Bubbleland

How To Use Skins

A bug in the latest version of Vainglory currently prevents this, but there is a workaround. First, it’s important to understand the difference between 1A and 1B clients. Essentially, the 1A client allows you to use skins, while the 1B client enables you to change your in-game name (IGN) or username. This guide will explain how to leverage both clients to use skins and your IGN simultaneously.

If you encounter any difficulties following this guide, please visit our Vainglory channel on Discord for assistance.

1A and 1B Clients Explained

There are two functional versions of the game (or client) colloquially known as 1A and 1B. These correspond to different stages of Vainglory: Community Edition. The 1A client is an older version that supports skins and talents but does not allow you to change your IGN; a random IGN is generated at the start of each match.

The 1B client is the latest version of Vainglory, released on 30 September 2020. With 1B, you can change your IGN, but skins and talents are not available. The in-game region selector is non-functional, so you should disregard the dropdown menu. Your current region is displayed in the upper right corner of your profile, which can be accessed by tapping your IGN.

Introduction to the Workaround

To play with skins and your IGN simultaneously, you need to install both the 1A and 1B clients. Both clients must be connected to the same region. This process is straightforward on Android, as it allows for the installation of multiple versions of the same app using appropriate tools. For iOS, a second device has historically been required.

Fortunately, our friend Arshia on Discord discovered a method to install 1A alongside 1B on iOS without needing a second device. Although the initial setup requires a computer, this represents a significant step forward for convenience. Arshia provided his method in this comprehensive guide. You can view the original post on Reddit.

How This Works

Vainglory identifies players by their UUID, which is a unique string of characters. This information is stored in a file named player.2.dat on your device.

If you use the same UUID across multiple devices, Vainglory will treat them as if they are logged into the same account. This functionality allows you to resume your game on a different device. By logging into both the 1A and 1B clients with the same UUID, we can effectively change the IGN and select a skin.

Instructions

The methods vary depending on your device or operating system. For brevity, “iOS” also refers to iPadOS. Click on a link to jump to the relevant section:

Android

Requirements: 1B and modified 1A on a single device.

  1. Download Vainglory 1A (Modified) from Bubbleland or from Arshia. Install the .xapk file using XAPK Installer or ZArchiver.
    • This is a modified version of the app with a different package name, allowing it to be installed as a duplicate on your device. It will not auto-update.
  2. Download Vainglory 1B from Google Play. You should now have both 1A and 1B installed on your device.
  3. Using your file manager, copy player.2.dat from /Android/data/com.superevilmegacorp.game/files/ to /Android/data/com.superevilmegacorp.game1/files/ and replace the existing file.
  4. You are now ready. To play with skins and IGN:
    • Set your IGN in 1B and begin queuing for a match.
    • Select your hero during the draft phase.
    • Quickly switch to 1A to pick a skin.
    • Enjoy your game!

This is how the setup appears on Android once complete:

iOS with a Second Device

Requirements: 1B on iOS; 1A on Android or Windows. Two devices are necessary. You can play on iOS, Android, or Windows.

  1. Download Vainglory 1B from the App Store. Ensure you launch the app at least once.
  2. Download and install iTunes. This is required to back up and access player.2.dat.
    • Windows 10
    • Windows 7
    • macOS: iTunes is included on Macs running Mojave (10.14) and earlier. On newer Macs running Catalina (10.15) or later, the backup feature is integrated into Finder.
  3. Back up your iPhone or iPad.
    • Connect your device to the computer via cable.
    • Select your device in iTunes. In the Backup section, choose “This computer” and uncheck “Encrypt backup.”
    • Click “Back Up Now” and wait for the process to complete.
  4. Download and install iBackupBot.
    • Open iBackupBot. It will automatically detect your device backups.
    • On Macs, ensure you grant “Full Disk Access” permission to iBackupBot in System Preferences’s “Security & Privacy.”
    • Select your device backup and navigate to User App Files/Vainglory/Library/Application Support/com.superevilmegacorp.kindred/.
    • Select the player.2.dat file and export it to your computer.
  5. Copy and replace the exported player.2.dat file in the following locations on your second device (with 1A installed):
    • Android: /Android/data/com.superevilmegacorp.game/files/
    • Windows: %appdata%\SEMC\Vainglory
  6. You are now ready. To play with skins and IGN:
    • Open Vainglory on both of your devices.
    • Set your IGN and begin queuing on 1B. The 1A client on Android or Windows will automatically enter the queue as well.
    • Press “Accept” on 1A when the match found screen appears. Quickly close 1B before it enters the draft phase.
    • Continue on 1A to pick your hero and skin.
    • Optional: To play on your iPhone or iPad, close 1A during the match loading screen and open 1B.
    • Enjoy the game!

iOS Without a Second Device

Requirements: 1A and 1B on iOS. A Windows or Mac computer is needed to install 1A onto iOS. You will play on iOS using 1A.

