Gameplay
The gameplay of Halo 3 largely builds upon the previous successful renditions of the franchise. It is a first-person shooter that, once again, follows the character Master Chief and his struggle against the Covenant and the Flood. The game's action takes place largely on foot, but there are vehicles available for the player to use at certain points in the game. As with the other Halo titles, the multiplayer portion of the game is one of the game's most celebrated features, and is one of the reasons for the series' enormous success.
The balance of weapons and objects in the game has been adjusted to better adhere to what Multiplayer Designer Lars Bakken describes as the "Golden Three Things of Halo". These are "weapons, grenades, and mêlée"; all three of which are simultaneously available to a player at all times while on foot (unless they are dual wielding or using one of the new class of support weapons).
The idea of "balance" (at least in multiplayer) is that each specific weapon or piece of equipment has specific areas where it is most useful, and others where it falls far short. No matter what combination of weapons a player chooses (players are famously limited to only two weapons at any one time in Halo), there will be situations in which they have an advantage, and others in which they have a disadvantage. The result is that there is no one weapon/vehicle that is overpowered for every type of situation the player might encounter.
The new default controller layout will see the Right Bumper become the "action" button (pick up, reload, board vehicles, activate switches, etc), with the X button being used for deployment of equipment[8] (see Equipment below). When dual-wielding, weapons can be individually reloaded using either the left or right bumper. Other buttons are unchanged, but B (melee attack) also will be used to take a stationary gun turret off its tripod for mobile use, becoming one of the game's "support weapons" (see Weaponry below), [9]. As with previous games however, players can still choose to change the default control layout in their game profile to a number of pre-sets. [10]
Campaign
The only officially broadcast campaign footage released has been at E3 2006, the "Et Tu, Brute?" Vidoc and again at E3 2007. There are several distinct types of environments that players will have to traverse in Halo 3; lush jungles, built up towns and sparse desert environments have all been seen.
Other campaign footage has been shown to people at other gaming conventions such as Leipzig and this is Tsavo Highway, the third level in the game.
AI behavior of both enemies and allies in the campaign will be greatly enhanced in Halo 3. Marines' driving and gunning skills on the Warthog, Grunt flanking maneuvers in battle, and Brute "pack mentality" have all been mentioned by Bungie as examples of using the power of the Xbox 360 for more than making the game look better. Enemy AI will also have new non-combat behaviors, rather than just sitting around waiting for players to kill them, to make them feel more "alive" and realistic, as opposed to just having enemies waiting in a specific location until you turn up.
Cooperative play
Master Chief alongside the Arbiter, N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham.
Halo 3 features up to four player cooperative gameplay over Xbox Live or System Link and two player cooperative split-screen.[11] Although previous games also supported split-screen co-op, system link and XBL variants of this game mode is a first for the series. Players playing split-screen can also join other players over system link and Xbox live for a total of up to four players.For plot reasons, instead of having each player be an identical Spartan like in previous Halo games, the first player will play as Master Chief, the second player the Arbiter and the other two players newly created Elites; N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham each with their own backstories. Each player has identical abilities although the starting weapon will be different depending on whether the player is Master Chief or an Elite.[11] Master Chief will have the Battle Rifle, while the Elites will be equipped with Carbines depending on which mission they are on.
Meta-game
"The ultimate task will be to beat every mission in Legendary difficulty with all skulls turned on in a certain time limit with style... To get the highest possible score."
—Brian Jarrard, Bungie Studios[12]
Halo 3 features a "campaign meta-game" in which a player is awarded a numerical score based on their performance while completing a level in the campaign. Points mostly come from defeating enemies, with extra points being awarded for stylish moves such as performing "headshots", or progressing through a level quickly. Finding and activating Skulls, a continuation of Halo 2's gameplay-altering easter eggs, allows a player to obtain even higher scores in the meta-game. As it records individual performance for each player, the meta-game also introduces a competitive aspect to co-op play. If a player themselves die, or kill a co-op teammate however, they will lose points.[12] Campaign play also unlocks even more armor permutations for use in multiplayer.[13]
Gamerscore is awarded for successfully getting over a certain score in each level,[14] and medals are awarded for specific accomplishments.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer map High Ground.
Up to four people can participate in multiplayer match on a single Xbox 360 in Halo 3 via a split screen layout. Up to sixteen may participate in a single match over a LAN or Xbox Live. A combination of some or all of these methods may be combined for a match with up to sixteen players.
Like most multiplayer Xbox 360 titles, Halo 3 will use a customized version of TrueSkill ranking system for its online matchmaking
facilities. Halo 3's matchmaking system will be based on two different ranks, skill and experience (Rating Points or RP). Skill will simply be the TrueSkill rank of the player in a given playlist, and experience (RP) is a linear measure of experience (1 point for each win in the online playlists). Overlaid by a Military rank; so, a player with a designation of a "General" will have played for a longer time than someone who is a "recruit". This is in order to make the system more fair and to reflect the effect of experience on players' profiles.[15] The RP system also has a mechanism built in to dissuade players from excessive quitting from matches, which became a problem for some players in Halo 2. When players quit from a match before it has finished, they will lose 2 RP. So players that regularly quit games, leaving their teammates stranded, may eventually end up having negative RP.UNSC Service Tags (consisting of one letter followed by two numbers) will be used instead of small HUD emblems to identify allies in games. In addition to the customization of Service Tags, players can now choose three different colors (as opposed to two in Halo 2) for their armor in multiplayer (primary, secondary and detail), as well as three for their multiplayer emblem.[16] Spartan armor in multiplayer is now customizable in physical appearance as well as color.[17] In addition to the standard MJOLNIR-armor look, players can choose to swap out helmet, arm and body sections independently to the new armor variants; CQB (Close Quarters Battle), EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) and other, unannounced variants. The Elite player model is also customizable in this fashion, with several armor types such as the Predator armor (which is similar to the armor worn by the Arbiter) and the Raptor armor (which is similar to the armor worn by the Ranger Elites in Halo 2) [18] Further customization comes in the ability to change the gender of the voice of the Spartan character in multiplayer to female. After considering it due to a "significant chunk" of Halo 2 players being female, and even asking their community for comment[19] it was later confirmed that there will indeed be a female voice option.[20] However, a male voice remains the default.
The UI (user interface) has been redesigned from Halo 2, making it easier to generate a custom game in Halo 3 multiplayer, which can now be saved and shared online with the File Sharing Features. Players will now be able to "advertise" their custom games via Xbox Live Public; making it easier to find a multiplayer match to a player's taste without having to link up with friends.[15] To help players have an enjoyable time online, a new feature dubbed the "A-hole button" allows players to mute annoying players in the game quickly and easily from the in-game scoreboard view.[21] People sifting through the code, as well as those who glitched their way into the Custom Game UI, of the Halo 3 Beta have found that the strength of gravity is indeed a customizable option in multiplayer games, confirming statements made by Bungie employees.[22] In addition to existing gametype settings from previous games, new "player traits" allow players to set specific altered abilities to all players and different (if they wish) abilities to the leaders of a game, expanding the amount of gametype customization available still further.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer map High Ground.
Up to four people can participate in multiplayer match on a single Xbox 360 in Halo 3 via a split screen layout. Up to sixteen may participate in a single match over a LAN or Xbox Live. A combination of some or all of these methods may be combined for a match with up to sixteen players.
