Modding the Mainmenu

[nielsss]

I do not take any credit for this tut.

 

Everyones been asking for the Main Menu Mod tutorial so after a little work I think this one might be what everyone wants.

 

Removing the blue main menu:

 

- Get a copy of mainmenu.map and back it up in case something happens.

 

- Next open mainmenu.map in DotHalo.

 

- Go to the [scnr] Scenarios tag then click: scenariosuimainmenumainmenu

 

- After it finishes loading, click on the "Dependencies/LoneIDS/Reflexives Window".

 

- The click on the last 2 items one by one. They should be:

egor - effectsscreen_effectsblur

egor - effectsscreen_effectsdetasturate

 

- Null one of them out and save changes, and then null the other one out and save changes

 

- Now resign the map. With the Encrptomatic Signature (Part of the All-in-One v.2)

And your done.

 

Intro Video: How to make or edit the halo 2 intro movie:

 

- Fiirst off you should get your hands on the original intro.

 

- FTP to your xbox, go to your halo 2 folder (f/games/halo 2) then open the bink

folder. FTP intro_60 to your computer and put it some were safe (like the

desktop).

 

- Or you can use DVD to Xbox, copy Halo 2 to your HD and then transfer it to your

computer. this way you have all the Halo files right there on your comp.

 

- Now you can do a couple things. You can keep the original movie and just

replace the music, take an already made movie of your choice and make it into

the intro, or many combos of the 2.

 

- How too change the music: Fist thing you will need to do is convert the intro

(which is a .bink file) into a format that we can play with. To do this we will need

a program called Bink and Smacker (this prog is supplied with the All-in-One v.2)

 

- Once you have this you can you it to convert intro_60.bink too intro_60.avi To do

this open bink and smacker (rad video tools). Find the intro_60.bink and then

press convert a file. Now choose were you want it too be saved and hit convert.

It may take a while.

 

- Now you have the intro as a AVI. To test it try playing it with WMP or some other

video player. If it works then your all set to start editing! Now for this next step

you can use any program you want. Just as long as it can replace audio from a

video. But if you don't have a nice video editor program never fear Windows

Movie Maker is here! Too find it (windows movie maker comes with all windows

XP computer operating systems) go to your start menu and click search. Pick all

files and folders, then search for "movie maker" The first thing it finds should be

Windows Movie Maker. Double click it too open it up and start editing.

 

- Editing the Intro Using Windows Movie Maker: Now once ur in Windows Movie

Maker click file then find "import into collections..." Now Find the intro (in the avi

format) and import it once you have found it. Now in the collections window you

should see the intro. Drag and drop it into the time line at the bottom that says

video. Now go to import into collections again and find the song you want to hear

with the intro. Import it and then drag and drop it into the time line were it

says "audio/music" OK almost there now we have to mute out the old halo 2

music. To do this find a button the the far left that says set audio levels. Now you

should see a slider with Audio from video on the left side and audio/music on the

right. Slide the slider all the way to the right (audio/music). Now to test it try

playing it in the preview window in the top right. If you like what your hearing

and seeing then you are ready to move onto the final step. If not play around a

bit with the music or video to make it how ever you want it.

 

- OK once your done you have to save it. To do this click file, Save Movie File....

Select my computer then next, enter any name you want for this step it does not

matter, then hit next. Now choose what quality you want it too be saved at I

recommend the highest you can do. Now press next and it should start making it.

Once done you can exit Windows Movie Maker. Don't worry about waving the

project unless you plan on making any changes to the intro you just made.

 

- Converting the AVI back too a Bink: Now that you have you custom made intro

you need to make it compatible with halo2. This is done by converting it back to

a .bink

 

NOTE: This step can also be done if you already had a movie you just wanted to put as the intro! Open up Bink and Smacker again and find your new intro. Once you have found it press the big button the the button left called Bink it! Now where it says output file info you MUST type intro_60.bik If you don't type that exact thing it will not work at all!!! Now press Bink on the far right side. This may take a few minutes based on the size of the video. Once it's done, FTP the new intro_60.bik to the halo 2 bink folder. Make sure you overwrite the old one! Now launch Halo 2 and see how she looks!

 

Changing the Menu Text:

 

- Open the mainmenu.map in Hex Workshop

 

- Click the "Edit Tab" and then "Find..."

 

- Make sure that the "Type:" option is set to "Text String" and in the options box

the ASCII String box is checked.

 

- Now for my example say we wanted to change the main title screen where it

says "Press Start to Continue." I would type in "Press Start to Continue" in the

Value box of the find window and click Ok. Now in the right hand window it will

bring up all the times that it says "Press start to Continue."

 

- Since this is the only place in the map that says this exact phrase you don't have

to search anymore. Don't worry about the numbers, just change the text to

whatever you want but remember that the text CAN NOT be longer than what is

already there. If you are short thats fine, just space over the extra letters and

the period. So instead of mine saying "Press Start to Continue" I replace it with "

WELCOME TO M4H'S H2"

 

- Now resign the map. With the Encrptomatic Signature (Part of the All-in-One v.2)

And your done.

 

- To change the acutal menu items like: "Split Screen, Custom Game,

Cooperative, System Link and Settings" just search for them like you did

the "Press Start to Continue". Luckly though these are all found in the same

place, so if you find one, the rest should be right there as well, if they are not, hit

F3 (Find Next) and it will take you to the next search find. This also works for

weapons in maps and sayings like "Press X to Drive Warthog" ---> Press B to

Drive Puma".

 

Hope this helps.