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Halo 2 for Windows Vista
Running a Dedicated Server

and Creating Playlists
March 2007
2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, Halo, Windows, Windows Vista, and Xbox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Running a Dedicated Server

You can run a game of Halo 2 for Windows Vista for you and your friends in two ways. One
way is peer hosting, where you also play in the game too. In this case, you create a game
spontaneously in the game user interface (UI) and invite your friends to join you.
The second way is to set up a computer with the Halo 2 Dedicated Server application. In this
case, you dont play on this computer, and the computer runs certain games off of a playlist.
Dedicated servers can run either as a log-on state or as a Windows service. As a Windows
service, a dedicated server can keep running even if you log off of the computer. If you keep your
computer connected to the Internet and logged into Games for Windows LIVE , a dedicated
server can run on your computer 24-7.
You can host a server game that supports up to 16 players at once, on LIVE or on the local
network. Players running Halo 2 for Xbox cannot connect to or play in Halo 2 for Windows Vista
server games.
Note: Halo 2 Dedicated Server is not supported by Microsoft support services. For information
about and help with Halo 2 Dedicated Server, see www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/.
Server as Host
With Halo 2 Dedicated Server, the server acts as the host of the game. No one plays on the same
computer as the server, so there is no host advantage and everyone gets the same
performance from the host computer. Some players may still have better connectivity than others,
so a perfectly level playing field is not guaranteed.
You can run server software on computers in racks in colo (collocation centers) or server farms.
Doing this can help with better network access and performance speeds.
Playlist Functionality
In a peer-hosted game run by a player, one of the players acts as the leader and chooses
settings, maps, and game types before each game. In a game run by Halo 2 Dedicated Server,
these choices are preloaded in a playlist, then run in a loop over and over (or shuffled). The
playlist can be small or large, with a maximum of 100 matches.
For more on customizing your own playlist, see "Making a Playlist."
System Requirements
Your server can run as a local area network (LAN) server or a LIVE server.
If you want to run a LAN server, you need:
1.7 gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor. For more information, see
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/capable.mspx.
1 gigabyte (GB) of system memory.
40 GB of hard drive capacity, with 15 GB free space.
Network card.
Either Windows Vista or Windows 2003 Server.
If you want to run a LIVE server, you also need:

A broadband Internet connection. If you are using a home router, make sure it is
compatible with the LIVE service. For more information, see http://www.xbox.com/enUS/support/connecttolive/xbox360/homenetworking/equipment.htm.
A Silver or Gold Games for Windows LIVE account.
A Halo 2 for Windows Vista product key. You can use the same product key that you use
to play the game.
Getting a Silver Games for Windows LIVE Account

To run the Halo 2 Dedicated Server, you must have, at the minimum, a Silver Games for Windows
LIVE account. You can also use a Gold Games for Windows LIVE account. To sign up for
Games for Windows LIVE, go to www.xboxlive.com. The gamertag you choose appears as the
servers displayed name in the Game Browser screen for LIVE games. If you run a dedicated
server over a network, your server name initially is your computer name (until you change it).
Installing Halo 2 Dedicated Server

To install Halo 2 Dedicated Server, place the game disc in your computer and click Install
Dedicated Server on the initial install menu. Doing this installs the dedicated server and all the
default maps. If you have custom maps, copy those over.
To log on to the server, you can either log on remotely using Remote Desktop or work directly at
the server console.
Running a Dedicated Server Manually

If you want to manually start a server:
1. Open a Command Prompt window.
2. In the Command Prompt window, change your working directory to the location where you
installed the server program files, for example:
cd \Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2 for Windows Vista Server
3. Start the server by running one of the following commands:
h2server live
or
h2server -lan
To run a LIVE server, a couple of additional instructions apply. The first time you start a LIVE
server, you also need to set your product key, as shown:
h2server$ live key 12345-12345-12345-12345-12345
To sign in to LIVE, use the following command:
h2server$ live autosignin user@domain
where user@domain is your Windows Live account.
Your server continues running until you run the exit command or log off. For more on the exit
command, see "H2Server Commands," following.
For more on customizing your servers playlist, see "Making a Playlist."
Halo 2 for Windows Vista: Running a Dedicated Server and Creating Playlists
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Setting Up Your Server to Run Automatically

To run the server automatically, you set up the server as a Windows service. Then, when you log
off of Windows, the server continues running. It is recommended that you create a Windows Vista
user account to associate the game service with.
To set up your server to start automatically:
1. Open a Command Prompt window. (On Windows Vista, you need to open a window for an
elevated command prompt by using the Run As Administrator option.)
2. In the Command Prompt window, change your working directory to the location where you
installed the server program files, for example:
cd \Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo 2 for Windows Vista Server
3. Create a Windows service to run your server by running one of the following commands:
h2server -createservice -live
or
h2server -createservice -lan
4. Log out of Windows and then log back on for the changes to take effect.
5. Connect to your new service by opening the server console with the following command:
h2admin -live
or
h2admin -lan
To set up a LIVE server, a couple of additional instructions apply:
Set your new services product key:
h2server$ live key 12345-12345-12345-12345-12345
Configure your service to sign in to LIVE automatically:
h2server$ live autosignin user@domain
The LIVE server runs 24-7 and automatically restarts if the computer it runs on is rebooted. You
only need to log in to your LIVE server if you want to open the server administration console and
make changes. The server loads and uses the Example.hpl playlist by default.
For more on customizing your servers playlist, see "Making a Playlist."
If you no longer want your server to automatically start, delete your server service. For
instructions, see "H2Server Command-Line Options."
Starting and Stopping a Server Configured to Run Automatically

To start and stop a server configured to run automatically as a Windows service, you use the
Windows Services Manager.
To do so, first open the Windows Services Manager. Note that this process is different when
running Vista than when running Windows 2003.
In the window displayed, find the service called Halo 2 Server. Use the Windows Services
Manager commands to start or stop the service. If you right-click the Halo 2 Server service and
choose Properties, you can change the service to start manually, or disable it completely.
Swapping the Playlist

To change a dedicated server's playlist while the server is running:
1. Create a new playlist. The new playlist can have content copied from the old one and then
modified.
2. Give the new playlist a new file name with the .hpl suffix.
3. In the h2server command line, type
Play location and name of new list
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where location and name of new list is the path to the new list. Paths that contain spaces can
be specified with quotation marks, for example:
cd \Playlists\Halo 2 for Windows Vista Server\everymap.hpl
The server switches to the new playlist as soon as the current match concludes.
H2Server Command-Line Options

