I'm fairly sure Dennis won't let links be put up, something about some of the tool_pro releases being malicious. I have a clean copy if you pm me. Basically it simple removes the 128mb map size limit. Halo will allow for massive maps to load, the 128 limit was meant for when that was actually considered a large file, there has never been an issue with maps I've built with tool_pro, including every iteration of my revolution project. Functionally it works the same just using toolpro instead of tool to start your command lines. Its pretty slick.

So technically I can have maps of 1GB ? And everything working fine? With this tool pro
Edited by Kinnet on May 3, 2015 at 06:02 PM

I don't remember the exact size, I think 1GB is too large. It was somewhere in the range of 600-800MB that halo can successfully use.

Using OS is silly because so few people use it. If you want to put out a map (that people will play) that is multiplayer without the 128mb limit, put out a map. Not a yelo.

There is no chance (that I have found) that the size of the map itself can cause the exception (obviously unless you breach that RIDICULOUSLY HIGH ceiling). The only exceptions that people get on huge maps like that are usually from either hacky methods of making them bigger, which is usually only present in old maps, like pre-2005, or maps that are compiled using toolpro because their tagset was massive from all the rips they threw in that weren't optimized, usually from some program like Eternal Lightning or DeathStar, and the exceptions come from elsewhere.

From a coding sense, the map exceptioning just because it's over 128mb is ludicrous, as long as its within the limits that Halo can handle.

More in-depth about this topic by people much more knowledgebable on the subject than myself can be found here (although I can't find the exact place the hard limit was discussed. I remember it being a bit shy of 1GB though):

http://opencarnage.net/index.php?/topic/3243-x86-halo-cache-file-size-limit/

and a better overview:
http://opencarnage.net/index.php?/topic/2869-mapfiles-an-overview/
Edited by NeX on May 3, 2015 at 08:51 PM

Does anyone subscribe to the logic anymore? The game engine has technical limitations. Maps exceeding those limitations will not operate properly. Meaning they will crash or cause the to game to exception or be unstable in certain and seemingly random circumstances. The Tool.exe program supplied in the editing kit insures that your build will not exceed those limitations.

Tool_pro has been hacked to bypass the testing for some of the limitations. This allows you to create builds that can and often will be unstable or cause errant exceptions. It is inadvisable to use the hacked tool program for that and other reasons, such as most copies are infected with malware.

We do not allow links to it for two reasons. 1) It is a hacked program and in direct violation of the copyright and 2) most copies were infected with malware and as a result got our website blocked by most anti-virus programs and Google search.

These crashes only happen if you go over the TAGSPACE limit. Not if you go over the MAPSIZE limit. I remember playing a map that was 700mb just fine. The TAGSPACE limit is an actual engine limitation, but the MAPSIZE limit was put there so that maps wouldn't become too big and this same limit is not present when compiling single player maps but is made even smaller for ui maps (35mb). Most maps nowadays including some of the most played ones that go over the MAPSIZE limit play perfectly fine. Like Bigass or the revolution maps.

tl;dr version:
Going over mapsize limit is perfectly fine.
Going over the tagspace limit will haunt your map forever.

This. There's often much fear of the unknown. I was skeptical, but I've been using it for 2 years, zero instability or exceptions. All exceptions or other issues have always turned out to be my own shoddy work causing the problem, never as a direct result of this tool.

I guess its just an issue of ignorance.

Tool pro may silence things that will exception in your compiled builds of map. Better make sure they would pass through stock tool by reducing filesizes (getting rid of large bitmaps in shaders for example)

Because Dennis is a fascist

I've used it for ages. Never had any pc problems, dammit I better ccleaner my pc right now.

hac2 came up as a virus on half a dozen scans, too. Automated tools should never trump actual experience.



"his site his rules" argument by authority is tons of fun. It may be that he can just ban and delete comments, but that authority doesn't make him right or his assessment correct.

I even offered PMs instead of trying to post it, as I know the rules and chose not to blatantly break them.