Tutorial - Bypass DNAS Authentication for PS2 SWBF1

[Phobos]

Bypass DNAS Authentication for PS2 SWBF1
After several hours of research and experimentation I finally got SWBF1 multiplayer working on the PCSX2 Emulator! There was DNS error 864 every time I tried to connect so I looked through the shell LUA source, and I discovered a way to bypass the PS2 DNAS Server Authentication by modifying the munged ifs_mpps2_netconfig script. This method requires you to hex edit the ps2 shell.lvl which for me is stored in a 4.5GB ISO file that I hex edited using HxD since XVI32 didn't work. What this will do is skip the DNAS screen along with the obsolete patch page, taking you straight to the gamespy login and server lobby. Use the Primary DNS IP 162.243.230.247 on your ps2 network adapter settings. Here's a screenshot of my settings and the 864 error message.





Proof Of Concept Video
http://fcsite.ml/ps2/pcsx2%202016-02-04%2003-58-24-026.avi

http://www.ps2onlinegaming.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1830
In March 2016 the DNAS servers will possibly be shut down forever, so at that point players will need to install this fix to play online. Using this method its possible for PC and PS2 players to be in the same server but there are disadvantages to the PS2 version pretty much everything is inferior quality, missing sky textures, and limited to 20TPS. Its still fun though and ill leave the dedicated server up for some time. I can get up to 75-80FPS but I locked it at 60 for no speedhack distortion lag spikes.


There is more instructions and downloads needed beyond this video for emulation which I'll write a tutorial for later. This post is basically to inform everyone that it's now possible to completely bypass SWBF1 DNAS server authentication and how to apply the patch. The same method should be possible for SWBF2 as well, and if enough ppl are interested Ill look into building a similar patch for it.

I also looked through the the ps2 common.lvl script ifs_mp_opt but unfortunately the ps2 LUA doesn't include any codes for TPS customization or enabling visibility for all regions. I'll work on more shell/common hex edit improvements later. I want to try improving the default video settings next.

To bypass DNAS just copy/paste this code, then search for the hex value in HxD.

Code Select Expand

3D 28 6E 6F 6E 65 29 00 C1 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0B 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 70 72 69 6E 74 00 2C 00 00 00 69 66 73 5F 6D 70 70 73 32 5F 6E 65 74 63 6F 6E 66 69 67 5F 62 75 73 79 70 6F 70 75 70 5F 66 6E 4F 6E 53 75 63 63 65 73 73 28 29 00 14 00 00 00 69 66 73 5F 6D 70 70 73 32 5F 6E 65 74 63 6F 6E 66 69 67 00 0B 00 00 00 50 6F 70 75 70 5F 42 75 73 79 00 0B 00 00 00 66 6E 41 63 74 69 76 61 74 65 00 1D 00 00 00 69 66 73 5F 6D 70 70 73 32 5F 6E 65 74 63 6F 6E 66 69 67 5F 53 68 6F 77 48 69 64 65 00 12 00 00 00 67 4F 6E 6C 69 6E 65 53 65 72 76 69 63 65 53 74 72 00 08 00 00 00 47 61 6D 65 53 70 79 00 1A 00 00 00 69 66 73 5F 6D 6F 76 69 65 74 72 61 6E 73 5F 50 75 73 68 53 63 72 65 65 6E 00 0F 00 00 00 69 66 73 5F 6D 70 70 73 32 5F 64 6E 61 73

That's a big chunk of code but were only editing the last part of it. Change this

Code Select Expand

70 73 32 5F 64 6E 61 73

To this, and save the file.

Code Select Expand

67 73 5F 6C 6F 67 69 6E

If you're playing this on an actual console you might next need to reburn the ISO or something but I haven't tested that. Now you can play the servers again

http://fcsite.ml/ps2/skip_dnas.png


I also recorded the console tutorials here
http://fcsite.ml/SWBF1_PS2_Tutorials.avi

Note To Mods If this post is any way EULA infringing feel free to move it to a non public board.

