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1.18 replay format - compression

Forum Index > BW General
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LoneySoul7
Profile Joined April 2017
4 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-04-02 21:53:51
April 02 2017 21:50 GMT
#1
Hello,

I run a website that serves as a league for a small community of players (somewhere around 100 active players) for a custom map on StarCraft. A necessary component of the league is the ability to parse replays that are uploaded and provide game statistics. Only the replay header information is necessary.

From my 1.18 testing, it seems as though the replays are not backwards compatible with 1.16. In particular, the replay header, which previously used a variant of PKWARE's implode algorithm for compression, now uses something different. As a result, I am not able to parse 1.18 replays, and this would be fatal to the league, and possibly to our small community. A workaround has been prepared that entails manual watching of replays and filling in the necessary information, but this is not sustainable in the long run.

I have been trying to find out what compression algorithm this is, or how to decompress, with no luck. Is there anyone who has this information? Is it one of Blizzard's secrets or can this be public knowledge? If I contacted Blizzard directly, what are the chances that they would provide this information?

Thanks and regards,
LML
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
Germany1806 Posts
April 02 2017 22:56 GMT
#2
On April 03 2017 06:50 LoneySoul7 wrote:
If I contacted Blizzard directly, what are the chances that they would provide this information?


Try it and you will find out. I guess it doesn't hurt. It will give you a definite answer, and on top of that you can share it here with people who may run into the same issue.
LML
LoneySoul7
Profile Joined April 2017
4 Posts
April 03 2017 03:48 GMT
#3
What is the best/easiest way to contact Blizzard for something like this? Filing a customer support ticket doesn't seem quite appropriate for something like this. I've never done anything like this before, so pardon my ignorance.
Jealous
Profile Blog Joined December 2011
10406 Posts
April 03 2017 04:12 GMT
#4
Why not just stay with 1.16 if worst comes to worst? Seems like you already have a dedicated community from what I understand, nothing really has to change for you guys.

It would be nice if Blizzard did release that info, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
"The right to vote is only the oar of the slaveship, I wanna be free." -- бум бум сучка!
xboi209
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United States1173 Posts
April 03 2017 04:41 GMT
#5
They're not just going to release that information
http://www.reddit.com/r/broodwar/
writer22816
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
United States5775 Posts
April 03 2017 07:14 GMT
#6
On April 03 2017 07:56 LML wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 03 2017 06:50 LoneySoul7 wrote:
If I contacted Blizzard directly, what are the chances that they would provide this information?


Try it and you will find out. I guess it doesn't hurt. It will give you a definite answer, and on top of that you can share it here with people who may run into the same issue.


this but i wouldnt hold my breath
8/4/12 never forget, never forgive.
Dakota_Fanning *
Profile Joined January 2008
Hungary2371 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-04-03 08:29:04
April 03 2017 08:28 GMT
#7
Please send me 1.18 replays, and I take a look.
+ Show Spoiler [My email is] +
[image loading]
https://repmastered.icza.net
mo0n_sniper
Profile Joined March 2017
Romania6 Posts
April 03 2017 08:48 GMT
#8
You can post in the starcraft forum. Some devs read the forum and post there.
https://us.battle.net/forums/en/starcraft/
Entaro Adun
Dakota_Fanning *
Profile Joined January 2008
Hungary2371 Posts
April 03 2017 10:33 GMT
#9
Can anyone send me 1.18 replays?
+ Show Spoiler [My email is] +
[image loading]
https://repmastered.icza.net
LoneySoul7
Profile Joined April 2017
4 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-04-03 19:48:52
April 03 2017 19:48 GMT
#10
@Dakota_Fanning, I've sent you replays by email.

@mo0n_sniper, I cannot seem to be able to make threads on that forum. There is a dialog saying "BattleTag Required", even though I already made one, and I clearly see it on my account settings... tried clearing cookies, restarting browser; nothing worked
Stilwell
Profile Joined April 2017
1 Post
Last Edited: 2017-04-04 08:31:11
April 04 2017 06:54 GMT
#11
Loney,

The devs read TL as well. Posting it here might get a reply, and they'll help you troubleshoot posting on their forums as well.

Cheers
Dakota_Fanning *
Profile Joined January 2008
Hungary2371 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-04-04 19:18:05
April 04 2017 17:25 GMT
#12
On April 04 2017 04:48 LoneySoul7 wrote:
@Dakota_Fanning, I've sent you replays by email.

@mo0n_sniper, I cannot seem to be able to make threads on that forum. There is a dialog saying "BattleTag Required", even though I already made one, and I clearly see it on my account settings... tried clearing cookies, restarting browser; nothing worked

Thanks for the reps. I have analyzed them and I have good news for you.

It turns out Blizzard made 1.18 replays somewhat easier to "read". As mentioned, pre-1.18 replays used a modified PKWARE implode compression algorithm, and since 1.18, the compressed data blocks start with the 78 9C bytes, which are zlib magic headers:

78 9C - Default compression


I've tested it and they are indeed standard zlib compressed blocks.

Not sure if you're working on your own replay parsing lib, but I'm preparing something for SC-BW 1.18 and SC:R as well (it sort of became my habit... ).
https://repmastered.icza.net
cysin
Profile Joined February 2006
China4 Posts
April 06 2017 14:01 GMT
#13
@Dakota_Fanning Any further findings? Looks like 1.18 replays consists of zlib compressed blocks. Would you please share the replay format if you have dumped it?
jca2 *
Profile Joined March 2006
France52 Posts
April 15 2017 23:33 GMT
#14
Hi there,

digged up my old bwchart source code and added the zlib stuff for 1.18. Here is a little alpha version of it, if anyone is interested.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/og3vbnwvueihypp/bwchart200b.exe?dl=0

I don't have the latest source code of bwchart, the one that was modified after I made it open source, so this version will miss all the updates that have been done since. If someone can point me out where the most recent source code is, I could add the zlib stuff in that version too.

Happy Easter!

APM? Never heard of it...
andiCR
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Costa Rica2273 Posts
April 19 2017 23:10 GMT
#15
I was looking for this, thanks jca!
Nightmare1795 wrote: I played a guy in bronze who said he was Japanese. That was the only game I ever dropped a nuke, which was purely coincidental.
andiCR
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Costa Rica2273 Posts
April 19 2017 23:10 GMT
#16
jca, could you just host your version of the code on github and let the community branch/fill in the blanks?
Nightmare1795 wrote: I played a guy in bronze who said he was Japanese. That was the only game I ever dropped a nuke, which was purely coincidental.
cysin
Profile Joined February 2006
China4 Posts
April 20 2017 00:30 GMT
#17
@jca2, could you please open source your code? Thanks
Jealous
Profile Blog Joined December 2011
10406 Posts
April 23 2017 00:10 GMT
#18
Keeps telling me that some perfectly functional replays are corrupt ): Perhaps because they are from PTR, but 1.18 plays them just fine.
"The right to vote is only the oar of the slaveship, I wanna be free." -- бум бум сучка!
Milzo
Profile Joined March 2004
France656 Posts
April 23 2017 17:15 GMT
#19
jca still going strong after all these years! Merci beaucoup
rich-
Profile Joined February 2008
United States144 Posts
April 23 2017 17:51 GMT
#20
Nice job guys.I wonder if blizzard will patch the compatibility and allow viewing of old replays in sc:r.

Dakota are you back playing bgh yet? we should get a bgh tournament going to kick off sc:r.
The games I've played on east were pretty low, but channel )v( was back.
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