User:Mysterioso

AKA Eye of Antares (on REwiki, defunct) / ETTiNGRiNDER (most places)

Tools of the trade

Some stuff I use.

• ICY Hexplorer - A really good hex editor for Windows, with wide compatibility with OS versions from 9x through to modern ones and with WINE on *NIX-style systems. Includes handy features such as disassembly of x86 opcodes and a pixel view mode that is sometimes useful for helping to locate graphical data.

List of games/formats of interest

Projects - Current areas of focus

• Abuse - Working on better documentation for formats / modding
  • Dark Angael - Based on the Abuse engine, probably same or similar formats. (Windows 9x)
• Heretic - Particularly HHE / EXE patching
• Hexen - Deeper clarification of various modding aspects, EXE patching

Projects - Random dabbling (may or may not dig deeper)

• Chasm: The Rift - An unofficial engine remake exists which might be a good place to look for further format information; the author probably understands the inner workings better than I do
• Conquered Kingdoms - Some graphics in Deluxe Paint format.
• Dark Legions - Still need to finish recovering/re-checking info I put on REwiki some years ago; there are also aspects that remain to be discovered. Map format is mostly known, graphics formats are somewhat known
  • Fantasy Empires - Appears to share some similarities; a cursory look suggests that it probably uses an older iteration of the Dark Legions DAT format
• Dungeon of Death (Kapps) - Looks to use renamed/packaged PCX files for much of the graphics. (Check for disambiguation on the title before adding)
• Gandalf - Package format looks to be simple and uncompressed, likewise the levels.
• Hammer of the Gods - Map format partially decoded (terrain but not cities/dungeons). Some graphics probably an easy shot too.
• Star Goose - Basics of graphics and level format are now known. EXE patching is needed for full level editing possibility.
• Stalker (Path of Fire, MM Software) - Package file looks to be simple and uncompressed, PCX and MIDI files inside.
• Warlords - Some graphics in Deluxe Paint format, map file looks to be uncompressed but unsure of some of its data.
• Disciples - official map editor exists (with some bugs/omissions), possible third-party graphics extractor. I know a few map format tweaks to achieve things the map editor doesn't cover. (Windows 9x)
• Mageslayer - The games contain debug codes that would be useful to jump-start RE of the level format. Some official and third party tools from the early years have also been found that should be further investigated. (Windows 9x)
  • Take No Prisoners - Same engine and largely same/similar formats it would appear. (Windows 9x)

Projects - Older / retired / done

• Witchaven - Most formats are understood, sound system and save game format need work
• Witchaven II - Most formats are understood, sound system and save game format need work

Wish list (games with known info/mods missing from this wiki)

• Blake Stone - Extant mods and utilities not yet documented on this wiki
• Corridor 7 - Extant utilities not yet documented on this wiki
• Dungeon Master - Most mods seem to use an unofficial Windows port but there might be some DOS format info / tools out there - check this
• Master of Magic - Insecticide mod (bugfix), possibly some other DOS mods remain available.
• Warcraft - Custom scenarios were made by hacking savegame files, using a Windows 16-bit utility by BJ Pollard. A few other utilities like Stratlas and WarDraft may also have viewing functionality. Archive format may be shared with Warcraft II. Shareware/Demo version may have used an older format.
• Warcraft II - file format docs exist, official map editor, some extant 3rd party tools
• El-Fish - There is some format documentation out there: [1]

Wish list (games without known info)

• Alien Breed
• Alien Rampage
• Blackthorne (AKA Blackhawk in some versions)
• CyClones - Possibly same/similar engine to Shadowcaster? There seems to be some knowledge on extracting images
• Demon Stalkers - Comes with some editing capability, no surviving mods?
• Gauntlet II - DOS port is competent, albeit with only PC speaker sound. A graphics/text mod (with questionable content) also exists.
• Gods - A Java remake exists with level editing capacity but no modding for the original game that I am aware of
• Iron Blood
• Shadowcaster - A few things here and there are known, but more is needed to do more than just rip the resources
• Thor's Hammer
• Dark Vengeance - Developer comments suggested that modding support was intended, but no specs/tools were released that I am aware of. (Windows 9x)
• Deathtrap Dungeon - Possibly already known how to extract graphics (Windows 9x)
• Fire Fight (Windows 9x)
• Get Medieval - official level editor exists (seems hard to use), no custom level releases that I'm aware of (Windows 9x)

Wish list (file formats)

• Human Machine Interfaces MIDI Format - Complete, detailed specs for various versions would be useful for Abuse, Dark Legions, Witchaven, Witchaven II and many others not on my personal list.