i will test the legacy in coop then, thank you for your answers i appreciate !

The legacy version just could not duplicate AI on those maps you mentioned using traditional methods; so it had vanilla AI count.

New version required editing AI count using native map tools which required recompiling maps. 343 disables anniversary graphics on compiled maps; which I avoided on purpose as much as possible.

I've tested this mod on a wide array of hardware. There are no crashing issues with a non-corrupted download of the game + mod and updated drivers.

what is the difference between legacy and the new one actually ? i saw some people have some crash issue

@MoiCestTOM - You technically can if you download the Halo 2 XL Legacy version on NexusMods. It will even have vanilla AI count on those specific maps.

oh its sad some level cant be played in the remastered version

@MoiCestTOM - No, this takes a long time to make. Find a friend to play it coop or lower difficulty.

can you do ai x2 please ? x4 is way too much

@orangastand - Not a script fortunately. It is a character health tag iirc.

How'd you give Tartarus more health? Is it in the scenario script?

@Senti - Launch the game with anti cheat off and select Halo 2 campaign - > Halo 2 XL

pq ca fonctionne pas ? une fois le mode installer jai un truc a faire en jeu ?

@MrPinkAdventures - I am not talking about your opinions, but rather you not finding what you are wanting.

I did not want to make it at first, but we couldn't find anything that fit what we wanted after a few years....

Halo XL series was made for old Halo buddies where we wanted to fight far more AI while also having them behave more intelligently without needing to play with Mythic and other skulls. Preserving the story, level layout, spawns, and weapon feel was essential.

You should expand/detail your complaints:

"I just think the way in which these engagements are usually tackled is done poorly. People merely increase the numbers and that's it with no real thought to location, immersion etc."

What is immersion to you? That can mean different things to people playing a video game.

I highly encourage anyone to make a Halo mod in this situation!

@Shadowed - Wrong! I am allowed to have opinions as we so politely addressed.
I think people like you are onto something providing larger engagements I just think the way in which these engagements are usually tackled is done poorly. People merely increase the numbers and that's it with no real thought to location, immersion etc.

H2 With Sprinkles had something special but the modder ruined what was already good by reducing our numbers increasing their numbers and for some odd reason increasing the enemies health values to ridiculous heights. Even on the lowest settings grunts were face tanking a scorpion round to the face.

@MrPinkAdventures - Yeah the trick on legendary with skulls on is to spend thirty minutes building a fortress of crates and boxes before you open the door, then battle them in your castle and take them out one by one, after a couple hours of siege you may be able to win.

@MrPinkAdventures - Sounds like you might have to make your own mod if you aren't able to find what your are looking for! :P

@shadowed - Everyone does have their own opinions and we can reasonably agree to disagree, I came to this mod hoping it would be better than the disaster that is Halo 2 with Sprinkles <-- because that mod is nowhere near as good as the praise that it receives.

@MrPinkAdventures - If I had my way there would be even more AI; but the game engine has its limits.

This was made for coop where we wanted to replay the campaigns but fight lots of AI and make them able to shoot far away. It's ok that it isn't for everyone - Thanks for feedback!

Having high unit spawns is cool but here it just seems lazy, like a ridiculous amount of enemies coming through certain areas for no reason other then because is the reason. It actually eliminates immersion rather then building it.

@Clumsy - Those four missions are using a different AI spawning mechanism than the other missions requiring a recompile. Recompiling a Halo 2 mission permanently disables Anniversary graphics. 343 never followed up on this issue for some bizarre reason.

In the files section on the NexusMods page you can download the older version which does have anniversary graphics; but AI spawn rates are vanilla. Not a trouble, it is a needlessly complex issue that 343 really should have addressed years ago.

It's weird because I am using the Nexus download, and all the other missions are working except for the four ones you seemed to have difficulty with (Arbiter-Regret), but I see from the screenshots it should work. Sorry to trouble you, I'll see copying the steam files works.

@Clumsy - Yes or copy the maps files from:

Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\976730\3136611124\Maps

to:

\Steam\steamapps\common\Halo The Master Chief Collection\halo2\h2_maps_win64_dx11

The NexusMods version and this version are functionally identical but 343 do not allow anniversary graphics for the Steam Workshop for some strange reason.

Are the anniversary graphics supposed to work on the missions with the Nexus download?

