May i release my mod (directly edited game files)

Game Dev Tycoon modding
#1

i created a mod by directly editing the following game files (of the latest version, 1.5.24):
defaultBrowser.html
layout.css
codeNw.js

question to GHG: may i release this by providing the files to the community?

why did i directly edit the files?
i am good at getting things done :smile:
i am not good at getting things done the way people expect me to do them :smiley:

i actually tried, and failed, to create a mod the way itā€™s supposed to be. but since i did many small things all over the code, much of the mod would have to be copies of parts of the .js anyways. all changes are toggled by GameFlags and are therefore easily found (just search for the flag).

the mod is mostly doing what i commented almost 2 years ago here (patches have fixed a few points since then):

i couldnā€™t get the infostatsmod to work properly. it loads but the screens donā€™t let me see all of their info. (seems unfinished?). in my mod
(1) i integrated more information in existing reports (game history, staff, income/costs box) and added new reports in the same format (custom engine and console history).
(2) speed up the displays.
(3) many small changes to gameplay / balancing
(4) turn of flavor text

(1), (2), (3) and (4) are toggled independently, currently by GameFlags but i would integrate this into the settings menu before a release.

itā€™s a WIP of course (console history doesnā€™t show development costs yet and iā€™m not done with balancing), but the mentioned things are already finished and working (no bugs at first glance, but some will probably be found by extensive testing). i like the improved reports alot. other would probably too.

it is compatible with existing savegames, but in this case some of the information that is not tracked in the original game will only correctly be displayed for items generated after the patch is applied. example: development time of a game will only be shown for games that are developed while the mod is active.

dance!

#2

Iā€™m pretty sure youā€™re not allowed to redistribute the gameā€™s code, edited or not. Have you not read the modding agreement?

Personally, Iā€™ve never done it, but some people just inject the code through a mod. Doesnā€™t sound like itā€™d be that hard either. Take a look at other open-source modā€™s code and see how they do it because I canā€™t seem to remember.

#3

thatā€™s why iā€™m asking. i donā€™t gain anything by releasing it but it might generate a few fans for GHG ^._.^

injecting doesnā€™t work because i modded many small parts of many functions inside the code. with injection i would have to use the functions as they are.

#4

I believe @FireChaos may be more of an assistance. Heā€™s not amazing, but Iā€™ve heard him talk about injecting code and all that stuff. @FireChaos can you talk to this guy?

#5

I have been summoned.

So in general:
as @chizbejoe said; Iā€™m not really amazing or something, but Iā€™m somewhat above average. If you want to override a part of the code, youā€™ll have to make a new function, insert the old one in there, and add any extra items you want for example.

//Original Function
var printMe = function (me) {
    return console.log(me)
}

//your function, overriden with more items.
var extendTheFunctionInMyMod = function () {
   printMe("FireChaos")
   var giveCookie = function () {
       return "also given a cookie!"
   }
}

Did I cover you? any questions?
By the way: you can only override global functions, or variables.
Variables in functions cannot be overriden, so as to change the function.
Thatā€™s an irritating problem :confused:

for the time being,
Iā€™ll be waiting

#6

in addition by extending, i can only add things at the end, right? like i said iā€™ve modded small things all over the code. and there not only variables, but even lots of functions inside functionsā€¦ injection wonā€™t work. thx though =)

#7

Yep, only to the end, unfortunately.

#8

Currently, this is not supported but we are investigating options. Can you send me your mod via PM along a few screenshots to show what youā€™ve added in-game. Thanks.

#9

for those who followed this thread =) i talked to patrick. theyā€™re hesitant but it will take a while until they decide on anything. hereā€™s a few teasers =) if anyone wants to turn this into a mod i can send him the functions for the game, engine and console histories (pm me). they will show blanks for values that the original game does not store, but should be mostly functional.

dance!

gdt_ch.jpg1920Ɨ1080 406 KB
gdt_eh.jpg1920Ɨ1080 401 KB
Uploading gh_cl.jpgā€¦

#10

I donā€™t understandā€¦ What does this mod add? If you cannot say here, please PM me.
EDIT: Just re-read the thread. Doesnā€™t seem like anything too amazing.

Can someone put into context what is ā€œnot supportedā€? Does this mean releasing a mod through editing of the gameā€™s source code is ā€œnot supportedā€ or does it mean that some type of coding function blah blah is not supported?

Decide on what? Whatā€™s the goal here?

As you can see, I am very confused. :confused:

#11

I actually like this mod, you can see your Console History, Engine history and some more info about the games you made. Itā€™s not much, but it would be a small cool improvement.

I think itā€™s ā€˜Not Supportedā€™ to edit the source code, but that doesnā€™t mean you canā€™t edit the games code. As you can see, @letsdance0 did it.

#12

like lukas said, the idea was to improve information. i often wondered if building that console actually paid off. or what engine i used for that game that i want to make a sequel for. or if my current technology allows me to build a significantly better engine than the last one. orā€¦ this game also lives from creating the story of your company, and for me those additional reports add to that feeling (remember, in year 7 when we build our 2nd engineā€¦).

thereā€™s other small things: better info about of big projects (do you know how much an AAAmarketing campaign actually costs and what it does?), more details in the cash log (why did i get 5k fans?), and options to speed up displays, change/pause game speed and/or turn off console flavor texts.

like lukas said, i directly edited the game files so i canā€™t publish it without permission of GHG, and iā€™m not motivated to do the extra work for turning it into a real mod. i think the reports shown above could be turned into a real mod with acceptable afford. thatā€™s why i offered it here, if anyoneā€™s able and interested.

#13

I think it is illegal to release directly edited game files?

#14

kill me

#15

@Today thatā€™s why iā€™m not doing it. duh. maybe you should read the thread again. i just offered to copy the specific functions needed for these reports if anyone wants to turn them into a real mod.

#16

Welp, it was worth the weight.

#17

Trust me, itā€™s not.

#18

Maybe not illegal, but it would certainly be breaking a agreement you made with GHG when you buy the game/Infringing on copyright property, which i think best describes it.

ā€œCopyright infringement is the use of works protected by copyright law without permission, infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, such as the right to reproduce, distribute, display or perform the protected work, or to make derivative works.ā€

Sorry if some class this a necro btw, but it was near to the top of the topics

#20

Plagiarizes as he talks about copyright infringement. I say this because you didnā€™t cite your source. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
#21

except that i didnā€™t make an agreement with GHG when i bought the game. and by the way, breaking an agreement is illegal.

but i donā€™t understand why this keeps popping up. i asked GHG and i stated that i wonā€™t release it without their consent. so whatā€™s the problem?