can i route game actions to other software programs?

[wockenfuss]

okay, i'm new to game hacking. here's what i want to do: i'd like to have the actions performed on screen, either by the player, or by computer-controlled characters, trigger customized sounds.
i don't actually want to load a new sound bank into the game itself, though.

essentially, i want to be able to turn all the game actions into triggers for processes outside of the game itself (for example max/msp, if you're familiar with that software).

i'm not sure if this is clear, but if anyone thinks they understand what i'm getting at and know if it's possible, i'd love to get some help on it.

thanks!

bc

[grimdoomer]

for what halo 2 or pc what? if alo2 then do you mean a script?

[FullMetalParka]

If I understand you correctly, you want to make a sound go off every time a certain action happens whether it be via an AI or the player?

Example: Play a beep sound when a grenade is thrown?

Am I right?

EDIT: Could you post a link to the Max developer's documentation (if there is one?) If there is an interface to input commands to the program, there may be a way. If you were to use a trainer-like program, and find where each offset for each value you would like to be "alerted" to upon change, you could theoretically get the trainer-like program to read those changes, and convert each change into code that Max (or whatever DSP processing program) can understand. That kind of stuff is way beyond my knowledge, though. Maybe some other members could help you out.

[wockenfuss]

fullmetalparka, you're pretty much right on the money in terms of what i'd like to do.

here's a link to the developer's documentation for PureData (the program i'm actually using, which is essentially an open-source version of Max/MSP):

http://puredata.info/docs/developer

i should be able to figure out getting the data into Pd once i knew how to get it out of the game.

can you tell me a bit more about what a trainer program is (like i said before, i'm totally new to modding/etc.) and how one might track down which offset values correspond to what? that might allow me to get started.

thanks for the help.

[FullMetalParka]

I don't know of any programs that would watch the offsets for change and then send a command to PureData, and I'd imagine that it would need to be done from scratch. The offsets for all the Halo data are in a list around here somewhere. Iron_Forge made a list of all the offsets, back before HMT or the other modding tools had the kind of scope that they do now. That kind of thing is way beyond my expertise, unfortunately, so I would be of very little help programming it. I'm sure some of the more experienced programmers would be able to help you.

[Altimit01]

Those offsets won't come in handy because they're offsets in ROM and if I understand you correctly, you want to be reading the data while it's in use aka RAM.

The tools for reading and editing this data are known as trainers.
Cheatengine and Tsearch are the names I've most commonly seen around but it's been awhile.

There's also a tutorial posted in this very section here that would get you started on some basic trainer programming.

This sounds like a very interesting project you're doing. Some sort of musical interpretation of Halo Gameplay? Or possibly play without seeing. Anyways good luck.

[FullMetalParka]

Those offsets won't come in handy because they're offsets in ROM and if I understand you correctly, you want to be reading the data while it's in use aka RAM.

The tools for reading and editing this data are known as trainers.
Cheatengine and Tsearch are the names I've most commonly seen around but it's been awhile.

There's also a tutorial posted in this very section here that would get you started on some basic trainer programming.

This sounds like a very interesting project you're doing. Some sort of musical interpretation of Halo Gameplay? Or possibly play without seeing. Anyways good luck.

Actually, I was thinking of reading the offsets in the program itself. For example, make the program watch the offset for the amount of grenades you have for change. When the number goes down or up, send a command to Max.

[Altimit01]

That's what I basically just said. RAM is where the program is during runtime, constantly changing it's values. ROM is the stuff like mapfiles and the compiled .exe. Trainers access RAM, map editors and minor executable hacks access ROM. Ergo, trainers access the process of the program while it's running. So looking into Tsearch (and the Trainer making programs based off of it) and Cheatengine are the way to go. IF's offset list is all ROM information. And it only relates to mapfiles anyways. From what he's said, he basically wants a trainer but one that does something very unique and interfaces with PD rather than altering gameplay.

[FullMetalParka]

That's what I basically just said. RAM is where the program is during runtime, constantly changing it's values. ROM is the stuff like mapfiles and the compiled .exe. Trainers access RAM, map editors and minor executable hacks access ROM. Ergo, trainers access the process of the program while it's running. So looking into Tsearch (and the Trainer making programs based off of it) and Cheatengine are the way to go. IF's offset list is all ROM information. And it only relates to mapfiles anyways. From what he's said, he basically wants a trainer but one that does something very unique and interfaces with PD rather than altering gameplay.

Of course. You're right. Duuuh, I need to get more sleep .

[xbox7887]

Actually he couldn't be more wrong

[Altimit01]

Really? Please explain. I should have probably used primary and secondary storage rather than RAM and ROM but for the most part it's true. At least to my knowledge.

[xbox7887]

ROM is the stuff like mapfiles and the compiled .exe. Trainers access RAM, map editors and minor executable hacks access ROM.

ROM - Read Only Memory
RAM - Random Access Memory

You have your terminology mixed up a bit

[Altimit01]

Wait a minute, files can be pretty much be considered ROM even if that isn't the exact term. They exist in storage. What he wants to edit is in memory. The stuff that only exists when programs are running.