Analysing .DAT file

[D2k Sardaukar]

I made a start on d2kplus wiki: http://d2kplus.com/wiki/index.php?title=.dat_file

 

I'm sure there are some hackers who got more information on the .dat file, please share in this topic (or post on the wiki).

 

Any suggestions/comments are welcome, especially on how to representing the data clearly.

[N.Kindt]

Corrections:

E9820		8002	640	width ?      ; Window widthE9824		9824	9368	?            ; Window height (should not be 9824, something wrong you copy pasted)E9828		8002	640	game width   ; Draw area widthE982C		9001	400	game height  ; Draw area height (in vanilla draw area height is always 400 scanlines, whereas window can be 400 or 480.                                              ; In 480 it's a letterbox mode out of performance reasons i guess, i.e. 80 scanlines less to blit).

[D2k Sardaukar]

Thanks, I adjusted it on the wiki.

 

Perhaps one day I shall change it into a decent table format.

[D2k Sardaukar]

I also posted this on the d2kplus wiki, when you use Cheat Engine you can hack and find some nice things, like the following:

----------------------------------------------------------- data locationsaddress 	type		description------------------------------------------004065A1	4 bytes		around this location lots of 640, 480 stuff...!!!00517DE8	4 bytes		map width00517DEC	4 bytes		map height00798538	4 bytes		x location map view0079853C	4 bytes		y location map view----------------------------------------------------------- money singleplayer----------------------------------------------------------- money practise (player 1,2 etc instead of house)007BCACC	4 bytes		atreides money007E345C	4 bytes		harkonnen money00809DEC	4 bytes		ordos money0080377C	4 bytes		emperor money0085710C	4 bytes		fremen money0087DA9C	4 bytes		smugglers money008A442C	4 bytes		mercenaries money008CADBC	4 bytes		sandworm money----------------------------------------------------------- memory code locationslocation	stuff------------------------------------------0046C906	money check (sound stuff)0044AB2E	power check (sound stuff)0044B6BC	location check [TOOLTIPS: Map item out of range] **1004434A4	location check of [invalid index to gGameMap.map(1)] **2, 1 and 2 together to remove load crash with new resolution004B10D9	change repe movsd to nop will no show options menu when pressing esc. rest all ok0044B77B	change to 'je' to turn on units debug info.0044DB52	change to 'jne' will give buildings on concrete half health and those off concrete full health.

[Nuclear_harvester]

d2k sardaukar problem is that adding  sandworm house  mcv , they  deploy it and sell  ever with this money cheat. whatever trying they wont build base.. ahh  cheat engine - beatyful weapon works ever on some multiplayer games too. i had found  the  way to  stop engineers from capturing bulding but lost the adress  , didnt save it but was funny situation when engineer enter my bulding but does not capture .  can get invulnerability to buldings too.  the adress was talking about was ending something like A08 

 

wait wait wait , the debug  info was mentioned in  text.uib , maybe we can toggle stealth on/off somehow?

[Feda]

I doubt making sandworm build a base is a problem now.. There are many other more important things to do. The concrete trick sounds very useful actually.

[Nuclear_harvester]

yes concrete tricks in multiplayer :D i wonder if it crash game with out of sync or not

[Feda]

If all players have that modification then it probably won't crash. But really, can some1 mod the .dat file to remove the need of concrete? This indeed would help multiplayer matches a lot.

[Gruntlord6]

If all players have that modification then it probably won't crash. But really, can some1 mod the .dat file to remove the need of concrete? This indeed would help multiplayer matches a lot.

Isn't that a large part of the game?

[athanasios]

Sorry but can you explain how removing concrete helps? It should be an option though.

When you place concrete then if you have placed concrete everywhere on your base it is extremely difficult for enemy to capture and then build if the captured building is quickly destroyed. Why to remove this tactic?

[Feda]

Because if u start doing that in multiplayer you are dead in 3 minutes maximum. Concrete drains a lot of time, and if someone wants to cover his entire base with concrete that is lethal. I know it sounds strategical somehow but actually it just slows you down. Don't think multiplayer is like singleplayer cuz it is a lot better. I'm sure anyone who plays online agrees removing concrete would be a good move.

