Activating cheats in the game menus and dialogs ?

[André de Cuyne]

(This is the translation of this page on French Forums.)​

How can this be possible without (re)compiling the Module System every time ?

And without modifying it ?

This is the purpose of a little program I created during winter, when I had no kids to look after, no show to play in and no guided tours to guide.

Originally written in Python, then "translated" in C/C++, this program looks for the data responsible for the activation of theese cheats.

Pay attention to the fact that those cheats aren't the ones activated in the starting screen of Mount & Blade ! I'm speaking about the cheats wich are accessible in the game menus and dialogs, when the game started.

With cheat_mode, you don't need to modify the Python sources any more (therefore, recompiling the sources).

All you have to do is launching cheat_mode and Mount & Blade. Then, typing a simple word in a console, you can enable or disable in-game cheats.

OK, OK. You're impatient, so here is the link where you can find cheat_mode...

And its manual...

Spoiler

"cheat_mode.exe"

Program version: 0.0.2, sub-version: 2a.

D.C.-G. ((C) 2009)


Contact me on the TaleWorlds forums, pseudo André de Cuyne.


Summary:

I.    Description

II.  Limitations

III.  Installation

IV.  Usage

    A. First Start
    B. Using the Command Line
        1. -
        2. +
        3. -c
        4. -p
        5. Parameter Combinations
    C. Using the Console.
        1. Launching the Console.
        2. Commands.
        3. Mount & Blade.
    D. Tips and Tricks.

VI.  Disclaimer


+----------------+
| I. Description |
+----------------+

cheat_mode is a program designed to enable or disable cheat mode in Mount & Blade 1.010 / 1.011.
It will not modify the status of the cheat mode enabled in the starting screen of the game, and accessible by pressing keys combination.
This program changes the status of the in game through menus accessible cheats.


+-----------------+
| II. Limitations |
+-----------------+

- cannot change the status of a module if cheat mode was enabled by editing corresponding menu in the Module System;
- to use the '-p' command line parameter, you have to execute the program in a shell.
- tested only with Native mod...


+------------------+
| III Installation |
+------------------+

Double click on cheat_mode0022a.exe, and choose a folder (I recommend your Mount & Blade Modules folder).
That's all !


+----------+
| IV Usage |
+----------+

A. First Start.
---------------

    The program needs a default module path.
    Two methods for specifying it:

    1)  Double click on 'cheat_mode.exe'. A file ('module.path') is created. Nothing else is done (in fact, the program sends an error:
        "This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
        Please contact the application's support team for more information."
        You can see it if you start cheat_mode in a console. Don't worry, nothing important happened. And don't send me mail about this.)
        Edit this file, and write the path to a Mount & Blade module that you want cheats to be enabled.
        Then, each time you double click on 'cheat_mode.exe', a console screen will show help and status of the default module.

    2)  Open a command console and go to cheat_mode folder.
        Enter 'cheat_mode -p <name_of_the_module>'.
        The program starts and displays the cheats status (disabled, of course).
        Should look like this:

        +---------------------------------------------------------------
        |R:\cheat_mode>cheat_mode -p "W:\Mount&Blade\Modules\Native"                     
        |Cheat mode enabler / disabler for Mount and Blade 1.010.
        |
        |        Written by D.C-G. ((C) 2009).
        |
        |Module path: W:\Mount&Blade\Modules\Native.
        |
        |
        |Cheats are Disabled
        |
        |[ Hit Enter key to exit ]
        |
        |R:\cheat_mode>_
        +---------------------------------------------------------------

    As long as the file module.path contains a valid module path, cheat_mode won't have problems to start and you can use it thoroughly.


B. Using the Command Line.
--------------------------

    Using command line parameters allows changing module path and status. Parameters order has no importance.
   
    1. -
        Disables cheats in the default module path: 'cheat_mode -'.

    2. +
        Enables cheats in the default module path: 'cheat_mode +'.

    3. -c
        Use the shell: 'cheat_mode -c'.

    4. -p
        Allows changing the module path: 'cheat_mode -p <new module path>'.

    5. Parameter Combinations
        You can combine command line parameters:
            * +/- and -p <new module path> enables/disables cheats in the <new module path> and sets <new module path> as default module.
            * -c and -p <new module path> sets <new module path> as default module and opens the console.
            * +/- and -c enables/disables cheats in the default module and opens the console.
            * +/- and -c and -p <new module path> sets <new module path> as default module, enable/disable cheats and opens the console.


