[VB.Net Tutorial]Add a Flicker-less Overlay to your Project

[NightmareTX_RETIRED]

First of all, this will only work in games that allows Windowed Mode or Windowed (No border) Mode. Do not forget to save your project often in any case of unwanted situations. Let's Start!

-Step 1: The Basic-

Step 1:

Once your project is open, click on "Project" then "Add Windows Form". Give it a name and press "Add".

Step 2:

Click on "Project" then "Add Module". Name it "Overlay" then click "Add"

Step 3:

Double click on your Overlay Module and replace all code with this one (Base off the code by Stefsot)

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Net.Mail
Imports System.Text
Public Module Overlay
    Public Structure RECT
        Public Left As Integer
        Public Top As Integer
        Public Right As Integer
        Public Bottom As Integer
    End Structure
    Public window_loc As RECT
    Public screencenter(1) As Integer
    <DllImport("user32.dll")> _
    Public Function GetWindowRect(ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByRef lpRect As RECT) As Boolean
    End Function
    <DllImportAttribute("kernel32.dll", EntryPoint:="ReadProcessMemory", SetLastError:=True)> _
    Private Function ReadProcessMemory(<InAttribute()> ByVal hProcess As System.IntPtr, <InAttribute()> ByVal lpBaseAddress As System.IntPtr, <Out()> ByVal lpBuffer As Byte(), ByVal nSize As UInteger, <OutAttribute()> ByRef lpNumberOfBytesRead As UInteger) As <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.Bool)> Boolean
    End Function
    Public Declare Function ReadProcessMemory2 Lib "kernel32" Alias "ReadProcessMemory" (ByVal hProcess As Integer, ByVal lpBaseAddress As Integer, ByRef lpBuffer As Long, ByVal nSize As Integer, ByRef lpNumberOfBytesWritten As Integer) As Integer
    Public Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal Classname As String, ByVal WindowName As String) As IntPtr
    Public Declare Function GetWindowThreadProcessId Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByRef lpdwProcessId As Integer) As Integer
    Public Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Integer, ByVal bInheritHandle As Integer, ByVal dwProcessId As Integer) As IntPtr
    Public Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As IntPtr) As Integer
    Public Const PROCESS_VM_ALL As Integer = &H1F0FFF
    Public hWnd As IntPtr, pHandle As IntPtr, processID As Integer
    Const ProcessName As String = "iw6mp64_ship"
    Function load_()
        Dim proc As Process() = Process.GetProcessesByName(ProcessName)
        Dim windowname As String
        windowname = proc(0).MainWindowTitle
        hWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, windowname)
        GetWindowThreadProcessId(hWnd, processID)
        pHandle = OpenProcess(PROCESS_VM_ALL, 0, processID)
        If hWnd = 0 Then Return 0 Else Return 1
    End Function
    Sub is_active(Optional ByVal exit_ As Boolean = True)
        Dim p As Process() = Process.GetProcessesByName(ProcessName)
        If p.Length = 0 And exit_ Then
            Environment.Exit(0)
        End If
    End Sub
    Function readInt(ByVal address As Integer, ByVal bytes As Integer)
        Dim read_value As Long = 0
        ReadProcessMemory2(pHandle, address, read_value, bytes, 0)
        Return read_value
    End Function
    Function readFloat(ByVal address As Integer, ByVal bytes As Integer)
        Dim read_value(bytes) As Byte
        ReadProcessMemory(pHandle, address, read_value, bytes, 0)
        Return BitConverter.ToSingle(read_value, 0)
    End Function
    Function readString(ByVal address As Integer, ByVal bytes As Integer, ByVal terminator As Byte)
        Dim read_value As String = ""
        Dim buffer As Byte
        For i = 0 To bytes
            ReadProcessMemory2(pHandle, address + i, buffer, 1, 0)
            If Not buffer = terminator Then
                read_value &= Chr(buffer)
            Else
                Exit For
            End If
        Next
        Return read_value
    End Function
End Module

Replace iw6mp64_ship at the line Const ProcessName As String = "iw6mp64_ship" by another process name if you wish to use it with a different game.

