Section Rules - Halo 3 Modding Q&A

[Glitch101]

Perhaps it would work; but surely once you start a new round, or save and end it would return to default anyway:?

[Tural]

If it did reset the value, what would it do? I highly doubt it would just delete some of the objects to put it at the limit.

[Rogue_Modder]

The Limit is stored in the .map.

The usermap just checks how many are on the map (Usermap) and how many can be places, if it goes larger than that then it just won't spawn spawn them.

[JIME01]

No, that's .map.

Really? When you spawn a new object, the object count goes up by 1, and when you delete it, it goes down again... That sounds like the object count is stored in the usermap to me, so why can't you set it to 0?

Go try it yourself.

[grimdoomer]

The Limit is stored in the .map.

The usermap just checks how many are on the map (Usermap) and how many can be places, if it goes larger than that then it just won't spawn spawn them.

I believe it uses a fixed buffer, because does'nt every usermap for a specific map have the same number of placements even if they are unused?

[kornman00]

Yeah, there is only room for 640 object placements, no way to bypass that.

[Tural]

But the default objects are over that? If not, then taking away the space they occupy in that 640 shouldn't cause any problem, yes? The issue is that the default objects, when removed, do not removed from the object count, even though they should. What makes them still act as an object on the map when they no longer exist?

[unknownv2]

Some scenery from the map is stored as null chunks and they are not counted towards the object count. When you place an item, it skips these chunks and goes to the open null chunks. I don't know if that helps?

[kornman00]

Some scenery from the map is stored as null chunks and they are not counted towards the object count. When you place an item, it skips these chunks and goes to the open null chunks. I don't know if that helps?

What you consider a "null chunk" is probably just a special state an object placement can take when it's information is stored in the actual scenario itself. Such a state would be needed for streaming (ie over the network) when you don't want to include all the information (resulting in higher bandwidth usage) about the object due to the client already having on-demand access to that information (from the scenario stored in the cache).

I'm not entirely sure how they have their map variant system setup and tied into the engine, but they probably use the map variant data for game synchronization. Useful for future use if there are changes which have to be made to a scenario which involve a object placement defined by the designers. I'm sure this ability was probably used for the shieldless Snow Bound, etc variants seen in MM, but probably never intended to be used for variant gameplay but for fixes to unfair gameplay. Why repost DLC in hundreds of MB due to a post-ship glitch when you can just apply the fix to MM (where a glitch most matters) in only kilobytes.

EDIT: To further build the first theory using the second: that state can probably be expanded to where it uses the map variant object placement data instead of what is stored in the default scenario.

[Twinreaper]

What about adding some of the different scenery objects available in other maps? Can you simply use the meta extraction with Johnson, then inject it with Engineer? I would love to get the bridge and ramp scenery added to sandtrap! BTW, anyone happen to be working on a BSP viewer for the maps?

[Eaton]

What about adding some of the different scenery objects available in other maps? Can you simply use the meta extraction with Johnson, then inject it with Engineer? I would love to get the bridge and ramp scenery added to sandtrap! BTW, anyone happen to be working on a BSP viewer for the maps?

No. That is something entirely different. We are still far away from building tags into other maps. Mostly because raw hasn't been figured out.

Raw hasn't been figured out, meaning no BSP viewing.

[Veegie]

Unless you wanna view the collision.

[Gruntlord5]

so you cannot refund slots not being used?

[Choking Victim]

Unless you wanna view the collision.

Bsp collision is compressed. Afaik it's not stored in the meta at least.

[-DeToX-]

Unless you wanna view the collision.

Bsp collision is compressed. Afaik it's not stored in the meta at least.

This is true.

[nintendo9713]

I haven't really checked into Halo 3 modding in a while and didn't want to start a new thread, so a two quick questions.

1.)If I buy a memory card and I have the materials in the How to Modify Forge Maps [Tutorial], I can modify these forge maps and do basic meta swaps, or what all is possible at this point?

2.) Can I load them off the memory card so I don't have to put them on my hard drive so I don't get banned from XBL? Or in other words is it safe to play with these offline and not worry about getting banned?

Thanks for any help.

[ImpactPro]

I haven't really checked into Halo 3 modding in a while and didn't want to start a new thread, so a two quick questions.

1.)If I buy a memory card and I have the materials in the How to Modify Forge Maps [Tutorial], I can modify these forge maps and do basic meta swaps, or what all is possible at this point?

2.) Can I load them off the memory card so I don't have to put them on my hard drive so I don't get banned from XBL? Or in other words is it safe to play with these offline and not worry about getting banned?

Thanks for any help.

You can do Usermap (forge placement mods) and Gametype mods. Keep them off your fileshare says HM and bungie and use them for your own private use and you will be fine.

[mxrider108]

1.)If I buy a memory card and I have the materials in the How to Modify Forge Maps [Tutorial], I can modify these forge maps and do basic meta swaps, or what all is possible at this point?

The usermap files store the following data in placement chunks (any of which can be modified): position, rotation, spawn flags. Placement chunks can be added or removed. You may also edit the item index, which stores: what items are on the map (can be swapped to any other tag in the .map), the runtime mins/maxs (can be useful to budget glitch), and the cost of the items/budget (doesn't have any effect though). There are a few other minor things, but that's pretty much it. If used well it can really extend the possibilities of Forge, however.

[Rogue_Modder]

Well i bought a new Hair Dryer and i wanted to take it for a spin, AND LOOK WHAT I CAME UP WITH!

[Eaton]

I wish they put more detail into the lake bottom. Perhaps put a sandy bottom or plants at the bottom.