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Swordsman

Adventuring since: 06-2010
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Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


This post applies to all the SSI games covered in this forum, it could really be posted in each of the sub forums but I chose to post it just here.
This is a rehash of a previous post from the Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures Forum
http://ua.reonis.com/index.php?topic=997.0
I have had some success decrypting the Ecl# and Geo# game files from the Gold Box series of games. Sole exception has been Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace.
For people who are not members of the FRUA forum I have provided links for the files involved.
This handles the compressed text of Ecl# files:
http://ishadnha.webs.com/GoldBoxCompressedText.zip
This handles the wall information found in Geo# files:
http://ishadnha.webs.com/GoldBoxTownDecryptor.zip
The latter file converts the walls and backgrounds into a format that can be pasted into the level files of FRUA or Dungeon Craft.
For a free copy of FRUA:
http://www.icestorm9999.com/frua.html
Dungeon Craft is freeware:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/uaf/files/
(Installer is actually 5.9MB, the initial 230.7MB figure is the sum of all previous versions.)

One specimen template, for Dark Queen of Krynn:
http://ishadnha.webs.com/DQKTemplate.zip
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Guild Priestess

Adventuring since: 09-2007
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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


So now we can recreate towns and dungeons from the SSI games into our own games in FRUA/Dungeon Craft. This is great.
 *)

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Sooner or later we'll all be eaten by monsters.
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Swordsman

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


The DQK Template looks best when viewed with proper graphics, go to the Rosedragon site for them.

Go to this directory for the walls:
http://frua.rosedragon.org/dc/art/walls/
Read this note:
http://frua.rosedragon.org/dc/art/walls/DC_FRUA-Walls.txt
This is the download for the walls:
http://frua.rosedragon.org/dc/art/walls/DC_FRUA-Walls.zip

Now for the backdrops, go to this directory:
http://frua.rosedragon.org/dc/art/backdrops/
This is the link for the backdrops:
http://frua.rosedragon.org/dc/art/backdrops/UABackdrops.zip
(Backdrops are the floor and ceiling part of the graphics.)

Understanding level 8, Naulidis, it is in fact composed of both the Naulidis and the Celanost areas. That means all of the maps found on pages 8 and 10 of the DQK Cluebook. This is a very common theme in Gold Box games, areas that appear to be separate are in fact part of the same map.

If you don't have a certain Gold Box game, there are plenty of places to look. For starters:
http://www.icestorm9999.com/1.html
Icestorm is moving to a new site:
http://weekendwastemonster.net/crpgs/directory.html
Any manuals or documents not found here might be found at Replacement docs:
http://www.replacementdocs.com/news.php



Last re-scribed by Ishad Nha, 6/27/10, 22:05
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Guild Priestess

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


Thanks Ishad for the FRUA info. su;

Re: about finding a goldbox game... it is kind of funny cause actually the bit o' moander is the official forums of the icestorm9999/weekendwastemonster sites. But good in case others do not already know.
 emoticona;

We hope to have all files transfered to weekendwastemonster sometime soon. Got all the less detailed pages transfered over. What is left will take a bit more time, but do plan to get it done within the next month or so.
 drea;

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Swordsman

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


 emoticonu;
They may not know what is available at the two sites: most of the things they will need.

Here is the Pools of Darkness template:
Pools of Darkness Template.zip
It contains instructions on how to use it.
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Guild Priestess

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


FRUA download page has been transfered over to the new site.
http://weekendwastemonster.net/crpgs/frua/frua.html

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Nomadic Moderator

Adventuring since: 09-2007
Location: Thorn Island
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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


I'll have to try out that town decryptor when I get some xtra time. It'd be great using some of those old Curse and Secret wall textures. Been meaning to break out the ol' FRUA and put a quest together.
 kn;

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Swordsman

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


Town Decryptor is easy enough until you hit a town that has an awful lot of repeated 0s or 128s, that is the main hassle. Then sometimes you find that what should be a repetition number is in fact an ordinary single instance. That is where the relevant Cluebook comes in handy. Have a stab at the game of your choice and see if the instructions are easy to follow.

Certain graphics from the Forgotten Realms quartet have already been ported to FRUA. See the designs: ega.zip, game39.zip and game40.zip. (EGA is Kill the Heroes of Phlan, Game 39 is Pool of Radiance and Game 40 is Curse of the Azure Bonds.) You can then check out Corhub site.
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Swordsman

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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


 emoticonu;
It seems that Treasures of the Savage Frontier has a slightly different system. It has a three byte header A B C. If number A is less than 254, then there are (254 - A) multiples of number B at the start of the town record. Usually the number would be (256 - A), I don't know why the difference, between use of 254 and 256, exists. Then number C may cause a repetition too. If so it is based upon 256.
Also, secret doors have default events associated with them: 224,225,226 and 227. Not too sure why this is the case.
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Swordsman

Adventuring since: 06-2010
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Re: Decrypting Ecl# and Geo# Files


Thanks to someone at the FRUA forum who has more, much more, programming knowledge than I do, the town decryptor has been simplified massively. It is now just a simple matter of copy and paste. New version of the decryptor has been uploaded to the old link:
GoldBoxTownDecryptor.zip

Last re-scribed by Ishad Nha, 9/8/10, 9:38
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