Modyfied Demo MP Missions

[klavan 0]

Well I was looking for a way to repalce the Humvves .50 with Strykers, in order to balance the missions (in my opinion OPFOR have some unfair advantage using BDRMs against jeeps) but I have some probs.

I've decompressed the the PBO with WinPBO (don't redirect me to Eliteness since I can't get it to work and after reading some other threads I came to the conlcusion that other tools should works fine for mission files at least) and I've opened the SQM file using the latest CHOPSE version but I found such file incredibly messed up (an issue that I've no experienced opening with files from user made missions for ArmA). Eventually I found the classname for the vehicles to replace, then I had re-PBO the files and put it in the addon folder but after starting the demo to test the result the missions doesn't even appears in the menu.

I wonder if the bisign files have something to do with my problem.

Any hint?

Thank you.

Klavan

[Homer Johnston 0]

i suspect (but have no evidence) that BIS has some sort of code job implemented so that the demo STAYS as just... the demo. are you in North America too? lol

[Ironsight 1]

Eventually I found the classname for the vehicles to replace, then I had re-PBO the files and put it in the addon folder but after starting the demo to test the result the missions doesn't even appears in the menu.

You used WINPBO to re-PBO them? If so, try another program.

[klavan 0]

You used WINPBO to re-PBO them? If so, try another program.

Yes I did. I will tri make PBO then.

@HomerJohnston

No, I'm italian.

Klavan

[Heatseeker 0]

Its obvious that not all the Arma vehicles are present in the demo so the stryker was a bad idea but yeah, the PBO signatures must be the way to prevent people from modifying the files.

Its too bad because i would have liked to try out the 2 helos in a scenario that doesnt "lag" (CTI lags bad, coop is much smoother).

Edit:

Maybe it works if you rename the mission (sqm and pbo) and dont override the official mission PBO's (just add it like a new mission), i just dont feel like messing around with it..

[klavan 0]

Its obvious that not all the Arma vehicles are present in the demo so the stryker was a bad idea but yeah, the PBO signatures must be the way to prevent people from modifying the files.

Its too bad because i would have liked to try out the 2 helos in a scenario that doesnt "lag" (CTI lags bad, coop is much smoother).

Edit:

Maybe it works if you rename the mission (sqm and pbo) and dont override the official mission PBO's (just add it like a new mission), i just dont feel like messing around with it..

Wheeled.pbo size is 65,0mb for the demo. If you're right full version pbo should be larger. Anyone can canfirm this?

BTW i'm going to try both methods: different compression tool and different names for the missions/pbo.

I'll let you know later.

Klavan

edit

I was talking about messed up SQM above, here an example:

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It's not complete, but you get the idea!

[Heatseeker 0]

Well, thats very... ugly .

Replace empty hmmwv in coop with blackhawk (see CTI's sqm), rename folder and PBO, i think Kegs toolset included PBO packer?

Maybe there are some vehicles that were not used in the demo missions but seems doubtfull since they would be a waste of space.

Let us know if it works .

[Ironsight 1]

Its obvious that not all the Arma vehicles are present in the demo so the stryker was a bad idea but yeah, the PBO signatures must be the way to prevent people from modifying the files.

Still the missions should show up in the menu. It would just give an error when the mission starts if the vehicles are missing.

Quote[/b] ]Wheeled.pbo size is 65,0mb for the demo. If you're right full version pbo should be larger. Anyone can canfirm this?

I will check tonight what's included and try to add a list of classnames used in the demo. If not tonight, I will do it tomorrow.

[baddo 0]

Hi

I used Kegetys' cpbo and unRap to examine the demo's files and those programs seemed to work without errors.

I couldn't get a modified MPMissions.pbo loaded into the demo. Must be the .bisign file in the way, it obviously includes a checksum of the .pbo and if you go and modify the .pbo then the checksum doesn't match anymore and your .pbo gets rejected. Removing the .bisign file did not help.

