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The globals tag contains settings for player control, difficulty, grenade types, rasterizer data, the HUD, materials types, and more. In other words, things that only need to be defined once and are rarely edited.

This tag and its dependencies are also included in a map when compiled, and the engine is hard-coded to reference it.

Related HaloScript

The following are related functions that you can use in your scenario scripts and/or debug globals that you can enter into the developer console for troubleshooting.

Function/global

Type

(<void> cheat_all_powerups)

Drops all powerups near player. The set of powerups is controlled by the globals tag.

Function

Structure and fields

FieldTypeComments
soundsBlock
  • HEK max count: 2
  • Min: 2
FieldTypeComments
soundTagDependency: sound
cameraBlock
  • HEK max count: 1
  • Min: 1
FieldTypeComments
default unit camera trackTagDependency: camera_track
player controlBlock
  • HEK max count: 1
  • Min: 1
FieldTypeComments
magnetism frictionfloat
magnetism adhesionfloat
inconsequential target scalefloat
look acceleration timefloat
  • Unit: seconds
look acceleration scalefloat
look peg thresholdfloat
look default pitch ratefloat
look default yaw ratefloat
look autolevelling scalefloat
minimum weapon swap ticksuint16
minimum autolevelling ticksuint16
minimum angle for vehicle flippingfloat
look functionBlock
FieldTypeComments
scalefloat
difficultyBlock
  • HEK max count: 1
  • Min: 1
FieldTypeComments
easy enemy damagefloat
normal enemy damagefloat
hard enemy damagefloat
imposs enemy damagefloat
easy enemy vitalityfloat
normal enemy vitalityfloat
hard enemy vitalityfloat
imposs enemy vitalityfloat
easy enemy shieldfloat
normal enemy shieldfloat
hard enemy shieldfloat
imposs enemy shieldfloat
easy enemy rechargefloat
normal enemy rechargefloat
hard enemy rechargefloat
imposs enemy rechargefloat
easy friend damagefloat
normal friend damagefloat
hard friend damagefloat
imposs friend damagefloat
easy friend vitalityfloat
normal friend vitalityfloat
hard friend vitalityfloat
imposs friend vitalityfloat
easy friend shieldfloat
normal friend shieldfloat
hard friend shieldfloat
imposs friend shieldfloat
easy friend rechargefloat
normal friend rechargefloat
hard friend rechargefloat
imposs friend rechargefloat
easy infection formsfloat
normal infection formsfloat
hard infection formsfloat
imposs infection formsfloat
easy rate of firefloat
normal rate of firefloat
hard rate of firefloat
imposs rate of firefloat
easy projectile errorfloat
normal projectile errorfloat
hard projectile errorfloat
imposs projectile errorfloat
easy burst errorfloat
normal burst errorfloat
hard burst errorfloat
imposs burst errorfloat
easy new target delayfloat
normal new target delayfloat
hard new target delayfloat
imposs new target delayfloat
easy burst separationfloat
normal burst separationfloat
hard burst separationfloat
imposs burst separationfloat
easy target trackingfloat
normal target trackingfloat
hard target trackingfloat
imposs target trackingfloat
easy target leadingfloat
normal target leadingfloat
hard target leadingfloat
imposs target leadingfloat
easy overcharge chancefloat
normal overcharge chancefloat
hard overcharge chancefloat
imposs overcharge chancefloat
easy special fire delayfloat
normal special fire delayfloat
hard special fire delayfloat
imposs special fire delayfloat
easy guidance vs playerfloat
normal guidance vs playerfloat
hard guidance vs playerfloat
imposs guidance vs playerfloat
easy melee delay basefloat
normal melee delay basefloat
hard melee delay basefloat
imposs melee delay basefloat
easy melee delay scalefloat
normal melee delay scalefloat
hard melee delay scalefloat
imposs melee delay scalefloat
easy grenade chance scalefloat
normal grenade chance scalefloat
hard grenade chance scalefloat
imposs grenade chance scalefloat
easy grenade timer scalefloat
normal grenade timer scalefloat
hard grenade timer scalefloat
imposs grenade timer scalefloat
easy major upgradefloat
normal major upgradefloat
hard major upgradefloat
imposs major upgradefloat
easy major upgrade 1float
normal major upgrade 1float
hard major upgrade 1float
imposs major upgrade 1float
easy major upgrade 2float
normal major upgrade 2float
hard major upgrade 2float
imposs major upgrade 2float
grenadesBlock
  • HEK max count: 2
  • Min: 2
  • Max: 2
  • Processed during compile
FieldTypeComments
maximum countint16
  • Min: 0
  • Max: 127
mp spawn defaultint16
  • Min: 0
  • Max: 127
throwing effectTagDependency: effect
hud interfaceTagDependency: grenade_hud_interface
equipmentTagDependency: equipment
projectileTagDependency: projectile
rasterizer dataBlock
  • HEK max count: 1
  • Min: 1

Contains global renderer settings and 2D lookup tables.

FieldTypeComments
distance attenuationTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
vector normalizationTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null

This bitmap is used as a lookup table of precalculated vector normalizations for visual effects like reflections. In H1CE it is also incorrectly used as the reflection cube map when a shader_transparent_glass uses bump-mapped reflections.

atmospheric fog densityTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
planar fog densityTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
linear corner fadeTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
active camouflage distortionTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null

This bitmap is used as a lookup table for active camouflage distortion angle calculations. Its alpha channel masks tint color on Gearbox-derived ports of the game.

glowTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null

Used by sun_glow_* FX shaders when rendering Ray of Buddha.

default 2dTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
default 3dTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
default cube mapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
test 0TagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
test 1TagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
test 2TagDependency: bitmap
test 3TagDependency: bitmap
video scanline mapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
video noise mapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
flagsbitfield

Optional settings for active camouflage.

