So basically I decided to check out some CMT protected maps (snowgrove) and I learned why they are protected. Instead of being password protected and junk, they are titled"protected"and not sorted in folders. Even more so, there is a very large amount of files too, so its crazy. Do you think it is possible for me to piece together something from snowgrove?

what does titled protected actually mean?

I doubt it, cmt has alot of protection in place.

Well it turns out, if you use a Halo Map Version Coverter, and convert snowgrove into a Halo PC-style map. Then you can use HMT or HHT to modify the protected tags, but you will be dumb-blind as you dont know what you will modifying. It will still tell you whats a weapons, whats a vehicle, etc. Also it will give you a basic telling of the weapon, for example: the MA5C Assault Rifle will have Sentinel/AR/Gravity checked off. Also if you know the statistics of the weapons, such as: Maximum Ammo, Clip Size, etc, it will show that on the programs. I didnt know what I was doing, so I made the assault rifle fire S'plazer projectiles using the Dependacy Swapper Tool in HHT. Also i made the LAAG fly in turret and drive from turret. You can easily mod the map. When you are done modifying the map, just use the HMVC to convert it back to HaloCE usuable. Also with the program named H4X Edit, you can change the name of the map to your own choosing. But its a series of numbers and letters, so it will be difficult to use H4X Edit. All-in-all, a protected map is protected from ripping, but not protected from modifying

it's the same protection as any other protected map.
which is, enough to not be accessible through hek+, but limited access through other programs such as hmt 3.5, etc. hell there's probably some other fancy way to completely get around the protection and rip the tags fully, but i wouldn't know about it.
also, @ RM:
this is what a protected map looks like in Hek+. as you can see, the tag names are replaced with "protected" and thus cannot be extracted (they will produce an error window if extraction is attempted) http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r295/Nugga117/afjdsg.jpg
the tags in the folders are the game's unmodified files/files not worthy of protection if i recall correctly.
Edited by Nugga117 on Apr 19, 2008 at 01:01 AM

I opened up Wm_Combo in HEK+. And instead of <protected>, it said: www.wmclan.net protection program. It says protection for wmclan, but i randomly picked out a .gbxmodel tag and it extracted into the tags folder, the name is still www.wmclan.net protection program, but i imported it into 3ds and it came up with the CMT Spiker fp model. so Wm_Combo is not protected, but you can only rip one thing at a time because all of the files are the same name, so once you have looked through a tag that has been ripped, rename it so you can rip more

yeah but its hard to tell what is what. like when u open the map in hek+ it says at the map's home page<protected actor> even if its not a actor thus make u not have a clue to what u are extracting....
if u say is true im gonna go on a rampage till i get the anti air wraith.
i luv AA wraiths

Even if you do extract the anti airwraith, the only wait it will work if you also extract the other parts of it, such as: bitmaps, gbxmodels, shaders, etc.

Protection is a simple concept. Protection changes all of the tag filename references to the same thing. In the case of the HEK+, it gets rid of the original filename references, and writes in "<protected>" only. It then refers each tag to that same reference. If you look at a protected map in a hex editor, you only see one "<protected>" instead of many "<protected>"s for each tag because of this.

I don't think there is any other way of protecting tags without making the map file useless in-game. Map protection doesn't "protect" the data. Every tag is still in that map, and all that map protection does is render the HEK+'s method of extracting tags based on its filename reference useless, because they all have the same filename.

This is why you can still extract individual tags out of a protected map. The only reason that extracting individual tags doesn't work in a map protected with HEK+ is because the protection cleverly uses these symbols in "<protected>": "<" and ">" cannot be used in filenames, so the HEK+ has an error when trying to extract these tags. You can easily bypass this with a hex editor, by changing the "<" and ">" into any other letter.

Wrong, you can protect almost all the tags alot better, but you have to do it manualy, and if I told you how, it would also indanger current protection, so I cant tell you until the day this protection becomes to obsolete.

Now, just leave protected maps alone.

There are new types of protection that may or may not be used in SP-v2, but hte new protection will render hht and hmt worthless.

I figured there was at least one other way of protecting maps, being why I said "I don't think". You don't have to prove me wrong when I wasn't saying I was right...

But, there's no harm in knowing how they're protected. And how would anybody knowing about a new method of protection endanger the current protection method? It only allows for better protection, not for knowing how to un-protect, since I'm sure that's what people fear. (I on the other hand am afraid of any better protection.)

yes there is..when people understands how something works, its easier to take apart.


I know it would since I can use logic, and because the better protection is a few steps differnt than a preaty good fast pased way of bypassing normal map protection. In the few older test trials I did, I can get all the tags I want out of a map in about 5 to 10 minutes. (so like a few guns, vehicles, ect.)

True. I mostly said that because I support open source, and so I don't see that effect as harmful.



Do you mean you could get all of the tags you wanted in about 5 to 10 minutes out of a normally protected map or out of a map with the better protection method? Also, does the better protection still involve the filename references or is it something to do with the tags' data?

normal protection.

