Digging deeper into the data files
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:43 am
Well I've dug into the data files some time ago and did a bit of decoding of the things used there.
First of all: Command format
For example:
Melee:CM8SK4LV4BZ16TR25TA-5EX24PB70DM54AT1
CM - It seems to be 'how to handle an attack'.
Full command list:
CM1 - Block
CM2 - Invisibility (OH EW SAR)
CM3 - Launch Missle specified in PA parametr
CM4 - Physical damage
CM5 - Confuse
CM6 - Darkness (DES EW SAR)
CM7 - Spell Reflection (ZO BRO ROS)
CM8 - Physical damage
CM9 - Aura of Speed (OH IR ROS)
CM10 - Use Rope (Climb Down)
CM11 - Freeze life
CM12 - Aura of Dexterity (OH EW ROS)
CM13 - Aura of Wisdom (OH EW DAIN)
CM14 - Aura of Vitality (OH EW NETA)
CM15 - Aura of Strength (OH EW KU)
CM16 - Consume
CM32 - Launch associated projective (Bow/Sling)
CM33 - Spellshield (YA IR DAIN)
CM34 - Fireshield (FUL BRO NETA)
CM35 - Shield (YA IR)
CM36 - Healing
CM38 - Light (covers both FUL and FUL IR RA)
CM42 - Throw the active item
CM49 - Attack Minion (ZO EW KU)
CM50 - Guard Minion (ZO EW NETA)
CM54 - Teleport
SK - Skill number used. Skills from 0-3 are 'normal' visible skills (Fighter, Ninja, Priest, Wizard)
LV - minimal skill level for the command to appear
BZ - Stamina loss
TR - Fatigue ( the ammount of time before reusal of the weapon)
TA - Defence modifier
EX - Experience gained
PB - Hit Probality
DM - Damage done
Now spells:
{PAL}{DES}{EW}:CM3PA3ST150SK16LV4BZ24TR2TA-7EX25NC1SD253
The new parametrs here are:
PA - It seems to affect the projective launched. here's a table:
0 - Fireball
2 - Lightning
3 - Dispell
4 - Zo Spell
6 - Poison bolt
7 - Poison cloud
9 - Push spell
10 - Pull spell
NC - Charges used
ST - Spell strenght (Usually spell damage / duration for other spells)
SD - Unknown. Staves have this 253, Rouge staff has this 254, Bows have this 1.
Other paramets
AT - I'm not perfectly sure about this...
HN - Harm non-material - attack harms non-materials
RP - repeat (attack is dealt and is repeated x number of times)
Now: Undocumented features found in creatures.dat
It seems that most items have 'hidden features' of which none of the hint books/pages seem to mention about. Using Kentaro tools I managed to find this
It seems some weapons can influence the hidden skills. I've found this after I equiped Excsymyr and suddenly noticed that I could do a LUNGE attack with my rapier (I couldn't do it before). I've put the Excsymyr down and I couldn't. I later dug into the graphics.dat using Kentaro tools and found this:
Excsymyr has 'Value 23h' = 1.
Since 1Eh = Fighter main skill, and 20h = Priest main skill (taken from Fire Armour and SAR shield), then 21h = Wizard skill, and anything that comes after them is 'hidden skills'. So I started decoding them and this is what I've found:
Weapons
Kalan Gaunlet - Increases Hidden Ninja skill nr.2 by 2(According to the hint book it's the one responsible for bare hand fighting)
Excsymyr - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 2 by 1(Responsible for 'Thrust'-attacks. Again hintbook comes in handy)
Blue Steele - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 1 by 1 (Swing attacks)
Vorax - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 1 AND has ?poison of strength 10?
Techmace - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 3 by 1(Club attacks)
War Club - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 3 by 1(Club attacks)
Poison dart - ?Poison strenght of 20? (Unsure)
Combat Staff - Fighter Skill +1
Staff of Neta - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1( Influence - Calm, Fear, Freeze life)
Serpent Staff - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 3 by 1( Earth spells )
Bainbloom - Incereases Hidden Wizard Skill 2 by 2( Air spells )
NumenStaff - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 1 by 1( Fire spells )
Scarab - Increases Luck by 5
Clothing:
Fine Robe Top - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 3 & 4 by 1
Fine Robe - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 1 & 2 by 1 (It explains now why suddenly my spells started to get crappier when I changed it to Ra-Sar armour)
Bodice - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1
Mithral hosen - +1 value 33h ??? (I think it modifies your load/speed, but I'll have to clarify that)
Brigandine - Increases Hidden Ninja Skill 1 by 1( Purpose unknown ??? )
Bandana - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 2 by 1( Healing & Potions )
Great Helm - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1 (Ohhh! Scary helmet of doom!)
Mithral Mail & Huke - Each one increases luck by 5
RA-SAR Poleyn - Increases luck by 5
Misc:
Rune Charm - Increases luck by 4
Meteor Metal - Increases lucky by 4
Some food items seem to affect the skills (Palmapples and Spirit Caps). I still have to clarify that.
That's about all of my findings so far. GREAT thanks to Kentaro for the tools, and authors of the DM2 Hintbook and Steve Debnar for providing scans.
I still need to decode some of the features of the items... they seem to have 'flags' that seem to modify something... they're mysteries still unsolved like "Clan Chief Gem" that SEEMS to do something, but I dunno
what still... I hope the ammount of info I've gathered will help in replaying DM2.. again.
