Halo 1 & 2 for PC
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Subject: Halo PC and anisotropic filtering
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r : w )

An email conversation the other day reminded me of a config.txt setting for Halo 1 PC that may interest people - the game supports anisotropic filtering, (better than trilinear, which you're probably using now), but for performance reasons, we didn't enable it on cards we hadn't specifically tested. Which now includes any card you'd be using today.

It's easy to enable it, but be warned this is only an unsupported tip, and I can't guarantee how well it will work (that's the whole reason we left it off for unknown cards)

go to your game directory and open config.txt
find the vendor string for your video card's PnP device ID (I'll let others reply with expanded help for people who don't know what this means)

Nvidia users will scroll to here:
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// NVIDIA
//
//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Vendor = 0x10b4 "nVidia"
Vendor = 0x12d2 "nVidia"
Vendor = 0x10de "nVidia"

If you have a modern card, your device ID isn't listed below. So scroll down to the Unknown section:

Unknown = "Unknown"
//UseAnisotropicFilter

remove the "//" from this line to enable aniso. If you don't like it, put them back to comment out the line again.

Enjoy!

(p.s. - no, this isn't what I meant in the podcast. I'm not planning any game changes or updates. There are no concrete plans for the CD key, but it's your way to show us that you're a Halo 1 player, which we might want to know in the future.)

  • 07.27.2009 10:05 AM PDT
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Thanks Roger =]

  • 07.27.2009 10:16 AM PDT

Wish Halo 3 PC would come out sooner... :(

Posted by: sawnose
An email conversation the other day reminded me of a config.txt setting for Halo 1 PC that may interest people - the game supports anisotropic filtering, (better than trilinear, which you're probably using now), but for performance reasons, we didn't enable it on cards we hadn't specifically tested. Which now includes any card you'd be using today.
got any other game's Source code?
the one thats 100% useless and collecting dust from microsoft?
one that you or anyone available could work on?

  • 07.27.2009 10:41 AM PDT
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Unfortunately i have already asked a question along those lines, and any code that Bungie has worked on is/has licensed components, for example, with Halo, networking components belong to Gamespy, the rest of it is property of Microsoft, so bungie (and Roger) dont have the rights to release the code, im assuming the same goes for any of code they may have.

E: otherwise i would be happy to work on various sources codes, and hopefully make something productive.

[Edited on 07.27.2009 10:47 AM PDT]

  • 07.27.2009 10:46 AM PDT
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Shame HPC never supported AA, especially since the Mac version does.

Aniso has always been listed in the config file though, but it does make quite a nice improvement. If you can't tell the difference, take a look at the grass on Blood Gulch with and without it enabled.

A bit disappointed to hear about the CD key thing, but I guess the community knew not to expect anything much, if at all. I presume there is something lined up though otherwise mentioning that would have been a bit of a random comment to make. :(

Edit: GameSpy's method of working is no secret and is well documented, but either way there's no chance of the source ever being released. I don't think it'd do any good anymore anyway.

[Edited on 07.27.2009 10:49 AM PDT]

  • 07.27.2009 10:46 AM PDT
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@Btcc22

Your logic is undeniable about the CD key thing, however baring in mind that Halo is an old game, and working on it would only benefit the community, and would not benefit anyone financially.

  • 07.27.2009 10:49 AM PDT
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That's very true. Had they ever done anything shortly after release they could have seen a financial reward, but no, not anymore. No harm in having a small bit of hope though that somebody out there may have cared even a little about the thousands that still play the title that put them on the map. It wasn't so much the mentioning of the CD key as it was mentioning that he still had the source code, the mentioning of a feature, and the mentioning of passing the torch from Gearbox to himself (or however it was worded). :)

Games far older than HPC still see active support and not for any financial gain beyond knowing that they'd be keeping their players loyal, but for the love of their community and games. Bungie have never shown themselves to care about their community though, and that's very clearly reflected in the attitudes of those still playing this game towards them.

Some have speculated that it might be a semi-closed (in that anybody can go get a CD key for HPC) beta for H3PC, but that doesn't seem very likely either.

If there's feedback from any community that could benefit the development of another Halo PC game though it'd that of the original HPC. No doubt it could be a very good game with some hard work, feedback and tweaking. ;)

[Edited on 07.27.2009 11:52 AM PDT]

  • 07.27.2009 10:58 AM PDT

Posted by: Btcc22
If there's feedback from any community that could benefit the development of another Halo PC game though it'd that of the original HPC. No doubt it could be a very good game with some hard work, feedback and tweaking. ;)


QFT, can't deny something like this.
Who better to ask what H3PC would need to succeed than the players that still play the same game after almost 6 years.

To Roger:
We are not expecting you to perform wonders with the HPC source code, but features ranging from more gametype options up to awards and challenges, would be highly appreciated as you might have read in the other topic. Reconsider your plans and give the HPC community a hug after the huge let down of H2V. ^_^

  • 07.27.2009 11:12 AM PDT
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i agree, and perhaps increase the 16 player limit =]

perhaps an antilead calculation system :)

  • 07.27.2009 11:18 AM PDT
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Posted by: BrandiniMP_
i agree, and perhaps increase the 16 player limit =]

perhaps an antilead calculation system :)


The lead in HPC is an enigma. How many myths have we heard about that thing? =D

<Chuck joke> Chuck Norris doesn't have to lead. Lead has to Chuck Norris. </Chuck joke>

  • 07.27.2009 11:50 AM PDT
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Yes, I am a hypocrite, and I'm sorry. I really do mean well, but I'm not running on all cylinders.

