This GitHub organization is based around modding - Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition.
Tip
- Compatibility game executable: sdhdship.exe (Steam)
- Non-Steam Patch (GOG Version): SteamAPI Offline
- Debug Symbols (PDB): Download
- Debug/Fast Boot game executable: sdhdship_debug.exe
- This is modification of the original game executable.
- It has separate folder for game saves/settings called "dbg".
- It will instantly boot the game instead going to main menu, which allows easier modding testing, etc...
- To fix sound you will need to open pause menu once, controller might not work (requires alt tabbing out of the game once)
Important
Public development of the SDK and Theory Engine is currently paused.
Existing work will remain available, but future development and new projects, particularly projects built around or dependent on the SDK and Theory Engine, will generally remain private.
This decision is largely a result of how the work has been used and maintained over time. A significant amount of the work in this organization has been created and maintained primarily by a single person, while receiving relatively little contribution or attribution in return.
I've also become increasingly uncomfortable with the way AI is being used within the modding community. I don't have an issue with AI being used as a tool, but one of the original purposes of the SDK was to help people understand how the underlying systems work, learn through reverse engineering, and build things themselves.
When that work is instead treated as something to be consumed or reproduced without understanding, contribution, or proper credit, it takes away much of the motivation behind maintaining it publicly.
For that reason, I'm stepping back from public development for the time being. The existing repositories and work are still available, but I don't intend to continue making future foundational work or projects publicly available in the same way.
If you're interested in modding the game yourself, we provide enough repositories at this organization that will give you enough information to do mods by yourself.
- Modifying game files:
- This is still kind of tedious thing to do since there are not an appropriate tools to handle this easily so bare in mind while trying to do anything.
- Here is list of tools:
- Writing own plugins/mods:
- You will need to have knowledge of C/C++ and take some time to understand how the game engine works.
- We provide repository that is essentially SDK "dev-kit" for the game itself.
- You will essentially need to use reverse-engineering tool like Ghidra or IDA for finding desired hooks to run/add code to the game.
- Writing own tools:
- If you're trying to write own tool, we recommend to use TheoryEngine, which is essentially re-implementation of the game engine.
- The ModelScriber is based on it and could be useful to understand how the file structure even works in general.