First of all: Command format
For example:
Melee:CM8SK4LV4BZ16TR25TA-5EX24PB70DM54AT1
CM - It seems to be 'how to handle an attack'.
Full command list:
CM1 - Block
CM2 - Invisibility (OH EW SAR)
CM3 - Launch Missle specified in PA parametr
CM4 - Physical damage
CM5 - Confuse
CM6 - Darkness (DES EW SAR)
CM7 - Spell Reflection (ZO BRO ROS)
CM8 - Physical damage
CM9 - Aura of Speed (OH IR ROS)
CM10 - Use Rope (Climb Down)
CM11 - Freeze life
CM12 - Aura of Dexterity (OH EW ROS)
CM13 - Aura of Wisdom (OH EW DAIN)
CM14 - Aura of Vitality (OH EW NETA)
CM15 - Aura of Strength (OH EW KU)
CM16 - Consume
CM32 - Launch associated projective (Bow/Sling)
CM33 - Spellshield (YA IR DAIN)
CM34 - Fireshield (FUL BRO NETA)
CM35 - Shield (YA IR)
CM36 - Healing
CM38 - Light (covers both FUL and FUL IR RA)
CM42 - Throw the active item
CM49 - Attack Minion (ZO EW KU)
CM50 - Guard Minion (ZO EW NETA)
CM54 - Teleport
SK - Skill number used. Skills from 0-3 are 'normal' visible skills (Fighter, Ninja, Priest, Wizard)
LV - minimal skill level for the command to appear
BZ - Stamina loss
TR - Fatigue ( the ammount of time before reusal of the weapon)
TA - Defence modifier
EX - Experience gained
PB - Hit Probality
DM - Damage done
Now spells:
{PAL}{DES}{EW}:CM3PA3ST150SK16LV4BZ24TR2TA-7EX25NC1SD253
The new parametrs here are:
PA - It seems to affect the projective launched. here's a table:
0 - Fireball
2 - Lightning
3 - Dispell
4 - Zo Spell
6 - Poison bolt
7 - Poison cloud
9 - Push spell
10 - Pull spell
NC - Charges used
ST - Spell strenght (Usually spell damage / duration for other spells)
SD - Unknown. Staves have this 253, Rouge staff has this 254, Bows have this 1.
Other paramets
AT - I'm not perfectly sure about this...
HN - Harm non-material - attack harms non-materials
RP - repeat (attack is dealt and is repeated x number of times)
Now: Undocumented features found in creatures.dat
It seems that most items have 'hidden features' of which none of the hint books/pages seem to mention about. Using Kentaro tools I managed to find this
It seems some weapons can influence the hidden skills. I've found this after I equiped Excsymyr and suddenly noticed that I could do a LUNGE attack with my rapier (I couldn't do it before). I've put the Excsymyr down and I couldn't. I later dug into the graphics.dat using Kentaro tools and found this:
Excsymyr has 'Value 23h' = 1.
Since 1Eh = Fighter main skill, and 20h = Priest main skill (taken from Fire Armour and SAR shield), then 21h = Wizard skill, and anything that comes after them is 'hidden skills'. So I started decoding them and this is what I've found:
Weapons
Kalan Gaunlet - Increases Hidden Ninja skill nr.2 by 2(According to the hint book it's the one responsible for bare hand fighting)
Excsymyr - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 2 by 1(Responsible for 'Thrust'-attacks. Again hintbook comes in handy)
Blue Steele - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 1 by 1 (Swing attacks)
Vorax - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 1 AND has ?poison of strength 10?
Techmace - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 3 by 1(Club attacks)
War Club - Increases Hidden Fighter skill nr. 3 by 1(Club attacks)
Poison dart - ?Poison strenght of 20? (Unsure)
Combat Staff - Fighter Skill +1
Staff of Neta - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1( Influence - Calm, Fear, Freeze life)
Serpent Staff - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 3 by 1( Earth spells )
Bainbloom - Incereases Hidden Wizard Skill 2 by 2( Air spells )
NumenStaff - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 1 by 1( Fire spells )
Scarab - Increases Luck by 5
Clothing:
Fine Robe Top - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 3 & 4 by 1
Fine Robe - Increases Hidden Wizard Skill 1 & 2 by 1 (It explains now why suddenly my spells started to get crappier when I changed it to Ra-Sar armour)
Bodice - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1
Mithral hosen - +1 value 33h ??? (I think it modifies your load/speed, but I'll have to clarify that)
Brigandine - Increases Hidden Ninja Skill 1 by 1( Purpose unknown ??? )
Bandana - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 2 by 1( Healing & Potions )
Great Helm - Increases Hidden Priest Skill 3 by 1 (Ohhh! Scary helmet of doom!)
Mithral Mail & Huke - Each one increases luck by 5
RA-SAR Poleyn - Increases luck by 5
Misc:
Rune Charm - Increases luck by 4
Meteor Metal - Increases lucky by 4
Some food items seem to affect the skills (Palmapples and Spirit Caps). I still have to clarify that.
That's about all of my findings so far. GREAT thanks to Kentaro for the tools, and authors of the DM2 Hintbook and Steve Debnar for providing scans.
I still need to decode some of the features of the items... they seem to have 'flags' that seem to modify something... they're mysteries still unsolved like "Clan Chief Gem" that SEEMS to do something, but I dunno
what still... I hope the ammount of info I've gathered will help in replaying DM2.. again.