What you will need.
1. Calculator with hex/dec conversion
2. archive extraction software
3. hex editing software
4. floating point conversion program/website
How to edit items in Dead State:
1. Make a backup of your scripts.aod file.
2. Extract scripts.aod in the install directory. I used 7-zip.
3. Find /data/core/items.dat
4. Make a backup of your items.dat file
5. Open items.dat using a hex editor. I'm using HxD.
6. Search for text string for item to edit. For example, to edit the laser site M4 rifle, search for laser.
a. Alternatively, you can open up the itemtext.english.xml file and fine the items ID tag (laser M4 rifle is ID 908)
b. The item tag is located before the item's image file name, stored in hex.
c. ID 908 in hex is 038C. Tags in hex are transposed, so search for hex value 8C03.
7. For weapons, you will see the attack types in plain text (Auto, Burst, Fire, etc)
a. If you see New Attack, then there are no more attack types for that item.
b. Between the Attack name and the animation file name will be the data you wish to change.
c. There are 4 bytes that will contain the AP cost, the Ammo cost, the minimum damage (in hex) and the maximum damage (in hex). 00000006 00000003 00000019 00000032 - for example, 6 AP using 3 Ammo, 25 (19 hex) damage, and 50 (32 hex) damage
d. Modify each attack type to suit your play needs.
8. For weapons, ammo and weight:
a. Ammo is listed in plain text (556 Ammo, 7.62, etc) between the weapon name and the first attack type name.
b. In the string of bytes before the ammo name will be the maximum ammo capacity of the weapon, stored in HEX. (For example, the high volume AK rifle has 45 ammo, which is 2D in hex. The suppressed SMG has 15 ammo, which is 0F in hex)
c. Weight is a floating point number, so you will need to utilize a floating point conversion program/website. I used www.binaryconvert.com/convert_float.html
d. Convert the decimal number to binary representation. Look at the value after the 0x. (for example, 10.5 pounds is 0x4128)
e. Transpose the digits (4128 becomes 2841) and search for that value in Hex under the item in question. It should come before the ammo tag (weapon) or first New Attack tag (armor).
f. Using the decimal to float conversion, convert a smaller decimal number. (for example, 5.5 pounds is 40B0)
g. Transpose the new digits (40B0 become B040) and overtype the original value.
9. Armor is different in that the armor stats are stored at the end of the item entry, right before the next items ID tag.
a. Find the armor name, then keep going until you reach the next items ID tag.
b. Armor stats are stored in the bytes right before that ID tag. (for example, Apocalypse Armor has defense 25 (hex 19), Bite 50 (hex 32), Ballistic 30 (hex 1E), Fire 40 (hex 28), Slashing 40 (28), Bludgeon 40 (28), Pierce 40 (28), and Chemical 40 (28))
10. Save all changes.
11. Once finished editing, open up the archive scripts.aod.
a. navigate in the archive to the /data/core directory
b. drag your modified items.dat file into the /data/core directory of the archive, replacing the existing file
If done correctly, if you start the game and load your save, you will see the item stats have changed.
Enjoy!
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