  1. Follow steps 1 to 4 in the previous section (“iOS with a Second Device”) to obtain the player.2.dat file.
  2. Download Vainglory 1A (Decrypted) from Bubbleland or from Arshia.
    • This decrypted .ipa file allows you to have two versions of Vainglory on iOS. 1A files from other sources will not work as they are encrypted and will cause crashes.
  3. Download and install Sideloadly.
  4. Open Sideloadly. Right-click to run it as administrator on Windows. On Mac, refer to this guide if you encounter issues opening the app.
    • Ensure your device is connected via cable. Select it in Sideloadly.
    • Select the decrypted .ipa file you downloaded earlier.
    • Click “Advanced Options.”
    • Check “Change app bundle ID” and add something unique, such as your name, to the end. For example, if you choose arshia, your bundle ID will be com.superevilmegacorp.kindredarshia.
      • Note: No two users can use the exact same bundle ID.
    • Enter your Apple ID. You may use a dummy account if preferred; this information is only sent to Apple for the side-loading process.
    • Click “Start” and wait. Enter your password when prompted.
    • Wait for the installation to finish on your device. This can take at least 20 minutes for a large app like Vainglory, so please be patient!
    • Note: If you installed iTunes via the Microsoft Store, the process may fail. If so, uninstall iTunes and download it again using our provided links above.
  5. Trust the app you installed on iOS by navigating to Settings > General > Profile & Device Management.
  6. Download and install iFunbox on Windows. If you are on Mac, use iMazing instead.
    • Connect your iPhone or iPad and open iFunbox.
    • Under your device name, select “Apps.”
    • Click “All my apps” and double-click Vainglory 4.13.0 to open its directory.
    • Go to Library/Application Support/com.superevilmegacorp.kindred1a/.
    • Drag and drop your player.2.dat file into this location to replace the existing one.
  7. You are now ready. To play with skins and IGN:
    • Set your IGN in 1B and begin queuing for a match.
    • Select your hero during the draft phase.
    • Quickly switch to 1A to pick a skin.
    • Enjoy your game!
  8. If you experience problems selecting a skin in 1A (e.g., a black box appears), please ask us for help on Discord.
  9. Important: All side-loaded apps will expire after 7 days unless you have a paid Apple developer account ($99/year). Therefore, you will need to repeat the side-loading process after a week. Remember to use the same bundle ID and Apple ID you previously entered. Otherwise, it will be installed as a new duplicate, and you will have to replace player.2.dat again.
  10. Bonus Tip: You can have multiple versions of Vainglory bound to different regions (e.g., EU, NA, SEA) using this method. You just need to enter a different bundle ID and use a VPN set to the desired region on the first launch.

When properly set up, it looks like this on iOS:

Windows

Requirements: 1B on Android or iOS. Old client on Windows. Since 1B does not exist for Windows, two devices are needed. You can play on iOS, Android, or Windows.

  1. Download Vainglory 4.13.0 from Bubbleland. Alternatively, obtain it from your Steam library.
  2. Copy player.2.dat from your iOS or Android device (with 1B installed) to your Windows PC. You can find the file in:
    • Android: /Android/Data/com.superevilmegacorp.game/files/
    • iOS: Vainglory app container > /Library/Application Support/com.superevilmegacorp.kindred
  3. Copy and replace player.2.dat in this location on your Windows PC: %appdata%\SEMC\Vainglory.
  4. You are now ready. To play with skins and IGN:
    • Open Vainglory on your PC and your second device.
    • Set your IGN and begin queuing on 1B. Your PC client will automatically enter the queue as well.
    • Press “Accept” on your PC when the match found screen appears. Quickly close 1B before it enters the draft phase.
    • Continue on your PC to pick your hero and skin.
    • Optional: To play on iOS or Android, close the PC client during the match loading screen and open 1B.
    • Enjoy the game!

PC guide (6 minutes) by arsh (not Arshia) from Discord:

Credits

This guide was revamped on 25 August 2021 to include instructions from Arshia’s Reddit post with permission. The decrypted and modified files were contributed by Arshia. For further inquiries, visit our Discord, of which Arshia is a member.

#guide #vainglory