H2Server is the Halo 2 Dedicated Server application used to manually run a game server, or to
create or delete a Windows service that runs the game server automatically. If you do not specify
a Windows Vista user account to associate with that service, the H2server application creates
one for you. Its command-line options are as follows:
H2server -createservice -live
Installs the server in LIVE mode. Example:
H2server$ -createservice -live
H2server -createservice -lan
Installs the server in LAN mode. Example:
H2server$ -createservice
H2server -deleteservice -live
Uninstalls the current LIVE server. Example:
H2server$ -deleteservice -live
H2server -deleteservice -lan
Uninstalls the current LAN server. Example:
H2server$ -deleteservice -lan
H2server -live
Runs the server as a console application in LIVE mode.
H2server -lan
Runs the server as a console application in LAN mode.
H2Admin Command-Line Options

H2Admin is the administration console for Halo 2 Dedicated Server, when Dedicated Server runs
as a Windows Vista service. You use this console to run server commands when you started a
Halo 2 Server service. It has two options, indicating a LIVE server and a LAN (network) server, as
follows:
H2admin -live
H2admin -lan
H2Server Commands
The following lists and describes commands you can give the server. Note in the following
examples that H2Server$ is the prompt you see on the command line while the server is running,
instead of C:\.
Ban
The ban command displays or adds temporary or permanent bans for players (referred to as
gamers) on LIVE dedicated servers. For non-LIVE (that is, LAN) games, it bans specific
computers specified by IP address, subnet, or network interface card (NIC) .
ban display gamer
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Displays the list of banned gamertags for this dedicated server.

ban gamer gamertag duration
Bans the specified gamertag. The duration time setting is optional. If you dont set the duration of
the ban, the default ban is permanent (from this dedicated server). For syntax on duration, see
following.
ban display ip
Displays the list in effect of bans of IP addresses and Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR)
subnets.
ban ip (ip-address |cidr-subnet-mask) duration
Bans an IP address (in the format xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) or subnet (in the format xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/xx).
The time span indicated by duration is optional; the default is a permanent ban from this
dedicated server.
ban display nic
Displays the list of NIC bans in effect.
ban nic Ethernet-address duration
Bans a NIC by Ethernet address (in the format xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx). The time span indicated by
duration is optional; the default is a permanent ban from this dedicated server.
Setting duration for ban is optional; a duration setting can be used to specify temporary bans. You
can specify a duration in any combination of seconds, minutes, hours, or days.
Examples:
30s is 30 seconds.
45m is 45 minutes.
12h is 12 hours.
30d is 30 days.
3m 30s is 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
2d 8h is 2 days and 8 hours.
Description
The description command sets or displays the description for the session. This command only
works in LIVE (not on a network). You can use quotes to enclose phrases that include spaces.
These session descriptions appear in the LIVE Game Browsers detail dialog box. Each
description is limited to 31 characters long.
Example:
H2server$ description Mayhem and chaos
This command line sets the description to Mayhem and chaos. To see the current description,
type at a command prompt:
H2server$ description
Mayhem and chaos
Exit
If you are running the server manually through H2server.exe, the exit command terminates the
game and immediately disconnects everyone.
If you are connected to the server using H2admin.exe, exit closes the administration console.
The server continues to run, and gameplay is uninterrupted. If you want to stop the server and
disconnect the players, you need to stop the Halo 2 Server service as described previously.
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Kick
Kick player-name
The kick command ejects the specified player from the game. Replace player-name with the
gamertag of the player you want to kick off of that server.
Example:
Suppose the status of a game is as shown:
H2server$ Status
Network mode: Live
Current state: online - pregame lobby
Sign-in: happy@domain.com
Name: HappyServer
Description: Running small maps
Playlist: C:/server playlists/smallmap.hpl
Playing Slayer on Beaver Creek.
Next: Team Slayer on Elongation.
Players:
RabidDog
Hyena
JackRabbit
H2server$ kick RabidDog
This command ejects the player RabidDog from the game.
Help
The help command gives you more information about the list of commands or a particular
command. Type help command where command is the item you want more information about.
Live
The live command sets the server's product key, Games for Windows LIVE identifier (ID), and
password. The live command also lets you sign your server out of LIVE and get server status.
Live autosignin live-id
Securely saves a LIVE ID (indicated by live-id) and password for automatic sign-in with the
servers configured LIVE ID.
Example:
H2server$ live autosignin happy@domain.com
live key xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Sets your servers product key to the key specified by xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx.
live signin live-id
Tells the server to sign in to LIVE manually, using the provided account.
live signout
Signs the server to out of LIVE.
Name
The name command only works with non-LIVE (that is, LAN) games. The default network name
is the computers name, displayed in the Network Browser. For LIVE server games, the gamertag
of the account is displayed in the LIVE Game Browser.
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name
Displays the servers current game name.
name name
Sets the servers current game name to name.
A name used with the name command is limited to 20 characters long. Any names longer than
one word (that is, with internal spaces) must be inside quotation marks.
Examples:
To check the current name:
H2server$ name
In this case, the command returns:
Large Map Server
The game is currently called Large Map Server.
To change the name to something else:
H2server$ name Squash Make Flat
The game is now called Squash Make Flat.
Play
The play command loads a new playlist onto the server while the server is still running. You can
modify your current playlist, save it, then use this command to update the server without a restart.
Any names longer than one word (that is, with internal spaces) must be inside quotation marks.
play playlist-filename
Plays the playlist specified as playlist-filename.
Examples:
H2server$ play default.hpl
H2server$ play every slayer variant.hpl
Players
The players command displays or sets the maximum number of players allowed on the server (or
server instance) at one time. For example, if youre running small maps and want to restrict total
people per map to 6, you can use the players command to set players in all matches on the
server to 6. The maximum number of players possible is 16.
H2server$ players
16
Returns the number of players allowed at once on the server. (Sixteen is the default.)
players number
Sets the number of players on the server to the specified maximum.
Example:
H2server$ players 6
Set players to a maximum of 6 on the server.
Playing
The playing command displays information about the current playlist. If there are any errors in
the playlist matches or custom variants, this command shows you those and lists the line
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numbers that the errors occurred on. You can check those line numbers in Microsoft Wordpad
to do so, turn off the word wrap option, click Status Bar on the View menu, and check the
number of the line at the bottom, in the status bar. A playlist can run with errors in matches and in
the variants. In this case, the matches or custom variants that contain errors are skipped.
Example:
H2server$ playing
Playlist: C:\MyHaloPlaylists\LivePlaylists\wildwest.hpl
Privacy
The privacy command displays or sets the privacy settings for the server. You can allow anyone
to join with open, restrict your games to LIVE Gold members only with gold, or restrict people to
a list of specific gamertags with vip. For more information on setting a VIP list, see the entry on
vip, following.
Example:
H2server$ privacy gold
This example sets the privacy level to LIVE Gold members only.
Sendmsg
The sendmsg command broadcasts a message to all the players active on the server through
text chat in either the lobby or the game. This command is very useful if you need to do server
maintenance.
sendmsg message
Sends the specified message.
Example:
H2server$ sendmsg Server will be going down in about 30 minutes.
Skip
The skip command ends the current game in the playlist and moves the players to the next game
in the playlist, or to the next random game if the playlist is shuffled.
Example:
H2server$ skip
This command skips the game ahead and stop the current game immediately.
Statsfolder
The statsfolder command displays or sets the location of the folder to which the server outputs
game statistics. This command, if a folder is set, enables the ability to record statistics from the
server games. If a folder path is supplied, this command sets the stats folder path. Paths that
contain spaces can be specified with quotation marks. Put in an empty string () to disable
exporting stats.
Stats are sent in XML format and can be used to set up your own ranked or leaderboard games,
to be displayed on a Web site.
Examples:
H2server$ statsfolder c:\myfolder
H2server$ statsfolder c:\my documents\my Halo 2 for Windows Vista games\my server
stats
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Status
The status command displays status information about the servers connection, state, and sign-in
gamertag, as well as who is connected to the server, what game they are currently playing, how
much time is left in the game, what game is next, and whether the network is a LIVE network.
Players are listed by gamertag, which you can use for the kick command. If time is listed, the
format is hours: minutes: seconds. The network status includes details of LIVE or network, your
current signed-in status, and your current LIVE ID credentials used to sign in.
Examples:
H2server$ status
Network mode: Live
Current state: online - pregame lobby
Sign-in: happy@domain.com
Name: HappyServer
Description: Running small maps
Playlist: C:/server playlists/smallmap.hpl
Playing Slayer on Beaver Creek.
Next: Team Slayer on Elongation.
Players:
RabidDog
Hyena
JackRabbit
Unban
The unban command removes a ban from a computer or a gamer (a player).
unban gamer gamertag
Specifies by gamertag a LIVE gamer to unban. This command is only valid with LIVE games.
unban ip <ip-address:cidr-subnet-mask>
Specifies an IP address (in the format xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) or CIDR subnet mask (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/xx)
to unban. This command is only valid for non-LIVE (that is, LAN) games.
unban nic <Ethernet-address>
Specifies a NIC (xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx) to unban. This command is only valid for non-LIVE (that is,
LAN) games.
unban all gamer
Removes all LIVE gamer bans.
unban all IP
Removes all IP address and CIDR subnet bans.
unban all NIC
Removes all NIC bans.
VIP
The vip command displays and edits the VIP gamer list. VIP gamers are the specific people you
allow to play on your server, listed by gamertag. The vip command works for LIVE games and
LIVE game servers only.
vip display
Displays the list of VIP gamertags.
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vip add gamertag