You still apply normal protection after you apply the special protection, so it has both.
it has some broken data, but im not telling you anymore since I just wana let this topic die out.

Hey i know most people think that this thread died but... all i really want to know is how to "unprotected" maps in general? like lets say for example: I want the cool homing rocket launcher from the "Halo" level made by "CMT". How would i go about getting those curtain tags from the ".map" file? Because there are a lot of cool weapons i want from there "Halo CE Campaign" levels they made (To many to list) that i cant seem to get from anywhere else. Can someone please explain how to go about getting those curtain tags? or can someone please at least post the tags on Halo maps?

Thanks

PS: I am not going to go and put them (the CMT tags) in a map and then take all the credit! so don't go and say that! I am not that kind of person.

There is a reason why map protection is in place. Even if you do bypass it, all you'll get is a bunch of bitmaps, gbxmodels, and other tags. You have to piece together the weapon / vehicle / whatever back together.

did you not read me last post? all i want to know is how to get the CMT Campaign tags from the ".map" file. and if you know of a place to the weapons from some of the Maps please tell me. i just want to get some of the weapons from the levels, THAT"S ALL.

Yeah, the point of protecting maps is so people don't rip from it. You should respect that and back off. Learn to make it yourself.

So whats wrong with people ripping tags from there maps? People are doing it all the time! why in the world do you think they made "HEK+"? I'll tell you why! So people can admirer and enjoy other peoples weapons and vehicles in NOT ONLY the makers map but there own map and by putting
The weapons and vehicles from the makers map into there map. The makers of the weapons and vehicles gain pride and become popular from there awesome a magnificent creations. That's why they made "HEK+"! And that's why i don't think they should go and protect there maps! So people can enjoy other people creations!

By the way i am not trying to call the "CMT" map team "greedy" but that's how the come across to me. like that want to keep all the good and fun stuff to them self's. But like said before... that's how they are coming across to me. and by the way... i am not that great at making weapons and vehicles. i have a very creative mind but i am not that great at using "3Ds Max".
Edited by videoman on May 2, 2009 at 11:38 PM

Yeah, rip from open sourced maps all you want as long as you give credit. But respect the creators wishes that they, for whatever reason, do not want the tags available to the general public. And not everyone has good intentions with the tags either.
Edited by UnevenElefant5 on May 3, 2009 at 01:36 AM

And why the heck did SteelIXB create a map protector for HEK+? So that certain people don't lose their hard work. There is a reason why the maps are protected. And if you want CMT's tags, then instead of trying to steal it from their maps, why don't you try asking them?

Ya. Some protectors work by just renaming all the tags with the same name so you can't tell what's what. You can extract them, but you don't know what your extracting.
So, yes, theoreticly ou could extract everything and go through all the tags one by one and find out what it is, rename it correctly, put it in the right place, and slowly remake the tags as they originally were, but it would be very hard and time consuming.
I say go for it!

if you want CMT's tags, just ask them, and if they don't think it is a worthy cause make it yourself.

Ripping is abused..Thats why everyone is protecting it now-a-days..There is also alot of friends you shouldnt trust..But..I think if you asked nicely..Maybe they could give you the old tags from SPV1?

CMT said that they no longer have the tags from SPv1.

If the internet were golden, and all the trash of the web went away, open source would soar, and large corporations would crash into the dust of personal computers...

The point is, there will always be noobs who abuse ripping, and with the policies of Halomaps, we cannot avoid that. Thus, people with good tags will protect their maps and only share tags with other well-respected people/friends.

I tell ya if you spent weeks making a mongoose & people over at bunge make $$$$ of it cuz thay like it & put it in halo3 & you make nothing of your owen idia of putting a serttin thang in a video game would'nt you protect your stuff?

cmt uses the hep+ to protect its tags the same app thats showing you those out of order files protected tags truth is is thats the way hek+ reads the map but another program would'nt read the map the same way its posible to break hek+'s protection but ist not esay

for instance I remember riping a veachal tag & every time I riped it it didnt work because 1 of the tags the physics I beleve would'nt work so what I did was spent to days making a new physics tag & then got a new veachal tag to use a verynice one I might add but being that the maker protected the tag I desided not to reupload it or any thang it was just for my owen enjoyment you see anyway the point it YES it can be done!
Edited by jackrabbit on May 3, 2009 at 10:53 PM


yeah what a wase of bandwith
Edited by jackrabbit on May 3, 2009 at 10:56 PM

...... Oh my gosh..... you are an...... CMT released the smg themself...

I asked CMT once but, no response they *ucked me off.

Reason why maps are protected, because most people dont even acknowledge the creators of the tags they are using in the maps. And others take credit for other peoples stuff. And they edit what ever and take credit for it.

I guess you missed the drama on Modacity.

incorporating your name on the skin of weapons and vehicles is a good idea.
Edited by Headhunter09 on May 4, 2009 at 06:51 PM

If they did rip the skin, they could smear it off in Photoshop / Paint.

Or if its a model, just delete those faces.

would anybody who rips go to those lengths to steal credit? Rippers don't intentionally steal credit (most of them), they are just too lazy to include it.