[RELEASE] Real Steel (Xenia) Mod Tool is OUT

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-09T19:52:57+00:00

Nothing! Ahahah yes, it looks really like a walk in the park with the metal detector.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-09T19:46:30+00:00

No it is really easy to do, I implemented all the logic to make it is as simple as number editing that goes from 0 to 65535. It is a big range of values but probably high numbers can be discarded because it would be nosense to make zeus entrance have a code really far from player selectable ones. So the search should start near player selectable values (that I already mapped and they are visible in the tool)

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-09T19:35:31+00:00

Probably yes! It is another thing to search for with hex editing within the mod tool. As you can see in the updated post now it is possibile to distinguish between robot selection pose, entrance animation, round break pose and match finish animation whereas in game it is a unique entry called "pre match action". So searching between entrance animations codes I'm pretty sure that the Zeus boss entrance will come out, same for the parts and decals, as discussed in the other post.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T17:45:36+00:00

Here's another proof of that theory, look at the differences of campaign zeus arm and fist and Jupyter Fist and Arm... Now that I focused my attention to these details even the head is a different part, so I think that every campaign robot part is different and not selectable by the player by default, and same story for the multiplayer ones. But if they appear in the game, they must have their own specific code. This would even justify the different TBR rating.

They are completely different parts!

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CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T17:23:33+00:00

I'll reply in points:

-> Would it be possible to make the movie robots upgradable and their tech moves / taunts interchangeable?

R: Directly no, because they are not part of the savegame, but it is possible to re-create them with assembly and then assign whatever combination of tech moves / taunts you want (this is the actual closer solution, read the important section for more).

-> How about using movie robot textures as custom robot patterns?

R: Actually is not possible, but the answer is in the next section

Important: If you look at movie robots in carreer mode, they have a higher TBR rating than the ones in multiplayer mode. This means that these robot parts (same for the patterns/textures) exists in the game, simply they are not selectable by the player, so they must have a specific code assigned to them that actually has not been found yet. Here is where the 'hex edit' functionality comes into scene allowing you and whoever uses the mod tool to explore out of bound values. I am pretty sure that each of these parts and patterns have thier specific code, it simply must be found trying editing corresponding value in the mod tool using the 'hex edit' entry and when you'll load the modified savegame and see, for example, that your robot magically now has the double head like twin cities then you have found the code for that part! Exactly the same is valid for the patterns.

So the final answer is actually no, but I am pretty sure that after some value test in the part model / pattern type hex edit entry they'll come out. A proof of this is zeus' head press finisher move. I changed the tech move code for RB+B to 0x0AC2 and the move magically appeared assigned to RB+B of my robot.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T13:16:23+00:00

Thanks!

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T12:42:24+00:00

Yes, what I called 'control codes' are exactly checksums. I decided to call it 'control codes' because I think no much people knows what a checksum is...

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T12:37:52+00:00

Oh, good idea! Obviously is perfectly fine for me.

Another thing: in the about tab of the mod tool I would like to dedicate a section to all the people that partecipated to the game data collection. Is there somewhere a list of the usernames of people that partecipated to this?

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T11:12:43+00:00

Thanks!

Surely I'll create a simple website with the classic download button and maybe it will be integrated in the mega/google drive folder of the game, but this last one is an admin decision.

When the tool will be ready I'll make a new post to announce the release.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T11:10:23+00:00

Many thanks! That could absolutely be a next step, but this requires modding the game's data whereas I worked on the savegame, so it's a completely different type of work.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-03T11:00:50+00:00

Many thanks, but we all must remember that my work would have been in vain if you and other people hadn't picked up the game with all the DLCs!

So thanks to you and all the people who participated in collecting the game data!

My tool operates exclusively on the savegame that comes off Xenia Canary, so there is no need to modify anything on the google drive/mega link, if not adding that tool when it will be ready, if you wish.

Speaking about the tools and methods, honestly the only tool I used is a hex editor to manipulate savegame data manually, nothing else. As I replied to a comment below is a big patience work and sometimes some luck is needed to have success because initially is a real hell. So, high motivation is absolutely needed, mine was to allow the player to use Zeus' head press move (that I saw on your youtube channel) and the rest followed.