C. Using the Console.
---------------------

    cheat_mode has a console mode with few commands.
   
    1. Launching the Console.
        Use the '-c' command line parameter.

    2. Commands.
        * check: displays the status of the default module.
        * disable: disables cheats.
        * enable: enables the cheats.
        * exit: exits cheat_mode.
        * help [command]: without parameter, displays usage screen and the list of the commands. With the command parameter,
          displays help on the given command.
        * module [new_module]: without parameter, displays current(default) module. With the new_module parameter, changes
          default module to new_module.


D. Mount & Blade.
-----------------

    cheat_mode runs independently from Mount & Blade, and can enable and disable cheats without Mount & Blade running.
    But the interest of this program is that you can enable/disable cheat while playing.

    How is this possible ?

    * First, start cheat_mode console and Mount & Blade in windowed display(1) (order has no importance).
    * Then, load a saved game.
    * Hit 'Alt+Tab' to focus cheat_mode console, and enable or disable cheats.
    * Return to Mount & Blade click View menu and choose 'Restore Module Data' option.

    Et voilà  !

        (1) You can also start in full screen mode and hit 'Alt+Enter'.


E. Tips and Tricks.
-------------------

You can edit the 'module.path' file to specify your own module path.

It is recommended to create links with parameters to cheat_mode to have instant access to functionalities.

To have the best display, set the width parameter of the display to 128 characters, and the height to 30.

If you install cheat_mode in the 'modules' folder of Mount & Blade, you won't have to enter the absolute paths of the modules,
but only the relative paths.


+--------------+
| V Disclaimer |
+--------------+

This program is distributed "as is", without any warranty of compatibility with any other program and/or any hardware.
The author's responsibility can not be engaged in case of harm, data loss, hardware destruction, or any other bad issue when installing and/or using this program.

By installing and/or using this program, you agree with this disclaimer.

If you have suggestions, bugs reports, or more simply, if you want to cover me with gold, post here !

Have fun !

AdC

 

[bjorne.]

Well aren't you enable to do this in the configurations?

You know
Configurations --> Advanced --> Enable Cheatmode

Or am I totally misunderstanding this?

 

[ConstantA]

Pay attention to the fact that those cheats aren't the ones activated in the starting screen of Mount & Blade ! I'm speaking about the cheats wich are accessible in the game menus and dialogs, when the game started.

Isn't it easier to add

("cheat_toggle",
[(neq,"$cheat_mode",-1),#if cheats disabled with loader...
 (try_begin),
    (eq, "$cheat_mode", 0),
    (str_store_string, s1, "@Enable cheats"),
    (else_try),
    (str_store_string, s1, "@Disable cheats"),
 (try_end),],
"{s1}",                         
[(try_begin),
    (eq, "$cheat_mode", 0),
    (assign, "$cheat_mode", 1),
    (else_try),
    (assign, "$cheat_mode", 0),
 (try_end),]),

to the, say, camp menu entry?

 

[André de Cuyne]

Well aren't you enable to do this in the configurations?

You know
Configurations --> Advanced --> Enable Cheatmode

Or am I totally misunderstanding this?

Not those ones.

The ones that you can enable in the Module System.

Pay attention to the fact that those cheats aren't the ones activated in the starting screen of Mount & Blade ! I'm speaking about the cheats wich are accessible in the game menus and dialogs, when the game started.

Isn't it easier to add

[bunch of code]

to the, say, camp menu entry?

It's possible to do this, yes.
But you have to recompile the Module System then. Not with cheat_mode ! It is the goal of the app.

Even if I haven't tested it only with Native mod, I expect that it will work with other mods who do not changes menus using "$cheat_mode" variable.
So you can use cheat_mode with mods that the Module System isn't distributed.

Just try it.

 

[fisheye]

Wow, how did you do this? Is it toggling a value in a memory location?

 

[bjorne.]

Not those ones.

The ones that you can enable in the Module System.

oh the ones you can access through the module.ini??

 

[MrRoy]

No, you know when you select CHEAT! at the beginning of a game, well it's that one. If you did not take it, you can enable it with this tool, and ever better, while playing!