Add modded maps to the mainmenu

[DirtJumper]

This is a tut on how to add more maps to the mainmenu without using entity and menu menu menu. I find this method more proper, and the mainmenu can be corrected easily if you mess up.You also dont have to wait for serenity to create and apply patches.

what you need:

Menu Menu Menu App http://forums.halomods.com/viewtopic.php?t=58251

Entity http://forums.halomods.com/viewtopic.php?t=67671
(I use entity 1.3 AI fix with 1.4 plugins)

a) Make a new folder that contains the following:
1. The modded map (I will be using night-OPS by Tbeezie for this tut)
2. The mainmenu that you want to add maps to
3. Shared map (so we can open the map in entity)
4. The DDS preview (optional)



b) Open you modded map in a hex editor/workshop (I use HXD hex editor). Only Overwrite characters
1. Scroll down a little until you see the file name (red) and the scenario name (yellow). Change these to whatever you want. Remember them.
2. save


3. Change the name of the modded map file to what ever you hexed it to


c) Close the hex editor and open up your mainmenu in the menu menu menu app.
1. Select multiplayer
2. Select a blank slot
3. Inject you DDS image (optional)
4. Give the map a name
5. Give the map a description
6. type the new scenario name that you hexed in step b)2.
7. click generate values and take note of what the values are
8. click save all in the top right hand corner



you should get something like this:


d) close the mainmenu app and open entity
1. go to scnr (scenario) and select its only tag.
2. click on the tools tab and click meta editor
3. scroll all the way down to the bottom and find the "Map ID" and the "Next Map ID" values. They will be under map descriptions/multiplayer.
4. Change these values to what ever was generated in the mainmenu app.



5. save it

Hope this helps and happy halloween

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Hey, sorry if this is a bump but I need help. I'm following these instructions, as far as I can tell, to the letter, and menumenumenu won't let me inject a new bitmap. It's in dds format, I extracted it using DotHalo, and when I right click the little preview area and click import, and select my new image, it says "Invalid. Filesize bigger than original".

I hope you can help with this.

[Monkey Terd]

This is a tut on how to add more maps to the mainmenu without using entity and menu menu menu.

Oh really?

b) Open you modded map in a hex editor/workshop (I use HXD hex editor). Only Overwrite characters
1. Scroll down a little until you see the file name (red) and the scenario name (yellow). Change these to whatever you want. Remember them.
2. save


3. Change the name of the modded map file to what ever you hexed it to


c) Close the hex editor and open up your mainmenu in the menu menu menu app.

These steps are completely pointless, as all they do is mess up system link. All you need to edit for it to show correctly in the mainmenu is the actual file name...

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Monkey, I did what you said and used ProjectP to extract the images from the patch file and they came out 4 pixels too short, width-wise, I can't inject them becuase they get extremely distorted, and I don't know if I can photoshop it to add the extra 4 pixels to the side. I can try that, but idk. Why is this so hard?

[Monkey Terd]

Monkey, I did what you said and used ProjectP to extract the images from the patch file and they came out 4 pixels too short, width-wise, I can't inject them becuase they get extremely distorted, and I don't know if I can photoshop it to add the extra 4 pixels to the side. I can try that, but idk. Why is this so hard?

http://forums.halomods.com/viewtopic.php?t=43399


Just copy and paste it (Even if a little stretching is involved) over everything in this template, then save it as it tells you to.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Brilliant. Thank you.

I have a question now though, how do I remove the text from the mainmenu, like the campaign and xbox live and whatnot, and make multiplayer autoselected?

[Monkey Terd]

Brilliant. Thank you.

I have a question now though, how do I remove the text from the mainmenu, like the campaign and xbox live and whatnot, and make multiplayer autoselected?

I know you can remove the text via editing the Strings in Entity 1.4 or a hex editor. However, I am not sure there is a way make them unselectable. (They will just be blank but still selectable) There might be a way to autoselect the text via scripting, but I haven't been active in a year and haven't seen anyone try yet. Maybe someone else will come along with an answer....

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Where would I need to look for those strings? I looked all over the mainmenu.map in entity and I could not find it, I searched hex editor and everything.

[Monkey Terd]

Try using my version of Entity. Goto MATG or MULG (I forget) and Under raw tools or something there is a "String Editor" option. Search for the text in that and it should find it. If your map doesn't open in it, sorry I messed alot of things up when reprogramming it.

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

Again, brilliant. I tried using XVI32 hex editor and I found the text to replace, but when I did it my map wouldn't load, this helped immensly. Thank you.

[DemonicSandwich]

Again, brilliant. I tried using XVI32 hex editor and I found the text to replace, but when I did it my map wouldn't load, this helped immensly. Thank you.

*sniffs around*
I smell sarcasm...

[HaLo2FrEeEk]

No, I'm being serious. Jeez, people are so quick to think that someone is being a jerk these days, whatever happened to just accepting a compliment?

[SpecOp44]

Try using my version of Entity. Goto MATG or MULG (I forget) and Under raw tools or something there is a "String Editor" option. Search for the text in that and it should find it. If your map doesn't open in it, sorry I messed alot of things up when reprogramming it.

Note that in that version, saving while in the BSP viewer will completely render your map unusable.

[DemonicSandwich]

No, I'm being serious. Jeez, people are so quick to think that someone is being a jerk these days, whatever happened to just accepting a compliment?

Your complement just sounded very sarcastic toward its end, thats all.

[DirtJumper]

These steps are completely pointless, as all they do is mess up system link. All you need to edit for it to show correctly in the mainmenu is the actual file name...

If you have two maps with the same scenario name, then you will have a messed up mainmenu. Try it, change the name of your map and put it in the your maps folder, it will make you have twice as many map references.

[RIZZO495]

Ok, I got the 1000 map slots in my mainmenu...when I use menumenumenu to apply the .dds images and scenarios, and the descriptions, and then open entity version 1.6 to right click on ui\code_global_bitmaps\multiplayer49 and click on duplicate...to add more map pic slots...then add the pic to the slot, then go to main menu editor under tools in matg\globals...select the new map pic slot ui\code_global_bitmaps\multiplayer49 (1) under the main menu editor, then save and then sign the map, put back on my Xbox, and it doesn't even work!!! I erased the cache, and tried numerous things to try to make it work over49 with added map preview slots..and it just doesn't wanna work!!! grrrrrrrr!!![/quote]

[neodos]

Don't use menumenumenu with the 1000 slots mainmenu how many times do i have to repeat it

[cain532]

Does this method work towards Xbox 360?

[G.I.R.]

Does this method work towards Xbox 360?

No method works for adding maps on the 360.
Also, discussion of 360 modding is prohibited on HaloMods.