Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

51 ratings
Transferring old 360 maps, gametypes and screenshots to PC
By MLG Skibidi Brainrot
Step by step guide on how to move maps, gametypes and screenshots from your old 360 to your PC. No modding/jailbreak of 360 required just a tool to read files saved by the 360 and extract the files from a USB. Requires a 360, maps and/or game modes on the 360 you want to port over, a USB, internet access to download a tool to read the files, and a PC with MCC installed if you want to test the maps/install them instead of just get them PC ready.
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Information
I plan on replacing the screenshots with videos. I'm waiting for a capture card so I can record a video of how to transfer files to USB.

Eggbot3000 mentioned in the comments section that you can download content through the game by searching up a gamertag so the In-game section is dedicated to that method. That method only works if the files were on someone's fileshare Aug 12th 2019. That was a one time transfer and will not happen again so if the content you wanted wasn't on someone's fileshare you will need to use one of the other methods listed in this guide.

Credit where credit is due
Gamecheat13 was the one who discovered this with horizon I'm making a steam guide for the reasons above. I made the open source tool because I didn't want to spend the time extracting with horizon so that's why that info is here too.

I now recommend my open source tool over horizon, you can skip the rest of the guide's sections if you use this tool instead of horizon
My tool[github.com] can extract **Multiple** maps or gametypes directly into the built in and private folders as well as extract jpgs from screenshots like how bungie.net's still allows downloads of old screenshots on your fileshare[halo.bungie.net]
I still include horizon for people who prefer it over my tool for whatever reason.
REQUIREMENTS
  • Requires a 360/ with maps, game modes and/or screenshots on the 360 you want to port over
  • A USB
  • My open source tool[github.com] or Horizon
  • A PC
In-game method
THIS METHOD REQUIRES THE FILES TO ALREADY HAVE BEEN IN SOMEONE'S FILESHARE AUG 12TH 2019.
You can search up people's gamertag on bungie.net Halo 3[halo.bungie.net] Halo Reach[halo.bungie.net]
The website hasn't updated since around 2012. I have tried looking on waypoint[www.halowaypoint.com] but can only see my own file share.

If you know the gamertag that has the file you want in its fileshare then boot up the game.
Click the icon to the left of your nameplate and rank.

Click your nameplate.

Click "find player"

Type the gamertag in and click ok.

Click fileshare.

Select the type of file you are looking for map or gametype then hit the "select" button above the back button.

Click the file you want to download and click download.
Transferring files from the 360 to a USB
  • Boot your 360 and plug in the USB.
  • Open System Settings>Storage.
  • With your Hard Drive highlighted Device Options by pressing Y.
  • Select Transfer Content.
  • Select the USB you plugged in earlier.
  • Press X to clear the selection on all the files (by default it will want to transfer all the contents of the Hard Drive)
  • Press A on Games and Apps.
  • Find and check Halo Reach's box.
  • Press the Start button on the right.
  • Wait for the Files to transfer onto the USB. (you can transfer them back with the same process but transfering FROM the USB to the 360 after you're done)
RECCOMENDED: Open source tool
This tool can extract maps, gametypes directly into the game's folders as well as extract jpgs from screenshots.
If you're having issues its alot easier to help if you submit an issue to the github[github.com]. Please read through the issues already listed in case there's already one for your issue.
NOT RECOMMENDED: Using Horizon to extract the files
I now recommend my open source tool instead of Horizon

THIS METHOD DOES NOT WORK WITH SCREENSHOTS ONLY MAPS AND GAMETYPES

https://www.wemod.com/horizon
Download the latest version
Run the installer
A REMINDER TO READ BEFORE HITTING ACCEPT SO YOU DON'T INSTALL THE EXTRA STUFF LIKE MCAFFE


Save the file with whatever name you want and make sure to add an extention
Type
Extention
Map
.mvar
Game Type
.bin
Adding new files to MCC
YOU CAN AVOID THIS WITH THE OPEN SOURCE TOOL INSTEAD OF HORIZON AND EXPORT DIRECTLY TO THE BUILT IN AND PRIVATE FOLDERS
Adding as built in content
(RECOMENDED SO YOU DONT HIT THE 50 PRIVATE MAP/GAME MODE SAVE LIMIT)

