Talk:Skill template format

Javascript tool
As a companion to what I wrote on this page I have a simple javascript implementation that will decode Skill Templates that you paste in. It is a single self contained HTML page, I'd like to make it available somehow, but I don't know how or where. Cloud 17:33, 26 October 2006 (CDT)

Just Put a link to it
 * I would, if it was hosted anywhere. Right now its just a file on my computer Cloud 18:52, 26 October 2006 (CDT)


 * Just put it on some 1-Click-Hoster (no rapidsahre please, take uploaded.to e.g.), post the link here, and i will host it on my page for the first time. 85.212.175.191


 * Watch this: no need to upload it anymore, it's done already 85.212.175.191 11:53, 28 October 2006 (CDT)

GW:ULC
Should the title of this be changed to Skill Template format? Skill Template is capitalized in-game, but the format is our own addition and per policy I believe should be lower-case. Any objections to a move? --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 17:38, 26 October 2006 (CDT)
 * Fine with me, I'm just a clueless wiki contributer. Cloud 19:12, 26 October 2006 (CDT)
 * See: You are valuable --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 14:11, 27 October 2006 (CDT)
 * See: Barek iz god &mdash; Skuld 14:22, 27 October 2006 (CDT)
 * Since, according to that, I'm allowed to disagree that I'm valuable... I will continue to refer to myself as a clueless contributer ;) Cloud 18:04, 29 October 2006 (CST)

Viewing the code?
How do you see those types of code? When ever I open my notepad pages, it is always stuff like: ASMxkt6FjlCWyacdvZaLAA. How do I see it like you do? --Frvwfr2 18:59, 26 October 2006 (CDT)


 * That's what you'd expect for base64 encoding, to get bits you replace each character with its position in "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/". So using your example, the first part ASM is (0, 17, 11) which becomes 000000 010001 001011. Look at the rfc referenced in the article for a longer treatment. Cloud 19:09, 26 October 2006 (CDT)

so is rebirth CAF? --Frvwfr2 20:23, 26 October 2006 (CDT)


 * Rebirth is 306, which is 100110010 in binary, which means that if it was started on an even boundary it would be: 110010,xxx100 => 50,4 => 'yE' Of course it probably won't be started on an even boundary, and the x's above would be the low three bits of the next skill, which would change the E into something else. This really isn't the place to explain base64 encoding and bitstreams...

Ok, thanks anyways. --Frvwfr2 14:02, 27 October 2006 (CDT)


 * Here are some links that may help:

info about how to decode the templates info about the relation between skills, attributes and the template code
 * and others: Cracked: Template Conversions For Tools and Builds: Show twmplate --Phoenix [[Image:Phoenix_Benu.png]] 01:08, 29 October 2006 (CST)

Locked skills
Where did you get the names for these from? Making a template with that combination and trying to load it? Anyway, I so want to capture BAMPH ! hehe. --Xeeron 07:45, 6 November 2006 (CST)

Hi ! You're right, i made a little excel sheet where i can put the skill code, then i load them in game, and make a screenshot. :) Just be carreful with Unnatural signet, because this one is different.

It's is my first time editing a wiki page, so locked skills will remain dead-links :( but here are some examples : (i'll try to post an image)

Hattor. 06/11/2006 17:54

http://perso.orange.fr/julien.morisseau/images/minirecapgos.JPG


 * How did you get the icons though? When I loaded them up the skills disappeared very quickly but I did manage to get pictures of the descriptions, as you have done.  Here is a code for the locked skills  A1EQwABMQBPAZ0RAA   --Buzzer 04:24, 11 November 2006 (CST)

I am currently adding all the missing codes, and taking screenshot of all the locked skills. I have a 56k modem, and i think this is why i have more time than all people to get my screenshot ^^. By the way, did you verified the skill n°369 ? i found a locked skill "Don"t believe thier lies !", and you changed it to "Curse of the blood stone" ?

I will try "A1EQwABMQBPAZ0RAA" this evening.

