Menu hook doesn't work with retail TRAE exe

[NicknineTheEagle]

Menu hook doesn't appear to work with the original retail exe of Tomb Raider: Anniversary (which has SecuROM DRM), nothing happens when I try to boot the game. Only cracked exe from HATRED scene group works. The documentation makes no mention of needing to use a cracked exe so I assumed this isn't a known issue.

[TheIndra55]

Hi,

Thank you for opening this issue.

I test all releases with both the Steam and GOG retail executables. Would you be able to make sure you are using the latest version, and let me know which game version you have?

Thanks

[NicknineTheEagle]

As stated in the OP, I have disc version (European release). This game never received any updates to my knowledge.

[TheIndra55]

Sorry, do you have the latest version of Menu Hook? I have code in place to only insert hooks after the game is done unpacking, but I don't think I have tested these with SecureROM; only with Steam and GOG.

…

On Wed, Mar 20, 2024, 5:57 PM NicknineTheEagle ***@***.***> wrote: As stated in the OP, I have disc version (European release). This game never received any updates to my knowledge. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#9 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ADU4X67IR56WRABZRRU44M3YZG5YPAVCNFSM6AAAAABE7WRKYOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAMJQGA2TOMRUHE> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[NicknineTheEagle]

I am using 2.0 menu hook release.

[NicknineTheEagle]

Tested 2.1 release, no changes.

[NicknineTheEagle]

Small note, if I hijack a different dll import with ASI Loader like winmm.dll, the game does start but Menu Hook doesn't actually work (intro not skipped, no watermark in main menu).

[TheIndra55]

Hi, sorry. I haven't looked into this yet since I currently do not hold a retail copy of the disc version of Anniversary.

2.1 was a quick release, because some mods depended on new functionality.

[ThommyMD]

I have disc version (European release) too. The loader works for me but v1.1 only. Newer versions doesn't work, same for TR Legend Retail

[NicknineTheEagle]

I have disc version (European release) too. The loader works for me but v1.1 only. Newer versions doesn't work, same for TR Legend Retail

There are patches for retail version? That's news to me, you got a link?

[ThommyMD]

For the game there is no patch. I have to use Menu Hook v1.1.
Without Menu Hook the game starts normally?

[TheIndra55]

Is v1.1 the last version that works, or do you have a more specific version?

[ThommyMD]

i've tested Menu hook 2.1 and 1.16., both doesn't work. With Menu hook 1.1 the mod files loads but there is no ingame menu (F8)

[NicknineTheEagle]

I've since had to deal with hooking protected games myself and here are some comments on the issue.

TRLAU-menu-hook/src/Main.cpp

Lines 9 to 20 in 9ca6774

	static void WINAPI StartupInfoW(LPSTARTUPINFOA lpStartupInfo)
	{
	// Initialize
	auto& hook = Hook::GetInstance();
	hook.Initialize();
	// Call the original GetStartupInfoA
	s_GetStartupInfoA(lpStartupInfo);
	// Remove the hook
	MH_RemoveHook(s_target);
	}

I do believe this hook gets triggered too early with SecuROM exe, before the game code is done unpacking. What you can do is test the memory here by looking for a specific pattern from the real game code with Hooking.Patterns and further delaying the initialization if the check fails. Repeat every time the hook is triggered until the memory test passes.

[NicknineTheEagle]

TRLAU-menu-hook/src/Hook.cpp

Lines 58 to 59 in 9ca6774

	auto match = hook::pattern("A1 ? ? ? ? 8B 0D ? ? ? ? 68 ? ? ? ? 50 E8").count(1);
	s_deviceManager = *match.get_first<void*>(7);

This pattern is different in my exe, it ends with with 50 68. That said, I tried editing it but Hooking.Patterns can't find it for some reason even though I can literally see it in the memory using a debugger.