Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Memory scanning, code injection, debugger internals and other gamemodding related discussion
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Drivium
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Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by Drivium »

Does pointer scanning not work in emulators? I'm running Breath of the Wild in CEMU and using the Cheat Engine pointer scan. Keeps returning 0 results no matter how I change the settings. Is there a particular method for getting pointer scanning to work against an emulator?

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SunBeam
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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by SunBeam »

Which part of EMU you don't get? Games in emulators don't work with pointers; especially when you have a single system handling a gazillion games.

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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

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Oof... Harsh response...and to a Donator no less. I guess I'm a moron. My bad!

Posts like this seem to indicate pointers in emulators ARE a thing: [Link]

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jungletek
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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by jungletek »

Drivium wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:37 pm
Oof... Harsh response...and to a Donator no less. I guess I'm a moron. My bad!

Posts like this seem to indicate pointers in emulators ARE a thing: [Link]
Don't mind Sunbeam's attitude problem...

I skimmed the linked article and it seems like it's just about finding a static pointer to the emulator's mapped memory for the game.

Note that they're not using CE's pointer scan (that I noticed)... I don't know that such tools will work in an emulation scenario.

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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by SunBeam »

^ You usually become a supporter because you like the community, not because by donating you think the staff would always be there to hold your hand. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Reiterating what I said - it can't be done with pointers; and let's say you find one, it will work for current session, once you reload game, bye bye; same thing, it won't work for everyone, so making a table with it won't help others. In case you want to provide in return to the community :) So be thankful you can directly memory edit the in-game values and stick to that.

BR,
Sun

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Drivium
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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by Drivium »

jungletek wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:59 pm
Drivium wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:37 pm
Oof... Harsh response...and to a Donator no less. I guess I'm a moron. My bad!

Posts like this seem to indicate pointers in emulators ARE a thing: [Link]
Don't mind Sunbeam's attitude problem...

I skimmed the linked article and it seems like it's just about finding a static pointer to the emulator's mapped memory for the game.

Note that they're not using CE's pointer scan (that I noticed)... I don't know that such tools will work in an emulation scenario.
Nah, not offended. I really am a moron. lol So, ultimately, I just want to get at the base address. Is there a technique for finding that within an emulator or are base addresses not a thing in an emulator either? I've gotten by with AoB's up to this point, but trying another approach.

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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by Drivium »

SunBeam wrote:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:52 pm
^ You usually become a supporter because you like the community, not because by donating you think the staff would always be there to hold your hand. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Reiterating what I said - it can't be done with pointers; and let's say you find one, it will work for current session, once you reload game, bye bye; same thing, it won't work for everyone, so making a table with it won't help others. In case you want to provide in return to the community :) So be thankful you can directly memory edit the in-game values and stick to that.

BR,
Sun
Sunbeam. I love you, baby. You get awkward around me. I get it. I donated because I desperately want to hold your hand. I don't care what others say about you. They don't get us.

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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by SunBeam »

Considering the emulator is like an OS handling multiple actions at the same time (that's why you'll find the code you get when you debug - if anything popping-up - is used for more than just, say, health handling) you will also require some filtering. One instruction performs multiple tasks; if properly filtered, you may limit your actions to that event alone - - making HP 9999. In terms of pointers, given how emulators allocate memory for that one game of yours, the "base" is always going to be shifting. Let's say 3 times out of 5 it will be in the same spot, but if you open up another program in-between or reboot, chances - big ones - are that it will change. So you will have to find it again. If there's a static pointer in the emulator code that would at least get you close to your allocation, that I don't know. Another thing you can try is figure out through analysis how the emulator is allocating that memory space and where. Hook that spot and apply filtering to determine which allocation is the one you're aiming for (code is going to handle all emulator allocations, so you do need a filter).

If the above is Chinese, let me know. Baby :)

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Re: Pointer scan returning 0 results in CEMU

Post by Drivium »

SunBeam wrote:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:00 pm

If the above is Chinese, let me know. Baby :)
Yea, mostly Chinese. I'm unfamiliar with the techniques you're describing. Mostly:
SunBeam wrote:
Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:00 pm
Hook that spot and apply filtering to determine which allocation is the one you're aiming for (code is going to handle all emulator allocations, so you do need a filter).
I found a technique here for finding where in memory the game related data starts, but the offset method explained didn't work in my case:
[Link]

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