Hacking Dune 2000

[D2k Sardaukar]

Do you guys got any tips for hacking Dune 2000? Like a website with info or other stuff?

I already have HxD (or xvi) and I know a little about programming and bytes.

For example, I found this text

[D2k Sardaukar]

I found this line

[CCHyper]

Can i please ask why your modifying random bytes?

[D2k Sardaukar]

I thought mvi also does it that way, until you break something...  :-[

[CCHyper]

Nope, MVI researches the game via disassembling the executable. He started by using the base of my database.

What you was editing was the middle of a function that sets some variables on the games startup.

[Nyerguds]

I found this line ‹.+

[D2k Sardaukar]

Ooh, hehe.  :)

I see you have a nice program that changes it to assembler language, I didn't know you guys did that and could do that. I have bit experience with assembler because of programming an ATtiny(13) microcontroller.

So, I guess I'll have to start looking for such a nice program.  :)

Found? You mean you were actually looking for "

[AMIgaBot]

random editing is good .  messing with dune2000.dat gives some interresing stuff. but    if you  random edit vars.bin in dune2k/data/bin  you get weirder.  instant repair,  crate clone (more tha from editing skirmish uil file)

also mis files as they are easy. and its easy to cause crash and throught causing crash you will find reason for it :D

[Nyerguds]

I honestly can't tell if you're being idiotic or sarcastic here, AmigaBot.

[D2k Sardaukar]

When you edited with IDA Pro (free), how do you save it to the .exe. I can't get that to work and google-ing brings me to OpenRCE website... http://www.openrce.org/forums/posts/612

[AMIgaBot]

Nyerguds go to polygon grap grenade take plug off and put in pocket

[Gruntlord6]

I honestly can't tell if you're being idiotic or sarcastic here, AmigaBot.

if you read his other posts you woulds realize its the former.

[mvi]

I honestly can't tell if you're being idiotic or sarcastic here, AmigaBot.

Actually, and I hate to say this, there is some truth to what he says. With the mission files, because of the way they're structure and interpreted, forcing the game to crash can actually be insightful and useful. For example you edit some bytes and the game errors out with "Invalid Starting Cash for Player 3", well then you know what those bytes do. But I only really found this useful for the mission files. Certainly you wouldn't want to start random editing of a PE.

Tips wise,

In terms of the main executables it's best to use IDA or similar.

In terms of the other files, it's best to use a hex editor (I use XVI because it's very light) and then try to establish a file structure by looking for patterns, doing some logical hypothetical structures and seeing if it fits. If you're not already familiar with typical byte level representations of data types, I'd suggest looking into it. For example, in the case of starting money in A1V1, it's as plain as day to find when you know that the number 2300 would typically be represented as FC 08 00 00, all you then need to do is search for that hex value and you know where in the mission the starting cash is. You can then edit the file to test for it. If you're looking up a certain file type it's good to research typical file types that would be used in the era that Dune was made in, for example if you were looking at the R16 files, you'd look up colour systems which work on 16 bit systems, would then find 15 bit high-color among the options and could work out that each two bytes in the image data represents a buffer bit followed by 15 bit high-color. I'm not saying you'd necessarily spot this stuff instantly, I certainly didn't.

I think I'm rambling on here a little. If you have an instant messenger and would like further help I'm on virtually every major instant messenger protocol, so just swap me your details.

[mvi]

Nope, MVI researches the game via disassembling the executable. He started by using the base of my database.

Well, I feel I should mention that's not strictly true. I started five months before I met you and didn't touch the exe back then. These days however I do use IDA as one of the tools to reverse engineer files, but I use XVI and my own programmed tools just as much.

[D2k Sardaukar]

Hey, mvi I added you to my msn - in what timezone do you life?

So sometimes random editing can help, but not in exe if I see it correct.

What if I changed something to the .dat file with IDA pro, how do you update the file, how do you guys do that?  :)

[MrFlibble]

So guys, why don't you move your discussion to Dune Editing?

[Nyerguds]

Actually, and I hate to say this, there is some truth to what he says. With the mission files, because of the way they're structure and interpreted, forcing the game to crash can actually be insightful and useful.

Only if you already got a DB of the exe. Just making stuff crash and going "wheee it crashed" is still utterly idiotic :P

[Gruntlord6]

So guys, why don't you move your discussion to Dune Editing?

Its easier to filter through in dune 2000 discussion.

[mvi]

Only if you already got a DB of the exe. Just making stuff crash and going "wheee it crashed" is still utterly idiotic :P

Yes it is, which is why you should go "oh that caused it to crash in this certain way, I now know what those bytes do"

[D2k Sardaukar]

Please don't get too much into discussion about it.  :)

What I would like to know, what for variables or stuff I can/need to change to hack Dune2000. For example, I'm looking for:

- sidebar

- order at which you unlock buildings

- sandworm ai or other ai

[mvi]

the tech levels are stored in one of the .bin files

the various AI is stored in a section of each mission file

[MrFlibble]

Its easier to filter through in dune 2000 discussion.

Just add a [Dune 2000] tag to all the appropriate posts, as it was already suggested.

[CCHyper]

Well, I feel I should mention that's not strictly true. I started five months before I met you and didn't touch the exe back then. These days however I do use IDA as one of the tools to reverse engineer files, but I use XVI and my own programmed tools just as much.

I meant you started with IDA from my base. xD

Suppose i should add this here:

*DUNE2000.CFG*

;Start Up

0x00 = byte bool FirstTimePlay

;Network/Skirmish

0x01 = byte int NetUnitCount

0x02 = byte int NetTechLevel

0x03 = byte int NetStartingCredits

0x05 = byte int NetAIPlayers

0x06 = byte bool NetCrates

0x07 = byte int NetWorms

0x08 = 64h char NetPlayerName

0x6C = byte int NetPlayerSide

0x6D = byte int NetPlayerColour

64h char NetIPAddress

64h char NetModemPhone

0x136 = byte int NetSerialComPort

;Game

0x137 = dword int ScrollSize

0x13B = word int LimitedModelPct

0x13D= dword int GameBitsPerPixel

0x141 = dword int SFXVolume

0x145 = dword int CDVolume

;WOL

0x149 = byte bool AllowFindUser

0x14A= byte bool AllowPageUser

0x14B = byte bool LanguageFilter

0x14C = byte bool ShowAllGames

0x14D = byte bool Microphone

[D2k Sardaukar]

What do these mean?  :)

0x137  =  dword  int ScrollSize

0x13B  =  word    int LimitedModelPct

0x13D  =  dword  int GameBitsPerPixel

GameBitsPerPixel is I guess 8 or 16 bit...

[CCHyper]

ScrollSize and LimitedModelPct, i have no clue, never looked into them.

Change them, see what they do.