[I Matze I]

Posted by Xenon on his site...public

Alteration
Version: 0.052



As you can see, it's a beta. We are far from Version 1.0, development was scarce, and for most of the time, I was either doing other projects, or home brew, while Anthony would be making some tweaks to it once in a while. Considering what work was done, I'd say about a month (or half) was going full throttle with this program, and some research.

So starting from scratch, commentary being I'd say 3/4 of our code, we're a decent fraction of a million lines of code now. This version however has been stripped down to exclude certain things only we'd like to do, these features may be added in later if we stop developing, but want people to keep using it, so we might enable those feature in an update.

Regardless, since the start of Halo 3 modding when I first received my means to make modding possible, an initial tool was made called Decrypt, a buggy piece of garbage made in some 10 minutes to verify that RTH works (thank you kornman for the debug port number (730) ). Later after RTH was successful, Anthony contacted me in means of helping me, thus the creation of the XEX, once he found checks, and we removed them. From that point plugins were generated, and time was slow from then on.. with very little being done to the program, and some more being done to plugins by Me, DarkShallFall, Veegie, Anthony, and Leo (he found project speed, hoorah?).

Things aren't exactly perfect, you'll obviously find bugs.. This program was never made for compatibility because we never cared, we assumed it'd always be private, so long story short.. (EDIT: Desktop Composition Issue Fixed*). And even then, this tool was made for people with development consoles, so you'll need the XDKSetupXenonXXX (Microsoft Xbox 360 SDK, as it uses a wrapper in there) to use debug features. Otherwise you'll be thrown a nice error. You'll also need .NET framework 2.0 (I code in VS2005). More bugs might include a memory leak in the meta editor, maybe some other crap.. not sure. If you find any.. I'd rather you report it to me at my AIM: xL DeToX Lx then post in public about it.

So remember.. It's a beta, give it a break, it's the tool we've been using that gave us all the research all you halo 3 kiddies use.. So if you'd like to complain, please.. show us you can atleast do more than what we've done with your own tools..

Snaps:






Some of these features may require a special Halo 3 XEX that Anthony and I developed. It's not just any XEX that removes .map checks.
Features:

• Meta Grid
  
• Meta Editor
  
• Library System
  
• Tag Renaming (requires a special XEX)
  
• Locale Editor w/ any string lengths (may require special XEX)
  
• Screenshot - Captures a framebuffer from the Xbox 360, decodes it(format is A2R10G10B10 if I remember)
  
• Xbox Debug Communicator - include a file system tool, can send commands and receive responses to/from the Xbox.
  
• Map Package Creator - Add your own maps to your mainmenu. I made my own imaging classes so you only need to supply one image and the program will process it to make the others(gametype, etc). Requires a special XEX.
  
• Protect maps
  
• Generate Plugins - Will appear frozen (saves time not rendering UI), it is not.. It is also very time consuming.. And not perfect.. I don't suggest using it.
  
• Rename Plugins - If you have our .ent plugins, put them in the \Plugins\ folder, and run this, and itll rename the .ent to .alt, which is our plugin format, same thing really, different file extension
  
• Container editors.. (hasn't been worked on in forever, totally forgot about it till now, only opens usermaps, and doesn't edit.. Whoops..)
  
• Create/Apply patches - This will definately be redone soon since when you rename tags, it changes map file size..
  
• Change Fill Mode - Hell I don't even know what Anthony did here, it changes fill mode(wireframe, point, etc) but it only works on some maps, and takes a bit(10 seconds?) to take effect. It's something to do with the actual game if I remember what Anthony said..
  
• Print Cam Debug Info - Enabled the pancam text which tells you where you are ingame, coordinate wise.
  
• Create/Apply RTH Data - When you make changes in the Meta Editor, instead of poking, you can save these changes to a file which you can RTH/Apply to memory later.
  
• Raw Table Viewer - Views Raw Table. This is used specifically for research. It contains a Raw Locations Index( a reflexive in the [play] tag, and points to the Raw Pools reflexive.. It's messy business hehe.
  
• Go to Tag(in Meta Grid) - Allows you to click an Ident, and open the tag you selected.
  
• Multitabbed - If you don't notice this feature, good job. The program has multiple tabs, so you can right click your document containing your Meta Editor/Grid, etc. And click New Document, and use that. Any tag you click, or editor you open, will open in your actively selected document.
  
• Poking/RTH - Duh. The reason this program was made.. Real time researching allows you to instantly make changes to certain values as you play. The only values that cant be changed are ones that are loaded somewhere else in memory from the start. For instance.. if I poke a mainmenu widget, it must be reloaded to take effect, so I'd click custom games, and go back to the mainmenu and it'd be there. Another example is if I edit some things in the bipd, I might need to die, so I respawn with my changes. But most values are normally pokeable without this problem anyways.. Keep in mind.. it's not a program problem.. It's how the Halo 3 works.. Don't like it? Go ***** to Bungie that you can't mod the way you want to, so they can laugh in your face.
  
