Cheat Engine

aerion · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 6

Targeted Process : spellforce2.exe (Spellforce 2 Dragon Storm)
Problem : game crash after attaching the debugger.

First of all, hi, I'm new here so take it easy on me when it comes to assembly or advanced stuff, I don't know anything about it, but I'm learning... slowly...
Also, please don't tell me "read through the forum and you'll find the answer", I don't need that, I just need to find some pointers for this specific game, that's all.

Now to my problem, here's what I do: I find the address of the thing I want to modify (let's say Stone/Silver/Lenya); I find out what writes to that address (see cep00.jpg), I search for the value CE proposes and find 2 addresses; I add the code manually to the list (see cep01.jpg). So far so good.
Now the thing that drives me crazy; I select the pointer and try to find out what reads from this pointer, CE asks me to attach the debugger, I confirm; I go back to the game and it stutters for a few seconds, then spits out this error (see cep02.jpg), then I have to terminate it, else my computer freezes for a while.

Did I do something wrong? here's my configuration of CE (see sett.jpg).

If anyone knows a solution, or at least a easy-to-understand alternative for really deep pointer finding, I beg you to help me.

Thank you.

P.S. If I expressed myself in a weird way, forgive me, I'm not a native english speaker.

EDIT Everything worked just fine with the CE Tutorial's Step 8, but then the tutorial is there just to give a general idea of the thing, and has only 1 address for the pointers to the pointers to the rest of the pointers.

Labyrnth · Moderator Reputation: 10 Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 6301

Try unchecking stealth mode [Kernal ]

aerion · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 6

Unchecked it, tried to find out what reads again, instant crash...
I also tried to attach CE to the process BEFORE starting to scan, successful even (meaning it didn't crash instantly).
Find out what writes/accesses worked just fine, but when I try to find out what reads, crash.
It drives me a bit nuts, mainly because I know it SHOULD work, I just don't know what to do to make the game stop telling me to screw off...
I'd try to freeze the game, but I STILL need to change the value in-game for the debugger to find the code (that crashes it btw, if I stop the debugger without Alt+Tabbing back to the game before, the game will work).
I'm just clueless...

On a side note, does CE have any compatibility issues with Daemon Tools?
I remember it asked me upon install if I plan to use any debugger on this machine, because it's incompatible or something, but I've completed Step 8 of the Tutorial with no problems so I didn't think that it causes any problems.

ravicus · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:10 am Post subject:

The debugger does cause many games to crash, I'm not really sure why, though.

Labyrnth · Moderator Reputation: 10 Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 6301

I use daemon tools, and i have no problems so i would say it has nothing to do with it.
I have experienced crashes like your talking about before, Some times changing settings it will work. Others you just have to deal with read/write.
Or if you can get it in window mode set a bp on the address in ollydbg.
* Olly will do a system lockup if you are in full screen on the game when it breaks.

aerion · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 6

Labyrnth · Moderator Reputation: 10 Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 6301

Set break point, try to use some common methods for making games go window mode.
edit target line with -w -win or -window -windowed
Also try alt+enter sometimes this works.

If all else fails also try tools to make it go window mode, such as DXwnd

kkid28 · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

Try attaching the debugger, then go right back to the game without searching for anything. Just to see if the problem is caused by the debugger and the Alt+Tab. Confused

aerion · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 6

Seems there isn't any way to enable windowed mode for that game, no command line, no setting, and no Alt+Enter...

Ah well, guess I'll just go along with it and search for the addresses manually every time... who'd think it's such a pain in the arse to get some stones, silver and weed when you need them...
And there I was making such a nice trainer interface lol

This might be one of those untrainable games out there (wich would explain why NO tariner exists for it, although there was a small one for the previous version... wonder how that guy did it)
But thanks anyway.

Labyrnth · Moderator Reputation: 10 Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 6301

Well i doubt it is untrainable, You can always make a trainer to do something even if it is just for the client side only.

They have a trainer for it as well. You can see talk of it here.
Also there is one on game copy world.
http://spellforce.jowood.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=32858
http://www.gamershell.com/download_16977.shtml