Cracks

Saccade · 07-06-2009, 05:25 PM

Can we talk about this kind of thing here? There's nothing saying yes or no that I can find.

ie - how to; help with; what for

**Chris** · 07-06-2009, 05:41 PM

Most of the games we have on site are cracked anyway, so yes.

*The Fifth Horseman* · 07-06-2009, 05:49 PM

Yes, except ones for recent games (for rather obvious reasons).

Saccade · 07-06-2009, 06:44 PM

Cool.

Me and Lemming are having some problems with Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego.

The copy protection is a bit like Microprose stuff - you have to choose the right word from the Desk Encyclopaedia (That originally came with the PC version only) otherwise the game just quits.

We've asked Geezer if he can help find the original docs, but if we could crack the protection that'd be really helpful too.

I used to be able to do this with some really old games (like, when F-15 Strike Eagle first came out - hey, that's not on AB...) and that was usually by accident using the old hexdecimal editors - it was just a case of 00 00'ing the relevant section.

Does that still work for "newer" games like WITICS?

If not, how would we could try to it do you think?

**Chris** · 07-06-2009, 06:57 PM

Try RawCopy, it cracks many DOS Games. Works in DOSBox like a "normal" old game.

The_Lemming · 07-06-2009, 07:18 PM

I tried it, it says it is a different version than that supported by RAWCOPY.

Saccade · 07-06-2009, 08:09 PM

http://www.textfiles.com/piracy/CRACKING/mhpcnws1.txt
http://www.textfiles.com/piracy/CRACKING

[ed]
I just ran the cracker software and even though it said "may not work", I haven't had to even enter any copy protection stuff yet...
But that could be because I just haven't played enough yet!

We could always try to find a different version from another Abandonware site..?

If we get these sorted, we'll have every Carmen game that there was (except the remakes).
That'd be good - no other site has that.

You can find the other tools you need quite easily through a search engine.
http://www.plunder.com/-download-83770.htm
http://www.bookcase.com/library/soft...l.binedit.html

The_Lemming · 07-06-2009, 11:11 PM

If the copy-protect question were to occur, it would have occurred right after the first case, upon apprehending the suspect. The Chief will then say, "One last test before your promotion." Then it should ask for the bold-faced word on page <x> of your Desk Encyclopedia. I ran the RAWCOPY, got the message "may not work because this is a different version", ran the game, and still got asked.

Saccade · 08-06-2009, 12:13 PM

Yeah - happened to me, too.

I've managed to do it manually (almost) but so far have only removed the text asking you to enter the word and the box you type in. That isn't very helpful, huh?

Problem is, I have no idea where the copy-protect is in the exe - I thought I'd found it but it was the CALL script for moving between meeting the first two people.

I need a programme that can run in the background to let me know what hex address I'm at. Can't find one though...

I need to remove the hexdec value that CALLs the whole thing and have it skip over the whole copyprotect thing - I have a feeling, based upon the address where I think it may be (Though there is a CALL command very early on), that it'll take some time.

I thought that I'd cracked it, but then it wouldn't let you go back into to lobby, no matter how many times you clicked it wouldn't let you - then it'd start at the beginning "please enter your name" bit.

Gah!

I'll get it eventually!

(or find a cracked copy or hopefully the codes!)

Saccade · 13-06-2009, 12:08 PM

this is really pissing me off - I can't find the right CALL statement to change to JMP...