• View Value as (In Meta Editor) - Right click a value, and view it as if it were another value, good for researching.
  
• Copy structure information (In Meta Editor) - Copy the pointer, offset, size, and count of chunks in a struct. Also copy and paste chunk data and overwrite others.
  
• Script Decompiler - Done by Soldier of Lite, decompiles scripts from the map file.

And so on..

Will be done sooner or later:

• Chunk Cloning, insert new chunks into the map.
  
• Tag Duplication
  
• Will do stringids sooner or later
  
• Will enable raw editting sooner or later.
  
• Will continue usermap editting.
  
• Will do all other Halo 3 CON types (except for personalXXXXXXXX files, we don't want those out yet.. )
  
• Will make a Map Analyzer, since Johnsons was incorrect.
  
• Remote Poke - Poke other people's development consoles.

I want everyone to also keep in mind, if you saw some of these features in your friendly... program Construct, it's probably because the program was developed with ideas from a guy who leaked this program here, and infact got it without being supposed to.. That person's name is Quickkill. So don't be suprised that you may see certain things that were already done. Not to mention the entire reason public had RTH before this was because Shade45 wrongfully took code from me, called it his own, sold it, leaked it, etc.. So I had him release to stop all the nonsense.

So here are all the people who actually did something to help in the modding community:

• Xenon.7 - That's me. Had the idea of this program in the first place, and was the lead developer.
  
• Anthony - My partner in all of this. We worked together from the start, and will work together to the end. I'm glad I could get him into the scene. Also found the XEX checks. Pancam, Fillmode.
  
• Kornman00 always is the first to do anything and everything, without ever saying a word, that's probably why we don't ever count him in half the stuff we do.Though he didn't help too much, he's still being a good influence.. And teaches people the simple moral when they beg him for stuff, which is.. the developer of a program or the researcher of said research, is entitled to his own work, and is allowed to do anything with his own work. That's how it is in the real world, and that's how it is here. Learn to respect what's given to you. Kornman00 from the start specifically told me I will never be given a direct answer, and I never really was, and it had to be the best damned thing a person could do. You don't learn from feeding off other people's work and acting like you did something.. You get a little push, and you are the one who needs to start running and keep it going without tiring yourself out.
  
• DarkShallFall - The best tag researcher I know now, used to be good in Halo 2, but learned much more when he joined Halo 3. I found he was the most trustworthy person I knew, everyone would leak, and do anything they could to benefit themselves. He's never really let me down, and knows me perfectly. The best tester as well. Mapped out many plugins you may use today.
  
• Veegie - Came before DarkShallFall, knowing not much about viewing data, but knew he wanted to do something with the availability to mod. Mapped out most of what was done so far. Completed some tag layouts, though you may find some crap like Chad Warden(StringID), and ******1, ******2, ******3. He's been an amazing asset.
  
• Leo/Latinomodder - Found projectile speed(hoorah?) and was a tester, and a great friend, also suggested some things for the program. Everybody give him a round of applause for being so damn mexican.
  
• Tural - Bald.

Quite frankly, I didn't want anyone with this, not because I don't like helping, but because people kept acting irresponsibly without it, I felt they wouldn't do any better with it, and I still believe so, that's why it's been stripped down, and will slowly be upgraded for you to what we currently have, so we can see how much the community really does deserve this..

TO USE DEBUG FEATURES, YOU NEED TO COPY \Program Files\Microsoft Xbox 360 SDK\bin\win32\xdevkit.dll TO YOUR ALTERATION FOLDER.

Also..
Though I doubt no one will ever release their tools to reboot into a modded kernel, I really hope none of you cheat over the Xbox Live service ever. Cheating is lame. This tool was strictly made for researching, because we all appreciate Bungie's work, and loving finding everything out, and seeing how everything works. They made a beautiful engine, and everyone should given them a round of applause.

So enjoy a public beta test ride.. of the program that made it all happen..

~Alteration...

Download


MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

AND I DONT CARE ABOUT FLAMES

[JIME01]

If DeToX wanted it posted here he would and I don't think he wanted mirror's...

XeNoN.7 ~ Alteration 0.052

[punkskater2448]

uhm,... you have a link in your sig so your basically doing the same thing he is except he is making it easier on us.

[JIME01]

punkskater2448 said:

uhm,... you have a link in your sig so your basically doing the same thing he is except he is making it easier on us.

What? That's not in my signature, that link is the official site from where DeToX released it which he should have included.

[I Matze I]

JIME01 said:

What? That's not in my signature, that link is the official site from where DeToX released it which he should have included.

stop makin nonsense posts in this thread now...
u posted a link and its ok now...
just let ppl post about the programm instead of start a flamewar

[nickcas]

Great app Detox, too bad you aren't releasing any updates for it from now on. Too bad a few ruined it for many.

[I Matze I]

nickcas said:

Great app Detox, too bad you aren't releasing any updates for it from now on. Too bad a few ruined it for many.

