For thread readers, Megalo is the name of the scripting engine that supports Halo Reach’s muptiplayer. Each gametype is a Megalo script.
What I am optimistically asking for, is for 343i to release Megalo tools to the public, so we can create our own custom games. One extreme of this could be developing an SDK including Visual Programming, but what I was hoping for is a simple compiler, and a method to transfer the code from a computer to the 360. User documentation would simply be a data / funtion / class dictionary/library, with example source code, such as all, or elements of the Slayer engine.
The possibilities are almost infinite! The programmers of the community could come up with some great ideas that may be the next Grifball!
Please hear my request.
<4,
Der Flatulator6
Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
> Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
You can’t do whatever with the game, Megalo is incredibly limited in it’s interaction with say maps and so forth. Gametype editing is the only thing it’s capable off, more or less. A few UI tweaks aswell. It can’t really add, just modify.
OnT:
This will never happen, Microsoft would never allow it. My own personal opinion is that we should have had Megalo available to us from the start but you can’t get everything.
> > Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
>
> You can’t do whatever with the game, Megalo is incredibly limited in it’s interaction with say maps and so forth. Gametype editing is the only thing it’s capable off, more or less. A few UI tweaks aswell. It can’t really add, just modify.
>
> OnT:
>
> This will never happen, Microsoft would never allow it. My own personal opinion is that we should have had Megalo available to us from the start but you can’t get everything.
> > Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
>
> You can’t do whatever with the game, Megalo is incredibly limited in it’s interaction with say maps and so forth. Gametype editing is the only thing it’s capable off, more or less. A few UI tweaks aswell. It can’t really add, just modify.
>
> OnT:
>
> This will never happen, Microsoft would never allow it. My own personal opinion is that we should have had Megalo available to us from the start but you can’t get everything.
I like being optimistic, and it cant hurt to show that we are interested. Lets face it, there is even less chance of them ever releasing it if we don’t say anything.
Megalo can interact by adding widgets to the HUD, killing a player, running various checks, binding objects, spawning objects, adding statistics to post-game, adding GUI options pre-game, etc. Nothing that would ruin the game.
> > > Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
> >
> > You can’t do whatever with the game, Megalo is incredibly limited in it’s interaction with say maps and so forth. Gametype editing is the only thing it’s capable off, more or less. A few UI tweaks aswell. It can’t really add, just modify.
> >
> > OnT:
> >
> > This will never happen, Microsoft would never allow it. My own personal opinion is that we should have had Megalo available to us from the start but you can’t get everything.
>
> I like being optimistic, and it cant hurt to show that we are interested. Lets face it, there is even less chance of them ever releasing it if we don’t say anything.
> Megalo can interact by adding widgets to the HUD, killing a player, running various checks, binding objects, spawning objects, adding statistics to post-game, adding GUI options pre-game, etc. Nothing that would ruin the game.
I salute you for being optimistic in todays world, I really do.
I’m well aware what Megalo is (was, it was expanded upon in the TU) capable off and I do agree fully, it coulnd’t ruin the game in any way considering gametypes are loaded from playlist presets and not from the local box when playing in matchmaking but this goes far deeper than risk of damage to say Matchmaking. Microsoft would never allow users to directly inject data into their system and then allow it to be shared, it breaks every security rule I can think of.
> Microsoft would never allow users to directly inject data into their system and then allow it to be shared, it breaks every security rule I can think of.
I know, and I’ve been thinking, there MUST be a way to make it secure. What I was thinking is after a script is complete, SOURCE CODE could be uploaded to this site and run through quality algorithm tests, then it would be compiled, it could then be downloaded to your Xbox privately. It would essentially be submitting content, there shouldn’t be many security issues with that, I think?
> I know, and I’ve been thinking, there MUST be a way to make it secure. What I was thinking is after a script is complete, SOURCE CODE could be uploaded to this site and run through quality algorithm tests, it could then be downloaded to your Xbox privately. It would essentially be submitting content, there shouldn’t be many security issues with that, I think?
That would take a lot of time to program and also take up a lot of processing power serverside, not economically feasible.
