Bungie and Microsoft announced the release of Halo 2 Blastacular Map Pack, two multiplayer maps from the original Halo recreated for Halo 2 on the Xbox and Xbox 360.
The new maps were chosen to recreate multiplayer fan favorites from the original Halo, including"Tombstone", a recreation of Halo multiplayer classic "Hang 'Em High", and"Desolation", a remake of the original "Derelict".
Microsoft has stressed that since the content is an original Xbox download, the data is tied to the hardware itself, and not a GamerTag as with the usual Xbox Live content. So, owners of both an Xbox and Xbox 360 should think ahead as to which console they'll likely be playing the game on.
But users have reported other problems with the 2 maps. A number of people have reported an ability to download the maps for free. The game never comes up with a payment window and the download goes through as though they were supposed to be free, which they are not. The 2 maps cost $4.
Additionally, PAL user hooked up with VGA won't be able to log-in with that cable, as the original Xbox dashboard was never intended to display 60hz PAL. The solution: hook up a composite cable, complete the downloads, hook in VGA again and play your newly acquired maps via VGA.
And finally, for Gold members who received an error when trying to download the maps, a post on Bungie forums had the answer:
"Go to the download area within Halo 2 and log in to your Gold account and attempt to download the maps. You will get the Premium Content error, press the A button and then the B button to get the Gamertag list back up and proceed to log in with your spare Silver account. Attempt to download the maps where it should start and then stop with a message saying you will not be charged, then log back into your Gold account and try once again to download the maps and it should work."
