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Paths.

Started by gamer17 8 replies 1.1k views
Original Post
gamer17
gamer17
Hi, I'm extremely new to programming, scripting, and ect. I know basic things about programming but I can't write anything. I am planning on learning C++/C and Visual Basic in the future. But anyway now to my question: What I'm wanting to do is very simple. I want to know what I need to find the save file path of a PC game so I can edit them. So that i may add certain characters in my name which is possibly, I am 100% sure so don't worry about that. I have found the folder where some of it saves but I'm sure there is more. I have checked the registry for the current name I want to alter but it doesn't come up. The game has a filter which blocks certain unicode characters even though they exist in the font used, for reason I don't know why. Anyway would I need a memory/process editor or possibly some other tool? If so how can I use them to find the location of where the game saves its data after I save it. That is my question please help me out here. Thanks.
Ravuya
Ravuya
This isn't so much a game programming question as it is a game modification question, and so I'll move it to the Lounge. Perhaps if you told us which game it is we could help further.
gamer17
gamer17
yeah i didn't know where to post this sorry but I can't figure this out and really could use some direction. The game is Halo PC.

If anyone has any ideas please help.
Run_The_Shadows
Run_The_Shadows
Microsoft games save inside My Documents. Also, games don't tend to save as text files, so grab a hex editor and a big bag of chips if you plan on changing much.
gamer17
gamer17
yes i've used a hex editor when editing the files i found but do microsoft games save anything in the registry possibly? because I've check and found no text string of my current name.

I wish there was a way to find the actual paths and locations of all the files so I could easy edit them.
joanusdmentia
joanusdmentia
If you tell us what game it is someone familiar with it might be able to help you out.
"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The nly verdict is vengeance; a vendett o
Talonius
Talonius
Go to http://www.sysinternals.com and pick up their Filemon utility. It shows you all file input/output activity on your system as it occurs. Run Filemon, run Halo 2, load a game, save a game, exit, and then pore through the results in Filemon. (First thing to do is find the Halo 2 executable in the list, right click on it, and choose to filter it to avoid other processes.)

This technique is valuable to learn because it can help you in any situation where you're trying to determine where a game is writing data. If you think the data might be found in the registry, use their Regmon tool.

Good luck.
..what we do will echo throughout eternity..
gamer17
gamer17
Ok thats exactly what I was looking for thanks.
I'm getting close to figuring this.
From the program I noticed it wrote data to a binary file (.bin) but when i open it with a Hex Editor, All I get is zeros. So how can I view/edit the .bin file correctly?
Anon Mike
Anon Mike
All these questions might easily fall under some clause about reverse-engineering in the EULA for the game and Micosoft isn't exactly well known for being open about such things... It's probably best not to ask for hacking advise on these forums, even something as minor as hacking save games files.
-Mike
gamer17
gamer17
sorry, I didn't know. But i figured how to do it so thanks for all the help.

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