Halo Demo UB

[Sparky]

Halo Demo Universal Binary

I'm thinking we should publish this as an update to the version available at MacGameFiles.com.

The following information would need to be updated. Let's discuss what should be entered in these fields:

Title: Halo Demo
Version: 1.5.2
Publisher: MacSoft
Publisher URL: http://www.macsoftgames.com
System Type: PowerPC (or) Universal Binary (PPC/Intel) (or) Intel Required
License/Price: Demo
NEW Screenshot:
Line Description: Demo of MacSoft's Halo
Full Description: In the demo version, you can experience both single and multiplayer gameplay, including limited vehicle combat. In the single player campaign level The Silent Cartographer, you assume the role of super-soldier Master Chief as you take on the fierce alien faction known as the Covenant. In the multiplayer map Blood Gulch, up to 16 human opponents can light each other up with devastating weaponry and combat vehicles, including the new Rocket Warthog and the Banshee, either online or via LAN connection. In the demo version, Multiplayer is Mac->Mac only and you cannot save your progress.
System Requirements: • 800 MHz or faster PowerPC G4 or G5 processor. 1 GHz or faster recommended.
• Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later. Mac OS X 10.3 “Panther” recommended.
• 256 Megabytes (MB) of RAM. 512 MB recommended.
• 32 MB 3D hardware-transform-and-lighting-capable AGP gra
Fixes/Changes:
NEW File URLs:
Special instructions for our staff:

[Vegerot]

First. Also, sticky please. Also someone look at the most recent post in the Mod request section please?

[Fonzeh]

wat

[Sparky]

Vegerot, look at the Halo forum once in a while.

[nil]

I refuse.

Or at least, I won't accept it unless Modzy approves.

At any rate, you cannot say that multiplayer works. It doesn't. LAN play sort of works but that is only a part of it. Requiring trashy game ranger for a lobby is just a bad workaround to the solution that has not been solved. Basically, you want to publish a half-working solution outside of MGM, but I prefer that people should concentrate putting work into solving the actual problem instead - getting the internet lobby to function.

There are still other changes that need to be done before people can use it, such as making the serial key input box more automatic (entering a serial key is not intuitive), and not conflicting preference/save files with a full version that may already exist. I like to see that these haven't been done yet because they're minor issues, but they're also important.

[Modzy]

Final releases should definitely wait until it's actually a final release, or even a beta. This is more an alpha, as some of the basic functionality is still lacking.

[Sparky]

Alright, let's come back to this idea later.

[Mgalekgolo]

I got the preferences saving to different locations by changing the info.plst file, quite easy with dev tools.

[Sparky]

Well, that solves one of those issues nil said.

1. ...getting the internet lobby to function.

2. ...making the serial key input box more automatic (entering a serial key is not intuitive)

3. ...not conflicting preference/save files with a full version that may already exist.

I didn't know #2 was still a problem, since the CD Key check is disabled and no serial key is required (at least when I ran the zipped app).

I'll add another task to that list:

4. to release some additional maps we've made at MGM/HDM as replacements for the maps that were disabled.

[nil]

Yeah, changing save files is trivial. Don't forget about the Halo folder in Documents too (on another thought, Documents is a poor save place and could be rerouted)

Serial keys are still required. My modification just allows any key to be entered. If you want to play with others, your keys *must* be distinct. Note this modification currently (or never) will not work on PPC. Another different approach is to generate a fake offline key to put in by figuring out the offline key-checking algorithm on launch. All I can say is thay it has been done but I don't know the details.

[Modzy]

Another different approach is to generate a fake offline key to put in by figuring out the offline key-checking algorithm on launch. All I can say is thay it has been done but I don't know the details.

If the bit of assembly that handles the key check can be found, we can reverse engineer the algorithm from that.

[Sparky]

Sounds like too much of a redirected effort; just say in the included ReadMe that you have to put in a string of random garbage for the CD Key. Make the "ReadMe" file actually say "CD Key" so people will actually read it. And if they don't, who cares.

[nil]

Sounds like too much of a redirected effort; just say in the included ReadMe that you have to put in a string of random garbage for the CD Key. Make the "ReadMe" file actually say "CD Key" so people will actually read it. And if they don't, who cares.

Me. If you expect someone to read a read me or external file, it is likely you are already in the zone of design flaws.

[Mgalekgolo]

Maybe change the "enter your halo product key" window to "enter a random unique key" or something, if possible.

[Sparky]

Without having looked, .nib files are described as "encoded". The task might not be as simple as changing a string value. But we've got the tools and means to make it happen. After all, are we modders or are we modders?