-Chapter 2: The Form Editing-

In this chapter, we will editing the newly created form to make it invisible and make it our overlay.

Step 1:

Change the form's Back Color and Transparency Key to Black. You can find those 2 options in the form's properties located at the bottom right (By default) of Visual Studio. Make sure that the form is selected.

Step 2: Change the FormBorderStyle to None, the ShowInTaskbar to False and TopMost to True.

Step 3: Double click on the form and add this code under Public Class (Form Name) (Base off the code by Stefsot)

Public Declare Function ReadProcessMemory2 Lib "kernel32" Alias "ReadProcessMemory" (ByVal hProcess As Integer, ByVal lpBaseAddress As Integer, ByRef lpBuffer As Long, ByVal nSize As Integer, ByRef lpNumberOfBytesWritten As Integer) As Integer
    Public Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal Classname As String, ByVal WindowName As String) As IntPtr
    Public Declare Function GetWindowThreadProcessId Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByRef lpdwProcessId As Integer) As Integer
    Public Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Integer, ByVal bInheritHandle As Integer, ByVal dwProcessId As Integer) As IntPtr
    Public Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As IntPtr) As Integer
    Public Const PROCESS_VM_ALL As Integer = &H1F0FFF
    Public hWnd As IntPtr, pHandle As IntPtr, processID As Integer
    Const ProcessName As String = "iw6mp64_ship"

Change the process name again if you wish to use it on another game.

Step 4:

Add a Timer to your form with an Interval of 1. This timer will make sure that the form will be as big as the game's resolution and at the same location as the game. Add this code to your timer. (Base off the code by Stefsot)

Call load_()
        Dim proc As Process() = Process.GetProcessesByName(ProcessName)
        Dim MyHeight = Me.Height
        Dim windowname As String
        windowname = proc(0).MainWindowTitle
        hWnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, windowname)
        GetWindowThreadProcessId(hWnd, processID)
        pHandle = OpenProcess(PROCESS_VM_ALL, 0, processID)
        GetWindowRect(Overlay.hWnd, window_loc)
        Me.Location = New Point(window_loc.Left, window_loc.Top)
        Me.Size = New Point(window_loc.Right - window_loc.Left, window_loc.Bottom - window_loc.Top)
        screencenter(0) = Me.Width = 100
        screencenter(1) = Me.Height = 100

You can set the timer to be Enabled at all time by changing the "Enabled" properties to true but I suggest to load the form and turn on the timer when your project detects the game. This way, it will prevent crash.

All you have to do now is to add whatever you like to the form. You might need to play with the location of the items to fit well on the game's window.

Happy Editing!

[Horror]

the newly created for

form, lil typo.
Didn't expect you to post it this early, nice share

[distiny]

nice share bro

[NightmareTX_RETIRED]

form, lil typo.
Didn't expect you to post it this early, nice share

Corrected. Thanks!

[Lovroman]

Thanks for sharing!

[Minnesota Dabs]

Thanks for supplying the leechers with more code.

Nice release

[distiny]

I'll see if can get the same result in c# and share that. (Inb4 it is possible, I mean if I can do it)

[NightmareTX_RETIRED]

There is also another piece of code that you can add but this is optional. This code will prevent the the game to lose focus if the user click on something that is on the Overlay form. This is useful if you want to create a external crosshair in vb.net

This code is from @master131

Put it under Public Class <Overlay Form Name Here>

Private Const WS_EX_TRANSPARENT As Integer = &H20

    Protected Overrides ReadOnly Property CreateParams() As System.Windows.Forms.CreateParams
        Get
            Dim cp As CreateParams = MyBase.CreateParams
            cp.ExStyle = cp.ExStyle Or WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
            Return cp
        End Get
    End Property

[COD3RIN]

nice info i am not good in vb.net but great

[Nubzgetkillz]

Hi thank you for your share!
I was wondering if there is a way to make the overlay re-size itself if I were to re-size the game client?

[NightmareTX_RETIRED]

Hi thank you for your share!
I was wondering if there is a way to make the overlay re-size itself if I were to re-size the game client?

Read Step 4

[Nubzgetkillz]

Read Step 4

LOL I figured this out right after i posted the message but mpgh went down so oops