Universal Game Editor Module for Descent ][
Created with Jack Hartman's UGE v 1.0 by David Melanson
Descent 2: A 3-dimensional, 360 degree game that combines
all the best features of a flight simulator and DOOM. But, you
knew that already or you wouldn't have gotten this. Much like
Doom/Hexen/Heretic/whatever, Descent 2 does feature "cheat codes"
that can give you certain abilities. However, much like Descent 1,
these codes will strip you of all your score AND the computer will
say "Cheater!" in this ANNOYING voice every time you blast something.
Enter the Universal Game Editor Descent 2 module. Give yourself
ridiculous levels of energy & shields. Give yourself every weapon
in the book, several of the accessories, all the keys, and even
modify your laser "level" to something OTHER than a laser!
For those of you who haven't visited my Website before, it's
at http://www.ici.net/customers/overkill/overkill.htm. You can reach
this and the 19 other editor modules I've created for various games
including Stonekeep, Anvil of Dawn, Might & Magic III, IV, V, Swords
of Xeen, Heroes of Might & Magic, Menzoberranzen, Strahd's Possession,
Stone Prophet, Realms of Arkania I & II, and several others by choosing
the "UGE Page" option on the main menu.
As usual, I charge no registration fee for this module, but I
do ask that anyone who uses it please register UGE with Jack Hartman.
It's a very good program, and Jack's put a lot of effort into it. It's
worth the investment.
Okay, enough shameless self-promotion, on with the module:
This time, I've included basic instructions on how to set up
UGE and a module (Descent 2, in this case) from the eventually upcoming
UGE FAQ, since I seem to get an amazing number of e-mails from people who
can't be bothered to read the documentation that comes with UGE. Maybe
this'll work better:
Q: (number).> "I just downloaded UGE and this module for super-cool-neato
-game. I'm confused. How do I use it?"
A: Well, if you just downloaded, let's start with the basics. First,
create a directory for UGE. Unzip the file UGE10.ZIP (or whatever the
version number you downloaded was) into this UGE directory, using
PKUNZIP v 2.04g or WinZip or whatever (these files are available on
MANY FTP sites if you don't have them...) Now unzip the module file
(should be called GAMENAME.ZIP), where GAMENAME is the actual name of
the game...or an approximation or abbreviation of it, into the UGE
directory. Once that is completed, go into your UGE directory via
standard DOS conventional means (if you have Windows 95 or only use
Windows 3.1/3.11/NT and are clueless about DOS, that means exit to DOS
(or to a DOS shell), then type CDUGE. Now type UGE and press Enter.
If you haven't registered UGE, you'll see a screen encouraging you to
register...for now, bypass the screen by pressing any key (but DO
register it, please!) Now you should see a blue screen with a list of
games on the left side of the screen (these are pre-built into UGE's
module list)...
In order to use the editor module you just downloaded, you have
to Add the game to the menu. As that suggests, press the "A" key. A
red box will appear on the right. Type the name of the game in there
and press Enter (actually, you can type anything you like; it won't
matter, but typing the name of the game just might be useful for
identifying it later on!) Now a list of files with the extension ".mdl"
will appear in a box on the right. (There will also be one called
"**New File**," which you DON'T want to choose right now...later, if
you decide to create your own modules, this will be very useful).
Use the arrow keys to highlight the file that says GAMENAME.MDL, where
GAMENAME, once again, is the name of the game (or an abbreviation or
approximation), then press Enter. Now you should see a directory
listing of your hard drive in the box on the right. Use your arrow
keys to select the file you wish to edit, in the following manner:
Use the arrow keys to highlight the directory where the
actual GAME (NOT U.G.E!!) is stored on the hard drive. Press Enter.
Now scroll up and down the list and look for a saved game file...
usually, the module's instructions will tell you the name of the file
to look for (so read the instructions) but as a general rule, the
file formats take one of several forms: if you saved a game with a
specific name, you may see that name followed by a three digit
extension (for example, you named a saved game WALKING, then you
might see WALKING.SAV or WALKING.DAT or something similar...that's
your saved game file). Maybe there is a separate directory for
saved games...usually, this'll be named SAVES or SAVEGAME or GAMES
or something like that...go into that by highlighting it, then
pressing Enter...and then keep looking. Sometimes games are saved
with numeric extensions that indicate which "slot" they are saved
in...for example, let's say a game has a "Save Game" screen with
ten available slots for games. When you save to the first slot, you
create, say, a game called GAME.001, or GAME0.SAV, or something like
that. When you save the game to the SECOND slot, you create a file
called GAME.002, or GAME1.SAV, or something like that. Some games
start numbering with 1, some with 0. It's a matter of which game
you're playing. Still other games save a series of game files in
a numeric subdirectory...for example, let's say a game has ten
subdirectories called SAVE01, SAVE02, SAVE03, etc...to SAVE10.
