Problem with Sword of the Stars (gob file)

[Warnstaff]

Hi, first time poster, long time lurker.

I'll get the warez stuff out of the way first: I purchased the game via Direct2Drive (released early there and Gamersgate), and it does not come with disks (I hope that's not in violation of the rules here if it's not supposed to come with the disks). I am not having activation problems either.

The problem is that I believe that D2D must have put some sort of security (why I'm posting here) on the sots.gob file (this file contains the game data that is modable). Accoding the the game's wiki it's basicly a zip archive, but the D2D version does not allow me to extract it (I've seen one post on the Kerberos forums in which one other person is having the same problem). Copies from Gamer's gate don't seem to have a problem, and I can extract the demo's gob file just fine. I belive (as stated above) that this is some crappy excuse for copy protection on D2D's part.

I've also posted at the game's forums about this, and trying to get help on this. I checked D2D's refund policy, and unless I misread it, I'm stuck with the D2D version (and probably the boxed version when it comes out if I can't mod it by then).


Please help me. Windows built in zip, winRAR and 7zip do not work, giving me an unkown or unsupported archive error. I've tried to get ahold of D2D's help center, but I keep getting some sort of run around (won't log me in and I can't find the registration link). I've also tried re-installing and redownloading from D2D, but to no avail. Gob file utilites on the net do not work either. Please help. I do not want to have to buy a boxed copy to mod the game when I've already bought it (and warez is outta the question).

[Joe Forster/STA]

Yeah, these "digital download" versions suck; it's a pity you had to learn it the hard way!

As for the GOB file, please, grab a hexa editor, copy and paste the first few hundred kilobytes of the GOB file into a new file, zip it up and upload it to some file sharing server; perhaps, having a look at it can help with finding out its real format. (It may be an encrypted ZIP archive, you know, e.g. inside an ActiveMark virtual file system...)

[Warnstaff]

thanks for the reply

How do I know where the first few undred kilbytes end in the editor?

[Warnstaff]

OK, think I figured it out. I copied the hex to a new hex file. It's 304 kilobytes. Just waiting for FileFactory to "finalize" it.

OK, got it. http://www.filefactory.com/file/b29fcf/
It's name is Untitled (didn't bother to name it).

[Warnstaff]

[EDIT] Nevermind this post. I saw somewhere that I had SOTS with SF and didn't bother reading it fully before going on a near-reformat of my system because of it [/EDIT]

[Joe Forster/STA]

Just as I expected, the file starts with the usual "TMSAMVOH" signature of ActiveMark-protected archives. ActiveMark is, perhaps, the most popular copy protection-activation-playtime limitation system for "digital download" games and game demos.

Unless it is decrypted, you can't see anything that's inside it. The game sees this archive through the ActiveMark virtual file system which decrypts data on the fly, so the game is happy to handle it as a plain ZIP archive (as if it weren't encrypted).

[Warnstaff]

So I can't extract it? What a rip off!

Well, thanks for your help I appreciate it

[DABhand]

LOL

And why wouldnt it be protected, whats then to stop someone downloading it and then giving it out to countless millions of people?


The protection isnt obtrusive its not stopping you from making a backup of it. All it requires is you to activate it online.

Unless you had something else in mind?

[Warnstaff]

Like say..... modding the game?

The gob file is very much like the .big file from homeworld. Extract it and the extract will overide the big file, only with SOTS it needs a zip utility, not a special tool.

Besides, warez and piracy is why CP was brought about in the first place (was it not?). Why would I see to it that these idiotic piss poor excuses for "protection" have a reason for companies to use them?

[Warnstaff]

Just a quick update: I just purchased the copy from Gamersgate, and it is not encrpyted, so I am now able to modify to my hearts content. Just figured you'd like to know


P.S. Yes, I had some extra cash Benifets from saving $100 for the game when released

[DABhand]

Well I see you got mixed up, no doubt the guide you read about modding was for the retail version of the game.

The electronic version will be different for a specific reason so people cant just borrow someones retail game to add this file to the electronic versions files, etc.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Yes, encrypting the data/resource file strengthens the copy protection. On the other hand, it makes the "digital download" version incompatible with the retail version and makes it impossible to be modded. I don't think it's nice...

[Warnstaff]

Originally Posted by DABhand

Well I see you got mixed up, no doubt the guide you read about modding was for the retail version of the game.

The electronic version will be different for a specific reason so people cant just borrow someones retail game to add this file to the electronic versions files, etc.

Why do I have the feeling that your convinced I'm a pirate?

D2D and GamersGate are both distributed in the same basic manner, and one is moddable while the other (D2D) is not (however, I did recieve an email from D2D support (when I was able to actually get though) stating that it's being re-packaged for madability). There was absolutly no way of know pre-purchase at the time that the D2D version was not to be moddable, and EVERY reason to belive it would be moddable..

Besides, I've been able to use other peoples mods for the D2D game, I just can't make my own right now (D2D version).

[DABhand]

Nope. I would have said if you were.

[LOP]

I am sorry if this has nothing do to with the current problem but its the refered topic in the Sword of Stars directory in GCW.

So its just to say that the links are broken. Its all 404... maybe a fault in the url, I don't know.

Its 8h30 PM EAST TIME now. Maybe its a temp. problem, the site got uptaded a few dozen minutes ago.