Like most multiplayer Xbox 360 titles, Halo 3 will use a customized version of TrueSkill ranking system for its online matchmaking facilities. Halo 3's matchmaking system will be based on two different ranks, skill and experience (Rating Points or RP). Skill will simply be the TrueSkill rank of the player in a given playlist, and experience (RP) is a linear measure of experience (1 point for each win in the online playlists). Overlaid by a Military rank; so, a player with a designation of a "General" will have played for a longer time than someone who is a "recruit". This is in order to make the system more fair and to reflect the effect of experience on players' profiles.[15] The RP system also has a mechanism built in to dissuade players from excessive quitting from matches, which became a problem for some players in Halo 2. When players quit from a match before it has finished, they will lose 2 RP. So players that regularly quit games, leaving their teammates stranded, may eventually end up having negative RP.
UNSC Service Tags (consisting of one letter followed by two numbers) will be used instead of small HUD emblems to identify allies in games. In addition to the customization of Service Tags, players can now choose three different colors (as opposed to two in Halo 2) for their armor in multiplayer (primary, secondary and detail), as well as three for their multiplayer emblem.[16] Spartan armor in multiplayer is now customizable in physical appearance as well as color.[17] In addition to the standard MJOLNIR-armor look, players can choose to swap out helmet, arm and body sections independently to the new armor variants; CQB (Close Quarters Battle), EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) and other, unannounced variants. The Elite player model is also customizable in this fashion, with several armor types such as the Predator armor (which is similar to the armor worn by the Arbiter) and the Raptor armor (which is similar to the armor worn by the Ranger Elites in Halo 2) [18] Further customization comes in the ability to change the gender of the voice of the Spartan character in multiplayer to female. After considering it due to a "significant chunk" of Halo 2 players being female, and even asking their community for comment[19] it was later confirmed that there will indeed be a female voice option.[20] However, a male voice remains the default.
The UI (user interface) has been redesigned from Halo 2, making it easier to generate a custom game in Halo 3 multiplayer, which can now be saved and shared online with the File Sharing Features. Players will now be able to
"advertise" their custom games via Xbox Live Public; making it easier to find a multiplayer match to a player's taste without having to link up with friends.[15] To help players have an enjoyable time online, a new feature dubbed the "A-hole button" allows players to mute annoying players in the game quickly and easily from the in-game scoreboard view.[21] People sifting through the code, as well as those who glitched their way into the Custom Game UI, of the Halo 3 Beta have found that the strength of gravity is indeed a customizable option in multiplayer games, confirming statements made by Bungie employees.[22] In addition to existing gametype settings from previous games, new "player traits" allow players to set specific altered abilities to all players and different (if they wish) abilities to the leaders of a game, expanding the amount of gametype customization available still further.Weapons
A Missile Pod in being held in multiplayer.
Most of the weapons available in previous installments of the series return with minor cosmetic and power alterations; including the Battle Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Covenant Plasma Rifle, Brute Shot and the Covenant Needler. The now-iconic Assault Rifle which appeared in the original Halo as the MA5B, but was absent from Halo 2 is returning for Halo 3 retooled into the MA5C. Developer Bungie hopes it will fill the role as the "ultimate spawn weapon", allowing players to hold their own in a fight straight away (unlike the SMG in Halo 2) but not be so powerful as to overshadow all of the other weapons (like the M6D in Halo). In hopes of fulfilling this, it has a smaller magazine and slower rate of fire than its previous iteration but a longer range, greater accuracy, and more fire power.
Halo 3 introduces a new-to-the-series class called "support weapons". These are a group of exceptionally large, powerful and
cumbersome two-handed weapons that, when carried, change the view to a third-person perspective and cause the player to move more slowly. The two weapons available in this class during the Public Beta were the Machine Gun Turret and Missile Pod, although a Flamethrower also features in this class as well as a new covenant plasma turret.[23]As a visual change to the weapons, when a player is carrying a second weapon in Halo 3, the secondary weapon will be stored on the character's back (for larger, two-handed weapons) or on a leg holster (for smaller, one-handed weapons). This makes it impossible to "hide" a powerful secondary weapon and surprise unsuspecting foes.
Equipment
"The 30 seconds of fun has become 30 seconds of fun and five of total astonishment."
—Jaime Griesemer, Bungie Studios[12]
A new class of usable items in Halo 3 are known as Equipment. These items have various effects and functions, ranging from defensive effects (Bubble Shield and Regenerator), or objects which blind or confuse the enemy (Flare[12] and Radar Jammer), to ones which can actually harm and kill (Power Drainer and Tripmine). Most of these are named by their function.
They are not designed to give one player a significant advantage, as they affect both sides equally, but as items which change the dynamic of a fight momentarily. The Bubble Shield, for example, produces a protective dome but, a person inside cannot fire out, just as a person outside cannot fire in. This creates a stalemate situation until the Bubble Shield fails, or players move through the shield onto one side of it. Equally, once the Portable Gravity Lift is dropped it can be used by both sides to gain greater height into the air, often to get over specific obstacles.
Vehicles
Halo 3, like its predecessors, will also feature a strong vehicular component. Vehicles, and their countermeasures (rockets, mines, etc.), are tightly integrated with Halo gameplay. Many of the series' vehicles are returning in the third installment. Vehicles cover a wide range of types, including light reconnaissance vehicles, large, heavily armoured tanks, troop and vehicle transport craft, plus various atmospheric and spacecraft, though not all are usable by the player.
The Mongoose ATV, a small quad bike, originally designed for Halo 2 but later cut out, is available as a vehicle in Halo 3. A second player can ride on the back of the vehicle to provide some offensive capability. There will also be a new variant of Warthog, with rear seats for troops instead of a gun, and a light human aircraft called the Hornet which is similar in function to the Banshee. They can both be seen briefly in the E3 2007 video. The Hornet will not feature in Matchmaking because it is "too overpowered" and thus will only be accessible in custom games, Campaign, or the Forge gametype.[24]
There are also two entirely new Brute vehicles, dubbed the "Brute Chopper" and "Brute Prowler" to expand the "Brute sandbox". Unlike other vehicles attributed to The Covenant in the game, that entirely hover or fly above the ground, the Chopper has a single large and heavy wheel on the front with a hovering driver seat behind. [25] It has been referred to as a "vehicle smasher," able to destroy other vehicles with a single hit. Insofar it has only been seen in the E3 2007 Trailer. The Brute Prowler however, is closer in function to a Brute version of the Warthog.[18] It has a plasma turret in front, a driver in back, and two side seats, similar to the Covenant Spectre in Halo 2.
The Covenant Banshee aircraft and Wraith tank have been altered in terms of gameplay. The Banshee now has the ability to fire its Fuel Rod Gun in multiplayer matches, an ability which was formerly restricted to Campaign and the multiplayer of Halo for Windows and Mac. But as a trade-off it can no longer point directly down. The Wraith can now carry two people instead of one. One drives the vehicle and fires the main cannon, while the other fires the smaller plasma turret. The plasma turret was formerly exclusive to AI in the Halo 2 campaign.
