GGG's opinions on data mining and content extraction

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As far as I know, (and seen in my time here) GGG doesnt mind if you poke around in there, just dont go recompiling changes back into the file. They dont put anything you could use to cheat really in there anyways.

In closed beta people were often poking about in that file for various things and they never seemed to care, but keep in mind that was closed beta. Rules may have changed since then.

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tramshed wrote:

As far as I know, (and seen in my time here) GGG doesnt mind if you poke around in there, just dont go recompiling changes back into the file. They dont put anything you could use to cheat really in there anyways.

In closed beta people were often poking about in that file for various things and they never seemed to care, but keep in mind that was closed beta. Rules may have changed since then.

I mean obviously doing stupid shit like packet editing is bad and editing the .ggpk files during a game session actually crashes the game from what I've heard (someone tried to edit the dialogue I believe). I'm not talking editing the files--I'm talking data mining, essentially; that phrase really does seem to have a rather negative connotation.

I never understood why people can't leave well enough alone. GGG knows that people data mine. They've known for a long time. From my experience, there is nothing in the files that cant be found in game through extensive research. They deliberately keep the most sensitive information server side and only allow us to see what they want us to see. Sometimes they put in sneak peeks of items that are works in progress or skill icons that we may or may not see. GGG even has a sense of humor about it. Sometimes they hide little gems and easter eggs in the files every now and then like the fishing mods and the flavour text that reads:

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"When one stares into the depth of the flavour text
file, one will gain no knowledge, only an addiction
to speculation." - Maligaro, Grand Trolllord

If that flavour text doesn't say "quit your damn worrying" then I don't know what will do it for you. Personally, as long as you're mining for informational purposes only, I don't see that there is any problem. Don't edit files, don't try and sell info, and don't make a big deal of it. Just access the info and try not to flaunt it. GGG doesn't make an issue of it so why should we? Most people have no idea that info can be accessed and some just refuse to believe it. So why bring awareness to the issue? It can only make things worse and could potentially force GGG to officially do something about in the future.

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Nocticate wrote:

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whrsmycoffee wrote:

as a gamer without the knowledge of what implications this has, I'll just respond to the examples you make. I would not care if you looked at how microtransactions looked before you bought them. However, if this meant you could play with them in any way, even if they only showed for you, I think it is def off limits.

If you want to look at monster stats, I think this is acceptable if you post them so we all can see them. However, this will never happen, if it's allowed, people will not share everything if they can get an advantage themselves.

About the vendor recipes - def off limit. But ye, if you allow the rest, how will you check if someone read the new recipes (if this is at all possible by these means)?

Anyway, as someone who knows as much about the subject as there is info in your post; I don't think it should be allowed because it will in practice give an unfair advantage to the players who will do it.

I'm a bit insulted. This whole project started because I was trying to help with the monster pages on the wiki. We already did a lot of work getting elemental resists and suchlike.

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DeSgeretjin wrote:

I'd have thought that monster stats and recipes ect were all held server side?

I can tell you for certain that some monster stats are held in the content.ggpk. One of the absolutely infuriating things I've found is that the DefaultMonsterStats.dat holds the data for exactly 100 monsters. Unnamed, of course. For each monster level, there is one monster recorded. Of course, since each map has at least one type of monster and in merciless there are 5 or 6 maps with all the same level mobs, this means that we have probably 10 or 15% coverage for things like HP and EXP.
To be honest, I'm not 100% sure on recipes but it was more of a categorical statement that some things shouldn't be revealed even if they can be data mined.

well you asked for opinions and I gave you mine. I wasn't offensive or bad mannered so if it was ill taken, I think the reason lies within you.

Honestly there isn't anything in it :P

Propably it contains only things necessary for the client to work like an average comperative for your stats etc.

All monster-stats are server-side and propably all the other stuff that would be interesting too. I doubt that there are recipies, mob-stats or anything of interest in there.

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Emphasy wrote:

Honestly there isn't anything in it :P

Propably it contains only things necessary for the client to work like an average comperative for your stats etc.

All monster-stats are server-side and propably all the other stuff that would be interesting too. I doubt that there are recipies, mob-stats or anything of interest in there.

I can tell you for certain there are things like elemental resists and attack ranges. Also some icons for unreleased uniques, skills, and and quests. Oh, and things called Relics and Wrapping Paper. What those are for, I'm sure GGG will tell us some day.