Command Aces of the Deep (Win95) - HexEdit questions

Quick question; Is Steve Hildebrand still an active member here?




I ask, as I too have been experimenting with the Hex editor and CAOD and wanted to discuss explore more about this.


Tim

[Jeff-Groves]

I don't play AOD but I am pretty good with a Hex Editor.
Maybe someone can send me the files so I could look at them?
I could write some stuff for 010 Editor that may help.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

I don't play AOD but I am pretty good with a Hex Editor.
Maybe someone can send me the files so I could look at them?
I could write some stuff for 010 Editor that may help.

pm sent.....

[RConch]

This is hopeful-good luck Jeff!

[Jeff-Groves]

I'm pretty good at analyzing Hex. And just started with the files.
But I am seeing a pattern that might be a way to exploit the structure.


SUB_PORTS.DAT is what I'm looking at right now. May be a way to ADD ports.
I'm going to do a Template for 010 to read the file as I'm seeing it right now.

[Jeff-Groves]

Just having a couple days checking somethings and reading from past information?
I know the Subs identifications and so forth.
I can see those in all the different files. Which leads me to think One could change things up in a lot of different ways.

I also saw model information in some files. So with some work? Could export and possibly import new 3D models.

Also have a very good clue on the compression used for the DYN files.

Hi guys,


Just getting back to this forum today, so perhaps I can add to what Steven wrote up in the past. I am still experimenting with some of the codes to see what I can change and how those changes take affect throughout the game but, I am finding out some of the changes prevent other things from occurring as they normally would.


I'll get back on this shortly.


Tim

First,


In case someone doesn't know...


If you look at the .sav files in CAOD, it's all gibberish. As Windows doesn't have a file program set to open these type files, you need to download a Hex Editor to view the files.


Here's a basic editor, it's freeware and fairly easy to use. I'll list a couple of links and you can decide for yourselves. No ads, appears adware and malware safe!


https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/ (one I used)
https://download.cnet.com/HxD-Hex-Ed...-10891068.html




When making changes to the .sav file, it will automatically create a .sav.bak file and add it to the game files. The .bak is the original file, so if you manage to screw something up, the .bak will put you back to where you started; the game doesn't recognize the .sav.bak so you have to delete the .bak portion of the file name in order for the game to function with that file.

Working with Stevens information here:
http://www.subsim.com/ssr/tipaod4.html


One of the things that always bothered me was the lack of promotion beyond Korvettenkapitan, which occurs fairly early in the game career. Understand, a U-boat was a "small" command and small commands usually rate a more junior officer for C.O. (normally LCDR. and below). As Korvettenkapitan is equivalent to LCDR...


Still, there were Fregattenkapitans that commanded U-boats from early on. Less so for Leutnants which came later (circa '44) and were limited to relocating boats back to Germany after the allied invasion.



Here's a question: In AOD, do you get the options to have ranks of Leutnant (Ensign) and Fregattankapitan (Commander) in that game?


I ask, as the files for CAOD do list both ranks in the file shell text, but no where does the game actually offer you either of these ranks in play. This leads me to think that if they were in AOD originally, the decision was made to remove them from CAOD as these ranks were not as common as the Oberleutnant to Korvettenkapitan ranks. Or, as CAOD hit the streets just before the Christmas holidays, someone pushed to get the game out before the software engineers could work out all the bugs and include all the items. We may never know but, that could explain why there are so many bugs and why Sierra could not control the quality between products.



I'll include some snippet attachements but at the allowed file size here, they may be small to read, sorry.

Staying with "Rank" for a moment.


Yes, I know the images are small but you get the idea...


As per Steven's notes, you can change the ranks in the game and the changes to line 48 (00000040) on the left and (08) on top will change the rank. That change will register on both the "Patrol Summary" and "Career" score pages.


HOWEVER...


What I am seeing is that once, that change alone is completed, that rank will remain the same throughout the game and you will not automatically promote. I have played two games now, starting out once as a Leutnant and once as a Kapitanleutnant and after 11 patrols, not a single promotion!


Considering, a U-boat Kapitan being awarded the Knight's Cross or above would have been promoted on the spot at the Leutnant level and after 11 patrols wearing the diamonds level award, still nothing in either case??


I was hoping to see the normal accession that one normally sees to the next higher ranks around patrols 4 or 5 (Oblt to Kptlt) and again around patrols 14 or 15 (Kptlt to KrvKpt), with the idea if I started out as Kptlt, I eventually would see FrgKpt. No such luck.

I think somehow and somewhere, these are tied in and in order for the rank changes to modify, the code needs to change wherever these lines are as well.

Last note on "Ranks" and I'll wait to hear what others might think or know.


When selecting a "New career" to start a new game, you are automatically given the rank of Oberleutnant. If you want to change rank prior to the first patrol, you need to hex edit line 48 in the save file before actually starting play.


I wonder, if we can change that opening page coding, will it affect everything else and then everything falls into place?

[Jeff-Groves]

Leutnant
Oberleutnant
Kapitanleutnant
Korvettenkapitan
Fregattenkapitan

Are the only things I found in the Subsim.exe

[Jeff-Groves]

Originally Posted by Silent Otto

you need to hex edit line 48 in the save file

I think you mean an absolute address and not just a LINE.

Hi Jeff,


Yes, I just don't get too detailed here as most seem uninterested in hex editing or lost completely by it and just want to play the game and even that seems to be few these days.


I'll PM you a bit later today, time depending and show some things I've found out.


Tim