God-mode cheat code

ChrisShaffer · February 11, 2002, 21:17

As reported on CivFanatics at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showth...185473&t=2675, a god-mode cheat code has been discovered. Simply rename any save game file 1_multipart_xF8FF_2_challenge.SAV and load it. You get full map view including all resources, all units, all cities. You can examine and rename any city. Full, complete knowledge of the world.

It does not allow the human to move AI units, change AI production, or reassign workers.

Oerdin · February 11, 2002, 21:23

Hmmm, There must be another code that lets the programers edit the other stuff as well.

ChrisShaffer · February 11, 2002, 21:33

You can change AI production by right-clicking on a city and choosing Change Production. You cannot change AI production from the city view screen.

mactbone · February 11, 2002, 23:14

How the hell did anyone figure that out? I mean, what, someone was just randomly naming files and hit upon this? Hmmm, maybe I should think about that...

ChrisShaffer · February 12, 2002, 01:19

Turns out all you need is the letters "multi" in lowercase in the save name.

Gramphos · February 12, 2002, 02:44

What geek figured that out?

Did he check in the code for the game, to se if it compared the filename with something?

Nakar Gabab · February 12, 2002, 03:48

It's not perfect - I tried to force the AI governors to "never" produce settlers, but they just kept reverting.

For sick fun, though, I started every city producing wonders. I'm currently in 1500 AD with tons of fully-developed late-middle-ages cities, and they have 1-5 each.

Okay, it's cheap, but I was testing. I've let them start expanding so I can watch as they beeline RIGHT to the hidden resources and plop down their settlers. It's sick. Very sick. AI-is-no-different-than-a-human my ass.

Dienstag · February 12, 2002, 03:49

Dudes, does it occur to anyone else that the ability to manipulate enemy production puts us one tiny step closer to being able to make scenarios? If you painstakingly micromanage production for all time, plus use any other means of influencing the AI, you might be able to arrive at some scenario-like starting conditions. (still no events

)

That said, it would seem to be insanely tedious and success would be questionable at best. Any thoughts?

While I'm at it I'll add my own voice to the "How the hell did anyone figure that out?" chorus. I don't buy the coincidence explanation. I want the truth!

wervdon · February 12, 2002, 04:18

'I've let them start expanding so I can watch as they beeline RIGHT to the hidden resources and plop down their settlers. It's sick. Very sick. AI-is-no-different-than-a-human my ass"

I dont know if that proves anything, its quiet possible the cheat works both ways and they can see the "hidden" resources just because you can.

I am sort of curious if its somehow a bug related to dorment multiplayer code though

Maybe just a coincidence that "multi" is the trigger name though.

notyoueither · February 12, 2002, 04:29

Actually, I was in a bar in Hunt Valley some time ago, ya see.

There were these 2 guys all in black, complete with masks and gloves, ya see.

I eased over towards them and evesdropped on their conversation, ya see.

The first one mutters something to the second one and the second one says something to the effect that if they'd only saved as *multi* something or other then they'd be able to find the hidden Saki stash for the bar.

So I gets to thinkin...

Then someone dropped a spoon. I was outta there...

Salve

MonsterMan · February 12, 2002, 04:36

Shame it doesn't let you control AI units. Then you could give all units GoTo orders for a scenario challenge. But oh well I'll wait for the next patch instead and do it properly : )

star mouse · February 12, 2002, 04:38

Quote:

Originally posted by ChrisShaffer
Turns out all you need is the letters "multi" in lowercase in the save name.

Even just "multi.sav" works.

DrFell · February 12, 2002, 08:50

This begs the question: Why didn't they just leave an optional cheat mode in? I mean, although I've not tried this, I assume if you rename the file the cheat mode is again disabled? This could be horribly exploited if so.

Solver · February 12, 2002, 12:01

OK, I've been saying this ever since there were talks on cheats in Civ 3, but I repeat: there are cheats, it's just that they are disabled, and only Firaxians can use them. Maybe that is done because of possible multiplayer exploits. And I do like it being done.