> > I know, and I’ve been thinking, there MUST be a way to make it secure. What I was thinking is after a script is complete, SOURCE CODE could be uploaded to this site and run through quality algorithm tests, it could then be downloaded to your Xbox privately. It would essentially be submitting content, there shouldn’t be many security issues with that, I think?
>
> That would take a lot of time to program and also take up a lot of processing power serverside, not economically feasible.
Halo Reach was a working API, which requires Bungie Pro to access, if they forced developers to either pay a small fee, or have a system similar to Film Rendering, where instead of ‘Render Minutes’ we have ‘Script Deployments’.
That would solve the processing power serverside issue, and as for taking a lot of time to program, all it would need is a filter to make sure nothing inappropriate is used in things such as HUD additions.
> Halo Reach was a working API, which requires Bungie Pro to access, if they forced developers to either pay a small fee, or have a system similar to Film Rendering, where instead of ‘Render Minutes’ we have ‘Script Deployments’.
> That would solve the processing power serverside issue, and as for taking a lot of time to program, all it would need is a filter to make sure nothing inappropriate is used in things such as HUD additions.
I was actually considering this during dinner and yes, an API with limited access could work. It would probably be a bit expensive to develop but maybe Microsoft could make profit from it somehow. (If they can’t make money from it, then make it a gift for the community for sticking around for ten flipping years)
I’d love for it to happen, but I just don’t see how Microsoft would think they could make money off it, and all Microsoft cares about is $$$.
This will never, EVER happen even though it would be extremely beneficial to what seems to be the start of a whole new era for very large scale gaming entertainment: OPEN GAMES!
Minecraft has kind of done it, MS is heading that way with Xbox Kinect Fun Labs, but boy: imagine Halo being open!
I don’t mean necessarily open source, because it’s kind of impractical and too complex for non-master programmers.
Something more like fully customizable - with an app that can change every game-changing value you can think of (sort of like how the Halo: CE mod tools work, but more polished).
I was hoping it would have been released a long time ago… maybe they could just make a “game” you download off the marketplace that just let’s you write the code and then you can save it as a gametype for Reach… idk… they could make it cost msp to download… or have a limited version and a full version… just my thoughts… They did say WIndows 8 would be deeply integrated (okay… maybe not deeply…) into Xbox LIVE… perhaps you could run this “game” on windows 8… save it in the “cloud” and access the cloud from your xbox… save it from there… 
just mah two cents…
Make the cloud cost money
Make the game cost money
Profit…
> Seems like a good idea, but i think it would be like giving the people the power to do whatever they want with the game, why would there be DLC then?
It’s just a scripting engine, it’s main use would mostly be making off the wall gametypes. Most gametypes in Action Sack are made this way.
I’ve been thinking about it more thoroughly, and I think it would be possible for Microsoft to make a profit, whilst maintaining security, giving the community a tool they have been wanting for ages, and making the game oh so much more interesting.
Let me simplify my idea down to dot points, as I unfortunately lost the full post I just wrote up… 
- Charge 1000 msp per year to access a server.
- Develop an SDK (IDE), which consists of the following:
…- User Documentation: syntax rules, etc
…- Class library (existing Megalo scripts): for examples and game type bases
…- Integrated Development Environment
The IDE would not use the code that the original Megalo uses, instead it would offer a rich API where we can tinker with every setting imaginable, without using original BASIC Megalo.
The files would then be submitted to Halo Waypoint, where they would be filtered for appropriateness, and automatically added to your active transfers.
I still don’t like the idea of paying for it: it’s like paying for Forge - it’s nonsense.
The profit MS would get through Halo with this would be higher replay value, more longevity and an even more powerful community, just like Forge did.
This is taking it to a new level.
This was a nice idea, and one that does not seem to have happened. Seems less likely than ever as Reach is being pushed aside for other priorities.
Won’t happen because of the contract Microsoft has with 343 and any other game company. Mods violate their contract and the TOS it has with the customers. I remember Quinn DelHoyo saying that it was perfectly fine to mod Halo 4 gametypes, and then later that comment was removed. I think 343 would let us modify content but Microsoft won’t.