So um yhea

[Gwunty]

http://halomaps.com/web/halo2vista_apps.html

Halo 2 Editing Kit :
The Halo 2 Editing Kit (HEK) allows people to create their own custom content for Halo 2 Vista. This powerful set of tools, source material and tutorials provides users with an unprecedented amount of freedom in the development of new game content. The Halo 2 Editing Kit requires that you have Halo 2 Vista installed. There is a tutorial that comes with the H2EK that is installed along with everything else. Please LOOK at this tutorial before going to the forums and/or spamming the admin's.
This versions of H2EK has been completely unlocked. You can now create all tags and edit all tags with this version.

This versions of H2EK has been completely unlocked. You can now create all tags and edit all tags with this version.I don't have halo 2 vista installed so I don't know if this works or not, but if it dose, yey?

[Ki11a_FTW]

let me take a look, but my guess its just a semi-unlocked guerilla, we'll see in a few mins

e: yeah, just a sorta unlocked guerilla

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

old

[ShadowSpartan]

Been known on this forum for a few months now. It is not a fully unlocked H2EK because that isn't possible. A lot of the code was taken out.

The "unlocked" Guerilla they created is not fully unlocked. It is still missing stuff that others, including myself, have been able to unlock.

[ultama121]

^I don't mean to be pressuring or off topic or anything, but do you plan on an eventual release of any of dat shit?

[Choking Victim]

^I don't mean to be pressuring or off topic or anything, but do you plan on an eventual release of any of dat shit?
The fields he unlocked aren't anything the public should be concerned about. The tool linked is satisfactory for what the public is capable of doing now, which is barely anything.

[ultama121]

I see.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

If only someone could make a total tag internalizer, or a fully working tag extractor, many lives would be easier.

[Cortexian]

Does it matter? H2V is a horrible game. If the controls were actually optimized for PC I wouldn't have nearly as many issues.

[L0d3x]

If the H2EK was unlocked so that we could make our own SP missions, I know what I'd be doing. If anyone at all has gotten this feature to work, please let me know.

[Inferno]

I'd do a conversion of the h1 campaign.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

That would be fun, it would allow for better shaders/graphics/ai and still keep the h1 feel
a full h1>h2v conversion would probably be easier than the opposite, and give the game decent netcode for once :3

[TheGhost]

The problem wasn't really the toolkit as much as it was that H2V was not as fun to play or develop for. At least as compared to CE, which was infinitely more fun to play and make custom stuff for, especially after all of the hacking we did at the HaloCE toolkit to make it usable.

[Inferno]

The problem wasn't really the toolkit as much as it was that H2V was not as fun to play or develop for. At least as compared to CE, which was infinitely more fun to play and make custom stuff for, especially after all of the hacking we did at the HaloCE toolkit to make it usable.
Halo CE has players. That's the difference. I think H2V's core editing tools are much more stable than Halo 1's and much easier to use in some ways but over all the tags are REALLY broken and the game itself is full of bugs. Also the editing kit is 90% locked and tool is stripped down real bad.

[Choking Victim]

Halo CE has players. That's the difference. I think H2V's core editing tools are much more stable than Halo 1's and much easier to use in some ways but over all the tags are REALLY broken and the game itself is full of bugs. Also the editing kit is 90% locked and tool is stripped down real bad.
The h2v tools are far less stable, hell, opening two scenario tags in h2guerilla crashes the thing. I'd say the h1 tools are more useful and stable, h2v was just all around awful.

[Inferno]

Never had problems with the tools (besides lack of documentation) I thought they worked just as well and in some cases better than HEK.

[Choking Victim]

Never had problems with the tools (besides lack of documentation) I thought they worked just as well and in some cases better than HEK.
Bungie's internal H2EK maybe, not the released toolset.

[Hunter]

Microsoft bastards.

[Advancebo]

I know Kirby422 would be interested in scripting for H2V, if it was unlocked and such. He told me how he could do so much with the new codes that arent in CE.

[supersniper]

Well... if we as a community want to strip down h2ek, decode it, unlock it then hell i don't see why h2v would be a bad game anymore and plus it would give MANY bored modders/map mapkers/coders/programmers from halo ce to move onto a more versatile game.