Adds the specified gamertag to the VIP list.
vip remove gamertag
Removes the specified gamertag from the VIP list.
vip clear
Clears the VIP gamer list.
Making a Playlist
A playlist is a collection of matches to be played in order, or randomly, by a remote server, instead
of hosted by a human. The playlist can also contain a game (known as match) that has special
rules set up ahead of time, known as a custom game variant.
In Halo 2 for Windows Vista, you can design your own playlist of games and custom variants to
play games in sequence on the dedicated server.
Creating a Playlist File

You can run a playlist on the dedicated server by creating a properly formatted playlist file with the
suffix .hpl. An Example.hpl file is included with the game.
Naming and Formatting the Playlist File

A playlist file can be named any name you like, as long as it ends in .hpl. Any plain text editor
can be used. If you want to use variant names or map names that contain non-ASCII characters,
you need to use a text editor that supports saving plain text with UTF-8 or UTF-16 encoding.
For each setting, the name and value need to be on the same linefor example, shuffle=On.
Extra tabs and spaces in that line are finefor example, shuffle = On. You cant break headings
across multiple lines either.
This format works:
Base Variant = Team Crazy King
However, these do not:
Base Variant=
Team Crazy King
Base Variant
= Team Crazy King
Variant = Team Crazy King
Some of the settings in the playlist file use yes or no, 0 or 1, On or Off, or true or false to
determine if the feature is turned on or off. You can format these in a variety of ways. For yes or
no and true or false, only the first letter matters.
The following examples all work to turn on a setting:
Shuffle=T
Shuffle = tRuE
Shuffle = yes
Shuffle=YEAH ALL RIGHT
Shuffle = Y
Shuffle=1
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Shuffle = On
The following examples all work to turn off a setting:
Shuffle=N
Shuffle=No way
Shuffle=Nope!
Shuffle=0
Shuffle=False
Shuffle=F
Shuffle = Off
Placing the File

You can put the playlist files wherever you want. You can also have more than one playlist file.
The server points to a single playlist file. When you start the server, that file is loaded and played.
If you want to run a different playlist, you need to manually run the play command to change the
servers playlist. When you run that command, you pass in the name of the playlist file and the
path to the playlist file. The server switches playlists after the conclusion of the current game.
Hint: Use double quotes () around the playlist path if it contains spaces.
Optional Section in the File: Playlist

A playlist must contain a [playlist] section.
In the [playlist] section, you define the nature of the playlist to the server. This section may
appear once at the top of a playlist file. These are the options you can put in this section:
[playlist]
;The Sample Playlist
Shuffle=On
Pregame Team Selection Delay=30
Pregame Delay=10
Postgame Delay=14
Heres the breakdown on those options:
[playlist]
Defines the playlist section.
;The Sample Playlist (optional)
Gives a name to the playlist in a comment. The user interface (UI) does not display the comment;
the comment helps keep track of which file you are working in. You can make comments
anywhere in the file by preceding them with a semicolon.
Shuffle = On (optional)
Randomizes the lists of matches so that they dont play in order.
Pregame Team Selection Delay (optional)
Sets the delay, in seconds, that you want the lobby to pause between games if players need to
pick their teams or change teams. This option is used only when teams are present. The
maximum delay is 10 minutes.
Pregame Delay (optional)
Sets the delay, in seconds, that you want the lobby to wait between games in the playlist on the
server. This period is everyones opportunity to send text or voice chat, or decide if they want the
server admin to change the playlist to different maps or variants.
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Postgame Delay (optional)

Sets the delay, in seconds, that the postgame Carnage Report is shown to the players. They
check their kills, medals, assists, and other information at this time.
As described preceding, there are three timers that delay the start of a game for the dedicated
server. They go in this order:
Pregame Team Selection Delay (silent timer)the amount of time people have to change teams
(if there are teams), view the map, chat, and read the game rules before a game. People can join
or leave the Pregame Lobby during this silent countdown. The default is 10 seconds. The
maximum is 10 minutes.
Pregame Delay (audible and visible timer)the amount of time the server waits in the game
lobby for people to view the map, chat, and read the game rules before a match. The default is 10
seconds. The maximum is 10 minutes.
Postgame Delay (silent timer)the amount of time people have to spend viewing the postgame
Carnage Report, before switching to the next Pregame Lobby. The default is 30 seconds.
Required Sections in the File: Match

