Aussie Uncensor Patch (AU Modders Wanted)

[DarkStarSword]

CURRENT STATUS: I have created a mod containing the missing/altered files from the US version, but it seems that simply dropping it into the AU version did not work. Without the censored version it's not easy for me to figure out why - someone with some modding experience and the censored version probably needs to take over from this point.


If you would like to help, but aren't sure which version you have, check what is listed on your account here: https://store.steampowered.com/account/ . If you have the censored version it will say "Saints Row IV Pre-purchase (AU)" or "Saints Row IV (AU)".


The test mod with the missing/altered files is available here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byr6wvMGbYkSbzBtbVIydVRxcWs/edit?usp=sharing


If you want to try it, download and extract it into your 'Saints Row IV' directory (i.e. the same directory that SaintsRowIV.exe is in). Obviously since I have the ROW version I can't actually test it myself. If people download & try it, please report back with how it goes!

I would strongly recommend creating a new save when using this patch in case something goes wrong.

Some questions I'd like to hear answers from anyone trying this:

- If you have already progressed far enough into the game before installing this, is the Shaundi loyalty mission available? It *SHOULD* be available any time after rescuing Shaundi.

- If you are part way through the game but have not yet rescued Shaundi, does the loyalty mission become available once you do rescue her?

- If you have purchased the season pass DLC, does the Anal probe weapon become available after installing this patch? Was it before? You need to have progressed far enough in the game to get access to a gateway to unlock the weapon.


UNINSTALL: If this mod doesn't work or causes issues, you can uninstall it simply by deleting all the files you extracted. In particular, delete these files from the Saints Row IV directory:
anal_probe.str2_pc
anal_probe_privacybar.str2_pc
anal_projectile.str2_pc
analprobe_gold.str2_pc
analprobe_high.str2_pc
analprobe_purp.str2_pc
items_containers.asm_pc
items_preload_containers.asm_pc
items_preload_containers.str2_pc
main_streaming_weapons.asm_pc
mol_sh01_modal.str2_pc
stream_grid.asm_pc



Edit: To keep this top post relevant, I've moved my original post below.

[PALADiN]

Maybe you've missed a flag or two in the SaintsRowIV.exe file.

I'm just spitballing here.

[DarkStarSword]

@VicePMAbbott that's entirly possible, but would be quite annoying if so because most Steam games use encrypted executables that are tied to each individual users account - and even if I did patch the exe, the mod would break every time Volition releases an update. If at all possible I'd rather find an alternate way that doesn't need the exe to be modified.

[DarkStarSword]

I've updated the description - at this point there is little else I can do without having the AU version myself to test it out on, so it might be better if someone with some modding experience and the AU version takes over from this point.

I might be able to keep trying to make progress myself on the long run - If someone sends me a copy of the modified files from the AU version I might be able to figure something out (I could potentially censor my own copy then test the uncensor patch on it), or I might be able to get an uncensored copy (one of my friends mentioned that he has a spare key that he would be willing to give me, but I'll have to wait until he gets back to take him up on that offer).

[Screaming Angels]

What is the easiest way to determine if you have the Australian version, or the ROW version (without starting the game, or looking at the Steam account details) of the main game (no DLC).
Which files should you have or not have?

[Scrumpleton]

From the original post by DarkStarSword:

"My copy was gifted from the US, so I need someone with a censored AU version of the game to send me a copy of these files (they are small - only a few hundred KB each):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\appmanifest_206420.acf
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206421_*.manifest
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206424_*.manifest
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206425_*.manifest

The * will be a large number (it changes every time an update is pushed out for the game)."

All of those files would not be present in the ROW version.

[DarkStarSword]

To clarify, these files are present in BOTH versions:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\appmanifest_206420.acf
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206421_*.manifest

This file is only present in the ROW version:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206422_*.manifest

These two files are only present in the AU version:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206424_*.manifest
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\depotcache\206425_*.manifest

There are also differences in some of the pack files, but they need to be extracted to determine which versions they are.

[DarkStarSword]

I've been playing around with this a bit more - thanks to the free weekend I was able to use a second account to get a copy of the AU version. I've confirmed that the remaining difference lies inside the executable - comparing the US and AU executables shows differences in reference to mol_sh01 (The Shaundi loyalty mission), the super Shaundi + Veteran Child homie unlocks, and the anal probe weapon. They are still referenced in the AU version, but from different places.

This makes things somewhat difficult unfortunately. Simply replacing the executable doesn't work thanks to Steam's DRM (even executables from Steam installations on different machines are incompatible - even if the same account & same version of the game were used). I'll need to compare the assembly code to see if binary patching is a realistic possibility, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Even if it is, it would break the next time they push an update to the exe.

This may change in the future - Volition plans to explore the possibility of allowing missions to be added/modded after Release D of the modding SDK... but we are still in the alpha before Release A, and that was last updated in October...

Unfortunately with the free weekend about to come to a close I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep experimenting with this, unless family sharing let's me keep using the AU installation (I've set it to not update - thankfully Steam finally implemented that properly).

TL;DR An uncensorship patch looks pretty unlikely at this stage. Too much hard coded crap.

