(Artemis) Cheat System released

[kh2k4]

I was thinking about that PS2 Version Checker Utility on the codetwink website. Is that just a hash generator? I know it generates some sort of unique ID for games, so you don't end up trying to use codes for 2 different versions of a game that have the same elf file title.

There are more games with the same elf file but are different versions.
Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3? (different greatest hits version)
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Some others. I don't know if Silent Hill 2 and greatest hits have the same elf file name.

It'd appear so but the version number is carried in the SYSTEM.CNF anyway
http://www.crimson-ceremony.net/lost...s_20228gh.html
http://www.crimson-ceremony.net/lost...lus-20228.html

[misfire]

Actually, I reverse engineered ps2vers some years ago. Here're the data fields of its output:

[          A          ]
[B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G]

Main PS2 ELF file information
A: SHA-1 hash value (160 bits), non-standard hex string
B: File name
C: File size in bytes
D: Creation time, high 32 bits, Win32 FILETIME struct
E: Creation time, low 32 bits
F: Last write time, high 32 bits, Win32 FILETIME struct
G: Last write time, low 32 bits


With the example MGS2:

E3 11 69 BC 18 23 82 12 EC D7 A5 82 C5 44 77 2E 0C CA 9B E5
SLES_503.83 000CB900 01C1821D C989D380 01C1821D C989D380

SHA-1 hash value.: BC6911E31282231882A5D7EC2E7744C5E59BCA0C
File name........: "SLES_503.83"
File size........: 0x000CB900 = 833.792 bytes
Creation time....: 0x01C1821DC989D380 = 11.12.2001 10:28:19 (GMT+01:00)
Last write time..: 0x01C1821DC989D380 = 11.12.2001 10:28:19 (GMT+01:00)

bungholio, thanks for the information. Do those ELFs also have the same file size? If so, we definitely need checksum support.

[bungholio]

I haven't found 2 different versions of any elf file with the exact same file size yet, they have always been at least a few bytes in size different from each other. I have by far not checked every elf file out there though. There doesn't seem to be too many that are the same game with a slight variation in offsets. There's just a few that are mostly greatest hits versions, and even fewer that aren't but are still different.

[misfire]

FYI, all of my future development of Artemis will take place at http://bitbucket.org/misfire/artemis/. I will no longer use BountySource.

See http://gshi.org/vb/showthread.php?p=34556#post34556 for more information.

[LiquidManZero]

As far as the game identification, one specific detail comes to mind. What about multiple disc games that use the same boot ELF name (or even a different name) but slightly different ELF composition despite all discs using the same codes?

[misfire]

That's where the wildcard character in the ELF pathname comes into play, e.g. SLES_820.1? matches SLES_820.11 and SLES_820.12.

[Skiller]

Starocean 3 has 2 both elfs are exact same

But he numbers are way off

SLUS_204.88 <-- disc 1
SLUS_208.91 <-- disc 2

u could just have it so u can put the Elf number into the Divice it self .. and it check for a match .. but this will not help against GH versions or reversions . like GTA SA and so on ..

Take note that if games that have multi Elfs and it uses a loader Example

Sega Gen collection if u just hack the Elf to the said game the codes will only work if u are loading just that game with the elf .
since the collection has its own way of handling the elf that is on the disc .. i ran into this issue with that said game :P

[misfire]

Artemis version 0.3 is out.

The changes are:

0.3 (Sep 16 2009)
- Added support for DNAS games; Metal Gear Solid 3 is now hackable.
- Added ELF selector to directly boot/hack demos, for instance.
- All ERLs hook/unhook syscalls internally when they're loaded/unloaded.
- Game IDs: allow wildcard '?' in file name and add file size.
- In auto-hook mode, the debugger logs all hook addresses and original opcodes
  to a list at 0x000fff00. You can easily create Mastercodes from it.
- IP settings for PS2-side debugger are now configurable.
- Added setting debugger.load_modules and removed engine.file.
- Fixed handling of absolute paths for devices mass and mc0.
- Load IOP modules for USB access (Artemis must be compiled with USB=1).
- Added updated version of ntpbclient.

Note that this version doesn't require any SDK patches.

Download: https://bitbucket.org/misfire/artemis/downloads/

[bungholio]

I'm glad things are still being done to it. One of these days very soon I will eventually have the time to go out and get a network adaptor and a crossover ethernet cable to try it out.

[misfire]

Yes, although Artemis is not used by many people, we're still spending a lot of time on it. It is far from being complete, but it takes shape with every release. I just wished that there were more testers as I get little to no response...

Maybe people hesitate because it has no fancy GUI. Or maybe it's just too late for a PS2 debugger to come alive. I don't know.

[Lazy Bastard]

I don't think it's too late for a PS2 hacking system, though obviously we lose some people to interest in other consoles.

The GUI may have something to do with it, but a lot of people are probably intimidated by the thought of even simple configuration changes, such as setting their PC's network adapter to a static address (or at least putting it on a different subnet from their default 192.168.1.x configuration - though this may no longer be an issue if both PS2 and PC side IPs are malleable), messing with hooking, manually entering data into text files with specific syntax, etc. An advanced user should have no problem with these, but some basic users may be confused. Perhaps we should put together a quick application that will ask the user some basic questions and perform the required configuration changes for them..or even handle settings and codes. Maybe I'll tinker with something like that.

Also, we should probably spread the word a little to the other corners of the scene. I'm guessing a lot of our lack of activity stems from people simply not knowing about Artemis. I come across people who hack or request codes for the PS2 all the time who, when I mention Artemis, have never heard of it.

So the latest version compiles with the standard PS2SDK? That's great. I never got around to applying those patches to the pre-built SDK, but if they're not needed, I'll put the SDK together and upload the latest (updated) version. This will motivate me to start doing some deeper testing with Artemis, and work on a few other things here and there.

I'm eager for Berion to finish the GUI graphics, so we can begin putting together the GUI. Perhaps I should decide on a graphics lib, and start creating a basic menu with limited graphics, so I can begin the process of figuring out how to pass data to the debugger itself for launching/loading codes/etc.

[Lazy Bastard]

Oh, and another thought: we should probably create a detailed user guide for Artemis, including configuration, usage, and troubleshooting steps. This can be updated as Artemis is.

Perhaps offering to install Artemis to peoples' memory cards for the price of shipping and handling of the card, and/or selling cards with Artemis already pre-installed/configured, would boost use and interest as well.

[misfire]

"So the latest version compiles with the standard PS2SDK?"

Yes, all of our patches have been added. You just need the latest revision (r1610).

I also think that we need more documentation. I added some documents to version 0.3 but it's still not enough.

[Lazy Bastard]

Yeah, I read the ones you wrote for 0.2, which were quite good. I'll take a look at 0.3 ASAP, and see if I can come up with some things to fill any gaps.

[misfire]

I forgot to mention that we have a new compatibility list at http://bitbucket.org/misfire/artemis/wiki/. It should be used instead of the old one for Core Launcher.