I'm curious if someone has found a way around this little problem (other than buying the game). It's OK BIS, we are all going to buy the game anyways so you're not losing anything

How are the mission pbo's made in the full version? Does the mission editor create a .bisign file when you export a mission as a pbo, or is the .bisign not needed at all there?

Best Regards,

Baddo.

[klavan 0]

If think Baddo is right and my latest attempts seems to confirm that the bisign file have something to do with this: every time I try to load the demo I received an error message about "corrupted data" obviously referring to the modified mission files.

Maybe someone from BIS could say something about this.

I've tried to put an user's made MP mission in the addon folder, but again without success.

Klavan

[Ironsight 1]

I've tried to put an user's made MP mission in the addon folder, but again without success.

Make sure it's on Saralite and not Sara. Are there any missions made on Saralite yet?

[klavan 0]

Make sure it's on Saralite and not Sara. Are there any missions made on Saralite yet?

Yes I've renamed the file name and changed the SQM to match the addons requirements.

Klavan

[jphilapy 0]

If think Baddo is right and my latest attempts seems to confirm that the bisign file have something to do with this: every time I try to load the demo I received an error message about "corrupted data" obviously referring to the modified mission files.  

Maybe someone from BIS could say something about this.

I've tried to put an user's made MP mission in the addon folder, but again without success.  

Klavan

Hi klavan,

If you can modify the mission in the demo, then what's to keep you from making your own mission? If you can make your own missions, then what's to keep you from making more? If you can make more then why buy arma?

I don't believe bis would make the demo editable, nor want it to be edited.

Go buy the full game and then you have all the editing tools at your finger tips and no need to try to figure out how to hack the demo.

Jeff

[Ironsight 1]

If you can modify the mission in the demo, then what's to keep you from making your own mission?

The fact that there's no mission editor.

[baddo 0]

I don't believe bis would make the demo editable, nor want it to be edited.

I fully agree. There is no doubt about BIS not wanting us to start modifying the demo or adding content for it so, if it is not possible then it is perfectly OK for me.

Baddo

[klavan 0]

Hi klavan,

If you can modify the mission in the demo, then what's to keep you from making your own mission? If you can make your own missions, then what's to keep you from making more? If you can make more then why buy arma?

I don't believe bis would make the demo editable, nor want it to be edited.

Go buy the full game and then you have all the editing tools at your finger tips and no need to try to figure out how to hack the demo.

Jeff

Sure I will buy the game when will be out in Italy, mine was only an attempt to correct something wrong in the missions not to hack the demo (thisi is far far beyod my abilities and my will too).

And after all I agree with BIS that demo missions have to be "protected" in some way.

Well I will enjoy what's in my hands 'till now.

Klavan

[mattxr 9]

Hello, Anyone remeber the ofp demo when people messed with the demo mission.sqs to created difffernt demo missions to make things better or worse Its just history repeating itself.. i dont think theres any harm done, its just mission file, not the engine.

[jphilapy 0]

Hello, Anyone remeber the ofp demo when people messed with the demo mission.sqs to created difffernt demo missions to make things better or worse   Its just history repeating itself.. i dont think theres any harm done, its just mission file, not the engine.

Well the damage in the eyes of any business that wishes to be sucessful is always the loss of profit. If you can make your software more difficult to hack, i.e., create more buyers, then you increase your profit right? If you increase your profit then you have a level of sucess, but if you lose that profit then you have a level of damage. So it seems obvious to me that BIS is concerned to create buyers of their game. How do you do that? By preventing people from getting it for free.

How much or how little is harmful to BIS? That is completely up to them to judge. However my point is, it seems apparent from the design of the demo, and my own understanding as a developer that they are not interested in demo users hacking the demo. The very existence of the demo itself paints that picture. The purpose of it is so that you will buy the game. Not a freebie for the community to toy with. Clearly it is a marketing tool intent on increasing profit. Why go that far and not go the rest of the way to secure that profit?

Jeff