Every playlist must have at least one match section. This section can be repeated to create a
long list of possible games to play. A list can have a maximum of 100 matches. The shuffle option
plays these matches in random order. If anything is wrong with a particular match, the server
skips it.
The minimal required format looks like this:
[match]
variant=Team Crazy King
map=Sanctuary
All the options in the match look like this:
[match]
variant=Team Crazy King
map=Gemini
weight=700
minimum players=2
maximum players=16
In these examples:
[match]
Defines the match listing
variant
Names the base variant or custom variant that you want to play in this match.
There are several ways to state what match you want in your playlist (or to build upon in your
custom variant). The name used with variant matches the game shell (UI) spelling of the variant
exactly. (For a listing of all variants and their descriptions, see the end of this document.) You can
use custom variants; how to define those in the dedicated server playlist is explained in a later
section of this document. If you misspell a variant name, that match is skipped in the playlist.
map
Sets the map for this particular game. You can use a Bungie-created map or a custom map, as
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long as all the players have a copy of the map or are willing to get a copy of the map. If you have
a Games for Windows LIVE Gold account, you can get the map downloaded to your client from
the server while you wait in the Pregame Lobby.
If you misspell a map or variant, that entry wont work and is skipped. Also remove any extra
spaces added between the option words.
weight
Helps you set the probability higher or lower whether this match appears in the servers rotation.
The weight value only matters if you set playlist shuffle to yes. The weight can be a number from
1 to 1000. Matches with a higher weight are chosen more often than matches with a lower weight.
For more information, see the "Setting Match Weight" section following.
minimum players
Sets the minimum number of players required for the match to be played. If you require 2, as in
the preceding example, and only one person is on the server, this entire match is skipped rather
than played. If no match that fits the minimum and maximum settings specified can be found, this
match is played with the available players regardless of the minimum and maximum settings for
it.
maximum players
Sets the total number of players allowed in a match at once. The game has a maximum of 16, so
this value must be 16 or less. This option is very useful if youve designed a small map with 2 x 2
teams, for example. If no match that fits the minimum and maximum settings specified can be
found, this match is played with the available players regardless of the minimum and maximum
settings for it.
Creating Custom Variants in the Playlist File

The playlist file can also support custom variants that you define in the playlist file itself. Because
the variants are defined on the servers list, everyone on the server automatically has access to
them (no downloading needed).
You can define up to 100 custom variants per playlist. Custom variants are optional and do not
have to be included in the playlist file.
Note: Custom variants must be listed before matches in a playlist file.
Defining Your Variant

To create a variant, first you need to define it. You can use a game variant as a base and modify
it, similar to creating a new game variant in the game shell. Or you can create a variant from
scratch. The tables at the end of this document list options for a custom variant.
Note: You must list either a Base Variant or a Game Type for each custom variant for it to work.
The format looks like this example:
[Custom Variant]
Name=Snipers Special
Base Variant=Snipers
Active Camo = On
Weapons on Map = random
Force Even Teams = On
In this example:
[Custom Variant]
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Provides the section header for a variant. You can have up to 100 custom variants in one playlist.
Name
Names your variant. This name appears on the Game Details page in the Game Browser, in the
Game Browser variant column, and also in the Pregame Lobby while everyone is waiting for the
game to start. Maximum name length is 16 characters (including spaces).
Base Variant
Provides a base for a custom variant. There are two ways to start building your custom variant.
You can start with a base variant, which is any of the subtypes or variations of the basic game
types. For example, Slayer is a basic game type and Team Slayer would be the base variant. Any
additional options you add supersede any base variant rules. This process is similar to creating a
new game variant in the game UI by choosing one of the existing variants and then changing
settings.
Game Type
Provides a game type to create a custom variant from. Instead of using a base variant, you can
start from scratch using one of the seven major types of games: Slayer, CTF, Assault, Territories,
and so on. Doing this is similar to creating a new game variant in the game UI by choosing a
game type, selecting the Create New command, and then changing settings.
Active Camo
Makes all the players invisible with active camo all the time. This is an example of one of the
game options you can set in the game.
Weapons on Map
Sets the weapons used in games on this map. In this case, this option is set to place random
weapons on the map. Weapons can also be inherited from the base variant. For other options,
see the tables following.
Force Even Teams
Sets whether you want the server to force the teams to be even for a match. This option for the
variant uses Y/N.
Changing Playlists and Match Weight

Changing Playlists
You can change the playlist on the server by running the play command at any time. Doing this
switches the playlist at the conclusion of the current game without booting the players.
If you modify your current playlist (say, in Notepad) while that playlist is being used, you can save
the changed Playlist.hpl file with the same name. Then, at the command line for the server, type
play name playlist-name (where playlist-name is the list name). When the current game finishes,
the server reloads the playlist.
Setting Match Weight

In a random or shuffled playlist, you can set a match weight to help certain games be played
more often. This weighting is done by distributing points to each of the matches to affect the
probability that a particular match will show up more often in a shuffled playlist.
To do this, first you must first set your playlist to Shuffle = yes.
Second, you need to assign a match weight to each match in your list. Possible weight values are
between 1 and 1000. Entries without a weight get a default weight of 100.
Page 14
For example:
Match A
Match B
Match C
700
100
200
This example picks A the most often, followed by C and occasional doses of B. Even though A
has a much higher probability of being picked, the server tries to avoid playing the same match
back to back. A probable match pattern is something like: A C A C A B A C B A
The following example is a bad example:
Match A
100
Match B
100
Match C
100
All these games, A, B, and C, would come up equally in a shuffle. In this case, dont use match
weight. Just shuffle the playlist.
To play matches in order, turn off shuffle and order them in your playlist the way you want them to
be played. The syntax here is something like:
[match]
Base_variant=Team Crazy King
map=Sanctuary
weight=700
[match]
Base_variant=Team Crazy King
map=Gemini
weight=100
[match]
Base_variant=Rockets
map=Gemini
weight=200
Custom Variant Reference: Universal Game Options

The following settings are used for all game types unless otherwise noted. Options specific to a
game type are listed later in the document in game-specific sections (such as "Slayer Options").
Name
Refers to the variant from a match section.
Base Variant
Sets the base variant. This option can be used instead of game type. For more information, see
the table of base variants at the end of this document.
Game Type
Sets the game type. Following is a list of game types by name.
Game
Slayer
King of the Hill
What it does
Kill as many of your opponents as you can. The player with
the most points wins.
Gain control of the hill to earn time. Keep your opponents off
and earn the most time to win.
Page 15
Oddball
Find the ball and hold on to it to earn time. The player with the
most time wins.
Work together to take down the Juggernaut. Beware, you kill
the Juggernaut, you become the Juggernaut, and only the
Juggernaut can win.
Capture the Flag: Invade your opponents stronghold, heist
their flag, and bring it back to your base to score.
Carry your bomb into the enemy base and arm it. Once
armed, drop it on the enemy bomb post to score.
Find and control territories on the map. The more territories
you control, the faster you earn time.
Juggernaut
Capture the Flag
Assault
Territories
Example:
Game Type = Slayer
Note that King of the Hill can also be King and KoTH, and Capture the Flag can also be CTF.
Example:
Game Type = KoTH
Match Options
Option
Number of Rounds
Value
1 Round, 2 Rounds, 4
Rounds, 6 Rounds, First to
2, First to 3, First to 4
Score to Win Round
Rounds Reset Map
See specifics in each game