Inside THOSE directories are the saved game files for the various
slots...once again, these work the same way as a numeric extension-ed
game file...so that, if you save a game in the first "slot" of the
saved game screen, the files you want to modify would be in the
SAVE01 subdirectory. If you save in the second slot, the files would
be in the SAVE02 subdirectory.
The following is the method for modifying Descent 2 games:
------------------------------------------------------------
The file you want to modify has the extension .SGx, where x is
a number from 0-9, based on which saved game "slot" your file is
stored in. The name of the file BEFORE the .SGx extension is your
pilot's name. So, for example, let's say my pilot's name is FRED.
(Apologies to anyone named Fred who gets this) Fred plays his game
a while, then decides to modify it. He saves his game by pressing
Alt-F2 in Descent 2, then saves it in the first slot, calling it
"My game" or something like that. He then exits Descent 2 and goes
into UGE. He sets up the Descent 2 module (by "Adding," as stated
above), and then goes to choose his game file. Fred has installed
Descent in its default directory, which means it is in C:GAMESDESCENT
Using the arrow keys and Enter, as described above, Fred changes the
"location" directory to C:GAMESDESCENT. The file he wants to modify
is listed as FRED.SG0 If he had saved it in the second vertical
"slot" on the Descent 2 Save Game screen, the file name would be
FRED.SG1. Once he has the file selected, Fred chooses Descent 2 from
the UGE games menu and modifies his game (as detailed below)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Once you have the saved game selected properly, a new choice will appear
in the menu on the left. Use the arrow keys to highlight that choice,
and press Enter. You should see a bunch of fields that you can now
edit. When you finish editing, exit to DOS from UGE (press ESC twice,
and, if not registered yet, look at the bottom of the screen to find
out which key to press to exit), go back into your game, start up the
game, and restore the game you just modified...you should see the
appropriate changes (provided you restored the right game).
Now that we've got the basics out of the way, let's go on to
the specifics of the Descent 2 module. Descent 2 works on the premise
of over-layed numbers for what you have available. In other words, if
one item is identified by the number 1 and another by the number 2, if
the number in the "item" field is 3, the game understands that you have
BOTH items 1 and 2 (1+2=3). As a result, to avoid multiple combinations
being able to produce the same number, Descent 2's numbering scheme works
on a doubling premise...the code numbers go 1,2,4,8,16, etc...
"Great. So what does THAT all mean?" you ask. Good question;
here's the answer. Descent 2's module has the following fields:
1.> Keys Possessed-Overlayed number scheme. With this field, you
can give yourself any or all of the three keys for each mine. The key
numbers are: 2=Blue Key 4=Red Key 8=Yellow Key. So, let's take a couple
examples to see how this works:
If you want just the Red Key, set this field to 4.
If you want just the Blue Key, set this field to 2.
If you want the Red AND Blue Keys, set this field to 6 (2+4=6)
If you want ALL THREE keys, set this field to 14 (2+4+8=14)
2.> Ship Modifications-Overlayed number scheme. With this field,
you can give yourself several of the accessories that are now available in
Descent 2. The codes are:
1=Energy To Shield Convertor
4=Quad Laser Attachment
16=Afterburner
32=Headlight
So, if you wanted both the Quad and the Afterburner, set this field
value to 20 (4+16=20). There are other values that appear to be missing,
namely 2 and 8. 8 is definitely the "cloak" accessory, but as I have not yet
been able to find the "timer" variable that defines how long the cloak will
remain active for anywhere in the file, it doesn't work. I am not aware of
what 2 does, if anything, at this point in time.
3.> Energy Level-Self explanatory; this is the number of energy
points (orange numbers) you currently have. While Descent 2 claims this
number has a maximum value of 200, it in FACT can be set, through this
field, up to over 32,000! This is a 1-to-1 number; what you set this field
to will be your energy value when you restore the game
4.> Shield Level-Also self-explanatory; this is the number of shield
energy points (blue numbers) you currently have. Once again, this number
can be set up over 32,000. While it may not quite be the same as God mode,
it'll take forever for you to die (unless you do something not-so-too-bright,
as detailed below )
5.> Number of lives-Also self-explanatory; this is the number of
ships you have remaining. It usually appears in the upper left corner of
the screen; the number there should show how many "extra" lives you have
(i.e. this number minus 1, since that 1 indicates the one you're currently
using). One warning on this: You may want to actually set this DOWN every
once in a while in the game, as the incredible Shield and Energy bonuses you
may wind up with (if you modify fields #3 and #4) when you exit a mine tend
to give you ridiculous numbers of extra lives, and if this exceeds 255, it
may crash rather royally.
