Unlocking the other Masteries... Easily done!!

[Saashadog]

Hiyall,

I hope that I'm not going to get in trouble for being naughty, but I thought I would share what I have discovered with everyone, as it certainly makes the demo much more enjoyable and diverse to play.

Just to let everyone know, I am not a computer guru, and before today, I have never even attempted anything like this with a game.

The good news though is that it is very easy to unlock the additional masteries in the game through editing your character file with what is known as a hex editor. I'd never even used one before today, but a quick google search found me one called xvi32, which can be found here.

http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...vi32/xvi32.htm

Once you have unpacked it, it is a simple thing to run the program. Once you have done this, you can open your character's save file. It is called "player.chr" and can be found in at "My Documents/My Games/Titan Quest Demo/Save Data/Main/Character Name. I would advise that you make a backup of the file, before you change anything, just to be on the safe side. Once you've opened it it, it looks really confusing, as it is just a table of numbers and letters that for the most part don't make sense. Its all really simple, though as the left part of the screen contains the hex code, and the right contains the translation.

In order to unlock the other masteries, all you need to do is to go to the search tab up the top, (assuming you are using xvi32) and use the find function. Once in the find box, click the text string option, and enter the word "master". Once you do this, it will find and highlight the first "m" in the word "masteries allowed", on the right hand side of the screen. (it looks a little like one of those findaword puzzles...). You are interested in the number at the end of this, which should be a 1. All you need to do is to change this to a 2 on the right hand side of the screen and then once you've saved the file and restarted the character in a game you'll be able to choose another mastery. Or if you've done it with a character without any masteries, you'll be able to choose two new ones.

Be aware, though that the game has not been completed in respect to these other masteries and pictures won't be there that should be, and not everything can be guaranteed to be working properly. If it was, they would have already released the game and not just a demo!!

Also, the game is unstable when playing these other masteries, so don't be surprised if it crashes more often. I've only had the demo crash a couple of times, but its done it heaps more once I've unlocked the other masteries. I haven't even tried to allow more than 2 masteries, so I can't say what might happen if you try.

So there it is. It might look daunting, but fankly, if I can do it, anyone can!! Like I said, I've never edited or played with something like this before, so it is pure beginners stuff...

Just remember though... Buyer beware!!!

[Tjukkie]

the masteries have been unlocked already in other posts, but your post has much more detailed info

I'm sure this is not legal, but hey... This way you'll get most out of the demo

[Saashadog]

I can't say that I've seen any posts in which they explained how to do it. All the posts I've seen merely said that it could be done and vaguely refered to other unnamed posts in which it had been done. After going through nearly every post on this board and the ign one, I found it highly irritating, which was why I sat down to try and figure it out myself.

[Saashadog]

As far as the legality of what I've done is concerned, I cant see a problem, having just read the EULA after reading your post.

Part three says,

3. You acknowledge that the Program in source code form remains a confidential trade secret of Company. You agree not to modify or attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Program, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation.

Given that I haven't touched the program, there is no problem. A save game isn't a program. All it is is a record of information that the program uses, so modifying the save game is fine by the terms of the EULA.

[Arangar]

Thnx for the guide, gonna keep playing now . Btw, the storm skill tree rulez, gonna be my first pick when TQ gets released.

[Lestai]

Maybe i should just pimp stomp you. You got a lot of nerve to come to the forum with your hex editor and suggest we all use it.

Dont forget to scann those files for adware and viruses before you DL it to your comps, just a thought you may get more then just a hexer!

All this cheating is mostly why i removed my avatar & sig, just not feeling as happy as i was a few days ago...

[Lestai]

Hiyall,

I hope that I'm not going to get in trouble for being naughty, but I thought I would share what I have discovered with everyone, as it certainly makes the demo much more enjoyable and diverse to play.

Just to let everyone know, I am not a computer guru, and before today, I have never even attempted anything like this with a game.

The good news though is that it is very easy to unlock the additional masteries in the game through editing your character file with what is known as a hex editor. I'd never even used one before today, but a quick google search found me one called xvi32, which can be found here.

http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...vi32/xvi32.htm

Once you have unpacked it, it is a simple thing to run the program. Once you have done this, you can open your character's save file. It is called "player.chr" and can be found in at "My Documents/My Games/Titan Quest Demo/Save Data/Main/Character Name. I would advise that you make a backup of the file, before you change anything, just to be on the safe side. Once you've opened it it, it looks really confusing, as it is just a table of numbers and letters that for the most part don't make sense. Its all really simple, though as the left part of the screen contains the hex code, and the right contains the translation.