[AnthonyBF2]

Greetings, Phobos... it is very nice of you to find and share this! I don't want to sound greedy but do you think this is possible for Battlefront 2 on PS2?

I personally no longer have a PS2 console, or even a television for that matter. 

EDITS: Also, I am pretty slick with hex editing and understanding the console versions of Battlefront 2 (PS2/PSP)
And I have a friend who does modding/hacking on the actual PS2 console. We've tested custom mods like hero assault in all maps, more hunts, and we've gotten Fake Console added in PS2/PSP Battlefront 2 as well. Now my friend isn't registered on any of the modding community sites but I know I can get his help and report back with anything he/we can do. let us know if you need any help! 

MORE EDITS:
I looked at the location you've edited in the SWBF1 PS2 *.lvl file and I seemed to have found the same similar location in shell.lvl for SWBF2 PS2. Here is the screenshot below. If you could test your same DNAS bypass method and let us know that would be cool, as I don't have the juice to run PS2 emulator and my friend doesn't always have the time.

The script that seems to hold that bit of data appears to be ifs_mpps2_netconfig

[Led]

Nice work 

[Phobos]

Greetings, Phobos... it is very nice of you to find and share this! I don't want to sound greedy but do you think this is possible for Battlefront 2 on PS2?

I'm quite certain this should be possible for SWBF2 also. I'll test it on the emulator soon. Fortunately many scripts in BF2 are based on the BF1 scripts and in some cases barely even modified, which makes it easier to find the right spots in hex editor. The ifs_mpps2_netconfig.script looks similar. Fake Console sounds interesting, how did you unlock that? I think for PS2 BF1 it can be enabled by hex editing the common.lvl pausemenu script. I'll test this too since BF1 fake console crashes on the PC, but it might work for PS2.

Known Bug
The DNAS check still appears on BF1 if you exit multiplayer and go back to the main menu, then you have to restart the console to fix it. But as long as you stay in the multiplayer lobby it won't glitch. I'm working on another hex edit to patch this.

[AnthonyBF2]

Fake Console sounds interesting, how did you unlock that? I think for PS2 BF1 it can be enabled by hex editing the common.lvl pausemenu script. I'll test this too since BF1 fake console crashes on the PC, but it might work for PS2.

Getting Fake Console on the PS2/PSP Platform wasn't easy and I can't begin to explain the entire process. I got some of the remaining 1.3 patch source files from [RDH]Zerted which helped a ton. (He lost most of them a long time ago but had bits left over) I also had to heavily modify the Fake Console scripts because the code was too big and seemed to crash or not load completely (mainly, removed ask user commands and empty line commands)
This is not the right thing to discuss since the forum is about bypassing DNAS. I'll PM you my files later and what to do with them.

Anyway, good luck with the MP stuff on SWBF2! 

[Phobos]

Getting Fake Console on the PS2/PSP Platform wasn't easy and I can't begin to explain the entire process. I got some of the remaining 1.3 patch source files from [RDH]Zerted which helped a ton. (He lost most of them a long time ago but had bits left over) I also had to heavily modify the Fake Console scripts because the code was too big and seemed to crash or not load completely (mainly, removed ask user commands and empty line commands)
This is not the right thing to discuss since the forum is about bypassing DNAS. I'll PM you my files later and what to do with them.

Anyway, good luck with the MP stuff on SWBF2!           

Thanks I'll post another update when I patch SWBF2. That's cool [RDH]Zerted had obtained patch sources for the ps2. I don't think anyone has ps2 sources for SWBF1 other than maybe psych0fred. I'll start another thread soon for general hex editing improvements to the SWBF1 and SWBF2 ps2 files. I've got fake console and freecam working on BF1 now



Also I'm looking for a copy of the original swbf1 ps2 patch, uploaded from someone's memory card, but it seems most players have deleted it to play online again. Oldsnake is the only one I know who has a copy still, but he doesnt have a scanner for it. I think it might be possible to crack or hex edit the patch file so it would work on other consoles.

