Other reverse-engineering projcets

Dark-Star · Post by **Dark-Star** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:15 pm

Hi!

I was recently thinking again about creating a Wiki which combines people's efforts on game file reverse engineering. There have been a lot of other reverse-engineering or re-implementation projects mentioned here before, like the FF7 project or the Prince of Persia re-implementation (others are, of course, Exult, Pentagram, GemRB, Sarien, ...)

The Wiki could provide links to those projects (if they are already in a state where they're able to 'show' something) and collect all reverse-engineered stuff which people have lying around, so that others can pick up the work from there.

For example, I have started to reverse-engineer some files from various games (Might & Magic,...) and I would start posting this info there. But before I do that I wanted to get some opinions from other developers.

So, what do you think about that idea? Good? Bad?

--Darkstar

john_doe · Post by **john_doe** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:43 pm

I think it's a great idea. I wanted to do something like that myself but never had the time.
I have a lot of stuff (viewers, decompression routines etc) REd from several games but never released it. It would be a nice platform to exchange knowledge and maybe even ask for help etc.

fingolfin · Post by **fingolfin** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:09 pm

Something like this already exists: http://wiki.xentax.com/index.php/Main_Page.

However, I do not think that joinging such an effort is interesting for SCUMM and other engines supported by ScummVM -- we already have our own Wiki for this

.

Dark-Star · Post by **Dark-Star** » Fri May 12, 2006 11:57 pm

Well, I didn't actually have ScummVM in mind when I thought it up, I just wanted to gather some general opinions here

But the link to the Xentax Wiki is nice, I didn't know about that. I'll check it out ...

Edit: Looking over the Xentax Wiki, it seems that they focus on game "archive" formats exclusively. More detailed stuff doesn't seem to be available there, like Opcodes for in-game virtual machines or similar stuff (which would be needed for complete reverse engineering).

I still think some 'broader' Wiki would be a good thing, but if I end up being the only one posting my stuff there (okay, with john_doe it would be 2 people

) I doubt it would be worth the work...

Shadow_Knight · Post by **Shadow_Knight** » Sun May 14, 2006 1:42 pm

Hey, Dark Star, that is a good intention. I'll appreciate if someone create such wiki. Sorry, I can't help because I am involved in reverse engineering of the game (this is not a quest or scummvm-related game).

Del · Post by **Del** » Mon May 15, 2006 3:50 pm

Definitely a good idea!

I'll contribute everything I find out from my own Enchantia noodling.

I suppose you already know of Wikipedia's list of game engine recreations.

I think there's also XRick for running Rick Dangerous.

E-Male · Post by **E-Male** » Mon May 15, 2006 6:23 pm

you could request a wiki at Wikia
i'd be very interested in this wiki

Dark-Star · Post by **Dark-Star** » Tue May 16, 2006 10:03 am

I don't know if wikia would support a Wiki that's based on reverse-engineering. I will check with a friend of mine who has a dedicated server, maybe he can spare some bandwidth.

Del · Post by **Del** » Tue May 16, 2006 2:21 pm

Just found this Mega-Lo-Mania clone, although I am unsure if it is an actual RE of the original executable or a clone that attempts to mimic the gameplay.

Edit: Wotsit's Format - The Programmer's Resource has a number of format specifications also.

dreammaster · Post by **dreammaster** » Wed May 17, 2006 12:08 am

You know, this is really a good idea. Ideally, such a website should make it as easy as possible for people to create an entry for a game; using the wiki as both information for other people as well as a handy reference for themselves as they work.

Take my situation, for example.. I'm currently working on disassembling Lure of the Temptress, and whilst I've got a text file containing all my notes about the game formats so far, it's starting to get bulky with all of my method references, data structures, etc. A wiki might prove useful, so I could properly lay out the various data structures in proper tables, and have quick links between related information.

Xentax, at a glance seems to be more about game file data formats, and whilst that's part of the game that needs to be understood, a large part of the bulk of a reverse engineering project would also be information on the game executable itself, and I'm unsure whether it fits into Xentax's style. Which is why a new website specifically devoted for reverse engineering games could prove useful.

Generalising, websites like this are useful in dealing with the tendancy of people to lose interest in projects - if someone starts filling out details about a particular game, and then later loses interest, someone else can always pick up where they left off later on. On a similiar topic, I've often lamented that more classic game recreation teams didn't make their in-progress work available for download, so that others could pick up where they left off when their projects died.

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Wed May 17, 2006 4:57 am

dreammaster wrote:Take my situation, for example.. I'm currently working on disassembling Lure of the Temptress, and whilst I've got a text file containing all my notes about the game formats so far, it's starting to get bulky with all of my method references, data structures, etc. A wiki might prove useful, so I could properly lay out the various data structures in proper tables, and have quick links between related information.

You could use the ScummVM Wiki for this. Reverse engineered engine information has been added to the wiki for other ScummVM engine projects, so there should be no problem adding your findings for lure to it.

dreammaster · Post by **dreammaster** » Fri May 19, 2006 5:20 am

You could use the ScummVM Wiki for this. Reverse engineered engine information has been added to the wiki for other ScummVM engine projects, so there should be no problem adding your findings for lure to it.

I know I can use the ScummVM Wiki. I just figured that if Dark-Star was serious about setting up his own website, I could contribute towards it.

But if not, yeh, I can use the existing Wiki.

Dark-Star · Post by **Dark-Star** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:54 am

I'm currently working on it. I've got the web server but it still needs some configuration so that the wiki will run smooth (php/apache settings).

Maybe I'll have something to show by this weekend, we'll see

Dark-Star · Post by **Dark-Star** » Sat May 20, 2006 1:29 pm

Okay, here's the Wiki:

http://rewiki.regengedanken.de/

Not yet much on it, I just started editing some stuff. Feel free to register (optional) and dump your stuff in there. SQL is backed up regularily, although any (image-)uploads are not (at least not yet).

If anyone has an idea for a nice logo, it would also be appreciated

E-Male · Post by **E-Male** » Mon May 22, 2006 2:14 pm

do you want the wiki to be about reverse-engeneering of closed games only or can i also add information about games that have had their source officially released?