Hey all!
I found this very well written guide online, here's the source: Reddit
But yes, I intend to make a video on this subject and believe it to be worthwhile to preserve this information, in any case - here's how you do it:
IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must use the same Microsoft account when logging into Halo Infinite on both platforms. You cannot transfer a save between platforms (or even on the same platform) between two different Microsoft accounts.
Step 1 - Start a New Save
On the platform you wish to transfer to, start a new save if you don't have any. You just need to make it to the calibration scene with the pilot. You can skip the pilot's cutscenes but for some reason trying to skip the prerendered Infinity cutscene crashes my game, so just let that play out. Once at the calibration you can open the menu and End Game. Next, exit the game.
Step 2 - Save File Locations
I installed Infinite on my D:\ drive with both Xbox and Steam versions and my save files were still in these locations here under C:\ so don't go looking elsewhere.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[YOUR STEAM USER ID]\1240440\remote\
This is not the full path. From the remote folder you need to go into the folder with the ridiculously long randomized name. After that, go into the Save folder.
C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.254428597CFE2_8wekyb3d8bbwe\SystemAppData\wgs\
You can quickly get there by opening Run (WindowsKey + R) and pasting this, click OK:
%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.254428597CFE2_8wekyb3d8bbwe\SystemAppData\wgs\
Again, this is not the full path. After the wgs folder go into the folder with the long, randomized name.
Step 3 - The Save File
Screenshot of what you should be seeing now:
Inside the Steam save location are seven files, one of them is named progress2.cb2. This file contains contain the data for all four Campaign save save slots and your progress in them.
As for the Xbox/MsStore save location, you should see seven folders with randomly generated characters for names. Each folder has a file inside with an equally random name without a file extension. One of these files is the equivalent to the progress2.cb2 in the Steam folder. Ignore the "container" files.
The unfortunate news is that I haven't found a way to individually move your save slots or merge save slots between platforms into a single save file. You need to choose all Xbox/MsStore or all Steam save slots, you cannot keep both.
Step 4 - Make a Backup
Before we do anything, let's make a backup where your save is. Make a new folder next to the existing files/folders, call it whatever you want, leave the name as New Folder for all I care, and copy the files/folders into it. You can either do this only for the location where your save currently is, or do it in both. Up to you.
Gif example:
Step 5 - Hex Editor
You will need a hex editor. I recommend using HxD found here. It is a program so you have to install it. Click Download per HTTPS across from English. It comes in a zip file but you are free to just double click the HxDSetup.exe inside without extracting.
I tried to use the online tool hexed.it but it doesn't support copy and paste between files. It will work to delete data in a single file, however, so it will work for the Steam to Xbox portion of this tutorial.
Step 6 - Hunt the Truth
In order to find out which file in the Xbox save location is correct we will have to compare each one to progress2.cb2. Open progress2.cb2 in your hex editor along with one of the randomly named files. If you don't want to manually browse for them, just drag and drop them into your hex editor from the folders you already have open. Gif example:
In progress2.cb2 look in the "Decoded text" column. You will notice the legible Save/progress2.cb2 followed by many rows of . then a bunch of gibberish. Unfortunately, the correct Xbox save file does not have this obvious header. But, if you look at the second line of characters after the many . you should see this exactly: ..Ýš±›.......Å.Ö
What does this mean? $#@% if I know, it's forerunner! But having compared files multiple times after deleting and creating saves, or triggering autosave, on two different computers, it is consistently there so a good way to identify the correct file.
One of the Xbox files has ..Ýš±›.......Å.Ö too, except it is on the actual second line without multiple rows of . preceding it. That is the corresponding save file.
Gif example of finding the correct file:
Step 7a - Xbox App/Microsoft Store to Steam: Copy the Header
In order to make our Xbox save compatible with Steam, we need to copy the header from the Steam save file to Xbox save file, then save our modified Xbox save file to Steam save location with the correct file name and extension.
Step 7b - Steam to Xbox App/Microsoft Store and Console: Delete the Header
In order to make our Steam save compatible with Xbox, we need to delete the header, then save the file in the Xbox save location with the same name as the existing save file and missing file extension.
You've done it, now you know what an AI goes through when they scan forerunner artifacts... maybe.
