Shh!

[iago]

Do you have the program that puts the protection on it?  If so, just compare the before/after mapfiles.  There's a linux program called "diff", but I think that only works on Ascii files.  I'm not sure what you can use for binary files on windows.

[idoL]

That's a good idea, I have a Linux but I don't think "diff" will show me what happens before and after on a map file. Got any other methods of comparing?

[Adron]

fc works.

[Tuberload]

Hex Workshop can compare two files. It shouldn't be to hard.

[Soul Taker]

I tried comparing a locked and non-locked map before, it seems like a TON of data is just missing in the locked version.  Also, IIRC, I remember there being discussion back on the CamSys boards about deleting information, such as information about the terrain, that wasn't specifically checked by the game, but is by the map editor.

[Adron]

Sounds possible. Then all you have to do is make a tool to rebuild a map file? You need to be able to load and save maps, and replace any data that doesn't exist in the map being loaded with the defaults that the game uses?

[idoL]

Sounds possible. Then all you have to do is make a tool to rebuild a map file? You need to be able to load and save maps, and replace any data that doesn't exist in the map being loaded with the defaults that the game uses?

It's harder then it sounds, but yes that is what you do, I hex'd a map by replacing missing data, and it opend, now to write a program to do that.

[Spht]

It's harder then it sounds, but yes that is what you do, I hex'd a map by replacing missing data, and it opend

Sounds pretty easy then.

[MyndFyre]

Sounds possible. Then all you have to do is make a tool to rebuild a map file? You need to be able to load and save maps, and replace any data that doesn't exist in the map being loaded with the defaults that the game uses?

It's harder then it sounds, but yes that is what you do, I hex'd a map by replacing missing data, and it opend, now to write a program to do that.

Of course, then the issue is -- how do you know what the missing data is?  If you *have* the missing data, then you pretty much have the unprotected map!  The data is distinct for any particular map.

[Adron]

Sounds possible. Then all you have to do is make a tool to rebuild a map file? You need to be able to load and save maps, and replace any data that doesn't exist in the map being loaded with the defaults that the game uses?

It's harder then it sounds, but yes that is what you do, I hex'd a map by replacing missing data, and it opend, now to write a program to do that.

Of course, then the issue is -- how do you know what the missing data is?  If you *have* the missing data, then you pretty much have the unprotected map!  The data is distinct for any particular map.

If the map is playable without the missing data, it can't be required and critical data. It's just something the map editor wants, but doesn't affect the map as it's played. So... Redundant and should be recreatable!

[MyndFyre]

If the map is playable without the missing data, it can't be required and critical data. It's just something the map editor wants, but doesn't affect the map as it's played. So... Redundant and should be recreatable!

I'm sure it is recreatable ;-)  My point was, using a hex editor to compare the differences between a protected map and a non-protected map won't help.

This is the information I got about WC3 map protection from the link I posted on page 1:

- Hiding the war3map.j file in "scripts\"
- Changing the MPQ headersize information
- Code obfustication

Evidently, that information "breaks" the map editor which relies on it, but is not crucial in the map (perhaps triggers are somehow *compiled* into an MPQ that is used by the game, but the .j file is there for the editor?) for the game.  It also appears that the MPQ header size information is disregarded by the game, but it breaks the map editor.

[idoL]

I was reffering to it was hard to find the data then it is to replace it.

[Soul Taker]

If the map is playable without the missing data, it can't be required and critical data. It's just something the map editor wants, but doesn't affect the map as it's played. So... Redundant and should be recreatable!

I'm sure it is recreatable ;-)  My point was, using a hex editor to compare the differences between a protected map and a non-protected map won't help.

This is the information I got about WC3 map protection from the link I posted on page 1:

- Hiding the war3map.j file in "scripts\"
- Changing the MPQ headersize information
- Code obfustication

Evidently, that information "breaks" the map editor which relies on it, but is not crucial in the map (perhaps triggers are somehow *compiled* into an MPQ that is used by the game, but the .j file is there for the editor?) for the game.  It also appears that the MPQ header size information is disregarded by the game, but it breaks the map editor.

It also says it deletes numerous files in the MPQ that are only used by the world editor, such as a file that contains camera angle settings, that will cause the world editor to error if it doesn't find them.

[MyndFyre]

If the map is playable without the missing data, it can't be required and critical data. It's just something the map editor wants, but doesn't affect the map as it's played. So... Redundant and should be recreatable!

I'm sure it is recreatable ;-)  My point was, using a hex editor to compare the differences between a protected map and a non-protected map won't help.

This is the information I got about WC3 map protection from the link I posted on page 1:

- Hiding the war3map.j file in "scripts\"
- Changing the MPQ headersize information
- Code obfustication

Evidently, that information "breaks" the map editor which relies on it, but is not crucial in the map (perhaps triggers are somehow *compiled* into an MPQ that is used by the game, but the .j file is there for the editor?) for the game.  It also appears that the MPQ header size information is disregarded by the game, but it breaks the map editor.

It also says it deletes numerous files in the MPQ that are only used by the world editor, such as a file that contains camera angle settings, that will cause the world editor to error if it doesn't find them.

Adron's point is that those files in the MPQ must be redundant in some way, because the maps are still playable without them.

My point was that using a hex editor won't be the optimal way to do it, because it requires having the original file, unless you're so l33t that you can figure out the data structures just by looking at the raw data.  

[Tuberload]

My point was that using a hex editor won't be the optimal way to do it, because it requires having the original file, unless you're so l33t that you can figure out the data structures just by looking at the raw data.  

No simply looking at the difference probably wont present the missing data but it is a viable part of figuring out file formats. It gives you insight on how much is missing and where, and then you can start figuring out the structure through reverse engineering.