Why are some games hacked more than others?

[sku_u]

I was wondering if there was a reason for some games being hacked more than others? Looking through the hacks db, there are a ton of Space Invaders hacks for example, yet some games like Defender have barely been touched. Is SI an easy game (relatively speaking) to hack as compared to games like Defender and Yars' Revenge?

[s0c7]

I was wondering if there was a reason for some games being hacked more than others?  Looking through the hacks db, there are a ton of Space Invaders hacks for example, yet some games like Defender have barely been touched.  Is SI an easy game (relatively speaking) to hack as compared to games like Defender and Yars' Revenge?

854009[/snapback]

 

Yes.

 

Plus, most of the most popular games have semi-commented disassemblies floating around and that makes it easier to do more complex changes. Much harder to do when you are the one having to make sense of the disassembly on your own (especially when you don't know what you are doing - like me. )

[EarthQuake]

most of the most popular games have semi-commented disassemblies floating around and that makes it easier to do more complex changes

 

Yes, but you can't be talking about the majority of these hacks, as most hacks are graphics hacks, and you don't need any source code for those. A quick browse through Bithacker or HOM will get you started here.

[s0c7]

most of the most popular games have semi-commented disassemblies floating around and that makes it easier to do more complex changes

 

Yes, but you can't be talking about the majority of these hacks, as most hacks are graphics hacks, and you don't need any source code for those. A quick browse through Bithacker or HOM will get you started here.

854021[/snapback]

 

True. Unless you need to change the colors. If they aren't a known commodity, you'll have to disassemble (or get lucky randomly changing stuff).

 

Still, like you said - BH or HOM is probably the way to go to those just getting started. Picking a game you know pretty well helps as you will be able to identify the graphics easier (keep in mind, sometimes they will be upside down).

Edited May 12, 2005 by s0c7

[s0c7]

A true Space Invaders Deluxe or Asteroids Deluxe couldn't be done just by changing the graphics (since you mentioned them in the other thread). If you only wanted "sorta", then that's fine.

 

You can however, do the vector part easily. Just use BH or HOM and find the sprites you want to change and remove the insides.

[StanJr]

ease.

 

Games like Adventure, Space Invaders, etc. easiest to hack for all the reasons mentioned above, plus they are great games to learn to hack on, so a lot of people get their start there. My first hack was Adventure (Undersea Adventure to be exact!). You don't want to take on something like E.T. or a Parker Bros. game right out of the box, you'll go mad!

 

Plus, its usually fun to hack around with a game that is your favorite, and those are very popular games!

[Feralstorm]

As a casual graphic-hacker, I will agree that much of it comes down to how much info there is about a given game (commented source and such) since bit-editors and the like can only help you so much if you don't know where to look for any given game element.

 

Games I've hacked so far: (all 2600)

Space Invaders

Donkey Kong

Defender

Missile Command

Pac-Man

Pitfall! (twice!)

 

Looking at hacking:

River Raid

Yar's Revenge

Beany Bopper