Have fun learning the skills to make big bucks!
One of the longest running independent games on the Internet, UniBall has evolved from a simple version of space hockey into a sport that is uniquely its own.
The basics remain simple and easy to learn: you maneuver, you pass and you shoot in order to score goals.
But beyond this simple design lies a surprisingly complex game involving teamwork and individual skill that can take a lifetime to master.
Try the free game now at http://www.uniballhq.com/
This book is going to look in-depth at the disassembly and decompilation of x86 machine code and assembly code. We are going to look at the way programs are made using assemblers and compilers, and examine the way that assembly code is made from C or C++ source code. Using this knowledge, we will try to reverse the process. By examining common structures, such as data and control structures, we can find patterns that enable us to disassemble and decompile programs quickly.
This book is for readers at the undergraduate level with experience programming in x86 Assembly and C or C++. This book is not designed to teach assembly language programming, C or C++ programming, or compiler/assembler theory.
The reader should have a thorough understanding of x86 Assembly, C Programming, and possibly C++ Programming. This book is intended to increase the reader’s understanding of the relationship between x86 machine code, x86 Assembly Language, and the C Programming Language. If you are not too familar with these topics, you may want to reread some of the above-mentioned books before continuing.
Computer programs are written originally in a human readable code form, such as assembly language or a high-level language. These programs are then compiled into a binary format called machine code. This binary format is not directly readable or understandable by humans. Many programs, such as proprietary commercial programs, or very old legacy programs may not have the source code available to you. Programs frequently perform tasks that need to be duplicated, or need to be made to interact with other programs. Without the source code and without adequate documentation, these tasks can be difficult to accomplish.
This book outlines tools and techniques for attempting to convert the raw machine code of an executable file into equivalent code in assembly language and the high-level languages C and C++. With the high-level code to perform a particular task, several things become possible:
1. Programs can be ported to new computer platforms, by compiling the source code in a different environment.
2. The algorithm used by a program can be determined. This allows other programs to make use of the same algorithm, or for updated versions of a program to be rewritten without needing to track down old copies of the source code.
3. Security holes and vulnerabilities can be identified and patched by users without needing access to the original source code.
4. New interfaces can be implemented for old programs. New components can be built on top of old components to speed development time and reduce the need to rewrite large volumes of code.
Keep reading: x86 Disassembly: Exploring the relationship between C, x86 Assembly, and Machine Code
I’ve been involved with a fair share of open source activities, game-related and otherwise, and by and large I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It all started with an overly ambitious open source game. It never went anywhere, yet I treasure the time I spent working on it. This project sent me head first into the marvels of collaborative open source–and game development, without any training wheels. It’s an experience and an education that comes highly recommended, but is not without its hits and misses. Getting it right the first time ultimately comes down to chance, but if nothing else, sharing my experience might improve your odds.
Keep reading to find out more.
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