This highly specialized course focuses on the fundamentals of software reverse engineering and game engine recreation using OpenClaw—an open-source project dedicated to modernizing and rebuilding the classic 1997 side-scrolling platformer Captain Claw.
The course uses this practical, real-world target to teach you how to dissect compiled legacy code, analyze asset binaries, and reconstruct functional software logic.
Core Concepts & Modules
Phase 1: Foundations of Reverse Engineering & Assembly
- Understanding the basics of x86/x64 CPU architectures, registers, stack memory, and execution flow.
- Translating compiled machine code back into readable Assembly instructions.
- Setting up your reverse engineering environment with essential tools like Ghidra, IDA Pro, or x64dbg.
Phase 2: Binary Asset Extraction & File Format Analysis
- Dissecting custom legacy file formats (such as custom archives, palettes, sprites, and map levels).
- Mapping out byte patterns, headers, offsets, and compression patterns within unknown binary structures.
- Writing simple extraction scripts to convert raw hex data into modern formats (like PNG or JSON).
Phase 3: Code Reconstruction & Game Engine Architecture
- Decompiling complex legacy subroutines and translating the logic into a modern programming language like C++ or Python.
- Analyzing game loop architectures, rendering subsystems, input handling, and state machines from the original engine.
- Learning how OpenClaw interprets the original level files, physics constants, and game assets to replicate retro mechanics accurately.
Phase 4: Dynamic Analysis & Memory Hacking
- Attaching debuggers to running processes to observe changes in game state variables in real time.
- Identifying and altering memory addresses responsible for game mechanics (such as health counters, positions, or timers).
- Understanding patterns in old memory layouts to effectively pinpoint critical logic blocks.
Who Is This For?
This course is engineered for security researchers, game developers interested in preservation, and software engineers looking to build strong low-level analysis skills. It is ideal for anyone wanting a structured, case-study approach to understanding how classic 90s software operates under the hood.
