Extended UI functions

[Erahain]

Heyas

I've been working on a DLL that increases the functionality of the UI modding, by providing LUA scripting.
Here is an example of concatinating strings:

<Button Name="FunButton" OnPress="Parent.FunButton.Var0=abc 
Parent.FunButton.Var1=def 
Parent.FunButton.LUA='Var2=Var0..Var1' 
Parent.FunButton.Text=(Parent.FunButton.Var2)"/>

The above button will change it's text to "abcdef" when pressed.

I do have a few thoughts about this though.

1) Is this legal? I can see no point in continuing this project if it violates the disclamer. As I suck at translating it myself, I'd like some ideas on this.

2) How many would be interested?

3) What kind of functions would people be interested in?

Thanks,
Daniel

[Landiin]

I think you may need to go a little more in depth at how you are getting the game to call your DLL file. IF SOE has provided a way for this I would say it’s legit other wise I am sure it breaks some part of the EUA.

Even though I am no big fan of LUA scripting, if it does not break the EUA I would use it.

[Erahain]

It does not involve changing any file in any way; but it does inject a piece
of code into the running EQ2 process.

The process is simple; all games uses system DLLs (like user32.dll and so on),
by providing a fake one and put it into the same directory as
EQ2 - it makes it possible to load the external DLL into the same process-space.

The big question in this is the disclaimer where it says that no software
that changes the Software (that is the game) may be used to change
Game play. If this includes how the UI works, then there is not much I
can do about it, and I'll probably have to cancel this whole deal.

The most important thing is that it does NOT change any files, and that
should make it perfectly legal to make... but the disclamer may stop the
player from using it at all.

Any more thoughts on this?

[Laffs]

Well I am no expert on the EULA but from what I have read and from what I have seen from when CSM wanted to place combat stats straight into the chat window without the need for copy and paste SoE said no way!!

but it does inject a piece
of code into the running EQ2 process.

Therefore with that above statement I would say it was in violation of the EULA..

It would be a damn good project if you were allowed to do it.... Maybe SoE Bobble would be the best person to ask on here

Thats just my 2cents.... Like I say me no expert on it lol

[Erahain]

It sure would be nice=)

Until I know how this ends I'll continue working on the project,
weither I will release it (and use it myself) or not depends on
if it's accepted by the EULA.

Let's hope this works out the way we want it =P

Daniel

[Landiin]

Doh! Its always the basic things I don't think about lol.

I would have to agree with Laffs as SOE is verry anel about these things. But like you if nothing else I would use it for myself.

[Erahain]

I don't know if this has already been discovered, but I'm
posting it in case of...

While doing some research, I stumbled across the ##
operator. It is used to concatenate strings. However, there
are a few syntax rules that must be followed.

Look at the example below:

<Button LocalText="Happy" A="Very" B="Happy"
OnPress="LocalText=A ## ' ' ## B"/>

Keep in mind; always space between the property/value
and the ##, unless you put it in a block (...).

This does NOT work:

<Button LocalText="Happy" A="Very" B="Happy"
OnPress="LocalText=A##' '##B"/>

... but this does...

<Button LocalText="Happy" A="Very" B="Happy"
OnPress="LocalText=(A)##(' ')##(B)"/>

[Magus]

If a 3rd party app is being injected into the EQ2 process, that is in violation of the EULA.

[Erahain]

Very well, no point in doing this then =)

[Deathbane27]

Originally Posted by Erahain

I don't know if this has already been discovered, but I'm
posting it in case of...

While doing some research, I stumbled across the ##
operator. It is used to concatenate strings. However, there
are a few syntax rules that must be followed...

Does this require your DLL thing to work, or is it in the default functionality? Because afaik you're the first to figure out a way to do this.


Yes, your DLL work would definately be an EULA viloation, so don't release it here. But I encourage you to keep experimenting and see if you can find more built-in functionality we haven't uncovered yet. Just don't get banned in the process.

[Erahain]

No, concatenate is default =) So feel free to use it ^^

[lojix]

If you have in fact discovered a way to provide external resource DLL's entry points to an active running process (in memory only) then it might be possible to put the entire bulk of active memory processes used by the operating system at runtime into a memory manager application (like a mod to himemsys or similar) that allows for the modification to take place at the operating system level during memory allocation prior to the actual running of the eq2 processes that way the modifications are not to the processes of the eq2 client but the OS runtime memory manager (this is a common practice for virus scanners in addition to other resource management tools and utilities that manage bus information between the kernell32.dll and the HAL [hardware abstraction layer] basically your hardware drivers)
anyway I might of took the boat over the falls here but I do believe that the concept is sound. so come all ye critics and point out my flaws cause if I know them I would not be spouting off conceptual fixes

Originally Posted by Deathbane27

Does this require your DLL thing to work, or is it in the default functionality? Because afaik you're the first to figure out a way to do this.


Yes, your DLL work would definately be an EULA viloation, so don't release it here. But I encourage you to keep experimenting and see if you can find more built-in functionality we haven't uncovered yet. Just don't get banned in the process.

[Zonx]

Here's the relevant clause. I've bolded the most relavant bits.

Originally Posted by EQ2_EULA

9. You may not use any software to modify the Software to change Game play. You may not create, facilitate, host, link to or provide any other means through which the Game may be played by others, such as through server emulators. You may not decrypt or modify any data transmitted between client and server and you may not use, post, host or distribute macros, “bots” or other programs which would allow unattended game play or which otherwise impact game play. You may not take any action which imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure. Except in connection with Station Exchange and subject to all of the provisions of the Station Exchange Service Agreement, you may not buy, sell or auction (or host or facilitate the ability to allow others to buy, sell or auction) any Game account, characters, items, coin or copyrighted material or any other intellectual property owned or controlled by us or our licensors without first obtaining our express written permission.

Technically I don't think injecting data into the memory space without directly hacking their app or datastream is "illegal", but it is very much against the EULA and a banable offense. Its also very difficult to prove... unless of course you start publicly distributing a utility to do this.

General rule of thumb... if your "mod" requires changes to something that isn't eq2.ini or under the Everquest2/UI directory... you're probably violating the EULA.

Game play automation is a particularly dangerious area to get into. Its possible using only the provided XML layer to create a fairly robust macro system complete with timers. When I asked SOE about this, I was expressely asked NOT to develope such a system

[lojix]

Originally Posted by Zonx

Here's the relevant clause. I've bolded the most relavant bits.



Technically I don't think injecting data into the memory space without directly hacking their app or datastream is "illegal", but it is very much against the EULA and a banable offense. Its also very difficult to prove... unless of course you start publicly distributing a utility to do this.

General rule of thumb... if your "mod" requires changes to something that isn't eq2.ini or under the Everquest2/UI directory... you're probably violating the EULA.

Game play automation is a particularly dangerious area to get into. Its possible using only the provided XML layer to create a fairly robust macro system complete with timers. When I asked SOE about this, I was expressely asked NOT to develope such a system

I do agree and belive that the game play for eq2 as it stands , rich with entertainment quality that disqualifies any nessisity to alter the game machanics beyond that of which is provided as a open development fourm

[Deathbane27]

If you think I'm going to try to read that, you are sadly mistaken.

Put a LITTLE effort into your communication.

[lojix]

Come on man everyone here understands a little geek shorthand don't they ?

Originally Posted by Deathbane27

If you think I'm going to try to read that, you are sadly mistaken.

Put a LITTLE effort into your communication.