Everytime someone buys a copy of Halo 2 Vista, a puppy dies.

Thanks, sawnose!

RE: Source code... MS just released GLP'd drivers for Linux... Maybe they'll keep going through the motions and... nevermind. :(

  • 07.27.2009 12:08 PM PDT

This is the average H2 Fanboy.
Xfire: JacobGRocks.
50 in H2/H3? Great, but you still fail at this.

Great tip, its bad halo 1 doesnt support 4xaa. But it can be enabled always through the forceware control panel (i got it enabled with that.)

  • 07.27.2009 3:48 PM PDT
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You can try and force it on, but it won't do anything.

  • 07.27.2009 5:29 PM PDT
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Halo 1&2 PC forum's resident OC ReMixer. Like rockified and metalized video game music? Subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Yeah. That's right. I don't have a 50 in H3. I never got Onyx in Reach. If a game sucks too much, I won't even bother trying for such trivial "accolades". Besides, I've done way more things that take far more skill and talent than anything that can be done in a video game.

Strange. I just tried this and it won't let me save the file.

"Cannot create the C:\Programs Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\config.txt file.

Make sure that the path and file name are correct."

This has never happened before. I was able to save it when I used DisableAlphaRenderTargets back when I didn't have a dedicated video card.

Anyone have any ideas as to why it would all of a sudden not let me save the file?

EDIT: Figured it out. I had to run Notepad as an Administrator.

Halo looks a lot better now. The difference is night and day. Thanks, sawnose.

EDIT 2: I might as well add to this post. Those using a newer ATi card, there's a similar Unknown="Unknown" card in the ATi section of the config.txt. Following the same steps listed in sawnose's post will have the same result.

[Edited on 07.28.2009 6:45 PM PDT]

  • 07.27.2009 6:17 PM PDT
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Play hard or go home!

nice tip Roger, thx!

  • 07.28.2009 8:05 PM PDT
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Yes, I am a hypocrite, and I'm sorry. I really do mean well, but I'm not running on all cylinders.

Everytime someone buys a copy of Halo 2 Vista, a puppy dies.

Posted by: DusK
EDIT: Figured it out. I had to run Notepad as an Administrator.

Another way you can change files is to save it in your Documents folder, then move it to the final destination. Stupid how you can copy+replace but not save the edited file directly.

  • 07.28.2009 10:31 PM PDT

Posted by: Nessy

The bungie.net community is the halo PC community that is renowned for being unbelieveably sucky.

bump good thread

  • 08.14.2009 7:31 PM PDT
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aka lino4

Most of the PC issues posted here are the result of PEBKAC.

I've been forcing AF through the control panel all this time, too.

  • 08.14.2009 9:17 PM PDT

Freedom has two parts: potential and resolution; as metaphors have two parts : form and interpretation; of course, the two are intertwined. Metaphor lines the road to freedom, as symbols and words are the bricks and mortar of meaning. Freedom being the briocoleus, the mason.
***END MESSAGE***
***JUMP ACTIVATION INITIATION START***
***TRANSPORT WHEN READY***

I remember this, had this issue with my 6200, but it wasn't listed.

  • 08.15.2009 5:11 AM PDT

Posted by: Nessy

The bungie.net community is the halo PC community that is renowned for being unbelieveably sucky.

This is strange, but it seems my ATI 4870 doesn't respond to removal or addition of the // line.

The only way to toggle AF on or off (or different levels) is to do it manually from the Catalyst control panel. In other words, even though my video card is modern and isn't listed in the config.txt, it works just fine forcing AF. I'm guessing ATI wrote this into their modern drivers, but I dunno.

BTW, I am using Catalyst 8.9, and my device ID is correctly listed as "1002" so it should be an "unknown" under the ATI group.



[Edited on 08.15.2009 1:08 PM PDT]

  • 08.15.2009 1:06 PM PDT

Daodan Latency at 65%

Your card might be doing it anyway, so you would not notice it.

  • 08.15.2009 1:11 PM PDT

Posted by: Nessy

The bungie.net community is the halo PC community that is renowned for being unbelieveably sucky.

Posted by: Dirk_Gently
Your card might be doing it anyway, so you would not notice it.


What do you mean, it is very obvious when I toggle AF on or off.

  • 08.15.2009 1:12 PM PDT

Posted by: Nessy

The bungie.net community is the halo PC community that is renowned for being unbelieveably sucky.

Can some other people with "modern" cards like from nVidia please try this and report back.

I have a feeling this "limitation" was already addressed by the guys writing video card drivers. I'm going to try this on my other PC with an ATI 3870 that is also an "unknown."

  • 08.15.2009 1:15 PM PDT

Daodan Latency at 65%

I did it on my NVIDIA, I notice a difference. I am running it on a 9600M GT. What I was saying is that there is a way to force stuff like AF, so if it was already being forced by the graphics card, then enabling this would not make any graphical difference.

  • 08.15.2009 1:20 PM PDT
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Yes, I am a hypocrite, and I'm sorry. I really do mean well, but I'm not running on all cylinders.

Everytime someone buys a copy of Halo 2 Vista, a puppy dies.

Posted by: Frnksnbns
Can some other people with "modern" cards like from nVidia please try this and report back.

Works for me on my 9800 GT. Very visible improvement with 4x forced.

  • 08.15.2009 11:16 PM PDT

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