I'm learning to code and I have a question: What language is SF2 written in?

[Skyviper 1,101]

What language is SF2 written in?

I'm learning how to code and came across this site Free Code Camp which teaches all sorts of languages for free. For some reason coding is making more sense to me than High School English. I'm excited to finally be learning it too. So much so much so I'm learning as many languages as I can. I'm taking a Unity Engine online class to learn how to use the Unity Gaming engine (I'll learn how to use the Unreal Engine) and I came across a few other engines that use C++ and C# (which I know a little bit about).

There's so many things I'd like to do and now I can do them (or get close enough).

[Wrench 9,417]

Aurebesh, i think

 

 

 

[Nesher 629]

Probably C++, you can try de-compiling the executable or one of its DLLs to see more about the code behind the game

Good luck learning,

I've been a programmer for the past 15+ years + 4 years of high school & junior college.. you can learn new things all the time 😉

[Skyviper 1,101]

@Wrench

That bad huh?

Here I am about to jot down another language to learn and I'm seeing a definition from Wookieepedia. You got me, sir, well played. lol.

[Skyviper 1,101]

3 minutes ago, Nesher said:

Probably C++, you can try de-compiling the executable or one of its DLLs to see more about the code behind the game

Good luck learning,

I've been a programmer for the past 15+ years + 4 years of high school & junior college.. you can learn new things all the time 😉

Will do.

And this is so true it's never too late to start learning. Of all the languages you use. Which is your preferred language and why?

[Nesher 629]

2 minutes ago, Skyviper said:

Will do.

And this is so true it's never too late to start learning. Of all the languages you use. Which is your preferred language and why?

I only use C#, it's easy & fun.. you can have quick results in no-time (perhaps not like Python but still easier IMO)

Of course I learned a lot more in the past.. don't remember sh*t hahaha

[bazillius 1,252]

what difference does it make in what language the game is written if it is already compiled? A rhetorical question  Or you gonna decompile it? As to language i prefer Ukrainian

[Nesher 629]

2 minutes ago, bazillius said:

what difference does it make in what language the game is written if it is already compiled? A rhetorical question  Or you gonna decompile it? As to language i prefer Ukrainian

For normal people it doesn't, for us programmers it can say a thing or two.. for hackers/crackers it's to know what tools to use

BTW, if it's written in .NET based language or something similar, it's easier to reverse engineer the code and even change it (if it's not well protected)

I prefer English 🤣

[bazillius 1,252]

i m not sure he will reverse engineer the SF2 :)

Edited December 21, 2020 by bazillius

[+Menrva 3,988]

Jokes aside, reverse engineering is not the same as writing code, and it may well be against the EULA, if not done for personal use only. We're not allowed to reverse engineer SF2 and make something out of that code.

To answer the question above, nobody knows exactly which languages were used to create SF2, we would need the source code for this (not happening, so forget about it). For sure, we know that shaders (and those can be tweaked) have been written in HLSL, but the rest of the game and its engine are using proprietary technology, most likely written in C++. Other bits might have required different libraries and languages as well. Sure, to decompile the .exe and .dll might give some answers, but I do not see the point since we cannot modify SF2 this deep.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Menrva

[Skyviper 1,101]

19 hours ago, Menrva said:

Jokes aside, reverse engineering is not the same as writing code, and it may well be against the EULA, if not done for personal use only. We're not allowed to reverse engineer SF2 and make something out of that code.

To answer the question above, nobody knows exactly which languages were used to create SF2, we would need the source code for this (not happening, so forget about it). For sure, we know that shaders (and those can be tweaked) have been written in HLSL, but the rest of the game and its engine are using proprietary technology, most likely written in C++. Other bits might have required different libraries and languages as well. Sure, to decompile the .exe and .dll might give some answers, but I do not see the point since we cannot modify SF2 this deep.

Ah I see I was getting ahead of myself then. I've seen the amazing work people did for game like GTA V which aren't modder friendly at all. It had me wondering what scripts could be written for SF2 and what those limitations could be. Not reverse engineering of course but to be able to try something neat like how WOFF changed things with MCFS...but not that much.

 

[Stratos 3,166]

On 22/12/2020 at 11:13 AM, Menrva said:

Jokes aside, reverse engineering is not the same as writing code, and it may well be against the EULA, if not done for personal use only. We're not allowed to reverse engineer SF2 and make something out of that code.

No, you're wrong. We can do wathever we want with the code, what we CANNOT redistribute are the games or part of them. So we can for example generate a new PATCH to hack the original (and legally purchased) games, but we cannot redistribute the EXE itself. That was written by TK looong ago, still have the mail.

[+Menrva 3,988]

9 hours ago, Stratos said:

No, you're wrong. We can do wathever we want with the code, what we CANNOT redistribute are the games or part of them. So we can for example generate a new PATCH to hack the original (and legally purchased) games, but we cannot redistribute the EXE itself. That was written by TK looong ago, still have the mail.