[Choking Victim]

we as a community
There's only a handful of people that can do that in this "community". The majority of which don't want to work with one-another or just see this game as a failed project. It's a nice thought, but getting it off the ground is almost unheard of.

[supersniper]

That is a true statement, I am taking a bunch of coding classes and 3d modelling classes next year in college. I will try to start this project off the ground and maybe more people will be interested. Because truthfully, h2v had a great intention but was left in the wrong hands.

[NuggetWarmer]

If I knew anything about coding or programming I'd help, but sadly I just model.

I'd be happy to help with anything I can, however.

[Vicky]

I think you're forgetting one thing, even though you could perhaps create a great h2ek, the game and server serious lack some stuff which makes the game pretty much the worst ever, it doesn't deserve the title Halo, 'HackFest' would've been better a better title. So unless you're gonna rewrite/patch the game and server i think it's pretty much done and over with h2v.

[ShadowSpartan]

That is a true statement, I am taking a bunch of coding classes and 3d modelling classes next year in college. I will try to start this project off the ground and maybe more people will be interested. Because truthfully, h2v had a great intention but was left in the wrong hands.
Just letting you know, it's going to take someone that is experienced with not only coding, but is also knowledgeable about the map files, and how stuff is stored in them. You aren't going to get right out of a programming class and say: "Hey, I know how to create a physics model tag now.", it's not that simple. Not trying to be mean or anything, but I highly doubt you will get very far, considering the massive amounts of knowledge you would need to know.


Well... if we as a community want to strip down h2ek, decode it, unlock it then hell i don't see why h2v would be a bad game anymore and plus it would give MANY bored modders/map mapkers/coders/programmers from halo ce to move onto a more versatile game.
You make it sound so simple, when in fact, it is not that easy. I think you are underestimating how much work it takes to actually "unlock" something through reverse engineering. Yet again, it goes back to only a handful of people in the community having the experience and knowledge to do this. And even so, the Halo 2 Editing Kit that shipped with the game is severely stripped down. It is beyond saving, so if somebody wants custom content, they will have to create a program to do so.

[supersniper]

I understand what you are saying, I may have come across as naive but I understand.

[Skarma]

H2V programmers wanted to reduce latency and ended up putting more shit client sided then they should have, that's the only problem with cheats. If they would patch it to make these things server sided only, there would be no cheating, except for silly Direct3d hooks. Bungie has better things to worry about than cheat patches for old avid Halo fans, like Halo 6 and that poor little 7 year old boy who is gonna get hooked on halo in a few years, they want his money, or his moms I guess. heh

I'm very interested in creating tools for H2V. I have 3 years programming and reversing experience under my belt. I have only been work on Halo 1 engine though. I will go work on a presentation, so maybe it will interest people.

Will someone quickly summarize what has been done and accomplished in Halo 2, what is already possible and what really needs the attention most? :)

[supersniper]

Well I have 3 things to say, http://blog.allenthinks.com/news.php http://www.vivid-abstractions.net/ and Talk to Korn or Vicky.

Really just cheats/memory hacks/server tools/and a barely unlocked H2ek have been made.

[Skarma]

Kornman seems so busy and didn't seem interested in my other stuff.

[Choking Victim]

you just don't recognize my name =p
You mean silentk? How about you make a h2v aimbot, that'll save this game.

[Kornman00]

Yeah...sorry about that. At the time I didn't have as much as I do now that I was trying to finish up

[Needles]

Well I have 3 things to say, http://blog.allenthinks.com/news.php http://www.vivid-abstractions.net/ and Talk to Korn or Vicky.

Really just cheats/memory hacks/server tools/and a barely unlocked H2ek have been made.

I like the teleporting, reminds me a lot of halo 1. There is a sever that teleports you up to the cliff of coag with snipers and warthogs up there.

