SS2 permanently enable IG logo video

[66471ffa52b10SammaySarkar]

Hello people and cyborgs.
I recently got the GOG version of SS2 (and used the SS2tool on it), but the updated version disables the intros after the first start of the game.
Now, I slightly don't like to start the legendary game without a little fanfare. Apparently there are others like me: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=1595.0
I have figured out a way to get the intros to play each time the game is started.

• DO YOU REALLY WANT TO EDIT THE GAME EXECUTABLE?
• First you will need a HEX editor. Here's a good one: http://mh-nexus.de/en/downloads.php?product=HxD (portable version available)
• back up shock2.exe (a good way is to just zip it up/put it in a zip archive.)
• Open Shock2.exe in the hex editor.
• Go to address 32C93C OR search for text string: skip_intro
• Look at the text display of the hex editor. (usually at the right of the columns of numbers.)
• just change the "skip_intro" segment to anything else (such as show_intro). Check that the original text gets overwritten, which should happen.
• save the file.
• Open cam.cfg in notepad.
• search for skip_intro, and if found, delete the line.
• save the file.
• play the game and watch the intro.

Please don't deviate from the directions if you are not familiar with what you are doing.


TO MODS: please don't hesitate to edit the post to be more user-friendly/easily readable. Also do move the topic to a more fitting location if this is not the right place.
The url to get the game for free is: http:// www..."bzzzt"/s"hssss"#?""RATATATATA"/index.php?"CRASH!".."whatthe!".com"aaarghh!.."

[66471ffa52dbaKolya]

Interesting. It's not any update though that disables the logo video after the first play. It's always been like that.
Personally I always appreciated it. It's a small reminder of more gentlemanly days. Nowadays I have games that play 3 or 4 logo videos every time I start the game, each of which is apparently designed to be as loud as possible (NVIDIA, I'm looking at you).

[66471ffa52f74SammaySarkar]

Actually I've never played the original version (so I get to play SS2 for the very first time AND in all its updated HDR glory  ) . I just figured from the linked thread that the update must have added that flag.

As for the necessity of intros, I think it's not a good choice to either show them all the time uninterruptably (!), or not show them at all. Its better when they are displayed but can be skipped via an option or keypress. The main reason I wanted to enable SS2 intros is that they give me the sense of getting the complete gameplay experience.

Speaking of Loud intros, I remember playing Freedom Fighters, and my (then baby) sister jumped awake at NVIDIA's portal-storm-esque whoosh.  (It couldn't be skipped. I just deleted the movie file afterwards.)

thanks for moving the topic.

[66471ffa530a1Valet2]

You don't have to use ss2tool on the gog-version, because it's already "ss2tool'ed".

Yeah, the original version 1.15 didn't disable the intros after each launch. In version 2.3 I've just added the read-only attribute to cam.cfg, and it kept the skip_intro line disabled.

[66471ffa53219voodoo47]

no it isn't. also, it does not have a default mod autoload folder.

[66471ffa5364fZylonBane]

Actually I've never played the original version (so I get to play SS2 for the very first time AND in all its updated HDR glory

There is no HDR version of SS2.

[66471ffa53768pixel]

By HDR glory SammaySarkar probably means bloom effect from newdark patch.

[66471ffa539ceValet2]

no it isn't. also, it does not have a default mod autoload folder.

Emm... Why is it so bad?

[66471ffa53ae4voodoo47]

it isn't ss2tooled, it's just NewDarked is what I've meant. nothing wrong with it.

[66471ffa53c3cSammaySarkar]

Yes, I did mean bloom, which gives SS2 a  nice HDR-y effect...

GOG.com said I should install SS2Tool, so I just went ahead and applied it on the game; and nothing's gone wrong so far (and I believe nothing will either)