Uplink - Android Modding

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Kitkun
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Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:17 am

Hi, I was wondering, and hoping, that someone would know of a way to modify the Android version of this game, like the way you can modify the PC version, Gateways at the very minimum, if not skins, fonts, and the such as well.

From the APK, I was able to extract it, and I can see the contents look similar to the PC, with all the .DAT files, and I can edit those as well. However, I have no way to repackage everything into a proper APK, as when I try to do so, and install it, it seems to go about installing, but then I get an error that it wasn't parsed or something of that sort.

Any help would be greatly appreciated with this, whether it is pointing me somewhere that can help me, or giving me a tutorial, etc.

I would like to note that I did buy the game on the PC, first by itself, then through package deals from Prison Arcitect, and since then, the App on my Android Device, a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.

The reason I am saying as much is because I don't want anyone to think I am just ripping the game from somewhere and modifying the APK. I support, or try to, Introversion Software. I simply like to enjoy my games to what I feel is the most fun.

Please and thank you for the assistance and for bearing through my rambling.
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Mon Sep 08, 2014 5:13 am

Well, it has been many months, but no luck it seems. I had beening hoping someone had the knowledge and/or skill to help me out with this.

I wonder if it's that no one does... or no one plays it on Android. Personally, Uplink shall always be one of my favorite games.
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Black Isis
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:04 pm

Don't know if you're even still around.... I just back into the game afters years of not playing. Relearned modding on the old school Mac platform. Will download the iPad version at some point and give it a go.

I have no experience with Android, but originally reverse-engineered a PC mod guide to adapt it to Mac. I'll be happy to help where I can. Maybe we can feed off of each other.
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:27 pm

I'm am still around. Haven't made any breakthroughs, unfortunately.
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Black Isis
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Sat Oct 25, 2014 1:08 am

All right then. Glad to see the place isn't totally deserted. Had some drawbacks with the modding. Stuff not in the correct place. I remember this being a pita before, and now I don't have the sample text to work from. Seems the one I'm using is a bit flawed.....

I'll keep you posted.
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Sat Oct 25, 2014 3:44 am

I don't know how it will be for the iOS Platform, but once I had the APK itself, got it extracted, used... I think it was Redshrt? Some CMP thing that de/encyrpts the files, and I was able to find a lot of the stuff, the Gateways and Graphics, Company Names and Agent Aliases.

I read in another Thread on here that you have to update a file to match the new file sizes to make it work.

Even after all the work, I was only able to get the Gateways to visually show, but they had no effect, basically just changing the images.

Here is that Thread: viewtopic.php?f=44&t=39539
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:43 am

ok, Ive read the thread. I think I'm beginning to understand.....

If I read your posts right, you're putting the gateway mods the original (albeit unzipped) graphics folder?

Because if so, I think I can help. I have a question.... where does Android store the character saves?
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Sat Oct 25, 2014 2:45 pm

/data/data/uk.co.introversion.uplink.humble/files is what my device says.
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Sat Oct 25, 2014 4:24 pm

Ok, what I'm telling you now is based on my Mac structure. It may or may not work for you, but it's worth a shot:

In that directory (the one where your character saves are), create a new folder called "mods". In the mods folder, create two more folders, one called Data, and the other Graphics. In the Data folder, create a folder called Gateways. Put the data for your custom gateway in that folder (probably a .txt file?).
Now go to the Graphics folder. Inside it, create a folder called Gateway (notice there's no 's'). That's where the graphics files go. On my game, they have to be .tif files, and there's two- a regular one and a thumbnail. The thumbnail has a '_t' added to the end of the name, and has a much smaller size.

What the new sizes are, I couldn't say. Give me a few minutes, and I should be able to post a screenshot of my file structure for clarity.

I don't think the "mods" folder is name-specific (you can call it whatever you want), but the rest of the folders definitely ARE name specific. All this could have changed, and might not work. But like I said, it's worth a shot.

Edit: here's the screenshot:
Image
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Black Isis
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:33 am

Ok, I just read some of your other posts.... I'm telling you stuff you already know, aren't I? Sorry, I now feel like I was wasting your time. For a minute there, I thought it was going to be an easy fix.
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Kitkun » Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:46 am

No biggie, lol.

I'm not new to modding, Uplink or other games. I own Uplink on PC, as well. I've played and beat it a few times, modding it to make it personal to me.

The issue is, I've never tampered with APK files, or if you have an iDevice, they go by IPA. That is the file extension for an Application that installs.

After the App is installed, at least on Android, the necessary files and folders are gone. I can access the install location, as I have my Tablet Rooted (Jailbroken in iOS terms), hence why I can get my Save Game. All that is there is just some Metadata which is useless for me, and "lib" files which I have no understanding of.

However, if I extract the APK, as one would extract an Archive - i.e. ZIP, RAR, 7z,- everything I remember from my PC Uplink time is there, plus some new things.

I understand the gist of what I am looking at, or at least, I think I do, I see where files would go, what to rename, etc.

However, nothing ever works. Things like the "file cannot be parsed" or it is corrupted, or it works half-assed, and not the good half, as I have no idea how I even managed to do something this time, compared to multiple attempts before.

It has been awhile since I have fiddled with it, so perhaps I can go back and try some things out again.

I do appreciate your help, however it is my opinion that you need experience with it on the Mobile platform, at least on iOS, if not Android, to understand the picture. I mean, I will still take advice and try out suggestions. Not trying to be mean or push you away or anything of that sort. I just like to be realistic. Sorry...
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Black Isis
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby Black Isis » Mon Oct 27, 2014 4:12 pm

Right, right. I think you'd need whatever Android uses for dev tools to zip it again and go through another install process. At least, that's my theory. Sort of like an app "update".

But if that's the case, getting the mobile version of Uplink just went to the back burner for me. If you have to modify the app itself, sharing it becomes an issue. And if you can't get the whole dev community thing going as we did on the PC and Mac, that's going to take a lot of the fun out of it.

And yes, for the record, I have an iPad. Though since I last played the game, I've married an Intel engineer, so our main computers are now PC based, and the Mac is a dinosaur. :)

Still, it still has uplink on it.....
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby efagcollege » Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:20 am

Hi,

How to install the android modding in my phone?
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Re: Uplink - Android Modding

Postby c0py » Sun May 24, 2015 7:56 pm

Sorry for the late response

I'll try to clarify some things now in-case anyone in the future wants to give it a go

Black Isis is correct, you have to sign the APK file and then reinstall it - its an easy process but it does mean that you can't distribute the APK file.
if you want to share a gateway you would have to include instructions that cover getting the apk from the device - how to access its contents - how to add your gateway
and how to sign the apk again.

its a pain really, I haven't had any luck trying to do it by just accessing the folder on the device
however I have been able to add gateways to the APK file by simply putting them into the Patch3.DAT - signing the apk - and reinstalling it.

I wrote a tutorial in another thread that I've just followed myself to re-add some gateways to my new android device.
I'm not sure where Kitkun went wrong but from reading the post about redshirt I think that they were making it more complicated than it has to be
the PATCH3.DAT file isn't encrypted and can be opened by just double clicking it

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