[WIP] Depth keeping problem at deep depths

TheDarkWraith · 01-12-11, 03:11 AM

Today I decided to look into the problem with the depth keeping issue at deep depths (> 100ft). I finally isolated the routine that is responsible for it and now just have to decipher what it's exactly doing. I can see in realtime that there is a value that is supposed to zero out when you reach the depth wanted but at deep depths it is staying negative and a negative number keeps adding to it thus making you dive deeper and deeper and deeper.
What I hope to do is release a patch for the .exe file to fix this problem. As I see people are doing this in SH3 I don't see why we can't in SH5. The patch would work like this: you run an application that reads a file and updates your installed .exe file based on the contents of that file. As I'm not supplying a modified .exe file and only a patch for it that has to be installed with another application there should be no problems with this at all. Like I said they are doing it in SH3 so what's good for the goose is good for the gander also.
Before people start asking multiple questions and requests let me just say that it's very time consuming work. You have to know how to read and write assembler. The hardest part is just finding the variable(s) you're looking for. Once you found the variable then it takes hours, sometimes days, to decipher what the assembly is doing to change/update those values (sometimes you have pointers to pointers to pointers to.....). It took me over 10 hours just to narrow down this one routine and it will take even more time to totally figure out exactly what it's doing.
Now it is time to sleep

arnahud2 · 01-12-11, 07:28 AM

Hi, many many thanks once again !!!

Ragtag · 01-12-11, 07:33 AM

You never seize to amaze TDW, thanks

Jaeger · 01-12-11, 07:36 AM

good idea tdw. i think ubi has totally abandon sh5, so there should not be any problems with them.

an idea for this application: make it like sh3 commander. you could do a gui which is obligatory for starting the game. in this guy, you could integrate the journal editing tool and all the option-file entries. checkboxes for each option and a scroll bar for the AI strength. after the player has chosen his option choice, the app writes the options file and starts the game with this configuration. parallel, all the changes xou made to the sh5.exe file will automatically be active as well.

perhaps you can directly use some of the gui layouts from sh3 commander of jscones? this could avoid some work???

Jaeger

Nufsed · 01-12-11, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragtag

You never cease to amaze TDW, thanks

I'll second that

Meldric · 01-12-11, 08:26 AM

Isn't a changed exe going to trigger DRM-issues?

TheDarkWraith · 01-12-11, 09:43 AM

shouldn't as nothing is changing from the DRM standpoint. We're just simply changing some bytes, possibly adding some. I'm not totally sure yet as I just narrowed down the routine and haven't made any 'changes' to mine yet.
The intent is to fix problems found in the game and not to try and circumvent any DRM or the likes

Meldric · 01-12-11, 10:07 AM

Well, I know what is intended. I was just thinking that DRM might use some kind of checksum mechanism that might be triggered by "changing some bytes"... Maybe not...

Zedi · 01-12-11, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

...
What I hope to do is release a patch for the .exe file to fix this problem. As I see people are doing this in SH3 I don't see why we can't in SH5.
...

As far as I know, the SH3 eula is not restrictive anymore on any changes to SH3 at any level, its a 10 year old game and is not developed in any way anymore. Is not the case with SH5, so you may wanna be careful with these things...

THE_MASK · 01-12-11, 02:25 PM

Devs look at this forum , if they dont wany you to do anytrhing i am sure they well let you know .

Zedi · 01-12-11, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sober

Devs look at this forum , if they dont wany you to do anytrhing i am sure they well let you know .

I dont think this is their job.

Ducimus · 01-12-11, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkWraith

I can see in realtime that there is a value that is supposed to zero out when you reach the depth wanted but at deep depths it is staying negative and a negative number keeps adding to it thus

For what it's worth this bug was carried over from SH4. In that game, there are trim gauges. When you hit or cross 183 meters, that trim gauge just pegs over.

01-12-11, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meldric

I was just thinking that DRM might use some kind of checksum mechanism

Nope.
It doesn't do that.
The first 'So called' hacks changed file sizes but the Game still kind of worked.

Illyustrator · 01-12-11, 03:48 PM

Developers have refused from SH5 !?
The person DARES to BUY SH5 after will see all MODS to game. They should tell thanks Modders. Only they do demand on SH5!!! They and only They have corrected errors of Developers.
It is necessary to do qualitative Games, and then to make a complaint. I on their place would pay compensation Modders for "Lost dreams."
(Excuse for emotions. This opinion of the majority of people which have bought SH5).

BigBANGtheory · 01-14-11, 02:21 PM

holy moly, Jes Louise etc etc....

Any modder(s) that use debugging tools and assembler to alter compiled binary code truely deserve respect.

TDW and Privateer are equals in reverse engineering and the reason I donated to Subsim, because you can't actually buy that kind of dedication it just needs to be appreciated from time to time.

