BluBlaze Conversion Mappack V1: Taking Requests

Okay, I know a lot of people on here and other Halo CE forums post a lot of WIP project stuff and take a pretty long time to release anything, but what I have here to present to you will be somewhat different, as you'll be able to see in the video I have attached, I have 2 maps already converted to Xbox format for my new (and first) Xbox conversion mappack. A while back I noticed a post on here that someone here at Modacity released a beta version of Arsenic (the Halo CE to Xbox conversion tool), Moses had edited Arsenic 1.0.x.x so that it bypassed the update procedures so that it could be actually used. Well, seeing this got me interested in Arsenic and Xbox maps again, as I had recently got a new Xbox and TSOP flashed it, after adding a 160GB HDD. So, I looked through my old storage drive and noticed I had a significantly newer version of Arsenic, and started playing around with it, this is when I decided to get back into Xbox modding a bit and so I put it up for download for anyone else who was interested, since all links were dead, and Arsenic 2.0.0.9 (the version I had) was no where to be found. This is how I ended up where I am now! Requesting anyone who is interested to suggest maps for conversion. What you'll see below is exactly what I have as of now (to go into my mappack). None of these maps are mine, credit goes to their creators, but I've worked for weeks converting and perfecting tags to the Xbox format to be able to get more out of these maps.

I also have created a custom UI (User Interface) for the Xbox version of Halo just for my mappack and I may make more, if anyone is interested I will probably be making a tutorial on how to make a UI file for the Xbox version of Halo step by step as no one else has really managed to do it from what I have saw. Nothing in the video you see is final (except for the maps I have shown you). The user interface will be edited with the appropriate map names and pictures corresponding to those maps.

So, what I want from you is to suggest maps to go into my mappack, and if I don't get any feedback, well, the maps I pick will be at random, just selecting the ones that play well and seem interesting. I'm not joking around, none of this is fake and I really want to get something out over the summer while I am not terribly busy. To make sure you know what I am showing is real, I showed my dashboard, and played in split-screen mode (what more proof would you need? lol).

If this is a success and a lot of people are interested in my mappack then I may release an AI mappack also. But keep in mind, the Xbox can't handle as much as the PC version of Halo, and there is no Open Sauce for Xbox, so don't ask. One thing the Xbox version of Halo has an upper-hand in is it's netcode... I have no idea why, but it is far better (but not by too much) than the PC version, which means multiplayer AI maps sync way better than on PC. So maps like the_floods_part_2 http://hce.halomaps.org/index.cfm?fid=3106 (a favorite of mine) would work way better... meaning no invisible enemies shooting at you because they didn't sync properly. Though sadly this specific map is protected and I can't edit it the way I need to get it in-game. But any maps like this you can also suggest though they won't appear in this mappack. There is no ETA as to when I will be done, just know it won't take longer than 4-5 months if that.

The maps you see in the video are Portent, and a Sandtrap varient I believe was called Snowtrap, (because of the snow, yeah, I know, confused me too). I can post a link if you need me to. The custom UI you see is pretty simple, just a fly around of Blood Gulch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAeB_QNkpZk

This looks nothing like blazblue

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Originally Posted by Blumoon94

One thing the Xbox version of Halo has an upper-hand in is it's netcode... I have no idea why, but it is far better (but not by too much) than the PC version, which means multiplayer AI maps sync way better than on PC

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Because it's lockstep; they could afford to do this under the assumption that it was only going to be played over a LAN, meaning great bandwidth and almost zero latency.

Each client is updated and only once all of the clients are on the same page as the host can the simulation move forward a frame. Because every client is simulating the exact same thing rather than an approximation as it is on the PC, the A.I. is more likely to behave in the same way across all of the clients. I don't know if Halo 1's A.I. is completely deterministic though; not my area. :-3

Also, what's wrong with the sky on Portent? Also #2, recommending Precipice and Revelations. Since nobody is going to have matches on the maps, you may as well convert the pretty ones.

Often when converting maps to Xbox format, you will run into MANY errors, one of the most common errors which is pretty simple to solve is that Xbox Halo does not like custom skies. So I swapped Portent's sky with the bloodgulch sky. If you think there is a better sky from a stock map that would be more suited, tell me and I may change it.

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Originally Posted by Blumoon94

If you think there is a better sky from a stock map that would be more suited, tell me and I may change it.

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Probably Derelict (Portent isn't on Halo anyway, so no problem) followed by Sidewinder.

There's also the space sky file used for the User Interface, which is just stars overlooking the planet Threshold I believe, if that would be better.

Quite possibly, although I thought that was the same sky as Derelict/Boarding Action.

It may be, but they're split up between the maps I think with their own names sometimes, so I wouldn't really know for sure. lol. But you're probably right.

Revelations just refused to convert, and Precipice is protected, so those are probably not going to happen.

Hrm, I forgot I protected that map. I'll see if I have an unprotected version floating around, sorry about that.

Edit: Hrm, looks like I'm missing a few tags now, ah well. I have the bsp and scenario backed up for posterity just in case.

I laughed when I saw one of my maps.

Lol. If I can get an unprotected copy of that, I would be very very happy! I loved playing this when I first got into Halo CE. And friend and I played it over and over just messing around with stuff, but the AI desynced a lot.(actually made it a bit more fun at times) But the Xbox would probably fix that issue if I managed to convert it, which I see no reason why I wouldn't, I would have to remove the cutscenes though.

@Not Inferno: Why did you laugh? lol. Btw, if you don't want your map included, just tell me and I will take it out, I have already got way more requests than I thought I would get... some people PMed me with like a whole list... enough to make 3 mappacks with.

I laughed because I thought it was funny to see that old map again. I'm totally cool with people using my stuff as long as it's not malicious.

Though I suggest porting some of the smaller maps from TLMP instead of snowtrap. :v:

Skies work fine when converted, just make sure you are using 16 bit textures rather than 32. That breaks on Xbox.

I don't know if anyone cares or not, but just giving you a bit of an update here to say that my mappack is almost complete. Those who are interested can respond here to ask what all it contains.

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Originally Posted by Blumoon94

I don't know if anyone cares or not, but just giving you a bit of an update here to say that my mappack is almost complete. Those who are interested can respond here to ask what all it contains.

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Can you just tell us what it contains?

Well, so far it includes Requiem, House 2 v2, Portent, Snow trap (snowy sand trap variant), and a lot of cut maps that will probably be released in a Blublaze Cut Mappack. Those including a couple Valhalla variants, Extinction, and a few other levels that just didn't perform well enough to include. I still have a few conversions in progress though. So to be honest with all the maps I've had to cut I still have 9 slots open for suggestion otherwise I will pick from a list I have compiled at random. But if you want I could take screenshots of what I got so far or if you'd rather maybe a video.