Hello. I'd like to know if it is possible to change code of compiled and finished games (specially comercial ones) without getting the source code itself from the developers. For exemple, may i change AI behavior in Civilization 3, or in old Windows games like Pax Impeira 2 or Deadlock 2? What tools should i look for then?
This is probably covered by the part of the section in the Forum rules that says "Asking for cracks and cheats" is not allowed.
By the way, there's certainly no "easy" way to solve this problem.
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Mats
Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them!
Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.
Hex editor, easy as it gets, which is not to imply its easy. AFAIK the civ games come with an editor to let you modify most settings that can be coherently modified
No you can't, not without hacking, and even then changing the AI would be incredibly difficult if not impossible. The only good way would be to obtain the source code, but that is out of the question in most cases.
Nothing's impossible. A. James wrote an editor and model importer for Trespasser without source code and that was a physics engine. Granted, he's as smart as they come and one helluva programmer, but it proves it can be done. I should add that numerous others have worked on that game through the years -
Many games can be "modded". In this case certain parts of the source code are made available for people to edit and make modifications to the game itself. Pretty much every game made by id Software is like this. Another note about id Software....they eventually like to release the full source code to their games as well after a certain amount of years. The full Doom source code, for example, has been available for quite some time, as well as Quake I (I'm not sure about Quake II).
But anyways, although not all games allow modding, many games do provide ways in which you can edit the game such as scenario editors and builders. Many of these also allow to customize the AI in certain ways, although usually you pick from some already created AI classes. Civilization II comes with a text file that you can legally edit and add additional custom units, buildings, and terrain to the game. It's pretty cool.
Quake II and Quake III arena source are both available through their website, I beleive
I know the Quake 3 game source is available, but not the engine source. I also know the Quake II game source is available.....and for that one I am not sure about the engine source. It might or might not be available. The Quake I and Doom game/engine source is definitely fully available. Doom 3 game source is also available, but not engine source (of course).
http://www.idsoftware.com/business/techdownloads/
They say it is the full source. (Quake II)
Your right about Quake III its just the game source for modding.
Last edited by eaane74; 04-01-2008 at 03:28 PM.
