A Few Ideas Regarding Halo 2 (mods without a modchip). Read!

jesusphreak · Post by **jesusphreak** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:28 pm

Hey, guys, I've just been doing a little thinking about Halo 2, considering it plays so well online (even over Xbox Connect). I had a few ideas involving modding it without end-users needing a mod chip.

1) Server Side Scripting
I think a lot of it involves server side scripting.

Now, before I lose you, there are a few games out there that do this: Tribes, Tribes 2, and Tribes: AA.

Basically, instead of people having to download anything to play mods, the modding of the game itself is done on the server that is hosting the game. Any changes in the game itself are not new models, or new items, but using existing data already on the game disc. Basically, the server has a gametype, and it lets all of the machines connecting to it know what that gametype is, and they configure according to that.

I can already see a few uses for this. For example, primary, secondary weapons can be set. The server could send different primary and secondary weapon sets to different users (depending on what class they picked), and all of the players would get their own personal set up.

Depending on how much can be done with this, much more complicated things could be done than just regular gametype editing.

For example, Tribes: AA for the PS2 pulled extra voices (for commands) off the disc that were not available normally.

However, none of this is possible without:

2) A PC-based Server Emulator
Basically, using packet sniffing a "host Xbox" could be emulated on the PC. This has many advantages, including much more stable connections, better connections, and more things being editable on a PC server (as listed above). It is very possible that the player limit could even be changed.

If the servers are made right, stats, persistent universes, etc, can also be made possible, by stats being sent to a main database, then servers loading them before the game starts.

For example, it could eb a simple database on the web. Let's say clan X got 50 deaths in a game earlier. They would then have less reinforcements for the next match they played, and the server would grab the info off the database and set up a gametype with less total kills allowed each round.

This is all accomplished through:

3) A Tunneling Program such as Xbox Connect or Kai
It would be beneficial to use a new or stripped down version of the current tunneling programs.

Basically, the tunneling program would need to be as simple as starting it up on your PC and then it minimizes into the taskbar, with possible things such as a basic friends/clans list.

Instead of having a lot of seperate, unrelated games, it would be great for all of the servers to be listed off one "room". In Xbox Connect, several people can be in one "room" and two games can be created and both accessed from System Link.

All the servers would need to be in the same room, so that a player can start up the tunnel program, get on their Xbox, and have a list of "system link" servers available.

I think Kai might be the most useful, as it is programmed very well, and the developers having been quick to use it in dashboards and on other consoles, so I'm sure they'd love to use it for this. It's also much simpler, which is what we need instead of all the mess of XBC.

Of course, no game lasts long without expandability, so that leads us to our next point:

4) Using the built in Xbox LIVE updater to deliver new content
I'm not totally positive of the logistics of this, but the built in updater in the game could possibly be used to deliver new user created maps, weapons, etc to the Xbox harddrive, and the end user using it without having a modded Xbox. This would be a God send. With this ability, all kinds of new content could be delivered to everyone.

If we are gonna expand game's availability to other people, why not make it to everyone with an internet connection?:

5) 56kers playing Halo 2 online? (don't laugh)
A recent screenshot from the Halo 2 beta shows a logistics screen listing the players upload as 112k, and capable of hosting 12 players.

This is to be believed, as having personally played on Xbox Connect, the connection is excellent.

This puts the bandwidth requirements for the player at around 10k download. This is well under the 20k I used to get with my old 56k, and even farther below the 40k or higher other users get.

Also, having dedicated servers on the PC gaurantees a much better connection for everyone.

Why not make the game available to everyone? I'd love to see more than just the limited few with broadband enjoying this great game online.

All of these ideas could be developed seperately, but ideally, they would be developed in conjunction with each other to deliver the most to the communities.

The realities of this could be an up and running Halo 2 game network within the year, with stats, an ongoing ladder, many dedicated servers on the PC for users to connect to, with 56kers and broadbanders enjoying the service.

Also, the vast wealth of new maps and mods created for a game such as Halo 1 would not be put to waste and all could be available for anyone to use.

I'd love to hear your comments. While I think this is an ambitious project, I don't think its unrealistic, and I'd love to see this benefit the online community as a whole.

God bless,

jesusphreak

Zenofex · Post by **Zenofex** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:44 am

from what i believe about halo 2 if most of that is possible (witch im not sure if it is). then it will take a lot of work and a pretty good understanding of the semi new structure of the .map files. I still think getting over the file checks will be a obstacle in itself. none the less i dont believe that the whole map is downloaded off the server (most likely a checksum is performed on the client file to make sure it matches the orignal checksum of the cd's file.). because if that were the case then there would be NO WAY that a dial up user could handle it. also considering the xbox live aspect of the multiplayer and the handsets would make being on dialup a almost impossible task. But all of the above is my assumptionfrom what ive seen and heard about halo2, so some of it may be wrong -zenofex-

jesusphreak · Post by **jesusphreak** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:18 am

from what i believe about halo 2 if most of that is possible (witch im not sure if it is). then it will take a lot of work and a pretty good understanding of the semi new structure of the .map files.

Of course, this couldn't be done with current knowledge, it would involve indepth knowledge of the coding.

I still think getting over the file checks will be a obstacle in itself.

What do you mean by file checks?

also considering the xbox live aspect of the multiplayer and the handsets would make being on dialup a almost impossible task. But all of the above is my assumptionfrom what ive seen and heard about halo2, so some of it may be wrong -zenofex-

As I was saying, it looks like it takes only about 10k per player - on LIVE (well within what 56kers have).....

I guess we can know more after release.[/quote]

Zenofex · Post by **Zenofex** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:41 pm

well i havent really seen the for the filechecks yet, Just looking for magic in the files and learning the new structure of the .map files. when you try to edit any single character inside the cache map files for the level or the main menu then you get a error if you edit the main menu you get a error after the bungie intro with a loading count and then a dirty disc error, when you try it for a multiplayer game you get a failed to load map after the initial countdown of the game.

jesusphreak · Post by **jesusphreak** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:52 pm

Interesting. Think there's any way around it?

As for mods, are there any other more active sites for Xbox Halo modding?

Thanks for you help man, I appreciate it.

TheTyckoMan · Post by **TheTyckoMan** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 8:59 pm

http://HaloMaps.com
http://www.HXBDev.org

are the only ones I know about
Halo xbox Development has two halo II forums so you might like that one, halo maps is a helpful one and Hizlo is releasing some really good halo I maps now so you should check that out(even though it has nothing to do with Halo II)

Spammy · Post by **Spammy** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 7:14 am

As I was saying, it looks like it takes only about 10k per player - on LIVE (well within what 56kers have).....

Yes...on LIVE. I assume the game will connect differently whether the user decides to connect to LIVE or System Link. As for adding downloadable content(IE mods)...I don't think this would be possible as over Kai, you play over system link. Halo 2 won't try to get dl'able content over sys-link. It would have to go to a LIVE server...which I don't think anyone around here has.