[RomireTwitch]

darkstar, thanks for the efoort and attempts

[DarkStarSword]

Interestingly now the free weekend has finished Steam replaced the exe with the US version, but did not replace the pak files (the acf file still shows both AU depots are mounted). All the DLC from my regular account (including the rectifier since I have the US version of the season pass) also unlocked on my second account thanks to family sharing (that did not unlock yesterday despite having family sharing enabled).

The result was the game would crash when trying to access the weapons cache and would hang when trying to start the plane mission, since the pak files do not include the assets the game is looking for.

Installing the mod I released here (well, an newer version since one of the files was updated since then) works with the US exe - allowing the rectifier to be selected & used, and unlocking the Shaundi loyalty mission at the end of the plane mission.

If I replace the US exe with the AU exe (I made a copy) and load my game, the behavior goes back to before - the rectifier does not unlock, nor does the Shaundi loyalty mission.

[[V] IdolNinja]

引用自 DarkStarSword：

Interestingly now the free weekend has finished Steam replaced the exe with the US version, but did not replace the pak files (the acf file still shows both AU depots are mounted). All the DLC from my regular account (including the rectifier since I have the US version of the season pass) also unlocked on my second account thanks to family sharing (that did not unlock yesterday despite having family sharing enabled).

The result was the game would crash when trying to access the weapons cache and would hang when trying to start the plane mission, since the pak files do not include the assets the game is looking for.

Installing the mod I released here (well, an newer version since one of the files was updated since then) works with the US exe - allowing the rectifier to be selected & used, and unlocking the Shaundi loyalty mission at the end of the plane mission.

If I replace the US exe with the AU exe (I made a copy) and load my game, the behavior goes back to before - the rectifier does not unlock, nor does the Shaundi loyalty mission.

Thanks for the heads up. I've let the team know and we're looking into it.

[DarkStarSword]

引用自 V IdolNinja：

Thanks for the heads up. I've let the team know and we're looking into it.

I wouldn't worry too much - I doubt many people would wind up with a US exe and AU pack files by chance - I only got into in that situation because I was actively trying to compare the differences between the AU and US versions.

If you guys do want to help out, let's just say it would be nice if the AU executable would use the uncensored content if it is found, but not otherwise. That should satisfy everyone, right?

[Scrumpleton]

Well, I'd be happy to play a censored version with my friend. If the AU and ROW versions were co-op compatible (but went to censored version of co-op) I wouldn't have an issue. My friend has the cut version though and I've been really bummed about not being able to co-op with him.

[TechDragon]

Its even more weird for me.

I have a ROW copy of the base game but somehow wound up with the AU Season Pass.

I got to play the Shaundi 'drug' mission. Seriously... they censored that ? lol
But I dont have the Rectifier.

I'm considering trying to get refunded on the Season Pass so i can look for a DLC code off steam to get the right version of the DLC for my game, but thats a lot of effort for just one weapon, which leads me to your modding efforts.

How can I help?

TLDR;
US SR4 Base Game + AU Season Pass DLC = Missing Rectifier, Playable Shaundi 'drug mission'

[DarkStarSword]

引用自 TechDragon：

US SR4 Base Game + AU Season Pass DLC = Missing Rectifier, Playable Shaundi 'drug mission'

The mod I released here would be useless to you (even if it was working) - since you have the ROW base game you already have all the files it includes (including the rectifier - the game still needs it's files to be able to render it if you were playing with someone else in co-op who was using it).

On a technical level, I can see why you are in that situation - the AU season pass package does not include the rectifier "app", as you can see here:
http://steamdb.info/sub/31952/#section_apps
Whereas the ROW version of the season pass does include it:
http://steamdb.info/sub/30163/#section_apps

The way Steam games test for DLC is by checking for App IDs, not by Package IDs (and I can't see a way to do that in the Steamworks SDK documentation or headers even if the developers wanted to), so the game can only test for the rectifier "app", and not the season pass packages. Basically, it would be doing something like this somewhere in SaintsRowIV.exe:

if (SteamApps()->BIsSubscribedApp(238303)) {
inv_item_add("Anal_probe"); /* Or whatever the name is... */
}

I want to be a bit careful with helping on this one - any technique that allows you to use the rectifier could potentially be altered to work with other DLC items, which I'm sure Volition would frown on very strongly since half their business model seems to depend on selling DLC.

If the Volition developers happen to see this - it would be helpful to add the rectifier app to the AU season pass package. It still wouldn't show up in AU copies (due to the exe preventing it and the fact it is not included in the game's pack files), so you should still be fine as far as the AU classifications board are concerned, but would solve the problem for people in TechDragon's situation.

For that matter, why was the rectifier even removed? The review board gave it the okay:

In the opinion of the Review Board, there is no element of sexual violence related to the use of The Rectifier.

- http://www.classification.gov.au/About/Documents/Review%20Board%20decisions/CRB%20-%20updated%20reasons%20for%20decision%20report%20-%20Saints%20Row%20IV%20-%2031%20July%202013.pdf

[-3xA'Lu©κy the disappearing act]

Shame this never got anywhere.

My friends have been dying to play that cut mission and play with overseas friends. Lucky I was able to get an international copy a while back somehow.