The largest drivable vehicle in the game is a UNSC transport vehicle named "The Elephant".[18] The vehicle is armed with an anti-aircraft gun at the front, has a
Mongoose in its belly, and can transport an additional 2 Mongooses, a Warthog, and a Scorpion tank along with 12 infantry. In multiplayer the vehicle serves as a mobile base where players can respawn, and also holds both the flag and capture points for certain multiplayer objective modes. Because of its size, it only features on the largest multiplayer map: Sand Trap, and it is unknown whether it will make an appearance in campaign.Features
Forge
Forge is a tool that enables players to insert game objects into existing maps. Bungie has stated that this should be considered more a gametype than a tool.[24] Almost all weapons, vehicles, and interactive objects (various crates and barriers) can be spawned, moved and placed into maps with Forge. In an example of its uses, one of the testers was able to place an unusually large number of exploding fusion cores in a large vehicle set to as close an instantaneous respawn as the game would allow, which caused the vehicle to charge wildly around the map. [27] In games where Forge is enabled, players can switch to the editing mode at any time. While in this mode, a player appears to other players as a Forerunner Monitor and is still vulnerable to being attacked and killed. Objects can be spawned into the game in real-time and parameters such as ammo counts (for weapons) and respawn rates can be altered for each object.[12] The number of objects that can exist in a map at any one time is limited, however, as each object created takes up a set amount of points from the particular map's limit.[12]
As well as changing alterations to spawn weapons to assist a player in real-time, altered maps can be saved and then recalled in a normal multiplayer game mode. These altered maps can also be transferred to other players using the File Sharing features. Modifications made by Forge can change the way a map plays quite drastically from its original configuration.
Saved films
Halo 3 will have a feature called Saved Films. This feature allows players to save a copy of the game data of a multiplayer match or campaign session to their Xbox 360's hard drive, so that they may watch it later on. It has been confirmed that you can only save 100 files on a hard drive at a time.[28] Though the public beta's implementation was very limited, its functionality is planned to be extended for the final game.[29]
"Just think about all those stories you've heard, about that game you played the other night, that awesome thing that happened – well, now you can download it and actually check it out."
—Tyson Green, Bungie Studios[30]
Players will be able to view the action from almost any angle and any player's perspective (including a free-roaming camera), as well as being able to slow down the speed and also play the recording in reverse. The Saved Films can even be edited in game to create a shorter clip of a particularly amazing or special moment.[29] Players can also use the tool to take still pictures from films and upload them to the bungie website.
As the Saved Films are only the game data (not an actual video), this allows the file sizes to be relatively small. A recording for a typical "long" game is in the region of only 6 MB.[29] Films will also be played back at whatever resolution the Xbox 360 is set to, regardless of the resolution at which the a player was using at the time of the recording. All games are recreated in real-time on the Xbox 360 using the Halo 3 engine. This allows them to be shared amongst any other Xbox 360 without any compatibility issues because they all run off the same code. The Saved Films feature is described as an "excellent training aid" since players can gain valuable tactical insight into the strategies of other players by viewing the saved films.[31] Alternatively, they could have a look at other games uploaded through the fileshare.
This feature will also facilitate the creation of machinima and other game-related videos, as well as give the creators of such videos advanced tools to enhance the quality of this medium. Video game montage creators can save games to the hard drive of their Xbox 360 console for later use, so they never have to miss a camera shot, while machinima directors and cinematographers will have expanded camera options, instead of having to resort to using a first-person, gameplay perspective.
File share
File Sharing in Halo 3 is an online storage and sharing service for a range of files that are created in the game, and is an extension of the game's online capabilities. Files such as Saved Films, screenshots, custom gametypes and Forge settings can all be uploaded to the File Share. When the game launches, items stored there then appear on a players Bungie.net Halo 3 profile, with the ability to comment on them and queue items to download for when the player next plays the game online.[12]
Players can view and transfer these files individually to others while they are online, but can also upload them to a central, Bungie run server so friends (or rivals) can then view and download them even when the creating player is not online. During the Beta each player had 25 MB of storage space on the File Share, which may change by the time the final game ships. Bungie announced that players will be able to purchase additional storage space and slots for 750 Microsoft Points, dubbed "Bungie Pro"; all Gold subscribers get 6 file slots and 25MB of storage. Bungie Pro bumps storage up to 24 slots and 250MB. While players with Xbox Live Silver do not have access to the free file-share, they may purchase Bungie Pro to share their files. Bungie has also extended the file-share to their website; players may "flag" files for download (up to 8) on Bungie.net. The next time a user signs on to their Xbox, it will automatically download the flagged files to their hard drive.
Character design and creation
Halo's characters were continually refined through development, as the company was bought by Microsoft and the platform shifted from the Macintosh to the Xbox. Other Bungie developers would often add input to the progress of characters in Halo, even if they were not working on the game itself.[4] For example, an outside artist, Shi Kai Wang, developed the early concept sketches of what would eventually become the Master Chief. However upon developing a 3D model, the artists decided the Chief looked too slender, almost effeminate, and subsequently bulked up the character.[5] Early Covenant Elites had a more natural jaw rather than the split mandibles they would later sport; at one point, Jason Jones was also insistent about having a tail on the Elites, but this idea was eventually dropped.[6]
Designers decided to hand-key animations, rather than attempt motion capture.[7] The animators also often video taped themselves to have reference footage for the movement of game characters. Art Director Marcus Lehto had his wife videotape him "running around a field with a two-by-four, playing soldier" while working on the human marines.[8] Many of the subsequent human character's features were based off Bungie designers,[8] while character animators looked to simian, ursine, insectoid and reptilian features for the various races of the Covenant
Main article: Characters in the Halo series
The Master Chief again returns as the main protagonist, with the Arbiter making several major appearances. The other characters below, and some others, have been revealed in promotional media.
Playable characters
Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN-117, commonly referred to in-game as Master Chief, is the fictional protagonist within the Halo universe. He is the main character of the video game Halo: Combat Evolved, and one of the two playable characters in Halo 2. Additionally, he will appear in the soon to be released game Halo 3. In addition to video games, the Master Chief appears in the novels Halo: The Fall of Reach, Halo: The Flood, Halo: First Strike, Halo: Uprising, and has cameos in both Halo: Ghosts of Onyx and the Halo Graphic Novel. He is voiced by Steve Downes in the video games in which he appears.
The Master Chief is one of the most visible symbols of the Halo series. Originally designed by Marcus Lehto,
Rob McLees, and Shi Kai Wang, the character is a silent protagonist, towering but faceless, never once removing his armor. The character has been referred to as an "icon", and is one of a few recognizable game mascots, a relative newcomer joining established characters such as Mario, Lara Croft, and Sonic the Hedgehog; Electronic Gaming Monthly named the Master Chief as the eighth greatest video game character ever.Avery Johnson
Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson.
Main article: Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson
Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson, voiced by David Scully, is a Marine who leads human forces against Covenant and Flood assaults throughout the first and second games.
Whereas Johnson played a minor role in Halo: Combat Evolved, the character plays a much larger role in Halo 2, by joining forces with the Arbiter to stop Tartarus from activating Delta Halo.[13] Johnson is also the only human seen to survive a Flood infestation, due to a pre-existing medical condition.[14] In Halo 2, he is awarded the Colonial Cross for his heroic actions,[15] and led UNSC forces to drive the Covenant from New Mombasa. Johnson is the sole character featured in the Halo Graphic Novel story, "Breaking Quarantine", which details Johnson's escape from the Flood in Halo: Combat Evolved.[16]Jacob Keyes
Jacob Keyes, mutated by the Flood and assimilated into a Brain form.
In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: The Fall of Reach, Captain Jacob Keyes (voiced by Pete Stacker) is a commander in the UNSC. As a young Lieutenant, Keyes accompanied Catherine Halsey on her mission to screen possible SPARTAN-II Project subjects.[17] By 2552, Keyes was commander of the Iroquois, a UNSC destroyer.[18] Keyes realizes that a strange mass approaching Sigma Octanus IV is in fact a Covenant armada;[19] with reinforcements hours away, Keyes' ship alone takes on four Covenant ships. However, Keyes' tactical brilliance makes up for the disparity in numbers; using the Covenant's own plasma torpedoes against them, Keyes executes a roll around the Covenant ship, hitting them with their own weapons;[20] the maneuver, dubbed the "Keyes Loop",[21] makes the Commander a hero.