[Gruntlord6]

Because if u start doing that in multiplayer you are dead in 3 minutes maximum. Concrete drains a lot of time, and if someone wants to cover his entire base with concrete that is lethal. I know it sounds strategical somehow but actually it just slows you down. Don't think multiplayer is like singleplayer cuz it is a lot better. I'm sure anyone who plays online agrees removing concrete would be a good move.

I don't agree with this, its a very unique part of the game, and its not like you are forced to use it. You are able to place buildings without concrete fine, you just have to live with the damage done to your buildings, which I think is a fair trade off.

[Feda]

I know what u guys think and yeah theoretically u are right but come play a multiplayer rush game 2v2 or 3v3 and see the issue. You will understand my point after this. OpenRA removed it for a reason as well, might have been this.

[Gruntlord6]

I know what u guys think and yeah theoretically u are right but come play a multiplayer rush game 2v2 or 3v3 and see the issue. You will understand my point after this. OpenRA removed it for a reason as well, might have been this.

I see your point, but it's not dune without concrete.

[D2k Sardaukar]

For full health off-concrete buildings, but half health on-concrete:

 

- Open DUNE2000.DAT in XVI32 program

- ctrl+g to find the location: 0004CF52

- change the number 74 into 75 by just typing 75 on keyboard, make sure that 74 is selected (blue) on left screen of program before typing

- ctrl+s to save it

 

Have fun!

 

*note: Gun turrets and construction yard are standard on concrete, so they are half health. :P

[athanasios]

Instead you could speed up concrete creation.

[Nuclear_harvester]

why not implement  concrete into buldiings? that would be better or definietly turn off concrete - wait wait wait , in text.iub  there was something for  concrete stuff  but was deleted from game, , not remember correctly if text uib or   other uib file but there was something about

[Gruntlord6]

Instead you could speed up concrete creation.

Increasing speed and reducing cost would be the way to go I think. Still there and needed, but much more competitive.

[athanasios]

why not implement  concrete into buldiings? that would be better or definietly turn off concrete - wait wait wait , in text.iub  there was something for  concrete stuff  but was deleted from game, , not remember correctly if text uib or   other uib file but there was something about

Nice idea for those who do not want to build concrete. When used playing Dune2000 it simply doesn't look well with buildings without concrete.

[THE AQIB]

I know what u guys think and yeah theoretically u are right but come play a multiplayer rush game 2v2 or 3v3 and see the issue. You will understand my point after this. OpenRA removed it for a reason as well, might have been this.

Well actually you dont need concrete for the whole building..

Just the 75% or less is enough..

The rest doesn't need..

So quit wasting concrete for the whole building..

[Feda]

Well actually you dont need concrete for the whole building..

Just the 75% or less is enough..

The rest doesn't need..

So quit wasting concrete for the whole building..

I dont use it at all. Even using one small slab for each building will slow you down considerably in time. Multiplayer is pretty much about the faster guy. I guess making concrete build in 1 sec or insta would be helpful but then it needs to remove the ability to expand with it because it would be impossible to stop in the scenario where someone captures smth in enemy base then starts making concrete everywhere.

Balancing is always the hardest part of game development imo :v

[D2k Sardaukar]

Increasing speed and reducing cost would be the way to go I think. Still there and needed, but much more competitive.

 

why not implement  concrete into buldiings? that would be better or definietly turn off concrete - wait wait wait , in text.iub  there was something for  concrete stuff  but was deleted from game, , not remember correctly if text uib or   other uib file but there was something about

 

I think both idea's can be done with TibEd and not hacking/analysing the .DAT file (this topic).

[Nyerguds]

...the .dat is the exe, isn't it? It's exactly what TibEd edits, so I don't see how documenting unit stats in the file would be off topic here.

[D2k Sardaukar]

...the .dat is the exe, isn't it? It's exactly what TibEd edits, so I don't see how documenting unit stats in the file would be off topic here.

TibEd edits the Armour.bin, BuilExp.bin, Speed.bin and Templates.bin files, not the .dat/.exe file.

 

Editing the .dat is editing the game logic, editing with TibEd the .bin files is editing the stats of units, buildings etc.

 

Not that it matters a lot, but it's just that the topic turned more into a 'I-like-it-this-way'-topic than really analysing/hacking the .dat file.

[Nyerguds]

Huh. Wasn't aware that was in different files in Dune 2k. Those stats are constructor calls of the UnitType classes in C&C1, and raw data in the exe in Dune II.