Questions about DLL files editing / modding

[Stratos 3,177]

The ethical way is making the EXEs mandatory, so any modding patch requires the original EXE.

[Eagle114th 541]

On 10/18/2023 at 4:13 AM, Stratos said:

The ethical way is making the EXEs mandatory, so any modding patch requires the original EXE.

That is noted and thank you for the advice.


Eagle114th

[muhammad 7]

Hey guys

I'm telling these points to share some ideas of mine for things we can improve. ( I might be wrong at some points ) 

There are 2 factors that will make a flight sim to have a high populated community:

1.Graphics

2.Multiplayer

At the first stage I think we should work on high res - high detail textures to bring HDR feeling and also some more creativity to bring some better lightings to the game.

then we should make little changes to some .LOD models under license of original developers because for example for cockpit shadows we need to make the models to have no holes AND we should add some better reflections to some models and etc.

right now, with editing only .ini files, the game is better than ever + having reshade will give you some fun times flyin' but that's not enough!

then we should modernize the user interface of some parts like mission editor and etc.

For multiplayer, there are some disabled stuff within the .ini files that makes you to ask " Why? " and I know y'all know about them.

but with lot of coooo0o0odings and  developing some 3rd party stuff we can just try. I mean there are some games like Skyrim or whatever which they don't have any multiplayer functionality but there are some mods to let players, play the game online with friends. and yes, it's very hard to do it for this game but I thinks it's not impossible or as I said before ,maybe I'm wrong.

we should spend lot of times for the game and yes, I know that most of the mod makers which they have some cool and nice information about the game engine and other details, they're all offline since many years ago. 

I think we can revive the game and the community with these 2.

[OlWilly 105]

I fully agree with Eagle's sentiment.

SF2 has a great potential, there are so many mods for it, so many stuff...

Yet, the quality of simulation is simply depressing. Yes, semi-casual sims are a thing but simulation of many aspects in SF2 is way too simplified.

There is, of course, neither the need neither the capabilities to make SF2 into a hardcore sim like DCS or BMS. What should be the level of simulation to strive for, in my opinion, is Lock On Flaming Cliffs 2.

Lock On is a casual sim too, and it is as old as SF. Likewise, you start the plane with one - two buttons max, but the simulation of the main systems is simply better. Just download Lock On 2 and play around with it if you haven't already, it is quite easy to get into yet is more pleasant if you care about how the stuff actually works.

[orsin 154]

it is not going to be any easy journey down this road.

For someone who has explored the raw code, you will quickly noticed most of the DLLs and EXEs are shelled. and they are shelled using a propriatary program probably held by 3W...

[Eagle114th 541]

Hello everyone,

(To Mods, please let me know if I am doing anything wrong here. I intend to respect the rules while sharing how to open or view the files.)

It have been a while since I posted, it can't be helped.  The world rather have become more crazier as yaers have gone by, keeping all of busy for sure. However, our hobbies are always here for us when we come back to it.  There have been requests asking me to sahre how I managed to view the core files.
 

I will share what tools I ujse and I can not promise that you will see the sources.  From what I can understand is that, if anyone have an access to the source codes, it is where you can see all codes with comments that tells you what code do. It is what is used by programmer to create the program.  

However, if you use tools to view the codes from the core, you are not really looking at the sources codes;  Rather, you are only seeing codes without the comments.  Therefore, messing with it can be 'hit and miss' and if you do not know what you are doing, you can break the whole files.

Please make sure you make copies of back up before doing any experiments with the files.

Two tools I use and please note, I am still newbie when it come to using the tools. 

1) CFF Explorer - this is a vital tools that help you figuring out what type of file and kind of language the file is written in.  This will be needed when using the 2nd tool.  I consdier this tool as gem.  I do not know how reiable this is, but I thave helped me a lot understanding what the type of file it is and what language it is written in.

2) Ghidra - this is most popular tools to view the codes inside the file.  It is also where you can edit the codes by making patches for it or another methods.

Alternatively, you can also use tool known as OllyDbg

3) Using Ghidra

I will give you basic step-by-step so you can get familiar with quickly.  It is all what I am familiar with so far;

When running it, click on FILE -> New Project

Make a new project, and when you finish with it, you will see a project folder in left sectino of the program. you can make a new folder within that project folder for organizing purpose.

Then run CFF viewer, you need to know what type of file and what language it is written in:

Then back to Ghidra, go to file then click on IMPORT FILE

go to the file you want to import, and import it.

New window will pop asking you what type of file and what language it is written in.  use the information you learned from CFF viewer.

Then, click on OK.   You wil see import file summary, click on OK again.

You should see a fil ebeing importd into project folder

Next, double click on the file you want for program to analyze, then click on OK

Then you will have Analysis Options window coming up, click on Analyze".

You will see the list of assembly language with C++ on the right section.  Sometime when you click on the group of assemlby codes, the right section will change to show what you are viewing in C++. That is what I figured so far.  I do not know what to do next.  If anyone know how to make patches or how to make changes to any files, let
us know.

Cheers

 

Edited May 20 by Eagle114th