Newly promoted to Captain,[22] Keyes leads his ship along with fellow UNSC forces against an even larger Covenant fleet that arrives at Octanus IV. Having successfully defended the colony from the Covenant, the Iroquois is recalled to Reach, unwittingly carrying a Covenant spy drone which relays their location of the human colony.[23] At Reach, Keyes is given command of the cruiser Pillar of Autumn. The ship is to
undertake a mission with a complement of SPARTAN-IIs to capture a Prophet and end the war with the Covenant.[24] However, the Covenant attack first, and the Autumn follows Cole Protocol and arrives at Halo.[24] There, Keyes leads a guerilla insurgency against the Covenant, until he is captured and assimilated by the Flood in Halo's sixth mission, "343 Guilty Spark". He is posthumously awarded a medal for his bravery in Halo 2.Miranda Keyes
Cmdr. Miranda Keyes aboard the ship In Amber Clad.
Commander Miranda Keyes is the daughter of Captain Jacob Keyes and first appears in Halo 2. She is the commanding officer of UNSC frigate In Amber Clad, which is later taken over by the Flood. She is referred to by 343 Guilty Spark as a "Reclaimer",[26] like the Master Chief was in Halo. Thus, she is able to retrieve the Index from the Delta Halo Library. Miranda is voiced by Julie Benz in Halo 2, but Bungie has stated they are recasting Miranda's voice actress because they want someone with an accent.[27]
At the beginning of Halo 2, Keyes is present at an awards ceremony onboard the Cairo defense platform above Earth to accept a medal (Colonial Cross) posthumously for her father, who had been consumed by the
Flood during the events of Halo. Soon after, a Covenant fleet launches an attack on Earth, and Commander Keyes links up with the rest of the fleet aboard the In Amber Clad. She is able to retrieve the Master Chief and deploy him, along with many of her marines, to assist in the defense of New Mombasa. When the High Prophet of Regret retreats from Earth by initiating a slipspace jump, Keyes orders the pilots of In Amber Clad to follow Regret's ship, resulting in the ship's arrival near Delta Halo.[28]Keyes decides to deploy two teams to the surface of Halo: one, led by the Master Chief, would locate and assassinate Regret, while Keyes and Sergeant Johnson would locate the Index before the Covenant. She and Johnson are able to reach the Index, but are captured by Tartarus. As a Reclaimer, only she can insert the Index into Halo's control panel, and Tartarus attempts to force her to do this. When the Arbiter tries to stop the firing, Tartarus forces Keyes to insert the Index, initiating Halo's firing sequence. After the Arbiter and Johnson engage and kill Tartarus, Keyes successfully removes the Index and prevents Halo from activating, but inadvertently causes all remaining Halo installations to enter standby mode, enabling the remote detonation of these installations from The Ark
Catherine Halsey
Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey is a civilian scientist in the UNSC, in which she holds a prominent position. A flash clone of her brain tissue was the basis for the construction of the "smart" AI Cortana.[30] As the creator of the SPARTAN-II Project, she was responsible for the kidnapping of the seventy-five Spartan children, along with their training and the subsequent death of thirty of them due to the dangerous augmentation process.[31] She is viewed by the SPARTAN-IIs as a "mother" figure. Because of the overnight success of the project, she quickly rose through the ranks of the UNSC, despite quarrels with one or two members of the Admiralty.
Halsey enjoys the time she spends with her Spartans, each of whom she addresses by first name rather than designation.[32] Little is known of her personal life, but it is implied that she is a lonely workaholic, and highly criticized for her involvement with the SPARTAN-II project. Halsey justifies her actions through her belief that the suffering of a few is acceptable for the benefit of many. Sergeant Johnson, however, unknowingly causes Halsey to rethink her position, and she decides to "save each and every member of humanity beginning with herself".[33]
During First Strike Dr. Halsey hijacks a shuttle for her own private mission to the planet Onyx.[34] There, she assists in deciphering the surrounding Forerunner ruins on the planet and leads the surviving humans within a Dyson Sphere contained within the spatially compressed core of the planet, in actuality a "shield-world" construct left unused by the Forerunners.
James Ackerson
Colonel James Ackerson is a high ranking officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence, who has seen many years of service and has survived several battles with the Covenant. Such is his influence that he dominates the Security Committee and can talk down most higher-ranking officers without fear of reprisal.[35] Due to the competition between Ackerson and other departments, most notably Section Three and the SPARTAN-II project, Ackerson harbors a strong resentment toward his opponents and toward the Spartans in particular. In Halo: The Fall of Reach, he attempted to sabotage the MJOLNIR Mark V testing process by using ordnance far above the established guidelines, including Lotus anti-tank mines, a full squad of ODSTs ordered to shoot to kill, automated gun turrets, and an airstrike with a Skyhawk jump jet fighter. However, Cortana soon got back at Ackerson by forging a letter requesting a reassignment to the front lines, following planting evidence of illicit activities in his bank records. In Halo: First Strike, it is revealed that Ackerson managed to weasel his way out of Cortana's mess,[36] and is in charge of the SPARTAN-III program. In Halo: Uprising Ackerson falls into the hands of Covenant orbiting Mars, is tortured and is slated to die, revealing the presence of a "key" on Earth to his interrogators.[37]
Franklin Mendez
Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez is the SPARTAN-II's trainer on Reach during the early events of Halo: The Fall of Reach. He provides his trainees with excellent weapons and physical lessons, as well as tactical and mental training. He is not very talkative, but possesses a brilliant mind for warfare, and this shows through in the Master Chief's abilities. He is described as neither tall nor muscular, with close-cut hair that has a dash of gray at the temples.[38] Also, he looks very ordinary for a man who has seen such extensive combat. His walk is described as being slow and graceful, as though he were not bound by gravity as much as others. He leaves after the discovery of the Covenant to train the next batch of Spartans.[39]
Chief Mendez was recruited by Colonel Ackerson to assist Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose with training the SPARTAN-III supersoldiers at the secret world of Onyx after a few years of combat duty (receiving two Purple Hearts in the process).[40] He trained three companies of Spartan-IIIs. During Ghosts of Onyx he participated in the events that occurred on the planet between October 31 and November 4, 2552 and was sealed inside the Forerunner Dyson Sphere at the heart of the planet, with the remaining human survivors
Terrence Hood
Admiral Hood aboard the ODP Cairo
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood (voiced by Ron Perlman) first appears in the novel, Halo: First Strike. He is a member of the UNSC Security Committee and is the Chief of Naval Operations. He greatly respects the Spartans, not only because of their record, but on two occasions his life has been saved by the Spartans. [42]
When Halo 2 begins Admiral Hood presents the Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson, and Miranda Keyes with medals aboard the Cairo Station. Captain Keyes' medal is posthumous and thus presented to his daughter,
Miranda. Lord Hood was in overall command of the battle when Prophet of Regret's fleet attacked Earth (this is made clear when he orders Fleet Admiral Harper to defend the Cairo, Athens, and Malta MAC stations instead of attacking the Covenant ships directly). Later, at the end of Halo 2, he is seen commanding the defense of Earth aboard the Cairo as he finds out that Master Chief is aboard the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner flagship. In Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, Hood receives an urgent message by Dr. Halsey requesting for him to send Spartans to assist her, and obliges by ordering Fred-104, Will-043, and Linda-058 to Onyx.Danforth Whitcomb
Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb is deputy chief of naval operations in the UNSC. When Reach falls under Covenant attack before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, he is rescued by Gamma Team, a division of the Spartans sent to defend Reach from the Covenant invasion.[43] He is later picked up by the Master Chief and escaped in Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice. Whitcomb sacrifices himself to destroy the bulk of the Covenant invasion fleet near the Unyielding Hierophant. Broadcasting a challenge to fight along with a picture of a Forerunner artifact the Covenant had been searching for, Whitcomb uses the captured Covenant cruiser Ascendant Justice to cluster the Covenant around the Hierophant, whose reactors are about to detonate.[44] The station explodes, destroying almost all of the Covenant fleet.
