Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: How to open Halo CE maps in HMT!
  • Subject: How to open Halo CE maps in HMT!
Subject: How to open Halo CE maps in HMT!
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  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

First off, a little information: This fix for the map doesn't convert the map type to be truly compatable with HMT, it merely changes the version number of the .map file and tricks HMT in to thinking it's a compatable map. Since the halo PC map files and Halo CE map files are pretty much the same, most things will work. I was able to switch vehicle tags with this edit, and then play it in Halo CE,(I switched a Warthog .vehi tag to a Pelican) but the program will crash if you go look at the model or bitmap tags (or any others).

That being said, here are the steps:

First of all: BACK UP YOUR MAPS. Copy and paste all your Halo PC/CE maps and paste em' in a folder. And if your map gets messed up, you can just copy and paste over your modded map, and good as new!

Go get any old Hex Editor program (like Hex Workshop) @ Google.

Browse to any halo CE map you want to edit, and open it with the Hex Editor. If you're new to Hex Editing, you'll just see a bunch of numbers and letters. I'll try to explain as best I can.

For those of you using Hex Workshop (which I assume you are), you will see (hopefully) these sequence of numbers (which can vary, but doesn't really matter):

6461 6568 6102 0000 DCA5 D400 0000 0000 7419 8500 688C 4F00 0000 0000 0000 0000 626C 6F6F
6467 756C 6368 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 3031 2E30 302E 3030
2E30 3630 3900

The bold hexedicmal values are the things we're interested it. And I apologize if the Bungie.net spacing has messed anything up. Anyway. If you're using Hex Workshop, you will see a window next to the main hex window. It should look like this:

daeha...........t...h.O.........bloodgulch............ ..........01.00.00.0609

If you select the bold letters/numbers above on the smaller panel to the right, you'll notice it'll also select the hexedicmal values as well. Which were the bolded letters/numbers eariler.

You have to change the hexidecimal values so that the above reads:

daeh............t...h.O.........bloodgulch............ ..........01.00.00.0564

I hope you're still with me. Anyway. The object of this is to change the bolded values above.

So you have to change that bolded 6102 to 0700, so in cunjuction it'll change from daeha to daeh.

And from 3630 39 to [i]3536 34[/b], and in junction it turns from [i]0609 to 0564.

After that's done, save. And save a backup if you want, when you're promted. Then you should be able to open it and edit it in HMT. Since it's merely a way of fooling HMT, it will not open in SparkEdit, or anything like that etc...

After you're done your edits, make sure to chang the hexidecimal values back to their original values, or else Halo CE will complain a map is either missing or corupted. Be VERY carefull when hex editing. One boo boo can be disatrous.

That's it, and you're done. Feel free to read-on, if you wish, but it sin't necissary :P


I actually figured this out by myself, I was comparing Halo PC and Halo CE. And yada yada yada and I got it to work successfuly. I went to google to see if anyone figured this out already, and someone already did XD. So, I don't exactly take credit for this. And I learned of how this only fools HMT, and doesn't really change the map file from the same forum thread as well.

And just to let you know, I'm not a Halo PC modder anymore, I create my own maps in Halo CE, model, and I'm also C++ programmer. And I'm sorry if I lead y'all to believe Bapa is fool. I'm just good like that, especially in Teh Flood :D

And I'll also post any more (for dummies) tutorials if you want.

And I know I probobly forget something. Oh well.

Happy days!
:)





[Edited on 7/13/2006]

  • 07.13.2006 9:32 PM PDT