Open Source Halo Dedicated Server

[Omega]

Now its starting to look like something worthwhile, not only does this give developers chance to experiment with online play in halo more than they used to, but it gives us a chance to create new experiences, add new features, the ability to customize your server more than you ever could before, to suit your personal tastes and those that play on your server.

It's starting to look like something? Everyone can write a description of a program. Do you have a prototype yet? Are you able to connect to the server (not play, just connect)? If you don't have any code at the moment, it looks like nothing because you have nothing.

Now as with a project of this scale, it requires a huge amount of time and effort, and will require people of exceptional skill and motivation in order to make this happen.

Out of curiosity, what is the background of the current programmers? Currently at university or already having a job as programmer?

If you are believe you will be beneficial for this project, please read this, or have some feedback you can post here, or post on the project forums (will be there more often).

I suppose I could help. But my current prediction is that your project is way too big. In the event you will be able to convince me otherwise, I can help with a few things.

There are to our knowledge 5 Major steps in order to accomplish (notify me, if i missed anything)
....
After we have these fundamental features, we will start working on additional features outlined below.

The major steps do not offer anything new. Instead there's a high chance the code will function a bit differently than the original server and you'll get weird bugs, clients that lag, etc. The additional features can all be implemented by injecting a dll or similar techniques. If you design your dll injection properly it's a lot easier to get started, and once you have enough code (and undestand a lot more about the halo server) only then could you start thinking about making something from scratch.

Using a hook is a lot easier, as with the numerous applications that have made use of such a solution (HAC, SAPP, OS), but seems to be a very hacky way of doing things, and hosts are very much wary about using hooks, as it not only uses more resources, but is frowned upon and does not receive a lot of support.

If hosts are against hooks, they will also be against running a completely new program that, in order to run, also needs the .NET framework to be installed. No matter what you do and how you do it, the host always has to trust the code.

And tbh, would you rather work on a half arsed attempt and complete it with hardly any difficulty at all, or if we create a server from the ground up and will be working on something challenging.

Have you tried implementing the additional features using a hook in C or C++? For some reason you say this isn't difficult at all. If so, please make a prototype for the community. Since it's so easy it won't take much time right? Also why would it be a half arsed attempt? Designing a tool that uses dll injection always leads to bad code?

@ Shadow - I did take writing an application that made use of hooks to manipulate the existing server, but you and the other seem to have missed it completely.

Yup, I missed it too. Link?