type section below.
None, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3
minutes, 4 minutes, 5
minutes, 1 hour
On/Off
Resolve Ties
On/Off
Round Time Limit
What it does
A game can end after a single round,
after a fixed number of rounds, or only
after someone wins a number of
rounds.
A round can be set to end after a set

amount of time has elapsed. Use this
to prevent games from lasting too
long.
A new round can either keep the map

in its destroyed state from the
previous round or reset it to its
original pristine state.
When resolve ties is off a game can
end in a tie. When it is on a winner
will be chosen based on secondary
winning conditions.
Example:
Round Time Limit = 45 Minutes
Player Settings
Option
Max Active
Players
Value
2-16
What it does
This setting controls how many
players are active in the game at
once. In non-team games this is total
players, in team games, players per
Page 16
Lives Per
Round
1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 99; unlimited
Respawn Time
3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10
seconds, 15 seconds, 20
seconds, 30 seconds
None, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15
seconds
Suicide Penalty
Shield Type
Normal Shields, No Shields,

Overshields
Motion Sensor
Off/On
Active Camo
Off/On
Extra Damage
On/Off
Damage
Resistance
On/Off
team. All other players must wait their

turn as active players.
The Lives Per Round setting
determines how many chances youll
have in the game. Once youre out of
lives you no longer respawn.
Respawn Time controls the amount
of time that a dead player must wait
before getting another chance at life.
When you kill yourself you will have
to wait the time specified for Suicide
Penalty in addition to any other wait
time before you respawn.
Shield Type determines whether
players have energy shields, and if
so whether they are normal strength,
turned off, or overcharged.
When the Motion Sensor is turned
off it no longer detects or indicates
movement.
When this is on, all players will be
invisible with Active Camo. Firing a
weapon or taking damage makes you
temporarily visible again.
When Extra Damage is on all
players will inflict more damage than
normal.
When Damage Resistance is on,
everyone will be tougher than
normal.
Example:
Shield Type = No Shields
Note that Shield Type can also be Normal, None, or Off.
Team Options
Option
Team Play
Friendly Fire
Value
See specifics in the game
type sections following.
On/Off
Respawn Time
Modifier
Inheritance, Cycling,
None
Team Scoring
Team Changing
What it does
Unwary players can injure or even kill

teammates. Friendly Fire can be
turned off so that teammates cannot be
directly damaged by each other.
Players either inherit dead teammate
spawn times (inheritance), respawn
together at fixed intervals (cycling), or
respawn at a set amount of time after
they die (none).
Page 17
Betrayal Penalty
None, 5 seconds, 10
seconds, 1 minute, 2
minutes
This setting determines an additional

amount of time a team killer will have
to wait before respawning.
Vehicle Options
Option
Vehicle Respawn
Time
Value
Map Default, Half As Often,
No Respawn
Primary Light Vehicle
Map Default, Warthog,

Gauss Warthog, Ghost,
Spectre, Random, None
Map Default, Warthog,
Gauss Warthog, Ghost,
Spectre, Random, None
Secondary Light
Vehicle
Primary Heavy
Vehicle
Map Default, Scorpion Tank,

Wraith, Random, None
Banshee
Map Default, On, Off
Primary Turret
Map Default, Large Machine

Gun, Large Plasma,
Random, None
Map Default, Large Machine
Gun, Large Plasma,
Random, None
Secondary Turret
What it does
Vehicle respawn time determines how
quickly dead vehicles come back to
life. Times are relative to the default
settings for the map.
This setting allows you to override the
map-specific primary light land vehicle
with a vehicle of your choosing.
map-specific secondary light land
vehicle with a vehicle of your
choosing.
map-specific primary heavy land
vehicle with a vehicle of your
choosing.
This setting allows you to specify
whether Banshees appear on a map
that supports them.
map-specific primary turret with the
turret of your choosing.
map-specific secondary turret with a
turret of your choosing.
Equipment Options
Option
Starting Weapon
Secondary Weapon
Value
Map Default, None,
Random, Battle Rifle,
Magnum, SMG, Plasma
Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Brute
Plasma Rifle, Rocket
Launcher, Shotgun, Sniper
Rifle, Brute Shot, Needler,
Carbine, Beam Rifle,
Energy Sword, Sentinel
Beam
Map Default, None,
Random, Battle Rifle,
Magnum, SMG, Plasma
Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Brute
Plasma Rifle, Rocket
Launcher, Shotgun, Sniper
Rifle, Brute Shot, Needler,
Carbine, Beam Rifle,
Energy Sword, Sentinel
What it does
This setting determines which primary
weapon players start the game and
respawn with.
This setting determines which backup

weapon players start the game and
respawn with. A backup weapon is
optional.
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Starting Grenades
Weapons on Map
Weapon Respawn
Time
Beam
On/Off
Map Default, None,
Rockets, Shotguns,
Swords, Brute Shots, Halo
Classic, New Classic,
Heavy Weapons, All
Duals, No Duals, Rifles,
Sniping, No Sniping,
Pistols, Plasma, Human,
Covenant, Random Set
Map Default, No
Respawn, Half Time,
Double Time
Grenades On Map
On/Off
Overshields
On/Off
Active Camo on Map
On/Off
When this setting is on players will

start the game and respawn with
grenades.
This setting determines the set of
weapons that is available on the map.
Weapons on map can also be turned
off entirely.
Weapon Respawn time determines

how much time it takes to respawn
weapons. Times are relative to the
default settings for the map.
If Grenades On Map is turned off
there will be no grenades available for
pickup on the map.
This setting controls whether or not
the Overshield powerup is available
on the map.
This setting controls whether or not
the Active Camouflage powerup is
available on the map.
Custom Variant Reference: Slayer Settings

The following options help you create a custom variant of the Slayer game type. In Slayer, you kill
as many opponents as you can. Each kill is a point. The player with the most points wins.
Slayer-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
1, 3, 5, 10,
15, 20, 25,
50, 100, 250,
Unlimited
What it does
Points are earned in Slayer for killing other
players. This setting determines how many points
are needed to win a round.
Slayer-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Play
Value
On/Off
Team Scoring
Team Changing
Sum,
Minimum,
Maximum
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
This setting determines whether this is a team
game or a free-for-all. The maximum number of
teams for this game is determined by the map.
A teams score can be the sum of all its members
scores, the score of its lowest player (minimum), or
the score of its highest player (maximum).
When Team Changing is on players are allowed
to change teams while the game is in progress.
When Force Even Teams is on, each team will
only have as many active players as the team with
the fewest players. All other team members must
wait for their turn to spawn.
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Slayer Game Options