Lastest code are more difficult to find than core skills, there are test skill for ANet, old forgotten skills, ... Hattor 02:40, 15 November 2006 (CST)


 * Not sure where you got "Don't Believe Their Lies!" from because 369 is definately Curse of the Bloodstone (for a W/R at least) --Buzzer 03:11, 15 November 2006 (CST)


 * Can you post your build code and the place of "don't believe their lies"/Curse of the bloodstone in your build ? I re-ran some tests and i found "don't believe their lies". :)
 * For which prof does your build (A1EQwABMQBPAZ0RAA) work ? Hattor 16:26, 15 November 2006 (CST)


 * Sorry, I must've made a mistake before. 369 is indeed what you say.  That other code is for Mesmer and it has the first 7 locked skills in the list. --Buzzer 23:18, 15 November 2006 (CST)

Is it still possible to "capture" the screenshots of this "dev-skills"? I tried it, but it doesn't work :( --Tsubasa Ikemoto 18:38, 9 January 2007 (CST)


 * The image of the skill only stay 1 or 2 seconds, you must be quick, but it's possible. :) Hattor 04:53, 16 January 2007 (CST)


 * Ok Thank you :) --Tsubasa Ikemoto 10:20, 22 January 2007 (CST)


 * After the update(4/5/2007) it is no longer possible to make screenshots of these skills, because the GW don't load the template, or am I doing something wrong? Tsubasa Ikemoto 06:47, 13 April 2007 (CDT)
 * They fixed it recently, no longer possible &mdash; Skuld 07:00, 13 April 2007 (CDT)

Path to this page
A friend gave me a direct link to this page, but i don't find the path from main page to here, could someone show me ?

Thanks. Hattor


 * Go to the article and click on "What links here" in the toolbox section on the left of the screen. As you will see, nothing links here, except talk and template pages.  So its not really connected with the Main Page at the moment --Buzzer 01:11, 20 November 2006 (CST)


 * should we link it ? There is a game mechanics section in the main page, sounds good to us :) Hattor 10:17, 23 November 2006 (CST)

Equipment Template format
Has anyone had any success in decoding the Equipment Templates ? --Phoenix 06:35, 8 November 2006 (CST)

Locked or Invalid ?
Hi all, - there are some invalid skills : they exist, you can find them in the the game, but you cannot equip them - there are some Locked skills : No player is supposed to see them.

For some skills, i don't know if they are Locked or Invalid, and i need help, did you ever meet one on them in the game ? For instance Quick Sand [496]

Thanks, Hattor 02:46, 15 November 2006 (CST)
 * Quick sand is an enchant to slow you down in one of the guildhalls (The game casts it) --Sorcix the Lazy 14:07, 15 December 2006 (CST)
 * So it's invalid, thanks. Hattor 09:04, 18 January 2007 (CST)

PHP Class
I've knocked up a PHP class for decoding the skill template codes, here Hope it helps someone. :) Cheezykins 14:19, 23 November 2006 (CST)
 * It will Help, thanks. :) Hattor 07:00, 24 November 2006 (CST)

Illegal?
Is this right? Are we now breaching the EULA by creating PHP scripts or such that can decode the templates? Or is this simply a legal thing that won't be chased up? Im kind of concerned as I have spent quite some time on development based around the templates. I really hope that this is never enforced, as it would be a great shame for the guild wars community. Neon 13:11, 28 November 2006 (CST)
 * It'll be up to ANet to tell us one way or another. If ANet announces that posting the data is unacceptable, then some sites may choose to keep it hoping that ANet won't chase after them.  However, as an officially recognised fansite, if ANet says it's unacceptable, our only choices will be to either remove it or to give up our fansite status. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 13:26, 28 November 2006 (CST)
 * Refer to WNxTilly 09:06, 11 December 2006 (CST) in Talk:Equipment_Template_format

What the template system tell us about the future of Guild Wars
If you are familiar with binary encoding, you should have noticed that professions are encoded on 4 bits in templates, meaning that the system is built to work with a maximum of 16 different professions. 11 of them are currently available (10 professions + the "0" code which means "none"). This means that there is room for only 5 more professions. If we suppose that future campaigns will bring 2 new professions each, it means that ANet has planned to release only 2 more campaigns. Of course, this number is a maximum, the next one could also be the last. Sorry to disappoint you. -- Funky Jah (talk) 13:59, 5 January 2007 (CST)


 * Stop making new professions, and work on the old ones imo &mdash; Skuld 14:11, 5 January 2007 (CST)


 * I see two possible reasons for the 4-bit code.
 * A) ArenaNet was shortsited in their template, and will at some point provide a new version, as well as a means to convert old ones to the new format. It wouldn't be the first time that ArenaNet failed to take future expansions into account, and had to change things later (the old tombs area and the old arenas in Prophecies moving their content to the Battle Isles being a glaring example of a redesign wedged in to make expansions easier to accomodate).
 * B) There have been rumors that no further professions would be released. The spring campaigns will focus on A and Rt, while fall professions will focus on D and P.  These are entirely unsubstantiated, but if true, could explain the 4-bot code.
 * I'm sure there could be other theories as well - but those are the main two that I can see. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 14:19, 5 January 2007 (CST)


