Cheat Engine

[Pantsu]

I'm playing an old DOS game Ragnarok 2.5
(not to be confused with the online game by Gravity)

I can't figure how to make CE work with the DOS game.
In the process list, I selected the executable file Ragnarok.exe

Scanned some value (for example the HP) and found nothing while searching from 8bytes, 4bytes, 2bytes, byte and "all", I even used Unknown initial value but none were realated to the game. I even tried to select the ntvdm.exe for the process, set the memory scan from 00000000 to ffffffff and still found nothing even with using "all" as value type. I also used the unknown initial value type and used increased/decreased value in case the values are masked or is multiplied by something but no good results too.

Anyone knows how to do this?

[Dark Byte]

ntvdm.exe is the process
you may have to enable mem_mapped memory in settings to find stuff

[Pantsu]

[Pantsu]

I have a little problem.
I found an address, when I change its value, the effect is only changing the 'display', not the real value. How can I find where that 'display' is linked with the real value?

[Zanzer]

What value are you searching?

Wouldn't expect some old DOS game to encrypt values or anything.

Is it possibly some kind of value that would be calculated on the fly?

Health? Sometimes a variable accumulates the number of times you're hit and subtracts that from the max for display.

Score? Maybe each action is accumulated separately and added together to display your final score.

[Pantsu]

There's a few I can't figure out but one of them is the Strength.

You start off with 12 (for some classes) then it goes up when you take strength potions and stuff, not through the usual level-up. When it reaches 18, the next time you want to raise it, it'll go random decimal increments like 18.12, 18.28, 18.35 etc. until it pauses to 18.99. When you want to raise it, it'll stay at 18.99, you'll require a lot of potions to make it reach 19 then go to random decimal increments again up to 19.99 and so on.

I assume there's a thousandths value hidden there like for example 18.99XX but there was no such similar numerical value like that when I searched for it. I found something that increments along with that Strength value (which I failed to write down for evidence) but it's another number I don't understand what it represent. When the str increases, that number also increases but when I change that number, 2 things could happen 1. No effect 2. The Str value decreases even if you input a higher number.

Maybe it really is encrypted. I just don't know how the game's formula works.

[Zanzer]

Are you doing float/double search types? Searching for a range between the number displayed?
So if it shows 18.12, search value between 18.11 and 18.13.
Since your class started with 12, try searching between 6.11 and 6.13 also (18.12 - 12).

Are the potions a permanent buff? So basically, each potion is like spending 1 stat point in strength?
Can you also increase strength through stat points?

Try searching 2-byte/4-byte values starting with an unknown initial value.
When you drink 1 potion, search for "increased by 1". Repeat.

Maybe the game simply records how many potions you've taken, in total.
Then to compute strength for display, it uses some depreciating value curve.

[Pantsu]

I'm using 2-bytes for the game. I haven't tried float if it works.

Also, I did found out it was encrypted.
The Luck is like this 1 = 257, 10 = 2570 100 = 25700 etc.
Speed is 10 = 256 , 20 = 512 etc

They're most likely using FF, 100 or 101 to multiply with the value displayed.

[Dark Byte]

just look at the memory

257 = 01 01 (1 - 1)
2570 = 0a 0a (10 10 )
25700 = 64 64 (100 100)

so, it's a 1 byte value, with a duplicate (or max) right next to it

256=00 01 (1)
512=00 02 (2)
speed probably only changes in steps of 10