Option
Bonus Points
Value
On/Off
Suicide Point Loss
On/Off
Death Point Loss
On/Off
What it does
When Bonus Points are enabled, players can
earn additional points for notable acts like double
kills and killing sprees. (Off by default.)
When Suicide Point Loss is enabled, a player
will lose a point for committing suicide. (On by
default.)
When Death Point Loss is enabled, a player that
dies will lose a point. Careful, this can lengthen
games significantly! (Off by default.)
Custom Variant Reference: King of the Hill Settings

The following tables can help you customize the King of the Hill game type. In King of the Hill, you
gain control of the hill to earn time. Keep your opponents off and earn the most time to win.
King-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Off, 30
seconds, 1
minute, 2
minutes, 3
minutes, 5
minutes
What it does
You accumulate time in King of the Hill by standing
on the hill. This setting determines the amount of
time you must earn in order to win a round.
King-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Play
Value
On/Off
Team Scoring
Team Changing
Sum,
Minimum,
Maximum
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
This setting determines whether this is a team
game or a free-for-all. The maximum number of
teams for this game is determined by the map.
A teams score can be the sum of all its members
scores, the score of its lowest player (minimum),
or the score of its highest player (maximum).
King of the Hill Game Options

Option
Uncontested Hill
Value
On/Off
Moving Hill
Off, 30 seconds,
1 minute, 2
minutes, 3
minutes, 5
minutes
On/Off
Team Time Multiplier
What it does
When this is on, you can only earn
time on the hill when there are no
enemies contesting it. (Off by default.)
The hill will change to a new random
location at the set interval.
When on, you will earn time faster

when you have more teammates on
the hill. (default = off)
Page 20
Extra Damage on Hill
On/Off
Damage Resistance on Hill
On/Off
Active Camo on Hill
On/Off
When on, a player on the hill will be

more powerful than other players.
(Default = off)
When on, a player on the hill will be
tougher than normal. (default = off)
When enabled, a player standing on
the hill will have Active Camo. (Default
= off)
Custom Variant Reference: Oddball Settings

The following variant tables help you customize the Oddball game type. In Oddball, you find the
ball, which looks like a skull, and hold on to it to earn time. The player with the most time wins.
Oddball-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Off, 30 seconds, 1
minute, 2 minutes, 3
minutes, 10 minutes,
15 minutes
What it does
You accumulate time in Oddball by holding
the ball. This setting determines the
amount of time you must earn in order to
win a round.
Oddball-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Play
Value
On/Off
Team Scoring
Sum, Minimum,
Maximum
Team Changing
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
This setting determines whether this is a
team game or a free-for-all. The maximum
number of teams for this game is
determined by the map.
A teams score can be the sum of all its
members scores, the score of its lowest
player (minimum), or the score of its highest
player (maximum).
When Team Changing is on players are
allowed to change teams while the game is
in progress.
When Force Even Teams is on, each team
will only have as many active players as the
team with the fewest players. All other team
members must wait for their turn to spawn.
Oddball Game Options

Option
Ball Count
Value
1 ball, 2 balls,
3 balls
Ball Hit Damage
Normal,
Massive
Speed With Ball
Slow, Normal,
Fast
Toughness With Ball
On/Off
What it does
This controls the number of balls in the
game. More balls equals more chaos,
but thats not always a good thing.
The ball is a weapon. This setting
determines whether melee attacking
someone with it hurts a little or a lot.
Default = massive.
This setting determines the speed that
the ball carrier moves in relation to
other players.
When on, a player carrying a ball will
be tougher than normal. (Default = off)
Page 21
Active Camo With Ball
On/Off
Vehicle Operation
On/Off
Ball Indicator
Always On,
Dropped Ball,
Team Control,
Off
Determines whether a ball carrier can

be seen by other players. (default = off)
If off, the player carrying a ball cannot
drive vehicles or operate stationary or
vehicle-mounted guns. (Default = off)
This setting controls if and when you
see an indicator revealing the location
of the ball. (default = always on)
Custom Variant Reference: Juggernaut Settings

The following tables can help you customize the Juggernaut game type. In Juggernaut, work
together to take down the Juggernaut. Beware: If you kill the Juggernaut, you become the
Juggernaut, and only the Juggernaut can win.
Juggernaut-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Unlimited,
1,3,5,10,15,
20, 25, 50,
75, 100
What it does
Its everyone against the Juggernaut. The
Juggernaut earns a point for each kill, and only he
can score. Kill the Juggernaut to become the
Juggernaut. This setting determines how many
points the Juggernaut needs to win a round.
Juggernaut Game Options

Option
Betrayal Point Loss
Value
On/Off
Juggernaut Extra Damage
On/Off
Juggernaut Infinite Ammo
On/Off
Juggernaut Overshield
On/Off
Juggernaut Active Camo
On/Off
Juggernaut Motion Sensor
On/Off
Juggernaut Movement
Slow, Normal,
Fast
Juggernaut Damage
Resistance
On/Off
What it does
All players that are not the Juggernaut
are considered teammates. When this
option is on, betraying a teammate
results in losing a point. (Default = on)
When on, the Juggernauts weapons
do more damage than normal.
(Default = on)
When on, the Juggernaut will never
run out of ammunition. (Default = on)
When on, Juggernaut has recharging
extra powerful shields. This setting
overrides the player shield setting.
(Default = on)
When on, the Juggernaut has active
camo. This setting overrides the
player Active Camo setting. (Default =
off)
When on, Juggernaut has a motion
sensor. Overrides the player motion
sensor settings. (Default = on)
Determines the speed of the
Juggernaut relative to the other
players in the game. (Default =
normal)
When this option is on the Juggernaut
is extra tough. This setting overrides
the Player Damage Resistance
setting.
Page 22
Custom Variant Reference: Capture the Flag Settings

The following tables help you customize the Capture the Flag (CTF) game type. In CTF, you
invade your opponents stronghold, steal the flag, and bring it back to your base to score.
CTF-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Unlimited, 1,
2, 3, 5
What it does
How many points it takes to win a round of CTF. A
point is earned each time you successfully capture
an enemy flag and bring it back to your base.
CTF-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Changing
Value
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
CTF Game Options

Option
Flag Type
Value
Single Flag, Flag Per
Team, Neutral Flag
Sudden Death
On/Off
Flag At Home To
Score
On/Off
Flag Touch Return
On/Off
Flag Reset Time
Slow With Flag
5 seconds, 10
seconds, 15 seconds,
30 seconds, 45
seconds, 60 seconds
On/Off
Flag Hit Damage
Normal/Massive
Damage Resistance
With Flag
Active Camo With
On/Off
On/Off
What it does
In Single Flag there is only one defending
team. In Flag Per Team (multi-flag), each
team has a flag and must play offense and
defense at the same time. In Neutral Flag
there is a single flag that any team can
capture. (Flag per team = default.)
When Sudden Death is enabled, a round
will not end while a flag is being carried or
contested. This can lead to exciting final
moments. (On by default.)
When Flag at Home To Score is enabled,
you cannot score a point unless your flag is
safely on its flag stand. (On by default.)
When Flag Touch Return is enabled, you
may return your flag to the base by touching
it. (Off by default.)
The time that must elapse before a dropped
flag returns home. An enemy near a flag
pauses this timer, an enemy picking it up
resets it. (Default = 30 sec)
When Slow With Flag is on, the flag carrier
moves as a slower pace than other players.
(On by default.)
The flag pole is a weapon. Flag Hit Damage
determines whether a melee attack with the
flag hurts a little or is deadly. (On by
default.)
When this is on, a player carrying the flag is
tougher than normal. (Off by default.)
When this is on, a player carrying the flag is
Page 23
Flag
Vehicle Operation
Flag Indicator
On/Off
When Uncontrolled,
Always On, Away
From Home, Off
invisible. (Off by default.)

