Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: Few questions fellas.
  • Subject: Few questions fellas.
Subject: Few questions fellas.
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Hey guys i was just wondering whether making maps for Halo is difficult? I'm planning to have a dig at making a H2V map with its map-maker, and i just wanted to know how difficult it is for the novice, to make a map. I'm sure everyone who makes/edits maps was at the same stage i am. I was gonna try making maps for Halo 1 but i decided not to given H2V is around the corner. I would greatly appreciate any tips people have. I know info about the H2v map-editor will be limited, but as long as i get a rough idea i would be happy.

P.S only reply if you can actually help me, don't write BS. Oh just one more thing, does Hired Gun have a website? Can't seem to find it.

Thanks for your help.

  • 05.02.2007 4:26 PM PDT
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1. It is extremely difficult BUT the H2EK should be easier...
2. Hired gun does not have a website, but they do have a blog on IGN.

  • 05.02.2007 4:36 PM PDT
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It probably won't be to difficult, considering they're adding it into the game. It probably will take a while to get the hang of, but I'm sure novices will be able to use it without too many problems. If you look at the trailer that Master Kim has kindly posted for us http://www.microsoft.com/games/halo2/exclusive/ you can see a little sneak peek at the Map Editor. As for Hired Gun having a website, I have no idea.

  • 05.02.2007 4:36 PM PDT
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Link to Hired Gun's Blog

  • 05.02.2007 4:40 PM PDT
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yea hired gun has a web site u can go here for it http://www.thehiredguns.com/

and da halo 2 veesta wil hav a map editer wit da game to play. it looks very hard to use. da halo 1 map editer is very hard to.

  • 05.02.2007 4:43 PM PDT
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Thanks for the quick replies. I guess I'll only have to wait and see how difficult the map editor is. Um fuzzy bunny dunno if u were joking or made it by mistake that link http://www.thehiredguns.com/ is for some business recruitment thing, not Hired Gun. I know the blogs of ign but they are few are far between, hopefully they can post something regarding the release date.
The trailer rocks, i got the link dis morning (Australian time).

  • 05.02.2007 4:55 PM PDT


Posted By: Recon 54

Acting like pre and post pubescent idiots who feel confident behind Internet anonymity? Even though it's applicable to the majority of our members, we ask that they not do that here.

1. Map making is hard and not hard

Example:

I've seen people go on HaloMods.com post a box and say it is the greatest thing ever; mostly their pride.

I've seen people (8 yr olds) come in and astound BOTH Gearbox forums members and HaloMods.com members with the skill that is their map (GBX forums is currently the cream of the crop when it comes to map making; CMT meet and discuss there at a regular basis).

2. H2V Map editor is just what the name says. It is not an attempt to make it easier to create maps (in any case it isn't there to make a novice create Bungie-looking maps). I would not be suprised if the next set of tools are just modified to the Halo 2 engine and recompiled with maybe a little bit of a difference in the GUI or execution. I do expect a GUI wrapper for the next-gen tool, though.



My suggestion would be to create a map. Then look for somebody that creates AWESOME maps (not bungie; a soloist). Then ask them to critique your map.

  • 05.02.2007 5:20 PM PDT

Let there be CHAOS!

Map making is impossible for me. I've followed every tutorial as closely as possible and have never gotten a map to export correctly.

Even a box. A box wouldn't work lol. tool would still tell me I had geometry errors or something.

  • 05.02.2007 5:30 PM PDT
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Why can't Halo have something like GTKRadient? Easiest map tool ever IMO.

  • 05.02.2007 5:36 PM PDT
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Thanks i might actually do that.
Looking at the trailer the machine gun could be moved around, is that a template or something along the lines?
I plan to make a map that looks natural, nothing over the top.
I was thinking of a deserted base with think vegetation, something along the lines of that.
Maybe i should ask the Gearbox forum, but I've come to know which people know what they're talking bout and others who are here to be noobs
Roughly how long will it take to make a map, say as big as Blood Gulch?
Anyway thanks again

Keep you guys posted if ur interested.

  • 05.02.2007 5:40 PM PDT
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The size of the map has almost no bearing on the time it takes to make. I could make a bloodgulch size map in 5 mins, but it will look like crap. The most time you spend will be on tweaking the gameplay (player start positions, weapon placements, cover spots etc) and making things look good (coherent texture usage, modeling details, shader tweaking, scenery placment etc).

If you are willing to spend the time learning how things are done, then no, making maps will not be difficult. It will be time consuming and annoying and probably piss you off some times but if you keep at it you will be fine. The people who think its hard are the one who want to make insta-awesome maps. That never ever happens.

Just make sure you know these things:

1. Someone always knows more about this than you.
2. Your first map isn't meant to be played, it is meant to help you learn the process.
3. Your first map isn't something you put up for people to look at, you will just get a thousand flames of how bad it is and how much you suck.
4. There is a community that will help you with your problems if you ask nicely and you actually try to help yourself before you ask someone else for help.
5. You won't be making great looking or great playing maps for a while. That takes time to learn the nuances of gameplay and level design, as well as colour theory, uvmapping, possibly photoshoping custom textures, and 3d modeling, none of which you can learn in a day.

Also, don't assume you know ANYTHING about this process before hand, as it will just make it harder on you.
Gearbox will most likely not be the best spot for h2v map making ans gearbox has nothing to do with h2v. And to whoever said CMT regularly goes there: CMT is not a team of gods. They know some things, more than most people, but they more often than not release unpolished things. Just because they "meet" there doesn't mean it is the best place to go. Infact, gearbox is probably the worst place to go as there are 300 trillion little morons who have inflated egos that just flame your work, or spew nonsense in response to honest questions. Go to H2Vista.net.


[Edited on 05.02.2007 6:24 PM PDT]

  • 05.02.2007 6:14 PM PDT
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Thanks, lol reading your reply is actually kinda putting me off, i never realised there was sooo much work involved but i'll give it a go anyway. Maybe i might be actually good at this who know?

Anyway thanks for your help

  • 05.02.2007 6:18 PM PDT

Slaying noobs since 2007.

It's definetly diffrent than what you think it will be when you first do it, for Halo and Halo 2(xbox). Man, imagine my shock a few years ago, when I was trying to make one my first time expecting a 3d map maker, then.............. "hex?!?", but I know now anything is better than hex, but it shows how 1337 you are if you know it like the back of your hand.

  • 05.02.2007 6:19 PM PDT

01000010010010010100 111001000001010100100101100 10010000100100001

- Note, that's split up so that it's allowed :)

From what I've seen it's quite similar to Halo 1 map making, you need 3DS Max. I've done a good deal of map making (none released) and it's quite difficult. I don't think H2V has a map *creator*...but an *editor*. I think you still have to create your maps in 3DS Max, which is extremely difficult if you don't know what you're doing. I would guess since they're going user friendly that they probably have a GUI for the compiler instead of a command prompt. Stuff like that to make it "more user friendly". The hardest part (in my opinion) is the actual modeling process in 3DS Max.

In terms of map editors available I've played around with the Hammer editor for the Source engine, and I really like it. I'm not a big of GTKRadiant/Uber Radiant.

  • 05.02.2007 6:31 PM PDT

Slaying noobs since 2007.

Yeah, thank god for the Fantastic Six.

  • 05.02.2007 6:35 PM PDT