Carol "Foehammer" Rawley
Rawley's dropship, picking up UNSC survivors on Alpha Halo.
Flight Officer Captain Carol Rawley, referred to in-game by the callsigns Foehammer or Echo 419,[46] is the pilot of a dropship on the UNSC cruiser Pillar of Autumn. She assists the protagonist in Halo: Combat Evolved numerous times, providing troop extractions and dropped reinforcements. Foehammer is voiced by Tanya Pettiford-Wates. She is technically an unseen character, as players can only see her ship and not the pilot inside.
Not long after the Pillar of Autumn makes a blind jump to Threshold, Covenant forces descend upon the ship. Foehammer, along with a group of fellow pilots, escape the Autumn by taking some of the Pelican dropships to the surface of the ring. There, she helps Spartan-117 and Cortana pick up scattered Marines and rescue Captain Jacob Keyes, allowing the humans to wage a guerilla war against the Covenant.[47] She
inserts the Master Chief and Marines into several tough spots, including an assault to find Halo's control room. Later, she is killed after her ship is hit by a Covenant Banshee, as she attempts to aid the Master Chief in escaping the Autumn before its imminent detonation.[48]Antonio Silva
Major Antonio Silva is commander of the Marine Helljumper battalion on the Pillar of Autumn when it crashes on Halo in Halo: Combat Evolved. An Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, Silva harbors little love for the SPARTAN-II program, bearing a grudge from when several of his fellow Helljumpers were killed as a test of a Spartan's willingness to obey orders.[49] Though a brilliant tactical commander, Silva is ambitious to a fault, and is also very protective of his own troops. and his subordinates feel his ambition clouds his judgement.[50] At the end of Halo: The Flood, he led the assault and capture of the Covenant ship Truth and Reconciliation, and, blinded by his own ambitions, refused to exterminate the remaining Flood specimens on board, believing that humanity needed to see live specimens of the parasite.[51] He is killed when his subordinate, Lieutenant McKay, destroys the cruiser rather than let the Flood escape.
Melissa McKay
Lieutenant Melissa McKay is Major Silva's executive officer during the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: The Flood. A brave and stalwart officer who fought in several battles on the Halo construct, McKay was driven close to the breaking point as the battle wore on and the Flood parasite began to emerge. At the end of the novel, McKay attempted to convince Silva that they could not leave Halo with live Flood specimens on board their captured ship, but Silva refused to listen to her.[52] Taking matters into her own hands, McKay destroyed a critical control line to the cruiser's bridge, causing the ship to crash and killing everyone on board to contain the spread of the Flood
Wallace Jenkins
Footage from Jenkins's helmet camera, showing his squad being overrun by Flood Infection forms.
Private Wallace A. Jenkins is one of many UNSC forces that survives the initial Covenant attack in Halo: Combat Evolved. In Halo: The Flood, Jenkins assists in defending the human stronghold under the command of Major Antonio Silva. He is also part of an assault team led by Sergeant Avery Johnson and Captain Jacob Keyes, sent to recover a Covenant arms cache during Halo: Combat Evolved. The team is overwhelmed by the Flood, leaving the entire squad except Sergeant Johnson infected and resulting in the eventual death of Captain Keyes. In the video game, the Master Chief recovers Jenkins' helmet, and reviews the recording of the mission that it contained, introducing the Flood to the player through the
soldier's eyes. In Halo, the soldier's fate is left unknown.Halo: The Flood reveals the fate of Jenkins; the Private is transformed into a Combat Form of the Flood along with the rest of his squad, but he is able to exercise a certain degree of control over the infection, due to the mind of the parasite being weakened by its long hibernation.[53] He uses this limited control in an attempt to end his own life, charging at UNSC Marines in the hope that they would shoot him.[54] Instead he is captured, as a live specimen for study. He is brought aboard the Covenant cruiser Truth and Reconciliation as part of a mission under ODST Major Silva to capture a Covenant vessel and return it to Earth intact. Jenkins successfully convinces Silva's second-in-command, Lieutenant McKay, that such a mission would spread the Flood to Earth, and she destroys the conduit connecting the ship's controls to the engines, destroying the vessel as it crashed into Halo.[55] The 12th track of the Halo soundtrack is titled "Lament For Pvt. Jenkins"
Corporal Locklear
Corporal Locklear is an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper who was involved in the battle on Installation 04 in Halo: Combat Evolved. Not much is known of his efforts or achievements in the fight. In Halo: First Strike, it is revealed that he escaped Halo on a Pelican with Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, Lieutenant Elias Haverson, and Warrant Officer Shiela Polaski, who he seems to have been attracted to.[56] He meets his death when he blows up Dr. Halsey's Slipspace-altering crystal in grief of the death of Polaski, destroying himself and protecting the rest of the crew on the Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice from the Covenant, who would have tracked the crystal's radioactive emissions in Slipspace
SPARTAN-IIs
SPARTAN-IIs clad in early MJOLNIR battle armor.
The SPARTAN-II Project is a top-secret project to create human super-soldiers who were originally planned to crush revolts in the human colonies. After the Covenant attack, the Spartans experience a priority shift. In an effort to boost support for a war humanity is losing, the UNSC High Command reveals the existence of the Spartans
to the general public. While the Master Chief is the only soldier of the SPARTAN-II Project seen in the game, many others are featured or mentioned in the Halo novels. In the books, all Spartans are recorded as MIA even if they are dead; this is because the UNSC High Command does not want civilians to think that Spartans can be killed, in an effort to boost morale.[58]Most Spartans are now listed as Missing in Action; only a handful remain on active duty. John-117, the Master Chief, is on Earth following the events of Halo 2. Linda-058, Kelly-087, and Frederic-104 are inside a Dyson Sphere after the events of Ghosts of Onyx. [41]; Kurt-051 is killed after staying behind to stop the Covenant from following his comrades into the Sphere. [59]
Li-008 is killed covering those repairing the Ascendant Justice in slipspace during Halo: First Strike, as is Anton-044.[60] Later on, Grace-093 is killed by Brutes on board the Unyielding Hierophant in an effort to destroy the station.[61] William-043 is killed in Onyx by a Hunter. Other Spartans mentioned (and now MIA) include Joshua-029, Vinh-030, Sam-034, Isaac-039, Malcolm-059, and three unidentified SPARTAN II's designated "Gray Team",[62] [63] who at the time of Halo: The Fall of Reach were in fields of battle too distant to be recalled, [64] and hasn't contacted command for a year [63]
Kurt-051
Kurt-051 is one of the primary characters of Halo: Ghosts of Onyx. Kurt originally graduated with the original class of SPARTAN-IIs. Kurt was much more social than the other Spartans, going to lengths to be friends with not only his fellow Spartans but also the support personnel who trained and aided them.[65] Although some (particularly John-117, the leader of the Spartans) found this quality to be detrimental to his duties, he proved to be an able leader and often led the Green Team in training exercises.[65] After the death of Sam-034 in 2531, Kurt was assigned to replace him as a member of Blue Team under the command of John-117. Later that year, on a mission in the Groombridge 34 system, his thruster pack apparently malfunctioned while EVA. He was recovered by the UNSC Prowler Point of No Return, unbeknownst to his teammates.[66] In actuality, the "accident" had been elaborately staged by Colonel James Ackerson of the Office of Naval Intelligence in order to recruit Kurt to head up the SPARTAN-III program without anyone else knowing. He is given a new name and an officer's commission, effectively starting a new life as Lieutenant Kurt Ambrose.[67]
Kurt is assigned to head up the selection and training of the next generation of Spartans, training three companies of approximately three hundred SPARTAN-IIIs each at Onyx, and for his efforts and the success of the program, he was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Driven by the guilt of watching two generations of his SPARTAN-IIIs die in combat, he worked to protect them at any cost, taking extreme measures to ensure their survival. When the Forerunner Sentinels began attacking in Zone 67, Kurt withdrew to the camp armory and his house, where he retrieved his suit of SPI armor, consciously choosing it instead of his vastly superior MJOLNIR armor in a show of solidarity with his troops. After the arrival of Dr. Halsey and the SPARTAN-II Blue Team, Kurt along with the remaining 7 SPARTAN-IIIs accompanied them to the center of Zone 67 - a recently unearthed Forerunner city - to protect the Forerunner technology from falling to the Covenant forces who had just entered orbit. Eventually, he realized that Dr. Halsey's actual plan was to take the remaining Spartans into the safety of the core of Onyx, an advanced Forerunner shelter which existed in slipspace. He led the Spartans in defending the core against the Covenant forces, but ordered the rest of the Spartans into the shelter along with Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez when it was clear that they could no longer hold their position. Kurt was killed at the end of Halo: Ghosts of Onyx by detonating a series of FENRIS nuclear warheads to prevent the Covenant from pursuing his comrades.