If this is disabled, a player carrying the flag
cannot drive vehicles or operate stationary
or vehicle-mounted guns. (Off by default.)
Determines if and when you have an
indicator showing the location of your flag.
(Neutral by default.)
Custom Variant Reference: Assault Settings

The following tables help you customize the Assault (bomb) game type. In Assault, you carry your
bomb into the enemy base and arm it by standing over the marker. Once armed, the bomb is
automatically dropped on the enemy base to score.
Assault-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Unlimited, 1,
2, 3, 5
What it does
How many points it takes to win a round of
Assault. A point is earned each time you
successfully arm and detonate a bomb in an
enemy base.
Assault-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Changing
Value
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
Assault Game Options

Option
Bomb Type
Value
Single Bomb,
Bomb Per Team,
Neutral Bomb
Enemy Bomb Indicator
Always On, When

Dropped, When
Armed, Off
Sudden Death
On/Off
Bomb Touch Return
On/Off
Bomb Reset Time
5 seconds, 10
seconds, 15
seconds, 20
seconds, 30
What it does
In Single Bomb there is only one
defending team. In Bomb Per
Team, each team has a bomb and
must play offense and defense at
the same time. In Neutral Bomb
there is a single bomb that any
team may use.
Determines if and when defenders
have an indicator showing the
location of an enemy bomb.
(Default = when dropped)
When enabled, a round will not end
while a bomb is being carried or
contested. This can lead to tense
final moments. (Default = on)
When on, you may reset an enemy
bomb to its original location by
touching it. (Default = Off)
The time that must elapse before a
dropped bomb resets to its original
location. Getting close to your
bomb freezes this timer; picking it
Page 24
seconds, 45
seconds, 60
seconds
5 seconds, 10
seconds, 15
seconds
Bomb Arm Time
Sticky Arming
On/Off
Slow With Bomb
On/Off
up resets it. (Default = 30 seconds)

The time it takes to arm the bomb
after youve carried it inside the
arming zone near the enemy bomb
post.
When on, you can pick up a
partially armed bomb and resume
arming it where someone else left
off. (Default = on)
When on, the bomb carrier moves
at a slower pace than other
players. (Default = on)
Assault Game Options (continued)

Option
Bomb Hit Damage
Value
On/Off
Damage Resistance With Bomb
On/Off
Active Camo With Bomb
On/Off
Vehicle Operation
On/Off
What it does
The Bomb is a weapon. This
determines whether a melee attack
with the bomb hurts a little (normal)
or is deadly (massive). (default =
massive/deadly)
When on, a player carrying the
bomb is tougher than normal.
(Default = off)
When on, a player carrying the
bomb is invisible with active camo.
(Default = off)
If off, a player carrying the bomb
cannot drive vehicles or operate
stationary or vehicle-mounted
guns. (Default = off)
Custom Variant Reference: Territories Settings

The following variant tables help you customize the Territories game type. In Territories, you find
and control territories on the map. The more territories you control, the faster you earn time.
Territories-Specific Match Options

Option
Score to Win Round
Value
Off, 1 Minute, 2 Minutes,
3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7
minutes
What it does
This setting determines the amount of
time need to win a Territories round.
You gain time by controlling territories
the more you control the faster your
time increases.
Territories-Specific Team Options

Option
Team Changing
Value
On/Off
Force Even Teams
On/Off
What it does
Page 25
Territories Game Options

Option
Territory Count
Contest Time
Control Time
Value
1 Territory, 2 Territories, 3
Territories, 4 Territories, 5
Territories, 6 Territories, 7
Territories, 8 Territories
seconds, 30 seconds
seconds, 30 seconds
What it does
This setting determines the
maximum number of territories on
the map. Notes: Not all maps have
this many territories. (Default = 3)
This setting determines the amount
of time it takes to undo someone
elses control of a territory. (Default =
5 seconds)
This settings determines how long it
takes to gain control of a neutral
territory. Enemy territories must first
be contested, then controlled.
(Default = 5 seconds)
Appendix A: Example Playlist File

You can run a playlist on the dedicated server by creating a properly formatted file. The following
is an example of a playlist file.
This playlist is not shuffled and includes two custom variants and three matches that are played in
the order listed in the file.
[playlist]
; Happy Go Lucky Playlist
shuffle=no
[custom variant]
; name Happys Special
game type=Slayer
number of rounds = 1
score to win round=50
round time limit=10 minutes
respawn time=5 seconds
suicide penalty=10 seconds
weapons on map= rockets
starting weapon = Battle Rifle
secondary weapon = SMG
[custom variant]
; name Standoff
base variant=Slayer
max active players=2
score to win round = 5
weapons on map= Shotguns
starting weapon = plasma pistol
secondary weapon = shotgun
[match]
variant=Oddball
map=Terminal
[match]
variant=Happys Special
Page 26
map=Coagulation
[match]
variant=Standoff
map=Midship
Appendix B: Default Maps Listing

Following is the complete list of Halo 2 for Windows Vista default maps shipped with the game.
You can use this list to create games in your playlist. The names must match the name of the
map as it appears in the UI of the game.
Name of map
Size of map (for number of people in game)
Lockout
Medium
Ascension
Medium
Midship
Small
Ivory Tower
Small
Beaver Creek
Small
Burial Mounds
Large
Colossus
Large
Zanzibar
Medium
Coagulation
Large
Headlong
Large
Waterworks
Large
Foundation
Medium
Containment
Large
Warlock
Small
Sanctuary
Medium
Turf
Medium
Backwash
Small
Elongation
Small
Gemini
Medium
Terminal
Large
District
Large
Uplift
Large
Appendix C: Default Variants Listing

Following is the complete list of default game variants included in Halo 2 for Windows Vista. You
can use this list to create variations on your games in your playlist: Just match up the variant to a
map.
The variant name must match the variant name as it appears in the UI of the game.
Game type
Slayer
Base variant name

