Halo 1 MCC Modding for Multiplayer Custom Games Guide

Halo 1 MCC added some new options in the Item Options menu after Custom Equipment for custom games that weren't present in Custom Edition.

New Item Options include:
Starting Weapon (I will go into more detail in a following section)
Secondary Weapon (I will go into more detail in a following section)
Starting Grenades (On/Off)
Grenades on Map (On/Off)
Overshields (On/Off)
Active Camouflage (On/Off)

In addition to the New Item Options, MCC Adds 3 New Weapon Sets: No Grenades (redundant), No Heavy Weapons, and No Weapons

Vehicle Options are different in MCC; there is no option to select a vehicle set. Custom Edition used to have an option to use a Default vehicle set, which would spawn all the Default vehicles on the map from the scenario file for the corresponding gametype. It let you spawn more than 4 vehicles per team (for example 6 Shade Turrets for Red team would all spawn for the gametype they were Default for), but since the removal of the Default vehicle set, the maximum vehicles per team than can spawn in MCC are 4.

Located in tags/globals; this is the most important file for making Multiplayer maps work with Custom Games Options, and will be constantly referenced.

I will be numbering items starting from index 0 since that is how they appear in Guerilla. The order you add your weapons and vehicles are very important! I highly recommend also using Invader when you start modding, let me provide you a link:
https://github.com/SnowyMouse/invader?tab=readme-ov-file

Additionally used by the cheat_all_weapons command.

The first index in the weapons list. When a Party Leader selects "Assault Rifle" in the MCC menu as one of the starting weapons, this is the index used. This weapon index is also one of the random weapons used in Fiesta / when a Party Leader selects "Random" as a starting weapon. I won't go into further detail for what weapon sets it is used in as that is basic Custom Edition info.

Index used when the Party Leader selects "Flamethrower" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail for weapon set information since this is basic Custom Edition information that applies here.

Now this index is something different. The weapon in this index is not selectable by the Party Leader nor will a player spawn with this weapon from Fiesta / "Random" weapon selection. This weapon index seems to have the same weapon sets properties as indexes 16 & later; the weapon in this index will spawn on the map for every weapon set except Pistols, Rifles, Plasma Weapons, Sniping Weapons, Rocket Launchers, Shotguns, and No Weapons. A lot of modders in the Custom Edition days would either purposely never use this index keeping the stock gravity rifle tag, or put in a custom very low memory weapon tag and never place that tag on the map either. People haven't reported any issues using proper custom weapons in this index placed on the map for MCC.

This is an unusually odd weapon index. The Party Leader cannot select this weapon manually, however a player can spawn with this from the Fiesta / "Random" weapon selection. Available in the (obviously) Normal, Classic, No Sniping, Short Range, No Heavy Weapons, and No Grenades weapon sets. Not available in the Covenant weapon set nor any other weapon set. The weapon set properties seem like they would fit the cut Excavator weapon (assuming it was Forerunner). Notably, in the Covenant weapon set, it gets replaced by weapon index 15.
If you want to make a joke weapon exclusive for Fiesta, this is the perfect index.

Weapon index used when a Party Leader selects "Magnum." One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. Not going into further detail.

Weapon index used when the Party Leader selects "Plasma Pistol" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Weapon index used when the Party Leader selects "Plasma Rifle" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Weapon index used when the Party Leader selects "Rocket Launcher" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Weapon index used when the Party Leader selects "Shotgun" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Weapon index used when Party Leader selects "Sniper Rifle" in the MCC menu. One of the weapons a player can spawn with in Fiesta / Random weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Finally something different. Weapon indexes from here and later are not used by Fiesta / Random. This index is usually used for the ball.weapon tag from the Gametype "Oddball" in most built-in maps. Not part of nor affected by any weapon set. You can put a different weapon here and the ball.weapon tag will still be used in Oddball. You could use this for a unique Map Default weapon just make sure you don't use the item collection tag in your Netgame Equipment section of your "map_name.scenario" file otherwise it will always appear on the map during the "No Weapons" weapon set.

