EXE Edit for Multi-Client No Longer Possible

EXE Edit for Multi-Client No Longer Possible

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

The latest patch has changed it so you can no longer run multiple clients on the same machine via hex edit of the exe (ie. change “Guild Wars 2” to “Guild Wars 3”).

Anyone found a work around or was this intentional on Anet’s part? I really don’t want to have a to find a third party app again to run multiple clients on the same machine and Anet has confirmed that running multiple clients on the same machine is fine as long as macros, etc. are not being used to play each client.

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

To further explain the issue, you should be able to change the first line in the .exe from “Guild Wars 2” to say “Guild Wars 3”. This would then result in the game using a different Local.dat file (ie. Users/Somename/AppData/Roaming/Guild Wars 3/Local.dat).

As it is now since the patch, after editing the .exe, the edited .exe still tries the use the Users/Somename/AppData/Roaming/Guild Wars 2/Local.dat instead of the Users/Somename/AppData/Roaming/Guild Wars 3/Local.dat and thus results in a read/write error due to both the .exes trying to read/write the same Local.dat.

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

You don’t need a multiclient app, but you do need the ability to kill handles. You can use this simple command line utility from Microsoft for example, making a simple batch file to kill the mutex (AN-Mutex-Window-Guild Wars 2), then run GW2.

(modifying the exe is a violation)

Use the -sharearchive option to prevent locking Gw2.dat/Local.dat (read-only mode).

(edited by Healix.5819)

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

Alright. Thanks for the help. I was not aware editing the .exe in that way was a violation. I will go about it a different way then to avoid that and try your suggestion. Thanks…

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

The command line -shareArchive as provided in the wiki no longer works and causes an immediate crash from the launcher.

Any other suggestions would be great in how to successfully launch multiple clients without a third pary app would be appreciated.

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

-shareArchive puts the game in read-only mode, so it’ll crash if it needs to patch.

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

I see. But there is no way to specify Guild Wars 2 to use a different Local.dat for each install?

So basically now, I have to set it up so that:

- kill handle to use separate .exes
- use shortcuts with command lines of email/password/nopatchui/shareArchive

Or is there an easier/securer way of doing it?

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

- kill handle to use separate .exes

You use the same Gw2.exe with different shortcuts.

- use shortcuts with command lines of email/password/nopatchui/shareArchive

The simple method is:

Gw2.exe -shareArchive -email example@email.com -password example -nopatchui

If you’d prefer multiple Local.dat files, you’re probably not going to like this, but…

For each separate Local.dat, you’re going to need a different Windows user account, then you use the runas command to impersonate:

runas /savecred /user:Username “Gw2.exe -shareArchive”

-shareArchive makes GW2 read-only however, so you’ll need to remove it whenever you need to patch or update your settings. By using -shareArchive and -image to patch, you can prevent the SMS reminder.

Instead of multiple user accounts, you can instead use fakes. A simple batch example:

setlocal
set USERPROFILE=C:\Users\FakeUser
Gw2.exe

For closing the mutex, here’s how you can do it without any 3rd party software by using PowerShell:

Attachments:

(edited by Healix.5819)

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Posted by: LuckySpells.6278

LuckySpells.6278

For running more than 1 user on a single windows account you can make a simple .bat file that copies your desired user .dat to Local.dat and then launches the game. No need for multiple windows users. This has the added bonus of letting you easily add parameters, such as port, debugging, etc. My wife and I use this method on a single windows user with no problems.

After you logout of a gw2 session with a desired account and game settings, just copy the Local.dat created to something like player1.dat. Use a different .bat and .dat file for each player, and launch using a shortcut to the .bat. As long as you clicked to save account details, each .dat will save your login and settings.