[AnthonyBF2]

No, I meant Zerted, creator of 1.3 unofficial patch, lost all his assets - the bits he had left were the scripts that fill in contents for Fake Console menu.

[Phobos]

Ok this additional hex edit permanently removes the check even when exiting multiplayer, so you don't have to restart the console anymore.

Just run the search again for this value, make sure you see "pushscreen" right before it

Code Select Expand

70 73 32 5F 64 6E 61 73

Change the old code


To this

Code Select Expand

67 73 5F 6C 6F 67 69 6E

[Mike]

Phobos, I think Sony may have shut down DNAS today or yesterday, so your work may become very important.

I know that when I was trying to get my emulator up and running to try SWBF2 online via emulator, it was pretty hard to deal with DNAS authentication.

But anyway do you think your patch could be burned to a disc and then put into a PS2 and it would work on SWBF? I don't know if this would require changing something in the PS2 also. Anthony do you know the answer to that?

[AnthonyBF2]

Console modifications are pretty much required. I never did it so I don't know the exact method, but there's more than one way. It depends on your console model and certain software updates which also vary by console model. There's a sticker on everyone's PS2 that has a number that looks like 500001, 70001, or 90001 or similar. 90x models and above are known to be harder to mod. 70x and below are easier from what I hear. I have a real friend (fellow MNC) who modded his 90x PS2, and he has to do something every time he boots the console and swaps the original game disc with the modded disc really fast at a certain point when connecting to multiplayer. That's all I can really provide. Phobos and I can make actual game mods but for myself personally that's all I can do.

One idea I can recommend is that someone who's good with console modding could buy a bunch of consoles, burn modded game discs and distribute them to people for a small price to get payed back. Perhaps $20 or less per person. Of course that's if that person would want to charge a fee, they're welcomed to do it for free. I may go as far as to recommend a small site be setup for people who want to request a modded ps2 with the game patches and modded games, or add a section for that purpose on known community sites.

[oldsnake]

Mike the dnas is not working on the ps2.

[Led]

I may go as far as to recommend a small site be setup for people who want to request a modded ps2 with the game patches and modded games, or add a section for that purpose on known community sites.

I could make a forum board or subdomain for PS2 modding if there is enough interest.

I think there may be an existing community, too.

[Phobos]

I haven't tried burning PS2 discs or worked with modded consoles so I'm not sure, it sounds like Anthony knows more about that stuff. I've made some additional hex edits to the ISO for certain mods such as improving the dark trooper like the 1.2 PC patch. The same method used to bypass DNAS on bf1 should in theory also work for bf2 but this hasn't been confirmed yet. I know the console is preferred over emulator so it will be an extra hassle for those players when the DNAS server finally does shut down.

[oldsnake]

ps2 swbf 1&2 here are the shell lvl files ready for burning on dvd or making a iso for pcsx2. both work in the emulator used to test them online.   
https://mega.nz/#!3VpEQJpB!xdA8eegIbyAGdvrKAQW2IgwUTV2uIQSbRN2DNVugn-k

[Mike]

I wanted to post here again because I don't fully understand what happened, but it is a problem we could run into in the future.

Thanks for the more info Anthony and Phobos!

As Snake said, around the start of April, there were DNAS issues when connecting to Battlefront 1 and 2. This seemed to line up with the rumor that Sony would shut down DNAS on April 1st for Final Fantasy 12. However, strangely a couple days later it seemed like everything started working again.

So maybe they only shut it off for Final Fantasy 12 somehow? Or maybe they never shut it off at all, but currently DNAS is still working on Battlefront. As we transition over from a GameMaster master server list to a SWBFspy master server list, this is basically the only other problem that could come up.

Reminder: DNAS and DNS are not the same thing!