[nil]

Beta 9 is now out. Update from within the app like usual: HaloMD -> Check for Updates...

Quote:

*Increased chances of hosting a game and having it work by adding a NAT traversal / port mapping technique
*Added a chat icon in the main window at the top-right corner for better visibility
*Added in-game status' in the lobby chatroom that show what game a player is in. Double-clicking on a user joins that game
*Added optional sounds and notifications in the lobby chatroom
*Added linkification to the lobby chatroom for URLs
*Removed older versions of mods in the Mods menu, reducing clutter. These mods are still accessible via sv_map
*Changed default score button from 'F1' to '1'; for existing players, F1 will still work if it's currently mapped
*Improved DNS-lookup and connection reliability, having less vulnerability to hanging
*Fixed bug where lobby indicated a user may be having hosting issues when Halo wasn't even open
*Adding Intel HD Graphics 4000 under list of graphics cards that shouldn't play this game with pixel shaders enabled (because of e.g, invisible rocks)
*Disabled rich-text in the lobby chatroom, capable of causing strange issues
*Added tooltips for descriptions of mods in the Mods menu
*Changed restriction on names allowed in chatroom; only ASCII characters will show up, fixing a possible hang
*When mentioned in lobby chatroom, a badge on the dock pops up when HaloMD is the inactive application

[Sparky]

I converted some maps, tested them, modified them as necessary, etc...

http://www.halodemomods.com/sparkys_secret_files/Sparkys_Mods_for_HaloMD_and_others.zip
http://www.halodemomods.com/sparkys_secret_files/the_grid.zip

Outpost 49 has my space bsp now, so the lightmaps are new. I tried it, but darkening the lightmaps does nothing this time, because they only span a very small area of the map and do not enclose the playing area. So you can't darken the map at all unless you change the sky tag settings or some other values.

The maps here are most or all of the maps that I have done that are substantial for playing... and also for the zombies server. We discussed how gametypes are not an option, so I omitted Centrifugal Force which would require all vehicles enabled.

[nil]

1. Cost of supporting PPC > Benefits of supporting PPC. 10.5 (x86) is very difficult as it already is. With that said, I can give you a way to play with MD players if you're on a PPC, but you'll need to PM me.

2. Since a MD user can't join all of the games gamespy lists, displaying all of them would be meaningless. MD has a hidden server-favorites feature if you muck around in the same folder GameData is in. Not recommended for most users, which is why it's hidden.

[Fonzie]

I think for rounded goodness sake that HaloMD should have a boolean that checks for intel architecture or PPC architecture so the lobby is not only intel dependent so PPC macs can use your app.

Another addition is the ability to see gamespy's servers, if that is at all possible.

[nil]

TaxiService wrote:

I don't know... informations about what you're going to download are important, i think. I know about the tooltip, but is that enough? There's only so much you can put in a short description of a mod.

If you want a description that people will see, then nope, the tooltip is definitely not enough. I agree that the mod installation could be improved with a lengthy description, image, link to MGM - whatever, just that it requires a lot of effort on my end, and I have to put some thought into it if I were to tackle it correctly. No guarantees here. (Should I invest my time wisely in creating something akin to an app store or a software update listing?). I could do something like sparky said with right clicking on a menu item, but that would be obscure since nobody's going to figure something like that out.

Don't misunderstand though! The description would be for attracting users to download your mod. Their purpose would not be for explaining how your mod works. There is a certain expectation with video game design to be able to play the game, and learn how it works without reading information prior to it (this means things like read me's are absolutely unnecessary). I don't think multiplayer mods are exceptions to this. Even if there was a lengthy description and details, you still can't expect people to read them.

Also don't underestimate people's willingness to try out unfamiliar mods. There's more players than hosts, and players will often go into games where other people are. It just takes one person to try to get a mod set up, and to get to see if the masses like the mod. Think of it like this: if only 10% of players are hosts, then is it only going to be 10% of players that will install mods manually? The rest are just going to join the game afterall, and they expect to be able to join as seamlessly as possible.

"Not all modders have MGM accounts.." Yeah... I think modders *should* create MGM accounts. Gives more incentive for people to come here. Sure, PMing me isn't the best thing, but I don't have anything better at the moment.

[rEsTnPeAcEz]

TaxiService wrote:

>I don't want to add things I don't consider important enough to be there, though.

I don't know... informations about what you're going to download are important, i think. I know about the tooltip, but is that enough? There's only so much you can put in a short description of a mod.