FlagMaskComments
tint edge density0x1

Adds the tint color to the background.

refraction amountfloat

How much to distort the background of active camouflage. This is measured in world units since the effect is not resolution-dependent. Lower values distort more, while higher values distort less.

distance fallofffloat

The distance in world units where the active camouflage effect fades completely and the object is entirely invisible.

tint colorColorRGB

The color which is multiplied over the background for active camouflage objects.

hyper stealth refractionfloat

Refaction amount used when super active camouflage is enabled for an actor_variant.

hyper stealth distance fallofffloat

Falloff distance for super active camouflage.

hyper stealth tint colorColorRGB

Tint color used for super active camouflage.

distance attenuation 2dTagDependency: bitmap
interface bitmapsBlock
  • HEK max count: 1
  • Min: 1
FieldTypeComments
font systemTagDependency: font
font terminalTagDependency: font
screen color tableTagDependency: color_table
hud color tableTagDependency: color_table
editor color tableTagDependency: color_table
dialog color tableTagDependency: color_table
hud globalsTagDependency: hud_globals
  • Non-null
motion sensor sweep bitmapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
motion sensor sweep bitmap maskTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
multiplayer hud bitmapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
localizationTagDependency: string_list
hud digits definitionTagDependency: hud_number
motion sensor blip bitmapTagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
interface goo map1TagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
interface goo map2TagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
interface goo map3TagDependency: bitmap
  • Non-null
weapon listBlock
  • HEK max count: 20
FieldTypeComments
weaponTagDependency: item
cheat powerupsBlock

Defines the set of powerups dropped when the function cheat_all_powerups is used.

FieldTypeComments
powerupTagDependency: equipment
multiplayer informationBlock

This block is stripped by Tool when compiling singleplayer or UI maps.

  • Processed during compile
FieldTypeComments
flagTagDependency: weapon
  • Non-null
unitTagDependency: unit
vehiclesBlock
FieldTypeComments
vehicleTagDependency: unit
hill shaderTagDependency: shader
  • Non-null
flag shaderTagDependency: shader
ballTagDependency: weapon
  • Non-null
soundsBlock?
player informationBlock
  • Min: 1
  • Processed during compile
FieldTypeComments
unitTagDependency: unit
walking speedfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
double speed multiplierfloat
run forwardfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
run backwardfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
run sidewaysfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
run accelerationfloat
  • Unit: world units per second squared
sneak forwardfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
sneak backwardfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
sneak sidewaysfloat
  • Unit: world units per second
sneak accelerationfloat
  • Unit: world units per second squared
airborne accelerationfloat
  • Unit: world units per second squared
speed multiplierfloat
  • Unit: multiplayer only
grenade originPoint3D
FieldTypeComments
xfloat
yfloat
zfloat
stun movement penaltyfloat
stun turning penaltyfloat
stun jumping penaltyfloat
minimum stun timefloat
  • Unit: seconds
maximum stun timefloat
  • Unit: seconds
first person idle timeBounds
  • Unit: seconds
FieldTypeComments
minfloat
maxfloat
first person skip fractionfloat
  • Min: 0
  • Max: 1
coop respawn effectTagDependency: effect
first person interfaceBlock
  • Min: 1
FieldTypeComments
first person hands
TagDependency

This is the model used for hands when a weapon with first person animatinos is held.

base bitmapTagDependency: bitmap
shield meterTagDependency: meter
shield meter originPoint2DInt
FieldTypeComments
xint16
yint16
body meterTagDependency: meter
body meter originPoint2DInt?
night vision on effectTagDependency: effect

This effect is played when enabling night vision.

night vision off effectTagDependency: effect

This effect is played when disabling night vision.

falling damageBlock

This block is stripped by Tool when compiling UI maps.

  • Processed during compile
FieldTypeComments
harmful falling distanceBounds?
  • Unit: world units
falling damageTagDependency: damage_effect
maximum falling distancefloat
  • Unit: world units
distance damageTagDependency: damage_effect
vehicle environment collision damageTagDependency: damage_effect
vehicle killed unit damageTagDependency: damage_effect
vehicle collision damageTagDependency: damage_effect
flaming death damageTagDependency: damage_effect
maximum falling velocityfloat
  • Cache only
harmful falling velocityBounds?
  • Cache only
materialsBlock
FieldTypeComments
ground friction scalefloat
ground friction normal k1 scalefloat
ground friction normal k0 scalefloat
ground depth scalefloat
ground damp fraction scalefloat
maximum vitalityfloat
effectTagDependency: effect
soundTagDependency: sound
particle effectsBlock
FieldTypeComments
particle typeTagDependency: particle
flagsbitfield
FlagMaskComments
interpolate color in hsv0x1
more colors0x2
densityfloat
  • Unit: world units
velocity scaleBounds?
angular velocityBounds?
  • Unit: degrees per second
radiusBounds?
  • Unit: world units
tint lower boundColorARGB
FieldTypeComments
alphafloat
redfloat
greenfloat
bluefloat
tint upper boundColorARGB?
melee hit soundTagDependency: sound
playlist membersBlock
FieldTypeComments
map nameTagString
game variantTagString
minimum experienceuint32
maximum experienceuint32
  • Default: 10
minimum player countuint32
  • Default: 1
maximum player countuint32
  • Default: 16
ratinguint32
  • Default: 100

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following individuals for their research or contributions to this topic:

  • gbMichelle (Active camo tint and distortion testing)
  • Jakey (Active camo rasterizer settings documentation)
  • Kavawuvi (Invader tag definitions)
  • MosesOfEgypt (Tag structure research)