Research Brief Hash08

Investigation Task: IDCL Header Hash at +0x08

Objective: Determine the algorithm for the currently unresolved IDCL header value at offset 0x08 using existing retail archives and probe artifacts without modifying the game installation.

Context:

• The header at +0x20 is a FarmHash64 of the metadata area [0x78 : subsequent IDCL incl.] and was resolved in the build.
• The header at +0x08 is validated by the Engine Loader. In a small custom container, 6e9d625602ddbc9e was accepted; previously, the log showed: hash: 6e9d625602ddbc9e, wants 3533df45c7f9b1d2.
• Standard probes (unseeded Farm/City/XXH/MD5/SHA over obvious ranges) failed.
• Tools: tools/probe_tnc_hash.py, Parser wolfsdk/idcl.py; Retail archives located in <Steam library>\steamapps\common\Wolfenstein.II.The.New.Colossus\base.

Investigate: Clean candidates: FarmHash/CityHash variants/Seeds, Hash over normalized header/metadata ranges, CRC mixtures, or IDCL-related structures. Do not modify existing files. If a helper script is required, create it only under re_probes/hash08_scratch/.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Reproducible command/code approach and at least multiple counter-tests with claimed success.
• On no success: Clearly delineated excluded families and the most sensible next Oracle test.
• Optional report only under re_probes/agent_reports/hash08.md.