Maria-062
A SPARTAN-II who chose to retire from the SPARTAN-II program to start a family.[68] After doing so she had tested out a new model of MJOLNIR Mark VI armor before it was sent to be used by the Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan John-117 in Halo 2.[68] This event is depicted in the Halo Graphic Novel, entitled Armor Testing, by W. Andrew Robinson (pencils), Ed Lee (colors), and Jay Faerber (Story).
AIs
A common presence on UNSC worlds and fleets, advanced artificial intelligences serve as highly capable computerized assistants in everything from naval warfare and military planning to accounting. UNSC AIs come in two types, "dumb" and "smart." "Dumb" AIs are specialized in one specific field and cannot improve their knowledge in regards to any other field or grow in terms of processing power. "Smart" AIs are unlimited in their ability to expand and learn, though their rapid rate of self-advancement results in a cognitive "death" after roughly seven operational years, due to critical system functions being used up by the AI to think and process, analogous to a human using so much of their brain to think that they no longer breathe.[69]
Cortana
Main article: Cortana
Cortana, voiced in the games by Jen Taylor, is the AI who assists the Master Chief throughout Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. She is one of many smart AIs, and is based on Dr. Halsey. Her actions during Halo: Combat Evolved help prevent the activation of the ringworld. She escapes Halo along with the Master Chief in a fighter, and is instrumental in helping the UNSC survivors capture the Covenant flagship Ascendant Justice during the events of Halo: First Strike. During Halo 2 Cortana is put in charge of the MAC defense platform Cairo over Earth when the Covenant attack;[70] she then follows the Chief on In Amber Clad to Delta Halo, where she further assists in intelligence work. Cortana stays behind on High Charity to detonate In Amber Clad's engines in case Halo is activated; she is last seen in the clutches of Gravemind.
Kalmiya
Kalmiya was Dr. Catherine Halsey's "test" experiment, to see whether an AI could handle the code-breaking abilities that were required for the Spartan II's mission. Kalmiya is a "smart" AI - copied directly from the neural patterns of a human brain. She also contributes a portion of her core programming to the making of Cortana. She is erased according to UNSC protocol when the ONI Castle Base on Reach self-destructs to prevent the Covenant from discovering any human secrets, such as the location of Earth.[71]
[edit] Wellsley
Wellsley is a Class-C Military A.I. who assisted Helljumpers Major Silva and Lt. McKay on Halo to set up and operate Alpha Base, the center of the human resistance on the ringworld. He is only mentioned in Halo: The Flood and is effectively erased when Lt. McKay destroys the Truth and Reconciliation in an attempt to stop her superior's plans to capture and examine the Flood. He is also a "dumb" A.I. - meaning he was only created for one type of position, in this case being a military assistant. His name and personality come from the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley (original, correct spelling), who won the Battle of Waterloo.[72] The A.I. Wellsley often refers to victories that the Duke made as though he was the Duke and not an artificial recreation.[73]
Araqiel
Araqiel is the personal AI of Colonel James Ackerson, a rival of Dr. Catherine Halsey and strong critic of the Spartan-II program. Since the overnight success of the program threatened Ackerson, he deployed Araqiel to attack the files of Dr. Halsey, stealing data (such as every Spartan's DNA) for the SPARTAN-III program's study. Araqiel is only mentioned in the book, Halo: First Strike, and is erased by Dr. Halsey and Kalmiya during the Covenant assault on the planet Reach after threatening to report Halsey to the ONI for treason.[74] His appearance is that of an elongated skull with long, demon-like horns, fire-filled eyes and jagged teeth. His voice is a low bestial growl or rumble containing a trace of far-off thunder, probably evoking the demon for which he is named.
Deep Winter
Deep Winter became the functioning A.I. for the training camp of the new Spartan III soldiers. He replaced Eternal Spring. Deep Winter became aware of illegal drugs being used on the new soldiers and tried to warn Spartan Kurt-051, even though Kurt-051 was the one responsible for them being used in the first place. Fortunately for Kurt, the A.I. was at the end of its lifespan, and was replaced by the A.I. Endless Summer. Deep Winter appeared as an old man with snow blowing around him.
The Covenant
The High Prophets
Hierarchs (Halo)
The High Prophets or Hierarchs are the supreme leaders of the theocratic Covenant. In Halo 2, there are shown to be only three; the Prophets of Mercy, Truth, and Regret (voiced by Hamilton Camp, Michael Wincott and Robin Atkin Downes, respectively). During the course of Halo 2, Regret attacks Earth, then retreats to Delta Halo. There, he calls for reinforcements, but is killed by the Master Chief. Later, Mercy is attacked by Flood, and abandoned by Truth. Based on Gravemind's comments during the level "High Charity", both Mercy and Regret have been assimilated into the Flood intelligence.[75]
Arbiter
Main article: Arbiter (Halo)
The Arbiter is a rank given to special Covenant Elite soldiers, who undertake suicidal missions on behalf of the Hierarchs. They are revered amongst the Covenant for their bravery and skill. In Halo 2, the rank of Arbiter is given to the disgraced former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice. Under his watch the Ascendant Justice was captured by the Master Chief and Installation 04 was destroyed. Rather than killing him, the Prophets allow the Commander to become the Arbiter, and to carry on his missions.[76]
The Arbiter succeeds in silencing the heretic leader Sesa ‘Refumee before traveling to Delta Halo. Here, he succeeds in capturing the Index, vital for the Covenant's "Great Journey" to occur. However he is betrayed by the Brutes and the Prophets, sparking the Covenant Civil War, and subsequently learns from Gravemind that the Halos are weapons of destruction, not salvation. The Arbiter then leads fellow Elites and other Separatist forces against the Brutes, joining forces with Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Johnson in stopping Tartarus from activating Delta Halo
Tartarus
Chieftain Tartarus
Tartarus (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is the most prominent of the Jiralhanae (also known as Brute) commanders of the Covenant, easily recognized by his albinism and distinctive mohawk. He is named for the deepest part of the Ancient Greek underworld, where the Titans are imprisoned. He represents his entire species as their Chieftain: rough, arrogant and disdainful of the Covenant Elite, and completely dedicated to the Prophets' "Great Journey".
