Overview
RTCW 1.0PB is a cracked RtCW 1.3 client/server binary which enables servers and players to use Punkbuster in the RtCW 1.0 version.
RtCW 1.0 is an older version that didn't feature Punkbuster or any other anti-cheat measures by design. After seeing people didn't want to use my own anti-cheat system (Mousetrap), I decided to try bringing Punkbuster into the picture.
The older 1.0 version did not differ that much from 1.3, and after earlier attempts with WolfTV_1.0, I figured I could do the same thing with Punkbuster.
What Needed to Change
There were two things I had to do:
- Change the client so it could join RtCW 1.0 servers
- Change the server so it would pose as a normal 1.0 server
Server Binary
To make the 1.3 server binary compatible with 1.0, I had to bypass the protocol check. This check prevented the client from joining servers with a different protocol.
I used OllyDbg to find a specific error message: ERROR: Protocol Mismatch Between Client and Server. Once I found the message, I changed the assembly instruction responsible for comparing the two protocols (client/server) to always return true. This way any client would be able to connect to the server.
Finally, I changed the version and protocol so it would register to the master server as a 1.0 server.
Client Binary
The client was easier — it only needed to receive a different server list. This was achieved by changing the filter RtCW sends to query servers from the master server.
Outcome
After a couple of trials, S4NDM4NN and AG3NT offered to help out. They took over the project, added additional features, and offered a central place for the community.
Despite the fact it was working fine, people were not keen on using it — some experienced lag with Punkbuster. We also found out people generally don't like change: RtCW 1.0PB meant they had to download new binaries from some website, which many people simply didn't want to do.