@StuffzCrimson - glad you got it working! It is so annoying 343 still doesn’t allow modders to access to the new graphics in an easy way.

@shadowed Oh ok, I did not realize I also needed to launch the built-in playlist. Makes sense. I kept going to the mod playlist thinking it would go to the new graphics. Thanks!

The download on the NexusMods page is in the files section.

@StuffzCrimson - Once you overwrite the vanilla maps, launch the game with anti-cheat off, and choose the built-in campaign.

Hi I followed the directions to copy the maps and overwrite the original ones but they didnt change the graphics to the new ones. I went to nexus website but theres no file that I see to use or new instructions. Any help?

@EnviousEnby - First time my buddy and I tried it we gave up around halfway mark since it was getting so late at night. I wish you two good luck!

@shadowed Only the boom skull! We're gonna retry it later and save our grenades for that room lol

@EnviousEnby - Any skulls? I played that mission on coop with a buddy and we struggled on legendary. Glad you had a rough time, legendary on the XL mod is for masochists.

Oh god the final part of Cairo Station is pretty much impossible on Legendary. Constant screen shake from the MAC cannon, so many bullets flying through the air that your own bullets and grenades sometimes despawn,and all those elites duel-wielding...

I love it, but even a 2 hours in on this section ALONE, still haven't beat it lol

There were indeed quite a few Elites guarding the bomb.

@TubaDawg - Thanks! The difficulty makes it easier to tell which squad tag it is. I think I can find that one.

@shadowed - It could be on any difficulty, but I play on Normal for now, about 8 - 10 marines spawn from the pelican.

@TubaDawg - Sounds like I need to lower the amount of friendly marines on that section. What difficulty were on?

I encounter a bug while playing "Delta Halo" Mission. After letting the bridge down, armory will drop by with a tank and alot of soldiers. Somehow those soldiers can despawn the tank by overweight it. To NOT let this happen, simply get in the tank and back it up before they can jump onto it.

@Pvt. Parts - Because 343 has yet to release new graphics support for custom compiled maps. If you want to enable new graphics we have to copy custom maps to the maps folder; overwriting the originals. - Back up the originals!

Copy the maps from:
Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\976730\3136611124\Maps
To:
Steam\steamapps\common\Halo The Master Chief Collection\halo2\h2_maps_win64_dx11

Or just download the nexusmods version.

why cant i switch halo 2s graphics to the remastered

@XAV - Thanks for the comment! I vastly prefer the 8 Hunters in coop gameplay. This is designed to be a punishing campaign for Halo veterans to suffer together with; so everything is scaled up beyond realism to the engine's limits.

When fighting 2 hunters in coop, it is far too easy to isolate one and pick it off. With 8 you need to coordinate significantly more.

Hoards of grunts are a plus all-around, but some of these changes don't necessarily make lore sense to my knowledge. Like the hunters, super heavy special force units that they are, being typically deployed in pairs. A horde of them being deployed in outskirts when the story specifies the covenant fleet's limited resources is distractingly inaccurate to me. You could perhaps compensate by making them spongier rather than more numerous? I'd personally like to see the emphasis placed more on cannon fodder, rather than higher ranks whose presence is not designed to scale up in such a way.

nvm i foudn out why

cant switch to halo2a grafs

i like how much this feels like an actual war. Shooting down hoards of grunts with the DMR feels amazing.

@PapaJohn Game version has not been updated and it works on my end.

How are you trying to play a saved game? The steam version of this mod will not support loading saved checkpoints for now, so I'm curious how you are able to get that to work!

this is crashing now when I load and play a saved game...takes less than 10 seconds to crash... only started today

Oh right, I only tested that mission with anniversary graphics so that might have an effect.

There isn't that much AI in the final room of Cairo which is quite strange. Lowered it by just 4 AI so it might not be enough.

@Test Tube - Strange, I played that a few times on coop without that issue. I’m guessing just removing 2-4 AI in that battle will fix that.

I remember getting that too, at the bomb fight in Cairo station on Heroic. It got so bad even bullets weren't spawning correctly.

@jason_leger481 - Glad to hear! What mission did you encounter that? I can reduce AI count at that section if it is problematic.

great mod as always love playing with more ai to fight, i found there a bit of grenade bug where sometimes when there alot of ai on screen the grenade despawns when throwing it and there no explosion or nothing, i assume its prevent lag and crashes, Id just want to let you know