Finding cheats in games.

Post by **3DOKid** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:19 pm

OK. This is new to me. I've a got a burning desire to find a cheat in Novastorm. The save file just stores the high score and nothing else, but I have a feeling that the game contains an unlock code, something like: Left, Up, Up, Down, Right.

So, I ripped Novastorm to an ISO, then used UNcdrom.exe to convert it to a directory on my harddrive. I can see the directory structure and I have been using a HEX editor to examine the files in both HEX and ASCII.

So - far, so good. Thing is, I have no real idea what I'm looking for, or where I should be looking for it.

I've looked through "AppStartup" and that told me to go look inside of "Launchme", which I guess is the main meat of the code. The rest looks like data files, sound files, video files etc., I found references to the Save file names in Launchme and thought I might find reference to a secret name to enter into the high score table to unlock something - but no luck. I can find the table - just no clues.

I found the phrase "AAAaarrrrrgggggghghhhhhh!" in that file too - but I'm guessing that's some prgrammers stress relief.

I did find, just before the text for the credits, the ASCII code "LLUDR", which I thought might be left, left, up, down, right, etc., but so far no luck... how were these cheats found in days of yore?

...

3DO Kid.

CrimsonGlory · Post by **CrimsonGlory** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:43 am

I dont think I ever found a cheat "by accident"

remember in the 8 bit days where you got cheats by typing wacky phrases during the title screen or high score table.

Enter "Humphery Bogart" on Untouchables for the Spectrum for LEVEL SELECT!!!!!1111111one

bonefish · Post by **bonefish** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:27 am

I think most codes were found as a result of players being told the codes. Remember those tip-lines back in the day? They placed easter eggs in the games and if you call that $10 per min 900 number then you get teh codez. That may explain some codes but not all of course.

Post by **3DOKid** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:31 pm

I went back to this, and loading up the entire Novastorm ISO in a hex editor i did a search of the phrase "cheat" and bingo, there it was, along with the word 'toggle'... (very very very fustrating, anyone know hwo to prrogress this?)

Post by **3DO Experience** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:58 pm

I have no info on cheats for that game, but I don't have everything either. I don't want to make you loose hope but that could be disabled code from the debugging process...

Post by **3DOKid** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:09 pm

Ban request. Overtly negative. (Law #123,21,004)

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:32 am

You're probably not going to get too far digging through the LaunchMe -- that's a compiled, binary file. You may get occasional text, but not much. If they stored a cheat code anywhere as literal text, you might luck out, but don't count on it. Especially if you're looking for button-combo codes.

Post by **3DO Experience** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:47 am

3DOKid wrote:Ban request. Overtly negative. (Law #123,21,004)

Ban request ACCEPTED. Please allow 3 to 5 working days for me to delete my account.

Post by **3DOKid** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:00 am

3DO Experience wrote:
3DOKid wrote:Ban request. Overtly negative. (Law #123,21,004)
Ban request ACCEPTED. Please allow 3 to 5 working days for me to delete my account.

Double BAN request. Overtly sarcastic.

BryWI · Post by **BryWI** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:19 pm

I haven't finished building the sarcastic text detector yet. I'll go get a going away card for everyone to sign now.

Post by **3DO Experience** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:42 pm

Double BAN requests take twice as long. Please allow 6 to 10 working days for me to delete my account.

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:36 pm