Blizzard Entertainment:Storm - Revision history

Phaneron at 02:26, 18 June 2025

2025-06-18T02:26:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:26, 18 June 2025
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	== Features ==		== Features ==

	* Data structures: Storm implements ~~C++~~ data structures ~~for~~ arrays, linked lists and hash tables.		* Data structures: Storm implements commonly-used data structures such as arrays, linked lists and hash tables.
	* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.		* Big integers: Big integers are crucial to the SRP6 login protocol used by the [[Blizzard Entertainment:Grunt]] system.
			* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms, mutexes and interlocked (commonly known as atomic) values.
	* Asset compression/obfuscation: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:Mopaq\|MPQ]] format, but by 3.3.5a this responsibility was taken over by [[Blizzard Entertainment:BlizzardCore\|BlizzardCore]].		* Asset compression/obfuscation: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:Mopaq\|MPQ]] format, but by 3.3.5a this responsibility was taken over by [[Blizzard Entertainment:BlizzardCore\|BlizzardCore]].

Phaneron at 02:23, 18 June 2025

2025-06-18T02:23:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:23, 18 June 2025
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	* Data structures: Storm implements C++ data structures for arrays, linked lists and hash tables.		* Data structures: Storm implements C++ data structures for arrays, linked lists and hash tables.
	* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.		* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.
	* Asset compression/obfuscation: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:~~MPQ~~\|MPQ]] format.		* Asset compression/obfuscation: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:Mopaq\|MPQ]] format, but by 3.3.5a this responsibility was taken over by [[Blizzard Entertainment:BlizzardCore\|BlizzardCore]].

	== StormLib ==		== StormLib ==

Phaneron at 05:09, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T05:09:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:09, 14 June 2025
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	"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable.		"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable.

	...		This reason violated one of the requirements for Blizzard archives, which was security of the data. Because of this, beginning with Diablo version 1.04, Blizzard made using Storm.dll by third party people more difficult:

			* Storm.dll only export functions by ordinals. This makes their using more difficult, at least the function purpose is not obvious at the first sight.
			* Storm.dll can be used only when it is linked statically, using import library. If it is loaded using LoadLibrary, the library will corrupt internal decrypt buffer and functions for file reading will not work anymore.
			* Since shipping the game of World of Warcraft, Blizzard stopped using this library. The code necessary for reading MPQ archive is linked directly into the main executable.

	Since Warcraft III version 1.29.2.9231, storm.dll is no longer used by any Blizzard game. The code is entirely included in the main executable (i.e. Warcraft III.exe)."		Since Warcraft III version 1.29.2.9231, storm.dll is no longer used by any Blizzard game. The code is entirely included in the main executable (i.e. Warcraft III.exe)."

Phaneron at 05:02, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T05:02:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:02, 14 June 2025
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	== StormLib ==		== StormLib ==

	'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. ~~Unlike~~ not implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''		'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. It does not implement or aim to implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''

	StormLib was created as a free and open source implementation of the MPQ features from Storm.dll. It is very stable and has a good track record of working with a wide assortment of MPQs, both old and new.		StormLib was created as a free and open source implementation of the MPQ features from Storm.dll. It is very stable and has a good track record of working with a wide assortment of MPQs, both old and new.

	[[Thunderbrew]] currently utilizes StormLib to support directly loading assets from MPQ.		[[Thunderbrew]] currently utilizes StormLib to support directly loading assets from MPQ, but there are plans to remove it and add MPQ features to [[Thunderbrew:squall]].

	== Reimplementations ==		== Reimplementations ==

Phaneron at 05:01, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T05:01:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:01, 14 June 2025
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	* Data structures: Storm implements C++ data structures for arrays, linked lists and hash tables.		* Data structures: Storm implements C++ data structures for arrays, linked lists and hash tables.
	* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.		* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.
	* Asset compression/~~obfuscations~~: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:MPQ\|MPQ]] format.		* Asset compression/obfuscation: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:MPQ\|MPQ]] format.

	== StormLib ==		== StormLib ==

Phaneron at 05:00, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T05:00:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:00, 14 June 2025
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	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

	The Storm library is used extensively in [[World of Warcraft]].		The Storm library is used extensively by [[WoW\|World of Warcraft]].

