22 replies to this topic

[le717]

I just got LR2, and I like what see, even though I have not even played a race yet.

Anyway, I am working on a small mod to the game (don't ask what it is. If you look at my other mods topics, you can guess), and I would like to just click the shortcut and it would run. Unfortunately for me, the game has to have the CD in the drive to run.

Is there anyway that I can make the game run without the CD? (And doing it legally please?)

Its copyright is 2001-2005, if that helps. As far as I know, it was not bundled with another disc.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

There's no legal way.

[le717]

There's no legal way.

I see. Does making the game run disc-less involve modding the exe?

I have looked online about this, and I see a bunch of no disc results, but I am sure that is illegal.

Is it possible to mod the exe using a hex editor? And do it in such a way that someone who knows no coding whatsoever (like me) can do it without messing something up?

I would not give out the modded exe, only use it myself. Would someone giving a tutorial on how to do it, even my PM to me only, be illegal?

[TheDoctor]

Assuming that the 'burn an iso and mount it' trick doesn't work, you're pretty much out of luck.

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

As The Doctor said, you might be able to use an ISO and mount it on a virtual drive. For this to work, you will need to uninstall and reinstall (or edit the right registry key) as it uses a registry entry to remember the disc drive letter.

This might be a crazy idea, but what are the odds that changing that registry entry to a folder where the disc files are located will work?

Strangely, Drome Racers does not require the CD and it uses the same engine.

[Phoenyx]

Be careful when editing the registry. A small edit here or there in the wrong entry could result in major issues.

Luckily the location of the registry entry in question is nowhere near critical OS entries.

Fish around the entries for LR2 and find one that contains a drive letter or directory path. If the entry has anything to do with a CD, you've probably found what you need to edit.

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

Yeah, you want to be careful. There is a registry entry that hold the drive letter or path (can't remember exactly which) I saw it before (I don't have it installed on this computer). I think it's in HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/LEGO media/games/LEGO Racers 2/ or a folder or two up from there.

[le717]

I think it's in HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/LEGO media/games/LEGO Racers 2

It's not there. I looked and that is not where it is. It's somewhere else (can't check where, LR2 not on this computer.)

I also tried your crazy idea of changing the string to where the CD files were on my hard drive. No luck. I even uninstalled it and re-installed the game from the hard drive, but it still asked for the disc.

I have an ISO of the CD. I'm sure that mounting it and changing the string to that drive will work, I just haven't tried it yet.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[Tracker]

Strangely, Drome Racers does not require the CD and it uses the same engine.

I get the feeling that there is a cfg entry involved.

[jamesster]

Actually, my copy of Drome Racers requires a disc, but my friend has a version that doesn't...

[le717]

Strangely, Drome Racers does not require the CD and it uses the same engine.

I get the feeling that there is a cfg entry involved.

I hope you are talking about DR, because there is no .cfg file even on my LR2 disc...

This is where the registry is located, in case anyone wants to take a whack at running LR2 without a disc.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\LEGO Media\Games\LEGO Racers 2

Go ahead and knock yourselves silly trying to make it work. I have tried everything I could think of to make it work, and nada. If you get it to work, though, please post here and let me know how you did it!

[Tracker]

It could be a wad like layout. Look for large files.

[Phoenyx]

Now that I think about it, I never needed the disc to run LEGO Racers myself...

Maybe it's just like all the other LEGO games, with both disc and discless versions?

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

In gamedata.gtc on Drome, there is a file named GAME DATA\SYSTEM\DEVELOPER.CFG (compressed, so we can't tell much about it) but I don't see one for LEGO Racers 2.

Now that I think about it, I never needed the disc to run LEGO Racers myself...

Maybe it's just like all the other LEGO games, with both disc and discless versions?

LEGO Racers, or LEGO Racers 2?

[Lair of Rockwhales]

There's no legal way.

I see. Does making the game run disc-less involve modding the exe?

I have looked online about this, and I see a bunch of no disc results, but I am sure that is illegal.

Is it possible to mod the exe using a hex editor? And do it in such a way that someone who knows no coding whatsoever (like me) can do it without messing something up?

I would not give out the modded exe, only use it myself. Would someone giving a tutorial on how to do it, even my PM to me only, be illegal?

This is what I meant. I have no clue how to make it myself.

[LUModder]

This is where the registry is located, in case anyone wants to take a whack at running LR2 without a disc.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\LEGO Media\Games\LEGO Racers 2

I can't find this and I don't have a disk, does this mean where I got the installer made this not exist?

EDIT: I tired launching it and it said insert disc, which is a fail because I DON'T HAVE ONE.

[MrEightThreeOne]

How did you even get the game without using a disc? You need to keep in mind there may be files on the disc that the game uses. Plus, he never said that was the way to do it, he just suggested that being a place to look.
Btw, a ruling made it fair use to circumvent copy protection so long that you don't do it for illegal purposes (such as uploading it for people to use as warez). That includes using a No-CD crack.

[JrMasterModelBuilder]

You need to keep in mind there may be files on the disc that the game uses.

Only if you use the minimal install option, if you use the full install option, it will copy all the files it needs into the install folder.

Incidentally, using a disc image does work, I have tested it since the idea was suggested.

[Xiron]

Go ahead and knock yourselves silly trying to make it work. I have tried everything I could think of to make it work, and nada. If you get it to work, though, please post here and let me know how you did it!

I'm not sure how, and I've heard making no cd patches ain't easy, though I know this safe site (tried it multiple times for use with games I own) where people make no cd versions, and it has some for LR2... if you're interested, PM me, as I'm sure posting the site isn't allowed.

[LUModder]

How did you even get the game without using a disc?

What do I do, get a .img file and mount it somehow? Cause I know no way to do that.