Editing Cut Halo: Reach ambient life

Concepted by [[Isaac Hannaford]], the Gúta went through several revisions and rounds of development before reaching the form found in the final game. Early ideas showcased the creature as potentially being ridden by [[Kig-Yar|Jackals]], with later in-game prototyping exploring the ideas of [[Sangheili|Elites]] and [[Unggoy|Grunts]] riding them.{{Ref/Reuse|DevCommentaryGuta}} Later ideas suggested the Gútas were to have fur on their backs and arms - something that was conceived and modeled, though ultimately scrapped.{{Ref/Twitter|___Gal4xy___|1486153159668076546|Galaxy|Quote=Fun Fact: At one point the Guta's (Mule) were going to have fur. It was tested then scrapped.|D=11|M=02|Y=2022}}

Prior to their downscaled role in the game, the Gúta were intended to be in two other missions alongside [[Nightfall]]. Alongside the ability of the Covenant to ride Gutas, some explorations were done for them to be ride-able by the player - and for the player to be able to [[Boarding (gameplay mechanic)|board]] the Gúta by climbing up its back and kill it by planting a grenade in its mouth.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=DevCommentaryGuta|t_1LxdgGkOg|Ryan's Edits|Halo Reach Developer Commentary (2010)|Time=2054|Detail=34:14}}

The hawk showcased in the early development images below displays some subtle changes from the one featured in the final game, having no legs and a more reddish hue.

The Spadehorn was originally to appear in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' as ambient wildlife. {{Ref/Book|AoBW|Page=171}} Concept sketches were created for eight different varieties of the creature; the ''Highlands Spadehorn'', ''Prairie Spadehorn'', ''Angelhorn'', ''Ringhorn'', ''Hammerhorn'', ''Pryhorn'', ''Devilhorn'', and ''Godhorn'', each with different shaped horns. Spadehorns were intended to have an unusual genetic adaptation - horns that are flat and tough rather than brittle and pointy like those of their Earthbound cousins. The shovel-like horns were intended to dig through the rocky or frozen soil in Reach's boreal regions, though some variations were used instead to carve moss or lichen from sheer rock, or strip the bark from Reach's indigenous trees.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VXyrUDQF-/|Site=Instagram|Page=Halo Reach - Spadehorn exploration (2008)|Quote=Animals in the Bovid family on Reach have an unusual genetic adaptation - their horns become flat and rough rather than point and brittle, like those of their Earthbound cousins. These shovel-like surfaces are used to dig through the rocky (and often frozen) soil in Reach's boreal regions. Other variations allow these goat-like creatures to carve moss or lichens from sheer rock, or strip the fibrous bark from Reach's indigenous trees.|D=17|M=1|Y=2022}} Spadehorns did keep their place in ''Halo'' canon, serving as the in-universe namesake for the [[Spade]] truck drivable in-game, and later being recreated in ''[[Halo Mash-Up: Minecraft Evolved]]''.

The slug was another creature intended to inhabit Reach. The creature was modelled by artist [[:Category:Images by Zeke Garcia|Zeke Garcia]], and was fully textured and animated before it was cut.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8lnKO|Site=ArtStation|Page=Slug Halo Reach|D=11|M=02|Y=2022}} The slug was (possibly jokingly) mentioned by Bungie as intended to be used in the game's Legendary ending.{{Ref/Reuse|DevCommentary}}