Hi all,
There was a game called Stormtrooper (I still have the original) that ended up on AU121 cracked, filed, packed by Andy Arfling.
I tried to crack this sucker years ago when I was just starting out but it always defeated me  .  Do any of you guys have any tuts or advice on how to beat this protection?  It was a Bootsector loader that trashed the system/keyboard etc, then loaded sectors - if memory serves me right.
I hacked loads of ST game, the last one being Chaos Engine (Rob Northen). Also did BAAL, now that one was a tricky little beggar to file.
I could provide a Pasti'd STX of the game soon when I get my kit set up if that would help?

Hi,

Just had a quick look.

The bootsector disables all interrupts and copies itself to $a.w!!
Way way low down in memory!

The BS uses it's own DMA loader (obviously gemdos can't be used!)
it clears until Ramtop then loads sectors to $17d22 then copies to $200.

As I said I've only had a brief look. I guess Andy would have dis-assembled the BS to
a file then moved on from there.

Quite low and nasty code for an old game

If you want the Pasti let me know.

Shw

KrazyK wrote on 08.01.08 at 20:31:52:


Don't worry, 68000 is like riding a bicycle! (although I'm 100% sure I can't ride a bicycle at all now )

Ok,
I'm a bit stuck here with this one - it's a bit nasty.
I've let the bootsector decrypt itself and let it load the first 6 tracks to $17d22.  Easy peasy bit
That data is then relocated (also is partially decrypted) down to $200.  I've got that block saved as a 38k file for future use.
All system is trashed here (Toxic Monst does help though)
Code runs at $200, all traps, vbl, trace / kbd vector / timers are then screwed around with and custom ones setup as more sectors are loaded.
If you manage to get past that and still have a working system then please let me know.
I would ideally like to find where the sector loader is kept.
I did manage to load more tracks but then the system got trashed again from somewhere else.
I've unpacked Andy Arfling (Au121) 1 meg file crack and can't work out what he did with it to stop it loading sectors.! 

Hehe, 20 years after buying the original game and I'm slowly getting there with cracking and filing this game.  Knocked out the protection checks and have written a file loader.  It may even work on  half meg if I can find a little code cave to stick my routine in to make it work in 512k.     Still trying to do a trainer for it but can't spend much time on it atm.
Watch this space. 

Well, The Boiler Room is indeed a fantastic tool (first time i've used it) along with usual tools:Monst2+ and EZ Rider.  I know the Stormtrooper code quite intimately now, especially around $7818, $7a00 where the sector loader is.
One problem I have found is that I now can't get Monst to run from the boot sector like I used to.  Steem just bombs out and resets.  Any ideas why?

Monst2 and Toxic works perfectly from the desktop and Auto folder in Steem but not being bootsector loaded    Tried the toxic makeboot.tos that came with Toxic too - program loads then resets.

I'm sure I had this problem ages ago. But normally I use Toxic on a real ST. I remember reading a thread recently that said there's no one using Monst when Steem Debug is so powerful..... well I still use Monst(Toxic) so there!!

Tip. Load makeboot into monst, trace through, you'll see a part saying sub #$18000  what this does is make toxic load at ramtop minus $18000 bytes (this happens when you press right shift on boot).  Try changing this to a higher value e.g. $80000 or something. Then execute makeboot.

Shw

If this doesn't work I'll investigate.

It's done !
Stormtrooper is finally cracked, filed, packed AND trained    (optional infinite lives, ammo and level start),
I'll post it along with the cracking source soon.
It's only taken 20 years since I first bought the game but, hey,  we live and learn.

Well in KrazyKato...

Did you end up using Steem Debug or hardcore Toxic?!

Shw

I still like the 'feel' of Toxic. But you need a real ST to use it to the full.

Steem debug is really useful, however it does have the odd annoyance  for example jumping to MFP time routines whilst tracing and it's failure to stop on breakpoints when conditions are met, eg a4=$23400.

Good work with Baal btw, I remember the protection was quite tough. Dunno why it was never on an Automation menu.

Shw

Pooh!

But only a complete mug would fall for a cheap trick like that.

...and here's the crack, file, trainer, menu code.
It's been a long, long time since I touched 68k and an ST so be gentle with me ok. 

...and NOT taking other people's cracks and re-applying them to a pasti, to make shoddy cracks seem like a bad copy