Modding Civ4BeyondSword.exe

[davidlallen]

You are so SMART. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[Afforess]

Caps is cruise control for cool, don't yah know?

 

[Deliverator]

Wow, you guys are talking about that? I changed mine MONTHS ago...

You are indeed SMART. How did you figure that one out? I'll have to give it a whirl. Presumably that means I can make a custom loading popup for a particular mod, and paste it into my custom exe. Makes you wonder what else can be achieved with this PE Explorer tool...

So you are clearly not opposed to hacking Civ4BeyondSword.exe, but you still think that including an amended Civ4BeyondSword.exe with a mod is a bad idea even it is clearly named and is added and removed by an installer?

 

[Afforess]

How did you figure that one out?

I was looking at the exe to see what things were publicly available, and lo and behold, the bmp's were.

Makes you wonder what else can be achieved with this PE Explorer tool...

Not much else, unless you are an expert at reverse-engineering code from the memory...

So you are clearly not opposed to hacking Civ4BeyondSword.exe, but you still think that including an amended Civ4BeyondSword.exe with a mod is a bad idea even it is clearly named and is added and removed by an installer?

Well, changing the bmp's clearly haven't affected MP games for me, so I suppose this change is fine. Make sure you check for BTS 3.19 first though.

 

[phungus420]

What files changed in BtS 3.19. We could set up the installer to simply install the relevant python and xml files. My DVD drive died, so I can no longer reinstall civ to see , I know there are ways around this, but I figure I'll ask first before bothering.

 

[Deliverator]

That PE tool works great. The loading popup just looks a bit funny on this Vista machine, but so does the standard BTS one. It looks like you can change icons in the exe too, but then that is about it.

Spoiler :

 

[General Tso]

While we are on the subject of modifying the exe. Does anyone know if it would be possible to make the "plot help" and the "text display" areas wider using this method. The "plot help" area is on the lower left of the screen above the blue panel, and the "text area" is located at the top center of the screen. I'm asuming that editing the exe is required for this because I can't find anything in XML, Python, or the SDK that will do it.

 

[deanej]

I was wondering, are there any legal implications for this exe modding? Like, would it be OK to make a special exe for a mod (to change the splash graphic) and release the exe with the mod?

 

[EmperorFool]

Technically, this would be a copyright violation as they gave no license to do it. Now, would they send you a DMCA notice to stop or pursue legal action? Probably not.

 

[deanej]

I'm just wondering what this site's position on it is. I was thinking of changing the splash for my Star Trek mod.

 

[Afforess]

I was wondering, are there any legal implications for this exe modding? Like, would it be OK to make a special exe for a mod (to change the splash graphic) and release the exe with the mod?

In the EULA, if I recall, all mods ("derivatives") of Firaxis works are owned by Firaxis, so I can't imagine them sueing themselves.

Just can't sell mods.

 

[EmperorFool]

Geez, you read the EULA? Okay then, does it state specifically which parts of the game we are allowed to redistribute? I had assumed only the stuff in Assets and CvGameCoreDLL, but I doubt they mention any of that in the EULA. That means the EXE is fair game!

 

[Afforess]

Geez, you read the EULA?

Don't you?

USER CREATED CONTENT: The Software may allow you to create content, including but not limited to a gameplay map, a scenario, screenshot of a car design or a video of your game play. In exchange for use of the Software, and to the extent that your contributions through use of the Software give rise to any copyright interest, you hereby grant Licensor an exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, fully transferable and sub-licensable worldwide right and license to use your contributions in any way and for any purpose in connection with the Software and related goods and services, including the rights to reproduce, copy, adapt, modify, perform, display, publish, broadcast, transmit, or otherwise communicate to the public by any means whether now known or unknown and distribute your contributions without any further notice or compensation to you of any kind for the whole duration of protection granted to intellectual property rights by applicable laws and international conventions. You hereby waive any moral rights of paternity, publication, reputation, or attribution with respect to Licensor’s and other players’ use and enjoyment of such assets in connection with the Software and related goods and services under applicable law. This license grant to Licensor, and the above waiver of any applicable moral rights, survives any termination of this License.

Basically it says you can do whatever you want, but Firaxis OWNS all mods.

 

[EmperorFool]

That says nothing of our right to redistribute portions of the program. It says only that we might use the software to create content. That's true of Photoshop, but you certainly cannot alter the Photoshop EXE or UI graphics files and redistribute them at your pleasure.

 

[Afforess]

Did I say it did?

Anyway, the terms it uses here suggests that most modding is illegal,

LICENSE CONDITIONS. You agree not to:
(a) Commercially exploit the Software;
(b) Distribute, lease, license, sell, rent or otherwise transfer or assign the Software, or any copies of the Software, without the express prior written consent of Licensor or as set forth in this Agreement;
(c) Make a copy of the Software or any part thereof (other than as set forth herein);
(d) Making a copy of this Software available on a network for use or download by multiple users;
(e) Except as otherwise specifically provided by the Software or this Agreement, use or install the Software (or permit others to do same) on a network, for on-line use, or on more than one computer or gaming unit at the same time;
(f) Copy the Software onto a hard drive or other storage device in order to bypass the requirement to run the Software from the included CD-ROM or DVD-ROM (this prohibition does not apply to copies in whole or in part that may be made by the Software itself during installation in order to run more efficiently);
(g) use or copy the Software at a computer gaming center or any other location-based site; provided, that Licensor may offer you a separate site license agreement to make the Software available for commercial use;.
(h) Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, prepare derivative works based on or otherwise modify the Software, in whole or in part;
(i) Remove or modify any proprietary notices, marks or labels contained on or within the Software; and
(j) transport, export or re-export (directly or indirectly) into any country forbidden to receive such Software by any U.S. export laws or accompanying regulations or otherwise violate such laws or regulations, that may be amended from time to time.

If I change the palace to give two extra , did I reverse engineer the game? I suspect I would have a long court case....

Anyway, EULA's are unenforceable. Simply make your kid install the game, then you never accepted the agreement.

 

[os79]

Simply make your kid install the game, then you never accepted the agreement.

Good one!