Okay, so I have been going through the data.gob files, and I have found a few variables that may be of interest.
In c3c15942a8d6a5fc041027e3c1c0e868.xml, there is the following:
<qadebug>
<option name="enable" value="on" />
<halflength name="time" value="" />
<gremlins name="enable" value="off" />
<always_injured name="enable" value="off" />
</qadebug>
In 51124fa6bf8a07f29a7207a7a0bac213.rfe, there is text to the right of the hex code that reference half length. Here is a the portion of it...
...FeSelectableObjectOnDown 72.00 Half Length 5 10 Secs|2 Mins|5 Mins|10 Mins|20 Mins|40 Mins|99 Mins OnTestSettingsHalfTimeL1 OnTestSettingsHalfTimeR1 4 96.00 Penalties 7 Default|Warning|Yellow|Red OnTestSettingsPenaltiesL1...
There is also an ini file called c87594b42867df84e5a9b0517aa01790.ini in data.gob. Perhaps in this file we could add parameters that could change the length of the half. I tried adding the parameter halflength name to this file and placing it in the Rugby main directory. I also tried adding half_seconds parameter similar to how I changed the half length in FIFA games, but to no avail.
Did any of you guys notice these references to half length in these data.gob files? There's gotta be a way to get 40 minute halves. This is the one thing holding this game back. Others have suggested they would like to play 15 minute halves or a half length of their preference.
As mentioned by pageski, this could potentially also be solved through the profiles (.pro) file. As it was possible to change the resolution to a resolution setting that was outside (beyond) the choices in game, this could potentially have the same result as the half length. The thing I notice about the profile when looking at the hex code is that there are a lot of 00 00 values in there. And I noticed that when you adjust the half length in stadium select, then save the profile, when you load the profile, and go back into stadium select, it always defaults back to 5 minute halves, even if you had it set at 10 or 20 minute halves. This confirms the fact that the profile is not saving the half length parameter in-game. Meaning, likely, whatever the half length parameter is in the profile file (.pro) (assuming the parameter is there in the hex) it's likely at default or 0, and the game is loading 5 minutes every time you go into the game for some reason. We have to make the game load something other than 5 minutes as the default half length when you load the game.
It can either be done through profiles. (if the parameter is one of those 00 00 somewhere in the .pro file) or by editing an .rfe file, an .xml file, or the .ini file in data.gob, or by perhaps extracting one of those files, editing it, then placing it in the rugby 08 main directory - not sure if that works like it did in FIFA games with .ini files)
This is an old thread that I am trying to dust off. I am obviously not the only one who would like to do this. I think 40 minutes matches would be incredible in this game. 40 minute halves is an option in Rugby League 2 and this is a mod that would do Rugby 08 justice.
The first post in this thread by Brett22Smith was dated April 20th, 2008. woosaah said he would have a look at it on April 22nd, 2008. woosaah, now that it's 2010, almost 2 years later you had a chance to have a look?
On April 23rd, 2008, Brett22Smith tried to hack time using a cheat engine, but couldn't seem to find the controlling variable for time. Well I took a look at the files in data.gob, and perhaps the controlling variable for time could be "halflength", as found in c3c15942a8d6a5fc041027e3c1c0e868.xml in <qadebug>. Or perhaps the controlling variable is Half Length, like the one found in that rfe file above. Or perhaps the controlling variable is half_seconds, like it is in EA's FIFA games.
Perhaps the only way to find it is to do memory dumps when you scroll through the interface that selects half length at stadium select in game, and try to see what changes when you go from 5 minutes to 10 minutes, or from 10 minutes to 20 minutes. Maybe it changes something in hex code that can be applied to the profile. Or maybe it's possible to have the profile save itself while in stadium select, after you change the half length to 20 minutes, but before you go back to the main menu and click on another menu, where the half length time resets when you go back into stadium select.
There's gotta be a way fellas. This is an important project. With all the updated AI work other members here have done, it is time we play 40 minute halves and 80 minute matches in the best rugby game ever made. It's time we really make this game a true simulation game. You can do this in FIFA games, why can't you do this in Rugby 08? Perhaps the same process would work for Rugby 06. This is why we have a PC. This would add exponential replay value to Rugby 08 on PC. This is why we buy PC games so we can mod the game!!
I play 80 minute matches in Rugby League 2, and they are really fun, but I like don't like the scoring in League nor do I like it as much as I like regular rugby.
I bought Rugby 06 for Original Xbox. I loved it. I bought Rugby 08 for PS2 and although it was good Rugby 08 for PS2 had frame rate issues. Now I have Rugby 08 for PC doesn't have these frame rate issues and the only thing holding this game back is the inability to play 40 minute halves.
Lets figure this out guys. Lets think outside the box and get this done. I hope to hear some responses in this thread. This is a very important limitation of the game to overcome. We must be dedicated to solving this issue.
As Brett22Smith said, where are the rugby 08 editing geniuses on this one? I just want to play a match with the clock moving at a normal speed. That's all. I know I'm not the only one.