Command Aces of the Deep (Win95) - HexEdit questions - Page 3

12-23-21, 03:18 AM

I see Andreas is working some image files so thought maybe there are a few more people working on things and I'll add some of my findings.

You can change a lot in the game files, like Captain's Log, Patrol Summaries, Career Scores, etc. I am trying to figure out more along the lines of what Andreas is doing with images.

Here's and example: Gunther Prien in U-47:

If you compare the Hex addresses with the options Steven Hildebrand listed, you can see you can adjust quite a bit. Once this takes, as in this case, Prien returns to get awarded the Knight's Cross and address 49 will change to 01.

12-23-21, 03:35 AM

Letters and numbers.

Numbering is patterned in Hex. I'll show some examples and you can see the pattern to apply as you see fit.

00 = 0 ... 10 = 16 …... Some random examples: 30 = 48
01 = 1 ... 11 = 17 …... 40 = 64
02 = 2 ... 12 = 18 …... 60 = 96
03 = 3 ... 13 = 19 …... 71 = 113
04 = 4 ... 14 = 20 …... 72 = 114
05 = 5 ... 15 = 21
06 = 6 ... 16 = 22
07 = 7 ... 17 = 23 …... You get the idea.
08 = 8 ... 18 = 24
09 = 9 ... 19 = 25
0A = 10 .. 1A = 26
0B = 11 .. 1B = 27
0C = 12 .. 1C = 28
0D = 13 .. 1D = 29
0E = 14 .. 1E = 30
0F = 15 .. 1F = 31

Letter's are numbered both upper and lower case; see attached below.

Jeff-Groves · 12-24-21, 12:17 PM

A lot of people freak when they see things in Hex!

It's like reading a different language! Now I've been working in Hex for over 30+ years! I can pick out patterns as to how a file is constructed. There is usually a lot of information about the file size, content numbers, how much data to read, and so on. Usually the header is a Map of sorts.
Then you just need to follow the data. That may mean looking at a bunch of different files to get the 'BIG' picture.

In one of your images above you have a captains log. I'd like the save game with a captains log image that goes with it!
Cross referencing other files? I may be able to track down where that is in the save game.

Jeff-Groves · 12-24-21, 02:28 PM

The AOD and ShellVol.dyn files are defiantly packed files.
SO We need to unpack them then decompress things like the BMP files in them.

Jeff-Groves · 12-25-21, 09:56 AM

Game Extractor will dump the dyn files.
It will not repack them.
Might be able to figure out how to repack by studying the format as the .dyn is not compressed.

http://www.watto.org/game_extractor.html

Here's the file format specs for the .dyn files

20 - Header (Dynamix Volume File) + null
2 - Unknown
4 - Unknown
2 - Unknown
2 - Unknown
2 - Unknown
4 - numFiles

// for each file
4 - Unknown

// for each file
13 - Filename (null)
4 - File Size
X - File Data
0-3 - null padding (to a multiple of 4 bytes)

Jeff-Groves · 12-25-21, 12:02 PM

From Steve's information...............
"On the save file I used for exploration, my total tonnage sunk was 181,244. This value, expressed in Hexidecimal, is "02 C3 FC" but in the gamesave file, it was written as "FC C3 02." My career score was 92270, or "01 68 6E" but it was written as "6E 68 01." Weird, eh??"

It's merely a matter of Endian set on your Editor for some things.
Little Endian (intel) or Big Endian (Motorola)
So as We look at the files in Hex We may need to switch back and forth to get the true answer for UnKnown Values.

Nice thing about working with Scripts and Templates in 010 is that I can account for Endian at anytime.
Swapping Endian in files is not that uncommon by the way.

Now if you want to know where the term 'Endian' came from? I can tell you that also!

Jeff-Groves · 12-25-21, 02:37 PM

I know there's data not defined in the format for the .dyn files.
I took several bytes out and the file will not open in Game Extracter.

Jeff-Groves · 12-25-21, 04:46 PM

So... are the HIST??.GAM files what controls Historic Missions?

12-25-21, 10:37 PM

That would be my guess, though I haven't played around with the hex files. If I remember correctly, historic games would not need to modify anything like player's name, hull numbers or homeports, type of boat, etc.

Game play is what the historic mission is set as, the only variable is the player's use of the assigned boat as far as course, whether or not he finds the convoy and his attacking results.

I don't remember offhand if you get any award page/s after a successful mission or not? Been awhile since playing historic missions, sorry.

BTW, two emails sent on the other files.
Tim

12-25-21, 09:56 AM	#35
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	Game Extractor will dump the dyn files. It will not repack them. Might be able to figure out how to repack by studying the format as the .dyn is not compressed. http://www.watto.org/game_extractor.html Here's the file format specs for the .dyn files 20 - Header (Dynamix Volume File) + null 2 - Unknown 4 - Unknown 2 - Unknown 2 - Unknown 2 - Unknown 4 - numFiles // for each file 4 - Unknown // for each file 13 - Filename (null) 4 - File Size X - File Data 0-3 - null padding (to a multiple of 4 bytes) Last edited by Jeff-Groves; 12-25-21 at 10:12 AM.

12-25-21, 12:02 PM	#36
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	From Steve's information............... "On the save file I used for exploration, my total tonnage sunk was 181,244. This value, expressed in Hexidecimal, is "02 C3 FC" but in the gamesave file, it was written as "FC C3 02." My career score was 92270, or "01 68 6E" but it was written as "6E 68 01." Weird, eh??" It's merely a matter of Endian set on your Editor for some things. Little Endian (intel) or Big Endian (Motorola) So as We look at the files in Hex We may need to switch back and forth to get the true answer for UnKnown Values. Nice thing about working with Scripts and Templates in 010 is that I can account for Endian at anytime. Swapping Endian in files is not that uncommon by the way. Now if you want to know where the term 'Endian' came from? I can tell you that also! Last edited by Jeff-Groves; 12-25-21 at 12:41 PM.

12-24-21, 12:17 PM	#33
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	A lot of people freak when they see things in Hex! It's like reading a different language! Now I've been working in Hex for over 30+ years! I can pick out patterns as to how a file is constructed. There is usually a lot of information about the file size, content numbers, how much data to read, and so on. Usually the header is a Map of sorts. Then you just need to follow the data. That may mean looking at a bunch of different files to get the 'BIG' picture. In one of your images above you have a captains log. I'd like the save game with a captains log image that goes with it! Cross referencing other files? I may be able to track down where that is in the save game.

12-24-21, 02:28 PM	#34
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	The AOD and ShellVol.dyn files are defiantly packed files. SO We need to unpack them then decompress things like the BMP files in them.

12-25-21, 02:37 PM	#37
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	I know there's data not defined in the format for the .dyn files. I took several bytes out and the file will not open in Game Extracter.

12-25-21, 04:46 PM	#38
Jeff-Groves Village Idiot Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5,425 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	So... are the HIST??.GAM files what controls Historic Missions?

12-25-21, 10:37 PM	#39
Silent Otto Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	That would be my guess, though I haven't played around with the hex files. If I remember correctly, historic games would not need to modify anything like player's name, hull numbers or homeports, type of boat, etc. Game play is what the historic mission is set as, the only variable is the player's use of the assigned boat as far as course, whether or not he finds the convoy and his attacking results. I don't remember offhand if you get any award page/s after a successful mission or not? Been awhile since playing historic missions, sorry. BTW, two emails sent on the other files. Tim