Emerald Lance
04-29-2011, 07:37 AM
Alright, I'm gonna do one last big hurrah on modding this game.
So I've been fiddling around with the game save files, trying to edit the actual stats of my mech, for quite some time now (it was the first game I was interested in modding). I gave up after some time because I concluded that the actual stats were not on the save file; the only thing on the save file is which parts you have equipped and how your mech is tuned, and the game calculates the stats in real time based on these factors. In other words, the closest I've been able to get is to hack all my tuning to 255 (in-game max is 50). However, I'm not satisfied with this.
Since then, I've grown more experienced in hex editing and I think I'm ready to try one more time! As I said before, the stats aren't kept on the save file, they're calculated in real time based on the parts you have equipped. However, the stats CAN be edited in-game via tuning, which IS kept in the save file. In other words, the save doesn't keep track of the stats themselves, but rather of the increases made to them via tuning; say my base health is 10000 and I tune it in a way that adds 400, the save doesn't record 10400 it just records the 400.
So here's my theory: what if we've been looking for the wrong values? What if we could find that hypothetical 400 within the save data and edit it to be whatever we want? What if we could do this with every stat?
Of course, this is just a theory. I actually haven't tested too much of it yet. I mean, have you SEEN Armored Core's save structure? It's harder to navigate than the Wind Fish Egg! But I do plan on checking to see if my theory holds true (possibly tomorrow) and I plan to share my findings (whether they be good or bad) with this site. So, are there any other theories out there as to how we can do this? I'm open to suggestions. ^-^
So I've been fiddling around with the game save files, trying to edit the actual stats of my mech, for quite some time now (it was the first game I was interested in modding). I gave up after some time because I concluded that the actual stats were not on the save file; the only thing on the save file is which parts you have equipped and how your mech is tuned, and the game calculates the stats in real time based on these factors. In other words, the closest I've been able to get is to hack all my tuning to 255 (in-game max is 50). However, I'm not satisfied with this.
Since then, I've grown more experienced in hex editing and I think I'm ready to try one more time! As I said before, the stats aren't kept on the save file, they're calculated in real time based on the parts you have equipped. However, the stats CAN be edited in-game via tuning, which IS kept in the save file. In other words, the save doesn't keep track of the stats themselves, but rather of the increases made to them via tuning; say my base health is 10000 and I tune it in a way that adds 400, the save doesn't record 10400 it just records the 400.
So here's my theory: what if we've been looking for the wrong values? What if we could find that hypothetical 400 within the save data and edit it to be whatever we want? What if we could do this with every stat?
Of course, this is just a theory. I actually haven't tested too much of it yet. I mean, have you SEEN Armored Core's save structure? It's harder to navigate than the Wind Fish Egg! But I do plan on checking to see if my theory holds true (possibly tomorrow) and I plan to share my findings (whether they be good or bad) with this site. So, are there any other theories out there as to how we can do this? I'm open to suggestions. ^-^