Author Topic: Finding Access to Debug Mode?  (Read 1104 times)

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Offline JGZinv

  • 211
  • The Last Dual! Guardian
    • The FringeSpace Conversion Mod
Finding Access to Debug Mode?
Since I'm not getting any feedback on game hacking specific forums...


I've been looking around for information via Google on how to activate debug mode (in general) on games
and to my surprise, there really isn't any. Most of what is out there is references to existing features in games,
not how to open up these treasure troves of features.

I do have Tachyon the Fringe in mind, where we have a majority of the files opened up, and there
are key chart listings that mention a multitude of debug features. But no good clues on how to get it running.

Code: [Select]
ACTION = DEBUG_MISSION_WIN,NONE,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG__MISSION_LOSE,NONE,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_CAMERA,X,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SCENE,P,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SHOW,F5,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_F10_MODE,F10,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SPEED_SCENE,Tab,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SPEED_GAME,E,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SHOW_COLLIDE,F6,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_GATE_ANIM,C,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_FLUSH_TEXTURES,G,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SHIP,S,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_OBJECT,D,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_FLIGHTGROUP,F,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SOUND,S,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SOUND_3D,C,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_HW3D,S,CTRL_SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_NEXT,Comma,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_PREV,Period,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_PAGEDOWN,Page_Down,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_PAGEUP,Page_Up,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_DCB,O,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_SERVER,I,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_QUADRANT,Q,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_TRIGGER,T,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_GATE_PILOT,A,CTRL_SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = DEBUG_MUSIC,M,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = KILL_TARGET,Backspace,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_ESC,Esc,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_QUIT,F11,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_RED,R,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_RED,R,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_GREEN,G,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_GREEN,G,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_BLUE,B,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_BLUE,B,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_AMBIENT,A,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_AMBIENT,A,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_SELECT,F11,CTRL,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_YAW,Y,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_YAW,Y,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_PITCH,P,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_PITCH,P,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_LT_RED,1,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_LT_RED,1,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_LT_GREEN,2,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_LT_GREEN,2,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_LT_BLUE,3,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_LT_BLUE,3,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_GAMMA,4,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_GAMMA,4,SHIFT,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_INC_SAT,5,NONE,NONE,NONE
ACTION = ART_DEBUG_DEC_SAT,5,SHIFT,NONE,NONE


Yes I've tried the F10 and F11 mentioned above.
There is a in game cmd line entry field that's used for cheat codes primarily.
Haven't been able to find any combination of terms so far that do anything else.


So what are some ways of finding out how to activate debug mode in general, that I might try here?
True power comes not from strength, but from the soul and imagination.
Max to PCS2 to FS2 SCP Guide
The FringeSpace Conversion Mod

 

Offline redsniper

  • 211
  • Aim for the Top!
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
Er... I think it's going to be specific to whatever game you're dealing with. I think I've seen command line tags used a lot, like putting -dev at the end or something.
"Think about nice things not unhappy things.
The future makes happy, if you make it yourself.
No war; think about happy things."   -WouterSmitssm

Hard Light Productions:
"...this conversation is pointlessly confrontational."

 

Offline The E

  • He's Ebeneezer Goode
  • 213
  • Nothing personal, just tech support.
    • Steam
    • Twitter
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
It's very very specific. "Debug" features found in commercial games are most often leftover bits of code from the QA stage. And of course, there are cases where those debug features are only accessible in development builds, i.e. builds produced during development. Note that, to take FSO as an example, certain functions of the executable are only compiled in when the debug switches are turned on during compilation, like logging. In a release builds, these functions are #ifdef'ed out, and in no way accessible.

In short, if you do not have the source available, or are not capable of decompiling the exe and reading the output, it's very very hard to find all the debug features available.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline JGZinv

  • 211
  • The Last Dual! Guardian
    • The FringeSpace Conversion Mod
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
I once ran a exe stripped of copy protection through a decompiler, but I certainly am not able to read it to any good degree myself.

I've been trying to ask the ex-developers, but they go silent on me whenever it's brought up.
If it's not do-able then it simply isn't...

I would have thought, ease of use wise, it'd be accessible via the command line interface, or as others have said, a shortcut flag.
Tach was rushed and thrown out on the street though, wouldn't surprise me if they buttoned it up in a hurry.
True power comes not from strength, but from the soul and imagination.
Max to PCS2 to FS2 SCP Guide
The FringeSpace Conversion Mod

  

Offline z64555

  • 210
  • Self-proclaimed controls expert
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
Reason being, NovaLogic's debug modes had been used by miscreants to create cheats in the past.

I sometimes also think that there just isn't any debug mode, per se, in any of Nova's games. Any debug tools they've used would've been stripped out once the engine was confirmed working with a handful of objects and let loose from there. Remember, one of their mantra's is to build their games in assembler directly.
Secure the Source, Contain the Code, Protect the Project
chief1983

------------
funtapaz: Hunchon University biologists prove mankind is evolving to new, higher form of life, known as Homopithecus Juche.
z64555: s/J/Do
BotenAlfred: <funtapaz> Hunchon University biologists prove mankind is evolving to new, higher form of life, known as Homopithecus Douche.

 

Offline JGZinv

  • 211
  • The Last Dual! Guardian
    • The FringeSpace Conversion Mod
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
I've been trying to find data even for other nova games (delta force, f-22, etc) and the only thing I came across was where they were banning people for having windows debugging
going on while connected online, as though they would be able to find out something that way.
True power comes not from strength, but from the soul and imagination.
Max to PCS2 to FS2 SCP Guide
The FringeSpace Conversion Mod

 

Offline z64555

  • 210
  • Self-proclaimed controls expert
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
Re: Finding Access to Debug Mode?
I've been trying to find data even for other nova games (delta force, f-22, etc) and the only thing I came across was where they were banning people for having windows debugging
going on while connected online, as though they would be able to find out something that way.

They where probably trying to crack Nova's encryption codes, possibly to try to take over their servers. But then again, I really have no idea other than wild speculation at this point.
Secure the Source, Contain the Code, Protect the Project
chief1983

------------
funtapaz: Hunchon University biologists prove mankind is evolving to new, higher form of life, known as Homopithecus Juche.
z64555: s/J/Do
BotenAlfred: <funtapaz> Hunchon University biologists prove mankind is evolving to new, higher form of life, known as Homopithecus Douche.