Example:
player1.bat
Copy "player1.dat" "Local.dat"
FOR /D %%X IN (%temp%\gw2cache*) DO RD /S /Q "%%X"
Start "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Guild Wars 2\Gw2.exe" -bmp -mapLoadInfo /clientport:443

.
Put the .bat file in the Roaming / Guild Wars 2 folder, and call it with a shortcut.
(The middle command clears the temporary cache that GW2 fails to clean on exit. This prevents problems with the game cache getting confused between logins. They really should clear this with the game client, but don’t for some reason).

Good luck!

(edited by LuckySpells.6278)

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

Can you just use an “update” shortcut on your desktop without the -shararchive to just use to update gw2 and then when the update has loaded, close and go back to your normal one?

To do it the simple way, you’ll want to automatically login with a shortcut for each account by using the options:

-email … -password … -nopatchui -sharearchive

To update the game, you’d need a single shortcut with the option:

-image


Here’s a slightly modified PowerShell script to include running Gw2.exe:

PowerShell scripts are disabled by default. To enable it, search the Start Menu for powershell, right click it, run it as an administrator and enter the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

To use the script, save the attached Gw2.ps1.txt as Gw2.ps1 and put it in your folder along side Gw2.exe. Right click Gw2.exe and create a shortcut. Right click the new shortcut and select properties. Change the shortcut’s target to:

powershell -file Gw2.ps1 -sharearchive -nopatchui -email your@email.com -password "yourpassword"

Do it for each account you want to run.

For updating, create another shortcut, but with the target:

Gw2.exe -image

The -image option fully patches, then closes when it’s done. You can combine this with your primary account if you want by making a simple batch file with notepad (Gw2.bat):

Gw2.exe -image
start Gw2.exe -sharearchive

Add the -email -password -nopatchui options to the one with -sharearchive if you want this one to automatically login.

~

(edited by Healix.5819)

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Posted by: DeWolfe.2174

DeWolfe.2174

Alright. Thanks for the help. I was not aware editing the .exe in that way was a violation. I will go about it a different way then to avoid that and try your suggestion. Thanks…

It is not a violation. The method was from here, the forums, a month or so after launch. It works perfectly as the game itself a basically designed as a portable. If we modified the dat then that another issue.

[AwM] of Jade Quarry.

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Posted by: DeWolfe.2174

DeWolfe.2174

Also, this is basically meaning GW2 is completely dead to me and many others.
Call us when it’s fixed back to as it’s been since launch!

editing to add that it’s not even just this game but, the franchise is dead to me until this has been resolved back to as it’s been. Even better, it should be fixed to not even require anything extra to run multiple clients than simply copies purchased of the game! Anet, understand how many copies of the game, then pre-orders of HOT was purchased? Plus, pre-orders of future expansions that would have been bought???

[AwM] of Jade Quarry.

(edited by DeWolfe.2174)

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Posted by: Reanne.5462

Reanne.5462

if you will not allow me to use both the games and expacs that I bought- you need to refund me the $100. I have been playing duo since 2005 and I will not play any other way. This is horsecrap.

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Posted by: SlippyCheeze.5483

SlippyCheeze.5483

if you will not allow me to use both the games and expacs that I bought- you need to refund me the $100. I have been playing duo since 2005 and I will not play any other way. This is horsecrap.

If you want a refund, you need to file a support ticket through the website. The forums are not a place where you will get individual attention or responses. Good luck with the refund.

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Posted by: DeWolfe.2174

DeWolfe.2174

If you want a refund

NO! We want the play style we had since launch and the previous game.

Also, the work around previously mentioned above leave account information and passwords at risk. THAT is a safety issue and Anet needs to fix whatever they broke in the exe quickly.

[AwM] of Jade Quarry.

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

Also, the work around previously mentioned above leave account information and passwords at risk.

Tampering with the executable puts your account at risk, but not really since they don’t have anti-cheat software.

I showed multiple ways of doing it. Only the quick and simple method shows your password, while the other two use separate Local.dat files. If you want to continue to modify the executable however, rename the mutex and use the setlocal batch I showed.