 * I don't agree with your first theory, because the template system has actually been designed to take into account a greater number of attributes and skills than available now, by the use of the attribute bit length code and the skill bit length code. Only professions don't have this kind of feature, so I think this is deliberate rather than a design error. But I must admit that the template type code might be used to define a new version of the template system which would allow the use of more than 16 professions. However, this seems very unlikely to me (must be my 6th sense). --[[Image:Funky_Jah_icon.jpg]] Funky Jah (talk) 17:06, 5 January 2007 (CST)


 * Just thought I'd throw my two cents in to this old discussion: based on what we know about the Equipment Template format, which only uses 4 bits for its unique identifier, '1', it seems likely that the skill template format already includes a profession bit length, stored in the 2 bits following the first 4, which would allow for up to 127 possible professions; we haven't observed any values other than 0 in its place because there aren't yet enough professions to require additional bits. Of course, this is mere speculation, but it sure seems to make sense. --Xaevux 23:54, 18 March 2007 (CDT)

showing icons ?
Maybee it could be nice to show all skills like : [here]. Is this a wiki's convention ? Hattor 04:59, 16 January 2007 (CST)
 * no point in doing that except taking more bandwidth and the list should be searched by using your web browsers find function. -- Xeon 05:28, 16 January 2007 (CST)

Still a bit confused...
I think I'm getting the hang of how this works, but there's still one thing I need cleared up.

Being Base64, there are only 64 characters to use, right? But there are more than 64 skill codes. So how would you encode, say, *picks a skill randomly out of the list* Boon Signet (skill #847)?

Thank you! --24.89.253.231 17:59, 27 January 2007 (CST)


 * Single characters in the base64 encoded text don't necessarily correspond to anything. It might be more useful to think of it as a bit stream than characters (or bytes, or whatever).  --Fyren 18:52, 27 January 2007 (CST)
 * You have to encode the base64 encoded text to get a bit stream with just two characters: 1 and 0. This text contains all information about the template. As you need one byte for each character in a text file, base64 is just something to save space (6 characters to one base64 character) [[Image:Poke.gif]] Poke 01:17, 29 January 2007 (CST)


 * As if anybody would be crazy enough to actually waste a whole byte to represent a bit. Esentially, base64 allows binary code to be put into a format that's easy for anybody to copy and use anywhere. Real binary code can be a bit messy to work with; text is easy. The 64 characters are part of the encoding, not part of the template format. The template format itself is in binary. CobraA1 04:08, 16 February 2007 (CST)

No more hidden skills
All of the invalid/locked skills in the list can't be access ingame anymore. I suspect this has been since the February 14 update. I don't know whether to delete the old ones Hattor and I found :/ -Buzzer 11:05, 16 March 2007 (CDT)

Some beta skills @ gwdb
http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Warrior#Don't_believe_their_lies!

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Aggression

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Brutality

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Disruption

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Elemental_Protection

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Feeding

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Ferocity

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Healing

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Resilience

http://gwdb.org/class.php?class=Ranger#Call_of_Vitality

&mdash; Skuld 11:17, 16 March 2007 (CDT)

YAPSFTD (Yet Another PHP Software For Template Decoding) aka "GWBuildGen"
I'm currently working on a PHP software that will allow build management exactly the same way the game does. For the moment, I have coded the template management part. You can find a demo here. You can change the template code in the adress bar of your browser. I have currently added about 1% of the skill data, so don't be surprised if your template only displays question marks on the skill bar. Expect more to come soon! Note: as soon as a stable and complete version of this software is ready, I will release it under GPL. Funky Jah (talk) 18:05, 8 April 2007 (CDT)

Imba!
OQASQ5KPW+HflnyP5l8ReAA &mdash; Skuld 09:58, 10 April 2007 (CDT)

When I updated the article to include a description of the new format I changed the description of the 6 leading always 0 bits into two fields (4 bits and 2 bits respectively) so that it matched up better with the new format and to call out the fact that while we don't know for sure what the 5th & 6th bits were for, we sure do know the first 4 separate the four types (skill & equipment, before & after 4/5). An anon changed the leading 4 to a 6 but didn't remove the 2 and I just changed it back... if someone really thinks my 4 and 2 ought to be combined back into a 6, at least make sure it still adds up. Cloud 03:57, 13 April 2007 (CDT)