CheckRevision MPQs

[dizzy]

Hi

Can someone point me to some docs covering these mpqs ? (IX86verX.mpq, etc) I whould like to know details about that MPQ if its special than others, I understant it stores a single dll, what functions should that DLL provide ? (seems kinda hard working with MPQs and checking DLL symbol table under linix ).

My end purpose is basically trying to completly recode and replace such a MPQ with a custom made one that should work on Blizzard clients so that redistributing such a file does not fall in any of Blizzard's copyrights but under the creator's (which will use a GPL license).

Thanks!

[Arta]

That won't work. The MPQs are signed.

[UserLoser]

They only export one function, CheckRevision, but like Arta said...won't work

[Joe[x86]]

If you're just trying to make running CheckRevision legal, it's already been reimplemented several times, for example, (M)BNCSutil and BnetAuth.

[dizzy]

I wanted both things, one to have an alternative implementation of CheckRevision of IX86ver1.mpq which as you said its already available in many places and to use this to make my own DLL, my own IX86ver1.mpq to be recognized by clients but as people said (and as I feared) the mpq is digitally signed that no mpq made by me will be recognized by clients. Thus here a solution is to use a loader for the clients to disable the signature check (or replace the public key with my own).

Another question I have, does anyone knows the legal status of these files downloaded from battle.net (IX86ver1.mpq, icons.bni, etc) ? I mean one can get them (with a bnftp client) without having to agree to any EULA or TOS so under which license to they belong to ?

[pandaemonium]

I have another - yet closly connected question about signed MPQs.
Where is this signature checking happening ?
Is it happening somewhere in mpq-loading related functions in the storm.dll ?

[Arta]

Another question I have, does anyone knows the legal status of these files downloaded from battle.net (IX86ver1.mpq, icons.bni, etc) ? I mean one can get them (with a bnftp client) without having to agree to any EULA or TOS so under which license to they belong to ?

Broadly speaking, the licence that you agree to when installing a game. Blizzard has copyright on those files: it sets the terms under which they may be used, even if you haven't agreed to an EULA. This obviously does not mean that by using the files you agree to an EULA you haven't read; rather, that the rights that are reserved for copyright owners are reserved whether or not you read or agree to any contract. It's entirely likely that just using bnftp to grab these files is copyright infringement, although you may have some fair use defence if your nation's copyright laws permit and depending on how you use the files you download.

I did speak to an intellectual property attorney about TestBNCS some time ago, and my advice to you is the following: do what you are doing for the fun of it. Understand that Blizzard can and may use their rights to prevent you from doing whatever you are doing. There is practically nothing you can do in this field for which an argument cannot be made that you are infringing some aspect of copyright law, especially if you are in the US. If that prospect bothers you, don't start! If, as is more likely, you are doing it for fun, then just carry on. Forget about copyright and do what you like. Trying to keep your nose clean, as it were, is pointlessly impractical.

IANAL.