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Posted by: DeWolfe.2174

DeWolfe.2174

Also, the work around previously mentioned above leave account information and passwords at risk.

Tampering with the executable puts your account at risk, but not really since they don’t have anti-cheat software.

I showed multiple ways of doing it. Only the quick and simple method shows your password, while the other two use separate Local.dat files. If you want to continue to modify the executable however, rename the mutex and use the setlocal batch I showed.

Relabeling a 2 to 3 in the exe was the workaround for the bugged command line “-multi”. The feature has been broken for years and has been tolerated by us because we had a reliable and safe workaround. What you’re asking is likely to be above most user’s. I wouldn’t even be comfortable asking a person to touch Powershell or run scripts. Restoring our relabeling is the best option right now. As it’s been for the past 4.5 years or so!

oh and editing to add a Thank you to Healix for the good work you did! I simply want a fix from Anet though.

oh, and adding that this thread is for running multiple simultaneous instances on Windows. Not just logging in and out of multiple accounts.

[AwM] of Jade Quarry.

(edited by DeWolfe.2174)

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Posted by: tyu.9470

tyu.9470

If you don’t want to deal with this, may i suggest using https://github.com/TheCheatsrichter/Gw2_Launchbuddy .

This is what i use to launch all my clients and it automatically kills the mutex every time. Simply launch it, select gw2.exe as your install path and click launch gw2 button. Once it launches the game, click it again and it’ll launch another instance. Repeat as many times as you like.

It has a lot of features (you can save settings, auto-log in etc.) but all of those options are up to you to use.

Remember you cannot patch with launchbuddy so every patch you’ll have to manually patch your game via launching it normally.

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Posted by: TheWhiteWolves.3076

TheWhiteWolves.3076

If you don’t want to deal with this, may i suggest using https://github.com/TheCheatsrichter/Gw2_Launchbuddy .

This is what i use to launch all my clients and it automatically kills the mutex every time. Simply launch it, select gw2.exe as your install path and click launch gw2 button. Once it launches the game, click it again and it’ll launch another instance. Repeat as many times as you like.

It has a lot of features (you can save settings, auto-log in etc.) but all of those options are up to you to use.

Remember you cannot patch with launchbuddy so every patch you’ll have to manually patch your game via launching it normally.

Just a small correction to your comment, you don’t need to manually open the launcher to patch, if a patch is available when you open LaunchBuddy it will prompt you to update, click yes and it will open the launcher and update it for you.

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Posted by: SlippyCheeze.5483

SlippyCheeze.5483

If you want a refund

NO! We want the play style we had since launch and the previous game.

Also, the work around previously mentioned above leave account information and passwords at risk. THAT is a safety issue and Anet needs to fix whatever they broke in the exe quickly.

You don’t want a refund. Reanne.5462 said explicitly they did, in the text I responded to. (I mean, I imagine what they really mean is “I’m threatening to demand a refund unless you fix this”, but whatever, may as well honestly answer their question.)

cough I’m pretty sure, though, that “I hex-edit the executable” isn’t a supported use of the game, and anet are not obliged to do anything to support it. “You break it doing this, you get to keep both pieces.”

As others note, though, GW2 LaunchBuddy includes a slightly less awful work-around for the issue, so you should probably go down that path instead of continuing to depend on literally modifying strings in the executable…

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

I have managed to make it work with a hex edit.
I looked through the exe with HxD and found an instance that looked like G.u.i.l.d. .W.a.r.s. .2. For some reason this didn’t get caught by searching the normal way, so I changed to search by hex instead:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32
and replaced with:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33

The 32 is the number 2 and 33 the number 3.

Confirmed this works.

So basically, I just had to change my HEX Edit macro to (be sure to use CTRL+Home each time to reset cursor at start of file):

- change the first instance of “Guild Wars 2” to “Guild Wars 3”
- change the first instance of “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32” to “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33”

After messing around with Launchbuddy, shortcut command lines, etc., I remember why HEX Edit macro rules over other methods (secure, no need to worry about patches, etc.). Anyway, thanks so much and if it does eventually break again, I have other methods to fall back on next time.