Tartarus made his first chronological appearance in the novel Halo: First Strike, in the chamber of the High Prophet of Truth. Tartarus reports that the Covenant Fleet preparing to attack Earth has been destroyed. He had scoured the wreckage of the Covenant attack coordination station Unyielding Hierophant after its destruction at the hands of the Master Chief, and recovered an artifact that had almost been lost but for three small chips, which he presented to Truth. He is instructed to reward the surviving pilots well, and then to "execute them all. Quickly. Quietly."[77]
In Halo 2, Tartarus brands the Elite who would later become the Arbiter with the "Mark of Shame", and takes him to the Mausoleum of the Arbiters to carry out his execution. When the Prophets give the same Elite the role of the Arbiter, Tartarus is displeased, but does not openly voice his objections to the Prophets. He later appears when the Arbiter tries to retrieve the
Index of Delta Halo. On the Prophets' orders, Tartarus takes the Index and pushes the Arbiter to what was intended to be his death in the deep central chasm of the Library.[78] The Brute then returns to High Charity with the Index with captives Commander Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Avery Johnson in his possession.While trying to get the Reclaimer (Miranda Keyes) to activate Halo, Tartarus is confronted by the Arbiter. Blind to the Prophets' deception, he activates Delta Halo and guards the Index from all comers.[79] Tartarus is ultimately killed by the Arbiter and Sergeant Johnson, successfully preventing the firing of Delta Halo.
Rtas 'Vadumee
Rtas 'Vadumee (right) consulting with the Arbiter.
Making his debut in Halo 2, the Special Ops Commander is never named in the game itself, leading to the unofficial nickname of "Half-Jaw" by fans.[80] With the release of the Halo Graphic Novel however, the character was finally named in the story Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor as Rtas 'Vadumee. 'Vadumee is voiced by Robert Davi.
'Vadumee is a veteran Covenant Elite who is missing half of both his left mandibles. The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor explains how he incurs this injury; he is injured after fighting one of his friends, who has been infested by the Flood.[81] 'Vadumee frequently fights beside the Arbiter throughout
style="font-style:italic;">Halo 2. However, he often leaves the Arbiter with lesser Elites to go fight other battles on his own throughout the game. At one point Tartarus references this pattern of behavior and calls 'Vadumee a coward.[82]During the early events of Halo 2 'Vadumee also serves as a messenger between the Hierarchs and the Elite Council, as he is seen relaying messages between the two parties in the Prophets' chamber.[83] The player as the Arbiter encounters 'Vadumee again after being betrayed by Tartarus. 'Vadumee helps the Arbiter break into the control chamber of Delta Halo to stop Halo from being fired. 'Vadumee is last seen in game going off to capture a Covenant cruiser which had been taken over by the Brutes.
Sesa 'Refumee
Sesa ‘Refumee shortly before fighting the Arbiter.
Sesa 'Refumee (voiced by Miguel Ferrer) is an enemy and 'boss' present in Halo 2 fought by the Arbiter. He commanded an Artifact Retrieval Group attached to the Covenant fleet at the first Halo. Busy investigating a retrofitted Forerunner mining facility in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant, Threshold, 'Refumee was fortunate not to be on the ring when the Master Chief detonated the Pillar of Autumn's fusion engines, destroying the ring and everything on it.
'Refumee first encounters Halo’s monitor, 343 Guilty Spark, a few days after Halo's destruction. The Monitor informs him about the true nature of Halo, the fate of the Forerunners, and the origins of the Flood. This knowledge inspires 'Refumee and his Elites to rebel against the
Prophets[85] – a decision that led to outright civil war. The Arbiter is sent on his first mission as the "blade of the Prophets" to silence the leader, braving not only Heretic soldiers but also Flood forms.[86] 'Refumee attempts hiding behind a shield, but the Arbiter causes the facility to go into a free fall into Threshold's atmosphere. 'Refumee is driven into the open and eventually is killed by the Arbiter. In the course of his defeat, 'Refumee gives the Arbiter hints that Halo's purpose is destruction, not salvation, a truth the Arbiter finally confirms for himself upon meeting both Gravemind and the Master Chief.Zuka 'Zamamee
Appearing in the book Halo: The Flood, Zuka 'Zamamee is an Elite who is wounded aboard the Pillar of Autumn and is saved by Yayap the Grunt. After recovering, 'Zamamee is granted permission by the Prophets to hunt down and kill the Master Chief. With Yayap, 'Zamamee attempts to assassinate the Master Chief several times throughout the course of The Flood. After a failed raid on the human encampment on Halo, 'Zamamee is forced to leave the scene by Yayap, impersonating another Elite at the Autumn's crash site.[87]
'Zamamee is seen only once in Halo: Combat Evolved. After the Master Chief sets off the Autumn's engines, he prepares to take an elevator to a maintenance corridor. On this elevator is a Shade turret, a few Grunts who helped wrestle it aboard and one Spec Ops Elite, who is 'Zamamee. In the novel, 'Zamamee meets his demise when Cortana drops the lift he is on, which is followed by a rain of grenades by the Chief. This kills the Grunts and sends the Elite out of the turret and into the air, giving him one last look at the Chief before falling to his death.
Voro 'Mantakree
Voro 'Mantakree is a Major Domo Covenant Elite who is forced to kill his Ship Master when the superior officer goes mad from the "glory" of the ring world known as Delta Halo. When Voro assumes control of the Covenant destroyer, he engages several Brute vessels and narrowly escapes. Voro is then summoned to a meeting, along with his fellow Ship Masters. Once there, Xytan 'Jar Watinree, a high-ranking Elite, promotes him for his wisdom. The newly promoted Voro assembles a Covenant armada, and invades the planet Onyx. On the surface 'Mantakree encounters Kurt-051, injured from previous fighting and on the verge of death. 'Mantakree treats him honorably and respectfully, allowing him to stand and die a warrior's death. Kurt activates a pair of nuclear warheads, annihilating himself along with all the Covenant present, including 'Mantakree, in order to stop them from reaching Onyx's Dyson Sphere.
Yayap
A cowardly but smart Grunt file leader, Yayap always tried to steer his squad away from danger by avoiding combat. After saving Zuka 'Zamamee aboard the Pillar of Autumn, the Elite conscripted Yayap to accompany him on a mission to assassinate the Master Chief.[91] Yayap infiltrated the UNSC base camp on Halo, posing as a wounded Grunt in order to be captured. During the ensuing Covenant assault on the camp, Yayap confronted 'Zamamee with a plasma pistol and forced him to commandeer a captured Banshee to escape. Later, he deserted his post at the Pillar of Autumn's crash site, taking a Ghost, a day's worth of food and a spare methane tank. On the run, he finally discovered the sense of peace he'd sought.[52] He died on Halo after the Master Chief detonated the Autumn's engines, destroying the ship and much of Halo.
N’tho ‘Sraom
When playing Cooperatively in Halo 3 the third player to join a lobby in System link or Xbox Live, will play as an Elite named N'tho 'Sraom. In the game N’tho ‘Sraom is the youngest member of a Special Operations unit and is sympathetic of the human cause. He is a described as fairly typical young male adult Sangheili—he began compulsory military service at the end of adolescence, and remains unmarried with no close, non-familial relationships outside of his martial order. N’tho Sraom refuses to stand by while the Prophets replace the Elites with Brutes.
