Halo Editing Kit
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The Halo Editing Kit, also known as the HEK, was released by Gearbox Software along with the Halo Custom Edition. It includes the tags necessary to build a Halo map, as well as three programs which assist in creating new tags.
- Tool: Tool is both the backbone and the pain of CE. It does everything from creating a bitmap, model, or sound from a .TIF image file, .JMS model exported from a 3d modelling program, and .WAV, and .OGG sound files, to the final map-building of all the tags it needs, and their tags, much like an application compiler, its old-style command prompt methods have driven at least a few mappers insane.
- Guerilla: Labeled with a gorilla (pun intended), this program opens tags, the files that make up all Halo maps, allowing the user to edit many aspects of them, and export them for use in a map.
- Sapien: Following the primate theme, Sapien opens scenario tags (the early map files) and creates a visual representation of the final map. Mappers can insert vehicles and weapons, place spawn points, and make camera points for cutscenes. Everything that can be positioned in the map physically is done with Sapien. This is considered by most fans to be the easiest program, and is comparable to Forge in Halo 3.
The HEK also includes the HEK tutorial, which is a step-by-step walkthrough of the making of the tutorial map. The tags that come with the kit are almost singularly made for this small map, include select bitmaps from the campaign and multiplayer maps. The combination of the tags, programs, and tutorial gives players a glimpse into the possibilities of the Custom Edition.
Because the HEK is only a basic group of files, CE mappers had to experiment and share their discoveries on the workings of the game. Over time they realized that most of the game tags were excluded from the HEK. This prevented a huge amount of creativity that could be harnessed in new maps. People began tinkering with the HEK programs. Kornman produced a new version of Guerilla called Kornman00 which unlocked all the grayed-out areas in the program. This new program allows for editing of terrain bitmaps, AI modifications, and many other previously impossible actions. He also created a user-friendly version of tool called Tool++ and an unlocked version of Sapien called a_hobo.
The largest breakthrough of tag availability was Steelix B's HEK+, which allows anyone to enter any map, CE or otherwise, and extract any tag they want. Along with a few others, Steelix recompiled the entire Halo PC game into its basic parts. CE mappers now are able to do nearly anything they want. This includes programmed AI in maps, user-flyable Pelicans and Longswords, and the easy ability to create campaign-multiplayer conversions. With all of these tools, the Custom Map Team re-created the campaign with modified skins, Halo 2 weapons, and new scripts. They are currently working on a sequel to the campaign mod, using Halo 3 aspects, and expanded universe ideas such as adding entirely new landscapes to levels, much smarter AI, and even Brutes.
Now, many advancements have been made within the program, the maps, and even the mappers themselves. Expert scripters such as Kornmann, Rec0, Bitterbannana, and Tiamat have made various scripts to help boost the interest in the maps.
