Hero App Devs

[mongogb]

Hey people. I´ve been in the forum for quite long and couldn´t help much becaus of my lack of experience in programing languages. I´m a designer by formation and after a few years working on the field I decided to learn how to code my own stuff.

Recently I started a C++ Course, wich is good. Then, decided to study more about making bots and stuff (mainly for hero). I looked into the forums and the great majority of the tutorials are in german, so I would like to ask you:

1. What is the best learning path since I intend to dev bots?
2. Currently I´ve been doing my stuff with pixel search on autoit and would like to do with memory editing. Any good tutorials you can point me out?

I´m not asking for a magic formula. Just a path to follow, since some of you (karraskcs, shlatter, and so on) have done it already and I am really interested in learning. Maybe a closed group or mail list we can discuss?

Thank you everybody.

[schlat]

Hi,

the pathes of knowledge and succesfully implementing and developing a bot are very different.

For my case i started in the middle of the 80ies with Basic. Get over to Pascal, Delphi(which was very closed to Pascal), Java, C,C++, Fortran and some Assembler stuff.

Its just a question of what u actually know on developement and what u want invest on time, nerve and frustration.

If u just start up, i would recommed to start with autotit and try some pixxel bot, than go over to memory, switch to a higher language like delphi or c (or if u crazy like me use a vm language). Redevelope u tools in this language. If u got this try to reverse engineering the target software with assembler and implement in a high programming language.

This is one way! The other way is to get a decryptor of network packets. In this case u need some mathemathic skills and should be possible to describe a system by a algorithm. The minimal knowledge of this is like how network will work, what are the different encryption mehtods with analyzing them and u standard tool is a own written sniffer which makes a understanding in a c similar language neccessary-

For standard bots like karraksc and mine the first method is the easiest, but u need month to solve some problems to write u first bot, which has some little logic.

I ve seen here many ppl who has tried to programm their own bot, but the most canceld or dont know what they are doing.

If programming is an interest for u, its a case where u will learn much, but if u only want programm a bot to cheat without any interest on programming just stop here, because u wont be satisfied!

I would glad to see another programmer here, but accept the truth, if u dont know anything about programming the first bots will be very very simple u can solve!

Hope this helps u a little bit!

[mongogb]

Helped me a lot schlat. Thanks for your answer.

My programing skills are short but I'm learning C++ and already have developed some minor bots (on autoit only) for simple stuff using pixelsearch, miming keypresses and found it very easy indeed. I am up to something more challenging like memory manipulation, but tried some CE tutorials and Hero looks a little different since the pointers look to be dynamic or something like that.

I'm not on a rush or anything and hope I can improve my skills before anything else. I know it's a long way, but I would like to go one step further.

Recently I've been thinking ahead on solving the GM Quiz using autoit, and looking into memory to make my programs react accordingly. Some versions of hero are less buggy and very pleasant to develop for. I'm currently trying for one of those, so I would like to get some tips on GM Quiz and on memory searching using CE/Autoit. Is there any tutorial or anything like that in english? It doesn't need to be too specific... just a starting point would be great.

If any of you would consider to have a "disciple" on this matter, send me a private message.

Thanks again.

[mongogb]

I can use a little help here.

At the moment I´ve been looking into CE for values but always getting 0 (zero) results. Could that be because of the type of the search (4 bytes)?

Right now I´m trying to implement a way to open the banker or call npc from any place (I think it´s doable).

Any toughts would be helpfull.

Thanks guys.

[karraksc]

Like Schlat, I started with BASIC, then Fortran/COBOL/RPG3/C (military) and then discovered Pascal in the early 80s, and Delphi after that. From there I branched out into BBS and kiosk systems. I worked with Xzume (VB-scripter)and Taults scripters for a while until I ran across AutoIt. HOAtk was my first Hero bot, simply a key-banger for the Xmas event in 2009 for collecting socks. All the screen actions were pixel-based and S-L-O-W. Thanks to a couple code samples released by Schlat, I got looking into memory pointers for controlling the bot. Using CE, and many pots of coffee, I've found a bit of useful info on Hero that I've put into Hellfire.

