In-Game Modding

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:29 pm

I started this project a few days ago and so far things are looking good. The project is an in-game mod tool where you can mod LIVE while you are actually playing the level. I'm not very familiar in the modding section so my knowledge as far as how each section of the map file works is limited. I've been reading up on Halo's map format, but it's been going slow. I don't have very many ideas of what to do next, but the directions this application could go are unlimited. I'm planning on making a menu that displays the object information that is currently selected and some editing options. Right now, it can only change the location of the object. Check out these vids ( sorry, I don't know why it's laggy, it wasn't when I recorded it).

http://www.xfire.com/video/13944/
http://www.xfire.com/video/13f09/

http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/ ... c56f02.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/ ... a9f06c.jpg

How I did the stuff in the videos: I reversed Halo's object table / structures and made a correlation with the tag/meta index in the map file. I am changing the object structure variables and not the map meta data. The cursor and the tag names are done with my d3d9 hook. The location change is done with a 3d world space -> 2d screen space conversion I wrote from scratch with all triginometry(no d3d9 functions). I don't think Halo uses SetTransform for it's objects? If I could figure that out, this would be much easier. It's coded in C++.

I need help! Anyone interested?

Cobain · Post by **Cobain** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:32 pm

that is very interesting,
looks like you have the startings of a Combat evolved forge....
very nice.

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:05 pm

I didn't know what forge was, so I had to youtube it lol. Yea, that's pretty much how I want it to be, but be able to edit object options like in HMT. Seeing that video gave me some good ideas =p

Cobain · Post by **Cobain** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:11 pm

well this is sweet from what i have seen.....
and so you mean like all the tag swapping stuff right?
thats pretty cool, but making and easy to use interface may be dificult....

an idea is what they do in some fps games like crysis....
how to switch weapon mods you press and hold a button and a cool interface pops up, but you do that....
with hmt options....

CptnNsan0 · Post by **CptnNsan0** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:51 pm

woah...awesome dude

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:53 pm

Yea, I'm good at making menus in d3d. Will just take a while to code. Yea, it will be able to do what hmt/hht/spark edit does.

jordanimal · Post by **jordanimal** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:28 pm

If you need textures, I have much experience with Photoshop and would be more than willing to help. I don't frequently play Halo 1, but I do own it and can help test if necessary.

Cobain · Post by **Cobain** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:47 pm

i would love, and be more than willing to help...
this looks like that starting of something very epic....

guysullavin · Post by **guysullavin** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:50 pm

so this is like forge, but form the computer, plus some more options?

l33t

Cobain · Post by **Cobain** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:52 pm

sure?
so is it even possible to put in an in game user interface?

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:55 pm

Yea, I have high hopes for this. I basically need help with halo's map format. I have figured out the meta index / tag names and part of the meta data. I noticed that the poitner (offset) in the meta index is a pointer to the model header? I've looked at sparkedit source code and tried to figure this out. The location and rotation are in a seperate table. I can't figure this out completely.

@jordanimal - I can use someone to help me create a menu in photoshop. I use GIMP and I'm not very good. Right now I'm more focused on figuring stuff out before anything major goes down. I'll post here when I need help with that.

@Cobain - Yea, it will have an interactive interface for the options and displaying object info ( as soon as I figure this out ).

jebtrillion · Post by **jebtrillion** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:50 pm

I'm interested in how you accomplished this. What language are you using to code?

Great work

Keep it up

jordanimal · Post by **jordanimal** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:19 pm

Alright, awesome. Keep it going! This is an amazing project. You have some great talents I wish I had.

neodos · Post by **neodos** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:02 am

This is really intresting, great job so far, keep it up it would be amazing to have a forge on HCE

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:37 am

Awesome.

hiheyhello · Post by **hiheyhello** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:03 am

zomg hax. GJ man thats like woah hax skillorz..

sorry ive had alot of sugar today..

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:02 pm

Thanks to Altimit01 (Eschaton programmer), I was able to understand the map format better and on my way to making a breakthrough.

I started with the map's PlayerSpawns reflexive in the Scnr header, just to see where I could go with it. Well, I was able to draw text on all of the spawn points and color it to their team. I working on on 3d box function and they will be able to be moved with the cursor. =p So this is just the start. I could really use all the help I can get.

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:17 pm

Have you experimented with swapping objects, or is it just at the first, movement-only, phase at the moment?

silentk · Post by **silentk** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:34 pm

I'm more of at the figuring stuff out stage, but yea I'm more focused on object movement right now and creating the menu.

Swapping objects should be easy though

neodos · Post by **neodos** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:07 pm

You think you could add spawn times, well all the parameters of the spawn chunk?

That's awesome anyway, amazing job, keep it up!