I think some sort of extensive description of the mods would be a nice, useful feature.
Like, for example if you go in the mudgorge server nobody'll know what the new weapons do or that ghosts have passenger seats! It'd be great if there was like a ‘mod info’ panel where you could put changelogs and useful information. If not for all mods, at least for those that need it!
(the panel/window/whatever could also contain a link to the mgm release page)

I like this idea.

nil wrote:

Samuco wrote:

There still should be some method for uploading maps that doesn't require approval. If file storage is a concern, you could automatically delete maps from the server that aren't used for a certain time period (or removed when the particular server shuts down). Just because a mod is retarded and glitchy (like logmod) doesn't make it any less fun.

Approval means say, I can get a chance to confirm whether or not the mod is broken (i.e, will it run on more than one system? will it run on the dedi servers? is there something corrupted in the map file? is it not properly renamed via MDRenamer? will it crash?). Automatic submission like in the past with HDM is likely to lead to formatting screw-ups. Otherwise, I'd have to set up some account-system aside from MGM, and it's a whole deal of pain, which would have to be approved anyway. We also have a whole setup for updating mods, which brings another layer of complexity.

I don't believe file storage is a concern.

We just need a mod uploader, whether on a website or not, it will make uploading faster and more efficient.
Also not everyone has a MacGamingMods account which would allow a person to mod as of right now...



As for Taxi's idea, I think it will make people not have to "explore" mods when they are playing Halo.

[TaxiService]

>I don't want to add things I don't consider important enough to be there, though.

I don't know... informations about what you're going to download are important, i think. I know about the tooltip, but is that enough? There's only so much you can put in a short description of a mod.

I think some sort of extensive description of the mods would be a nice, useful feature.
Like, for example if you go in the mudgorge server nobody'll know what the new weapons do or that ghosts have passenger seats! It'd be great if there was like a ‘mod info’ panel where you could put changelogs and useful information. If not for all mods, at least for those that need it!
(the panel/window/whatever could also contain a link to the mgm release page)

[nil]

Samuco wrote:

There still should be some method for uploading maps that doesn't require approval. If file storage is a concern, you could automatically delete maps from the server that aren't used for a certain time period (or removed when the particular server shuts down). Just because a mod is retarded and glitchy (like logmod) doesn't make it any less fun.

Approval means say, I can get a chance to confirm whether or not the mod is broken (i.e, will it run on more than one system? will it run on the dedi servers? is there something corrupted in the map file? is it not properly renamed via MDRenamer? will it crash?). Automatic submission like in the past with HDM is likely to lead to formatting screw-ups. Otherwise, I'd have to set up some account-system aside from MGM, and it's a whole deal of pain, which would have to be approved anyway. We also have a whole setup for updating mods, which brings another layer of complexity.

I don't believe file storage is a concern.

[Samuco]

There still should be some method for uploading maps that doesn't require approval. If file storage is a concern, you could automatically delete maps from the server that aren't used for a certain time period (or removed when the particular server shuts down). Just because a mod is retarded and glitchy (like logmod) doesn't make it any less fun.

[nil]

Mods have to be approved. See this thread for how to request the mod to be put on the database. And by the way, keep in mind log mods are not really that joiner-friendly anyway.

The interface for installing mods is pretty primitive. If I leave it as menu items, it's not easy for me to add stuff like linking to MGM topic.. I don't want to add things I don't consider important enough to be there, though.

[Sparky]

The Install Mod menu should allow you to right-click a menu item and be taken to the mod's MGM forum topic.

[rEsTnPeAcEz]

A map uploader is what I wanted to, I was trying to implimate it in HDM, but they don't like it. Maybe they can make an map uploader literally in the app of MD.
For now to upload a mod to the database you have to PM nil with a template as:

-Download link
-Full name of mod.
-Version (Build number)
-Description

[Samuco]

Is there a way to make a map uploader into the MD database?
I wanted to play a logmod and have the map automatically download for people, but I don't know how to add it to the db.

[nil]

We looked into it, but ultimately decided to not try that very hacky approach (although what we are doing now is somewhat hacky as well). The maps and this functionality are set in stone. MDRenamer adjusts the UI for each map in the map selection - something not to forget. HaloMD adjusts the ui.map and stock multiplayer maps before launching Halo.

I think about ~5% of users are on the older alpha now. Since I just released an update, I'll have to record the stats again. It could be even lower now. They should be able to update, it's not broken for them (as of currently, and no, "Update HaloMD" is not a real server but a fake one that shows up on the lobby if you're on an older version).

[rEsTnPeAcEz]

The way for applying mods in HaloMD is genius. Trick the game to thinking it's a regular map that is supposed to be played. I was wondering if there is a way to get a kind of similarity to Halo: Custom Edition with the custom maps, where every modded map is placed in the game map menu. Maybe you guys should go deep down in the game engine of Custom Edition to make this work.