else on the XMPP network. Jabbim is a free public XMPP/Jabber server you can register on, then connect to with any XMPP client you choose. You use it by creating an account, pointing a client at the server, and optionally adding gateways (transports) so you can also reach people on networks like Telegram, ICQ, or Facebook. This article explains how the server fits into the picture and walks through getting connected.

What an XMPP/Jabber server actually does

XMPP (the protocol formerly known as Jabber) is an open messaging standard. A server is the hub in that network:

• Hosts your account — your address looks like [email protected], where the part after the @ is the server.
• Routes messages — when you message someone on a different server, your server talks to theirs. This is why XMPP users on different providers can chat with each other.
• Stores your data — Jabbim offers up to 1GB of data storage per the site.
• Bridges to other networks — through transports/gateways, the server lets you reach contacts on non-XMPP services.

Because XMPP is an open protocol, the server and the client are separate choices. Jabbim's own pitch is exactly this: "Open protocol — choose your client yourself."

Why people pick a public server like Jabbim

The site lists several reasons users choose it:

Jabbim also states it uses encryption to protect messages and describes itself as among the world's most reliable XMPP/Jabber servers.

How to register and connect

1. Create an account. Go to the Jabbim site and use the Register option. You'll choose a username, which becomes your address ([email protected]).
2. Pick a client. The site offers a web client for browser-based use, plus downloads. It specifically points to Pidgin and Psi+ as clients — Psi+ is the one it recommends for the Tor setup below.
3. Log in. Enter your full Jabbim address and password in the client. The client connects to the Jabbim server and pulls your contact list.
4. Add contacts and chat. Add other XMPP addresses (on Jabbim or any other XMPP server) and start messaging.
5. Add gateways if you need them. In your client, use service discovery to find available transports, then register for the one you want. For example, to reach Telegram: in service discovery, register your phone number in international format at telegram.jabbim.com.

Expected result: after step 3 you're online and can message any XMPP user; after step 5 you can also message contacts on the bridged network.

Connecting over Tor (optional)

Jabbim supports connecting through Tor. The site gives this address and port:

• Onion host: mrbenqxl345o4u7yaln25ayzz5ut6ab3kteulzqusinjdx6oh7obdlad.onion, port 5222
• In your client, set a SOCKS5 proxy to 127.0.0.1 with port 9050 (Tor client) or 9150 (Tor Browser), and use the onion hostname above. Psi+ is recommended for this.

Common issues and troubleshooting

• Certificate validation errors. The site notes that from September 30, 2021 you may have had trouble validating its certificate, and the fix is to update your client software — it names Pidgin and Psi+.
• Gateway registration fails. Make sure you're entering your phone number (for Telegram) in international format, and that you're registering through service discovery rather than adding it as a normal contact.
• Tor connection won't start. Confirm the SOCKS5 proxy port matches your setup — 9050 for the Tor client, 9150 for Tor Browser — and that you're using the onion hostname, not the regular one.

Free vs. VIP

Jabbim states its services are free of charge. The site also has a VIP section with pages titled "How to become a sponsor?" and "What do I get in return?", and PayPal appears as a payment platform — so there is a sponsorship/VIP track alongside the free service. The site does not state VIP pricing on the pages referenced here, so check those pages directly if you want the current details.

Quick decision guide

• Choose Jabbim if you want a free public XMPP account, the freedom to pick your own client, and built-in gateways to networks like Telegram, ICQ, and Facebook.
• Look elsewhere if you need a provider with published uptime guarantees or you want a server outside the Czech/Polish/Slovak service focus — though the core XMPP chat itself is not region-limited.

To get started, register on the site, install Pidgin or Psi+, log in with your new @jabbim.com address, and add gateways through service discovery only if you need to reach other networks.

Unity Learn's guided collections are the fastest route from a blank Unity 6 project to a playable game: install Unity Hub and the Editor, create a new project, then pick the collection that matches your goal and follow it end to end. This works best if you have no prior Unity experience and want a structured path rather than scattered tutorials. If you already know the editor and just need one specific skill, a single tutorial or course will serve you better than a full collection.