Granted, Hellfire is not quite what I want in a bot yet, it's getting there. When you compare it to Heavenfire, remember this: Heavenfire was written using INSIDE info from the game designers. The bots you see here come from our own discovery paths. Schlats, and AZNs, bots are amazing when you consider what they have acheived. Without seeing them in action, I would not have started Hellfire. And without the occasional "BOOT" from Schlat, I'd still be stuck on many things.

There are many things in Hellfire right now that could be improved, and with time, will be worked on. I just have to take them in steps, one part building on another. Auto-selling is a good example. Fine, in theory. Workable, yes cuz we've seen Heavenfire do it. Figuring out how to do it is the ball-buster. I've started by: 1st-writing a box-opening section to open lot boxes. 2nd-a section that uses #1 and a database to stack items together to save space. 3rd- a section that uses #1 and #2 to move items into/out of the Bank based on the database. 4th- a section to move stuff from the Bank to the Player. 5th- a section that moves stuff to the Tavern Clerk to sell based on the database. 6th- a section that reads the Tavern Clerk to buy items for the Player based on preset selections by the player. Then, 7th- tie in a database of items that the Player can use to loot selected items, ignore what he doesn't want and nuke items he can't use or sell. But, it takes time to find a solution and work out the kinks and quirks.

[karraksc]

The fun part of all this is when you also figure in how much time the coders have available to work on things. I am semi-retired, do computer repairs during the day, customer service calls and phone tech support. After work, I have 4 grown kids and 5 grands that drop in any time. Add to that a guild of 87, of which 37 are neighbor kids who play online with my kids and drop in as well to talk. After the wife-time, I have 1-2 hours to play Hero peacefully and code while I'm doing that.

[schlat]

Ahh you have my "BOOT" karraksc, i ve lost them hehe.

But karraksc has right, all these hacks, findings...cost many many time. If i only get 1$ per hour i would earn several 1000 $ on banging my head against the wall to find solutions. And in the most cases it is so easy, but u get blinded after a time. So make a break, recapture and start laughing about yourself about the kiddy code you have produced.
ATM its very hard for me to find motivation on any kind of code for hero, because if i have time after a 50 to 60 hour week (if i am lucky) i ll do better things . I personally have 3-4 tools what i want to release, but i dont find the time to finish them.

If u need some help to decode some .tbl files just pm. But this you only need if u are trying to implement some autosell, autobuy, autocollect function based on specific item codes like what is karraksc is trying atm (if i understand him correct).

About your problem: I dont know what you are really searching with the CE, but here some hints:
coordinates - float
char attributes and the most other values - 4 bytes (in some cases 2 bytes)
Text and values that appears in a window - string (text)
All what have to be activated (window open/close) - 1 byte (boolean, long searches!)
Expierence - can up to 8 byte (depending on the level)

Pointer levels are from 1-3 and the max offset is 4096 should work in the most cases. The 4th level of pointers are only needed if u need specific information of some object like cooldowns of a present slot skill. But with every update u have to search the values again, so try to start to write a intelligence and logic update function of your sourcecode which allows you to update your stuff with only updating the base memory adresses and if needed some offsets. This worked until the last big update of hero with the schlatterbot. No sourcecode changes needed only some updates in configuration files.

In this way good luck and happy developing with the aim to learn and understand what u are doing!!!

[mongogb]

Thanks guys. Precious tips. I will work and post my stuff when done.

[Jinlai]

Originally Posted by karraksc

The fun part of all this is when you also figure in how much time the coders have available to work on things. I am semi-retired, do computer repairs during the day, customer service calls and phone tech support. After work, I have 4 grown kids and 5 grands that drop in any time. Add to that a guild of 87, of which 37 are neighbor kids who play online with my kids and drop in as well to talk. After the wife-time, I have 1-2 hours to play Hero peacefully and code while I'm doing that.

Sounds awesome knowing most of your guild in real life.