Some values are encoded in a non-readable way

[captain-majid]

{
        "Frame": 444,
        "PlayerID": 0,
        "Type": {
          "Name": "Cheat",
          "ID": 18
        },
        "Data": "AQAAAA=="
},

Would like to know the cheat type, so how Data is encoded here ?

[icza]

JSON encodes binary data as Base64.

[captain-majid]

I tried to convert that to byte array which gives [1 0 0 0] but the value isn't static, I think it depends on whether other cheats ran with it or b4 it or not, probabply using enum bit-or to represent the whole state of cheat codes, any idea how this is structured ? otherwise the "Data": "AQAAAA==" isn't useful.

[icza]

Binary data of some commands are not parsed / modeled. They are still retained and outputted as-is, which reflects the data stored in replays. In such cases the parser needs to be updated to interpret the data, or you have to do your own research what the data means.

In most such cases I lacked the information how to interpret the data and was "lazy" to figure it out myself.

[captain-majid]

Any other cmds have values that still encoded as base64 string in json ?

[icza]

Yes, there are some, there are also some that partly interpret the data, and outputs the rest, uninterpreted part as Base64.

[captain-majid]

cmds like what exactly ?

[icza]

Actually, looking at the code, I don't see anything else besides the "Use Cheat" command.

[captain-majid]

I think I finally got it working, this code is in C#, no experience in Go, so hopefully you can port it and tell me if it's working on your side:

if (cmdType == "Cheat")
{
    cheatByteArray_new = Convert.FromBase64String(item.XPathSelectElement("Data").Value); // convert encoded Base64 string to byte array
    string[] excludeThose = new string[] { "16,0,0,0" , "0,0,4,0", "0,0,8,0", "8,0,0,0" }; //don't know how, but ignoring those seems to have the correct values.
    byte[] result = new byte[4];
    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
    {
        result[i] = (byte)(cheatByteArray_new[i] ^ cheatByteArray_old[i]); //xoring the items in the 2 byte arrays
    }
    data = string.Join(",", result);
    if (!excludeThose.Contains(data))
        cheatByteArray_old = cheatByteArray_new;

    switch (data) //The initial values of every cheat code, can be different if the order of issuing them changed.
    {
        case "16,0,0,0": more = ": show me the money " + data; break;
        case "1,0,0,0": more = ": black sheep wall " + data; break;
        case "2,0,0,0": more = ": operation cwal " + data; break;
        case "4,0,0,0": more = ": power overwhelming " + data; break;
        case "0,1,0,0": more = ": staying alive " + data; break;
        case "128,0,0,0": more = ": there is no cow level " + data; break;

        case "64,0,0,0": more = ": game over man " + data; break;
        case "0,0,4,0": more = ": whats mine is mine " + data; break;
        case "0,8,0,0": more = ": the gathering " + data; break;
        case "0,0,8,0": more = ": breathe deep " + data; break;

        case "8,0,0,0": more = ": something for nothing " + data; break;
        case "0,16,0,0": more = ": medieval man " + data; break;
        case "0,32,0,0": more = ": modify the phase variance " + data; break;
        case "0,64,0,0": more = ": war aint what it used to be " + data; break;

        case "0,0,2,0": more = ": food for thought " + data; break;
        case "0,0,0,32": more = ": noglues " + data; break;
        case "0,2,0,0": more = ": ophelia " + data; break;
        case "0,0,16,0": more = ": zoom zoom " + data; break;
        default: more = ": ??? unknown " + data; break;
    }
}

[icza]

So it seems there are 4 bytes of data, and each bit of those corresponds to a specific cheat code (there may be unsued bits).

[captain-majid]

I found a page that clarify more how these cheat codes are encoded, it also contain many other orders that might not be identified by Screp:
https://github.com/phu54321/vgce/blob/0da9d14626c06351e66a3d9c18973f6d69b89a7a/docs/Blizzard/Starcraft/packets2.txt#L662

[icza]

Thanks for the link, I will implement parsing cheat codes.

[icza]

And there ya go: released v1.13.0 that parses which cheats are enabled / were issued: https://github.com/icza/screp/releases/tag/v1.13.0

[captain-majid]

Thanks, but the way those cheats are encoded is intriguing, they don't really have a fixed id unless you use 1 cheat in a game, if a cheat used multiple times or along with other cheats, you won't get the same signature/id of the cheat, this is why I used cheatByteArray_old and cheatByteArray_new in my C# code to be aware of what was the previous cheat and xor it with the new1.

I use the following sample replay to test if cheats are recognized correctly or not, and unfortunately screp v1.13 doesn't match what really happened, I also don't understand the necessity of "CheatCodes": [] in the generated .json file, its only 1 cheat at time, so why an array that still repeat all the previous cheats in it again?

! Omega_test cheat codes.zip

[icza]

The cheat command sends a bitmap that also holds cheats that are toggleable and are currently turned on.

E.g. "Black sheep wall" (reveals full map) is a toggleable cheat, onces enabled, you'll see the full map. If you enter it again, it disables it.

There are other, non-toggleable cheats, e.g. "Show me the money" which gives you 10k minerals and gas on each use.

The []*CheatCodes slice holds cheats decoded from the bitmap: they are either turned on toggleable cheats, or a repeatable cheat that was just used.

I see no issues here.

[captain-majid]

Look for example @frame 4520 in the replay I've encluded, by looking at the .json file I don't really know what cheat was that:

      {
        "Frame": 4520,
        "PlayerID": 0,
        "Type": {
          "Name": "Cheat",
          "ID": 18
        },
        "CheatsBitmap": 537555456,
        "CheatCodes": [
          {
            "Name": "Ophelia",
            "BitMask": 512
          },
          {
            "Name": "Medieval Man",
            "BitMask": 4096
          },
          {
            "Name": "Modify The Phase Variance",
            "BitMask": 8192
          },
          {
            "Name": "War Aint What it Used to be",
            "BitMask": 16384
          },
          {
            "Name": "Food For Thought",
            "BitMask": 131072
          },
          {
            "Name": "Breathe Deep",
            "BitMask": 524288
          },
          {
            "Name": "Noglues",
            "BitMask": 536870912
          }
        ]
      },

But I know that exactly in this frame I just entered Cheat: breathe deep with no other cheats !