I found this very well written guide online, here's the source: Reddit
But yes, I intend to make a video on this subject and believe it to be worthwhile to preserve this information, in any case - here's how you do it:
IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must use the same Microsoft account when logging into Halo Infinite on both platforms. You cannot transfer a save between platforms (or even on the same platform) between two different Microsoft accounts.
Step 1 - Start a New Save
On the platform you wish to transfer to, start a new save if you don't have any. You just need to make it to the calibration scene with the pilot. You can skip the pilot's cutscenes but for some reason trying to skip the prerendered Infinity cutscene crashes my game, so just let that play out. Once at the calibration you can open the menu and End Game. Next, exit the game.
Step 2 - Save File Locations
I installed Infinite on my D:\ drive with both Xbox and Steam versions and my save files were still in these locations here under C:\ so don't go looking elsewhere.
Steam save files are always stored here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[YOUR STEAM USER ID]\1240440\remote\
This is not the full path. From the remote folder you need to go into the folder with the ridiculously long randomized name. After that, go into the Save folder.
Xbox App/Microsoft Store save files are always stored here:
C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.254428597CFE2_8wekyb3d8bbwe\SystemAppData\wgs\
You can quickly get there by opening Run (WindowsKey + R) and pasting this, click OK:
%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.254428597CFE2_8wekyb3d8bbwe\SystemAppData\wgs\
Again, this is not the full path. After the wgs folder go into the folder with the long, randomized name.
Step 3 - The Save File
Screenshot of what you should be seeing now:
Inside the Steam save location are seven files, one of them is named progress2.cb2. This file contains contain the data for all four Campaign save save slots and your progress in them.
As for the Xbox/MsStore save location, you should see seven folders with randomly generated characters for names. Each folder has a file inside with an equally random name without a file extension. One of these files is the equivalent to the progress2.cb2 in the Steam folder. Ignore the "container" files.
The unfortunate news is that I haven't found a way to individually move your save slots or merge save slots between platforms into a single save file. You need to choose all Xbox/MsStore or all Steam save slots, you cannot keep both.
Step 4 - Make a Backup
Before we do anything, let's make a backup where your save is. Make a new folder next to the existing files/folders, call it whatever you want, leave the name as New Folder for all I care, and copy the files/folders into it. You can either do this only for the location where your save currently is, or do it in both. Up to you.
Gif example:
Step 5 - Hex Editor
You will need a hex editor. I recommend using HxD found here. It is a program so you have to install it. Click Download per HTTPS across from English. It comes in a zip file but you are free to just double click the HxDSetup.exe inside without extracting.
I tried to use the online tool hexed.it but it doesn't support copy and paste between files. It will work to delete data in a single file, however, so it will work for the Steam to Xbox portion of this tutorial.
Step 6 - Hunt the Truth
In order to find out which file in the Xbox save location is correct we will have to compare each one to progress2.cb2. Open progress2.cb2 in your hex editor along with one of the randomly named files. If you don't want to manually browse for them, just drag and drop them into your hex editor from the folders you already have open. Gif example:
In progress2.cb2 look in the "Decoded text" column. You will notice the legible Save/progress2.cb2 followed by many rows of . then a bunch of gibberish. Unfortunately, the correct Xbox save file does not have this obvious header. But, if you look at the second line of characters after the many . you should see this exactly: ..Ýš±›.......Å.Ö
What does this mean? $#@% if I know, it's forerunner! But having compared files multiple times after deleting and creating saves, or triggering autosave, on two different computers, it is consistently there so a good way to identify the correct file.
One of the Xbox files has ..Ýš±›.......Å.Ö too, except it is on the actual second line without multiple rows of . preceding it. That is the corresponding save file.
Gif example of finding the correct file:
Step 7a - Xbox App/Microsoft Store to Steam: Copy the Header
In order to make our Xbox save compatible with Steam, we need to copy the header from the Steam save file to Xbox save file, then save our modified Xbox save file to Steam save location with the correct file name and extension.
