Anyone got a hack for Nox?

[andrew.brandon]

Thinking that since it has 3 resolutions available i might be able to change it to a custom res but not sure.

[Saturn2888]

Thinking that since it has 3 resolutions available i might be able to change it to a custom res but not sure.

I can't seem to get it to run even 4:3 scaled anymore. That -window definitely doesn't work anymore either but it does make the game playable in 16-bit instead of 8-bit mode. So weird!

I'd also like to see a widescreen hack for this game.

[Ergonpandilus]

Oooh, that widescreen hack would just rock. :rockout

[dopefish]

I can't even get the game installed, patched, and working, let alone worry about widescreen. :)

[Saturn2888]

I got the game working. If you need, I can help you with that. I'd rather you PM'd me since it's not part of this thread though.

A widescreen hack is very possible. I can even see it possible to literally remake the game as everything's able to be extracted from the files such as videos, sprites, audio, menu codes, menu images, and who knows what else.

[MSxDOS]

So, still no hack? :?
What problems have you got with installing and launching it? Maybe I can help.

[Saturn2888]

I can get it to launch if I'm in 16-bit color and change my desktop res to a non-full-screen-resolution and then force the Catalyst drivers to do aspect ratio fixing so the game is going to work properly; at least, I think that worked. It's certainly a 2D game, but because of that, I'm sure there's a way to hack it so instead of 1024x768 max, you could do some higher res or even 1366x768.

[MSxDOS]

I tried to change res directly in memory, using CheatEngine (similar to ArtMoney, but has much more features) and got nothing but stretched interface and bugged picture :lol: Obviously it's not gonna work.
I don't see any other way but to disassemble and "crack" the game.exe but I have no idea how to do that.

[Saturn2888]

Well you did make a good try. Maybe someone else has another tool. It's definitely stuff that's hard coded, but that doesn't mean there's no way around it.

[Saruman]

I give a brief look at the game.
First of all you need to download "Quest patch" so you can run this game in Windows XP or later.

Game natively support max. resolution 1024x768.

In instalation folder there are two config files - "default.cfg" and "nox.cfg", if you open them in notepad
or any other text editor you will find line "VideoMode" where game stores resolution settings.
You could try modifing these lines and see if that helps. Also there is folder "window" in which are many .wnd files that defines look of game windows, one that may interest you is "options.wnd", you could try to modify this file to get ingame custom resolution setting.
In Windows Registry I didn't find anything useful.

[Saturn2888]

Those are the ones I tried too. Someone with deeper knowledge of how everything links up would be able to do more though.

[MSxDOS]

"VideoMode" where game stores resolution settings.
You could try modifing these lines and see if that helps

Editing these values makes no difference, I already tried this in the first place. You can write there whatever you want, the game will still use 1024x768

[Saruman]

I take deeper look and have partial success with forcing Nox to use highres.

Here is what I did:
1. Open "nox.cfg" (in Nox game folder) and replace game resolution with your custom (line VideoMode).

2. To skip game loading default configuration ("default.cfg) if you put your custom (not supported resolution) in nox.cfg.
Find this line in hex editor:


Replace highlighted with EB. This will always skip loading default config file.

3. To fix resolution check so that game uses your resolution
Find this line in hex editor:


Game checks resolution in nox.cfg against 1024x768 (max. supported) if your resolution is higher it puts default 640x480.
We don't want that. So replace 00 04 with FF FF, and 00 03 with FF FF. This will force game to run in any resolution.
(P.S. This is gameplay resolution not resolution in game menus).

4. I run the game and was able to play it for few seconds in my custom (1280x1024) resolution.
Here is screenshot I take:


Problem is that after few seconds of gameplay, game crushes (usualy with access violation while trying to read or write some memory address). I haven't been able to fix that.
If someone find solution to that please let us know what you did.

[Saturn2888]

That's amazing. Have you tried other things than FF to see if that's the reason it's crashing? And is there a way to change aspect ratio?

Oddly enough, I couldn't get it to load my custom res.

[MSxDOS]

Doesn't work for me either. The game resets to 1024x768

Saruman, Are you using the latest 1.2b version with Nox Quest installed?

[Saruman]

I installed Nox and then Nox Quest patch that's all.

[MSxDOS]

Got it working on 1280x1024 with another exe.
Crashes for me too, when interacting with objects. Bad news: it doesn't even load on 1920x1080, 1600x900 and even 1400x1050. Buggy 1280x1024 seems to be it's maximum :?

[Saruman]

Maybe resolution 1024x768 is game engine maximum and it can't go any higher.
I got it working on 1280x1024 without crush but catch is to set "VideoSize" to lower value
(in "nox.cfg" file), I thing I got it to work on 80 maximum. This way everything will look smaller as is should but you won't get full screen gameplay experience. :(

[Saturn2888]

Hmm... Can't the game engine do higher res though? I mean, it's just going to have a lot of portions with black parts.

[MSxDOS]

LOL It works on 1152x864 and VideoSize 100 without crashes




Sucks, but better than nothing.

BTW all these tricks do not work in multiplayer. Should be another check for it.