not sure if you can help me but maybe can tell me if it using a 3-rd party program to read the .sc2bank files I create in my custom map is against the Terms of Use or not:
thinking about this part (not sure if it applies or not):
2.6 use any unauthorized third-party software that intercepts, "mines", or otherwise collects information from or through any Game or the Service, including without limitation any software that reads areas of RAM used by any Game or the Service to store information about a character or a Game environment; provided, however, that Blizzard may, at its sole and absolute discretion, allow the use of certain third party user interfaces;
That clause refers to hacking via reading memory addresses or cache files. I doubt they'd give you even a warning for using some extra bank security tools.
I am unsure, I cannot tell you, that it will be safe to use it. The ToS formulation suggests, your tool is not allowed until Blizzard specifically allows it; in this case it might even depend on the level of monitoring Blizzard has access to. However, this is just, because the formulation is made as generalized as possible to include any possibility for a hacking tool.
I probably would ask in Battle.net forums and hope for a blue post (or search similar topics there), or contact their support (but keep in mind, that the support might not 100% know this and will say precautionary, that its not allowed).
On the other hand, I agree with DarkRevenant. If you use it, and they don't do anything, its probably fine. If they do anything about it, they will probably just warn you, then you will stop using it. No harm done.
Thats correct, but as far as I understood, he does not want do modify them, but only read them out, which is even less a problem in theory.
But it sounds like he wants to run this tool while SC2 is running, possibly submit the read data to some website and in this case, it might have a chance to be interpreted as a "tool which interferes with SC2's game files in general" by Blizzard's monitoring systems. So most likely, it won't be a problem, but there is no 100% guarantee.
Btw, doesn't SotIS use a similar tool to keep a global leaderboard? I did read it somewhere, but I never really played SotIS, so I cannot confirm this.
As far as I can tell, custom game bank files are the only files that you can actually access. The campaign bank files appear to be located with the rest of the system data, and are highly encrypted. Well, there is 1 item that is located in the documents folder... It has a LibertyCampaignSave.SC2Save file, which opens with SC2. So I tried opening that with Notepad, and it is also highly encrypted, but it does have the loading screen image in English. So you might be able to edit and read the loading screen :D
But yeah, the point is that as of right now, no one is making any direct money off of them, so no one cares about them, Blizzard or mappers. As long as you are editing the custom game banks and not trying to decrypt the campaign banks, I think you should be fine. SOTIS does it, and they have been on page 1 for ages.
EDIT: Huh. I did just come across a campaign bank file, totally in plain English, doesn't even appear to have a bank key. Interesting. I still wouldn't mess with it though, and because you are reading your custom game data anyways, it is irrelevant.
Hey,
not sure if you can help me but maybe can tell me if it using a 3-rd party program to read the .sc2bank files I create in my custom map is against the Terms of Use or not:
thinking about this part (not sure if it applies or not):
2.6 use any unauthorized third-party software that intercepts, "mines", or otherwise collects information from or through any Game or the Service, including without limitation any software that reads areas of RAM used by any Game or the Service to store information about a character or a Game environment; provided, however, that Blizzard may, at its sole and absolute discretion, allow the use of certain third party user interfaces;
That clause refers to hacking via reading memory addresses or cache files. I doubt they'd give you even a warning for using some extra bank security tools.
I am unsure, I cannot tell you, that it will be safe to use it. The ToS formulation suggests, your tool is not allowed until Blizzard specifically allows it; in this case it might even depend on the level of monitoring Blizzard has access to. However, this is just, because the formulation is made as generalized as possible to include any possibility for a hacking tool.
I probably would ask in Battle.net forums and hope for a blue post (or search similar topics there), or contact their support (but keep in mind, that the support might not 100% know this and will say precautionary, that its not allowed).
On the other hand, I agree with DarkRevenant. If you use it, and they don't do anything, its probably fine. If they do anything about it, they will probably just warn you, then you will stop using it. No harm done.
thanks for your replies, will try to find something on the official forums and If I don't will contact them to be on the total safe side.
If I find something or get an answer I'll let you know!
@shodan86: Go
blizzard in no possible way could tell if you modified your bank files with a 3rd party tool......
Hell open them in notepad and modify them nobody really cares.....
if they did care they would not store them locally
@SouLCarveRR: Go
Thats correct, but as far as I understood, he does not want do modify them, but only read them out, which is even less a problem in theory.
But it sounds like he wants to run this tool while SC2 is running, possibly submit the read data to some website and in this case, it might have a chance to be interpreted as a "tool which interferes with SC2's game files in general" by Blizzard's monitoring systems. So most likely, it won't be a problem, but there is no 100% guarantee.
Btw, doesn't SotIS use a similar tool to keep a global leaderboard? I did read it somewhere, but I never really played SotIS, so I cannot confirm this.
As far as I can tell, custom game bank files are the only files that you can actually access. The campaign bank files appear to be located with the rest of the system data, and are highly encrypted. Well, there is 1 item that is located in the documents folder... It has a LibertyCampaignSave.SC2Save file, which opens with SC2. So I tried opening that with Notepad, and it is also highly encrypted, but it does have the loading screen image in English. So you might be able to edit and read the loading screen :D
But yeah, the point is that as of right now, no one is making any direct money off of them, so no one cares about them, Blizzard or mappers. As long as you are editing the custom game banks and not trying to decrypt the campaign banks, I think you should be fine. SOTIS does it, and they have been on page 1 for ages.
EDIT: Huh. I did just come across a campaign bank file, totally in plain English, doesn't even appear to have a bank key. Interesting. I still wouldn't mess with it though, and because you are reading your custom game data anyways, it is irrelevant.
Great to be back and part of the community again!