Before you start: what you need

Unity Learn describes its content as free learning experiences made by Unity experts, covering real-time 3D skills for games, VR, AR, and more. The site lists beginner tutorials with stated time estimates, which is useful for planning:

You will need a Unity account to sign in, and the Unity Hub plus a Unity Editor version installed on your machine. The site notes that Unity 6.6 is now available, and the collections below are written for Unity 6, so install a Unity 6 editor version when the Hub prompts you to choose one.

Step 1: Tour the editor and build your first scene

If you are completely new, start with the Get Started with Unity tutorial. According to Unity Learn, it takes you on a brief guided tour of Unity and ends with the creation of your first 3D scene, all from inside the Unity Editor itself.

What you do and what to expect:

1. Install Unity Hub, then install a Unity 6 editor version through it.
2. Create a new blank project from the Hub.
3. Open the Get Started tutorial and follow it in order, switching between the tutorial and the Editor window.
4. Expected result: you can navigate the Scene and Game views, add objects to a scene, and save it.

This step exists so that the collections below don't stall you on basic navigation. Skipping it is fine if you have already used the Editor.

Step 2: Pick the collection that matches your goal

Unity Learn organizes guided learning into collections — described on the site as docs, tutorials, and videos curated around a single goal. Each collection lists how many resources it contains, so you can judge the commitment before starting.

How to choose:

• No experience and no fixed idea yet: start with Get your first game running. It is the shortest path to a finished, playable result and covers the fundamentals the other collections assume.
• You know you want 2D: go straight to Create a 2D game. It assumes the basics from the first collection but is scoped to sprites, Tilemap, and 2D physics.
• You want 3D action or open worlds: Create a 3D Game is the closest match, with Rigidbody physics, enemy AI, and Cinemachine cameras.
• Your game works but looks flat: Make your game look great is a visuals-only collection and is best treated as a second pass after you have something playable.
• You have a finished game and a target device: Ship your first mobile game covers build setup and mobile optimization rather than core development.

Step 3: Follow one collection end to end

The main failure mode for beginners is jumping between unrelated tutorials and never finishing anything. Unity Learn's collections are curated around a single goal precisely to avoid this, so pick one and work through its resources in the listed order.

Practical habits that make this work:

• Keep the collection page open and tick off resources as you finish them.
• Build in the same project throughout the collection rather than starting a new project per tutorial.
• Many courses include submissions where you apply what you learned, so expect to produce your own version of each result rather than only copying.
• If a resource assumes a feature you haven't seen, check whether an earlier resource in the same collection covers it before searching elsewhere.

Step 4: Know where to go when you get stuck

Unity Learn's structure gives you three escalation levels beyond a single tutorial:

• Courses — the site describes these as exploring topics in depth through a combination of step-by-step tutorials and projects. Use a course when a collection's short tutorials leave a gap in your understanding.
• Pathways — guided learning experiences aimed at people breaking into the gaming and real-time 3D industries, designed to build job-relevant skills regardless of prior experience. Choose a pathway if your goal is employment rather than a single finished project.
• Collections — return here when you have a new, narrow goal, such as improving visuals or shipping to mobile.

There is also an Education Licenses section on the site, which is relevant if you are learning through a school or institution rather than on your own.

Common sticking points

• Starting a new project for every tutorial. Collections assume continuity. Stay in one project.
• Picking a visuals or mobile collection first. Both assume you already have a working game. Do the first-game collection before either.
• Ignoring the editor tour. The 10–30 minute beginner tutorials on the Hub, Editor setup, and publishing remove most early friction for very little time.
• Treating a collection as a reference. They are sequenced. Reading them out of order loses the build-up.

Once you have finished one collection, you will have a playable game and enough editor fluency to choose your next collection based on what that game actually needs.