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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
===Architecture=== | ===Architecture=== | ||
Beacon towers are large delta-shaped structures typically with a cleave down the approximate center where a beam is emitted upwards to the sky and into space.{{Ref/Novel|TF|Chapter=3}}{{Ref/Level|Id=halo|CE|Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo}} | Beacon towers are large delta-shaped structures typically with a cleave down the approximate center where a beam is emitted upwards to the sky and into space.{{Ref/Novel|TF|Chapter=3}}{{Ref/Level|Id=halo|CE|Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|Halo}}{{Ref/Map|Id=Valhalla|H3|Valhalla}} The towers typically feature an open-air elevated platform.{{Ref/Reuse|halo}} The beacons display a variety of minor differences in layout, likely reflecting the multiple purposes they serve: while some hold a small room in its center,{{Ref/Reuse|Valhalla}}{{Ref/Map|Id=fragmentation|HINF|Fragmentation}} others host an underground chamber that displays continuous data stream along its walls.{{Ref/Reuse|sequence}} Furthermore, certain underground chambers have a cathedral-type ceiling cut through with supports and spokes that rose in the center.{{Ref/Novel|Id=rp35|RP|Chapter=35}} The interior may feature an interface—either on a wall or on a plinth in the center of the chamber—for users to access the beacon's functions or retrieve the data being held in the data stream.{{Ref/Reuse|sequence}}{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}}{{Ref/Reuse|rp35}} | ||
Beacon towers are commonly positioned within deep canyons to protect the facility from off-world debris, and allow them to leverage the steep environment's natural harmonics to amplify their signals when firing deep into space.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} During [[Battle for Zeta Halo|their occupation]] of [[Installation 07]], because of the towers' elevated position over their surrounding areas, the [[Banished]] used the towers as makeshift garrisons or lookout towers.{{Ref/Reuse|rp35}} | Beacon towers are commonly positioned within deep canyons to protect the facility from off-world debris, and allow them to leverage the steep environment's natural harmonics to amplify their signals when firing deep into space.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} During [[Battle for Zeta Halo|their occupation]] of [[Installation 07]], because of the towers' elevated position over their surrounding areas, the [[Banished]] used the towers as makeshift garrisons or lookout towers.{{Ref/Reuse|rp35}} | ||
===Function=== | ===Function=== | ||
The beacon towers are built to channel, convert, and refine energy streams of almost any types.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P353}} Each beacon tower is equipped with a supraluminal communications array;{{Ref/Novel|Id=rp32|RP|Chapter=32}} as such, at their base function, the beacon towers act as communication channels to send specific commands to other remote locations.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} This is done via a pulse of energy being fired from the tower towards the sky. The pulse of energy is known to carry at least navigation data and communications protocols.{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}} On Halo rings, the beacon towers serve a multitude of purposes, including ring-wide communication and aiding in the activation process of the ring's primary firing mechanism. On [[Requiem]], beacon towers also function as part of the shield world's [[teleportation grid]], featuring [[Slipspace translocation|teleportation portals]] that can transport objects to various other parts of the installation.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=rallypoint|Didact's Hand|Rally Point}} | The beacon towers are built to channel, convert, and refine energy streams of almost any types.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22P353}} Each beacon tower is equipped with a supraluminal communications array;{{Ref/Novel|Id=rp32|RP|Chapter=32}} as such, at their base function, the beacon towers act as communication channels to send specific commands to other remote locations.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} This is done via a pulse of energy being fired from the tower towards the sky. The pulse of energy is known to carry at least navigation data and communications protocols.{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}} On Halo rings, the beacon towers serve a multitude of purposes, including ring-wide communication and aiding in the activation process of the ring's primary firing mechanism. On [[Requiem]], beacon towers also function as part of the shield world's [[teleportation grid]], featuring [[Slipspace translocation|teleportation portals]] that can transport objects to various other parts of the installation.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=rallypoint|Didact's Hand|Rally Point}} | ||
Access to the beacon's interior can restricted either with a locked door or an energy shield.{{Ref/Reuse|sequence}}{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}} Access to its function can also be locked down, though it could be overridden: during the Battle for Zeta Halo, the installation's [[monitor]] [[117649 Despondent Pyre]] generated a data key that could override the lockout [[Cortana]] had placed on a beacon tower. Furthermore, the data key contained adaptation protocols that instructed the tower to send a superluminal message,{{Ref/Reuse|rp34}} allowing [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]] [[Nina Kovan]] to transmit the ring's current galactic coordinates as well as pertinent data into human-occupied space.{{Ref/Reuse|rp35}} | |||
==Production notes== | ==Production notes== | ||
*The beacon towers in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' were designed and modelled by artist Chris Lee.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=IGN|9ndZbg8Mr-Q|IGN|Halo: Combat Evolved Devs React to Speedrun (Martin O’Donnell, Marcus Lehto)}} | *The beacon towers in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' were designed and modelled by artist Chris Lee.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=IGN|9ndZbg8Mr-Q|IGN|Halo: Combat Evolved Devs React to Speedrun (Martin O’Donnell, Marcus Lehto)}} | ||