Usze ‘Taham
Usze 'Taham is one of two new cooperative characters featuring in Halo 3; The fourth player to join a cooperative game lobby over system link or Xbox Live plays as this character. According to the official Bungie bio, Usze 'Taham graduated with honors from the top War College. Shortly after receiving his first post within the Covenant Navy he is offered a place on the Prophets’ Honor Guard but he declines, citing “lack of practical experience”. Although he has no desire to be part of a largely ceremonial unit, Usze ‘Taham refuses the post again—a potentially dangerous move as his refusal can be seen as apostasy.[92]
[edit] Forerunner
343 Guilty Spark
Main article: 343 Guilty Spark
343 Guilty Spark is the Monitor of Installation 04. He is first encountered by the player at the end of Halo's sixth level, "343 Guilty Spark", after the Flood breach containment. He enlists the help of the Master Chief, whom he calls a "Reclaimer", to activate Halo's defenses-[93] neglecting to tell the protagonist that Halo's "defenses" would cause the destruction of all sentient life in the galaxy.[11] He attempts to stop the Master Chief and Cortana from disabling Halo and from destroying the Pillar of Autumn, but is ultimately thwarted (though his goal of preventing the Flood's escape was fulfilled.) He escapes the ring's destruction, and informs the Covenant Hierarchs of how to access Installation 05 in Halo 2
2401 Penitent Tangent
2401 Penitent Tangent, captured by Gravemind.
2401 Penitent Tangent, voiced by John Michael Higgins, first appears in Halo 2 as the Monitor of Installation 05. While Penitent Tangent's screentime is quite limited in comparison with his Installation 04 counterpart, 343 Guilty Spark, his brief scenes reveal that his personality and overall behavior are nearly identical. It speaks with a similar voice and the same style as Guilty Spark, as well. Penitent Tangent, like Guilty Spark, quickly identifies the Master Chief as a "Reclaimer" which can activate the facility and contain the outbreak of the Flood.
Further similarities between the two Monitors are shown during a brief argument with the High Prophet of Regret. 2401 Penitent Tangent displays the same amount of regulation and protocol when it comes to dealing with the threat of the Flood as
Guilty Spark does. This is much to the dismay of Regret, who insists that "[...] of all the objects our lords [the Forerunners] left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles [Monitors]! They know nothing of The Great Journey!"2401 Penitent Tangent is also seen in the Halo 2 multiplayer map "Backwash" (obtained in the multiplayer map pack Maptacular Pack) which can be obtained via Xbox Live, or the Halo Multiplayer Map Pack. Here he simply flies around the sky, occasionally humming cheerily as 343 Guilty Spark often does.
Gravemind
The Gravemind is a large sentient creature of Flood origin, introduced during the events of Halo 2. The creature saves both the Master Chief and Arbiter from their deaths, bringing the two face to face in the bowels of Delta Halo. Gravemind reveals to the Arbiter that the "sacred rings" are actually weapons of last resort; a fact the Master Chief confirms.[96] In order to stop Halo from being fired, Gravemind teleports each character away to "stop the key from turning". He sends the Master Chief to High Charity in an attempt to capture the key necessary to fire Halo; likewise, Gravemind sends the Arbiter to the location of Halo's control room to stop the firing of the ring, which the Arbiter does. However at the same time, Gravemind infects the human ship In Amber Clad, using the ship to invade High Charity.[97] As of the end of Halo 2, Gravemind has appeared on the alien ship and is questioning Cortana.
Gravemind is a fictional character featured in the video game Halo 2. Gravemind is apparently the leader of the Flood parasite, one of Halo's most prominent threats, and by extension, one of the series' primary antagonists. Gravemind is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
Overview
Gravemind is a highly intelligent and extremely aware form of Flood, and is also the collective intelligence of the Flood. (It was confirmed on the Bungie website that he is in fact a leader intelligence of the Flood.) He resembles a large Venus Flytrap with many tentacles, but is capable of movement and linguistic communication. The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World states that Gravemind is "built from the bodies of its enemies and its own fallen warriors reassembled into a massive, tentacled, and intelligent entity." He also apparently has the ability to access Delta Halo's systems, taking advantage of the teleportation grid, though apparently is unable to teleport his own Flood minions or control the Sentinels. He speaks in trochaic heptameter (an example of the frequent use of the number seven in Bungie games) and seems to be aware of what is happening throughout the Halo. Describing Master Chief and the Arbiter, respectively, he says:
This one is machine and nerve, and has its mind concluded.
This one is but flesh and faith, and is the more deluded.
Technology
Graphics
Work-in-progress Halo 3 screenshot of campaign mode originally captured for use in The Wall Street Journal.
Work-in-progress Halo 3 screenshot of campaign mode originally captured for use in The Wall Street Journal.
Halo 3 utilizes a proprietary, in-house graphics engine, often referred to as the "Halo 3 Engine".[35] This engine builds upon the technologies of the Halo 2 Engine (and previously the Halo Engine) and is re-optimized for the architecture of the Xbox 360.
As detailed on the Bungie Studios website, it will employ advanced graphics
technologies such as High Dynamic Range, global lighting, real-time reflections and depth of field effects within cutscenes.[36] Certain surfaces, including the Master Chief's visor (when visible) and the armor of a Ghost, will have real-time reflections (These were, however, not present within the Beta.). Most of the dynamic objects in the game will cast real-time shadows on themselves and the environment around them, including the game's plant life. Halo 3 will use normal, bump, and parallax mapping to give surfaces more detail without dramatically increasing the number of polygons.Bungie has also stated that the draw distance of the game will be in excess of 10 miles (16 km). Sophisticated new atmospheric models are used in the game to replace the traditional skybox,[37] allowing several layers of cloud and atmospheric cover, and even a pseudo "space" beyond that. Water effects are also dramatically improved, as water can now reflect and refract images simultaneously. As well as being able to simulate effects such as waterfalls, water will visually flow around objects in its path and splash when players, vehicles, or other objects travel through it.
Physics
Halo 3, like Halo 2, uses a version of the Havok physics engine for much of its physics calculations[38] [39] (although parts of the physics, like melee, are done with custom code on top of the middleware).
A wide variety of objects are affected by physical interactions in Halo 3. Crates, canisters, objective objects, dropped weapons, characters, bodies, vehicles, and some parts of the world geometry all interact with each other and the world around them in believable physical ways. Trajectories of thrown objects are also affected by the gravity lifts in the game (including the "Mancannon").
Some of the foliage in the game is physically reactive; it not only moves in the simulated wind, but actually reacts to the player's (or other creatures) presence and bullet fire, as well as explosions. Some flora in the game will also be destroyed after receiving enough damage.
Audio
As with all titles on the Xbox 360, Halo 3 will fully support 5.1 surround sound audio. In the game, there will be over 50,000 pieces of audio, with nearly 40,000 of those being NPC dialogue.[12] This is many more than in either of the preceding Halo titles; Halo 2 had over 15,000 pieces of dialogue. The AI controlling this dialogue is designed to ensure the exchanges flow naturally and convincingly.
Separate recordings have been made for nearby and distant gunfire to make for a more believable sound experience. Distant gunfire sounds, which may first seem like prerecorded ambient sound, may often be the result of an actual firefight happening somewhere in the game. Marty O'Donnell is again composing the original score. Some pieces of the game's music are produced with a much larger real orchestra than anything in the prior two games. For example, the music for the announcement trailer was recorded with a 60-piece orchestra and a 24-piece choir.[5] Voice actors returning to reprise their roles in Halo 3 include: Jen Taylor as Cortana and Steve Downes as the voice of Master Chief. Actress Julie Benz,however, is not voicing Miranda Keyes for Halo 3.
Halo 3
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