[Skarma]

Hey it's cool KM, I wasn't attacking you I was just saying you seem generally a busy person and have better things to do! :cool:


I like the teleporting, reminds me a lot of halo 1. There is a sever that teleports you up to the cliff of coag with snipers and warthogs up there.
Yea kiwi makes some nice tools with his ghetto methods lol. only lame thing is teleporting is possible client sided too, through the havok physics components for the biped model, it's not server sided. Stupid Bungie! I hope they learn their lesson with the next Halo pc release! :mad:

So yea, I'm working on reversing the map format, since there is little to no documentation on it, at least from my search. The people who do know must be keeping it private or just hasn't documented it online, not helping the community I don't think. I'll post my findings here, if anyone wants to help or has info on the map file format let me know.

I want to start working on tools and they will be open sourced for the community, at least the code I contribute if someone else helps that doesn't want their code public. I just don't know what to work on, so far I haven't seen much besides a bitmap extractor. C'mon like someone had to post something good by now, it's been what 2 years? :embarrassed:

[ShadowSpartan]

Stupid Bungie! I hope they learn their lesson with the next Halo pc release! :mad:
Bungie didn't make Halo 2 PC, nor did they work on it. Don't go blaming Bungie for something that was Microsoft and Hired Gun's fault.


I want to start working on tools and they will be open sourced for the community, at least the code I contribute if someone else helps that doesn't want their code public. I just don't know what to work on, so far I haven't seen much besides a bitmap extractor. C'mon like someone had to post something good by now, it's been what 2 years? :embarrassed:
I thought you were done with the Halo community.

[Vicky]

For the map-geology i think Korn would be the one to talk to, for my servertool; i re-released a version.. should come up on halomaps.org one of these days or have a peek on the {XF} forums (http://www.thatforumplace.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=24). Works on Halo PC/CE too nowadays.

[Skarma]

Thanks for help. Nice tool, although I don't play the game so I can't use it! kornman seems to be the savant of the evening, I will be contacting you for good times. Don't feel obligated, if you dont want to help thats ok cuz I will do my best with or without help.

Even though this is for xbox maps, should help with reversing, since it's open sauced. I haven't even peeked at it yet. : http://www.se7ensins.com/forums/halo-2-mod-programs/131277-entity-2-1-3-a.html

[supersniper]

Yeah I was looking at Se7ensins a while back and I remember this being used.
Also I would recommend checking this sight out as well...
http://forums.remnantmods.com/


For the map-geology i think Korn would be the one to talk to, for my servertool; i re-released a version.. should come up on halomaps.org one of these days or have a peek on the {XF} forums (http://www.thatforumplace.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=24). Works on Halo PC/CE too nowadays.Hey I have a server I'll test it out. It's currently on version 1.08 patched with SAPP, and HCELagTweak.exe. It also runs Abyll's app and HSE beta 2.
I'll let you know how it runs.

[Skarma]

Thanks for links, every bit helps. H2 tag system isn't difficult at all, got a lot figured out already in just a day lol

And why is everyone using input/output streams to read and write map files? :confused2: Memory mapping would be so much more efficient and use of pointers would be damn useful and really friggin fast, then you could just flush the memory to file with one api call. I mean really, using streams for something like a small text file is one thing, but for large multi mega byte files, heh? File I/O is like the slowest thing in programming, no wonder all these mod programs are so slow, gah. I think I will use mapping...

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

I've got a copy of H2v, If you want me to do some testing just tell me :)

[Grimdoomer]

Fixed this a long time ago, I thought kiwi put this on his site but I guess not. Two nops and vola, 2 sound tags and coconuts tag are accessable. Enjoy (http://www.allenthinks.com/grimdoomer/Files/Halo/h2x%20No%20Crash.rar)

[Skarma]

Fixed this a long time ago, I thought kiwi put this on his site but I guess not. Two nops and vola, 2 sound tags and coconuts tag are accessable. Enjoy (http://www.allenthinks.com/grimdoomer/Files/Halo/h2x%20No%20Crash.rar)
Needed this to reverse tag structs. Ownage! Thanks! :D

[PwN Lone]

After watching a few of the videos it seems they just meta swapped tags. (not sure if thats the right way to decribe it or not) From my knowledge this is how the H:PC community started, with HMT. So, what exactly is the point in this post? Well, its to try and convery my happiness that at least something is happening in the H2V modding community. Hopefully in a years time or so, H2V might be a bit more modder-friendly.

Heres hoping it will.