![]() ![]() This file therefore describes the data for 8 objects. Moving on, the second four bytes describe the number of objects that are described within the file. ![]() The pattern 0x01,0x00,0xC7,0xD1 shows that this is a Deathspank “.datadict” file. The first field (first 4 bytes) serve as an identifier for the file type. These field are each made up of 4 bytes in little endian format. In the above image, I’ve highlighted the four header data fields. I will generally be capturing images from the hexeditor with the data organized into rows with 8 columns (bytes) because that is the easiest way to visually see the structure of this file type. In all of the following examples I’m going to be using real data from the file that describes boss data. The beginning of the file contains several header fields. File Structure File HeaderĮach file is comprised of 4 sections, the beginning header block, the number of attributes per object block, the attribute description block, and the final data block where object data is stored. A quick Google search gave me the information I needed, so I set out to reverse engineer the structure of the files. I had a good grasp on binary thanks to the work I’ve done with networking and subnetting, but I had never looked into hexidecimal before this. Embarrassingly, I had no idea how to interpret hexadecimal at the time. I was going to need to use a hex editor for this. Yikes! It turns out the files contain binary data that is not easily editable inside a simple text editor. datadict file I found in a notepad editor, I saw something that looked like this: Once unpacked, the files are located in the Build>Data folder. ![]() The bulk of the game’s data files are contained in the GameData-000000000.gg” archive. The very first goal I needed to accomplish before I could start modifying anything was to understand the data contained inside the files and their structure. I’m not a huge fan of running modding tools created by people who don’t share their source code, but I haven’t completed work on my own packer tool and I’m fairly certain the program is safe to use. First, let me say, to the unpack and repack the files from the archives, I’m using a tool created by a modder named Xraptor that can be found here. This post will outline my efforts to modify the individual game files contained in the game’s “.gg” formatted archive files. I set out to write my own mods for the game to improve a trilogy my wife and I have come to love so much. I finally decided to do something about these annoyances recently. However, every time we play through the trilogy we end up thinking things like, “wouldn’t it be great if this was different”, or “I wish the weapons worked like this” or “I wish my inventory wasn’t so annoying to manage”. Originally, playing this game was a ploy to get my wife into gaming by playing a game where I can play the healer sidekick and she gets to do the bulk of the action as the game’s protagonist, but we’ve both come to really enjoy the series because of its great potential. It was made by a studio called Hothead games who seem to make exclusively mobile games these days. It’s a comedic take on diablo style RPG loot grind games. It’s a little-known series called the Deathspank series. Once or twice a year, there’s a game trilogy my wife and I like to play together. We just wanted to blow people's expectations out of the water as far as what kind of weapons DeathSpank can have, what worlds he can travel to, and what sort of creatures and characters and enemies he can face.Part 1 – Creating a new format for *.datadict files and why ![]() "For the second game - and this is a reason it was a separate product, too- we just wanted to redefine what that could be. "DeathSpank 1 was an introduction to the universe for people and it was very much a fantasy action RPG," producer Hamish Millar tells GameSpot. (You might recall that DeathSpank was originally proposed as an episodic endeavor, but that plan was supposedly abandoned during development of the first game.) Thongs of Virtue still reflects Gilbert's influence and looks to expand on the foundational elements of the original game even if it doesn't address all of the post-release fan feedback. The quick turnaround is the result of Hothead beginning development on Thongs of Virtue well before the release of the first game, and despite creator Ron Gilbert's departure from the studio in April. Hothead Games today announced a full-on sequel to this summer's Diablo homage (parody?) on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network - and it's almost complete! Thongs of Virtue will launch on PSN and XBLA on September 21 and 22, respectively, for $15 (or 1200 Microsoft Points). With justice not entirely dispensed, evil still to be vanquished and plenty of downtrodden to be, uh, heroed, the titular DeathSpank returns in DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue. ![]()
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