There's also two alternates solution that I see no one speak about and it's kind of sad:
*There's the Russian "Connector" which works like magic.
*Or the option B is to do what the Connector does, manually by adding the command line:
+gsa 1 +gsa_ip X +gsa_port Y
(X is server IP and Y Server Port)
For those who know the period of GameSpy Arcade, it's basically the command entered before to access a server.
The thing is it was hardcoded in the game so even if gamespy is dead, the command simply works as an IP+Port call.
The MSP is basically just a list (beside the mods) and has always been.
Sierra never "stopped" the server, since they are host based.
What they did was to stop refreshing the list. It's like a .txt file that just gives live info to the clients.
But servers have always be fine, if you know how to join them, the list is just a small tool that helps join random unknown game. But if you play with friends, the +gsa works like magic.
Which is why Russian being with the Philosophy of AJL, seems to be a closed sect
It's not because their server are "hidden" it's mostly just because they run Vanilla game, pure and simple, just as it is without mod same way you can play AJL R2 without the master server patch.
Server doesn't show on the list but if you can find their IP and Port, you're gold.