Find your games files
(easiest way is) In your Steam Library right click Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Go to the Local Files tab and click browse local files

In the folder that was just opened by steam open the haloreach or halo3 folder (depending on which game the files are from)


Place maps in the map_variants folder
Place gametypes in the game_variants folder



Adding as downloaded content
(LIMIT OF 50 MAPS/GAME TYPES TO STILL BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD MAPS OFF THE FILESHARE)

Open the following folder
"C:\Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\LocalLow\MCC\LocalFiles\(XUID)\(GAME NAME)"
Replacing (USERNAME) and (XUID) with your own personal information and (GAME NAME) with either HaloReach or Halo3.
IF THIS FOLDER DOESN'T EXIST download something from the file share and it will be created for you. This is seriously the easiest way to find your XUID.

Place maps in the Map folder
Place gametypes in the GameType folder
47 Comments
MLG Skibidi Brainrot  [author] May 13 @ 10:13pm 
@Timotheos287 First off thank you so much for all the appreciation. To answer your question there seems to be a fairly big difference in how even the Xbox 360 formatted its data. (See issue #8 [ github.com ]and issue #9 [ github.com ]I'm not sure exactly how Xbox One data is stored but I'm still trying to get support for all 360 formats working.
Shadowkaisa May 2 @ 5:05am 
Done
MLG Skibidi Brainrot  [author] May 1 @ 6:40pm 
@Shadowkaisa If you are still having problems please create a new issue on github [github.com] with as much detail as possible (how you transferred the files to the USB, screenshots of any errors or a dump of the log at the bottom of the window, etc)
Shadowkaisa Apr 20 @ 3:43am 
Fixed the locallow file showing but i cant see files in the program but can on horizon
Shadowkaisa Apr 20 @ 3:19am 
so your tool doesn't show my files and neither does the \LocalLow\MCC\LocalFiles despite downloading custom maps
Timotheos2875 Nov 15, 2023 @ 5:54pm 
I don't have an xbox one so I genuinely would not know tbh. Is it safe to assume that the XO does not copy and transfer files to a usb much like the 360? I would think that it would work similarly based off of the 360 backwards compatibility. But then again, how different is hard drive filing system of the xone compared to the 360? I know it would created the entire disc on the hard drive as a compatibility layer to run the game, wouldn't it allow it to save its files and modes to the "360" portion of the hard drive or is somehow unreadable because of how the x one operates? I am honestly curious
Daniel King Nov 10, 2023 @ 7:10pm 
I have commented on an issue in his Github project regarding the prospect of adding support for pulling Reach saves from Xbox One files. Not certain whether it will ever be possible or not.

You can always get a 360 but eventually maybe cloud storage will be closed? This would make it not possible to move 360 game data to the 360 to then be able to use with the methods described above.

And not everyone can/wants/or should have to get a 360 to get their stuff.
Timotheos2875 Aug 7, 2023 @ 1:56pm 
@Dr Krieger Figure I'd try and give you appropriate kudos and proper forum addressing since I really don't type into alot of these too much. :steamthumbsup: :steamthumbsup: :steamthumbsup: :lunar2019grinningpig: Again thank you for putting this all together.
Timotheos2875 Aug 7, 2023 @ 1:43pm 
Also sorry about the long posts. I was originally going to post it all in one go but the 1000 character limit keeps stopping me.
Timotheos2875 Aug 7, 2023 @ 1:41pm 
I figure I'd post it here even though I have the M$ version for a few reasons: 1) The whole thing for me was WAY cheaper at the time when I got it ($9.99 as oppose to the typical $39.99) and thus made it easier to get with enough redeemed microsoft reward points. 2) I noticed the default action sack for some other custom modes of Halo 4 or Reach didn't have either of the 343 Industries nor Bungie built in custom maps or game modes that were a given back in the xbox360 days. Primarily I saw no Halo Ball Court maps, no Hockey, not even A Meta nor Husky Raid and my research informed me that I already missed out by at least a couple of years regarding the upload file sharing. 3) I figured anyone else that is or would be in the same boat as I was to help indirectly beacon them that this guide is the perfect stop. Even if it isn't the steam version. It all still applies albeit just a couple of changed different steps. Props to Dr Krieger for bringing all of this together.