Patching into original exe

OBS: it's recomended to setup GTA2_ROOT path environment to the game installation root folder (which contains dlls and the executable). In this way many of the files required to make patching/hook works on the game will be copied automatically into game folder after successful build.

To get the patched version, first you have to build the game by running build.py on root folder of the project.

After building it successfully, a new folder build_vc6 will be created containing all built files. Then you put the original GTA2 executable (version 10.5) on this folder with the name 10.5.exe and finally run ExePatcher.exe, which is in the same folder (/build_vc6/).

After building, if the original executable isn't on Scripts/bin_comp/, it will download it. Then you can copy the executable 10.5.exe into /build_vc6/.

If it patched correctly, a new file called 10.5.new.exe will appear on /build_vc6/. Then copy this executable into the game installation root folder.

If you haven't setup GTA2_ROOT environment, you need to manually copy the following files into game folder:

/build_vc6/gta2_dll_exports.dll
/build_vc6/gta2_dll_imports.dll
/build_vc6/HookLoader.dll
/3rdParty/GTA2Hax/build_vc6/DmaVideo.dll
/3rdParty/GTA2Hax/build_vc6/d3ddll.dll
/3rdParty/GTA2Hax/build_vc6/dear_imgui.dll

You need to copy those GTA2Hax files only once. However the other files (HookLoader, gta2_dll_imports etc) needed to be copied every time you build. Don't forget to make a backup of the original game files DmaVideo.dll and d3ddll.dll.

Then run 10.5.new.exe. If you done all steps correctly, a debug console will start before the game boots in, printing HookLoader operations as well as some d3ddll and DmaVideo stuff.

After the game started, you will see a ImGui window called Debugger. Here is where the magic of patching can be used to explore the game or even mess up with the game and having some fun. The patched version not only patches functions marked with MATCH_FUNC but it also implements ImGui in the game. Throught it you can see and change, in real time, values from the game and call game functions. Or even call functions that you have created.

The ImGui Debugger buttons, sliders and displays are implemented on Source/ImGuiDebug.cpp file.