The near future of Manalink 2.0 (or 3.0)

[0rion79]

Oh, just for records, I've tried to save a CSV file into dat starting the count from ID 2000: the csv2dat.exe converter gives an error message and doesn't convert the file.

[gmzombie]

i believe Harry pitfal was also heavly involved in changing the exe to 30000 card codes. here are some snipits from some of the txts from the zips of their releases
"Space in executable file is increased to allow other modders to code new cards - you'll find the cards array has moved to offet 15AA000, and new cards can be added by replacing the Dummy entries from 16C470 onwards."
"I have made these changes by editing the raw assembly code for the Magic game, and tested stability myself for Single Player and sealed games. Although I've tried to be thorough, there are almost certainly things I've missed, which is bound to increase the number of 'random' crashes.

- I am sure that the 30,000 limit in the new array size will not be acheivable. I can see that there are other limits in the game that will likely kick in at more like 3,000 cards or possibly even less. Still, this mod has definitely created more usable space!"

[0rion79]

Look, I'm still in touhc with Harry P. He is a talented coder but he left due to some personal disagreements about the spirit of cards coding. If we wank him back to help, I may try to write him...

Also, if any of you wants to try to make any experiment with a magic.exe running several dat files with more than 2000 cards total, there is the need to edit the csv2dat.exe file first.
My advice is to create a CSV file with, eg, cards from 0 to 3999 where, let's say, cards from 2500 to 3999 are empty slots. The csv2dat.exe needs new imput to create not a single dat file but to split the original CSV file in more dat files (let's say called cards.dat; cards1.dat; cards2.dat ecc.) and then "tell" Magic.exe to look each of them at once.

[Gargaroz]

Orion, if you ask Harry P., please ask him if there's a way to update the SkyMagic Editor, so we could implement all the new infos we got about CSV.

[foolosopher]

Hey Orion,
anything you can get from Harry P. would be useful even his notes. Source code is number 1 choice, but I would be interested in instructions on what he did, ollydbg or the adresses of the tables he changed and the exact size of the tables towards 30000 (my estimate is 29218 or close to that) but like I said anything he gives is welcome.

I would sure like to have had his help when looking for the 2000 limit.

[foolosopher]

Orion do you have any news from Harry p. ?

[0rion79]

Nope, not yet...

[gmzombie]

something i ran into the other night for those who dont follow the development threads i have the original modded deck builder from Mok when he was doing some debuging he made the program show cards that wernt coded...anyways Foolosopher had a few cards.dat files that had over 2000 cards and even in the deck.exe running on its own...(this is pre updating the icons and having to use magic.exe to run the bmp code) the program wouldnt even open up it errored out. So my belief and i believe someone else said it too that the 2k code has to be in other files as well..any thoughts?

[foolosopher]

Well I have mentioned that and a couple others including snacko I think.
Can you upload or send me Mok's modded deck builder, checked your site but couldn't find it? (Is there any chance you have sources from that? )

[0rion79]

I like so much when there are those brainstorming sessions

[gmzombie]

while i dont have the source...Mok was very hardpressed about putting out his source until it was totally done here is the file along with your added temp 2000 and temp2001 so you can see for yourself what it does. just add the cardart and cardartnew in to the folder to make it see pics or dont...it will still work.

[foolosopher]

Can it run as it is, I tried to load it independently, on a separate folder, but didn't load. Or do i have to add zipped files in a magic installation? There are also many dat files, probably your experiments.
Oh and many decks, have I gotten another treasure, or are those Mok's decks?

[gmzombie]

you need to copy the cardart and cardartnew folders from your installs. i didnt include them cause then the file was huge.
the decks are anything that has gm is mine...havent did a deck in forever now more interested in making the game work right before playing..i know weird..and the dat files are random ones from different times from different patches cards2000 and cards2001 are your files you made. i could never get the csv to rebuild after card 1999 in skymagic so im wondering how you did it. i think we should see about getting that fixed first.

[0rion79]

So,I've managed to speak with Harry Pitfall.
He told me to use a software called cheat engine: there is some advanced 'debugging' on that tool and one of then is "find all places that a pointer is referenced". There is a option on that tool that do all the work
Can be found at: http://cheatengine.org/
You just need to find where the card array is on memory, and ask the tool to find all places that place is referenced.

He as also been so kind to agree to answer some questions for you: just write here what you want to aks and I will forward it to him by e-mail. He is very busy, so most likely he won't register on the forum (but I hope that he will).

[gmzombie]

thats awesome Orion ill check into that this weekend..i thought he was still apart of the site already