- Disable Steam Cloud: If we don't disable Steam Cloud it will automatically overwrite our modified save file with the one that was previously there. Go to your Steam library, find Halo Infinite, click the gear icon at the top right, and then Properties. Under General untick Keep game saves in Steam Cloud for Halo Infinite:
- Inside the original progress2.cb2 file select everything from the beginning down to the end of the last row of .. Right click and Copy. You can also use Ctrl + C. The very first character may be a blank space, so make sure you select it. Only select down to the end of last row entirely made up of .. If you see any . preceding first characters after the rows of . do not select them: https://i.imgur.com/lhE61Gi.gifv
- Go to your randomly named Xbox save file. Left click before the first character in the first row to place the blinking text cursor there. The first character may be a blank space, so verify that you have the first value selected by looking at the value table in the center. Right click where you placed your cursor in the text column and select Paste insert. You can also use Ctrl + V. Click OK in the warning box that appears: https://i.imgur.com/mjWABrM.gifv
- Now, go to File at the top left then Save as. DO NOT CLICK SAVE. If you save the modified file over the one in the Xbox save folder, that will $#@% your save and Xbox will be unable to recognize it. If you accidentally did this, close out of your hex editor, delete the borked randomly named save file, then copy the one you backed up earlier the original location.
- In the Save as window you could manually browse to your Steam save location, but an easier way is to copy the folder path from the File Explorer window you already have open. Paste over the file path in the 'Save as' window and hit enter. Once you are there change the file name from the random characters to progress2.cb2, or, just click the one already there to replace the name automatically. Hit Save and click Yes to overwrite the existing file: https://i.imgur.com/ANrMbZ8.gifv
- Launch Halo Infinite from Steam and see if you can load your save. If no saves show up at all, do not start a new save, as that will overwrite the modified file. Reboot your PC and your save should appear. I don't know why but simply restarting the game doesn't work. If it still isn't there after a reboot delete the progress2.cb2 from the Steam save location and either copy back the backup you made previously or start a new game to generate a new progress2.cb2. Once reset, try again from step one.
- If you were successful, you can now re-enable Steam Cloud. Do it while the game is still running, then exit the game. If Steam complains about a file mismatch make sure you choose the option to upload the most recently modified local file.
Step 7b - Steam to Xbox App/Microsoft Store and Console: Delete the Header
In order to make our Steam save compatible with Xbox, we need to delete the header, then save the file in the Xbox save location with the same name as the existing save file and missing file extension.
- Quit the Xbox App: Closing the app with the X button is not enough, it may still be running. Check the system tray, bottom right of the task bar, and right click it and click Quit: https://i.imgur.com/Mg499Z6.gifv
- Inside your progress2.cb2 select everything from the beginning down to the end of the rows of .. The very first character may be a blank space, so make sure you select it. Only select down to the end of last row entirely made up of .. If you see any . preceding first characters after the rows of . do not select them. Right click, click Delete, then click OK in the warning box that appears: https://i.imgur.com/ebSLCaH.gifv
- Now, go to File at the top left then Save as. DO NOT CLICK SAVE. If you save the modified file over the one in the Steam save folder, that will $#@% your save and Steam will be unable to recognize it. If you accidentally did this, close out of your hex editor, delete the borked progress2.cb2, then copy the one you backed up earlier to the original location.
- In the Save as window you could manually browse to your Xbox save location, but an easier way is to copy the folder path from the File Explorer window you already have open. Paste over the file path in the 'Save as' window and hit enter. Once you are there, just click the randomly named file already there to replace the name automatically. Make sure there is no file extension at the end. Hit Save and click Yes to overwrite the existing file: https://i.imgur.com/LPyOQ2U.gifv
- Launch Halo Infinite from the Xbox App or Microsoft Store. If no saves show up at all, do not start a new save, as that will overwrite the modified file. Reboot your PC and your save should appear. I don't know why but simply restarting the game doesn't work. If it still isn't there after a reboot delete the randomly named save file from the Xbox save location and either copy back the backup you made previously or start a new game to generate a new save file. Once reset, try again from step one.
- If you were successful, your save should also now sync with Xbox cloud and show up on console. I had to wait a couple minutes after closing Halo Infinite on my PC before the save showed up on Halo Infinite through Xbox Cloud Gaming. I'm assuming it is the same for console, so just wait a couple minutes before launching the game.
You've done it, now you know what an AI goes through when they scan forerunner artifacts... maybe.