XCOM interceptor fix!

[fudgedragon]

I was mucking around with with no strategy x-com a few nights back. I installed Interceptor off of steam onto XP knowing about the problems I made a couple of efforts to avoid the problem. First I tried using virtual PC, I wasn't that pleased with the results, first I had to de steam my game so I could execute it in 98, then the mouse didn't really work right in game, even with mouse intergeneration off, and I think it lagged slightly (8mb video memory) next I considered actually duel booting but that wasn't an option, my graphics card is an 8 series nvidia. the last card that nvida did 98 drivers for was a 6 series, so that was out. Then I tried using the directx dlls from the older version of direct x by dropping them into the interceptor folder. I have a feeling that would have worked but Microsoft has removed some entry points form Kernel32.dll between now and 98, And I couldn't get it to look at the kernel32.dll from 98 that I dropped into the program directory. I assume it was hard-coded. That failed too. Finally the thing I wasn't expecting to work, worked. I downloaded the program Cheat Engine, with the intention of having a look at the memory at the time of mission generation. I started my de-steamed version (I did a test and I'm afraid to stay you cannot start the game this way if it is steamed) using the create process function of cheat engine. Played through about four months with none of the bugged stuff appearing, and then I got a pirate base, so I headed to attack it, and saved my game before I attacked. Mission loads, and there was a pirate base. I tested this a number of times using that save-game. When stated with the Create Process function of cheat engine, the base was there. When started normally, it wasn't. I then started the game again through cheat engine and went on to conform the same thing with data jamming probes. I don't know weather this is a fluke of my hardware or weather cheat engine does something differently when a game is stated with create process. I know it can alter direct x parameters so it obviously intercepts its calls, it may do the same with calls to the kernel. I have no idea. But it works for me and I'm able to play xcom interceptor on XP service pack 3 with no problems at all, with full 3d acceleration, a joystick if I so choose. The complete game as Microprose intended it.

 

 

So to summarise.

 

Find a way to de-steam your game. I'll leave this up to you. If you can understand what I was talking about above, you should know what I mean.

 

Download and install Cheat Engine. The version at time of writing is 5.5. The programs site is here. I've used it before. As of my knowledge its clean.

 

Run cheat engine, click the flashing computer icon and press the 'create process' button

 

Select your de-steamed interceptor.exe

 

Play the game as normal

 

 

I'll be interested to see if this works for anyone else.

 

I also wonder if now that I've found this, someone with slightly more knowledge of how cheat engine works can figure out exactly what's wrong with the game and fix it.

 

Fudge Dragon

[Andy]

I guess I'll say something.... Thanks for the info.

[-mg-]

Didn't work for me... any particular options you've run game with?

[fudgedragon]

Not really. All I'll say is that I'm running a steam version that has had a *cough* applied to it, so steam doesn't launch when the game does. I'm quite certain that cheat engine is on its default settings. I'll have a look later just in case but all I did was start interceptor.exe with the create process button on the process list screen.

 

In a way I sorta expected it not to work for everyone. It seemed sort of fluky even though it works for me all the time. I wonder if its anything to do with how our individual hardware handles debugging.

 

Sorry it doens't work. I sorta just threw this out here on the off chance that it works for someone else.

[Sculder]

Amazing work fudgedragon! Just tested a probe mission. It works! I can see it and destroy it. Used Cheat Engine with default settings. XP sp3. I had non steam version. Just full iso. Applied patch + crack. Edited October 9, 2010 by Sculder

[Valken]

Thanks for the tips! Gonna try this on my new W7 64bit game system!

[Guest satanistik]

Fix for the English version 1.0 and 1.2: (Not for Steam)

Installation: unzip to a folder with a game and run

Interceptor_1.0_xp.exe to version 1.0

Interceptor_1.2_xp.exe to version 1.2

 

Been looking for information on resources, games and files Interceptor.exe and SpritesDLL.dll from the German version, or any other ... other than English.

 

Write in PM .. thanks:)

PS: The Windows 7 32 bit too, like work:)

[SleepyWu]

I played in Steam version of game with changed .exe and it works fine (for the first glance). But it is strange: steam-based .exe is differ in size.

 

Maybe it is possible to re-host such useful fix? iFolder removes files after some time and inactivity. Maybe StrategyCore could help..? I uploaded this fix there, file is waiting moderation.

[Guest satanistik]

I played in Steam version of game with changed .exe and it works fine (for the first glance). But it is strange: steam-based .exe is differ in size.

 

Maybe it is possible to re-host such useful fix? iFolder removes files after some time and inactivity. Maybe StrategyCore could help..? I uploaded this fix there, file is waiting moderation.

 

Sorry for my bad English.

In exe Steam version still protecting protection, so the size is different:) yes, and it is not correct, but you can try to throw a directory with the game exe file and try to run, (put works ...) but should not run out of Steam and make a separate shortcuts.

About ifolder - I poslezhu yet it had not been removed, but I'm not sure what corrected it. Maybe a test yet?

[TherilAlPenn]

Nice work! Just played enough to verify that alien probes work for me now, since I don't have time right now to check pirate bases.

[BladeFireLight]

wow.. that was a pain to get. Any one want to setup a English mirror?