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Author Topic: Changing dwarf fortress.exe in memory?  (Read 753 times)

robrtt

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Changing dwarf fortress.exe in memory?
« on: June 19, 2009, 12:36:42 am »

hi. I found something really clever for Fallout 1:
http://falloutmods.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout1_Resolution_Patch

This program modifies "falloutw.exe" in memory for the purposes of increasing the visual resolution. It also allows for movement of the taskbar and most, if not all menus and panels by way of variables listed in the included "f1_res.ini" file.

and I'm thinking if it is possible to write such a program for DF. make a full raplace of ascii to graphic titles and some UI enhancement - more mouse support. should be doable.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2009, 12:41:44 am by robrtt »
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kcwong

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Re: Changing dwarf fortress.exe in memory?
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2009, 12:44:49 am »

hi. I found something really clever for Fallout 1:
http://falloutmods.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout1_Resolution_Patch

This program modifies "falloutw.exe" in memory for the purposes of increasing the visual resolution. It also allows for movement of the taskbar and most, if not all menus and panels by way of variables listed in the included "f1_res.ini" file.

and I'm thinking if it is possible to write such a program for DF. make a full raplace of ascii to graphic titles and some UI enhancement - more mouse support.

Modifying a few numbers is one thing, adding new code that must interact with existing ones is quite another... just when you begin to grasp what the assembly's doing, Toady releases a new version of DF and you will have to start over.

IMO the proper way to do UI enhancement is to wait for Toady to release an API for it. By the design of "content first, presentation later", the groundwork for such an API should already be there.

BTW DF is already using tiles. Tiles that look like ASCII text. You can check out DFWiki for new tiles to use, and Mayday's site.
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Thexor

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Re: Changing dwarf fortress.exe in memory?
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2009, 05:34:39 pm »

See, Fallout has been around for ages, and has vast legions of fans dedicated to it. I'm not saying DF is unpopular, but it's got nowhere near the mainstream hold that the Fallout series has.

Plus, Fallout will never again receive an update, patch, or anything, so the code will remain exactly the same.

Plus, most of the features you're commenting on are being added by Toady himself in the very near future (actual tileset support has been out for a while, mouse support is being added for burrows at the very least in the next update), so there's no point in having outside modders de-assemble the program and rewrite it.
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