Collaboration for a new member

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 07:23:51 PM

Hey guys,

I have been following this effort to crack the beta for two days now, and I'd like to get involved. Forgive me as I am still new to this, but I hope you guys will catch me up to speed so I can help out.

So far, my opinion is that it would be possible to allow people to play skirmishes if we could just somehow force the maps to show up in the list. I have been searching up and down for just that, but so far have been unable to find it. I am in the process of downloading the GFX tool, and have already been looking through any and all XML/Text files located in any of the MPQ-like files.

so far the only thing I have found in reference to maps is inside the maps themselves, it has this string:

<Value>bnet:blizzmaps#blizzmaps/Liberty.SC2Mod,file:Mods/Liberty.SC2Mod</Value> <Value>bnet:blizzmaps#blizzmaps/LibertyMulti.SC2Mod,file:Mods/LibertyMulti.SC2Mod</Value>

My best guess would be that the actual code that specifies where to look for the map files would be in the battle.net.dll. Do you guys have a tool that allows you to crack that one open and look at the source?

Thanks for your help, looking forward to working with you.

Laer

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 07:30:20 PM

Well, I just joined today also, but I know that you can open the map files with MPQ extractor, and you get all the programming and ++ files needed. I think that directory for the maps folder goes in to Program Files\Starcraft II Beta\Maps. However, I tried this, yet it stilled doesn't show up on the list. If you got any more info on the strings then it would be helpful to actually let it come up on the Starcraft 2 Multiplayer Maps list.

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 07:37:02 PM

Also, Sorry for the Double Post, but you can open *.dll files using resource hacker. I got inside the actuall dll file, but It looks like all there is are strings, and I think you can put the code in from the maps. I don't know how to do that though, cause one typo can screw up the whole beta game.

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 07:43:03 PM

The popular opinion seems to be that starcraft 2 is looking at the Bnet servers for the map files. If that is the case, it wouldn't matter where we put our map files, it still wouldn't find it.

We have two options in this case:

One, create a private server and spoof starcraft into redirecting us to that server to look for map files (in which case we would also probably be able to play multiplayer).

Two, find the location in the code where it is defined to look at the blizzard servers and change that to something like 127.0.0.1/etc/etc...

I haven't been able to find this location yet, which is what I'm looking for. I have a suspicion that it is located in the battle.net.dll file. We would need to decompile it, change it, and then recompile it and distribute it. That wouldn't too hard, if you guys had a good decompiler handy

.

By the way: has anyone had any success with using the GFX tool to open the menu files, and seen if there is any scripting on them? I ask because its possible the parameter we need to change is located on the actual button itself, though that's unlikely.

Edit: Microman: what program are you using? Resource Hacker? Where can I find that. I'd like to play with my dll file if I could find a good decompiler.

Edit 2: nevermind I found it. Thanks

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 07:48:42 PM

If you want to edit the actual buttons, then download a handy tool called MPQ extractor. Google it, and click on the first link, and you should get the Lame MPQ archiveror something after running. Click Open MPQ archive (or something), browse through Program Files\Starcraft II Beta\Battle.net and click on Battle.net.mpq. There click on images, then you can edit the actual buttons, but the functionality would be hard to consider otherwise.

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 07:53:59 PM

@Microman:

Yea, I have an MPQ extractor. I see inside the battle.net.mpq there are several types of images:

png - which we all know and love
dds - which seems to be some kind of compiled image
gfx - this one is the one I want to mess with

Unfortunately, the gfx files can't be opened with just windows photo viewer, because they are actual flash files. As I said I downloaded the GFX tool, but I can't seem to open them. I know you can put scripting inside flash files, so that's why I was curious.

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 08:02:41 PM

Ya opening the battle.net.dll file or any other dll file won't do anything. It just shows the vendor information and useless string information. We need something open up .gfx files, but I don't think anything can.

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 08:05:23 PM

Where did you download the GFX tool?

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 08:11:53 PM

I got the GFX tool off the wiki under tools:

http://botdev.org/doku.php?id=tools

You will see 4 links under "Scaleform GFX". You have to download it in parts, which sucks.

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 08:15:35 PM

You have it installed, and you said it won't work, so I guess there's no point in downloading it lol.

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 08:18:26 PM

Well, I can't get it working, but I have never really been that great with things like that. Give me source code

I think there must be more to the dll file than just the very few strings that we found. I mean, it's like 13 meg, there has to be more to it. I have no experience at all in decompiling dll's, so if you or anyone else could help me with that, I would be glad to give it a try.

BeardFist · February 20, 2010, 08:29:44 PM

i uploaded the gfx tool to waffles here: http://waffles.fm/details.php?id=635024

just initial seeding but it is one part so possibly more convenient once there are more people.

i too cannot open the gfx files and i also tried to decompile the dll with similar luck. I'm pretty sure that the dll is anti debuger and/or encrypted

MiCrOMaN1 · February 20, 2010, 08:38:27 PM

I don't think its encrypted. All we need is the source code, since the string is actually viewable.

Laer07 · February 20, 2010, 08:39:58 PM

@BeardFist

Yea, good idea about uploading as one part. Much less annoying. Might wanna add that link to the wiki so people know about it.

I'm having similar thoughts about the dll. I have tried several programs to little avail. Any ideas about how we can crack this open? I am almost positive what we need is in there.

p-On:E · February 20, 2010, 08:49:36 PM

hey everyone..

first of all im new here too, and i also wanna do something to help.
my programming skills are just basic, so i cant compete with the big guys, but if there is trivial work to do, searching for specific things in some code or something like that, just tell me.

also im in the irc channel under the nickname "howligH", just qry if there is some work to do.

Quote from: Laer07 on February 20, 2010, 07:43:03 PM
The popular opinion seems to be that starcraft 2 is looking at the Bnet servers for the map files. If that is the case, it wouldn't matter where we put our map files, it still wouldn't find it.

so its not 100% sure that this works like mentioned?

what about using stuff like wireshark (programs working like that, dont know if that would be possible with wireshark).. probably you can filter out some network stuff while using an beta-able battlnet account and opening a game...?

if it gets the maps from the server, there should be some infos..?

but im sure the dev´s already did smth like that :S