*According to designer [[Jaime Griesemer]] and Art Director [[Marcus Lehto]], the beams emitted from the towers were intended to be high bandwidth communications "lasers" being fired from one side of the ring to the opposite side.{{Ref/Reuse|IGN}} Although this was never explicitly explained in any media released by [[Bungie]]—only being hinted at by the inclusion of an antenna on the beacon tower in [[Forge World]]—it was eventually canonized in ''[[Halo 4]]''{{'}}s ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' and ''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}}{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} | *According to designer [[Jaime Griesemer]] and Art Director [[Marcus Lehto]], the beams emitted from the towers were intended to be high bandwidth communications "lasers" being fired from one side of the ring to the opposite side.{{Ref/Reuse|IGN}} Although this was never explicitly explained in any media released by [[Bungie]]—only being hinted at by the inclusion of an antenna on the beacon tower in [[Forge World]]—it was eventually canonized in ''[[Halo 4]]''{{'}}s ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' and ''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|mountain}}{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} | ||
*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 3'', if the player stands at the top of a beam tower, over the chute in which the beam fires from, the beam can either kill them, sending the player over a hundred feet in the air, or completely pass through the player. When killed by the beam, it will say "''(Player) was killed by the Guardians''". | *In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 3'', if the player stands at the top of a beam tower, over the chute in which the beam fires from, the beam can either kill them, sending the player over a hundred feet in the air, or completely pass through the player. When killed by the beam, it will say "''(Player) was killed by the Guardians''". | ||
*During the ''[[Halo Wars 2 Open Beta]]'', the [[Control Tower]]s—which serve as objectives in the [[Domination]] multiplayer mode—heavily resembled the beacon towers. In the final version of ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', they were redesigned with three prongs. | *During the ''[[Halo Wars 2 Open Beta]]'', the [[Control Tower]]s—which serve as objectives in the [[Domination]] multiplayer mode—heavily resembled the beacon towers. In the final version of ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', they were redesigned with three prongs. | ||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}} | {{Linkbox|gallery=yes}} | ||
=== | ===Concept art=== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:HR ForgeWorld Concept 1.jpg|''[[Halo: Reach]]'' concept art of [[Forge World]] and its beacon tower. | File:HR ForgeWorld Concept 1.jpg|''[[Halo: Reach]]'' concept art of [[Forge World]] and its beacon tower. | ||
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File:H4 ForerunnerBeamHole Concept.jpg|''[[Halo 4]]'' concept art of a Forerunner "beam hole". | File:H4 ForerunnerBeamHole Concept.jpg|''[[Halo 4]]'' concept art of a Forerunner "beam hole". | ||
File:H4_RequiemBeamTower_Concept.jpg|Concept art for a beam emitter in ''Halo 4''. | File:H4_RequiemBeamTower_Concept.jpg|Concept art for a beam emitter in ''Halo 4''. | ||
File:HI AnnounceTrailer Concept 2.jpg|A beacon tower firing in a piece of concept art for the ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' [[Halo Infinite announcement trailer|announcement trailer]]. | File:HI AnnounceTrailer Concept 2.jpg|A beacon tower firing in a piece of concept art of for the ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' [[Halo Infinite announcement trailer|announcement trailer]]. | ||
File:HINF RiverStructureConcept.jpg|Concept art of a beacon tower connected | File:HINF RiverStructureConcept.jpg|Concept art of a beacon tower connected by a bridge for ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF | File:HINF DesertChopperConcept.jpg|Concept art of a beacon tower in a desert for ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter1.jpg|Concept art of beacon towers for ''Halo Infinite''. | File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter1.jpg|Concept art of beacon towers for ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter2.jpg|More concept art of the beacon tower in ''Halo Infinite''. | File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter2.jpg|More concept art of the beacon tower in ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter.jpg|Concept art of a beacon tower on Installation 07 | File:HINF Concept BeamEmitter.jpg|Concept art of a beacon tower on Installation 07 in ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF BeamEmitterConcept2.jpg|More concept art of a beacon tower on Installation 07 | File:HINF BeamEmitterConcept2.jpg|More concept art of a beacon tower on Installation 07. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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File:Insti04ff.png|A beacon tower on [[Installation 04 (map)|Installation 04]] firing in ''Halo: Reach''. | File:Insti04ff.png|A beacon tower on [[Installation 04 (map)|Installation 04]] firing in ''Halo: Reach''. | ||
File:BeamEmitterAnniversary.jpg|A beacon tower on Installation 04 in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''. | File:BeamEmitterAnniversary.jpg|A beacon tower on Installation 04 in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''. | ||
File:H4-MP-Ragnarok-Aerial.jpg|A beacon tower on [[Requiem]] in ''Halo 4''. | File:H4-MP-Ragnarok-Aerial.jpg|A beacon tower on [[Requiem]] in ''Halo 4''. | ||
File:H5G - Array 1.jpg|The beacon tower on [[Apex 7]] in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. | File:H5G - Array 1.jpg|The beacon tower on [[Apex 7]] in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. | ||
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File:HINF BeamEmitter1.png|A beacon tower on [[Installation 07]] in a pre-release build of ''Halo Infinite''. | File:HINF BeamEmitter1.png|A beacon tower on [[Installation 07]] in a pre-release build of ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF BeamEmitterUW.png|An ultrawide shot of a beacon tower at a different time of day in ''Halo Infinite''. | File:HINF BeamEmitterUW.png|An ultrawide shot of a beacon tower at a different time of day in ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF Sequence Beacon | File:HINF Sequence Beacon.png|The interior of a beacon tower in ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
File:HINF Sequence J117 Weapon.png|John-117 and the Weapon observe a beacon tower firing a beam in ''Halo Infinite''. | File:HINF Sequence J117 Weapon.png|John-117 and the Weapon observe a beacon tower firing a beam in ''Halo Infinite''. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' | *''[[Halo Infinite]]'' | ||
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'' | *''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'' | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== |