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From: mkao@crash.CTS.COM (Mike Kao)
Newsgroups: rec.games.misc,comp.sys.apple
Subject: Apple II ELITE cheating
Message-ID: <1676@crash.CTS.COM>
Date: Tue, 8-Sep-87 18:31:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: crash.1676
Posted: Tue Sep  8 18:31:18 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 10-Sep-87 02:15:47 EDT
Reply-To: mkao@crash.CTS.COM (Mike Kao)
Organization: Crash TS, El Cajon, CA
Lines: 29
Summary: Need help in deciphering character files
Xref: mnetor rec.games.misc:845 comp.sys.apple:2536

As a long-time ELITE player, I have often been frustrated by the game's 
monotony. Out of boredom, I attempted to delve into the inner workings of the
game and see if I could cheat by modifying the character files. I found out 
that the game either encrypted or compressed the data in the character file,
thereby rendering the game VERY hard to cheat on. With the aid of an NMI,
I was able determine where in MEMORY the character information is stored
when loaded; I also know where the stats for CASH, FUEL and CARGO are. As for
the other stats, I have not been able to determine their whereabouts yet. The
big problem is how to modify these stats in the DISK form -- the 2-sector
binary file. These data bear no resemblance to their counterparts in memory; in
addition to that, ELITE apparently performs a checksum on the encrypted data,
so haphazard byte-modifications will not work. I think that the missing link
between the decoded MEMORY data and encoded DISK data is the COMPETITION NUMBER
displayed whenever a character is saved. ELITE probably performs many bit
manipulations with this 10-digit number and somehow uses it has the key to
encrypting/decrypting the DISK file. I need help in tracing the ELITE code to
see where it actually does. I also need help to defeat the checksum. I want
to write a cheater for Apple ELITE, and I will of course give credit to whoever
assists me. Thanks!

-- 

To insure my reception of any replies, please respond via e-mail. Thanks!

                                                                  -- Mike Kao

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