Slayer
Slayer
Team Slayer
Slayer
Rockets
Slayer
Swords
Description
Prepare for a Classic Slayer duel to the death. 25 pts
to win.
Take on a small team of enemies in a straight up
Slayer throw down. 50 points to win.
Get ready for an explosive game of Rockets. All
rocket launchers, no motion sensor. 25 points to win.
Sharpen your Energy Sword and power up your
overshields. 25 points wins this game.
Page 27
Default Variants Listing (continued)

Game type
Slayer
Base variant name

Snipers
Slayer
Phantoms
Slayer
Team Phantoms
Slayer
Elimination
Slayer
Phantom Elim
King of the Hill
King
King of the Hill
Team King
King of the Hill
Phantom King
King of the Hill
Crazy King
King of the Hill
Team Crazy King
Oddball
Oddball
Oddball
Rocketball
Oddball
Swordball
Oddball
Team Ball
Oddball
Low Ball
Oddball
Fiesta
Juggernaut
2 on 1
Juggernaut
3 on 1
Juggernaut
Ninjanaut
Juggernaut
Phantom Fodder
Description
Steady your shot and aim high. All weapons are
sniper rifles and there's no motion sensor. 15 points
wins.
Everyone has active camo, so watch your back. 15
points wins this game.
Everyone has active camo and you can organize into
up to 8 teams. First team to 25 points wins.
You have just one life per round. The last player
standing wins a round. First to win 3 rounds wins the
game.
You have just one life and everyone is invisible. Last
player standing wins a round. First to win 3 rounds
takes the cake.
Stay on the hill for a total of 2 minutes to win the
game. Hill does not move.
Your team must take the hill and control it
uncontested for 1 minute to win. Hill does not move.
Control the hill uncontested to earn time. Everyone
has active camo and the hill does not move. 1 minute
wins.
The hill moves once a minute. Be the first to earn 2
minutes on it to take the crown.
Your team must earn just 1 minute uncontested on
the moving hill to take the crown.
Get ready for a classic game of free-for-all Oddball.
Hold the ball for 2 minutes to win.
This game of Oddball with nothing but rocket
launchers is a real blast. Control the ball for 1 minute
to win.
Tense rounds with swords and no motion sensor.
Own the ball for 30 seconds to win a round. First to 3
wins.
Up to 8 teams can go head to head in this game of
team Oddball. First team with 2 minutes ball control
wins.
Team Oddball with a twist. Everyone on your team
must hold the ball for at least 30 seconds to win.
An odd game of ball with random weapons. Earn 2
minutes ball control time to win.
One player is the Juggernaut, the other 2 are
teammates. Only the Juggernaut can score and 10
points wins the game.
One player is the Juggernaut while 3 others are
teammates. Earn 10 points as the Juggernaut to win
the game.
The Juggernaut has active camo and a motion
sensor. You don't, so work together to corner him
and take him out. 10 points wins.
You're invisible but you have no motion sensor.
You're being hunted, so watch out! 3 rounds wins, 5
points wins a round.
Page 28
Default Variants Listing (continued)

Game type
Juggernaut
Base variant name

Dreadnaut
Capture the
Flag
Capture the
Flag
Multi Flag CTF
Capture the
Flag
1 Flag CTF
Capture the
Flag
1 Flag CTF Fast
Assault
Multi Bomb
Assault
Single Bomb
Assault
Single Bomb Fast
Assault
Neutral Bomb
Assault
Blast Resort
Territories
3 Plots
Territories
Land Grab
Territories
Gold Rush
Territories
Control Issues
Territories
Contention
CTF Classic
Description
The Dreadnaut is an unstoppable beast. Fear him
but work together to take him out. 20 kills as
Juggernaut wins the game.
Defend your flag while launching a coordinated
attack on your enemy's flag. 3 captures to win.
Defend your flag while capturing the enemy's. 3
points wins, flag must be home to score, flag may be
returned.
Take turns on offense/defense. A capture wins a
round. Flag may not be returned. Rounds last 3
minutes. First to 3 wins.
Intense 2 minute rounds of alternating
offense/defense. A capture wins a round. Flag may
not be returned. First to 3 wins.
Defend your base while trying to deliver your bomb
into the enemy's base. 3 successful bombings wins.
Take turns on offense/defense. A successful bombing
wins a round. First to 3 wins. No bomb return.
Rounds last 3 minutes.
Intense 2 minute rounds of offense/defense. A
successful bombing wins a round. Bomb may not be
returned. First to 3 wins.
There's just one bomb that starts in the middle. Use
it to bomb the enemy base 3 times to win.
You have just 1 life and no motion sensor in this
single bomb game. 10 second arming, 3 minute
rounds, first to 3 wins.
There are just 3 territories. Earn 3 minutes control
time before your opponents by owning a majority of
them.
Own a majority of territories to earn 5 minutes control
time before your opponents.
Grab your pistol and load your shotgun! 2 minutes
wins a round. Rounds last 3 minutes. First to 3
rounds wins.
Bring out the big guns to fight for control of just 2
territories. Everyone has overshields, 5 minutes
control time wins.
There's just one territory on the map. Work with your
team to control it for 2 minutes to win.
Page 29

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Halo 2 for Windows Vista

Running a Dedicated Server

Running a Dedicated Server

If you want to run a LIVE server, you also need:

Getting a Silver Games for Windows LIVE Account

Installing Halo 2 Dedicated Server

Running a Dedicated Server Manually

Setting Up Your Server to Run Automatically

Starting and Stopping a Server Configured to Run Automatically

Swapping the Playlist

H2Server Command-Line Options

H2Admin Command-Line Options

Displays the list of banned gamertags for this dedicated server.

vip add gamertag

Creating a Playlist File

Naming and Formatting the Playlist File

Placing the File

Optional Section in the File: Playlist

Postgame Delay (optional)

Required Sections in the File: Match

Creating Custom Variants in the Playlist File

Defining Your Variant

Changing Playlists and Match Weight

Setting Match Weight

Custom Variant Reference: Universal Game Options

Score to Win Round

Rounds Reset Map

See specifics in each game

Round Time Limit

A round can be set to end after a set

A new round can either keep the map

Normal Shields, No Shields,

team. All other players must wait their

Unwary players can injure or even kill

This setting determines an additional

Primary Light Vehicle

Map Default, Warthog,

Map Default, Scorpion Tank,

Map Default, On, Off

Map Default, Large Machine

This setting determines which backup

Active Camo on Map

When this setting is on players will

Weapon Respawn time determines

Custom Variant Reference: Slayer Settings

Slayer-Specific Match Options

Slayer-Specific Team Options

Force Even Teams

Slayer Game Options

Suicide Point Loss

Death Point Loss

Custom Variant Reference: King of the Hill Settings

King-Specific Match Options

King-Specific Team Options

Force Even Teams

King of the Hill Game Options

Team Time Multiplier

When on, you will earn time faster

Extra Damage on Hill

Damage Resistance on Hill

Active Camo on Hill

When on, a player on the hill will be

Custom Variant Reference: Oddball Settings