---
title: "Packet 109: HelpMessage"
description: "Schedules one or more retail help/tutorial localization IDs after a delay."
canonical: "https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets/109"
markdown: "https://aosplay.net/docs/protocol-168/packets/109.md"
last_updated: "2026-07-16"
protocol: "Ace of Spades Battle Builder 168"
packet_id_decimal: "109"
packet_id_hex: "0x6D"
direction: "Inactive"
family: "Interface"
implementation_status: "Planned"
evidence: "Provisional"
wire_size: "Variable: 6 + message strings"
---

# Packet 109: HelpMessage

> Schedules one or more retail help/tutorial localization IDs after a delay.

- **Decimal ID:** 109
- **Hex ID:** 0x6D
- **Direction:** Inactive
- **Family:** Interface
- **Status:** Planned
- **Evidence:** Provisional
- **Wire size:** Variable: 6 + message strings

## Implementation note

The generated reader calls an obsolete read_bytes() helper while the writer emits the shape above; activation requires a live-client verification and decoder fix.

## Exact wire layout

The application packet ID is the first byte. The remaining rows are in decode order. Byte sizes exclude ENet headers, wrapper prefixes, LZF chunk framing, and compression effects.

| # | Field | Encoding | Bytes | Purpose | Condition |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | --- | --- |
| 0 | `packet_id` | u8 | 1 | Always 109 (0x6D). | — |
| 1 | `delay` | IEEE-754 f32 BE | 4 | Delay before presentation; this packet uniquely uses big-endian float packing in the recovered writer. | — |
| 2 | `message_count` | u8 | 1 | message count value. | — |
| 3 | `message_ids[]` | repeated NUL strings | Σ(N + 1) | Non-empty localization IDs. | — |

## Encoding conventions

- `LE` means least-significant byte first.
- `fixed16` is two-byte sign-magnitude at 1/64 precision.
- `orientation16` uses the measured 1/8192 orientation mapping.
- NUL strings consume their encoded byte length plus one `00` terminator.
- Counted arrays repeat immediately in the documented order.

## Related resources

- [HTML packet page](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets/109)
- [Complete packet catalog](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168/packets)
- [Packet catalog in Markdown](https://aosplay.net/docs/protocol-168/packets.md)
- [Protocol 168 guide](https://aosplay.net/protocol-168)