In order to unlock the other masteries, all you need to do is to go to the search tab up the top, (assuming you are using xvi32) and use the find function. Once in the find box, click the text string option, and enter the word "master". Once you do this, it will find and highlight the first "m" in the word "masteries allowed", on the right hand side of the screen. (it looks a little like one of those findaword puzzles...). You are interested in the number at the end of this, which should be a 1. All you need to do is to change this to a 2 on the right hand side of the screen and then once you've saved the file and restarted the character in a game you'll be able to choose another mastery. Or if you've done it with a character without any masteries, you'll be able to choose two new ones.

Be aware, though that the game has not been completed in respect to these other masteries and pictures won't be there that should be, and not everything can be guaranteed to be working properly. If it was, they would have already released the game and not just a demo!!

Also, the game is unstable when playing these other masteries, so don't be surprised if it crashes more often. I've only had the demo crash a couple of times, but its done it heaps more once I've unlocked the other masteries. I haven't even tried to allow more than 2 masteries, so I can't say what might happen if you try.

So there it is. It might look daunting, but fankly, if I can do it, anyone can!! Like I said, I've never edited or played with something like this before, so it is pure beginners stuff...

Just remember though... Buyer beware!!!

Originally Posted by Saashadog

As far as the legality of what I've done is concerned, I cant see a problem, having just read the EULA after reading your post.

Part three says,

3. You acknowledge that the Program in source code form remains a confidential trade secret of Company. You agree not to modify or attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Program, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation.

Given that I haven't touched the program, there is no problem. A save game isn't a program. All it is is a record of information that the program uses, so modifying the save game is fine by the terms of the EULA.

Just a quick quote here so you cannot del this stuff, noobs usually finish last. You seem to no alot about the laws but claim its your first time.

Reguardless if you are within the law or not you just ruin the fun for others.

[Roland]

Personally I wouldn't call "this" cheating. This is a demo...some creative hacking of a save game file for the sole intent of exploring some of the other play options in the game seems fine with my own personal ethics. I'm not 100% sure how Ironlore will feel...but that's the chance you take when you go down this road.

I personally will never use this type of hack/exploit IN a real game...I'm just not a GOD MODE kind of guy lol

But I'm sure this game will have "Trainers" galore very soon after release.

It's just the nature of the beast so to speak. People LUV to see how things work and how it all is connected, and what effects what. Especially in RPG/Hack/Slash games like TQ or the Diablo franchise

I wouldn't worry too much about it Lestai, buy I realize we all have our different views and opinions.

Regards,

[Lestai]

Personally my view is i like games like this and if this game does not sell well enough there may be no sequals and also show other developers that games like this are dying.

Now what i see out of this as you mention its only a demo and how can cheating harm the game, it can be harmful that if others play around with hexing and they get frustrated that the game crashes alot and that there is missing artwork, the skill tree icons they will consider this game garbage because they played a messed up version and im sure the developers, Iron Lore did not intend for that, as they want everyone to enjoy the demo and buy there game.

Less sales = no TQ2 and possibly shows other companys its just not worth there time to create games like this so yes i have an intrest in that it will be harmful as cheating never amounts to anything good.

I also no just like you said Roland there will be alot of cheaters, i understand this point but to do this openly on the forum is a diffrent story we should not make them feel at home here.

Peace.

[ToiMoi]

i'm with you here lestai when i came back after some absence and having played the demo, i noticed a dramatical increase in members and a dramatical increase in shady practices.

now i do need to come clean: i have to admit i *have* done this editing once too, just so i could take a sneak peek at the other masteries. but the same probs happened to me (more crashing, spells not completely functional) and somehow the chests at the end near the centaur didn't open. anyhoo the char was fun to play (storm mastery has some cool skills) but a pain in the *** with the bugs that came with it and i quitted that char knowing i have to wait for the official release.

this experience made sure that i'll never edit again, it has no use cuz when the devs wanted stuff to be in, they would've made the game that way.
but the continuing rambling about editing out here got me a bit ticked

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" consider it cheating whenever you edit it.. but maybe the way bardo puts it (opening other classes) might be not that bad.. but things like many free skillpoints, upping your levels or other tweaking which makes your char more powerful i DO consider cheating/hacking. and i'm not very fond of ppl like that, who can only play a game if their chars are easy and overpowered from the start. what's the point of playing a game when you can't even enjoy it the way you were supposed to? enemies are made stronger for a reason you know! they are to be a challenge! they should give you a rewarding feeling at the point of defeat!

sorry guys but i just can't stand ppl that cheat to overpower their chars, what's the fun of playing games that way anyhow?"

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"why is everyone so obsessed with editing their chars.. why do ppl even PLAY games if they can't even be patient enough to accomplish something BY THEMSELVES

sheesh

T. "

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i'm keeping my fingers crossed hoping the char saving with the official version will be updated.. this kind of cheating (that somehow EVEN I managed to do which is quite remarkable) is just plain BULLSH!T