The Ultimate Cheat Engine Multi-Level Pointer Tutorial

Introduction

This tutorial walks you through the process of using Cheat Engine to find multi-level pointers in the game "Plants vs Zombies." By the end of this guide, you will understand how to locate static pointers that can help you manipulate dynamic game values like player health and resources.

Step 1: Set Up Cheat Engine

• Download and install Cheat Engine from the official website.
• Launch the game "Plants vs Zombies."
• Open Cheat Engine and select the game process from the process list.

Step 2: Initial Value Search

• In Cheat Engine, enter the initial value you want to scan for (e.g., the sun value).
• Click on "First Scan" to search for this value in the game’s memory.
• After the first scan, you may have many results. To narrow them down:
  • Go back to the game and change the sun value (e.g., collect or spend sun).
  • Return to Cheat Engine, enter the new value, and click "Next Scan."

Step 3: Find What Accesses the Address

• Once you have a reduced list of addresses, double-click the relevant address to add it to the address list.
• Right-click the address in the address list and select "Find out what accesses this address."
• This will open a new window showing the assembly instructions that interact with the memory address.

Step 4: Analyze Assembly Instructions

• In the new window, look for instructions that show a base address and an offset.
• Note the base address and offset, as these will be important for finding pointers.

Step 5: Perform a Pointer Scan

• Go back to Cheat Engine and perform a hexadecimal scan for the base address you noted.
• Click "Pointer scan for this address" and set the desired parameters (e.g., maximum level of pointers).

Step 6: Locate Parent Pointers

• After the pointer scan completes, you will receive a list of potential pointers.
• To find the static parent pointer, repeat the process of using "Find what accesses" for the new pointer addresses.
• Continue to note down the base addresses and offsets.

Step 7: Confirm Static Base Address

• Once you locate a pointer that consistently points to your sun value after restarting the game, verify it is a static pointer.
• Check if the pointer remains valid after restarting both Cheat Engine and the game.

Conclusion

You have now learned how to find multi-level pointers using Cheat Engine. This process involves scanning for initial values, analyzing assembly instructions, and performing pointer scans to locate static addresses. With these skills, you can manipulate various dynamic values in games effectively. For further learning, explore additional tutorials or advanced techniques in Cheat Engine to enhance your game hacking abilities.