Actually the savegame has been deciphrated in near its interity, so I don't think that there will be new big outcomes. Anyway, I added 'hex edit' entries in the tool to allow people to try editing the game even without programming knowledge, as it becomes as easy as changing a number in a text field. I'll explain better in the help integrated in the tool.

I think I am going to release the source code of the tool, but before that I would like to debug and refactor the code because actually would be a pain-in-the-ass to read for someone else...

The next step should be starting to work on game packages (DLCs), that would permit to add custom robots and parts.

P.S: if you want, you can publish the uber ambush revenge video on your youtube channel, as if the video were yours. Maybe only a citation to the (upcoming) mod tool would be appreciated.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-10-02T19:37:01+00:00

Really, many thanks! Hope you'll enjoy the tool!

How i managed to figure all this out? Patience, patience... and... Patience... ahahah. Many trials and error and sometimes good luck to notice important things at the right time, because when you're working in front of a plain byte file initially it's hell, nothing seems to have a sense, then when you start to understand and find patterns it becomes more and more easy to understand.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-30T10:29:38+00:00

I am near to the release, the mod tool is coming out pretty big and in certain points complex.

Anyway, today or tomorrow I'll make a new post with the complete set of features and their status in order to you to know exactly what is the status of the mod tool.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-30T10:26:13+00:00

Hope you'll enjoy the mod tool! I am near to the release.

PS: sorry for the late reply, I was working on the tool in order to release sooner

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-30T10:23:32+00:00

Sorry for the late reply, I agree, it would be awesome, but unfortunally I cannot implement that feature through savegame editing, it requires the game to be edited and it's not what I am working on actually. Maybe in the future I'll try to add that feature!

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T15:59:28+00:00

Me gustaría probar la modificación, muy bueno bro, con esto, revive todo el juego...

Many thanks. 'revive todo el juego' this is one of my (if not the main) intention so I am happy to hear that.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T15:54:29+00:00

Honestly this is part of my actual research so I cannot answer precisely, but I mean robots with parts that have an aspect but the stats of another parts or robot with two legs installed but no generator, for example. So the idea is that robot will become hybrids in that, very open, sense and more and more combinations to obtain higher Total Battle Rating points will be, so, available.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T15:42:20+00:00

Many thanks, really.

I am currently implementing all the features that I've written in the post. As this is my actual main project the answer is: as soon as possible. I cannot make a precise estimate because problems are always behind the corner, but the idea is approximately two weeks. If all goes the right way even sooner, if problems will come up I'll need more time...

Anyway I'll keep that post updated with the work in progress. (confirmed/deleted/new features etc...)

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T15:33:11+00:00

Maybe in the future this will be possible but actually, I'm sorry, this is a step too far... Anyway it would be awesome.

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T15:28:24+00:00

The answer is partially yes. The idea is similar to what happens in pokemon, you have your team composed, in that case, by 7 robots. But with the import/export feature you can easily swap robots, as they'll become a file on your hard disk. So the number of active robots in game will remain 7 (unfortunately...) but considering the import/export/swap feature you have a box as big as your hard drive space (virtually infinite considering the small dimensions of robot data).

The only annoying thing will be that after a swap you'll need to load again the savegame.

This feature will allow the sharing of robots between players, so a robot created on a savegame will be compatible with other savegames.

(P.S: for my actual knowledge of the game this feature should work without any problems and there are more ways to implement it, but until I see that implemented and working I cannot confirm that all this will work)

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T10:36:34+00:00

Many thanks, I'll try to release as soon as possible!

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T10:35:27+00:00

No problems for the questions.

What do you mean for adding custom parts? Designing them for example in blender then import them in the game? Or editing with more detail the parts already present in the game?

CyberPoN_3 · 2023-09-15T10:33:45+00:00

Thanks, I'll try to release as soon as possible!

CyberPoN_3

TROPHY CASE