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Posted by: bobobaggins.3168

bobobaggins.3168

@Presac.3860 thank you

@others Anet is NOT going to fix what they changed in the EXE as they don’t officially support any method for multi boxing, so don’t expect any support from them on this. Any support for multi boxing is up to us to get/figure out depending on method used.

Like it was said the Hex Edit method is the safest workaround changing the 2 to 3,4,5 etc without risking our account info with 3rd party multi boxing apps which stores account info like gw2 launch buddy for example. Anet has been well aware of this hex edit method since day of Guild Wars 1 and hasn’t banned people for changing just one letter or number so we can launch another copy of the game as it doesn’t give anyone an in game advantage at all in anyway.

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Posted by: DeWolfe.2174

DeWolfe.2174

I have managed to make it work with a hex edit.
I looked through the exe with HxD and found an instance that looked like G.u.i.l.d. .W.a.r.s. .2.

Freep’n bleep’n…. d’Grrr!!!!! This was staring me right in the face the other day and I didn’t think to change it because of it’s peculiar formatting. GJ on this Presac!

[quote=6541532;SlippyCheeze.5483:I mean, I imagine what they really mean is “I’m threatening to demand a refund unless you fix this”, but whatever, may as well honestly answer their question.[/quote]

You answered him exactly, we love this Freak’n game and invested a metric bleep ton into the franchise. I mean look, we’re all still here 5 years in. That’s pretty much hitting die hard fan fanatic levels, right?? I got withdrawals over the past 3 days from not playing!

The main goal with any method is to sustain player confidence in the product and preserve the original player experience. The difference with other launch methods is that you will more than likely lose the startup screen with the news feed, lose authentication, lose custom settings per account, individual documents folders for screen shots, etc. With the relabeling method, it’s the exact game experience! No modifying or altering of operating systems, creating user or faux user accounts, placing passwords in the open, involving 3rd parties, etc. Relabeling was the best way I ever could multi launch and preserve the original experience available. The one caveat I will say is that it requires a large volume of hard drive space to run multiple full copies in this fashion. I have SSD’s dedicated just to GW2.

Really wish the Dev’s could have figured out the “-multi” command line. Though for everyone’s benefit, I’d rather have them spend their time creating new content. So please Dev’s don’t mess up our relabel method, please?

[AwM] of Jade Quarry.

(edited by DeWolfe.2174)

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Posted by: Healix.5819

Healix.5819

no need to worry about patches

Considering Gw2.dat can’t be used by multiple clients and -sharearchive is what prevents patching, are you copying the entire folder to avoid that problem?

Really wish the Dev’s could have figured out the “-multi” command line.

If they actually wanted to support this, they’d simply drop the mutex when using -sharearchive.

No modifying or altering of operating systems, creating user or faux user accounts, placing passwords in the open, involving 3rd parties, etc.

But a hex editor involves 3rd parties.

(edited by Healix.5819)

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Posted by: CyberManX.4817

CyberManX.4817

no need to worry about patches

Considering Gw2.dat can’t be used by multiple clients and -sharearchive is what prevents patching, are you copying the entire folder to avoid that problem?

Yea, I have several copies of the game on the same SSD. When a patch hits, it’ll update the .exe, then close as it detects the first copy open. Then all I have to do is open HEX Edit and play my recorded macro and within 5s, I rerun the game and it patches. HEX Edit is great because you can basically record and go through the motions manually, then save it as a macro. Then, just play that macro anytime there is a patch. Extremely simple and effective compared to other options.

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Posted by: tyu.9470

tyu.9470

I have managed to make it work with a hex edit.
I looked through the exe with HxD and found an instance that looked like G.u.i.l.d. .W.a.r.s. .2. For some reason this didn’t get caught by searching the normal way, so I changed to search by hex instead:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32
and replaced with:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33

The 32 is the number 2 and 33 the number 3.