I would love to learn how you do it. Maybe if you come across a task that can be handled by others you might PM me and educate me on how to help.

01-12-11, 03:11 AM	#1
TheDarkWraith Black Magic Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 11,962 Downloads: 147 Uploads: 5	[WIP] Depth keeping problem at deep depths Today I decided to look into the problem with the depth keeping issue at deep depths (> 100ft). I finally isolated the routine that is responsible for it and now just have to decipher what it's exactly doing. I can see in realtime that there is a value that is supposed to zero out when you reach the depth wanted but at deep depths it is staying negative and a negative number keeps adding to it thus making you dive deeper and deeper and deeper. What I hope to do is release a patch for the .exe file to fix this problem. As I see people are doing this in SH3 I don't see why we can't in SH5. The patch would work like this: you run an application that reads a file and updates your installed .exe file based on the contents of that file. As I'm not supplying a modified .exe file and only a patch for it that has to be installed with another application there should be no problems with this at all. Like I said they are doing it in SH3 so what's good for the goose is good for the gander also. Before people start asking multiple questions and requests let me just say that it's very time consuming work. You have to know how to read and write assembler. The hardest part is just finding the variable(s) you're looking for. Once you found the variable then it takes hours, sometimes days, to decipher what the assembly is doing to change/update those values (sometimes you have pointers to pointers to pointers to.....). It took me over 10 hours just to narrow down this one routine and it will take even more time to totally figure out exactly what it's doing. Now it is time to sleep

01-12-11, 07:28 AM	#2
arnahud2 Frogman Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 308 Downloads: 724 Uploads: 0	Hi, many many thanks once again !!! __________________

01-12-11, 07:33 AM	#3
Ragtag Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 654 Downloads: 163 Uploads: 0	You never seize to amaze TDW, thanks __________________ Intel I7-7800x CPU. 16Gb G.skill DDR4 3600MHz. Asrock Taichi X299 mb Palit RTX 2080Ti. Fortron 1000W PSU. BenQ XR3501R LCD.

01-12-11, 07:36 AM	#4
Jaeger Chief Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 316 Downloads: 28 Uploads: 0	good idea tdw. i think ubi has totally abandon sh5, so there should not be any problems with them. an idea for this application: make it like sh3 commander. you could do a gui which is obligatory for starting the game. in this guy, you could integrate the journal editing tool and all the option-file entries. checkboxes for each option and a scroll bar for the AI strength. after the player has chosen his option choice, the app writes the options file and starts the game with this configuration. parallel, all the changes xou made to the sh5.exe file will automatically be active as well. perhaps you can directly use some of the gui layouts from sh3 commander of jscones? this could avoid some work??? Jaeger __________________ Everything comes to him who waits

01-12-11, 08:26 AM	#6
Meldric Officer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Germany Posts: 237 Downloads: 167 Uploads: 0	Isn't a changed exe going to trigger DRM-issues?

01-12-11, 09:43 AM	#7
TheDarkWraith Black Magic Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 11,962 Downloads: 147 Uploads: 5	shouldn't as nothing is changing from the DRM standpoint. We're just simply changing some bytes, possibly adding some. I'm not totally sure yet as I just narrowed down the routine and haven't made any 'changes' to mine yet. The intent is to fix problems found in the game and not to try and circumvent any DRM or the likes

01-12-11, 10:07 AM	#8
Meldric Officer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Germany Posts: 237 Downloads: 167 Uploads: 0	Well, I know what is intended. I was just thinking that DRM might use some kind of checksum mechanism that might be triggered by "changing some bytes"... Maybe not...

01-12-11, 02:25 PM	#10
THE_MASK Ace of the deep . Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 9,226 Downloads: 901 Uploads: 73	Devs look at this forum , if they dont wany you to do anytrhing i am sure they well let you know .

01-12-11, 03:48 PM	#14
Illyustrator 中国水兵 Join Date: May 2010 Location: BY Posts: 271 Downloads: 80 Uploads: 1	Developers have refused from SH5 !? The person DARES to BUY SH5 after will see all MODS to game. They should tell thanks Modders. Only they do demand on SH5!!! They and only They have corrected errors of Developers. It is necessary to do qualitative Games, and then to make a complaint. I on their place would pay compensation Modders for "Lost dreams." (Excuse for emotions. This opinion of the majority of people which have bought SH5).

01-14-11, 02:21 PM	#15
BigBANGtheory Officer Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: British Waters Posts: 243 Downloads: 98 Uploads: 0	holy moly, Jes Louise etc etc.... Any modder(s) that use debugging tools and assembler to alter compiled binary code truely deserve respect. TDW and Privateer are equals in reverse engineering and the reason I donated to Subsim, because you can't actually buy that kind of dedication it just needs to be appreciated from time to time. I would love to learn how you do it. Maybe if you come across a task that can be handled by others you might PM me and educate me on how to help.