This index is usually used by the flag.weapon tag from the gametype "CTF" for built-in maps. Not part of nor affected by weapon sets. The globals.globals file already has a separate section (Multiplayer Information) where the actual "flag.weapon" tag is used; so you can use your own weapon at this index but keep in mind it will always be available even during the "No Weapons" weapon set. You could use this for a unique Map Default weapon just make sure you don't use the item collection tag in your Netgame Equipment section of your "map_name.scenario" file otherwise it will always appear on the map.

Technically considered Equipment. Affected by MCC's new Item Options for Grenades. Not available in the Convenant, Plasma, nor No Grenades weapon sets. Available in the "No Weapons" weapon set. Please only use this index for a grenade. Replaces weapon index 13 in the Human weapon set.

Technically considered Equipment. Affected by MCC's new Item Options for Grenades. Not available in the Human nor No Grenades weapon sets. Available in the "No Weapons" weapon set. Please only use this index for a grenade. Replaces weapon index 12 in the Covenant / Plasma weapon sets.

This is the weapon index normally used by the multiplayer Fuel Rod Gun. The Party Leader cannot select this weapon nor will a player spawn with it from Fiesta / "Random" weapon selection. I won't go into further detail.

Index used when the Party Leader selects "Needler" in the MCC menu. A player will NOT spawn with this from Fiesta / "Random" weapon selection. Don't need to go into further detail as basic Custom Edition information applies.

Just like index 2 (used by "gravity_rifle") all your added weapon indexes from here and later will spawn on the map for every weapon set except Pistols, Rifles, Plasma Weapons, Sniping Weapons, Rocket Launchers, Shotguns, and No Weapons.

After index 19 (/Weapon 20) you can't add anymore weapons to the weapon list, you can still add more via item collection tags in the scenario file, but keep in mind weapons that aren't on the globals.globals weapon list will always spawn on the map, ruining the "No Weapons" set for custom games.

Editted: This is only used for the cheat_all_powerups command (I was incorrect previously, sorry)

• 0. "mp_warthog" is the index affected by Warthogs in Vehicle Options
  
• 1. "ghost_mp" is the index affected by Ghosts in Vehicle Options
  
• 2. "scorpion_mp" is the index affected by Scorpions in Vehicle Options
  
• 3. "banshee_mp" is the index affected by Banshees in Vehicle Options
  
• 4. "c gun turret_mp" is the index affected by Turrets in Vehicle Options
  
• 5. "rwarthog" is the index affected by Rocket Warthogs in Vehicle Options

netgame_flag_race_vehicle from your .scenario file will use index 0, index 1, index 2, and index 5 regardless of whether they are in the .scenario file or not. netgame_flag_race_vehicle will not use any other indexes.


This concludes the globals.globals file info, next we will focus on the scenario file for your map.

Usually located in tags/levels, your .scenario file for your map determines what the Starting Weapon Map Default and Secondary Weapon Map Defaults are for Custom Games.

Uses item collection tags, which also reference weapon tags. The item collection tags in this section are used to place equipment (example: powerups), garbage, and weapons on the map. Quick note, item collection tags you place on the map containing weapons that aren't in the Weapon List of the globals.globals file mentioned earlier will always spawn on the map regardless of weapon set (similar to index 10 and 11 in the weapons list) which can be an annoyance for the "No Weapons" weapon set.

• item_collection 1: Becomes the Map Default Starting Weapon
  
• item_collection 2: Becomes the Map Default Secondary Weapon

The Starting Equipment section in your .scenario file is what determines what the Map Default weapon is in the Custom Games menu. You will need item collection tags for your weapons you want players to spawn with (it isn't hard to create new ones using guerilla, example: make the weight 100 and choose the weapon you want it to work for). You can choose different weapons / item collections for each Game Type! Just make sure you have all the game types covered.

Map Defaults are a way to let the Party Leader select weapons they normally can't for Custom Games. That's not all, but both the Map Default (item collection 1 & item collection 2) weapons from your starting equipment section in the scenario file will becomes one of the random weapons in the Fiesta Gametype / Random weapon selection. This way players can spawn with the Fuel Rod Gun or whatever custom weapon you have in the Gravity Rifle index by using the correct item collections!

Something to note with Random though; when the Starting Weapon is set to Random it will not include the Map Default Secondary weapon, and when the Secondary Weapon is Random it will not include the Map Default Primary Weapon.

An item collection / Map Default can consist of different weapons (for an example, see the Aerial map) so you can create your own version of Random/Fiesta too!