6.> Laser Level(+1)-You may note that your lasers normally have 6
"levels," and indeed, you can set which "level" you currently have with this
field with an ALMOST 1-to-1 ratio. When you start off the game, this value
will be 0, which is actually Laser Level 1. If you set it to 1, you wind up
with Laser Level 2. If you set it to 2, you wind up with Laser Level 3, and
so on. However, the game allows you to go BEYOND the standard 6 levels with
this module, allowing you to fire things other than lasers from your laser
cannons...here's what you can do:
SET VALUE TO: FIRES:
------------- ------
6 Gauss Cannon Shots
7 Helix Cannon Shots
8 Phoenix Cannon Shots
9 Omega Cannon Bursts
10 Flash Missiles
11 Guided Missiles
12 Smart Mines (not really useful)
13 Mercury Missiles
14 Earthshaker Missiles (OUCH!)
15 Mini-Vulcan Cannon
16 Slow Orange Fireballs
17 Slow White Lasers
18 Slower Phoenix blasts that can't hurt you
19 Same as 18
20 Spreadfire cannon shots
21 "Smart" projectiles (glowing rings)
22 Faster "smart" projectiles
23 Slower "smart" projectiles
24 Flash Missiles (lower power)
25 Red things that don't blow up (markers?)
26 Gauss cannon shots again
27 Smart Mines that don't blow up when shot
28 Low power Earthshaker missiles
29 Mercury Missiles again
30 More "smart" projectiles
31 Smart Missiles
32 Full strength Earthshakers again
33 Low Strength Earthshakers again
34 Fast, white energy balls
35 Flash missiles again
After that value, it appears to reset to laser level 1. Perhaps
there are codes for the actual Vulcan, Plasma, and Fusion cannons, or the
various other missiles & mines, but I haven't found them...yet.
The interesting thing about this ability: if you have the Quad laser
attachment, you can fire FOUR of the same projectile at the same time, at the
cost of a single level 1 laser blast, no matter what the projectile is! The
exception is the Omega cannon; as it generates a rapid-fire stream of
projectiles, it drains normal energy quickly. Also, a general warning:
Setting this field to any of the missiles and firing them at close range
tends to be BAD. For a perfect example, just as a test, I set this to 14
(Earthshaker missiles). Upon triggering the "primary weapon" firing key,
the ship fired FOUR Earthshaker missiles. Unfortunately, I was within the
blast radius, and took somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 Shield points
worth of damage. OUCH! Great weapons, but use 'em at long range!! My
suggestion for the best weapon of all to use with this is the Gauss cannon;
it only hurts you if you're REALLY close, and its shots are extremely fast
and VERY damaging especially if you have the "quad laser" attachment
activated.
7.> Primary Weapons-Overlayed number. This field allows you to give
yourself any or all of the 10 Primary weapons. The codes for the weapons are as
follows:
1=Lasers 2=Vulcan Cannon 4=Spreadfire Cannon
8=Plasma Cannon 16=Fusion Cannon 32=Superlaser
64=Gauss Cannon 128=Helix Cannon 256=Phoenix Cannon
512=Omega Cannon
So, if you wanted the Lasers, the Plasma, and the Gauss cannon,
let's say, you'd set this to 73 (1+8+64=73). If you want 'em ALL, set this
field to 1023.
8.> Secondary Weapons-Overlayed number. Works just like Primary
weapons, except unless you set the "# Of Such And Such A Weapon" field
(listed below), the game won't recognize that you actually have any
available. The codes for the weapons are as follows:
1=Concussion Missiles 2=Homing Missiles 4=Proximity Bombs
8=Smart Missiles 16=Mega Missiles 32=Flash Missiles
64=Guided Missiles 128=Smart Mines 256=Mercury Missiles
512=Earthshaker Missiles
So, if you wanted the Concussion, Mega, and Mercury Missiles, let's
say, you'd set this to 273 (1+16+256=273). Once again, if you want 'em all,
set this field to 1023.
9.> Vulcan/Gauss Ammo Bursts-This is not the actual number of
"bullets" you see in the Vulcan/Gauss info screen, but the number of BURSTS
the Vulcan fires (you'll note the Vulcan never fires "just one shot.") The
Gauss cannon also uses this ammo. You can set this value over 32,000, which
will make the screen readout for Vulcan ammo look REALLY weird, but will
allow you to pump an INSANE amount of Vulcan ammo at a target with either of
the two cannons.
10-19.> These fields allow you to set how many of each type of
secondary weapon you're currently carrying. You can set each up to several
thousand, possibly up to over 32,000 (haven't tested whether that crashes or
not yet). How does your little ship carry several thousand Earthshaker
missiles with it? Who knows? Who cares?
Well, that's about it for this module. If you have any comments or
questions, feel free to e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., but PLEASE...no
requests. I don't have every game, and not every game is editable!
Good luck on going down...again!
-Dave Melanson
(This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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