But... how did the guy discover this originally, I wonder?

DrFell · February 12, 2002, 12:07

Apparently he happened to name his save game to the first name. All it needs is multi in the name for it to work though.

Ironwood · February 12, 2002, 12:16

I just wish there was a code that would relinquish the entire game to human control. This would make scenario creation possible. As it is, all that's possible is to edit the rules, and make maps (and even that's not really all that doable, since there's no zoom or minimap in the editor). In short, you can make modpacks, not scenarios.

I don't even care about events. They're nice (and were fun in such scenarios as "Atlantis" and "Midgard"), but I don't need them for my purposes.

randommushroom · February 12, 2002, 12:28

I saw the thread at Civ Fanatics. It's being hypothesized that the person's program for when he downloaded the file renamed the file with the string "multi" inside. That happened because of the header encoding which will say something like "This is a multipart message encoded in...blah blah blah."

I'd guess that this was an intentional piece of Firaxian code to give the developers a way to look inside games being playtested. When the program loads a saved game, it scans for the string "multi" and if it finds it, enables certain features. Now because of that choice of string, and a strange glitch in the saving of a file over the internet, a serendipitous discovery ensued.

Could there possibly be more? Sure.

I think the most interesting aspect to this is that one could really study and get a better glimpse into the AI.

Thrawn05 · February 12, 2002, 12:32

Quote:

Originally posted by randommushroom
When the program loads a saved game, it scans for the string "multi" and if it finds it, enables certain features. Now because of that choice of string, and a strange glitch in the saving of a file over the internet, a serendipitous discovery ensued.

Perhaps the string "multi" means multiplayer? Perhaps they are using this to test if this game could really work with multiplayer support?

Dry · February 12, 2002, 13:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Solver
... there are cheats, it's just that they are disabled, ...

Do you mean... the scenario editor was ... disabled?

Gramphos · February 12, 2002, 13:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Dry
Do you mean... the scenario editor was ... disabled?

You could say that, but it is not 100% true. The cheats that are in the debug version sounds to be very lowlevel cheats, and saves can not be used as scenarios.

Gramphos · February 12, 2002, 13:21

Anyone without the patch that has tried this?

hooha47 · February 12, 2002, 14:53

It works without the patch.

takamine · February 12, 2002, 15:16

Quote:

I think the most interesting aspect to this is that one could really study and get a better glimpse into the AI.

I agree that this idea is the most valuable facet of the cheat -- one can now learn the entire set of responses of the AI to various events throughout the game. To see its response when someone declares war on it -- this will show us all what it bases its priorities on, and will let us develop strategies that can specifically stop its response.

I also think that it would be fascinating to simply watch the building choices/responses of the AI on the various difficulty levels, to see what the programmers thought of as the ideal actions by the AI for each difficulty level.

Mizaq · February 12, 2002, 16:42

It's a trick: get an axe.

Purple · February 12, 2002, 16:56

Doesn't this mean that the so-called tournament games are dead?

Gramphos · February 12, 2002, 17:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple
Doesn't this mean that the so-called tournament games are dead?

No, just add that to the rules. No use of saves that contains "multi", and they have rushed the patch to fix this

Purple · February 12, 2002, 17:14

That's fine for honorable players, but such a rule (or even a patch) wouldn't deter the unscrupulous.

Sabre2th · February 12, 2002, 17:22

We'll have to rely on the honesty of the players. If a player is caught cheating, they shouldn't be allowed to participate again.

Purple · February 12, 2002, 17:43

In an ideal world, you could trust everyone to behave properly, but inevitably someone spoils it for the rest. How do you detect the cheater?

I don't have a stake here, since I only play against myself, but in principle I've thought that tournament games are a Good Thing until now.

Sabre2th · February 12, 2002, 17:49

Quote:

How do you detect the cheater?

That would be the question of the day. Unless a player's actions make it obvious, we probably can't.