I'm not wrong. First, you're talking about doing whatever we want with a code, code which we do not have for obvious reasons. Second, EULAs generally exist for this reason; to have a code totally reverse engineered, it means that you can even rebuild a product from zero. With that, anyone who gets their hands on such a code may well create a derivative product, rebrand it and make it look like as it were a different thing totally unrelated to SF2. This is not a risk developers like to take, EULAs generally restrict users from using their products and IPs in improper manner. You buy a game for what it is, to play it and not to outsource stuff from it. You cannot make up the rules as you'd like them to be, I'm afraid.

TK said something in an e-mail long ago, but he was talking about what you said, about smaller patches/tweaks to hardcoded bits of the .DLLs and of the .EXE, which is not the same as reverse engineering the code and share it with the public. To create certain tweaks, some knowledge of how the game works under the hood is needed, but you do not necessarily need to reverse engineer the entire code. I'd rather stick to the EULAs than to some long gone email which TK may always disavow. He is the same guy who locked harmless shader files from modding (though LODs had a reason to be locked). If I were you, I wouldn't swim in such murky waters. Live with what SF currently is.

The dead horse has been beaten too much on this matter.

EDIT: a quick search will explain you why it's legally risky: https://www.eff.org/issues/coders/reverse-engineering-faq#faq2

TK can say anything in an email, it's the EULA shown in his SF2 installers that counts. Frankly, I never read what his EULA says and I couldn't care less since I like to stay well within what's legal.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,166]

Wathever man, it's been explained over and over, TK doesn't care, you care more about the legal things than TK do, but I will not enter this discussion again.

[+Menrva 3,988]

9 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Wathever man, it's been explained over and over, TK doesn't care, you care more about the legal things than TK do, but I will not enter this discussion again.

If that's the case, then TK might as well hand us out the source code, for free or on sale at a given price. It would make things easier for a thing he does not care about.

This entire discussion was pointless IMHO. I just pointed out that there are legal aspects to consider about reverse engineering, in general, not just related to SF2.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,166]

It was explained before, is confirmed by TK itself, you're wrong here, but as you say is pointless cause no one wants to reverse engineer this.

[+Menrva 3,988]

49 minutes ago, Stratos said:

you're wrong here

Alright. Next time, I'll shut up and let you guys do the talking. I didn't know that informing about risks and legal aspects in general was something wrong. Also, I fail to understand that TK does not care when at the same time he made things much harder for us modders throughout the years. But I'm wrong, so I'm outta here.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,166]

No need to get angry when you don't agree with someone, you can expose your opinion here as much as I can expose mine. Take it easy, don't get angry and enjoy the holidays, is just a game after all.

[+Menrva 3,988]

13 minutes ago, Stratos said:

No need to get angry when you don't agree with someone

I agree with you. But you miss the point. You branded what I said as totally wrong, and in all honesty I fail to realize why it is so. It's not a matter of opinions.

That being said, peace to you all. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones as much as possible during these difficult times.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,166]

34 minutes ago, Menrva said:

I agree with you. But you miss the point. You branded what I said as totally wrong, and in all honesty I fail to realize why it is so. It's not a matter of opinions.

That being said, peace to you all. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones as much as possible during these difficult times.

Is wrong cause TK the author of the game and owner of the rights explicitally said so. BUT AGAIN we're still bragging about it when we said we will not continue.

I will spend Chirstmas night working at my hospital, hope I get a good night shift, cause my daughters will be full of energy tomorrow rofl.

[+Menrva 3,988]

4 minutes ago, Stratos said:

I will spend Chirstmas night working at my hospital, hope I get a good night shift, cause my daughters will be full of energy tomorrow rofl.

I'm sorry to hear this. At least I hope you get to enjoy Christmas with your family soon.

Things are not that bright on my end as well. I'm spending Christmas alone, my dad's been in hospital for more than 30 days, to cure a terrible blood disease he had to live with this entire year. I guess we're not the only ones hoping that 2021 be a better year...

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,166]

4 minutes ago, Menrva said:

I'm sorry to hear this. At least I hope you get to enjoy Christmas with your family soon.

Things are not that bright on my end as well. I'm spending Christmas alone, my dad's been in hospital for more than 30 days, to cure a terrible blood disease he had to live with this entire year. I guess we're not the only ones hoping that 2021 be a better year...

Will have you in my toughts tonight. Stay safe and keep strong for your father.

[+Menrva 3,988]

10 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Will have you in my toughts tonight. Stay safe and keep strong for your father.

Thanks, mate. His transplant went alright, so hopefully he'll be back home soon. Likewise, stay safe and strong, my friend. We often forget there are great people in hospitals, doing sacrifices every day for the health of others, especially now that there's an invisible and terrible enemy.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Menrva