Confirmed this works.

So basically, I just had to change my HEX Edit macro to (be sure to use CTRL+Home each time to reset cursor at start of file):

- change the first instance of “Guild Wars 2” to “Guild Wars 3”
- change the first instance of “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32” to “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33”

After messing around with Launchbuddy, shortcut command lines, etc., I remember why HEX Edit macro rules over other methods (secure, no need to worry about patches, etc.). Anyway, thanks so much and if it does eventually break again, I have other methods to fall back on next time.

How is it more secure? You don’t have to do anything special with launchbuddy if you are a security freak (as a term, not an insult). All it does is literally open your exe and kill the stuff that won’t let you open more instances. You don’t have to save your pw on it or anything although you can even take a loot at the source code and see it is secure.

And about patches, i was wrong. When you open it, it checks game version via API and your version and tells you to click yes to patch which opens it manually to patch anyway.

But whatever works for you works. Just don’t get why you’d say one way is more secure. I’d say modifying game files is more of a risk as you may simply get perma banned some day.

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Posted by: bobobaggins.3168

bobobaggins.3168

Modifying a 2 to 3 is only allowing an other copy of the game to run and that is all. Now that should be a bannable offense? I don’t think so, and its really no different from command line argument as it alters the games exe also.

Command-Line Arguments are directives which are added to the start up command of the game executable. There are directives which change the client’s behavior, streamline player login and enable diagnostics.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Command_line_arguments

Now if some changing things in the game files to (i.e.) wall hack, supper speed, super jump, tele port beyond what the game allows then yes that’s bannable offense

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Posted by: Behellagh.1468

Behellagh.1468

Except command line arguments simply pass commands onto the executable. Hex editing is altering the executable. Altering the executable itself is against terms of service. Violation of the terms of service is punishable by loss of account.

It’s rather black and white.

We are heroes. This is what we do!

RIP City of Heroes

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Posted by: Presac.3860

Presac.3860

I have managed to make it work with a hex edit.
I looked through the exe with HxD and found an instance that looked like G.u.i.l.d. .W.a.r.s. .2. For some reason this didn’t get caught by searching the normal way, so I changed to search by hex instead:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32
and replaced with:
47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33

The 32 is the number 2 and 33 the number 3.

Confirmed this works.

So basically, I just had to change my HEX Edit macro to (be sure to use CTRL+Home each time to reset cursor at start of file):

- change the first instance of “Guild Wars 2” to “Guild Wars 3”
- change the first instance of “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 32” to “47 00 75 00 69 00 6C 00 64 00 20 00 57 00 61 00 72 00 73 00 20 00 33”

After messing around with Launchbuddy, shortcut command lines, etc., I remember why HEX Edit macro rules over other methods (secure, no need to worry about patches, etc.). Anyway, thanks so much and if it does eventually break again, I have other methods to fall back on next time.

Could you share your method of doing the hex edit with a macro?

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Posted by: bobobaggins.3168

bobobaggins.3168

Except command line arguments simply pass commands onto the executable. Hex editing is altering the executable. Altering the executable itself is against terms of service. Violation of the terms of service is punishable by loss of account.

It’s rather black and white.

Like I said Anet has been aware of this method since days of GW1 and not one person has been banned for using the hex edit method to run more than 1 copy of the game. I would post links to the guru post but the original guildwarsguru forum was taken offline.

Anet’s “general policy is that anything that gives advantage is forbidden; anything that imbalances the game in favor of one player over another is strictly disallowed”.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Policy-3rd-Party-Programs-Multi-Boxing-Macros/first#post1532762

Changing a 2 to 3,4,5 does nothing to give advantage as you have to actively play each running client separately as per Anet’s rules. Clearly Anet doesn’t see multi boxing is giving multi box users an advantage over other players running only one client.

(edited by bobobaggins.3168)