Alteration has ever been private and it will be...
we all got a free version and i think thats good enough

[JIME01]

I Matze I said:

Alteration has ever been private and it will be...
we all got a free version and i think thats good enough

That does not make sense?
If you were going to say "Alteration has never been private" that's wrong.

[UltimatHedgehog]

NOT TRYING TO FLAME.
What's unique about this program? Can it do things that other programs we have on here like forge can't do? Is it easier? Just want to know more about this.

[mojobojo]

UltimatHedgehog said:

NOT TRYING TO FLAME.
What's unique about this program? Can it do things that other programs we have on here like forge can't do? Is it easier? Just want to know more about this.

Its not for usermap modding, Its for .map modding for a development kit. It dose stuff like real time map editing, regular map editing, screenshots. Noone here has a development kit and more than three quarters of the people on this website dont even know what a develoment kit even is. I dont see why it was posted concidering noone on this site has a use for it.

This post has been edited by mojobojo: 11 June 2009 - 02:35 PM

[JIME01]

mojobojo said:

Its not for usermap modding, Its for .map modding for a development kit. It dose stuff like real time map editing, regular map editing, screenshots. Noone here has a development kit and more than three quarters of the people on this website dont even know what a develoment kit even is. I dont see why it was posted concidering noone on this site has a use for it.

I do, but already had it ages ago.

[nickcas]

mojobojo said:

Its not for usermap modding, Its for .map modding for a development kit. It dose stuff like real time map editing, regular map editing, screenshots. Noone here has a development kit and more than three quarters of the people on this website dont even know what a develoment kit even is. I dont see why it was posted concidering noone on this site has a use for it.

Do you have a dev? I hope you bought it for another reason then to mod Halo.

[mojobojo]

JIME01 said:

I do, but already had it ages ago.

What Im saying is all of the people who have dev kits are usually connected through a line of private apps that should be kept private and already have these applications. Releasing it on a site like tis is pointless, thats kinda why I think Detox didnt post it here. And anyone who has a dev kit also is a part of halomods wich has alot more peope who acually have a use for it.

nickcas said:

Do you have a dev? I hope you bought it for another reason then to mod Halo.

No I dont have a dev but Im planning on getting one. Its not for modding halo though, Im planning on real developing so Im trying to learn alot before I buy an expensive Item that could be a paperweight if I dont know how to use it. But Im gonna be honest with you I probably mod halo with it too.

This post has been edited by mojobojo: 11 June 2009 - 05:31 PM

[bungi]

uh in english what is this :D

[Xpargas]

bungi said:

uh in english what is this :D

Its for modding .map files and other **** for devs, you dont need it.

[Haxalot88]

mojobojo said:

What Im saying is all of the people who have dev kits are usually connected through a line of private apps that should be kept private and already have these applications. Releasing it on a site like tis is pointless, thats kinda why I think Detox didnt post it here. And anyone who has a dev kit also is a part of halomods wich has alot more peope who acually have a use for it.



No I dont have a dev but Im planning on getting one. Its not for modding halo though, Im planning on real developing so Im trying to learn alot before I buy an expensive Item that could be a paperweight if I dont know how to use it. But Im gonna be honest with you I probably mod halo with it too.

If you're serious about developing games with it, I might consider teaching ya. There are plenty of tutorials online for windows and directx programming as well. I'm not too sure about how the 360 pipeline goes though (for directx on windows, you will use the windows api and message loop), however I would be willing to help ya if you ever need the basics of game programming.

[mojobojo]

Haxalot88 said:

If you're serious about developing games with it, I might consider teaching ya. There are plenty of tutorials online for windows and directx programming as well. I'm not too sure about how the 360 pipeline goes though (for directx on windows, you will use the windows api and message loop), however I would be willing to help ya if you ever need the basics of game programming.

Dude yeah Im really serious and started to attemtpt to learn openGL. But far off from getting a dev, I think I have your aim but right now im reinstalling visual studio.

[I Matze I]

Haxalot88 said:

If you're serious about developing games with it, I might consider teaching ya. There are plenty of tutorials online for windows and directx programming as well. I'm not too sure about how the 360 pipeline goes though (for directx on windows, you will use the windows api and message loop), however I would be willing to help ya if you ever need the basics of game programming.

if u ever got time for it you could help me too...
already got visual studio and new xna...

[Twis7eD]

I Matze I said:

Though I doubt no one will ever release their tools to reboot into a modded kernel, I really hope none of you cheat over the Xbox Live service ever. Cheating is lame. This tool was strictly made for researching, because we all appreciate Bungie's work, and loving finding everything out, and seeing how everything works. They made a beautiful engine, and everyone should given them a round of applause.

This is what I don't understand. If this is meant for a Dev kit then how could you ever use this on Live? What does rebooting into a modded kernel mean?

[mojobojo]

Twis7eD said:

This is what I don't understand. If this is meant for a Dev kit then how could you ever use this on Live? What does rebooting into a modded kernel mean?

The modded kernal is for an xbox 360 eploited by the King Kong Exploit. It would allow modding on a retail 360. Its NEVER going to be released.