Usage of the Halo Editing Kit, Halo: CE Mod Tools, or any other "closed" modding tools should be discouraged if there is a better, free, open source replacement.
While it's great that this software at least exists, w e should focus our efforts on replacing the binaries, altogether, with better free, open source software.
In the end, it is a waste of time to try to fix something that is closed source and nonfree. Without modifying the tools or creating new tools, you're only allowed to do whatever the tools allow you to do, and this is not everything you could do or would want to do. And of course, the tools are restricted to Windows on 32-bit x86, and while most people have access to that, it's possible that it may not be an option for most people in the distant future.
With the new Halo: CE Mod Tools, it is intended for use with only Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and as I mentioned before, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary has its own issues, plus it doesn't actually even support custom maps. using model shaders instead of environment shaders due to fog). With the original Halo Editing Kit, you can only modify Halo Custom Edition, and because it has an inferior renderer, people have resorted to dirty workarounds that sacrifice visuals (e.g. Obviously, over the long run, it adds up, but most people are more concerned with making a map now than waiting for tools that better address the community's needs, and, of course, because the software is closed source and nonfree, you're restricted to whatever the developers intended to allow you to mod. Even if the official software has issues, dealing with a single issue takes less effort than reimplementing the entire editing kit. As a result, people end up being stuck with the limitations and bugs of the software. Unfortunately, another inherent issue is that, since the software at least "exists" despite its issues, few people are inclined to create free, open source alternatives. This is an inherent issue with closed source, nonfree software, and it doesn't just apply to the tools but the games, too. Halo: Custom Edition is fundamentally broken on so many levels, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, while better, is still a ways away from anything I could recommend.įor any issues that do exist, there is no way to fix the software without resorting to actually making changes to the binary, itself (and doing this is quite limiting!). Luckily 343 Industries have been updating these tools, but for any issues we experience, we are limited in our capacity to deal with them until 343 Industries decides to officially fix it, assuming they do. While it's great that we have an editing kit in the first place, this nonfreedom can be to the detriment in the community in the long run.
For example, it is closed source and nonfree, requiring you to agree to an additional, restrictive license that doesn't grant you very much freedom to use their software. The newer Halo: CE Mod Tools for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is a better option, and while it has fewer limitations overall from the Halo Editing Kit, it isn't a perfect solution. There are various other issues that have become well known by the modding community. None of these issues or concerns have or will ever be patched, officially, as the software is not supported.
Not only that, but it also contains numerous limitations and restrictions that may have made sense with the limited 64 MiB memory of the original Xbox but not a PC game even from this time period.
For a start, there are numerous user interface issues in both Sapien and Guerilla that have appeared in semi-recent versions of Windows. However, like many old applications, it hasn't exactly been unscathed by the passage of time. Like most Win32 applications, it can run on modern systems thanks to Windows's robust backwards compatibility. The original Halo Editing Kit for Halo Custom Edition is unmaintained and unsupported. Why should the Halo Editing Kit be replaced? The Halo Editing Kit sucks and everyone knows it, and the Halo: CE Mod Tools aren't that much better. How do we replace it? I made a list of stuff that needs to be done and stuff that has already been done.