	== Features ==		== Features ==

Phaneron at 04:58, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T04:58:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:58, 14 June 2025
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	== Reimplementations ==		== Reimplementations ==

	[[Whoa]] and [[Thunderbrew]] attempt to recreate Storm as it existed in 2010 as free and open-source software.		[[Whoa]] and [[Thunderbrew]] attempt to recreate Storm, as it existed in 2010, as free and open-source software under the name squall.

	* [[Whoa:squall]]		* [[Whoa:squall]]

	* [[Thunderbrew:squall]]		* [[Thunderbrew:squall]]

Phaneron at 04:58, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T04:58:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:58, 14 June 2025
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	'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. Unlike not implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''		'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. Unlike not implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''

	StormLib was created as a free and open source implementation of the MPQ features from Storm.dll.		StormLib was created as a free and open source implementation of the MPQ features from Storm.dll. It is very stable and has a good track record of working with a wide assortment of MPQs, both old and new.

	~~StormLib~~ is very stable and has a good track record of ~~being able to work~~ with a wide ~~range~~ of ~~MPQ archives~~, both old and new.

	[[Thunderbrew]] currently utilizes StormLib to support directly loading assets from MPQ.		[[Thunderbrew]] currently utilizes StormLib to support directly loading assets from MPQ.

Phaneron at 04:57, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T04:57:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 14 June 2025
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	<blockquote>		<blockquote>
	"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable."		"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable.

	...		...

	Since Warcraft III version 1.29.2.9231, storm.dll is no longer used by any Blizzard game. The code is entirely included in the main executable (i.e. Warcraft III.exe).		Since Warcraft III version 1.29.2.9231, storm.dll is no longer used by any Blizzard game. The code is entirely included in the main executable (i.e. Warcraft III.exe)."

	— [http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/stormdll.html zezula.net, ''Storm.dll'']		— [http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/stormdll.html zezula.net, ''Storm.dll'']

Phaneron at 04:57, 14 June 2025

2025-06-14T04:57:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 14 June 2025
Line 9:		Line 9:
	<blockquote>		<blockquote>
	"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable."		"Blizzard games released since 1996 to 2004 (Diablo, Diablo II, Starcraft, Warcraft II and Warcraft III) shipped with Storm.dll, a dynamic library that contained functions that were able to read data from the archives. This DLL also contained memory management functions, network support, compression functions and other. There was also a Mac version of this library, named Storm.bin. Storm.dll only contained functions for reading MPQs. The MPQ writing functions (saving games, creating maps etc.) were compiled inside the main game executable."

			...

			Since Warcraft III version 1.29.2.9231, storm.dll is no longer used by any Blizzard game. The code is entirely included in the main executable (i.e. Warcraft III.exe).

	— [http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/stormdll.html zezula.net, ''Storm.dll'']		— [http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/stormdll.html zezula.net, ''Storm.dll'']
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	== Features ==		== Features ==

	* ~~MPQ~~ compression: one of Storm's main ~~features~~ was to provide ~~asset compression/obfuscation using~~ the [[Blizzard Entertainment:MPQ\|MPQ]] format.		* Data structures: Storm implements C++ data structures for arrays, linked lists and hash tables.
			* Threads: Facilitates the creation of threads across different platforms.
			* Asset compression/obfuscations: one of Storm's main uses was to provide utilities for the [[Blizzard Entertainment:MPQ\|MPQ]] format.

	== StormLib ==		== StormLib ==
Line 23:		Line 29:
	'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. Unlike not implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''		'''Note: StormLib is a library for creating and reading from MPQ archives. Unlike not implement the whole set of features present in Storm.'''

	~~To create~~ a free and open source implementation of the MPQ ~~capabilities of~~ Storm~~, StormLib was created~~.		StormLib was created as a free and open source implementation of the MPQ features from Storm.dll.

	StormLib is very stable and has a good track record of being able to work with a wide range of MPQ archives, both old and new.		StormLib is very stable and has a good track record of being able to work with a wide range of MPQ archives, both old and new.